It was great to finally get to Twin Lakes.  We met up with our friends and decided to go to lunch one day.

We put Cerys into the camper and we went to enjoy a pleasant lunch.  When we arrived back at the camper, we saw several people around our RV.  I assumed Cerys had been barking and irritating other campers.

Then I saw Cerys running around near our RV.  We could not imagine how she had gotten out of the locked camper.

We comforted Cerys and then tried to figure our how she had gotten out.  We opened the door and the entire screen was ripped off the screen door and dents and deep scratches on the metal door.  As I walked to the back of the camper, I found the window shade completely pulled down and torn up and a big hole in the screen.   The rear window had been open giving Cerys the opportunity to jump out through the screen.

I was sickened at the thought of what this poor dog had gone through to be in such a panic as to do all that damage and then jump through a screen window.

She had a few issues on other camping trips with damaging a part of the screen but we had fixed it and thought she just needed more time to get used to the camper.  This time, however, we had  left her alone for longer than usual.

Now, decisions had to be made.  We were going to be gone for 3 weeks and it was obvious that Cerys was not an RV dog.

My brother (Ten Pin) immediately got on the phone and started calling ‘no kill’ shelters, anticipating what we were going to have to do.  I was an emotional wreck and unable to make any decisions other than we could not put this poor animal through this anymore.  The RV damage could be repaired but Cerys could not be expected to go through that panic every time we had to leave her in the RV.

The no-kill shelters said they had no room so LoneStar and Ten Pin decided to take her to a regular shelter.  We had Cerys for almost four years and I was quite bonded with her.  Every step I took, she was right behind me and now I was going to have to send her to a new home.

LoneStar  and Ten Pin came back about an hour later.  I was fearing what they would tell me.  However, God had once again intervened.  They took  Cerys into the shelter.   Several volunteers were inside the shelter talking to the receptionist.   The volunteers happened to be going to the no-kill shelter that we were told was full and would not accept any more dogs.  They saw Cerys, took her picture and sent it to their boss at the no-kill shelter.  They were told to bring her in as they had several families wanting a beautiful standard poodle.

Although this story sounds quite tragic, it does have a happy ending.  We do not know what home she was placed with but are believing she is happy and loved wherever she is at.

It is sometimes hard to make such sacrifices  but to put Cerys through such trauma was cruel.  Our future included a lot of travel and she wanted no part of it.  Cerys was a very well-trained dog, her only issue, enclosed spaces.  So to relinquish her to a home where her new family was made aware of her situation, was the best thing to do for her and us.

Cerys will always be in our hearts, and we know she is filling another home with tons of Poodle love.

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We started taking some short trips with our RV. One stop was a corps of engineers (COE) park at Ft. Richardson in Jacksboro, TX.

The park was very well kept and also offered some history. Again we only took a few photos but it will give you an idea of the park.  The gravel sites were fairly level, and spacious.  One morning we woke up and there were about 30 deer grazing right outside our window. Sure wish we would have snapped a photo.

Things worked out well on our first trip. Our dog Cerys enjoyed her walks and resting with me

Being an old fort, some of the buildings were still standing.

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My brother does a lot of traveling and when he finds things of interest he lets us know. He found a wayside stop on one of his adventures.  He told us it had a walkway through a swamp.  It was on our way back home.  It is located in Orange, Texas, on Interstate 10 at the Texas Travel Information Center. We just had to stop and check it out.

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The trip to Pensacola was excellent. My brother Henry also bought an RV and we met at the Blue Angel  RV Park. We spent  Christmas with him.  Even though it rained the majority of our stay, we still enjoyed our time together.

The level cement pad sites make for a quick set up with having to level the RV.

The sites well well-spaced with a picnic table and campfire ring.

The park is right on Pedido Bay.  I spotted several dolphins as I walked along the water’s edge which I always find exciting.  The weather was gloomy and cold so this photo reflects the weather at the time.

Walking trails providing you with plenty of nature hikes.

Dogs are permitted at Blue Angel with the leash law in effect. Also, if you take a dog camping, make sure you clean up after it. Most campers are responsible but there are always some who don’t care.  The park provides waste pick up bags for your convenience.

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We were anxious to try out our new RV so we took a short drive from our home to Lake Bridgeport. There we could hook up to water, sewer and electric, or ‘boondock’ (no water, electric with generator). To boondock was a very low fee, water, sewer and electric sites had a minimal charge.

The sites are gravel and are fairly level.

Beautiful lake with a gorgeous view.
The camping area also provides you with fishing docks, picnic tables, and campfire areas.
We were not anticipating documenting our trips so not many photos were taken.
It’s always a good idea, when you buy a new RV, to take a trip close to home. This way you can familiarize yourself with the RV and how things work, and of course which things don’t. Although you may have bought it brand new, there will always be issues that need looking into.
Also, it takes a while to figure out how you want your belongings arranged, i.e. food, clothing, etc. This of course will change with each trip because you will always find that rearranging to a more usable location works better.

© 2016-2026 ArchBooks, Inc.