Day 25 / 340

Goliad, Texas Sunny 80 degrees

Sunday marks the first day of our 'weekend' in our Goliad State Park routine.  This is the first of the lasts, as it were. The life of a full-time RV volunteer is cyclical. By that I mean you get to a new place, usually for a 90 day committment, settle into a new routine and then before you know it you are preparing to move on and you begin what I call "The week of lasts".

[caption id="attachment_619" align="alignright" width="300"] Mexican guards outside the chapel[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_618" align="alignright" width="300"] Mexican soldiers getting the execution orders[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_620" align="alignright" width="300"] Wounded Texans[/caption]

This is our last restful weekend here at Goliad.  We ended  the week by returning to the Reenactment Event  last night to attend the, much touted, Candle Light Tour inside the Fort. It was well worth staying up late. The tour got underway about 9 PM. Inside the fort walls we were treated to a very well acted rendition of the conversations happening between Fannin, his leaders and the Mexican soldiers who had become their captors that afternoon. We saw negotiations for medicine and water for the captured Texas troops. The conversation among the Mexican leaders when they got word from Santa Anna that the troops would not be returned to Louisiana as negotiated in the surrender, but executed the next morning. Finally we were allowed inside the Chapel to witness the agony of the injured and dying soldiers. The cloudy night lended to the atmosphere. It was very dark with only lantern light inside the fort grounds and buildings.  This morning at ten o'clock there was  a reenactment of the executions. I decided reading it in the books and watching the films at the various museums was enough. Desiree, who we work with in maintenance went for her first time and said it was quite moving and sad.

The staff at the park is weary from their big event and will recuperate slowing as they go about their daily work here. We will begin this week thinking about returning home. It always hits me that we are about to move on when the 10 day extended forecast includes our arrival date for our next destination.  I must say Iowa is not look very inviting right now, but the kids and grandkids will warm our hearts even if our skin is cold from the frigid midwest spring air.

Until tomorrow...