We moved over to Piney Grove on Wednesday so we would be there for the reunion. Piney Grove is a Corps of Engineers park and a decent place to stay. We are in among the trees, however, so Terry has to fuss with his portable satellite dish in order to get TV reception. But he usually gets what he wants!
We went into town and visited with family members at the Buck Creek Flea Market. That is where Paul, Rusty, and Shirley are during the day. I always like to look around because I usually manage to find something I like. They were all there as were Gary and Jo, so we got to see them all.
We visited for awhile and then Terry, Gary, Jo and I all left on a mission to find an Amish vegetable market up north of Corinth in Tennessee. We did give it the ol' college try, but we never managed to find it, although we drove all over the area. As it was, when we got back and talked with the fellow who had told Terry about it, we found out we were very close and just turned the wrong way on one road. Geesh! I guess that will mean another road trip next time we are there. . . that will be next year. LOL
On Saturday, we met at Ramey's Restaurant in Marietta for the Pace/Stevens reunion. We had 18 there, I think. We had a great time and really enjoyed ourselves. The only person left in our parents' generation (the ones who started the reunion) is Uncle Bob. He, unfortunately, suffers from Alzheimer's and no longer comes to the family gatherings. That is a difficult situation for his children as it is for any family dealing with a loved one with that disease. But he is happy where he is at and that is a good thing. We always enjoy the reunion and hope every year that more of the family members will come.
We spent the rest of the weekend relaxing at the camp and getting ready to break camp on Monday. When we left there, we returned to Red Bay to get our paint work done on two of our bay doors. They got that done on Tuesday and we spent that night in Red Bay, then headed out. It was supposed to rain the day we left and it did. We drove the Natchez Trace and it poured down on us the entire time. I love driving the Trace and it was okay in the rain. There wasn't much traffic and we easily made it to north of Nashville for the night. We stayed at Dad's Bluegrass Camp.
The next day we drove on up to Edinburg, Indiana, and stayed at the Johnson County Park. It is located in what used to be a part of Camp Atterbury. Our first campsite had power problems and we were moved to a site we had used a year or so ago. That worked fine. We shopped a bit at the factory shops down the road. And while we were in the area, we stopped and got carryout at Nick's Diner. There we had their famous tenderloin sandwich. I was not impressed. Terry may have like it better, but I didn't care for it.
We left there and drove to Warsaw and stayed at the fairgrounds for a couple nights and visited with Mom and my sister and husband. Then we headed on up to Elkhart to the campground where we plan to spend the summer.
Till next time. . .
Dale
Sunday, June 17, 2018
Friday, June 01, 2018
Back home in Red Bay!
I say back home, because Red Bay is where Phaeton Place was born. She has her roots here. We came back this time because we have to get two bay doors replaced. We actually are scheduled on Monday, June 11, but we had a couple other things we hoped to get fixed while we were in the area. Terry's family reunion is June 9, so we got done in Searcy in time to get over here.
We stopped into the body shop and they have our doors. They are going to check their schedule to see when they can do it, maybe this week or early next week.
We also stopped at the camp office to sign up for a service appointment. After July 7, Tiffin will no longer work on motorhomes past ten years old, so we won't be able to get factory service. But there are so many outfits here, former Tiffin employees who have gone out on their own, that this is still the best place to come to get work done. Tiffin even supplies you with a little catalog of all the places that do work and even a map with their locations. We had two items that needed attention, the door awning and a slide roller. We were told that the scheduler would come around today to see us.
So we went to bed last night knowing we would be talking to someone today. I got up early and was having my first cup of coffee when the phone rang at 6 a.m. The lady spoke in a heavily southern accented voice and I had trouble understanding her. But she asked if we could be in Bay 10 at 7 a.m. What???????? Yes, I said. We will be there. I ran and woke Terry up and told him. He asked, "Can we make it?" I said, "We're gonna try." We left at 6:45 and were sitting waiting in front of Bay 10 a few minutes later. In fact, our paperwork had not yet reached our bay. Once we were in, we told them our two problems and we unloaded the cabinets they would have to have access through. Since we had rushed around, we hadn't had breakfast, so I ran out and got us breakfast. I got back about 8:15 and they were DONE! DONE! Unbelievable! The awning was not broken. Water had built up in the endcap and the tech removed it and then drilled a little hole to keep water draining from now on. He lubricated it a bit and it is good to go. The slide roller was a bigger job, but they know how to repair this stuff. They had to actually jack up the slide from the outside. Didn't take much time to get it in place. They thought they might have to fix our broken one if they didn't have one in stock. But they did have one and told us to keep the old one and have it repaired/welded so we would have a backup.
We were back on our site here at the camp at 8:30. Man, what a fast, busy 2 1/2 hours that was. I can't believe we just dropped in hoping to maybe at least get someone to look at in and it's fixed! I just can't say enough for Tiffin. They do it right.
We are here in the camp for another 5 nights or so, then we move to Piney Grove Corps Park in Mississippi, to be close to the reunion. Once we leave there, we will be back here in Red Bay, unless our work is finished between now and next Wednesday. So we are happy campers once again!
Till next time. . .
Dale
We stopped into the body shop and they have our doors. They are going to check their schedule to see when they can do it, maybe this week or early next week.
We also stopped at the camp office to sign up for a service appointment. After July 7, Tiffin will no longer work on motorhomes past ten years old, so we won't be able to get factory service. But there are so many outfits here, former Tiffin employees who have gone out on their own, that this is still the best place to come to get work done. Tiffin even supplies you with a little catalog of all the places that do work and even a map with their locations. We had two items that needed attention, the door awning and a slide roller. We were told that the scheduler would come around today to see us.
So we went to bed last night knowing we would be talking to someone today. I got up early and was having my first cup of coffee when the phone rang at 6 a.m. The lady spoke in a heavily southern accented voice and I had trouble understanding her. But she asked if we could be in Bay 10 at 7 a.m. What???????? Yes, I said. We will be there. I ran and woke Terry up and told him. He asked, "Can we make it?" I said, "We're gonna try." We left at 6:45 and were sitting waiting in front of Bay 10 a few minutes later. In fact, our paperwork had not yet reached our bay. Once we were in, we told them our two problems and we unloaded the cabinets they would have to have access through. Since we had rushed around, we hadn't had breakfast, so I ran out and got us breakfast. I got back about 8:15 and they were DONE! DONE! Unbelievable! The awning was not broken. Water had built up in the endcap and the tech removed it and then drilled a little hole to keep water draining from now on. He lubricated it a bit and it is good to go. The slide roller was a bigger job, but they know how to repair this stuff. They had to actually jack up the slide from the outside. Didn't take much time to get it in place. They thought they might have to fix our broken one if they didn't have one in stock. But they did have one and told us to keep the old one and have it repaired/welded so we would have a backup.
We were back on our site here at the camp at 8:30. Man, what a fast, busy 2 1/2 hours that was. I can't believe we just dropped in hoping to maybe at least get someone to look at in and it's fixed! I just can't say enough for Tiffin. They do it right.
We are here in the camp for another 5 nights or so, then we move to Piney Grove Corps Park in Mississippi, to be close to the reunion. Once we leave there, we will be back here in Red Bay, unless our work is finished between now and next Wednesday. So we are happy campers once again!
Till next time. . .
Dale
Thursday, May 31, 2018
Searcy, Arkansas
For years as members of FMCA, we were aware that the president of FMCA (now ex-president) had established a company based in Searcy, Arkansas, that would rebuild your RV windows that were fogged up or had moisture in between the panes of the double-paned glass. While our Phaeton was still under warranty, we had several windows replaced. The driver's window I think was done three times. Tiffin would simply replace rather than fix the windows. Now that the coach is not under warranty, I did not want to take it to Tiffin and have them replace the windows with other "like" windows that would fail in a short time. So we decided to head to Searcy and have our bad windows fixed.
On the way, we stopped in Gretna, Florida. When we pulled in, I noticed the coach two down from us as being familiar. Our friends, Rod and Marsha, who were the hosts at the Tiffin Campground for years, were camped there! So we visited a while. They had left Florida that morning, same as us. They mentioned they were headed to Red Bay in June and we were too! So it seems we will meet again.
The next morning we broke camp and drove on. We stopped at a Corps of Engineers Park along the Tombigbee River. It was a beautiful camp and we were right on the river. We saw a barge going through soon after we stopped. That was the only one we saw, but I'm sure there are more moving up and down that river. They also access the Tenn-Tom Waterway, which connects the Tennessee and the Tombigbee to the Gulf of Mexico. We were able to sit out for awhile, but once again, RAIN! It seems there is no end in sight. We we were safe and snug in our campground.
We finally got into Searcy on Friday afternoon and set up camp at Whitney Lane RV Park. It is owned by a very kind older gentleman who had just lost his wife three weeks ago. He put us on his best site. It was a full pad with 50 amp and full hookups. It was the last site on the row and we stepped out with a view of a grassy yard running back to a woods. We had gotten in late afternoon and it was hot, so we plugged in. After waiting a bit, our power still had not kicked in. Julian, the owner, had pointed out that the other hookup was bad because a plug had overheated and he hadn't yet replaced it. So Terry tried a couple things and nothing worked. We had to call Julian back. He came back and prepared to open up the box and fix the problem. He had built the park and knew how to do all of this, but this stuff is right up Terry's alley, so he helped him. The box was full of mud dauber nests, long since vacated, and the breaker was bad. But they got that all fixed up and decided to fix the second box which had some bad wire due to the overheated plug at one time. So the two guys worked till they had that done and Julian spent another hour just talking. He is such a sweet man and he no doubt is lonely having just lost his spouse. I think Terry earned his angel wings talking with him. He does have family around. His sister across the street, a daughter next door and another relative next to her. So I'm sure they all check on him.
On Tuesday after Memorial Day, we were up early and over at the FogDr. garage at 8 a.m. They were ready for us and backed us right in and up to the building. The have full hookups as well, but we just plugged into electric so we would have air. They came out and asked us which windows needed work, so we walked around as they labeled them, nine total. Then they took out the four in the bath and bedroom. They had told us it would take two days so we were prepared to stay the night there. But they had those four done by noon and pulled the others in the front and said they would try to have them all done. And they did! Very professional people to work with. They worked fast, but not too fast that you questioned their work. They had a definite system for removing all the windows and worked steadily till the job was done.
Once they were finished, we went to get some supper and once back in the motorhome, we started hanging valences. Terry had made all our wood valences and they are beautiful, but it was a lot of work removing them with the blinds in them. And a couple of them are really heavy. We had done all that before we got there, so all they had to do was do the windows. So now we had it all to put back. And we had several cabinets we had to empty and leave empty till they were done, so in addition to having wood valences all over the place and in the car, we had boxes of household goods sitting under the table. It was a mess. But by the time we were ready for bed, it was all done. Our new windows look great. We can actually see out of them for the first time in years!
We spent the night in their parking lot and slept in. Wednesday, yesterday, we got up and left their place at 9 a.m. It was a great stop and after leaving $$$$ in Searcy, we went on down the highway.
Till next time. . .
Dale
On the way, we stopped in Gretna, Florida. When we pulled in, I noticed the coach two down from us as being familiar. Our friends, Rod and Marsha, who were the hosts at the Tiffin Campground for years, were camped there! So we visited a while. They had left Florida that morning, same as us. They mentioned they were headed to Red Bay in June and we were too! So it seems we will meet again.
The next morning we broke camp and drove on. We stopped at a Corps of Engineers Park along the Tombigbee River. It was a beautiful camp and we were right on the river. We saw a barge going through soon after we stopped. That was the only one we saw, but I'm sure there are more moving up and down that river. They also access the Tenn-Tom Waterway, which connects the Tennessee and the Tombigbee to the Gulf of Mexico. We were able to sit out for awhile, but once again, RAIN! It seems there is no end in sight. We we were safe and snug in our campground.
We finally got into Searcy on Friday afternoon and set up camp at Whitney Lane RV Park. It is owned by a very kind older gentleman who had just lost his wife three weeks ago. He put us on his best site. It was a full pad with 50 amp and full hookups. It was the last site on the row and we stepped out with a view of a grassy yard running back to a woods. We had gotten in late afternoon and it was hot, so we plugged in. After waiting a bit, our power still had not kicked in. Julian, the owner, had pointed out that the other hookup was bad because a plug had overheated and he hadn't yet replaced it. So Terry tried a couple things and nothing worked. We had to call Julian back. He came back and prepared to open up the box and fix the problem. He had built the park and knew how to do all of this, but this stuff is right up Terry's alley, so he helped him. The box was full of mud dauber nests, long since vacated, and the breaker was bad. But they got that all fixed up and decided to fix the second box which had some bad wire due to the overheated plug at one time. So the two guys worked till they had that done and Julian spent another hour just talking. He is such a sweet man and he no doubt is lonely having just lost his spouse. I think Terry earned his angel wings talking with him. He does have family around. His sister across the street, a daughter next door and another relative next to her. So I'm sure they all check on him.
On Tuesday after Memorial Day, we were up early and over at the FogDr. garage at 8 a.m. They were ready for us and backed us right in and up to the building. The have full hookups as well, but we just plugged into electric so we would have air. They came out and asked us which windows needed work, so we walked around as they labeled them, nine total. Then they took out the four in the bath and bedroom. They had told us it would take two days so we were prepared to stay the night there. But they had those four done by noon and pulled the others in the front and said they would try to have them all done. And they did! Very professional people to work with. They worked fast, but not too fast that you questioned their work. They had a definite system for removing all the windows and worked steadily till the job was done.
Once they were finished, we went to get some supper and once back in the motorhome, we started hanging valences. Terry had made all our wood valences and they are beautiful, but it was a lot of work removing them with the blinds in them. And a couple of them are really heavy. We had done all that before we got there, so all they had to do was do the windows. So now we had it all to put back. And we had several cabinets we had to empty and leave empty till they were done, so in addition to having wood valences all over the place and in the car, we had boxes of household goods sitting under the table. It was a mess. But by the time we were ready for bed, it was all done. Our new windows look great. We can actually see out of them for the first time in years!
We spent the night in their parking lot and slept in. Wednesday, yesterday, we got up and left their place at 9 a.m. It was a great stop and after leaving $$$$ in Searcy, we went on down the highway.
Till next time. . .
Dale
Wednesday, May 23, 2018
Marking time. . .
The guys who did our new mask on the front didn't want us driving off into the sunset just yet. Especially with the monsoon style rain we've been experiencing. So we signed up for another three days here at Tampa East RV Resort and will be leaving on Saturday morning.
While we were in Tampa we had almost torrential rains the entire time. We really didn't get out and do much because we didn't want to run in and out of the rain. We did go to Ikea one day and shopped. Bought a couple things, but not much. We did have lunch there. I had the salmon lunch and it was very good. When we left, we took a drive through Ybor City, the old cigar district. I guess that's what you call it. We had been through there years ago, but we may have missed the shoppes area because I didn't remember it. A lot of little restaurants and bistros now. All the kind of places we can't go because of diet restrictions.
Saturday we left Tampa East and drove 50 some miles up to Bushnell. We had reservations at Blueberry Hill for three nights. It's a very nice camp. They have a lot of activities for campers, but their season is over, so not much is going on. It would be a great camp if you weren't packed in so
tight. It is a fairly new camp, but the spaces are just a bit short for us and not much space between campers. They have a "moat" that surrounds the camp and warning signs telling of alligators. They weren't telling lies, either, because we took pictures of two. One was a baby, the other was about 4-5 feet long and capable of taking small pets. Good advice to stay away!
We went to the Webster flea market on Monday while we were there. Big disappointment. Course, the season is over. But the real reason it was so dead was no doubt the amount of rain they've had.
We enjoyed our time in Florida. We got to see the kids and granddaughter and had some work done on the motorhome. But it's time to roll. We hit the road tomorrow.
Till next time. . .
Dale
While we were in Tampa we had almost torrential rains the entire time. We really didn't get out and do much because we didn't want to run in and out of the rain. We did go to Ikea one day and shopped. Bought a couple things, but not much. We did have lunch there. I had the salmon lunch and it was very good. When we left, we took a drive through Ybor City, the old cigar district. I guess that's what you call it. We had been through there years ago, but we may have missed the shoppes area because I didn't remember it. A lot of little restaurants and bistros now. All the kind of places we can't go because of diet restrictions.
Saturday we left Tampa East and drove 50 some miles up to Bushnell. We had reservations at Blueberry Hill for three nights. It's a very nice camp. They have a lot of activities for campers, but their season is over, so not much is going on. It would be a great camp if you weren't packed in so
tight. It is a fairly new camp, but the spaces are just a bit short for us and not much space between campers. They have a "moat" that surrounds the camp and warning signs telling of alligators. They weren't telling lies, either, because we took pictures of two. One was a baby, the other was about 4-5 feet long and capable of taking small pets. Good advice to stay away!We went to the Webster flea market on Monday while we were there. Big disappointment. Course, the season is over. But the real reason it was so dead was no doubt the amount of rain they've had.
We enjoyed our time in Florida. We got to see the kids and granddaughter and had some work done on the motorhome. But it's time to roll. We hit the road tomorrow.
Till next time. . .
Dale
Wednesday, May 16, 2018
Time to roll . . .
So after driving to the various venues and threatening skies, we decided to head to the restaurant, Grills Riverside, where we enjoyed a dinner inside, but at the window, so we could see the Indian River. We actually spotted a dolphin swimming close to shore.After dinner, we returned to the camp to let Duchess out and feed her, then we headed back over to the kids' again and spent the evening with them. It was a great time and we hated to go. I always hate to leave kids and grandkids, but we have other places to go. Terry had made an appointment to get the front mask removed from the motorhome and a new one applied.
We left Sunday morning to go to Tampa, actually Dover, just east of Tampa. We arrived in the afternoon and it was clear the entire way, but soon started to rain. It really poured the rest of the day and all night. They had told us they wouldn't be able to do the mask if it rained. As it turned out, their other appointment didn't show and they were able to put us inside the building and do it. So Monday morning we were over at Florida Applied Films, just about 2 miles from the camp and they took about 2 hours to remove the paint protection film that was on it. The problem with these films is that rocks pierce them and then mold forms underneath. I actually thought we would have to repaint the entire front cap, but as it turned out the paint underneath was good and not damaged. So after it was removed, we returned to camp. We needed some touch up paint and we were told to go to Lazy Days and get it mixed for us. We went on over and it didn't take long to get our order in. We removed the refrigerator hatch door which contained the three colors we needed and the paint shop was able to mix up some paint for us. They called when it was ready a few hours later and we picked it up.
Wednesday (today) morning to have it applied. It had continued to rain and pour every day we have been here, but today was sunny with a few clouds here and there. We took the coach back into the building at the shop and they started work immediately. By the time the mask was delivered, they were ready for it and got it installed. It looks great. There was a Phaeton logo on the the front which had to be removed in the process and we weren't going to put any back on. But the logo has been there for over 12 years and there was a shadow where the logo had been. So the guy offered to do a decal, which we approved. It is the same style looks very nice. We are very pleased, especially since we didn't have to repaint the front end.While we were waiting on things, we drove up to Zephyrhills and looked around at some RV sites.
But we didn't find anything Terry wanted to go back to see, so no news there. We did have breakfast Tuesday with some great friends, Bill and Helen. We met them when we started fulltiming. They live in the Villages now and we rarely see them anymore, so this was a special time.My friend, Josie, is still in the park in Texas and took even more
pictures of our cactus. They 
continue to bloom more and more and are really beautiful.
We are here for a few more days because the mask needs to "cure" before driving off, especially if we have a lot of rain. So I see a casino in my future as well an IKEA! Whoo hoo!
Till next time. . .
Dale
Saturday, May 12, 2018
Winding down. . .
Our time with the kids is coming to a close. This week at the park has been busy with wildlife 
sightings. We have seen an abundance of the gopher tortoises, Sandhill cranes, bunnies, turtles, ducks, a pileated woodpecker and we even spotted a lone eagle! We have seen the eagle on past trips here and it is always a thrill. 
Yesterday was the launch of a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket. We were able to see it from the cul-de-sac in front of Brandon's house. Pretty cool. A few minutes later we heard the rumble from the rocket launching. We heard later what we believe to be the rocket boosters returning to earth. They actually are landed on a drone ship in the ocean and reused. Pretty clever.
While we have been gone from Texas, our cactus have been busy blooming. They started the week we left
there. We have never seen them blooming. Our paddle cactus always have flowers on them, but they never "bloom" and the long armed cactus (don't know the name) 
have never produced blooms while we are there. Dang, but they're beautiful. A friend who is still there took these this week.Till next time. . .
Dale
Tuesday, May 08, 2018
FLORIDA!
Once done with our spring appointments, we hit the road for Florida. Megan and Brandon had a trip to Cancun the first week in May and we agreed to stay with Brynlee during that time. This was an incentive trip Brandon earned for reaching some really high sales goals set by the company. He is doing very well with his company, loves his job, and they reward him accordingly.
We traveled long days to get there, more than the usual 250 miles we normally do, but Brandon had an event on Saturday he wanted Terry to go with him to, so I got him there just before noon on Saturday. Brandon had tickets to EggFest, an event sponsored by the Big Green Egg and Wassi's, a meat market in Melbourne. They were cooking on 200 Green Eggs, demonstrating how they work, etc. The Eggs they demo are then sold at a highly reduced price. You have to sign up beforehand and Brandon had two free tickets, so he took Terry.
They enjoyed their time, got to eat all day and at the end of the day, had his Egg loaded in the car and brought home. It was a chore getting it out of the car and through the house to the lanai, as it weighs 200 some pounds. But a neighbor came and helped and all went smoothly.
The kids left the next day for their flight to Cancun after dropping Brynlee off at school. I picked her up later that day and the fun began. We had a great week. I was the chief chauffer, driving her from one event to another. LOL But we had great fun and enjoyed our time together. I stayed at the house with her. Terry was there during the day and we even brought Duchess, who got along well with Jax. Terry would go back to the motorhome at night. Brynlee had school, gymnastics, dance, Gymboree, and T-ball during the week. We were busy!
The kids arrived back on time Friday evening and we all met at Sonny's BBQ where we had dinner together. Sunday Brandon cooked out on his Green Egg and we had steak, shrimp, salmon, burgers, asparagus, corn on the cob, salad, cake and watermelon. It was a grand feast and we lots of leftovers.
In other news, Mom returned to her home last weekend and is doing well. She gets visits from home health and the physical therapist, but is able to get around on her own and even shower. So she is recovering very nicely. Nita even took her to church yesterday and dinner out and she enjoyed herself immensely. Prayers have been answered.
Today we are going to look at some RV lots in the area. Would like to find something, but pickins' are slim. Tonight we are going to Diane's, Megan's Mom's, for dinner. We are looking forward to that.
Till next time. . .
Dale
We traveled long days to get there, more than the usual 250 miles we normally do, but Brandon had an event on Saturday he wanted Terry to go with him to, so I got him there just before noon on Saturday. Brandon had tickets to EggFest, an event sponsored by the Big Green Egg and Wassi's, a meat market in Melbourne. They were cooking on 200 Green Eggs, demonstrating how they work, etc. The Eggs they demo are then sold at a highly reduced price. You have to sign up beforehand and Brandon had two free tickets, so he took Terry.
They enjoyed their time, got to eat all day and at the end of the day, had his Egg loaded in the car and brought home. It was a chore getting it out of the car and through the house to the lanai, as it weighs 200 some pounds. But a neighbor came and helped and all went smoothly.
The kids left the next day for their flight to Cancun after dropping Brynlee off at school. I picked her up later that day and the fun began. We had a great week. I was the chief chauffer, driving her from one event to another. LOL But we had great fun and enjoyed our time together. I stayed at the house with her. Terry was there during the day and we even brought Duchess, who got along well with Jax. Terry would go back to the motorhome at night. Brynlee had school, gymnastics, dance, Gymboree, and T-ball during the week. We were busy!
The kids arrived back on time Friday evening and we all met at Sonny's BBQ where we had dinner together. Sunday Brandon cooked out on his Green Egg and we had steak, shrimp, salmon, burgers, asparagus, corn on the cob, salad, cake and watermelon. It was a grand feast and we lots of leftovers.
In other news, Mom returned to her home last weekend and is doing well. She gets visits from home health and the physical therapist, but is able to get around on her own and even shower. So she is recovering very nicely. Nita even took her to church yesterday and dinner out and she enjoyed herself immensely. Prayers have been answered.
Today we are going to look at some RV lots in the area. Would like to find something, but pickins' are slim. Tonight we are going to Diane's, Megan's Mom's, for dinner. We are looking forward to that.
Till next time. . .
Dale
Thursday, April 26, 2018
Spring appointments
We drove in high winds all the way back from Virginia to Indiana. We drove the toll road, which was expensive, but the quickest way to our destination. We pulled into the drive at the storage condo and were there for a week. We made one trip to Indy for Terry's cardiology appointment. We will have to make some time for Terry to have a pulmonary assessment, but all is well.
Mom is doing well in the rehab division at Miller's in Warsaw. She is in rehab every day, usually morning and afternoon, and is trying to do everything they ask of her. She says she grows stronger every day. She can feel her strength returning and is able to do more and more by herself which is really encouraging.
Toward the end of our time there, we camped at the Warsaw fairgrounds so we could visit more. I attended her evaluation where they said she would be there one more week, then released home. We also went to her house with the PT people and Mom and they evaluated what else they specifically needed to work on to get her living again in her home. Fortunately after what we went through with Daddy, her home is now 100% handicapped accessible, so she can negotiate very well with her walker, although she will be able to ditch that soon. The people at Miller's have been wonderful to her and have kept her safe and mobile and have improved her balance and stability a lot. We are very grateful to them. They in turn have been very pleased with Mom's eagerness to help herself and are in awe of this almost 93 year old woman who refuses to be bedridden. Whoo hoo!
After our last weekend there, we headed to central Indiana and the rest of our doctor appointments. All went very well and I am pleased to say I got released by my back doctor in Indy. He is a peach and he and his staff gave me my life back and free of the pain I have endured for over 40 years. If you are having back issues and they are not resolved with the treatment you are seeking, please go to St. Vincent's (Indy) to the Goodman Campbell Brain and Spine and at least have a consultation. I used Dr. Potts, but there are several specialists and they will help you see the right one. I am eternally grateful to them.
Till next time. . .
Dale
Mom is doing well in the rehab division at Miller's in Warsaw. She is in rehab every day, usually morning and afternoon, and is trying to do everything they ask of her. She says she grows stronger every day. She can feel her strength returning and is able to do more and more by herself which is really encouraging.
Toward the end of our time there, we camped at the Warsaw fairgrounds so we could visit more. I attended her evaluation where they said she would be there one more week, then released home. We also went to her house with the PT people and Mom and they evaluated what else they specifically needed to work on to get her living again in her home. Fortunately after what we went through with Daddy, her home is now 100% handicapped accessible, so she can negotiate very well with her walker, although she will be able to ditch that soon. The people at Miller's have been wonderful to her and have kept her safe and mobile and have improved her balance and stability a lot. We are very grateful to them. They in turn have been very pleased with Mom's eagerness to help herself and are in awe of this almost 93 year old woman who refuses to be bedridden. Whoo hoo!
After our last weekend there, we headed to central Indiana and the rest of our doctor appointments. All went very well and I am pleased to say I got released by my back doctor in Indy. He is a peach and he and his staff gave me my life back and free of the pain I have endured for over 40 years. If you are having back issues and they are not resolved with the treatment you are seeking, please go to St. Vincent's (Indy) to the Goodman Campbell Brain and Spine and at least have a consultation. I used Dr. Potts, but there are several specialists and they will help you see the right one. I am eternally grateful to them.
Till next time. . .
Dale
Thursday, April 12, 2018
Moving on. . .
We spent another night on the road before we got to Charlottesville, Virginia. We spent a glorious week with the kids and grandkids. We always enjoy seeing them as we only see them about twice a year for a week each. Fortunately, while the whole family had been sick, they all were recovered by the time we got there. Illness is something we try to avoid like the plaque, with Terry's health problems.
The kids had some school functions this week, so in between times, we visited and even babysat while the kids were gone. Tom now works away from home, so he is not readily available if Jocelyn has to step out. Most of the time, she can take them with her, but if she has a doctor appointment, it's handier if we can watch them. Tom is enjoying his job. He now works for the university, UVA, as a computer programmer in the School of Medicine. I guess his job is a lot like his last job, but working at a university certainly has more perks. His job is flexible as well. When he was sick for the week, he was able to work from home so he didn't have to take time off work.
We entertained the kids out at the motorhome a couple evenings. While we were there, we gave Ronan his birthday presents because we wouldn't be there for his actual birthday. At least he gets to drag it out a bit more. LOL
The weather was less than stellar while we were there. Winter has been hanging around most of the midwest longer this year and Virginia was no exception. We had snow twice and while it wasn't a lot, it did hang around on the ground for awhile. We tried to use our propane sparingly and since we had 50 amp there, we could use our heat pumps if it was above 40, but that wasn't always possible with the cold temps we had.
Our week was too short and we are on the road again, headed to Indiana. Going to spend some time visiting Mom and we have our spring doctor appointments lined up.
Till next time. . .
Dale
The kids had some school functions this week, so in between times, we visited and even babysat while the kids were gone. Tom now works away from home, so he is not readily available if Jocelyn has to step out. Most of the time, she can take them with her, but if she has a doctor appointment, it's handier if we can watch them. Tom is enjoying his job. He now works for the university, UVA, as a computer programmer in the School of Medicine. I guess his job is a lot like his last job, but working at a university certainly has more perks. His job is flexible as well. When he was sick for the week, he was able to work from home so he didn't have to take time off work.
We entertained the kids out at the motorhome a couple evenings. While we were there, we gave Ronan his birthday presents because we wouldn't be there for his actual birthday. At least he gets to drag it out a bit more. LOL
The weather was less than stellar while we were there. Winter has been hanging around most of the midwest longer this year and Virginia was no exception. We had snow twice and while it wasn't a lot, it did hang around on the ground for awhile. We tried to use our propane sparingly and since we had 50 amp there, we could use our heat pumps if it was above 40, but that wasn't always possible with the cold temps we had.
Our week was too short and we are on the road again, headed to Indiana. Going to spend some time visiting Mom and we have our spring doctor appointments lined up.
Till next time. . .
Dale
Monday, April 02, 2018
Continuing on. . .
We are currently stopped for the night in Bristol, Tennessee. We passed right by the Nascar track. It looks like a really deep "well." It is a short track and reminded me of a Chinese Checkers game or what some call Stadium Checkers. We are camped close by. It was a bit of a trick to get in here because the drive was a 180 degree turn down a steep hill, but all is well. Getting out won't be much fun, but we will manage.
Tomorrow we will be in Staunton, Virginia. Our reservations in Charlottesville start on Wednesday, so we will be getting a couple of supplies before going in the next day.
All is well with our traveling across country. At least no more tornadoes, thank goodness.
Mom was released from the hospital yesterday and transferred to Miller's Merry Manor just south of Warsaw. She is impressed with the facility and is making the most of the situation. So far the food has been good although she claims they give her too much. She eats what she can and doesn't complain about it. A lady came in today from physical therapy and said they would start by working on her upper arms. They told her that her days would be filled from now on. She said she hopes she can do it. I pray she can. She had gotten thinner and didn't have much strength, so I'm hoping this therapy will help get her back on track.
Cooler temps are prevailing now and it will be colder in Charlottesville this week. Sure wish it was warmer.
Till next time. . .
Dale
Tomorrow we will be in Staunton, Virginia. Our reservations in Charlottesville start on Wednesday, so we will be getting a couple of supplies before going in the next day.
All is well with our traveling across country. At least no more tornadoes, thank goodness.
Mom was released from the hospital yesterday and transferred to Miller's Merry Manor just south of Warsaw. She is impressed with the facility and is making the most of the situation. So far the food has been good although she claims they give her too much. She eats what she can and doesn't complain about it. A lady came in today from physical therapy and said they would start by working on her upper arms. They told her that her days would be filled from now on. She said she hopes she can do it. I pray she can. She had gotten thinner and didn't have much strength, so I'm hoping this therapy will help get her back on track.
Cooler temps are prevailing now and it will be colder in Charlottesville this week. Sure wish it was warmer.
Till next time. . .
Dale
Sunday, April 01, 2018
Cousin time!
After leaving Kinder and the storm behind us, we traveled on to cousin Gary and Jo's. This time we stayed at the Baker Mobile Home court in Baker. Since the flood last year at Gary's, it hasn't been firm enough to get in/out of his yard with the motorhome. So we have been staying at some camps in the area. The closest camp though is about 20 miles away. Graciously, they let us bring Duchess and she gets along well in their house, mostly finding a place to plop down amidst the foot traffic, just like she does in the motorhome. She is blind, so I guess she lays there thinking we won't forget she's there. LOL
We enjoyed a couple days with Gary and Jo and Kristen's family. One day they picked us up and took us over to False River and we ate at a Louisiana type restaurant. We all got seafood and it was really good. It was great to be able to visit with relatives.
Till next time. . .
Dale
We enjoyed a couple days with Gary and Jo and Kristen's family. One day they picked us up and took us over to False River and we ate at a Louisiana type restaurant. We all got seafood and it was really good. It was great to be able to visit with relatives.
Till next time. . .
Dale
Friday, March 30, 2018
A little "twist"er on things. . .
We left the RGV on Monday. Made it to Houston and on Wednesday put my
92-year old Mom on a plane nonstop to Indy. First time she had ever
flown by herself, but she had always insisted this was what she wanted
instead of having a "babysitter." I put her in a wheelchair right away
and got a gate pass so I could go with her to the gate. Southwest
Airlines was wonderful with her and I left her in good hands. We decided
to exit Houston once her plane was off because bad storms were headed
our way. Actually by the time we were pulling out of camp, my sister had
already intercepted her at the Indy airport and all was well. We drove
to Kinder, Louisiana, to try and escape the storm chasing us there.
Along the way my sister reported that 15 minutes after leaving my Mom at her house to "take a nap" she had fallen and they were awaiting the ambulance. Turns out she cracked her pelvis in 3 places, but thank God, who was watching, there were no broken hips. She will soon be transferred to a nursing home for rest and rehab. I know my Mom will try. Surgery was not called for because neither hip was broken and this is the standard treatment. I'm sure she will always use a walker from now on but we all thought she should have been anyway and she refused. I asked Mom if she wanted me to come to her and she said, "Heavens no. There is nothing you can do here. I'm being cared for." So we will move on and in two weeks will be back to check in on Mom once we arrive for doctor appointments as we planned. I only get to see my grandkids twice a year for one week as it is and Mom knows how important that time is.
In the meantime, we were at Coushatta Indian casino and
Red Shoes campground at Kinder, Louisiana, to dodge that storm rolling through Houston and had a tornado hit our
campground at about 5:15 am yesterday morning. It flipped a 30' trailer
over about 100 feet from us and then passed on to the perimeter fence
where it took out about 600 feet of board fence. Then it crossed a small
field almost directly hitting a house, tearing the roof and twisting
and downing trees around it but leaving the main house intact. Before
crossing highway 165 it hit a new motel and left the metal roof in
pieces strewn across the lawn and highway. Next time I vote for staying
put.
Power was out in the camp till noon when we left. We heard the occupants of the trailer were okay. EMTS and workers arrived very quickly and pulled the residents out the top which was actually the side escape window since is was laying on its side. I think it would have continued to roll but it had rolled into a picnic table which seemed to hold it.
Living in the midwest all my life, I've seen enough tornadoes for a lifetime and don't need anymore. This one was so quick, almost just a microburst of wind, but the telltale twisting of the trees was there.
We are now in Zachary, Louisiana, visiting Terry's cousin and wife. We had a fish fry last night which is second to none at Gary's since his hobby for 30 years has been as captain of a fishing service off Grand Isle. Hmmmm hmmmmm good.
Take care, and stay safe out there.
Till next time. . .
Dale
Along the way my sister reported that 15 minutes after leaving my Mom at her house to "take a nap" she had fallen and they were awaiting the ambulance. Turns out she cracked her pelvis in 3 places, but thank God, who was watching, there were no broken hips. She will soon be transferred to a nursing home for rest and rehab. I know my Mom will try. Surgery was not called for because neither hip was broken and this is the standard treatment. I'm sure she will always use a walker from now on but we all thought she should have been anyway and she refused. I asked Mom if she wanted me to come to her and she said, "Heavens no. There is nothing you can do here. I'm being cared for." So we will move on and in two weeks will be back to check in on Mom once we arrive for doctor appointments as we planned. I only get to see my grandkids twice a year for one week as it is and Mom knows how important that time is.
In the meantime, we were at Coushatta Indian casino and
Red Shoes campground at Kinder, Louisiana, to dodge that storm rolling through Houston and had a tornado hit our
campground at about 5:15 am yesterday morning. It flipped a 30' trailer
over about 100 feet from us and then passed on to the perimeter fence
where it took out about 600 feet of board fence. Then it crossed a small
field almost directly hitting a house, tearing the roof and twisting
and downing trees around it but leaving the main house intact. Before
crossing highway 165 it hit a new motel and left the metal roof in
pieces strewn across the lawn and highway. Next time I vote for staying
put. 
Power was out in the camp till noon when we left. We heard the occupants of the trailer were okay. EMTS and workers arrived very quickly and pulled the residents out the top which was actually the side escape window since is was laying on its side. I think it would have continued to roll but it had rolled into a picnic table which seemed to hold it.
Living in the midwest all my life, I've seen enough tornadoes for a lifetime and don't need anymore. This one was so quick, almost just a microburst of wind, but the telltale twisting of the trees was there.
We are now in Zachary, Louisiana, visiting Terry's cousin and wife. We had a fish fry last night which is second to none at Gary's since his hobby for 30 years has been as captain of a fishing service off Grand Isle. Hmmmm hmmmmm good.
Take care, and stay safe out there.
Till next time. . .
Dale
Monday, March 26, 2018
Here we go again....
We're
on the road again. Today we left our winter spot in the Rio Grande
Valley. The past week has been spent, putting stuff away, doing some
maintenance items on Phaeton Place and “summerizing” our Texas
lot and Texas room.
Dale's
mom, Alice moved into Phaeton place yesterday and we closed up her
place for the season. At 92, she's not planning on returning this
fall and we will be hopefully selling her place for her.
Tonight
we are parked on a camp site at Gateway to The Gulf RV Park, on the
south side of Victoria Texas. This made our travel today about 250
miles, after closing up the Texas Room this morning. Tomorrow we have
only about 110 miles to cover to Advanced RV Resort in Pearland
Texas, which is south of Houston on Texas 288. We hope to visit with
Dale's cousin Jim Turley, after we check into the RV park.
Wednesday
morning will be an early riser for us since we're taking Alice to
Houston Hobby Airport for her flight to Indianapolis where she'll
meet up with her other daughter Nita. Dale has it all set up for her
to accompany her mom to the gate, to make sure she makes her flight.
Thursday
we're off heading east toward Virginia to see Jocelyn and family.
Late April we need to be in Central Indiana for our spring doctors
appointments.
Wednesday, March 07, 2018
And Now for Something Completely Different!
Hi everyone!
Our plans this spring will be different. Normally when we leave Texas, we travel across the south to Florida to see our son and family, then up to Virginia to see our daughter and family. This year will take us straight to Virginia, bypassing Florida. After Virginia, we head to Indiana for our 6 month doctor appointments. After that, we head to Florida for an extended stay. Our son's MIL has just gone on dialysis and is not well enough to babysit for their 4 year old. Brandon earned an incentive trip with his company, so he and his wife are going to be gone for a week and we agreed to babysit. That's why we changed our trip around, so we could get our doctors out of the way. We have decided to spend more time in Florida once they return, maybe getting some windows changed out on the coach and some other work done. At 12 years old, she's starting to show her age. We decided to spruce her up rather than buy new again.
We will hang around in the south until Terry's family reunion in Mississippi in June, then gradually work our way back to Indiana for 3 months. We still have one rental and hope to begin cleaning it out and getting it ready to sell.
Last year we both had surgery, so our travel was extremely limited. But this year we are both in great shape and will be able to do what we want!
Until next time. . .
Dale
Our plans this spring will be different. Normally when we leave Texas, we travel across the south to Florida to see our son and family, then up to Virginia to see our daughter and family. This year will take us straight to Virginia, bypassing Florida. After Virginia, we head to Indiana for our 6 month doctor appointments. After that, we head to Florida for an extended stay. Our son's MIL has just gone on dialysis and is not well enough to babysit for their 4 year old. Brandon earned an incentive trip with his company, so he and his wife are going to be gone for a week and we agreed to babysit. That's why we changed our trip around, so we could get our doctors out of the way. We have decided to spend more time in Florida once they return, maybe getting some windows changed out on the coach and some other work done. At 12 years old, she's starting to show her age. We decided to spruce her up rather than buy new again.
We will hang around in the south until Terry's family reunion in Mississippi in June, then gradually work our way back to Indiana for 3 months. We still have one rental and hope to begin cleaning it out and getting it ready to sell.
Last year we both had surgery, so our travel was extremely limited. But this year we are both in great shape and will be able to do what we want!
Until next time. . .
Dale
Monday, January 29, 2018
Not much going on....
We've been fairly sedentary for the
past few weeks. Last Wednesday we took in the lunch buffet at The
2nd Street Bistro at the Double Tree in McAllen, turned out to be a
very good Tex Mex offering. It was 2 for 1 with 2 beverages, which
made it a fairly decent deal. We also have been hitting some of the
country and rock and roll jams at local parks. The weather is
forecast to be much better in the coming days, into the high 70's to
mid 80's.
Dale's been busy with crocheting
classes and Spanish classes, here in the park, seems to be enjoying
both. Also she has made a lot of headway on getting our tax records
sent off to our preparer of many years in Indiana. In the mean time,
I have been basically a slug doing only what needs to be done and
catching up on my sleep, which has been hit or miss about every other
night. Either waking up at 2:30-3:00 for the day or sleeping until
7:30.
This next weekend we have entertainment
at a local park by Adam Pope and The Rebel Roots. They are a 3 piece
rockabilly band fronted by Pope, who is a songwriter from Nashville,
Tennessee. This will be our 4th show with him performing
and we hope to not miss it.
Yesterday started off with the second
“dead” battery in the past week on the Flex aka Oster Toaster. I
used my compact jump start and it fired right up. I checked the
voltage at the battery while running and found 14.5v from the
alternator. After about an hour of running and charging, I turned it
off and found 10.43v at the battery terminals. At this point it was
off to the local Walmart for a new battery, This morning all is well
the Flex fired right up without any hesitation, but I had a low
battery alarm from our, Tire Pressure Monitoring System, driver's
side rear needed a new battery. So that interrupted my planned early
morning nap, as I replaced the battery which should make that sensor
good for a year, just have 19 more batteries to replace over the two
motorhomes and two toads.
I think Duchess and I will wait for
Dale's return from one of her classes at the patio table, take in
some sun, read some and more than likely, both doze off.
Until next time...Terry
Tuesday, January 23, 2018
It's a New Year......
So far this year we've experienced
three cold snaps here in the Rio Grande Valley. We've had a couple of
nice days, high 70's to mid 80's then back to the refrigerator. You
notice I didn't say freezer, because not like northern Indiana, ice
cream will always melt here if left outside overnight..We have had a
few nights of low to mid 30's but that is much better than what the
northern US has been receiving. This morning it's 51 with a high in
the 60's – low 70's.
We've been hanging out close to the RV
for the most part, other than the few days it was in the shop for
annual maintenance and a perky repair. Dale had been seeing low fuel
pressure/boost error/engine shutdown message on her command center
screen. It started out as a seldom event and had started displaying
every time we started rolling for 2-4 seconds then disappear until
the engine shutdown and restart. The excellent folks at Holt Cat RV
Center in Edinburg, Texas came through again and corrected the
problem. It took a few hours of diagnostic work but all is well. My
Silverleaf engine monitoring system which runs as we travel had 20+
error codes showing in the “diagnostic history” section. . . the
Cat ECM computer at Holt showed two codes maxed out to 255 instances.
Now our turbo, waste gate and fuel systems have been all checked out
and we have a new boost actuator valve and a new boost sensor. All
is well. A rather cheap repair as diesel engines go from past
experience, $390 in parts and around $450 labor. So at 131,225 miles
Phaeton Place will be ready to roll when we leave the Valley in a few
months.
Dale Ann and her Mom have been
attending park dinners, with me staying at the RV to fend for my
self, just too much salt for me in these “home cooked meals,”
which I don't care for anyway. If I'm going to gain 3 pounds from
eating a meal overnight, then work for 3 days to get rid of the
“water weight,” it's going to be something this boy likes.
Well that's all I have maybe Dale will
add some more....Terry
Sunday, December 31, 2017
Year End Wrap Up
It's the last day of 2017; we're
thankful that all and all it was a good year with surgeries and all.
We saw the kid's families once during
the summer in Indiana and again in the fall on our way south.
On the downside once we reached the
valley for the winter I contracted the Texas Crud which lasted for 2
weeks, 9 boxes of Kleenex, 2 boxes of Alka-Seltzer Plus Cold, 3 bags
of cough drops, NyQuil, DayQuil and a ¼ bottle of Buckley's
Mixture, which Dale ordered off the web. In the past Buckley's has
usually put an end to any cold I get in short order. This time it
took multiple doses, which is awful. A commercial that stopped
running a few years when the company was sold touted, “It Tastes
Awful, But Works!”
BTW the contents of this mixture, that
is Canada's revenge for some unwarranted transgression, is as follows
according to the “Wired” website:
Dextromethorphan
This cough suppressant acts on the brain, not the throat. It breaks down into a sedative, making your nervous system more tolerant of tickles that would otherwise cause coughing.
This cough suppressant acts on the brain, not the throat. It breaks down into a sedative, making your nervous system more tolerant of tickles that would otherwise cause coughing.
Makes inhaled air feel cleaner and cooler, but it doesn’t actually decongest you. You only think you’re breathing more easily.
Canada Balsam
A fancy name for turpentine made from the resin of fir trees. It functions as an expectorant, helping you hack up the gunk in your respiratory tract.
Ammonium Carbonate
In smelling salts, the fumes of this volatile compound irritate your lungs to jolt you awake. Here, it causes mucous membranes to produce less-viscous phlegm that’s easier to cough up.
Tincture of Capsicum
After the ammonia and menthol flavors have faded, what’s that burning, tingling taste that remains? Probably this preparation of ground-up peppers dissolved in at least 80-proof alcohol. It supposedly helps prevent nausea from all that turpentine.
Pine Needle Oil
Very big in aromatherapy circles, where it’s described as “invigorating” and “uplifting.” Here it’s used to uplift phlegm and mucus from your bronchial passages.
Carrageenan
Buckley’s calls this seaweed extract a “viscosity-suspending agent,” and it thickens many processed foods. But certain types of carrageenan also have antiviral properties. It seems that the gummy goodness can block the cold virus from entering your cells and replicating.
Glycerin
Another thickener. Americans expect that syrupy mouthfeel in their cold medicines.
Sodium Saccharin
In Canada, Buckley’s is sweetened with cyclamates — legal in most countries but not the US, where a dodgy 1969 study said they gave bladder cancer to rats. In the US, they use saccharin. Cowards.
As you can see one dose is usually all it takes more than one is normally more than your body will tolerate. We were introduced to this concoction, by Dale's parents from their trips to South Texas, the Canadians in their park pushed it upon them as a cold cure all or maybe just a nasty joke, I feel for it. I would usually buy 3-4 bottles on my fall business trips to Ontario, and subject the entire family to this cure for a cold. Usually for the kids just the sight of the bottle was enough to make sniffles disappear, well at least while home. At one time before the sale of the US operations we could purchase it at E&S Sales a bulk food store that caters to the Amish in Shipshewana IN
Wednesday, November 22, 2017
Cruising along. . .
We spent the next few days cleaning up our place in Mission. I cleaned Mom's trailer inside and out and then I tackled the Texas Room. Terry got the golf cart running and then powerwashed both the Texas Room and Mom's trailer.
On Tuesday we went to the airport to meet my sister Nita and Mom. They arrived on time and had good flights all the way from Indianapolis. I had made homemade vegetable beef soup, so that was waiting for us when we got back to the park. It worked out well and Nita helped me clean up from supper. They then went back to Mom's and rested before bedtime.
There wasn't much for them to do since we had gotten everything cleaned so we visited mostly during the time Nita was here. She walked with us every morning and I took her to garage sales in Hidden, one of our neighboring parks. We didn't find anything. . . there was very little even out.
We did a little grocery shopping and made sure we had all our ingredients for our park dinner on Thanksgiving. We chose to do that instead of have to cook all day for ourselves. LOL I actually do have a turkey, though. H.E.B. had them on sale for 98 cents a pound for a Butterball, so I bought a smaller one and put it in the freezer for some later time.
We have had a couple cool days and today turned cool and windy again after having an 84* day yesterday.
Nita left early Monday morning. Terry and I took her to the airport and before we left the drive, she had already checked her bag, so we left. McAllen is a very nice, small airport which is easy to get to and easy to negotiate. It was nice to finally settle in with just Terry, Mom and I, but I do miss Nita. It's fun to have "sister" time occasionally.
Sunday Terry started getting sick with what is known down here as the "Texas Crud." He is still coughing, sneezing and gagging and not eating much. We have both been down this road before and he should be starting to feel better soon. I think he surely has had his worst day already. He probably won't be able to go to the dinner tomorrow though. I may bring him something back.
I just want to say Happy Thanksgiving to you all and may God bless you and your family.
Till next time. . .
Dale
On Tuesday we went to the airport to meet my sister Nita and Mom. They arrived on time and had good flights all the way from Indianapolis. I had made homemade vegetable beef soup, so that was waiting for us when we got back to the park. It worked out well and Nita helped me clean up from supper. They then went back to Mom's and rested before bedtime.
There wasn't much for them to do since we had gotten everything cleaned so we visited mostly during the time Nita was here. She walked with us every morning and I took her to garage sales in Hidden, one of our neighboring parks. We didn't find anything. . . there was very little even out.
We did a little grocery shopping and made sure we had all our ingredients for our park dinner on Thanksgiving. We chose to do that instead of have to cook all day for ourselves. LOL I actually do have a turkey, though. H.E.B. had them on sale for 98 cents a pound for a Butterball, so I bought a smaller one and put it in the freezer for some later time.
We have had a couple cool days and today turned cool and windy again after having an 84* day yesterday.
Nita left early Monday morning. Terry and I took her to the airport and before we left the drive, she had already checked her bag, so we left. McAllen is a very nice, small airport which is easy to get to and easy to negotiate. It was nice to finally settle in with just Terry, Mom and I, but I do miss Nita. It's fun to have "sister" time occasionally.
Sunday Terry started getting sick with what is known down here as the "Texas Crud." He is still coughing, sneezing and gagging and not eating much. We have both been down this road before and he should be starting to feel better soon. I think he surely has had his worst day already. He probably won't be able to go to the dinner tomorrow though. I may bring him something back.
I just want to say Happy Thanksgiving to you all and may God bless you and your family.
Till next time. . .
Dale
Tuesday, November 14, 2017
We have arrived in Mission, Texas!
We arrived in the RGV for the winter on Saturday afternoon. So far all I
have done is clean and organize the stuff we had stored in the Texas
Room. My mom and sister are flying down today. Mom's place is right
behind us, so I cleaned it good yesterday so she wouldn't have to do
that. I know my sister would have done that, but they will surely be
tired when they get here. Mom is 92, but still going strong. We will
pick them up this afternoon. I then cleaned the Texas Room which is
actually a 12 x 28 efficiency apartment, did laundry, etc. We put up our
swing so Mom has a place to sit and watch the park activity. My back is
pretty achy today. It will be fine, but I probably did too much
yesterday. All the nerve pain is gone for good though, so a brisk walk
later should help with the achiness.
The day we got here I spent several hours with a lost dog. My dog is a Scottie and when I was over checking out things at Mom's a neighbor pointed to the wandering Westie and asked if he was mine. I had a white Scottie, but she is gone now. I have such a soft place for Westies and Scotties. He had THREE tags on him, but no name tag and no owner phone number. A dog tax tag, a vet tag and a chip tag. I called the chip and vet tags, but late Saturday afternoon no one was home. I went home and got the leash and he was sooooo friendly and walked so good on the leash. At least I knew he would be a park resident. Our park is all fenced and the open gate was quite far away from this little guy. The neighbor, a full year resident, got her golf cart and we took him through the park to find his owner. His tags were Wisconsin, so we hunted for Wisconsin plates. Two streets over a lady on her porch said she saw a "big guy" walking this dog earlier. New residents on the same street are from Wisconsin and Carol, my friend, knew him to be a big guy. We went to their place and their porch deck had all kinds of dog stuff on it, but the gate was open. Knocked on the door and no one was home despite their golf cart and car being there. But no dog came to the door either, so their dog was lost or they had it with them.
My friend had the guy's phone number so she called. No answer so left messages. Another neighbor a couple houses down said she was sure it was their dog and knew some other people in the park they hang with. So off we went to Gigi's house. She knew the dog and his name is "Chance." He is such a lover. When I hugged him he would give me kisses. Fortunately Gigi has the woman's phone number so we called. They had just left church and were headed out to eat. Was sure this wasn't her dog because they had left him in the house. Well, guess what? Gigi assured her it WAS Chance. They came home and got their sweet, sweet boy. They said when they get ready to leave he goes under their bed. Dick had stepped out on the deck for something and they figure at that moment Chance ran out with no one seeing him. They were so upset that he had gotten out. Chance is 13 years old, but appears much younger. He is really is good shape and you can tell he is well cared for.
I had met Chance last year when they first came down and rented. Dick remembered me because of my Scottie. We had a good visit and even though we had taken good care of Chance, he was glad to see his Mom and Dad! LOL. They are going to get him a tag and put their owners number on it along with his name. And they are going to be more careful of checking on Chance before they leave.
Chance is a rescue. They had a Westie who had died. Chance came into rescue and they agreed to foster him for a day or two. When they were cleaning him up, they found him to have multiple bee bees imbedded in his face and back. They decided them they were keeping him to keep him safe from ever being abused again. So glad we got to meet them and keep Chance safe for them. I'm sure it won't happen again, but we certainly did love on him while we searched for his owners!
Till next time. . .
Dale
The day we got here I spent several hours with a lost dog. My dog is a Scottie and when I was over checking out things at Mom's a neighbor pointed to the wandering Westie and asked if he was mine. I had a white Scottie, but she is gone now. I have such a soft place for Westies and Scotties. He had THREE tags on him, but no name tag and no owner phone number. A dog tax tag, a vet tag and a chip tag. I called the chip and vet tags, but late Saturday afternoon no one was home. I went home and got the leash and he was sooooo friendly and walked so good on the leash. At least I knew he would be a park resident. Our park is all fenced and the open gate was quite far away from this little guy. The neighbor, a full year resident, got her golf cart and we took him through the park to find his owner. His tags were Wisconsin, so we hunted for Wisconsin plates. Two streets over a lady on her porch said she saw a "big guy" walking this dog earlier. New residents on the same street are from Wisconsin and Carol, my friend, knew him to be a big guy. We went to their place and their porch deck had all kinds of dog stuff on it, but the gate was open. Knocked on the door and no one was home despite their golf cart and car being there. But no dog came to the door either, so their dog was lost or they had it with them.
My friend had the guy's phone number so she called. No answer so left messages. Another neighbor a couple houses down said she was sure it was their dog and knew some other people in the park they hang with. So off we went to Gigi's house. She knew the dog and his name is "Chance." He is such a lover. When I hugged him he would give me kisses. Fortunately Gigi has the woman's phone number so we called. They had just left church and were headed out to eat. Was sure this wasn't her dog because they had left him in the house. Well, guess what? Gigi assured her it WAS Chance. They came home and got their sweet, sweet boy. They said when they get ready to leave he goes under their bed. Dick had stepped out on the deck for something and they figure at that moment Chance ran out with no one seeing him. They were so upset that he had gotten out. Chance is 13 years old, but appears much younger. He is really is good shape and you can tell he is well cared for.
I had met Chance last year when they first came down and rented. Dick remembered me because of my Scottie. We had a good visit and even though we had taken good care of Chance, he was glad to see his Mom and Dad! LOL. They are going to get him a tag and put their owners number on it along with his name. And they are going to be more careful of checking on Chance before they leave.
Chance is a rescue. They had a Westie who had died. Chance came into rescue and they agreed to foster him for a day or two. When they were cleaning him up, they found him to have multiple bee bees imbedded in his face and back. They decided them they were keeping him to keep him safe from ever being abused again. So glad we got to meet them and keep Chance safe for them. I'm sure it won't happen again, but we certainly did love on him while we searched for his owners!
Till next time. . .
Dale
Sunday, October 29, 2017
Free Time!
The kids left Friday for a Disney cruise. It was a surprise for Brynlee. While we were out for dinner Thursday night, she got a call from Mickey Mouse himself telling her all about the cruise and the fun she would have. I still don't think any of that had sunk in even though Megan showed her a picture of the ship they would be on.
The cruise took them to the Bahamas, but a tropical storm threatened to dampen their plans. But I know there is a lot of stuff to do on those ships, especially one set up for family and lots of kids, so I'm sure she is having a blast. They are due back in port tomorrow morning and will be home after that.
We have been collecting packages at their house, as I order their Christmas stuff and then bring it back to the motorhome to wrap. I will have that all done today. As a matter of fact, we are going over there after lunch. I am going to get caught up on my laundry and we will watch the race there on Brandon's big screen TV. That is if Terry can figure out how to run their system! LOL
I also am going to try and update all my GPS programs. I never have a place to do that, so will try to do it there.
I have gotten back to walking and walked two miles this morning faster than I have been doing it. I don't necessarily try to walk fast, but just try to keep up a steady pace. It was not quite 70* this morning with a breeze and very nice for walking. It's not supposed to rain today, but it certainly has clouded up and looks like it could.
Yesterday we drove down to Okeechobee, Florida, to look at RV lots. By the time we got there it was pouring rain. I guess it was not the right day to do this as that is the tropical storm that is putting a damper on Brynlee's cruise. We did do some looking around and picked up a magazine, so we have some stuff to look at. Had hoped to spend some time in Florida looking at stuff, but Mom decided to come to Texas earlier rather than later, so we won't have time to do it now. But there is one place up near Tallahassee we are going to look at on our way out of Florida.
Had some excitement in the campground yesterday. We were getting ready to leave when a man walking a dog came up to us and informed us there was a woman out in the woods who said she had been on the ground for two days and needed help. He had called 911 and was taking a bottle of water back to her and asked if we would stay and direct the ambulance to the path right in front of our motorhome.
This may seem crass, but this couple had been through here two days ago. I also was concerned when I saw them stumbling and pushing a grocery cart and another two-wheeled cart filled with their belongings. They were trying to negotiate the water-filled ditch in front of our motorhome and pushing their stuff through the sand. It wasn't working and as they struggled they eventually both collapsed. They were drunk and incapacitated. At that point, I called the park office. A ranger came out and addressed them by name. Seems they are known in the park and have quite a history. They came in after Irma and a church paid site rent for one week for them. Then they pleaded with some campers to camp on their site while they were there. When those people left, they moved. The park had them in two different sites, but eventually they quit paying anything and the park asked them to leave. She claims she has a bad hip, but the ranger said he has seen her walk all over the park and even ride a bike all over the park. He said they have money for booze and cigarettes, but won't use that money to help themselves. He tried to convince them it would be easier to move their stuff if they would move it over to the paved road, but they refused. He told me they want to go into the woods and camp which is illegal. But he said if they do and nighttime security finds them they will be arrested.
Eventually the woman collapsed again, so the ranger called 911. The man immediately took off leaving his "friend" behind. She remained on the ground until just before the police got them, then walked off into the woods, leaving all their stuff behind. The police and park security went into the woods and brought the man out. They checked him out and then let him go. Eventually he pulled their carts back into the woods and we never saw them again.
Until yesterday morning. When the camper asked us to direct the paramedics, we stayed on site till they got there. They all went into the woods and brought the woman out on a stretcher, but she was sitting up talking and appeared in good condition. The man was no where to be found. So it's a good thing they got her out so she will have a nice, clean, warm place to spend a night or two in the hospital. The storm that rolled through last night dumped a lot of water in the park. I'm thinking that is the last we will see of her. I'm sure social services will try and help her out.
So things are going smoothly here.
Till next time. . .
Dale
The cruise took them to the Bahamas, but a tropical storm threatened to dampen their plans. But I know there is a lot of stuff to do on those ships, especially one set up for family and lots of kids, so I'm sure she is having a blast. They are due back in port tomorrow morning and will be home after that.
We have been collecting packages at their house, as I order their Christmas stuff and then bring it back to the motorhome to wrap. I will have that all done today. As a matter of fact, we are going over there after lunch. I am going to get caught up on my laundry and we will watch the race there on Brandon's big screen TV. That is if Terry can figure out how to run their system! LOL
I also am going to try and update all my GPS programs. I never have a place to do that, so will try to do it there.
I have gotten back to walking and walked two miles this morning faster than I have been doing it. I don't necessarily try to walk fast, but just try to keep up a steady pace. It was not quite 70* this morning with a breeze and very nice for walking. It's not supposed to rain today, but it certainly has clouded up and looks like it could.
Yesterday we drove down to Okeechobee, Florida, to look at RV lots. By the time we got there it was pouring rain. I guess it was not the right day to do this as that is the tropical storm that is putting a damper on Brynlee's cruise. We did do some looking around and picked up a magazine, so we have some stuff to look at. Had hoped to spend some time in Florida looking at stuff, but Mom decided to come to Texas earlier rather than later, so we won't have time to do it now. But there is one place up near Tallahassee we are going to look at on our way out of Florida.
Had some excitement in the campground yesterday. We were getting ready to leave when a man walking a dog came up to us and informed us there was a woman out in the woods who said she had been on the ground for two days and needed help. He had called 911 and was taking a bottle of water back to her and asked if we would stay and direct the ambulance to the path right in front of our motorhome.
This may seem crass, but this couple had been through here two days ago. I also was concerned when I saw them stumbling and pushing a grocery cart and another two-wheeled cart filled with their belongings. They were trying to negotiate the water-filled ditch in front of our motorhome and pushing their stuff through the sand. It wasn't working and as they struggled they eventually both collapsed. They were drunk and incapacitated. At that point, I called the park office. A ranger came out and addressed them by name. Seems they are known in the park and have quite a history. They came in after Irma and a church paid site rent for one week for them. Then they pleaded with some campers to camp on their site while they were there. When those people left, they moved. The park had them in two different sites, but eventually they quit paying anything and the park asked them to leave. She claims she has a bad hip, but the ranger said he has seen her walk all over the park and even ride a bike all over the park. He said they have money for booze and cigarettes, but won't use that money to help themselves. He tried to convince them it would be easier to move their stuff if they would move it over to the paved road, but they refused. He told me they want to go into the woods and camp which is illegal. But he said if they do and nighttime security finds them they will be arrested.
Eventually the woman collapsed again, so the ranger called 911. The man immediately took off leaving his "friend" behind. She remained on the ground until just before the police got them, then walked off into the woods, leaving all their stuff behind. The police and park security went into the woods and brought the man out. They checked him out and then let him go. Eventually he pulled their carts back into the woods and we never saw them again.
Until yesterday morning. When the camper asked us to direct the paramedics, we stayed on site till they got there. They all went into the woods and brought the woman out on a stretcher, but she was sitting up talking and appeared in good condition. The man was no where to be found. So it's a good thing they got her out so she will have a nice, clean, warm place to spend a night or two in the hospital. The storm that rolled through last night dumped a lot of water in the park. I'm thinking that is the last we will see of her. I'm sure social services will try and help her out.
So things are going smoothly here.
Till next time. . .
Dale
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