Thursday, December 26, 2013

MERRY POST-CHRISTMAS


T'is the day after Christmas and where's all the cheer?

Some of it lingers but it is mostly gone and now we can anticipate the next one and we have 364 days to get ready. I hope everyone had a good one and from what we hear and see on Facebook, Twitter, etc, it looks like it was exceptional.

We have been busy here too, as busy as "I" want to be. We had a Christmas Eve party and gift exchange and then a Christmas Day dinner.
Why is it all old ladies are good cooks? I told Sharon
I didn't want to eat again for at least 24 hours, but of course we did. Tomorrow night is the monthly birthday & anniversary dinner.(Always a reason to have a party or a dinner.) Then we have a New Year's Eve party coming up. And someone wants to know what we do??????

Don't suffer with after Christmas let-down, hurry and get psyched for the new year, 2014. Doesn't it seem like we just went through Y2K. Well, I hope you all have a happy, healthy, and prosperous new year.
 

Wherever you are in your life and travels, ENJOY THE JOURNEY!

Tuesday, December 10, 2013

WHAT DO YOU DO ALL DAY???



WHAT DO YOU DO ALL DAY? This is a question we get from people who "don't get" the fulltime rv lifestyle. My response is, "The same things you do all day". That is pretty much true with the exception of work. However, those of us who are workampers may have jobs to get up and go to also. The job part may be alright but just don't give us any responsibility.



This morning we got up at 6:00 A.M. I walked the dog while Sharon made the bed. We watch the morning news and drink our coffee. Usually, she starts a load of laundry to be washing while we are lollygagging. When we take a notion, we eat breakfast. Sometimes, cereal or oatmeal, then again it might be bacon, eggs, and/or pancakes. Time to hit the shower and maybe, even shave.........how many days since I did shave? Do I need a clean pair of wranglers? Nope, these don't stand by themselves yet; wear them at least another day or two.




By now the dog is whining to go out again. We walk down to the river every morning while stopping to smell the roses, or is that deer poop? Oh well, can hardly get to the next clump of rocks in the road til that dog is sniffing something again. Then some other guy is walking his dog. They have to meet and smell each others butts :( while we human folks converse about the weather or the day's activities. This exchange happens over and over until an hour has expired and we still haven't made it back to our campsite.



Meanwhile, back at the RV, mom is vacuuming, washing dishes, doing another load of laundry, or moving the dust around inside. In between, she talks on and on and on, on the phone, checks Facebook,  emails, texts, and searches the internet for recipes, cures for this or that, or some object of major importance which we may not be able to live without.  As her morning continues, the dog and I get back and plop down in my lawn chair outside. Up comes the lap dog, now settling down for a nap while I start the iPhone text, email, call, or search routine. We do have some things in common with our grandkids.

All too soon it is noon and I hear "Get on in here and let's eat". After our lunch of several courses of southern delicacies, it is off to take the dog out again.............Who wanted this dog? I figure walking the dog is a better deal than doing dishes, cleaning up the mess, etc. What do you think? I piddle outside dumping the sewer (women can't do that), sweeping the rug, cleaning the grill, dumping the trash, washing the truck,........you guys know, all the things women can't do.  Before you know it, some neighbor has been by and indicated it is approaching Happy Hour. Oh my, better get things rounded up here and be ready. Cocktails may be consumed any time after 4:00 p.m. or is it 3:00. Oh well, I have to be sociable.



On a nice day like today, 84 farenheit, the degree of happiness may progress until I have missed the evening news. So, no use to worry about ending it now. However, some wise guy has decided that all good things must end. Finally, we call a halt to the merriment and clean up the mess. Many evenings we have watched the deer playing in the trees just south of us or taken pictures of the most beautiful sunset you have ever seen as the sun goes down in Hill Country.



Now we are back inside, some more mess to clean up from the next to best Happy Hour ever. (Best is with you) Then, how long can we stay awake to watch TV? Dancing With The Stars is over (finally) and The Bachelor, Jon Claude, or whoever he is, hasn't started. Maybe I can watch a little CNN and find out the truth about the AFFORDABLE Care Act. No, that's you liberal's channel. I know it isn't affordable for all us poor wretches it was designed for so I watch FOX and get the real truth. Are we sure anyone even knows the real truth? How about we switch channels and watch Otto and Atz Lee trying to get ready for an Alaskan winter? No, The Voice, no, the one about the President and his mistress. Ok, whatever. I'm ready to go to bed and do this all over again tomorrow.



Now, I didn't even mention getting groceries, changing oil in truck, Wally World visits, Shingles and Flu Shots, taking the Concealed Handgun Class, Steak Night at 12th Street Cowboy Bar, Christmas Parades in at least four towns around, having campfires, cleaning water heater, helping the guy across the street who is disabled and isn't agile enough to do some of his own projects, fishing, going to shooting range, hunting, and on and on and on.......................Update: Sharon is working in the campground office two days a week for free rent. Lon is organizing a Concealed Handgun Class for the park patrons. We recently took the class and several others here seem to be interested. We need six people for the instructor to come to the park. Can I sign you up?



WHAT DO WE DO ALL DAY? Many of the same things you do, but at a much less hurried pace. WE DON'T mow our yard, rake leaves, scoop snow, pay taxes, homeowners insurance on a three story house, real estate tax, state income tax, and we don't play Bingo and shuffleboard if we don't want to do it. We don't have to stay any place where we can't stand the weather or our neighbors. This house has wheels. We indulge and imbibe in whatever we want. The life of a full time rver is pretty rough but we are learning to tolerate it. I hope this helps to explain how some of our time is spent.

WHAT DID YOU DO ALL DAY??? Never mind, I really don't want to know. I remember the hurried pace, stress, work, pressure, bills, taxes, requests to help with this or that. No, now that I think about it, I know what you do all day. I think I will stay with what I do all day. Hopefully, some day soon, you will all be able to choose for yourself how you want to spend  the days of your GOLDEN YEARS.

Good Night!! 



LOL
Precious Memories

Monday, December 2, 2013

SUMMER 2014



For those of you who don't know yet, we have accepted a Workamper position for summer 2014 at SNOWY PEAKS RV PARK in Buena Vista, Colorado. We are really looking forward to meeting Mark Michael and Mike Bartee, resident owners at Snowy Peaks. In addition, our good friends, Mike and Christa Kirk, from Wichita, Kansas will also be working for their third summer at the park.

SNOWY PEAKS is located in the heart of the Rocky Mountains on the Collegiate Peaks Scenic Byway 1.5 miles north of Buena Vista. The Collegiate peaks are Colorado's tallest mountain range and the upper Arkansas river offers lots of activities. For those who might be interested, find out more about the park at:
www.snowypeaksrvpark.com

SNOWY PEAKS RV PARK
We want to do some traveling in the next few years while we are still able to do it. Colorado is a state we have been to but have not explored. Hopefully, we will have time this summer to see some of the beautiful sites around the area. Not to mention, we will have good friends to be our guides.

RED MOUNTAIN

TWIN LAKES





WHEREVER YOU ARE IN YOUR LIFE AND TRAVELS, ENJOY
THE JOURNEY.


Some of you who have indicated an interest, will come visit us this summer in Colorado we hope. Workamping is not all work and we are looking forward to enjoying the scenery. Imagine your "Happy Hour" viewing scenes similar to these. Mike and Christa have assured me, there will be Happy Hours.

We had a great experience at Lazy Day Campground near Montgomery City, Missouri this summer. Kim and Tony were great to work for and if we wanted to stay in Missouri again, we would have begged them to let us come back. For any of you who read the blog and have an interest in workamping, we are convinced it is the best way to live and see the country. And if you are looking for a summer workamping job in Missouri for summer 2014, you might want to contact Kim at Lazy Day RV Park. An added bonus is the great people you meet and the stories they have to tell. In  our short time at being on the road we have made some great friends, some of whom will undoubtedly be lifetime friends. It is difficult to believe but it will soon be three years that we have lived in an RV. We moved into our Hitchhiker the end of March 2011. 

Of course, the biggest adjustment with the lifestyle is missing family. If not for iPhones, email, Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and Facetime, it would be even more difficult. Fortunately, we have a family we love and who we know loves us and wants us to pursue our dream. We know that at some point we will be unable to continue the lifestyle so we plan to enjoy this journey as much as possible for as long as possible.

Thanks to all our family and friends for your support. It means a lot to us.


*********************************************************************************

Jim and Joanne Terrell were the first workampers we met and worked with at Johnson Creek RV Park, Ingram, Texas soon after we retired in 2011. They were a great help to us and we became good friends and shared some fun times with them both. Jim suffered with cancer for many years and finally succumbed to it Thanksgiving day.  He will be missed by many and especially his beautiful wife of 54 years, Joanne.

RIP JIM TERRELL
01/27/1939 TO 11/28/2013






Thursday, November 14, 2013

PICTURE STORY


What have we been doing since we got to Texas? HAVING FUN!

HILL COUNTRY RV RESORT AND EVENT CENTER
DAVE AND SALLY'S NEW TIFFIN ALLEGRO BREEZE



LON & DAVE AT 11TH STREET COWBOY BAR
DAVE, SALLY, & SHARON
SALLY RIDES THE LONGHORN

BANDERA SALOON ON COURTHOUSE YARD
WESTERN DAYS
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SHARON & BARBARA AT 11TH STREET COWBOY BAR
DENIS, BARB, & CLOWN

Friday, October 25, 2013

CITY PARKS AND COUNTRY PARKS

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Serenity Motorcycle Ride
As I sit here looking out over the park this morning, I am listening to and watching the Harley riders leave the park in groups. This weekend is the SERENITY MOTORCYCLE RALLY. I don't know the number of participants but there seems to be a lot of "bikes" and guys & gals in leather. Hill country RV parks often have groups with motorcycles and horses. Both groups like to ride in this area. Unlike the "Snowbird" RV parks in the Rio Grande Valley of southern Texas campgrounds here cater to these groups as well as snowbirds.


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Not giving up this bike!


Scenery on my daily walk.
We like the more rural western life around here versus the large crowded parks and city-like life in the valley. To each his own. Many would enjoy the hustle and bustle of people and activities to be found there.

We enjoy the "slow" pace. There are activities here and you can participate  in whatever you enjoy. Myself, I take walks enjoying the scenery.
             
  
Another part of my daily walk

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Saturday, October 19, 2013

ON THE ROAD .......AGAIN

Lazy Day Campground
Montgomery City, MO

After working at Lazy Day Campground this summer and helping Sharon's parents to get settled into Assisted Living, we left for Texas the 7th of October. We delivered our home to Mid America RV at Carthage, for routine maintenance, then stopped to see Brenda and Paul. After a great visit there we met the 2012 Alaska trek group in Branson. It was a great week with eleven rigs there from as far away as New York, Florida, Arkansas, Colorado, Texas, and New Mexico. We scattered yesterday but next year's reunion is planned for Albuquerque, New Mexico during the Balloon Festival, the first Friday of October. Doesn't that sound like fun? If you are thinking about a trip to Alaska, check out:

           www.rvadventuretreks.com

On the showboat Branson Belle


We spent last night in McAlester, Oklahoma and tonight we are in Mineral Wells, Texas. Tomorrow afternoon we should reach our destination:

Medina, Texas
                            Wherever you are in your life and travels, enjoy the journey.

Saturday, August 24, 2013

TRANSITION

Although this week does not feel like the end of summer, we are moving into September and the changing of seasons. It has been a busy summer for us and seems to have really gone by quickly.

We were welcomed back to Missouri last spring by a snow storm just as we reached Paul & Brenda's. Winter was hanging on as summer seems to be now. Labor Day weekend is only six days away so we know cool, crisp days are soon to follow.

We have been "Workampers" at Lazy Day Campground this summer. It has been a great experience and we appreciate Kim & Tony giving us this opportunity. We hope we have helped them to have some time off which they might otherwise not have been able to enjoy. We only have a month left and our routine will be changing. We haven't been able to find the job we were looking for this winter so, may or may not be working.

Most of you are aware of Sharon's parent's health issues this summer. They have now moved to a residential care center and will be selling their home and personal possessions at auction, September 29th.

After we complete our time at Lazy Day, the auction is completed and things are settled, we will head south again. We always stop at Paul & Brenda's for a few days. Then we have a reunion with the Alaska group in Branson, October 14-18. We considered going to Arizona this year however, did not make any plans so as of today, plan to return to the hill country of Texas. One day at a time, and if that job offer comes through, driving that free RV for $$, we might have to go where it takes us.

Wherever you are in your work and travels, ENJOY THE JOURNEY.

Friday, June 21, 2013

WELCOME TO SUMMER 2013

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IRRESISTABLE JAMES MEN
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PROUD PARENTS
photo.JPG     IT'S GREAT TO BE AROUND ALL YOU GUYS. WE ARE HAVING FUN WORKING AT LAZY DAY. SUMMER 2013 IS GOING FAST.
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THE DODGES
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REMOVE TREE, COULD BE SUMMER 2013
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JAMES GANG
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ETHAN-STUDENT OF THE MONTH-- AND WE'RE TIRED
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EXCITED DOG OWNER
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DAVID & QUENTIN--EAGLE SCOUT
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KOLTON BASKETBALL
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FUN TIMES
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SISTERS
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BRITTANY--VALEDICTORIAN
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KIM & TONY
LAZY DAY OWNERS
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KRISTEN & WES
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COLUMBI AT LAZY DAY
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TORNADO NEAR KEVIN
ST CHARLES

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TEXAS CACTUS
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Why you are where you are
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KARISSA ANN-THE GRADUATE
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NOAH-THE PITCHER

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JUSTIN & ANNA
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KARISSA & JORDAN

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AIDEN'S new bike
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SOPHIE & PUDDLES
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RUN FAST SOPHIE

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SUMMER 2013
Surgeries, Monroe Manor, Miller's Retirement Center, and The Auction