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Today has been a very laid back day - it was wonderful! Lindsay & I did go to Curves this morning. That was a good thing 'cause after we got home, Jason went to Dunkin' Donuts. :) I love me some Dunkin' Donuts coffee and sausage & egg croissant! Oh, I did have a chocolate covered donut, too. Do you think I negated my Curves session? Hmmmmmmm . . .
The rest of the day was spent watching TV, playing with Reagan, cross stitching (with Reagan's help), watched part of "Kung Fu Panda," and was generally lazy. It was great!
This evening Lindsay set out a variety of appetizers and the five of us watched "Enchanted." It is a really cute movie, much better than I had expected it to be. I thoroughly enjoyed it. Reagan likes it so well that she can quote lines from it!
Reagan has now gone to bed and Lindsay & I are preparing to play a round of Scrabble. I think there's another movie planned for later tonight. Aren't we the wild and crazy ones??
Here are a few pictures I want to share with you.
Hamilton Family Christmas pic
Beautiful & unexpected gifts (handpainted!!) from a new RVing friend - thank you SO much, Dortha!
Scrapbook Journal Reagan spelled out "Pop" all by herself for the first time!
Teaching Reagan to cross stitch
Hope your New Year's Eve is a fun and safe one. Until the next time . . .
Well, I've done it again - no blog yesterday. Sorry, folks. Guess I am just having too much fun with kids.
We've been out each day, doing something. Tonight we all went to dinner at the Great American Saloon. It was a neat restaurant, with good atmosphere and good food. Afterwards, we drove around town looking at Christmas lights; lots of folks still have them up.
Not much planned for tomorrow. We're going to stay home for New Year's Eve, watch some movies and eat lots of appetizers.
I'll try to do better with my posting. Until the next time . . .
We spent last night at the Flying J truck stop just east of Columbus, Ohio, stopping around midnight. It was a much warmer night than last week when we stopped over night in Missouri. It was 60 degrees outside! Sometime during the night the winds picked up and the rain poured. I didn't get a great night's sleep, but it was better than paying for a motel!
We got back on the road around 7am with the winds and the rain still blowing. We stopped in West Virginia at a Cracker Barrel for breakfast (our 63rd!) and while we were eating, the sun came out brilliantly. It was great to see it. Back on the road, we had about 4 hours still to go to get to Lindsay's. The rest of the drive was uneventful which is always a blessing!
A little before 3pm we pulled up in front of Lindsay's house. As I got out of the truck, I looked up and saw Reagan running toward me. I grabbed her up in my arms and just squeezed her for all I was worth. It was wonderful! She hugged me back as hard as I hugged her. Oh, there's nothing like it.
Needless to say, the rest of the afternoon/evening was spent opening presents, chatting, laughing and just enjoying being together. After Reagan went to bed, Lindsay and I played some games on the Wii system they got for Christmas. I love Wii bowling!! And I beat the tar out of Lindsay - not that I'm bragging or anything! :)
It's great to be home. I'm really looking forward to the week ahead. Tomorrow night we're having dinner with Lee, Cheri and kids; New Year's Day we're celebrating Christmas with Kelly & Kate and their folks; and Saturday we're having our McNeil family Christmas at our niece, Megan's, home. It's gonna be a full week.
I'll close with some pictures from today.
Reagan's hanging one of the ornaments I made for the family
Checking out the dress Uncle Kevin & Aunt Sara gave her
Lindsay's admiring the angel ornament Kev & Sara sent
A little excitement over one of the princess cross stitch pictures
Tired out from all the celebrations this week - aren't they adorable?
Sorry, folks, for not posting an entry yesterday! I was chastised by our friend, Dan. Apparently, I just completely forgot!
Not much happened yesterday anyway. We did take another drive out to the state park that is close to Fort Riley, but the office was closed again. We drove through the park and got a glimpse of the campground we'd like to stay in, but the gate was closed on that, too. From what we could see it does look nice, so I'll have to contact them to get info such as rates, length of stay, etc. From there, we did a few errands and made the obligatory stop at WalMart. Then it was back home.
The rest of the day was spent pretty much as we had been all week - computer time, movies, reading, cross stitching. We had pizza for dinner. Exciting, huh? ;)
I did two loads of laundry so we'd have fresh, clean clothes when we got to Lindsay's. Randy packed a bunch of stuff into the truck to make our exit this morning easier. And that was it for the night.
This morning we got on the road about 7:30 under cold, but dry skies, after much hugging and squeezing of the kids. I am proud of myself - I didn't cry at all. I think that's probably because I know we're coming back in May!
The rest of this day has been all about rain and I-70 East. That's it. As I type this, we are in Illinois, just 50 miles from the state border of Indiana. And it's dark and rainy! Randy is amazing in this weather. He just stays the course, steady as always.
We'll be stopping in Terre Haute, IN for fuel. Then it will be back on the road. Randy really wants to get past Columbus, OH before stopping for the night. Doesn't matter to me - he's driving.
Here's a picture of what our day has looked like - ALL day.
Merry Christmas, everyone! I hope that today has been everything you've wanted it to be. We've had a nice day, albeit a quiet one. Christmas morning is so very different when there are no little kids in the house. I was the first one up with Ann right behind me. Randy, Kevin and Sara soon followed, but Kev & Sara said they were going back to bed after taking their dogs out. But, that didn't last long and soon we were all gathered in the living room, opening presents.
Opening presents This is where the mixed emotions come in for me. My mom called first thing to wish us a Merry Christmas and then I called Lindsay to talk with them. Hearing Reagan's voice and how excited she was about her presents made me a little sad that we are not together. We talked to Ginny & Tommy last night and that was tough, too. It's hard to have family all strewn about the country. I'm just not used to that. But, I guess I'll be getting used to it since we have kids in three different parts of the country as well as the rest of our family.
The good news is that technology truly helps. We called Jason, Lindsay & Reagan via Skype this morning, so they could see Kev & Sara opening the presents that were sent. We also got to see some of Reagan's gifts, too. Just being able to see them and talk to them was so great. If you're not familiar with this program, go to www.skype.com and check it out. It's free!
"Skyping" with Jason, Lins & Reagan
After eating the breakfast casserole I had made, we took a drive over to Kansas State University where Sara attended this past semester. Very nice campus. We also went to Milford Lake State Park so we could check out a campground there. Unfortunately, there was no one on duty so we're going back tomorrow.
On our way back to the house, we passed an historical marker noting the site of the first capitol city of Kansas, Pawnee. The city of Pawnee no longer exists, but there is a building and a self-guided tour available.
We also stopped at Ft. Riley's cemetery as many of the graves were decorated for Christmas and there was a central display in honor of all the branches of military.
Once we got home, we just relaxed for a while until dinner was ready. Sara made a wonderful dinner of ham, sweet potatoes, and green bean casserole. For dessert we had rice krispies treats, sweet potato pie made by one of their friends, and a Cracker Barrel chocolate pecan pie. Yummy!
Left to right: Xena, Kevin w/Konig, Sara w/Zoe
I hope that the joy you have felt today in the celebration of the birth of Jesus extends far beyond into the new year. I pray that you will know Him better this coming year and your blessings will be more than you ever dreamed.
We woke up to snow this morning - about an inch! So, we're having a white Christmas in Kansas this year. I gotta say, though, I sure don't miss this stuff! :)
Randy doesn't miss having to scrape windshields, either.
Once everyone got up and moving, we went to Cracker Barrel for brunch. As always, it was good food. Doesn't it look yummy? This is our 62nd CB since we starting full-timing. Randy's making progress on his goal of eating at all of the CBs in the USA!
After breakfast we took a ride over to Owl's Nest Campground which is just a few miles west of Ft. Riley. This is the campground I think we'll be staying at when we visit the kids again in May. It's not much, less than 50 sites just off the highway and next to a storage compound. We're also going to check out one of the state parks which is just up the road. I don't really care where we stay, I just want to be with Kev & Sara.
This afternoon was spent lounging as has become the norm while we're, just reading, cross stitching, and playing on the computer. Hey! That sounds like the norm when we're home, too! :)
Randy & I went to the Christmas Eve service that was held at one of the chapels here on base. It was okay. The chaplain did a nice message, but it's hard not being in a familiar church on special occasions. I kinda miss that. But, I got to celebrate the birth of my Savior, Jesus, and that's why I went!
I hope everyone is enjoying this day. Go to sleep soon - Santa's coming!!
This has been one lazy day! I did go to Curves this morning and picked up prescriptions from Walmart, but that's been it. It has been a day of playing on the computer, cross stitching, and reading. Tough, huh?
Kevin & Sara do not have TV, so we've had to find other things to keep us busy. I was a bit concerned about Randy since he is such a TV addict, but he's doing pretty good. He's been spending a lot of time on the computer. At least one movie is shown every evening. Very different . . .
The only other thing I did today is cook dinner - we had a Mexican night, spinach quesadillas and tacos.
Tomorrow we're going to check another Cracker Barrel off the list. Then, in the evening, we'll go to Christmas Eve service on the base.
Hope you're having a good week. Until the next time . . .
After a quiet morning, we all loaded into the truck and took a drive into Topeka for a little shopping and an early dinner. Topeka is a little more than 50 miles east of Fort Riley, right along I-70. While there is a WalMart and some other stores right around Fort Riley, the big box stores and department stores such as Dillard's & Penney's are found in Topeka.
Sara & Kevin needed to get a new humidifier and Kev also needed a winter coat. So, we went to Dick's Sporting Goods and Bed Bath & Beyond. Both items were acquired with little trouble and then it was off to dinner.
We went to Buffalo Wild Wings for dinner as Kevin said they have the best wings he's ever had. They were pretty good, too. Randy got a burger and said it was good as well. Next door to the restaurant is Cold Stone Creamery, a great ice cream place. We all got something except Randy - he was too full from dinner, which is a first! But, I think he knew he'd get some of my milkshake, and he did. :)
Back at the house, we all assumed comfy positions on the couch and recliners. I think Ann even got a little catnap, too.
Do you think Kevin & Sara have settled into married life??? :)
Now, while I post this entry, everyone's watching a movie.
It remains bitter cold here; just 18 degrees this afternoon. However, we're supposed to warm up to the 40s by the end of the week. That'll feel like a heat wave! :)
Not much on the agenda tomorrow. I'm going to Curves and pick up prescriptions at WalMart, but that's about it as far as I know. Can you believe Christmas is just three days away???? Hope you're ready!
Yesterday Randy & I marked our 23rd wedding anniversary! In some ways it is hard to believe that 23 years have passed (except when I look in the mirror!) and in others I feel every one of those years - in a good way. When I look at our kids and their kids and see how blessed we've been as a couple and a family, it just overwhelms me. I am so very grateful for this marriage and this husband; I think having had a less-than-stellar first marriage makes me understand all the more how rare and special this relationship is. So, I'm praising God and thanking Him for bringing Randy & I together and for the life we've had thus far and pray that it only gets better from here!
As for celebrating - well, we didn't do too much of that. Actually, we were pretty darn lazy. It is bitterly cold here and we just stayed snug and warm in the house for the most part. In the afternoon, Kev took us on a tour of the base, showing us where he works, the shopping area, housing, etc. I did manage to get a couple of pictures of officers' housing, but just barely - Kev didn't like the idea of me taking pics of their houses. He is so weird. Some of those houses are just gorgeous, very old.
Later in the day Kev, Sara and I went grocery shopping for the week. Yeah, I can't even get away from that when I'm "on vacation." :) We got home and Sara fixed a steak dinner, then we watched the movie, "Get Smart." Their friends, Shaun & Dani, came over to watch with us.
That was it for the day. Today we're going to Topeka to look around.
Here's a family picture of Kevin, Sara and their "kids," Xena (black), Zoe (red collar) & Konig (blue collar)
Picking up where I left you yesterday, we stopped for the night around midnight in Warrenton, Missouri at a Flying J truck stop. Since the back seat of our truck lays down flat, we figured we'd sleep there. Well, Randy decided that Blackie needed to sleep back there with me so he slept in the driver's seat! How crazy is he? He wouldn't listen to me, so that's where he slept. I hunkered down in the back in my sleeping bag and was comfy and cozy as could be. Randy SAYS he was comfortable, but I can't imagine how. As the truck cooled down, Randy would wake up when he got cold and turn the truck on to warm it back up, then turn it off again. We actually slept until 7:30 this morning! I was quite surprised we slept so late.
After filling up the truck with diesel at a price of just $2.07/gallon - yes, it was!! - we were on the road at 8am with a 5 1/2 hour trip ahead of us. The temperature was 27 degrees. And it got colder the further west we drove. We had a very uneventful trip, which is always a good thing. We did finally stop at a Cracker Barrel for a late breakfast. This was our 61st! Only about 500 more to go. :)
We are here! Here is Kevin & Sara's home in Ft. Riley, Kansas. We arrived around 2:15 at the Welcome Center. Kevin was there to greet us along with a temp reading of 14 degrees! We are looking forward to the week ahead as we get in lots of hugs, laughter and just great family time. Here are some pictures from our trip. Enjoy.
Wild Arkansas sunset Our overnight home I-70 and 14 degrees Our first sight of Fort Riley Two old friends reunited Until the next time . . .
As I type this, we are driving around the west side of St. Louis, Missouri. We've been on the road since 9am, making our way to our son, Kevin's house in Ft. Riley, Kansas. Are we crazy, you ask? Did we leave 75 degrees for a current reading of 31 degrees? A loud, resounding YES to both questions!
Many of our full-timing friends do not go home for Christmas. I'm sure I've written about this before. They either "do" Christmas before leaving home for the winter or they mail packages to their kids and families. I am not ready to give up spending Christmas with my kids and family. Sorry, just not gonna do it. Randy would be more than happy to celebrate Christmas while "home" whenever that might be and just stay put wherever we might be in December. Again, NO! I want to be with my kids and family. My folks are still living and I want to spend as much time with them as I can as well.
So, that is why we are driving in the dark at 10:58pm in Missouri. Our first stop is Ft. Riley and Kevin and his wife, Sara. We'll be there for a week and then hit the road again for another two day drive to York, PA to spend a week with Lindsay, Jason & Reagan. Unfortunately, we won't get to see Ginny & Tommy for Christmas. They are in Colorado and we just can't get there this time.
We will stop for the night once we get around St. Louis. There's a Flying J about 30 miles down I-70 and that's where we'll catch a few winks. Tomorrow we'll just have about 6 hours to drive, which will be a piece of cake after today!
I did get a couple of pictures of a beautiful night sky, but will have to post them tomorrow. I can't get to the camera cord right this minute. :)
I am feeling a bit stressed . . . I do not like chaos or disorganization and this has been a day of both. I left home at 8:30 this morning and didn't get home until 4pm. We had two dulcimer gigs today, both were a bit on the disorganized side and I just wasn't in the mood. I felt a bit mean so after venting a bit, I got very quiet. I just had to in order not to lose control. I think I just hit my limit.
Feeding my sense of chaos is the three week trip we embark on tomorrow. While I cannot wait to see the kids, trying to pack and organize presents and get ready to leave your home for that amount of time isn't easy. Combine that with concerns over weather issues and it's been a bit tense in our house this week. Leaving 70 degree weather for the teens and possible snow/ice seems contrary to sensible thinking.
I will be thrilled when we get to Kansas and I have hugged on Kev & Sara. Then I'll know all the chaos was worth it. And then we'll be on the road again for PA where I'll get to hug on Lins, Jason & Reagan.
It's just the unknown -- I don't do well with the unknown. Bit of a control freak, you say? YES! I am. Guess this is when I really need to trust God, huh? I know - I'm working on it.
Okay, whining is over. I don't like it when others whine, so I shouldn't be doing it either. Thanks for listening, though. :)
Next post will be from somewhere on the road - probably St. Louis, MO. Until the next time . . .
What a fantastic day this was! First of all the weather was PHENOMENAL!! Sunny and 75 degrees (or more!).
I went to Curves first thing and then back home for my coffee and computer time. After grabbing a shower, I went out and got a mani/pedicure. Red polish, of course, for the holidays. :) I haven't had red polish on my fingernails for years. I forgot how much I love it!
Back home I got some lunch, then joined a small group for some dulcimer pickin' time. Well, I don't pick, but that sounds a whole lot cooler than playin'. :) There were just five of us on the dulcimers and one fella on the guitar. We played for about 2 hours.
This evening we went out for dinner; an early anniversary celebration for us! We'll be married 23 years this coming Sunday. And at the risk of being too mushy - my heart still skips a beat when Randy walks in the door!
Anyway, eight of us (Randy & I, Dick & Pat, Larry & Cindy, and Ted & Linda) met at Bass Pro Shop's restaurant, The Fish Company. I didn't know that Bass Pro Shops have restaurants 'cause the one back home doesn't. All of our dinner choices were really good and the conversation around the table was great, too.
Ted & Linda are new to the Plantation this year. Linda plays dulcimer as well and Ted plays guitar. They are "part-timers," as they still have a house in Ohio. It was fun getting to know them. As I've said before, this is one of the great things about our lifestyle - we get to meet so many wonderful folks.
After dinner we wandered around the store. It's always fun walking around Bass Pro Shop - even for me who doesn't like shopping. But, this store is more than a store - it's an adventure. And tonight, Santa was there!!
Aquarium in the restaurant One of many wildlife displays SANTA!!!!!!!!!! Tomorrow's gonna be busy. I've got two dulcimer gigs and then we gotta get packed for our marathon Christmas trip. We leave Friday morning for Kansas, our first leg of the trip. Can't wait to see Kev & Sara - it's been more than 5 months since we've been together!
. . . in this great life! While every day is not exciting or spent exploring new areas, every day is still fantastic. Randy & I have the privilege of being retired at a young(ish?) age and getting up each morning knowing we get to spend it any way we want and with each other. At this time of year when people are clammering to find the "right" gift, I can say, without reservation, I have the best gift each and every day.
As this week goes on and Christmas gets closer, I hope you find that right gift, too.
This morning was errand morning. I had to go to the post office first thing to mail Christmas presents. Of course, when I planned this last week, I had no idea that today is THE busiest shipping day of the Christmas season. But, I was at the post office fifteen minutes before it opened and I was in and out of there in five minutes. YAY for me. And it doesn't hurt to be living in a small town where the post office isn't very busy. Gosh, I can't imagine what the Columbia, MD post office is like!!
I also had an appointment to get my hair cut today, but I got a call early this morning letting me know that the hairstylist with whom I had an appointment was sick and there was no one else who could take me. Ugh. Now I had to figure out when I could get my hair cut before we leave on Friday.
After mailing the packages, I went over to Curves to get my workout done. While there, Kathy, one of our RVing friends from the park came in and I asked her where she got her hair cut. She gave me the number and they were able to take me without an appointment. YAY for me, again! Karen did a great job on my cut and I was able to get my brows and lip waxed, too! The neatest part about this salon is that they have discounted their haircuts to $10 for the month of December because many of their clients have either lost their jobs or are having a tough time financially. Isn't that so cool? I'll go back there just because of that.
So, I was really pleased with my morning. I got all three of my items on my to do list done.
This afternoon I went to the clubhouse and played my dulcimer for a couple of hours. The rest of the day has been quiet. We had leftovers for dinner - Randy had spaghetti and I had chicken & noodle casserole. I really like that casserole!
Now, it's just watching some TV and chillin' with my guy. Hope your week is off to a great start, too!
We were surprised by the weather today, it was a warm, rainy day most of the day. Perfect day for being lazy - as if we need a reason! ;)
After church, we came home and just lazed around. Watched some TV, I did some stitching on a new project I started yesterday, and we both napped a bit.
Since it's Sunday and the Ice Cream Social begins at 6pm, we had an early dinner. I made chicken & noodle casserole and we now have enough for a couple more meals! I won't be cooking much the rest of the week. YAY! :) After dinner we went over to the clubhouse for ice cream.
There was karoake after the social. Pat & I stayed, but Dick & Randy were not interested in hanging around for it. I think it's fun. I got up and sang a so-so version of "Crazy." There weren't many who sang, but those who did had a good time as did the audience. Several couples got up and danced to some country tunes and there were a couple of line dances, too.
Now it's time to just settle in for the evening. Tomorrow morning is going to be a bit busy as I have to go to the post office and mail some presents, go to Curves, and get my hair cut and possibly, my nails done. Gotta get everything ready so we can leave on Friday for our marathon Christmas trip!
Hope you had a good weekend. Until the next time . . .
This was a quiet day. I was up and in the laundry room before 6:30 this morning. After doing three loads, I got back to the rig around 8:00. We decided to walk over to the clubhouse for breakfast - they were serving eggs (made to order), home fries, bacon or sausage, and a biscuit for $3.50/person. Not bad. We socialized a bit and came on home.
The rest of the day was spent working on Christmas presents, watching TV and general laziness. Later in the afternoon, we spent some time with friends at the campfire at Ron & Connie's. We got home about 6:30pm and I made spaghetti and meatballs for dinner.
Now, we're just lounging in the recliners and settling in for the night. Hope you had a good Saturday!
It was COLD this morning!! When I went to Curves this morning, the thermometer read 36 degrees. UGH! I thought I was in the south - what the heck is this? Oh, well. It's supposed to get warmer next week.
We went to The Biscuit King this morning for breakfast. We had heard about this place last year, but never found it. So, on a mission this morning, we finally found it. Just a little place on the side of the road, but as it happens with these kind of places, good food. Nothing fancy, but good. And the biscuits were the size of a man's hand, a large man.
Spent the rest of the morning and afternoon hanging out at home. This evening Dick, Pat, Randy & I took a tour of local Christmas lights; we went all the way over to Fairhope and back. I was a little disappointed in the Fairhope area 'cause not many folks had decorated their homes. We stopped at a small Italian restaurant for dinner, My Cousin Vinny's. We'd eaten there before and enjoyed it then and now.
On the way home we stopped back at that beautiful house just down the road from the park. I had thought it was a B&B, but it's not. It's someone's private home. It is so decorated -along with the lights on the house and the fence, in the yard there is a manger scene, a church building, Santa and reindeer and more. You'd think it would be too gaudy, but the yard is huge, so it's not. In a side yard are more decorations such as elves playing, a HUGE globe and "Peace on Earth" in front of it. I took some pictures and they came out okay, a little blurry, but I think good enough for you to get an idea of what it looks like.
And here's a "Santa" we think is pretty adorable!
So much for having nothing on the calendar! We ended up with a pretty good day. Tomorrow's laundry day.
While the day dawned very cold (we hit our high of 48 at 6:30am!!), it was much better than yesterday. Even though the winds were fierce, at least there was no rain to go with it all.
Since our Jubilee Pickers' Christmas get together wasn't starting until 10am, I took advantage of the extra hour and got a Curves workout in this morning. It was nice not having to rush out after it this morning. I was able to come home and get a couple of cups of coffee before I had to get ready to leave.
We gathered just next door to the park at Kathy's home, er, ranch. Well, it's a mini-ranch, but it's definitely cowboy/girl territory. Kathy loves horses and her home reflects that. However, the thing you notice even more when you walk into Kathy's home is the peace that pervades it. Kathy is a peaceful person - her countenance, her way of speaking and carrying herself. It is a calming experience to be around her and her home is an extension of that.
Needless to say, we had a great time of playing and singing. Most of our songs were Christmas songs. After a couple hours of playing, we had a potluck dinner. Randy came over for that. I was really glad he did because I so enjoy these folks and I want him to get to know them, too. Plus, I just like having him around! :)
Once home, we got comfy in warm clothes and relaxed for the rest of the day. I finished another cross stitch project this evening! I decided since this one went so quickly I'll do one more. Yeah, a glutton for punishment! But, I do enjoy it.
Nothing on the calendar for tomorrow, but you never know what may come up! Until the next time . . .
. . . that's about all we did today. It was such an ugly, rainy day. I never even got dressed! I woke up at 5:30 this morning with a nasty headache so that started the day right. :( The headache finally faded later in the morning, thank God. I hate waking up with a headache - it's just not right!
I spent the day cross stitching - just one more project to go!! We also watched the new Chronicles of Narnia movie, "Prince Caspian." It was good, as good as the first one we thought.
Randy went out this evening and picked up subs for us to have for dinner. We hadn't had subs for quite a while and Randy was hankering for them. No problem for me - I didn't have to make dinner! He even brought back a chocolate shake for me as a surprise. :) As I've said before, what a guy I've got!
That was the extent of our day. Totally exciting, huh? I gotta go to Curves in the morning since I blew it off today. Then I've got the Pickers' Christmas party; Randy will come to that in time for lunch. It should be fun.
Oh! Here are some more pictures from Randy's concert last night. Thanks, Larry!
Dick, Pat, Randy & I before the concert Such a happy guy - he hates to get his picture taken Tooting his own horn; third one from the right Hope you are having a good week. Until the next time . . .
While I have been involved in musical groups here in Alabama for the past couple of years, Randy hasn't pursued his music much since we've been retired. He's played here and there for a couple of churches, but that's been about it. Late last winter, just before we left Alabama, he was told about Baldwin Pops, a volunteer organization of musicians.
This year when we got to Alabama, Randy joined Baldwin Pops and has really enjoyed it. And I am always posting about the dulcimer gigs I do, so it's Randy's turn. Tonight was the last Christmas concert he played. A bunch of our gang from the park came to hear the concert. I was really proud of Randy - he looked so handsome in his suit and I know he had a blast playing. Here are a couple of pictures from the concert. Larry, a friend of ours, got some, too, so I'll share those when I get them.
Randy's preparing to play Tuning up Some of our gang Until the next time . . .
Everywhere I go, there are lights and Christmas decorations - houses, stores, shopping centers, etc. It's great. Started the day at Curves this morning, came home and had my coffee and computer time then we went out to WalMart to get some special Christmas cards for our nieces and nephews. We also had to get a propane tank filled.
My Christmas activities today included cross stitching and getting some of the gifts ready for mailing.
We had dinner at Dick & Pat's tonight. Randy went out to another Baldwin Pops Christmas concert. He has one more tomorrow night which is the one that I'm going to. A bunch of folks from the park are going, too. Apparently, Baldwin Pops concerts are big around here - Randy said the audience at the concert last week was huge. And when people find out that Randy is playing with the orchestra, they seem impressed. But, my husband is so humble, he really thinks it's no big deal. What a guy!
Hope you're week is off to a good start. Until the next time . . .
While the temperature was a little chilly this morning, the sun was gorgeous. As the day went on, it got warm enough for us to open our door to let the fresh air in. We're fortunate that we get lots of sun on this site. At least it's fortunate when the temps are in the 50s and 60s. When it gets warmer than that, I'm looking for shade! Yeah, some people are never satisfied. :)
After church, we just came home and relaxed. I did a little cross stitching and napping. We had dinner a little after 1pm. I had set up the crockpot early this morning with Crockpot Enchiladas. Yummy! I also got three pairs of jeans hemmed this afternoon by my friend, Ruth. Wasn't that nice? Around 3:30 Randy & I joined a bunch up at Bob & Pam's for conversation around the campfire. The air got pretty chilly once the sun went down around 5pm, so we ambled back home and got ready for the Ice Cream Social. Such a busy life we lead!
We're now back home and settled in for the night. Tomorrow is devoted to Christmas; gotta get presents organized for travel and mailing. We leave in less than two weeks for our big Christmas trip! Can't wait!
Oh, I need to share a picture of Kevin & Sara with you. They attended a Squadron Ball last Friday, which was formal attire. Aren't they gorgeous!?!?!!!!!
We spent the morning and early afternoon in Foley. Dick, Pat, Randy & I left a little after 9am to get into town for the Christmas parade that was to begin at 10am. We had attended the Foley Mardi Gras parades in years past and thought we knew the parade route, but the Christmas parade is a much bigger deal so the town closes the main route through town.
We had gotten there early, so we browsed through the new Book Exchange Store that opened late last month. The owners are campers here in the park, so I'm looking forward to supporting their endeavor by bringing in some books to trade and buying "new" ones as well. Nothing like a book store! Love it.
The parade begin close to 10am and we lined up along the street with every other person who lives in Foley! Trying to get pictures was a little tough, but I persevered. While I've posted some here, you can check out our Webshots site by clicking on here. The Foley High School band was pretty good and I think every antique tractor in all of Baldwin County was in the parade, too.
The crowd gathered Foley High School Band Train museum's float One of many tractors Santa! One of several antique cars
After the parade was over, we all walked across the street to the park where there were vendors, Christmas trees decorated by various organizations, the obligatory area for sitting on Santa's lap, and a place to play in the snow. Yes, it snowed in Foley today. :)
Only in Alabama - flowers blooming alongside of Christmas decorations One of the many Christmas trees in the park Snow in Foley! Randy & I in front of the park's big Christmas tree On our way back home, we stopped at St. Margaret's Catholic Church for a spaghetti lunch and to peruse the offerings at their bazaar. Lunch was pretty good - spaghetti w/meat sauce, salad, bread, dessert and drink for $6. Can't beat that. We didn't find anything at the bazaar that we couldn't live without, so we came on home. We needed to get warmed up!
The day started out fairly sunny and little wind, but as the afternoon wore on the sun creeped in and out of clouds and the wind picked up. I ended up taking a little nap (that fresh air is tough!). About 3:30 we went up to the campfire to spend some time with the neighbors and have some laughs. By 5pm I was ready to come home; the sun had started to go down and it was getting damp.
This evening we're just relaxing the recliner. Dinner was easy - leftovers for Randy and a salad for me. We're ready to just kick back and watch TV. Of course, I will be cross stitching as well. :)
Hope you had a good Saturday. Until the next time . . .
Beautiful & unexpected gifts (handpainted!!) from a new RVing friend - thank you SO much, Dortha!
Journal
Reagan spelled out "Pop" all by herself for the first time!
Teaching Reagan to cross stitch
