Ending the Month “Out on the Trail”

Today was a busy day for both Randy & I. Randy stayed home and cleaned all morning while I went out gallivanting. Seems like the perfect balance to me! :)

I started my day at Curves, but dag, I really wasn't feeling it this morning when I got up. SO didn't want to go; but I did. Then, it was on to my next stop – Lindsay's. After all, it's Thursday and that means it's laundry day. With the laundry done (well, the last load was in the dryer), we set off for the fun part of the day.

Lindsay & I had made plans to take a picnic lunch to Rocky Ridge County Park. On the agenda as well, was a scavenger hunt through the park. I don't know if it's Pennsylvania, or just the county in which Lindsay lives, but they have fabulous parks in this area! So well kept. And the parks system puts out a book with scavenger hunts that are available in each park. The idea is that you are looking for a “destination” and along the way they give you things to look for as you walk through the woods. Very cool. And some hunts are harder than others and they let you know that, too.

Our “destination” was Portugal. Not really sure why they pick different countries as the destinations, but they do. The book gives you facts about the country to which you are heading. Along our path we were to look for moss and lichen that grow on the trees. Reagan was great at finding the moss once we showed her what it looked like.

We thought this looked like a heart carved in the bottom of the tree trunk.

Well, our “trail” through the woods got a bit dicey at times. We thought we had gone off the path a few times.

But, we persevered and finally made it to the end – an observation deck. Our reward was a beautiful view of the area. We were able to see up to 13.5 miles away.

Of course, the downside of walking a trail is that you have to walk back!! We didn't have to walk the rough path back through the woods, though. The park also has a fitness trail on which there are several stops along the way where you can do different exercises.

Reagan had her own way of using one of the stops. :)

All in all, it was a great day with my girlies. Now, I am pooped! But I'd do it again tomorrow, if it means spending more time with Lins & Reagan. :)

Now, we say good-bye to June and hello to July. Summer is moving on. And just a few more weeks until we welcome a new girlie to the family. Can't wait to meet her!!

Until the next time . . .

Visit to Another “Land”

Lindsay and Reagan picked Randy and me up about 9:30 this morning and we headed to Gettysburg to visit Land of Little Horses. This farm is dedicated to raising miniature horses and they put on shows in which the horses do tricks. It's a small park, perfect for spending a couple of hours with horses, goats, donkeys, llamas, and other cute animals. :)

 

Once we got home, we hit the recliners for a couple of hours. Randy even got in a nap. :) About 5pm, I headed to Curves for a Zumba session. Man, I know I'm not thrilled with exercise, but doing it at 5:30 in the evening is even worse! But, I need to step it up, so I gotta do it.

After a crockpot chicken meal, we've settled down for the night.

Nothing planned for tomorrow. Until the next time . . .

Kickin’ Back, Cookin’ Out & Karaoke

We continued our laid back life this weekend. I did go to Curves/Zumba on Friday morning, and Randy and I went to the grocery to pick up a few things, but that was the extent of it. The rest of the day was spent as the previous days – hanging out at home.

Saturday morning I got up and went to Curves. That evening we joined Barry & Penny at their site for a cook-out. Two other couples joined us, Ron & Linda and Colin & Jackie. They also have seasonal sites here at the park.

After a good meal and socializing, Randy and I went up to the pavilion for karaoke night. I had a blast! Randy is such a trooper. Karaoke is not his thing at all, but he knows how much I love it and he toughs it out. :) It's so much fun to see people get up and sing and have fun with it. We stayed for most of the night, but left about 10:30. On the way home, I told Randy it'd been a long time since we had been out “so late.” hahahahaha We're getting' old! :)

This morning we went to another new church, Friendship Community. Well, it wasn't exactly new, we had visited there a couple of years ago. Unfortunately, it isn't the place for us. The people were very welcoming and pleasant, but it's just not the right fit. We'll keep trying to find where God wants us when we're here.

We've spent the rest of the day as usual. :) I made salmon with pesto for dinner tonight. It was pretty good.

Tomorrow we're going to Land of Little Horses with Lindsay and Reagan. Should be fun!

Until the next time . . .

Been a Slow Week

And it's been kinda nice. Neither Randy nor I have done much this week. I've gotten to Curves a couple of times. But most of the week has been spent in our recliners. :) I've cross stitched some and read some, but both of us have been quite vegetative. :)

We went to Lindsay's for dinner last night. And today I went back to do laundry and watch Reagan this evening as Lins went out with a friend and Jason was on his way back from an overnight work trip.

Randy was busy today cleaning the rig. He does such a great job – I just get out of his way!

Nothing much else to share. I'm still battling the discomfort of shingles. From what I understand, this could go on for awhile. It's not too bad during the day, but it really affects my sleeping. And I don't sleep well to begin with, so I'm gonna talk to the doc tomorrow to see if there's anything else I can do. We'll see.

We don't have anything planned for the weekend, either. Gosh, we are just slugs, huh! Oh, well. That's okay. I'm enjoying the peace while I can. :)

Until the next time . . .

Another Anniversary

Seven years ago today Randy & I moved into our RV and began our lives as full-time RVers. It's hard to believe it's been that long! Seems like just yesterday, really. We were still working when we moved into the RV. Randy had six months to go before he could retire, but we were able to sell our house to one of our kids and it made sense to get started on our adventure.

Since then, we've had the privilege of traveling through 27 of the lower 48 states. There is so much beauty in this country and we've had so much fun seeing lots of it. We've also made phenomenal friends during these years; friends who we know are friends for life. God has truly blessed our lives with these folks.

And we're not done. Right now we aren't traveling much, but the flexibility of this life is beyond compare. We can choose where we live and how much we want to pay for it. We're just enjoying life. And isn't that what retirement is about? :)

Oh! And for an “anniversary present,” I was diagnosed with shingles!! Yeah, the fun just keeps coming for me. Apparently, the discomfort and burning sensations in my shoulder and arm I was dealing with before going to Maine were the early symptoms of shingles. Who knew? While in Maine, a rash erupted on my shoulder blade and the discomfort was a little more intense. I went to the doctor's today and she confirmed that's what it was. Oh, well. I seem to have a mild case and the rash is healing without spreading, so I'm doing okay.

You know? It doesn't really matter what bumps in the road come along 'cause we've got a fabulous life and we're in it together. That's what matters. And I'm grateful for it.

Until the next time . . .

Home

One of my favorite words in the English language - “home.” It means so much more than a dwelling. It's family; a safe place; where one feels most content. And we arrived home from our trip to Maine yesterday evening about 6pm.

Once again, we had an uneventful trip and made great time. We left Maine about 7am Saturday morning and with just a few stops, we arrived home about eleven hours later. It didn't take us long to get situated in our recliners and begin watching the shows that were DVR'd in our absence. We were glad to be home.

This morning we met Jason, Lindsay & Reagan for breakfast. Then, we went to their house to pick up Blackie. He was very glad to see us. :) From there we made a quick stop at the grocery to restock the frig and then we made our way back home.

The rest of today has been spent chillin' in the recliners, watching more TV, and doing not much of nothin'. Just recuperating from yesterday's long drive.

Can't end this post without a loud HAPPY FATHER'S DAY!! to the men in my life. I've been blessed with a fantastic dad, a wonderful husband, a loving son, two terrific sons-in-law, and a great brother-in-law. Each of these men has made a difference in my life with their unique personalities and gifts. I am grateful for them.

Until the next time . . .

Time to Leave . . .

Today was the last day of our Maine respite. We have had a fabulous few days and it is always so hard to say good-bye. Since we had run the last couple of days, we didn't have much planned for today.

The six of us met back at the Kopper Kettle for another delicious breakfast this morning. After that, we, along with Darrell & Judy, left Mike & Peggy to go on separate errands, with the plan to see each other at M&P's later this afternoon for dinner.

The four of us ran several errands, including a stop at the grocery for the fixin's for the cookout this afternoon. We got back to the campground a little before noon and retired to our respective rigs.

I spent the afternoon on the couch losing the fight with a headache while Randy watched TV and computered.

About 3:30 this afternoon, the four of us got into D&J's truck and headed over the M&P's. Again, we ate well – grilled burgers and dogs, baked beans, cantaloupe, and watermelon made up the menu. Chef Mikee did a great job grilling the burgers and dogs. Yummy.

We spent the next couple of hours after dinner, fixing the world's problems. Too bad those in charge of said problems weren't listening!! ;)

About 7pm, it was time to say good-bye to Mike & Peggy. Randy and I cannot express how grateful we are for their generosity and hospitality. We have been so comfortable staying in their motorhome this week. God has truly blessed us with these fabulous friends. Both Mike & Peggy and Darrell & Judy have done everything possible to give us a great “vacation.” They fed us, played tourist guide, and just loved us.

So, while “thank you” just doesn't seem adequate, it's all we've got. Thanks, guys. We love you!

Tomorrow, we’re back on the road, heading south.

Walking Around Boothbay Harbor

With the best day of weather yet on tap, our group headed east to Boothbay Harbor, a quaint town on the water's edge of the Atlantic Ocean.

All manner of shops line the nooks and crannies of the town – if you're looking for it, you'll be able to find it, I'm sure.

Gotta love truth in advertising!

There are also several places where you can purchase tickets for whale-watching cruises.

We had a great time just meandering around town, ducking into shops as the mood struck. The weather was absolutely perfect for being out and about. I'll let the pictures tell the story. :)

 Once we got back to the campground, M&P dropped us off and the six of us went to our separate corners for a while. The plan was to meet at Mike & Peggy's for dinner about 5pm. I gotta say, all that fresh air and walking around drove me right to the couch for a nap. Oh, it felt good. :)

At the appointed time, we joined D&J in their truck and headed to M&P's. Peggy had put together a yummy dinner of pulled pork, tossed salad and cantaloupe. Judy brought the leftover seafood chowder from earlier this week. Once again, we ate well. :) Afterward, we continued to sit out on the deck and just enjoy each other's company.

A bit past 7pm, Darrell starting hearing his jammies calling his name. So, it was time to head on back home.

Another good day in Maine. :)

Here are a couple of pictures from the last couple of days that Mike & Peggy had taken. Enjoy.

Having Fun in Maine

WARNING: two posts in one. :)

Even though the weather was lousy yesterday, the six of us (Darrell & Judy (D&J), Mike & Peggy (M&P) and Randy & I ventured out. It really didn't matter what the weather was doing – we were together and having fun. :)

First on the agenda was lunch at Buck's Naked BBQ. Gotta love a restaurant with the word “naked” in it, huh?

Everyone enjoyed their meals and we left full and happy. Our next stop was DeLorme. I think their big claim to fame in GPS products. We use their Street Atlas for our traveling needs and are very happy with it. Being the cartographer he is, Randy was practically salivating as he wandered through their store looking at all the goodies.

I love my geeky guy!

The biggest draw to visiting DeLorme is Eartha, the world's largest rotating, revolving globe. Completed in 1998 and at a scale of 1:1,000,000, one inch of Eartha equals nearly 16 miles on Earth. It has a circumference of almost 130 fee and a diameter of more than 41 feet. Eartha rotates on its axis at 23.5 degrees as the Earth does.

Unfortunately, Eartha was undergoing some maintenance and wasn't working while we were there. Supposedly, it's pretty impressive.

From DeLorme, we made our way to the LL Bean shopping center. Freeport, ME is the home of LL Bean and it has grown into a huge complex. Randy wanted to look for some shoes. He found some, but they didn't have his size. With one phone call, the correct size was ordered and is being shipped to Lindsay's. They should be there by the time we get home next Monday. Can't ask for more than that!

Upon leaving LL Bean, we went to M&P's house and just chilled, enjoying more conversation. The six of us never have trouble with conversation, that's for sure. Within a couple hours, if that, it was time to grab some dinner. So, we grabbed some subs from Subway and ended our evening at D&J's place.

A very nice day indeed.

Today dawned much nicer – the sun came out to play with us! The plan was for the six of us to meet at Kopper Kettle, a local diner, for breakfast. And that plan came together perfectly. We had a very hearty breakfast, after which we broke into groups of boys and girls. :)

We girls went off to JoAnne Fabrics to pick up some material to back the baby blanket I have made for our granddaughter who is due in August.

Judy is kindly going to do the sewing for me. We were successful in finding the material. Judy & I then dropped Peggy off at home and we came on back to the campground.

The boys went on their errands, which included a stop at Home Depot. Mike then dropped Darrell & Randy off at the campground.

The next step in the day's plan was to meet back here at 1pm for our next adventure.

This afternoon we drove to Land's End – literally. It was a beautiful drive with fabulous New England homes looking out over the water. We came to the Atlantic Ocean, parked the cars, and just soaked in the view. The weather was perfect for standing at the edge of Maine looking out across the water.

Don't you agree?

We all kept saying how easy it would be to pull the RVs up, set up camp for the summer and just enjoy. Gosh, wouldn't that be nice!

When we finally tore ourselves away, it was time for an early dinner. The choice was Captain Mike's, one of M&P's favorite.

And it didn't disappoint. Randy got baked scallops which he said were fabulous. I cheated and got fried shrimp – and they were worth whatever my blood sugar level reads tomorrow! :) Everyone else was equally pleased with their meals.

Again our day ended back here at the campground. We sat outside for awhile, reluctant to let go of the day. But, the good news is there's more fun to come tomorrow!!

Until then . . .

From Topsham, Maine

Just a short post to let you know we arrived! After leaving our campground at 7:06am, we arrived at Topsham Fairgrounds at 6:55pm; almost 12 hours later. While it was a long day, it was uneventful with just one traffic backup in northeastern PA.

It was great to pull in this evening and have Darrell & Judy and Mike & Peggy come out of D&J's RV to greet us. Such great friends. Darrell had made a seafood chowdah (when in Maine . . .) and Peggy provided a lovely tossed salad. Both were scrumptious.

The six of us ate dinner, chatted for a couple of hours, then Mike & Peggy got us acquainted with their motorhome which will be our home for the next few days. About 9pm, we said our good nights and everyone went to their respective homes.

We are so looking forward to playing with our friends this week. It's been a couple of months since we've been together, so we've got lots to catch up on!

Until the next time . . .

A Mixed Weekend

Yesterday was a pretty lazy day. We just hung around the RV.

Today was a bit of a different story. We were out the door early, about 8:20, for church. We attended with Lindsay and Reagan this morning, then went to breakfast. Jason wasn't able to be with us because he had to work.

After breakfast Randy & I scooted home to change and pick up Blackie as we were going to Lindsay's for the afternoon to watch Reagan for a couple of hours.

I wasn't much fun today because I had a headache for most of it. I grabbed a short nap between church and Lindsay's, but it didn't seem to help much. I hate not feeling well when we're with Reagan. She likes me to play with her and it's tough for me to say no. I don't often, but today I wasn't a fun Nana.

Once Lins got home, we decided to grab some dinner at Friendly's. Jason was able to join us, which was nice.

After dinner, we came on home. Blackie will be staying with Jason, Lindsay & Reagan for the week we're gone. So, we came home to pack for our trip to Maine.

Yep, we're heading north tomorrow morning to spend the next few days with Darrell & Judy and Mike & Peggy. We're looking so forward to seeing them! But, first we've got a long drive ahead of us. With stops, we figure it's gonna be about 11 hours on the road. We're not towing the rig, so those are easier hours than when we're towing. It's still gonna be a long day. But, so very worth it!

The next post will be from Maine!

The Heat and Other Stuff

Here in Central PA we've been having some terrific heat – temps and humidity more like August than the first part of June. I know there are many areas of the country that are also dealing with even hotter temps than ours. The weather just seems to get weirder and weirder. Friends in Maine have been having cool, rainy weather with temps just in the 60s. Very odd.

To deal with the hot weather, we've been holing up inside. So very grateful for air conditioning!! :)

Wednesday I started the day at Curves. I'm striving to get my 3x/week in no matter what. When we get back from our sojourn in Maine, I want to step it up a bit and do the Curves circuit 3x/week and Zumba 2x/week. We'll see if that really happens! :)

After dinner on Wednesday Randy and I went over to Lindsay's. I was sleeping over! Jason is out of town and the CMA Music Awards were on that night, so Lins and I decided to have a girls' night watching it. Randy also mowed their lawn as a favor to Jason since he was gone. Later, Randy went home, Reagan went to bed, and Lins and I enjoyed the show.

Thursday was laundry day, as usual. Since I was already at Lindsay's, I got a head start on it. Randy came back over to pick me up, but he also got the truck washed. It was pretty filthy and it was really bugging him. We ended up staying for the day and ending the evening with dinner at Applebee's.

A lovely time with two of our favorite girls. :)

We've stayed pretty close to home today. Well, Randy did. I went to Curves, came home and grabbed a shower, then headed back out to get a mani/pedi. It had been a couple of months since I'd had one (last time was in ALABAMA!!) and I wanted to have it done before going away next week. But, once I was home again, I changed into my muumuu and have been settled in the rig ever since.

Randy worked hard today – he mowed our site and drained the tanks. Needless to say, he was fairly beat from being out in the heat.

Dinner tonight was spinach salad and a modified chicken cordon bleu. I poured some Italian dressing over the chicken breasts and cooked them for about 45 minutes. They were pretty yummy, even if I do say so myself. :)

Nothing planned for tomorrow. Sunday we're on Reagan-watch for a few hours, then we'll get ourselves packed for our trip to Maine. Can't wait to see Darrell & Judy and Mike & Peggy!! Maine may never be the same . . .

Until the next time . . .

No Senior Pass & Reagan Takes Over

Our big plan for yesterday was to take a drive to Gettysburg Visitor Center to get Randy's National Park Senior Pass. Well, it didn't happen. Apparently, the visitor center is run by a concessionaire with the National Park Service having a “presence” at the center. WHAT?? What the heck does that mean? It means that no passes are sold at that venue because the historic areas are free. Yes, you have to pay to enter the museum and such, but again, that's run by concessionaires. What a bunch of hooey.

Bottom line? We didn't get the pass. And I was not a happy camper. Not that we had planned to use it any time soon, but it was the principle of it. If you go to the National Park Service website, the Gettysburg venues are all over it. So, it's very misleading. But, that's just me.

We did ride around some of the historic sites. Reagan was with us and wanted to see monuments. If you've never been to Gettysburg, you must. There is so much history in that town and downtown is very quaint. It's definitely a great place to explore.

We made our way back home – after a stop for ice cream at Bruster's. :) And no, I didn't indulge!

The rest of Monday and most of today was all Reagan, all the time. :) She slept over and we revolved around her. Isn't that how it's supposed to be?

There was a little blip today when Randy went to fill the coffee pot and we had no water! Three minutes prior to that, we did have water. Hmmmmm?? We checked with the campground and nope, it wasn't them. Ugh, that means it's us. So, Randy began troubleshooting. He found the problem. A part inside the connector in the rig where the water hose connects to the rig broke. How weird is that! He fixed it, but wasn't sure how long it would last. And I sure didn't want the water going out when I was in the middle of a shower!

So, I called Millers Service who had fixed a leak for us a few weeks ago. We were fortunate that he was already in the park! He came over just 15 minutes or so after I called him. Within 30 minutes the problem was fixed and our water was back on. YAY! Crisis averted.

After lunch we took Reagan home and spent the afternoon with Lindsay. We had dinner with the girls and came home.

I know I'm looking forward to a good night's sleep! :)

Until the next time . . .

The Weekend

Saturday we went to Grace Community Church's family picnic. Grace is the church we belonged to before we began our full-time adventure. Both of us were very involved in its ministries; I was on staff for several years as well. Because of that, we thought it would be fun to attend and see some folks we hadn't seen in a long time. If you find yourself in Columbia, MD, check them out!

Unfortunately, there weren't a lot of familiar faces, but those who were there, we were excited to see. Our “adopted” granddaughters and their parents, were there; James, Amita, Kelly & Kate. We ate lunch with them and got caught up a bit. We stayed for a couple of hours, but then the sun was pretty dang hot and there was no shade to be found.

After the picnic, we headed to Jason & Lindsay's. They were hosting a cook-out for a “good-bye” to one of Lindsay's long time friends, Danielle. She and her family are moving to the Nashville area because of a new job for her husband. Danielle and Lindsay, along with Angie & Karen, have been friends for more than 20 years. Isn't that fantastic? So, the four girls and their families got together one last time before Danielle leaves at the end of this month. Since we were like Danielle's second parents, she asked us to come by, too. We were happy to!

On a side note, it was wonderful to see how these girls have grown into lovely young women with beautiful families. I am so proud of all four of them.

Today has been a do-nothing day. We didn't even go to church. I woke up feeling kinda lousy and still don't feel 100%. Not sure why . . . So, we've just hung at home. It was raining when we first got up, but eventually the sun came and the temps reached the mid-70s. Not a bad day.

Until the next time . . .

Spending Time Outside

The weather over the last couple of days has been absolutely gorgeous. Perfect weather for being outside. Temps in the 70s, sunshine, and a breeze. Perfect.

Yesterday we took advantage of the great weather to attend Reagan's end-of-the-schoolyear picnic. We'd gone last year and it was so dang hot. There was a strong wind yesterday, but that was okay. We enjoyed watching all the kids playing in the bounce houses and getting wet on the giant slip 'n' slide. Reagan had a blast. We couldn't get her away from the slip 'n' slide.

The school provided a lunch of hot dogs, chips and fresh fruit. After lunch we attended the magic show. Like last year, Reagan was right in the thick of it. She got chosen once again to come to the front to be part of the show. What fun!

We went back to Lindsay's after the picnic so I could finish the laundry. Then, we stayed for dinner. Not a bad day at all. :)

When we got home, I discovered I brought home a souvenir from the picnic – some sunburn on the back of my neck and my arms. Apparently, Lindsay was suffering, too. Oh, well. I slapped on some lotion and went to bed.

This morning I went to Curves to check out the new Zumba instructor. I liked her much better than the previous one. I'm glad because I really enjoy the addition of Zumba to the Curves circuit. Hoping to do a couple of Zumba classes each week.

I got home, took a shower, and sat outside reading. It was so nice to be able to sit outside and enjoy the weather. Once there was only shade on the porch, it got too cool to sit there. Isn't that amazing!

This is hot rod weekend in York. There are classic cars everywhere, even here in the park. In years past, we've seen folks line up along Route 30 (the major thoroughfare in York) in their lawn chairs and just watch as the classic cars drive up and down the highway. This year we decided to join them! So, along with Jason, Lindsay and Reagan, we grabbed some dinner at Arby's and then set up our chairs and enjoyed the “show.”

Do we know how to fun or what! :)

I did mention to Randy that it's funny to see cars from my childhood/teenage years as classics or antiques!!

Oh! And this was Reagan’s last year of preschool. She is now a graduate – and a mighty cute one at that. :)

Until the next time . . .