Celebrating the end of May

Why do we celebrate the end of May, you ask? Because May 31 is Randy's birthday! Today Randy turned 63 years young.

Backing up a bit, we arrived Cedar Lake Family Campground this past Tuesday around 2pm. We got set up on site 45 during a very hot afternoon. We were looking forward to getting showers and settling in for the evening. Unfortunately, that wasn't to be.

Our water heater wasn't working!!! We tried it on both the electric mode and the propane mode. Nothing. UGH!! We so needed showers, we headed over to Jason & Lindsay's who graciously allowed us to use their facilities. :)

Thankfully, just after we'd been home a few minutes, Bob Miller, the RV repairman we use here in PA, called. He was returning a call Randy had made to him last week. Can you say great timing! We need our slide toppers replaced but, of course, the water heater became paramount. Mr. Miller said he could come out the next day. YAY! We were praying the heater repair would not be too intensive.

Boy it felt good to sleep in our own bed Tuesday night!

Wednesday morning came and Randy was out the door early as he'd made an appointment last week to have the truck looked at. The ball joints need replacing. Yeah, it's always something. :) He was at the shop for just a couple of hours so the scope of work could be determined. Yep, the work needs to be done and an appointment is scheduled for June 6.

Late Wednesday afternoon Mr. Miller came and it was quickly determined that the water heater is just fine – Randy forgot to flip a switch from “bypass” to “normal.” Poor guy; he was so tired Tuesday from setting up in the heat that he just missed it. We were thanking God that no repair was necessary. Mr. Miller then took some measurements and said he'd get back to us with an estimate to replace the slide toppers. (Update: he called tonight – approximately $1200 to replace all three. Not bad.)

Now for today. Randy is very laid back about his birthday. Of course, those of you who know him aren't surprised about that, I'm sure. :) We spent the day with Lindsay and Reagan, then all of us, including Jason, went out for dinner.  Here are a couple pictures:

Just a few words about my husband. Randy is such a humble man and he loves his family unconditionally. He doesn't say much, but he feels deeply. He is my best friend and I am so grateful to have the privilege of being his wife and the recipient of his quiet devotion.

Until the next time . . .

It Comes to an End

We've had a great couple of weeks with my folks, but tomorrow it comes to an end. By 9am, hopefully, we'll be hitched up and headed north to Cedar Lake Campground in Dover, PA. That will be home for the next two months.

My folks are always so generous with us. We've eaten well, relaxed, laughed, and just enjoyed each other's company. I know how fortunate I am to still have both of my parents living. And I'm grateful for each day I get to spend with them.

That's it from the Eastern Shore of Maryland.

Until the next time . . .

Week (or so) in Review

No, I'm not gonna give you a play-by-play of the entire last week. I care about you too much to put you through that! :) Just gonna give you some highlights and pictures. Enjoy.

Last weekend found us celebrating a couple of our grandnieces' accomplishments. Ryleigh had turned two years old so we attended her birthday party.

Kelsey, who's eleven, joined her dance group in a hiphop routine at her dance recital.

Tuesday the four of us drove to Rehoboth Beach, DE to hit some of the outlet stores. Randy desperately needs new shoes so that was the goal. Unfortunately, he didn't find any that he liked. He's pretty picky, er, um, selective. :) Last summer he found a pair at LL Bean in Maine that he loves and now he wants another pair similar to those. Online LL Bean, here he comes!

On Wednesday my mom's Red Hat group toured the Governor Ross Mansion in Seaford, DE and went to lunch afterward.

I went along. Click the link if you're interested in more info.

We also got a surprise call Wednesday afternoon – Reagan was coming a day early! Her parents would be accompanying her, too.:) They were going to come down Thursday after Reagan got home from school, but decided to let Reagan play hookey and come a day early! YAY! Due to traffic and such, they didn't arrive until close to 8pm, but that was okay. They were here!!

So, Thursday and Friday were filled with running around with Jason, Lindsay, Reagan and my folks.

One of the highlights was going to Assateague Island and checking out the nature displays. One of which is a touch tank in which you can pick up various water creatures. Lindsay braved the horseshoe crab and was doing well until his “fingers” touched her! :)

 And who doesn't love a conch?

We also had a big family breakfast. Reagan helped me scramble eggs.

Saturday morning before the kids left we all attended the annual Memorial Day ceremony here in my folks' development. Always very moving.

And too soon it was time to say good-bye until Tuesday when we arrive in PA. It was oh, so good! to spend time with them!

Wrapping up the week, Randy & I attended church with Mommy this morning. This afternoon we drove up to Fenwick in Delaware to visit with good friends Tricia and Tom. Tricia and I worked together years ago and have stayed in touch ever since. We enjoyed seeing their new townhouse and getting caught up.

That's it. Tomorrow we'll load up the RV and Tuesday morning we'll head north to PA where we'll sit for the next couple of months.

Until the next time . . .

Quick Check-in

Just wanted to let you know we're still alive. I know I've been very lax in my posting, but we're just too dang busy! :) And now, Jason, Lindsay & Reagan have arrived at my folks' so you know I'm gonna be on the go. But, I've got lots to share, including pictures, so I'll get caught up eventually.

Bear with me!

The Last Few Days

Sorry I haven't posted for a few days, but I haven't had much to share. We arrived at my parents' home in Berlin, MD on the Eastern Shore of Maryland about 4pm on Wednesday. I can't even begin to tell you how wonderful it was to see them! I'm not sure if I shared this, but I haven't seen my dad since last July! I saw my mom in October when she, Lindsay & Reagan came to Kansas to meet Sam and AubreyLynn. So, it's been a long time since we've been together. And that's very unusual for me. So, needless to say, I was a happy girl to be finally be hugging on them.

Yesterday we had a lazy morning. In the afternoon we went shopping, hitting up Boscov's, a department store, and WalMart. Mommy spoiled me by buying me a couple of blouses and a couple pairs of capris. She and I also bought a couple of baby girl things because my niece is due to have my great niece (my folk's eighth great grandchild!) any time. Unfortunately, LuAnn and her family live in New York so we won't see them, but my sister will take the presents with her when they go up.

Today hasn't been very busy either. Daddy & Randy worked on getting the back porch ready for new carpet. Mommy and I went to Home Depot to pick up the carpet. I made dinner tonight for us – one of Randy & my favorites, Chicken Caesar Florentine. Daddy and Mommy like it, too!

That's it for now. We're going up to my niece, Megan's, tomorrow for her daughter's second birthday party. I am so excited because I'll finally be getting to see Lindsay, Jason & Reagan!! And Reagan doesn't know we'll be there, so it's gonna be fun to see her face when she sees us! :)

Until the next time . . .

Traveling

Don't you just hate it when your internet connection isn't reliable!?!?!! UGH! So frustrating, at least for me. I've often said I'd give up my TV before I'd give up computer. Anyway, I say that because I wanted to update the blog for two days but wasn't up for the frustration. This morning I seem to have a good connection, so I'm taking advantage of it. :)

Mother's Day was quiet for me. Being away from family means no big get-togethers with kids or my mom. However, I talked or messaged with all three of the kids so I was feeling the love. We even went out in the nasty rainy weather, computer in hand (so to speak), to find a good signal so we could Skype with Kevin. Now that's dedication!

Actually, we had a more important reason for Skyping with Kevin other than Mother's Day. Kevin has deployed to Afghanistan and will be gone for close to a year. I am so grateful for technology that allowed us to see him as well as talk to him before he left. We also got to “visit” with Sam, her folks, and our precious AubreyLynn. Oh, my. Being able to interact with that precious baby was a wonderful Mother's Day gift!

However, it was a little bittersweet since we knew contact with Kevin will be limited over the next several months. But, he has a job to do and is well trained for it. And we know that God is in control and has Kevin in His hands – I couldn't ask for anything more. As you think of our troops, I ask that you pray for Kevin and his family. Thanks.

Yesterday we spent the afternoon and evening with Ray & Judy. We went out to a local pub for dinner and went back to their house for coffee and dessert. We enjoyed a couple more hours of conversation before I needed to get home. I'd had a headache most of the day and finally just needed to be home.

We are going to meet up with Ray & Judy one more time this morning before we hitch up and get on the road. Since we're just overnighting somewhere along the way, we're not leaving until noon or so. And that's a great reason to have breakfast out with Ray & Judy! Of course, it's not like we need a reason. :)

We've got two days of traveling ahead of us. Next stop – Berlin, MD! Can't wait to see my folks!

Until the next time . . .

Celebrating

Yesterday was my birthday! I turned 54 years old and love this phase of life. All my kids are doing pretty good and are married to wonderful people; I have three beautiful grandkids; lots of friends who care enough about me to take a moment to remember my special day and I still get a tingle when my husband walks in the room and he says it's reciprocal. :) I'm one very blessed woman.

The weather was forecasted to be fabulously spring-like, so we made plans with Ray & Judy to attend the Appalachian Festival in Cincinnati. Where we are in KY is just across the Ohio River from Cincinnati so it would be an easy drive. And, for once, the forecast was right – it was a perfect day to be outside!

We met at Ray & Judy's about 9:30am; hopped into their truck and made our way to Cracker Barrel for a late breakfast. You know that is the most important meal of the day! Of course, it was a good meal and none of us left hungry. Ray & Judy even picked up the tab as a present to me. Wasn't that nice! :)

Bellies filled, Ray drove us over the river, but not through the woods, to Coney Island.

No, we hadn't taken a wrong turn and ended up in New York. This Coney Island is in Cincinnati and was fashioned after that one in NYC. Ray share some of his memories of going there as a kid. He used to ride a ferry across the river from Newport, KY.

The Appalachian Festival is an annual event that celebrates all things Appalachian. Makes sense, huh? ;) There were various crafters, living historians,

Native Americans, musicians,

and lots of people. Yesterday was “frugal Friday” so admission was half price. Yay! Senior citizens paid just $2 for admission and the rest of us paid $4. That's a deal. And even being a year older than I was the day before, I still didn't qualify as a senior!

The four of us spent about four hours wandering through the park. There were signs throughout telling of the various floods the park had survived. The worst was in 1937 when the park was submerged in 28 feet of water! Can you imagine? The park has a rich history that you can read about here.

Thankfully, there was no sign of rain yesterday! We had beautiful blue skies and sunshine all day. We saw a genuine covered wagon that had been in the owner's family and actually made a trip out west. It was much smaller than the ones on TV!

There was a weaver selling her products that she'd spun on a nearly 200 year old loom.

We had a great time!

Before going to dinner out at The Greyhound Tavern, a popular local restaurant, we drove through a DeVou Park, a beautiful park near Newport, KY. From one of the overlooks, we could see Cincinnati. It was lovely.

 

And we ended our day back at Ray & Judy's where we had ice cream and cookies for dessert and chatted for another couple of hours.

I had a wonderful day celebrating my birthday.

Today we've just hung out at home. Not sure what the next couple of days will bring, but I know we'll see Ray & Judy once more before leaving on Tuesday.

Until the next time . . .

Randomness

Don't have much to share 'cause we did a whole lot of nothin' today. :) So I'm just sharing some pictures I like. Enjoy!

Last night we had a “threatening” sky, but no storm came about. I thought the sky was very cool-looking so I took a couple of pictures.

I haven't posted any pics of grandkids lately so here are a couple of the girls. Tommy is always elusive – just like a 13 year old boy should be! ;)

Reagan, the entrepeneur

AubreyLynn, the equestrian

Tomorrow we're spending the day with Ray & Judy at an event called Appalachian Festival. Sounds like fun. I'll let you know!

Until the next time . . .

Live From Kentucky

We left Cumming, GA Monday morning about 11:30 which is much later than we usually get on the road. But, we knew we'd be overnighting in a Cracker Barrel parking lot so we didn't want to stop too early and be trapped in the RV. :) Our roughly six hour drive was uneventful, just the way we like it, arriving in Corbin, KY without incident.

The next morning we had a delicious breakfast (is there any other kind at CB???) and got back on the road. We had a less than three hour drive ahead of us, but it was going to be rainy one. I really don't like traveling in the rain, it makes me nervous. Randy is a wonderful driver, so he never makes me nervous. It's just all the other traffic and the wet roads and how people do dumb things in the rain. Thankfully, the rain stopped and the sun broke through and we were able to finish the drive to Union, KY under sunny skies.

We pulled in to Big Bone Lick State Park about noon on Tuesday. Temps were in the 60s and it was sunny. Perfect weather for setting up camp. As is typical is state parks, the site is just water and electric. That's the only down side to this park. It's lovely and quiet. So, we are back to “roughing it” - using the bath house for showers and most potty breaks. But, it's a small inconvenience when staying here means we're closer to our friends, Ray & Judy.

Once we'd gotten the rig set up and gotten showers, we headed over to Ray & Judy's. They were kind enough to feed us a travel day dinner and allow me to do a couple loads of laundry at their house. :) I said that it had been three years since we'd last seen them, but Judy did some calculating and figured out it had actually been four years. Oh, my. So hard to believe. However, as happens with good friends and we repeat here – the four of us picked up where we left off and enjoyed catching up with each others' lives. We had such a good time, it was 9:45pm before we even thought about the time.

Before we left, we made plans to spend Friday together. Randy wanted a down day today and Ray is playing golf tomorrow, so Friday was the first day we could make plans.

So, today we had no plans. I did get up and exercise for the first time in over a week. Ugh. So not easy to get back into it. And we made a WalMart and post office run. That's been it. Both of us also grabbed naps. :) Looks like tomorrow will be more of the same, minus the errands.

Until the next time . . .

Wrapping Up in Georgia

Last night was the “super” moon that the media had been touting for the last few days. Randy got a picture of it before coming to bed last night. Pretty neat, huh?

We spent a quiet morning just watching TV, on our computers, and I did a bit of cross stitch. We had nowhere to be until 2:30 this afternoon. It's been really strange not to have to get up and get moving each day. About the time we get used to not working, it will be August and we'll be back to work again.

About 2pm, we got in the truck and headed down the road to attend Patrick's baseball game. His team is in the playoffs. Dang, it was hot out there! I felt sorry for the boys playing. Unfortunately, the game didn't end in Patrick's favor. The coach even brought Patrick in to pitch the last couple of innings, but it ended in a loss for his team. They have one more shot, however, so we wish him and the other boys on the team good luck.

After the game, it was hugs all around because we wouldn't see anyone before we leave tomorrow morning. Another visit done.

Tomorrow morning we're going to treat ourselves to breakfast out because we're in no hurry to get on the road. Since we plan to spend the night in Corbin, KY at a Cracker Barrel, we don't have to rush. That will be a five hour drive from here so getting there around 6pm would be good. Then, we'll have just about 3 hours on Tuesday to arrive at our destination for the next week – Big Bone Lick State Park in Union, KY.

We are SO looking forward to seeing friends, Ray & Judy! I think it's been 3 years since we last saw them. They were our neighbors during our first winter on the road in Palmetto FL at Frog Creek Campground. We hit it off right away and have remained in touch all these 7 years later. Isn't that cool!

Until the next time – from Union, KY!

Catching Up with Family

This afternoon we gathered at Kenny & Lisa's house for dinner. Kenny is Randy's deceased sister, Jaye's, son. Last summer, Kenny and his family relocated to this area from Maryland for Kenny's promotion with Verizon. It just happened that Randy's little sister, Melissa (Missy) and her kids lived here, too. So, of course, when we planned to be here for a few days, Kenny & Lisa were on people-to-see list.

Kenny grilled chicken, burgers, and hot dogs while the rest of us brought side dishes like mac & cheese (me), pasta salad, fruit salad, and dessert to round out the meal.

It was great catching up with everyone. Kenny & Lisa's sons, Trevor (12.5 years) and Aiden (9 years old in a few days), have grown so much.

 

I think it's been a couple of years since we've seen them. And Patrick, Missy's youngest, is now 15, with a deep voice and some facial hair! He's also gotten his learner's permit. Hard to believe how fast these kiddos are growing up when I'm still just in my 30s!! :)

Family is just so important and staying in touch with each other is vital. I'm so glad we were able to catch up with each other this evening.

Tomorrow is our last day here. We're going to Patrick's baseball game in the afternoon, but that's the only thing on the agenda.

If you hover your cursor over the picture, you’ll see who’s who! :) Until the next time . . .

Proud Parents

We are always proud of all of our kids. But, this week there was a specific event that occurred that gave us some bragging rights.

Our son, Kevin, who serves our country in the US Army, received a promotion to Sergeant! He has really thrived in the Army and yesterday was his promotion ceremony. We were very sorry we were unable to attend, but Kevin sent us a few pictures of it. His wife, Samantha, was able to participate which I think is pretty cool. In the pictures below, Kevin & Samantha are the middle couple.

Congratulations, Kevin! We are grateful for the sacrifice you and Samantha make so that our country continues to be free. We love you both and our precious AubreyLynn.

Today was another lazy kinda day. We woke up to a dreary morning and it rained, too. But, mid-morning, the sun did come out and stayed for the rest of the day. We made a WalMart run and then just chilled for the afternoon. I continue to make progress on my cross stitch project. I gotta get it done before we get back to PA at the end of this month!

This evening Randy & I met his sister, Melissa, and our nieces, Tara and MacKenzie for dinner at Erwood's. This is a sports bar that Aaron, Tara's boyfriend, manages. MacKenzie has just finished her sophomore year at UGA and she'll be working in Athens this summer. So, we're happy she was able to get away this weekend. The only one missing was our nephew, Patrick, as he had made plans with his buddies for the evening. But, we'll get to see him tomorrow when we all get together at our other's nephew's house.

Tomorrow will be a quiet day until our gathering at Kenny & Lisa's tomorrow evening. I've got to make mac and cheese for that, but that's about it. Randy just mentioned today how weird it is to have all day to ourselves after working for the last few months. I'm gonna enjoy it while it lasts!

Until the next time . . .

More Visiting

Last evening our niece, Tara, called to invite me to join her and her friend, Jessica, while they got their nails done. After being sure they didn't mind having an old lady hanging with them, I quickly said yes. I love spending time with Tara; she is a sweetheart and a lovely young woman.

I had no intention of having my nails done, but once I was in the salon, I caved. :) I'm not much of a girly-girl, but I do love getting a manicure.

When we were all finished, we decided to go out to dinner. After much discussion, in which I had not much to say 'cause I didn't know what was in the area, Tara and Jessica decided on an Italian place that was in the same shopping center as the nail salon. We had a nice meal which lasted a couple of hours! It was fun chatting with the girls and getting to hear about their lives.

We had nothing planned this morning, which was nice. I had a headache for most of the day, but got myself out and walked a little bit. I made Randy go with me, too! :)

This afternoon we had made plans to visit with one of Lindsay's high school buddies who has settled in this area with his family. Glenn was a nice kid and has grown up into a wonderful young man. He is married and has two adorable kids. He recently opened a wine shop called Johns Creek Wine & Crystal.

If you're in the Cumming/Alpharetta/Johns Creek area, be sure to stop in.

After we had made our purchases at the wine shop, we followed Glenn to his house so we could meet his wife, Jen and his adorable kids, Zach & Emsley.

His family is just lovely. It's so wonderful to see the kids who hung out at your house grow up and have families of their own.

From Glenn & Jen's we made our way to Tara's house. She invited us for dinner,which was so sweet. Aaron was not at home, but she made us a delicious dinner and we enjoyed spending time with her.

Not sure what's happening tomorrow. We don't have anything planned, but that's not a bad thing. :)

Until the next time . . .

Back on the Road

After four months sitting in one place, yesterday we hitched up and pulled out of Florida Springs RV around 11am, Central time. Have to admit, it felt a little weird. :) But, just like riding a bike, we remembered all the things we had to do to ready the rig for travel and everything went well.

We had a very easy, four hour drive to LaGrange, GA. The drive was so smooth, we didn't stop – not even for a potty break! And that is very unusual for us. The only glitch, and it really wasn't much of one, was that we weren't able to overnight in the WalMart parking lot as planned. Good thing Randy had me call them ahead of time! When I talked to the manager, she said it was their policy not to allow overnighting and then added, “But, people do it all the time. We don't enforce it.” Well, not this girl! I thanked her and said that if that's the policy then we wouldn't be overnighting there. I think it's just plain stupid to have a policy and not enforce it.

My next call was to the Cracker Barrel just off I85 there in LaGrange. The manager said that we'd be welcome to overnight in their parking lot. So, that's what we did. We pulled into their lot just a little past 4pm. Easy drive.

Once we were parked, I called Mike & Gerri and they came right away to pick us up. As is the case with good friends, it was fierce hugs all around and the conversation began – right where it left off a year ago! :) A yummy BBQ dinner with cole slaw, baked beans, and chips was waiting for us back at their home. After some more conversation, we sat down to dinner and ate our fill.

After dinner, we sat in the sunroom and chatted some more. All of sudden, it was 9:30pm!!! How the heck did that happen! Randy said we really needed to go and by 10:15, we finally did. :)

This morning, Mike & Gerri came back to Cracker Barrel to join us for breakfast. We wanted one last time together before we said our good-byes.

After an hour and half, we finally had to do it; it was time. With just a few tears, we hugged and said our “see ya laters.” Another refreshing time with friends. That just never gets old.

Back in the truck, Randy & I had another easy drive ahead of us. Under two hours, in fact! Now, that's a nice drive.

We pulled into Twin Lakes RV Park in Cumming, GA before noon and by 1:30pm, Randy was inside, enjoying the A/C.

Now, we are looking forward to spending time with family. Randy's little sister lives in this area as do her three kids. One of his older sister's sons and his family live here, too. So, we're gonna get lots of family time in over the next few days.

Until the next time . . .