The Keys! Where are The Keys???

Oh, yeah. They're hung up. Yes, after nine years of full-time RV living, we are hanging up the keys. We've decided it's time to get an apartment and live a “normal” life. HA! Actually, we've got a couple more months of living in our RV because the apartment won't be available until the first of September. So, we'll spend the summer at Cedar Lake Campground in Dover, PA as usual. But, we'll be doing a lot of shopping – not my favorite thing! Our daughter, Lindsay, will be in charge of that. LOL

So, what brought about this big change, you ask? A couple of things. I have been feeling the pull of settling down for about a year now, but figured I had a couple more full-timing years in me. And then, my mom and dad had some health issues this past winter that made me begin to rethink our lifestyle.

I have fabulous parents. They have loved me, my sister, and our families without reservation and unconditionally. I have thanked God regularly for giving me the parents He did. And now I need to give back to them. For the past nine years my sister, Paula, has gone the extra mile when one of our parents has been ill. She's taken off work; gone to doctors' appointments; you know, just been there. And never, never has she made me feel that I wasn't doing “my part.” So now? It's time for me to do my part.

My parents will be 85 and 80 this year. I am fortunate to have them still with me. And I want to take advantage of the time I have left. I want to be able to jump in the car and be with them in a moment's notice. Yes, I know I can always fly home from wherever I am, but that isn't the same. I don't want to have to think, “should I go”? I want to be able to just go.

And that's the reason. I am grateful to have a husband who loves me and my parents enough to put aside his first choice and support me in this decision. Randy would RV 'til he dropped dead. Seriously, he would. But, he loves my parents and knows how important they are to me. So, he's fully on board.

God gave me a huge gift when He gave me Randy as my husband.

We aren't giving up the RV. As a matter of fact, we already have a trip to Disney World scheduled for October! But, we don't anticipate traveling over the next year because we want to see what this living in a stix and brix is gonna cost us. 'Cause it's gonna be different. But, we do plan to travel as we can. We still haven't gotten to the Northwest and we want to do a big Northeast trip as well. So, that's in the future plans.

Keeping in touch with our RVing buddies as well as those friends we've made along the way will be a priority. I'm grateful for Facebook, blogs, and email.

Speaking of blogs, ours will go dormant with this last post. There's no reason to continue with “Guiler Travels” when the Guilers aren't traveling any more! :) So, please check in with us via email or Facebook.

Until we meet again, enjoy the journey!

Lots of Family Time

We had a lovely time visiting with my folks. We didn't do a lot of “special” stuff, we just enjoyed being with them. Which was the whole point of being there, wasn't it.

On Father's Day we ventured out to make a couple of visits. First, to my niece, Megan's. She recently added to our family in the form of one gorgeous baby girl, McKenna Blake. Even though McKenna had been born May 25, my folks had not been up to see her due to my dad's illness. And, of course, Randy & I hadn't seen her, either. Needless to say, McKenna has continued the McNeil grandbaby tradition of being adorable. :)

McKenna & her big sister, Ryleigh

Great Grandma & McKenna

Our next stop was my sister's. Our other niece, LuAnn, and her family were down from New York. LuAnn's little one, Amelia, had just turned one year old and we were celebrating her birthday. Again, Randy & I hadn't met Amelia yet because LuAnn's visits hadn't coincided with our being home. I was so glad we were finally able to spend some time with them. And Amelia is another adorable grandniece!!

Monday, June 17, was our last travel day for awhile. We left my folks' and had an easy 4.5 hour drive to our campground in Dover, PA.

We're settled in for the summer. As always, we are enjoying time with Jason, Lindsay & Reagan. Already we've kept Reagan for the evening so that J and Lins could get out to a movie. We're looking forward to more of that. Right now, we're house- and dogsitting for them while they are on vacation.

This coming Tuesday Darrell & Judy will be traveling through on their way to Maine. We'll get to spend the day with them. And that's always a good time.

More news to come soon . . .

From Sea to Shining Sea

Well, really from the bay to the ocean, but that doesn't have the same ring to it! :)

We arrived at Breezy Point Campground in Maryland on Thursday after an easy six hour drive. Normally, six hours is just too long a drive, but it went fairly quickly that day. We got ourselves set up with no problem and enjoyed our view. Let me tell you – these sites are on the beach! We settled ourselves in for the next five days.

 

 

On Saturday we picked up Ginny and Tommy to stay with us for the night. Unfortunately, Chuck wasn't able to come because they were having vehicle issues and he needed to use the time to work on their truck. It was so good to have the kids with us. We didn't do much (and Tommy was as bored as a 14 year old could be!) but we enjoyed being together. The weather wasn't very cooperative at first, but the sun soon came out. And Sunday, Tommy finally joined with the folks next to us in hunting for “treasure” in the bay – sharks' teeth and such.

All too soon it was time to say good-bye. Sunday afternoon we met Chuck at Ledo Pizza for dinner, after which it was hugs good-bye. We're hoping to get together at least one more time before their big move to Colorado. We're gonna have kids strung out all over!

Sunday night and Monday were nasty weather days. We were fortunate we only had rain. Other areas in MD saw tornadoes touching down! That is not supposed to happen here!

Tuesday dawned clear and it was time to break camp. These sites are water and electric only, so the campground offers pump out service on Fridays and Tuesdays. Worked out perfectly for us! The service came at 6am; yeah, it was a bit early, but that meant we got on the road early. By 8:30am we were pulling out of the campground, heading to my parents' house on the Eastern Shore of Maryland.

Again, God graced us with an easy travel day – and only 3.5 hours at that! We pulled up in front of my parents' house about 11:45am. Just in time for them to take us to lunch. How's that for timing!

Oh, my. How wonderful it was to hug on Daddy & Mommy! Daddy had been hospitalized last month for pneumonia and dehydration and then was sent home with oxygen 24/7, so I have been very concerned about him. He looks fabulous, though! Mommy is doing well, too. Although she's tired as she's been “on duty” since Daddy's been ill. Hopefully, we can take some of that off of her for a few days.

We're looking forward to our visit here. We'll hit the road one last time on Monday when we head to PA. We'll have more news for you on our future plans later.

Such a tease, I know!

Until the next time . . .

Spending Time with Good Friends

We left Bonifay last Saturday about 10am. Had to stop and get a tire replaced on the RV before we could hit the road. So very grateful for Randy's vigilance in keeping our RV in good shape. He found out the tire was leaking so we could get it fixed/replaced before an incident could happen on the road. And we all know how ugly that can be!

After two nights and three days on the road, we arrived in Winterville, NC on Monday. Our good friends, Dan & Debbie, live here and we're having a great time catching up. It's been a couple of years since we've seen each other, but our friendship is one of those that time apart means nothing. We share lots of history and always have a good time together.

Yesterday was a gorgeous day so we piled into Debbie's convertible and took off for Washington, NC. It's a little town that sits on the Pamlico River. Lots of boutique-type shops (which hold no interest for me!). It's draw for us was the walk along the river. Very picturesque. And it has some beautiful historic homes, too.

Today, Randy and I are gearing up for another travel day tomorrow. Doing laundry is the big item on the to-do list.

Tomorrow we'll have about a six hour drive to southern MD to Breezy Point Campground in Chesapeake Beach. It's the closest campground to our eldest, Ginny and her family. We'll get to spend a few days with them before they make a big move to Colorado. Happy for them, a little sad for us. But, it just means we've got to get out there sometime!

Until the next time . . .

… And We’re Done

Today is our last day in Bonifay. Tomorrow morning we will hitch up and get on the road after living in one place since mid-October. That is the longest we've been in one location since we became full-timer Rvers just about nine years ago. Whew.

But, it is with very bittersweet emotions that we leave. Bonifay has become another place we've called home. The people here have embraced us and made us feel like family. Our workamping at Florida Springs RV Resort was very good for us, financially and emotionally. Andy & Alicia, our employers, have become friends. God provided a church home for us in First Baptist, Bonifay and we found lifelong friends there, too.

So, as excited as we are to be back on the road, heading toward family, it is hard to say “so long” to those we are leaving behind. Such is the life of the full-timer.

However, we did our good-byes in style. Today is Randy's birthday as well as one of our friends, Becky. So, eight of us got together and went out to dinner to celebrate Randy and Becky in addition to it being our last time together.

Clockwise from “12:00": Tom, Robert, Betty, Randy, Earl, Becky & Carol

These people have loved us and we would go out to dinner after church every Sunday, so how else would we say good-bye!

We had a lovely dinner with great friends. And we carried on the conversation back at Tom & Carol's house. When it was time for our good-bye hugs, there were a few tears as well. We will miss these folks.

We pray that one day we'll get back here and renew these friendships. Until then, there's always Facebook, email, texting, and good old-fashioned telephone calls!

Until the next time – from the road!

A Few Weeks???

My last post said I'd check back in a few weeks and that was April 3! Well, I guess four or five weeks qualifies as “a few.”

I apologize to those folks who regularly check for an update on my blog. I haven't meant to disappoint you or leave you hanging, it's just there isn't much to write about when you're in a routine of doing a whole lot of not much! I work four days a week and Randy escorts our guests to their sites while also making sure the RV stays in shape. We go to church twice a week, going out to eat with friends afterward.

That's our routine. It doesn't change much. See why I haven't bored you with a blog post?

But, now we've only got three weeks before we hitch up the truck and begin our trek to PA. We are due in PA on June 17, but we're making a few significant stops along the way.

We are finally going to St. Augustine! I've wanted to explore that city for a long time and now we're going to have a day to do that. Then, we're stopping in NC to get a couple of days with good friends, Dan & Debbie. We haven't seen them in at least two years! Way too long.

We're also gonna spend a few days in southern MD so we can get some time with our oldest grandchild, Tommy (and his parents!) before they move to CO this summer. Then, it's on to the Eastern Shore of MD to visit with my folks.

Whew! A whirlwind 17 days of good times. I am soooo ready to be with family. This is the longest we've sat in one place since we've been on the road.

Before that can happen, though, we've got three weeks left to enjoy our Bonifay family. We have made some wonderful friends here and will miss them.

Once we're back on the road, I'll be posting a bit more frequently. Thanks for checking in and staying with us!

Until the next time . . .

It’s April

That's about all I got. :) We continue living the quiet life here in the Florida panhandle. And that's okay!

I was busy these past couple of weeks with rehearsals for our church's annual Easter Passion Play. For the past 31 years, the choir, along with lots of others, perform five times through Easter weekend. It's exhausting and exciting at the same time. By Sunday evening, I was beat. But, it was a fabulous weekend as we saw many people's lives changed because of the Gospel. That's what it's all about – seeing people understand their need for Jesus. Powerful.

Randy continues to handle the daily stuff of life in an RV while I work in the office of the park. He’s such a great guy!

So, we begin our last two months in Florida. The weather is getting to be what we want in Florida – flip flops and t-shirts!

I'll check in again in a few weeks!

It’s March!

Actually, we're almost halfway through March and it's been almost a month since I last posted a blog entry. Sitting in one place for any length of time isn't good for blogging. I just don't have any incentive!

Once again, we haven't done much worth blogging. Just the same old, same old routine.

However, last week we got out of our recliners and headed to Lower Alabama for a few days. We left Monday morning, pointed the truck westward, and off we went. We stopped at Cracker Barrel in Crestview, FL (just about an hour from Bonifay) to fortify us for the long drive ahead. Well, two and a half hours IS long when you've sat in one place for almost six months!!

Our next stop was Darrell & Judy's where we had a grand reunion with them, Mike & Peggy and Dick & Pat. Judy made her famous lasagna and Peggy and Pat contributed salad and dessert. It was a fabulous afternoon. Of course, it didn't any time to pick up right where we left off the last time we were together; whenever that was.

After dinner we went to the Beacham Hotel, run by our friend, Robbin. Robbin is so gracious, she opens her home up to us whenever we want to visit, allowing us to come and go as we need. She is a great friend.

Tuesday Randy lazed about at Robbin's while I got my nails done and met Robbin for lunch. Then, we both hung out at Robbin's for the afternoon until it was time for another meal at Jim & Ellie's. Once again there were a bunch of us and another good time was had by all.

Wednesday we met Darrell & Judy and Mike & Peggy in beautiful downtown Fairhope at Panini Pete's for some scrumptious muffaletta paninis. Have you noticed the trend of our eating whenever we get together with these folks??? We needed to get out of there before we couldn't fit in the truck for the drive home!

It was a great visit and we want to do it one more time before we head north in June.

Since we got back, I've been a bit under the weather with a nasty cold. It just won't let go. But, we're back in the groove (or is it a rut? Hmmmm . . .) of our routine. Hard to believe we have just about two and a half months before we hitch up and move on. This will be the longest we've sat in one place in our eight and a half years on the road. But, it's been good for the bank account!

Not sure when I'll check back in, but until then . . . Enjoy.

Mid-Month Check-in

I really don't have much to share, but figured I should post something. And you know when your mother points out that you haven't blogged lately, you gotta get to it.

So, we've continued with the routine of life. But, yesterday we actually got out and took a drive. It was a pretty, sunny day; good for an outing.

We headed south on SR 77 toward Panama City. The idea was to get some breakfast and then ride around a bit. We'd been to Panama City Beach – yes, those are two different towns – but not to Panama City. We found breakfast at Golden Corral and enjoyed their buffet. Sufficiently stuffed, we continued our journey.

I realized that we were close to Bay Medical Center where one of our friends was hospitalized. Grady has been very ill since before Christmas with respiratory issues and, unfortunately, he was taken back to the hospital a couple of weeks ago with breathing problems and then one of his lungs collapsed. So, he's sedated while his lung heals. Belinda, his wife, is keeping vigil daily so I texted Belinda asking her if we could visit. She said yes, so that was our next stop. We spent a little less than an hour chatting with Belinda while Grady slept. :) Belinda is a strong woman and her faith in God and His plan for them is something to watch. We had a good visit.

After we left the hospital, we didn't know what we wanted to do. We are not “beach people” so hanging out at the beach wasn't an option. I would take a chair and a book and sit at the edge of the water and enjoy, but that is not Randy's thing at all. So we decided to drive and see where the road took us.

The road took us through a beautiful neighborhood, lined with palm trees and Spanish moss.

The homes were an eclectic mix of large brick homes to small beachy bungalows. It was a lovely drive.

We got back home about 2pm, so it was a nice day out.

That's it from the Florida panhandle. Hope all is well in your world. Until the next time . . .

Another Month Gone By

Welcome, February! It seemed to me that January was never going to end! It just dragged by. And, since it is a new month, I figured I'd gift you all with a blog entry! :) Also, for full disclosure, our daughter, Lindsay, informed me I had been slacking off in my blogging. LOL

To be honest, we haven't done anything “blog worthy.” Since I got back from MD, we've settled into our normal routine. And a routine is not very exciting to write about. I told Lindsay that if I was bored writing a blog entry, surely you all would be put to sleep reading it!!

In the month ahead, we do have a couple of things in the works. Sometime in the next week or so Randy will be traveling to Kansas to welcome our Soldier home from Afghanistan. He'll be gone about a week to ten days. It's a two day drive to get there and he'll stay a few days to help Kevin settle in. Then, if the weather holds, he'll get back on the road to Florida.

We also want to get away for a couple of days to visit with friends in Lower Alabama. It's been way too long since we've seen them! So, hopefully in late February we'll be able to get there.

Okay, are you asleep yet? If not, you get the prize! I don't know what that prize is, but you get it! :)

Now I'll get back to our exciting life of exercise (me), TV, working, and church! Don't be too jealous.

Until the next time (whenever that will be!) . . .

Back in Florida

This past Monday I said good-bye to my folks and began my flight home to Randy. I am so grateful that I was able to extend my time in MD to help my folks. And I appreciate all of the prayers that were said for my mom and her recovery. She's doing much better.

It was fabulous walking off the plane in Florida and seeing Randy waiting for me! I had missed him and he says he missed me. :) It was good to be home. Randy had the place spotless and had even gone to the grocery to get a few things to get us through if we didn't get to the store right away. He's so good to me!

I took Tuesday and Wednesday to get back in the routine of being home. Alicia was gracious in allowing me that time before jumping back into work. And I enjoyed every minute of those two days.

Yesterday I started back and worked a split shift, 9am to 12n and then 3 to 8p. I gotta say it was good to get back to it. I enjoy my job! And we ended the evening sitting in the restaurant, after closing, with Andy & Alicia. Andy had cooked a couple of new dishes and invited Randy & I for a “tasting.” It was a wonderfully relaxing way to end the day.

So, we're back into the routine. Randy is working now, too. He's doing groundskeeping a few hours three days a week, so that's new to the routine. But, as you all know, I love a routine!! :) It feels so good!

Hope life is good in your world. Until the next time . . .

Still Hanging with the Parents

Well, my mom had her surgery on Monday, and I am very grateful to say that it went well, with no complications. She came home yesterday and, with the exception of feeling pretty washed out and moving slowly, she's doing great. And I figure, at 79, she's allowed to move slowly after surgery!

There's nothing on the agenda today and I'm making sure it stays that way. The next couple of days are filled with doctor's appointments for both my folks, so I told them we were going nowhere today. I didn't get much of an argument, either!

Randy is glad to be home in Bonifay but says he misses me. What else is he gonna say??? :) And as much as I'm so ready to be home with him, I know that I'm where I need to be right now. Hopefully, the rest of the week will go well and I'll be on a plane flying home on Monday.

A very big HAPPY BIRTHDAY to our eldest, Ginny!! Enjoy your day, sweetheart.

That's it from the Eastern Shore of MD. Until the next time . . .

Getting the New Year Started

We ended 2012 hanging out with Reagan while her parents went out to dinner with friends. It was a great way to end the year. :)

Reagan, the photographer

We started 2013 with our last family gathering. Our eldest, Ginny and her husband, Chuck, and our grandson, Tommy, came up to Lindsay's for the afternoon. It was so good to see them. It had been far too long. We didn't do anything exciting, just hung out. We were glad they were able to make the two hour trip.

Chuck really isn't asleep – I just didn't get a great picture!

Yesterday was a day of good-byes. We loved and hugged on Reagan before we set out for doctor's appointments – blood pressure checks for both of us and I had an eye exam follow-up. Once those were out of the way, we said our good-byes to Jason & Lindsay and headed down the road to my parents'.

“Good-bye” has become a nasty word in our house. :)

The alarm went off at 4:50 this morning. I know!! But, I had to get Randy to the airport for his 7am flight. It was tough letting him go! I won't be getting home until January 14 and we've never been apart this long in 29 years!

About 10:00am I got a collect call from Randy and it scared me! He missed his connecting flight in Charlotte. The airline had changed the gate and made no announcement. UGH!! Since it was their fault, there was no charge for getting a different flight – thankfully. And we are grateful for our friends, Earl & Becky, who were picking Randy up. I called them immediately and, even though they were on their way already, they turned around and said they'd go back and get him at the later time. We are so blessed with good people around us.

As I write this, I haven't heard from Randy yet, but I'm hoping he arrived safely and that the RV didn't suffer from our not being there.

I have settled in at my parents' and will be their faithful companion for the next several days. :) I am grateful to have the flexibility of being able to change plans at the last minute.

Until the next time . . .