Who Says This is an Unlucky Day?

It always amazes me how many people are truly uncomfortable on Friday the 13^th. I've never really thought too much about it. Guess I'm just not the superstitious type. And today was not unlucky at all! This was the last session of my fitness study at Curves; I got weighed in and measured. Well, I've lost weight AND inches. I'm very happy about that. And what did I do? Went out to breakfast to celebrate, of course! :)

I wasn't sure if I would join or not because it is a year commitment. With traveling as we do, I didn't know if they would give me enough travel passes to make it worthwhile joining. The trainer said that they also have a month-to-month plan, but it's $10 more per month than the contract. She said she'd have the manager call me to talk options. Then, while Randy & I were at breakfast, the trainer called to say that she had talked to the manager and they would give me EIGHT months of travel passes!! Isn't that wonderful? So, I said that I would join for the year commitment. I'm pretty psyched about that. I really didn't expect them to do that. Very cool.

After we got home from breakfast, there wasn't much more to do. I had to reconcile the bank statement which is such a piece of cake with Quicken. I used to dread doing the monthly statements back in the “old days.” :) We watched some TV.

Lindsay called to tell us to come over after Reagan's nap to watch a movie we'd gotten from Netflix, “Mr. Magorium's Wonder Emporium.” So, we did. It was a cute movie, a little too old for Reagan, but she enjoyed the magical parts. After the movie, we went out and grabbed a bite to eat.

We're home for the night now. Tomorrow will be a quiet one for Randy – I'm going out for the afternoon to attend my niece's wedding shower in Baltimore. Below are some random pictures of Reagan.

Pop explains the finer points of flushing tanks.

Helping her daddy wash his car.
Watch out, American Idol!

Until the next time . . .

Not Much Happening

Well, as I broadly hinted yesterday, today was just an exciting day. (She says sarcastically.) Randy dropped me off at Curves this morning for my workout and then went on to the Ford dealership to get the oil changed in the truck.

After our workout, Lins took me back to her house so that I could do laundry. First, though, I had to pick Randy up from the dealership because the truck wouldn't be ready for awhile – probably not until the end of the day. Usually, Randy waits for the truck, but we didn't have an appointment and they were just going to work the truck in as they could. Got Randy and headed back to Lindsay's to do the laundry.

Lindsay & Reagan went to their last session of Gymboree. When they got back, we had lunch and Reagan went down for her nap. Lins took advantage of our being there to go to the grocery without the little girl. So much easier that way! How I remember those days. Lins is like me in that she hates grocery shopping – and with a little one, it's a lot less enjoyable.

The dealership finally called around 4ish, so we headed over to pick up the truck – HA “pick up,” “truck,” get it? Oh, well. Guess it's just me. :) We got the truck, dropped Lins' van back off, went in to say our good-byes and headed for home.

Poor Blackie – he had been home all by himself since 7am!!! Of course, I'm sure he slept all day, but he was ready to go for a walk when we got home! We are very fortunate he is such a good dog – no accidents anywhere!

That was it for our exciting day. Tonight is results for So You Think You Can Dance, so I'll be watching TV by myself. I've got to read all my blogs, too, 'cause I never got a chance today. Don't want to get behind on those!!

Tomorrow's another slow day. Lins & I have our last session of Curves for the fitness study. Then I have to make a decision whether to join or not. I really want to, but it's gonna depend on how the travel passes work. We'll see.

That's it from Dover, PA. Until the next time . . .

We are Tired Tonight!

Okay, there's a reason that 50 year olds are not supposed to have babies!! Apologies to any older moms out there, but this 50 year old is tired tonight. Chasing after an almost 3 year old is exhausting!

We had a good night's sleep, though, thank God! Reagan did great last night and I was so grateful! There was no angst at going to bed and she did wonderfully with the abbreviated bedtime routine. She is such a good little girl. There was just one “uh oh” when she called me in the middle of the night – she had slipped off the bed! I can't say she fell because she was so matter of fact about it. She just said, “I fell off da bed, Nana.” I asked if she was okay, she said yes as she climbed back into the bed and proceeded to hunker down to go back to sleep. What a trooper!

The rest of the day was fairly laid back in that we didn't do much except whatever Reagan wanted. :) A couple of times I had to beg off playing to catch my breath, but then Pop took over. Reagan plays well by herself at home, but I guess when you've got two people at your beck and call, you take advantage of that! ;) She and I went up to the playground for about an hour and also played in her imaginary world quite a bit. For being just shy of three years old, she's got an amazing imagination.

After lunch, we packed up and headed back to Reagan's house for naptime. We figured she would get a better nap if she were in her own bed. That turned out to be a great idea because she took a 2 hour and 45 minute nap!!! Woo HOO!! That gave Randy and me down time and we both got naps, too.

Once Jason & Lindsay got home, things were back to normal. Reagan was very happy to see her mommy and daddy, but I think she had a good experience spending the night at Pop and Nana's and will, hopefully, come back again. We'll be rested up by then!!

Tomorrow's Curves and laundry. Randy's taking the truck in for an oil change. That's it for tomorrow, I think. You never know, though!

Until the next time . . .

An Overnight Visitor

Started this morning off with a visit to Curves and quick trip to the grocery.

We also bought an air mattress for our pull-out sofa. The current mattress is done. You know those mattresses are not made for long term use and our son slept on it for almost a year. We've slept on it once and – YUCK! - it's not that comfortable. Hence the purchase of the air mattress. :) With Reagan spending the night tonight, we're going to need!

After a lazy afternoon of watching the remake of “The Andromeda Strain” (didn't finish it yet), we headed over to Lindsay's for dinner and to pick up Reagan. I had told Lins that I would make them tacos tonight. After dinner, we packed Reagan up and came home.

I've been a little apprehensive about Reagan staying overnight just because she's only stayed once before and that was when she was an infant. She is very much a creature of habit and is very opinionated about those habits so I've been a bit concerned about her going to bed here. She has a definite bedtime routine and I hoped that we could get by with an abbreviated version of it.

We got home and hung out for an hour or so just playing and talking and checking out the sleeping arrangements. Reagan had a good time with some of my Mardi Gras beads. Isn't she just too cute! I think she thinks so, too!

We watched America's Funniest Home Videos, one of her favorite shows and then it was time for bed. She was such a good girl!! She went right into our bed without a problem; only calling me twice to go through a couple of rituals I forgot – blowing kisses and then ensuring that her babies were covered up. So, it's 8:39 and all is quiet. I just hope it stays that way. :) I'm just excited to have her here.

We are supposed to get some nasty thunderstorms tonight, so I am a little concerned about Reagan hearing those. The rain is very loud at times on our roof. But, it's thundering some now and so far, so good. Let's hope that Randy & I get some sleep tonight!

Until the next time . . .

What a Sweaty Day! UGH!

Moving furniture in 100 degree heat is not fun. There, I said it and I'm proud. :) We went down to Columbia today to help Sara move some things she had purchased off of Craig's List. Poor Randy. He just hates this kind of weather, but he loves Sara and so, of course, we wanted to help her. So, we got all the furniture in the truck in one load, with the help of a couple of Sara's friends, too.

That was all we did today. After getting some lunch at Sara's, we came home. I'll tell you how tired Randy was – I drove home! Yep, kinda unusual. It was great to get home, take off the sweaty clothes and relax in our recliners. That's it; we're done.

Tomorrow is a Curves day. More exciting – Reagan is spending the night with us! YAY!!!! That should prove to be fun and exhausting! I can't wait!

Until the next time . . .

Time with Friends

Gosh, another hot, humid day. Feels more like August than June. I am grateful for air conditioning, I can tell you that.

We went to church this morning. First time we went to Daybreak without Lee & Cheri being there. Felt a little odd, but it was okay. Pastor Joel has started a series of messages out of the Old Testament, using various people to make his points. Today's sermon was from the life of Abraham. That's the cool thing about Scripture; you can read or study the same passage over and over again and still learn something. Very cool.

After church, we headed over to Lee & Cheri's house. First, though, we had to get fuel. UGH! I was not looking forward to that. But, I had gone online and looked at the Flying J Truck Stop that's near them and found their diesel was $4.69.9/gallon which is 20 cents cheaper than we paid a couple of weeks ago. So sad that I'm excited about $4.69 a gallon. When we got there, though, it was $4.71/gallon; still much cheaper than other places. Gotta be grateful for the little things.

Lee & Cheri weren't at church this morning because various family members were leaving this morning from being here for Marty's graduation. Lee was out with his parents and Cheri & Courtney took Cheri's mom to the airport in Philadelphia. They were pretty glad to have their house back to themselves after all that family. I guess when you are used to being on your own, it's tough to be surrounded like they were this weekend. All of their family live out of town – way out of town. Cheri's sister lives in TN; her mom is in FL and Lee's family is in GA.

So, we went over to help them relax. :) It's always great to be with Lee & Cheri. They are family to us and it's very comfortable at their home. We had good leftovers for lunch and then started watching Ocean's 13. That was not as good as the previous two movies. So, Cheri, Lee & I got in the pool. It was perfect! Cool enough to be refreshing, but warm enough that you didn't go into convulsions getting into the water. :) Randy didn't join us because he is not a pool person. :) He enjoyed himself inside watching another movie.

Too soon, it was time for us to go. But, we see them often now that we're going to church with them and they are also hosting a graduation party for Marty in a couple of weeks. We had to scoot home to Lindsay's to pick up Blackie. He spent the night with them so that we could be gone for the day without worrying about him. Once I got a little Reagan time in, we headed home. Randy noticed we got home almost 12 hours exactly from when we left this morning. Long day, but good.

Tomorrow we're heading down to Columbia to help Sara pick up some furniture she's purchased off of Craig's List.

Until the next time . . .

Quiet Saturday

Wow! Summer has arrived and it's not pretty. The three Hs, hazy, hot and humid, have settled in for the next few days. I know, I know; never happy, am I? I've been complaining about the rainy weather and now that there's sunshine forecasted for the immediate future, I'm complaining. However, I just wanted spring for a little while, you know, sunshine, 70 degrees, remember that? Seems we go from winter to summer anymore. Oh, well. Here we sit, inside, in our air conditioning and grateful for it.

Woke up with an ugly headache this morning, but headed out to Curves anyway. I do need accountability – having an appointment and meeting Lindsay meant that I went. If it was just me and no appointment, I probably would have shuffled my way to the recliner and collapsed. I was pleasantly surprised to find that with two migraine Exedrin in me, the headache receded while exercising. Didn't expect that. Once back out in the humidity, it came back somewhat, but not as badly as when I first woke up. So, that's good.

Looks like it's gonna be a TV/movie day. Too daggone hot to do anything else. Not even gonna cook. It's salad for dinner tonight!

One more thing: Our niece is 26 years old today. She's the next youngest grandchild and we have a great relationship. She's getting married this summer, too. So, here's to you, girl! We love you.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, Megan!!!

Until the next time . . .

Satellite Free Zone

We are officially satellite free as far as internet access goes. Randy & I both were a little sad because the satellite system has worked great for us for the last several years. But, after spending close to 2 hours on the phone today with the HughesNet technical support team, we decided to cancel our service with them.

The technical support team was struggling to figure out our modem wasn't working. Finally, they decided we needed to be pointed at a different satellite and that a technician would have to come out to our location – in South Dakota! Well, that brought up a whole bag of worms. I had to tell them we were not in South Dakota and that our satellite is on a tripod. As soon as I said that we traveled and moved the system often, I was told that they couldn't help us because they couldn't guarantee satellite access because every time we moved we could potentially need to point to a different satellite. I tried to tell him that we've moved often and have never had a problem until this new modem, and the response was that we had been lucky. So, we canceled our service.

Fortunately, we already have an AT&T wireless air card. The negative of the air card has been that I cannot upload pictures to our blog. Don't know why, but I haven't been able to do that. So, our son-in-law, Jason, used to work for AT&T Wireless and it has always bugged him that we've had this problem. Today he researched it further and found another program that works with the air card and set us up with that. I got home and installed that program and it worked! I am so excited. I was able to upload a picture to the blog with no problem. YAY! Now, we just have to be in places where we get cell reception. That's usually not a problem. If we're not, then we just enjoy a little freedom from technology for a few days. :)

Other parts of the day were much more enjoyable. We began the day with breakfast at Bob Evans with Jason, Lindsay & Reagan. This weekend is Street Rod Week here and there were a few of those vehicles in the parking lot. Reagan LOVES these cars. It's so funny. She and her daddy had to go around the parking lot and check out each of the cars. And, yes, it was her idea, not Jason's! Apparently, this is one of their “things.” Later in the day they went to the car show at the local fairgrounds. Reagan loved it.

Tonight we went to Lee & Cheri's son, Marty's, high school graduation. It was great to be part of Marty's big day. The last couple of years have been a bit of a roller coaster for Lee, Cheri & Marty as Marty has struggled to find his way. But, he has joined the Army and will report to Fort Knox, KY later this month. We are very proud of you, Marty!

Oh, and remember that momma duck that was sitting on her nest down the lane from us? Well, the eggs have hatched and I think I caught momma and babies swimming in the lake!

Looking forward to the weekend! Until the next time . . .

A Picture of Cedar Lake

Here's a great picture of the lake here at our campground. Isn't it lovely?

More of the Same

More humid weather, more heat, more Curves (of the exercise kind – not the other kind, I'm supposed to be getting rid of that kind!), more chores . . . blah, blah, blah . . .

We did have lots of sunshine today. That was not expected. The forecast had been for more rain. So, that was a nice surprise.

After Curves, I went to Lindsay's to do laundry as is the norm for Thursdays. It was a little special today, though, 'cause I got to watch Reagan while Lins & Jason went to the dentist. I just have a ball with Reagan. She has such an imagination and is very dramatic. Not sure where she gets that! :) Anyway, I never get tired of being with her.

After the laundry was done, lunch was eaten, and lots of hugs and kisses were shared, it was time to leave. I had one more thing to do before going home. I was getting a manicure/pedicure! Once a month I treat myself to that. I just love it.

Randy had a quiet day at home while I was gone. Even though I know he loves me, I think he really enjoys the time when I'm out. He is such a quiet guy, he deserves to have some time to himself. Living with me has got to make his head spin sometimes!

Another night of separate TV watching for us. :) So You Think You Can Dance is on again tonight. So, Randy's upstairs watching something, anything! else.

So, are you getting tired of my daily ramblings? Let me know what you think. Should I go back to once or twice a week postings? I do want to know. Leave me comments or a note in the Shout Box.

Until the next time . . .

Humid Weather

Woke up to a very humid start to the day. At least it wasn't raining – yet. Last night we had a pretty good storm, but it didn't last too long. There's more rain on the way, so the weather folks say. I did get out and took my walk. Glad I could get it in before any rain came. But, boy was I sweaty and nasty by the time I got back to the rig. Yeah, TMI, I know. :)

Not much planned for the day. Like I said, we're supposed to have ugly weather, so we figured we wouldn't do too much. Just hanging out, relaxing. We even turned the A/C on for the first time this year. Hated to do it (I'm cheap!), but it was just too daggone humid for me.

That's about it for today. Gonna watch So You Think You Can Dance tonight and gather the laundry together to take to Lindsay's tomorrow. Gosh, what a glamorous life we lead!

Until the next time . . .

FRUSTRATION!!

The day started out well. I went to Curves and had a good workout, picked up a prescription and came home, all without incident. That's always nice. :)

After breakfast, it was time to commission the new modem we had gotten from HughesNet. Seems that HughesNet has upgraded from our current modem, and we didn't want a break in service so we ordered the new modem. We had our instructions and were ready to go. Or so we thought.

Everything was going fine and the modem was commissioned (as they call it), but it wouldn't connect to the internet. No matter what troubleshooting I did, it would go the one last step it needed in order to connect. UGH! The only alternative I had was to call the tech support line.

Well, I did call the support line, but our cell reception is so lousy at the campground that I was afraid that the call would drop. And, of course, you can never call back and get the same person. Guess what happened! Yep, the call dropped. AAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHH!! I was so angry by that point that I could have just thrown the computer, modem and anything near it out the window. So, now I'm not sure what we can do. I can't call tech support 'cause of the cell reception. Nothing I'm doing helps. So frustrating.

The only other alternative we can think of is to take the entire system, satellite dish and all, to Lindsay's and try to set it up there. At least this way, if I have to call tech support again, I can do that from their house because cell reception is good there.

For now, we're using our AT&T air card, but that is very slow. Oh, well. I'll just have to go through a little computer withdrawal. Maybe that's where this headache came from . . .

Until the next time . . .

The 1st, er 2nd , of the Month

The beginning of the month is always busy for us. We get paid on the first of each month, so that's when we update the finances, do a big grocery run, and go to the bank to get our cash for the month. Now, I know that doesn't sound like a lot to you, but here in PA we have to drive about 40 minutes to get to the bank. There is no Bank of America closer to us! I'm just glad we only have to do it once a month, especially with the fuel prices as they are. :) We did have a nice breakfast at Friendly's, though.

Adding to the usual events of the day, Randy wanted to check out a garage that sells tires for our truck as well as performs front end alignments. Apparently, because of the size of our truck, this can't be done at just any garage. Of course, this garage isn't just around the corner from us. But, it was on the way back from the bank, so that was good. BUT, it was waaaaaaaaaaaaayyyyyyyyyy off the main roads. I thought we were going to Goober's garage (you know, from The Andy Griffith Show?). That's how far off the beaten path it was. Once we got there, though, the guy seemed to be pretty nice. And, since he didn't carry the tires, he offered to research them and get back to us. Plus, his shop does front end alignments on F550s. YAY! The best thing was the price he gave Randy for the alignment - $60!! Yes, I said, $60. There ain't nothing on that truck that has EVER been that inexpensive. And it was the entire price, unless parts were needed for some reason and that goes without saying. So, we left thinking if we had to come out there to get decent service, it was worth it.

Back on the road, we took a different route to get back on Route 30. There is some beautiful country in this area. And we saw more of it than we planned! :) But, we found our way back to the main road and were soon on the way to the grocery. It's all part of the adventure!

Once the dreaded grocery shopping was done (I hate grocery shopping!), we headed back to the RV to put it all away. That's always a chore, too. Gotta break up the bulk meat packages into meal size portions for freezing and, find room for all the nonperishables. That's not always an easy job, but we get creative. :)

Oh, yeah. Corey, from that garage, did call us this afternoon. Apparently, the tire we now have on the truck has been discontinued – of course! But, he found the replacement and can order them for us which will take about 3 days. Now, for the fun part. The cost per tire, including mounting and balancing is $293! And we need SIX tires!! UGH!! Randy asked him to check around for a less expensive replacement and he's going to do that. Meanwhile, Randy's going to check, too. Oh, well. If the new tires last five years like the current ones have, that'll be good. I just hate having to lay out that much $$ all at once. I'll still take this life over a stationary one! :)

We can now get back to the important stuff – like relaxing, reading, playing on the computer, walking the dog, etc. Not much else on the calendar for this day. A light supper and TV, that'll just about do it.

Here's hoping your Monday was marvelous! Until the next time . . .

It's June Already!?!?!?!???

It's hard to believe we've been home for a month already. However, at the same time, the days are going slowly as I look forward to the end of June with our son, Kevin, will be home from Korea. He is due to come home around the 26^th or 27^th and it seems like that is forever! I know, I know, time can't fly by and stand still at the same time, but it sure feels that way to me.

We started the month in a good place. Went to church and joined with our fellow worshipers in the Lord's Supper. This act means so much to me; it never fails to bring me to tears. Daily, I thank God for my salvation, but during the Lord's Supper I feel that gratitude so much more keenly. The sacrifice that Jesus made for me (and you) was so great, but He never hesitated. God is truly amazing. I hope that you know Him, too.

After church, Lins called and asked if we wanted to go to a local mall with them. Well, I never pass up an opportunity to spend time with them, so the answer was a resounding yes. After grabbing a quick lunch at home, letting Blackie out for a walk, we headed over to their house.

The mall we went to has a Bass Pro Shop. It is such a great store even if you're not a sports nut. It's like going to a zoo! This one has an aquarium which fascinated Reagan. She just stood and stared at the different fish, getting excited as they swam toward her. It is great to watch “normal” things through a child's eye. Everything is new and exciting! Of course we also had to go to all of the stuffed animals throughout the store. I even got Reagan to pose with some bear cubs. :)

We walked through the mall just to see if there were any new and/or different stores than usual (there weren't), and we found a play area. Of course, we stopped. Then, it was back through the mall and out the door so we could find some place to go for dinner. But, before we go to the van, we found some four wheelin' vehicles outside of Bass Pro. Great photo ops! ;)

We had dinner at a Mexican restaurant. The food was pretty good. Reagan sure enjoyed the chips and salsa. What a kid! Then it was back to Jason & Lins' house to pick up the truck and head home.

The evening ends with a walk for Blackie and TV for us. There's a new show on USA - “In Plain Sight.” It's about agents assigned to the Witness Protection Program. Hope it's as good as the teasers make it out to be!

Hope you had a good weekend. We sure did. Until the next time . . .

Birthday Boy and Bouncing Babies

Well, really only one baby and no bouncing, but I kind of liked the alliterative title. :)

Today is Randy's 59^th birthday. Gosh it's hard to believe he's that age. Seems like just yesterday we were dating and finding out how much we enjoyed one another's company. Now, we've been married for more than 22 years and together for over 24. Time really does fly when you're having fun. And, he's still my Tom Selleck! (old family joke)

We didn't have much planned for today. I went to Curves this morning. Then we hung out at the RV until it was time to go to Jason & Lindsay's to watch Reagan. They had planned to go to the York Wine Festival but the weather did not cooperate at all! We had a heck of a thunderstorm this morning; there was lightning and thunder so loud and close it made me jump. Looked like the rain was going to stick around for most of the day. Anyway, the kids planned on doing something so we headed over about 11:30.

Jason & Lins were going out with neighbors, Mike & Stacey. They have four kids, the youngest is Paige, who is about 10 months old. They had asked if we would watch Paige while the other kids went to a different neighbor's to play. Of course we said yes. And then, their oldest, Alyssa, decided she wanted to stay with us, too. That made babysitting real easy, 'cause Alyssa is almost 11 and she is phenomenal with the kids. I almost felt like we had nothing to do. :) We had a good afternoon, both Reagan and Paige took naps and Alyssa played with them, too. Paige really like Randy and he spent a lot of time with her.

Got some cute pictures of the girls together.

And Hannah Montana made an appearance:

The big kids got home around 7pm; they ended up at a local winery and seemed to have had a good time. We stayed for a little while longer, but then it was time for us to scoot home. So much for a rousing birthday, but Randy seems okay. He got a sub for dinner and that was what he wanted. So easy to please.

The rain has stopped and it seems like we're in for a good streak of fair weather. I can handle that. Take care of each other.

Until the next time . . .

Another Week Over

It's Friday and sometimes I have to force myself to remember that the weekend is coming. Every day is the weekend for us! Yeah, I know – don't rub it in! :) If we didn't go to church on Sundays, I probably would have an even tougher time. Randy's even worse. We bought a day clock for him! Yes, they do sell those. Instead of numbers on the face of the clock, there are names of days of the week. Honestly! I wouldn't lie to you! And the hand goes round the clock as the day of the week changes. Here's a picture.

Great, huh?

Tomorrow's Randy's birthday and earlier this week I started the “What do you want to do on your birthday”? conversation. I hate this conversation because the answer is always, “It's not big deal, don't worry about it.” UGH! I tell him every year that it does matter and everyone should have a special day on their birthday. Anyway, since Saturday is not a great day to go to Cracker Barrel, we went this morning. But, I think we'll do something else for him on Sunday. Yes, I know I said that tomorrow is his birthday, but we are watching Reagan tomorrow afternoon/evening while the kids go to a wine festival. And no, Randy didn't mind keeping Reagan on his birthday. Remember, it's not a big deal. :)

The weather is just gorgeous now. I think we're in for a good streak. It's a little warm, but over the next week it's supposed to be in the 70s. Perfeck! (spelling it as Reagan says it!)

We finished our day by eating a light supper – salad for me and sandwiches for Randy – since we'd had such a late, big breakfast. Then, we watched the movie, “We are Marshall.” It's about the 1970 football team of Marshall University that was killed in an airplane crash coming home from a game. Very good movie. Of course, it doesn't hurt that Matthew McConahey and Matthew Fox starred in it. :)

That's it for the day. Hope yours was good, too. Until the next time . . .

Oh, yeah. Here's a cute picture of Reagan hanging with “her girls.” :)

Not Much Going On

Very laid back day . . . started out at Curves this morning. But first, Randy & I went to Lindsay's so that Randy could watch Reagan while Lins & I went to Curves. Then, it was back to Lindsay's so that we could do laundry. Jason & Lindsay are gracious enough to allow us to use their washer and dryer while we are here. Much nicer than using the campground's. Didn't get much time with Reagan as she and Lins went to Gymboree and then to a friend's party at a nearby park.

I also went with Sara to pick up her wedding dress. It was at a shop in Lancaster, PA, so Sara came up to Lindsay's and off we went. Three weeks ago we made this same trip but found that the dress had not been altered properly. All they had to do was hem the daggone thing! Anyway, Sara and I both were a little anxious about this trip; I was praying that the hemming had been done properly this time. I was not looking forward to a disillusioned bride if her dress wasn't ready! But, all was well. Sara tried the dress on, it was the right length and all is well with the world! :) Within 15 minutes of getting to the shop, we were on our way back to Lindsay's.

Back at Lindsay's we finished up the laundry and came home. I was glad that Reagan woke up from her nap before we left. At least I got a couple of hugs and kisses in today!

Tonight is the season finale of Lost, so that's what we'll be watching. I'm not that into it anymore – they “lost” me (hahaha) last season when things got just too convoluted for me. But, Randy is still very into it. So, that's what we'll watch. I'll be taping So You Think You Can Dance. I really like that show. It's just a dance version of American Idol, but it's still fun to watch.

Not much else to report from this part of the world. I hope your world is spinning in the right direction. Until the next time . . .

Interviewing a Doctor

The rain seems to be gone for awhile, at least. Woke up to sunny skies, but a very cool breeze blowing. Took my walk – am doing a new route. I used to just walk up to the camp store and back which was about a mile round trip. Then another camper told me she goes around the back of the campground and then comes into the campground from the road. I tried it on Monday since I wasn't going to Curves and it's a pretty good walk. It takes me about 35 minutes to walk it and it's a good cardio workout! There are a couple of hills and it's got to be more than mile. So, I was a good girl and got out there this morning and did it again. Can't say I enjoy it, but at least I'm exercising.

This afternoon we had an interview with a local doctor. We want to get all of our doctors up here in the York area because it is the place we spend the most time and will probably end up living when/if we get off the road. We've already found a dentist, now it was time to find a G.P. Her name is Julie Nickles and we really liked her. She's in practice by herself which means we know which doctor we'll get when we call and she is very spunky. She doesn't like all the medical politics doctors think they have to play nowadays with insurance companies and referrals and she said she will fight with insurance companies to get her patients the care they need. So, we've got our physicals scheduled. Another thing off the “to do” list. :)

After the doctor's visit, we went to the park with Lindsay & Reagan. It turned out to be a beautiful day. The sun is very warm and the breeze is just enough to keep it from getting hot. Perfect weather for the park! I just love watching Reagan play and use her imagination. It amazes me to see her in action.

Randy's grilling pork chops for dinner and then it'll be a quiet evening as usual. Just can't beat this life! Until the next time . . .

The Good Weather Left Us

Last night the rain came; we even had thunder! It's been so long since I heard thunder I asked Randy if that's what it was. At least the rain held off until the weekend was over. I always feel bad for the weekenders when it rains. I remember looking so forward to getting away and camping for a weekend and then the weather's bad. Such a bummer. So, I was glad for them.

This morning we woke to no rain, but LOTS of humidity. UGH! You know that feeling when the air is so thick, you feel like you can walk through it? Well, that's how it felt this morning. But, I persevered and went to Curves. Gosh, I make it sound like there was any doubt I'd go – I paid my money, I'm going! ;) However, I think my muscles are mad at me. I'm hurting now, so those machines weren't so much fun today. Oh, well, there's that worn out saying, “no pain, no gain.” I never really understood that saying. I've gained LOTS with very little pain. That's why I now go to Curves!!

Late this afternoon we went to Lindsay's house for dinner and to give her some adults to talk to. Jason left this morning for Florida and won't be back for a few days so Lins asked us to come over. Of course, I never turn down an opportunity to spend time with Lins or Reagan! We had a nice visit, although Reagan was running a fever, but that didn't stop her from playing. What a fun kid!

Had a bit of a thunderstorm on the way home from Lindsay's, but it was short-lived. The rain cooled things down a little and it's not quite as humid. The rain is supposed to continue off and on through the night. At least it's supposed to be sunny tomorrow, but much much cooler – only in the 60s. I'll take it, though!

Hope you had a good day. Until the next time . . .

Remembering

It's Memorial Day. A day our country has set aside for us to remember those men and women who have sacrificed their lives so that we can continue to enjoy the freedoms this country was founded upon. It's also a day on which we should remember the families who lost those men and women – they also paid a high price for our freedom. Lastly, let's not forget those men and women who are serving today in almost every foreign country, in combat zones, and also here at home. They, too, are sacrificing time with their families, their safety, and sometimes even the joy of the very freedoms they are defending by serving us, their fellow Americans.

Whatever else you do today, a picnic with friends and family; time at the pool; working or just hanging out at home, please take a moment and thank God for our military and their families.

Proud of our son currently serving in Korea.

Until the next time . . .

Relaxing Sunday

What a great day this has been. We went to church this morning. The message centered around Psalm 139 which is a marvelous psalm as it tells us how God knew us before we were even born. He knit us together in the womb, knowing who we'd be and how our lives would go before we breathed our first breath. Gosh, I don't know about you, but that is so overwhelming to me, in a good way. Yes, I've struggled at times, but it makes me feel good to know that God knew those times would come and provided comfort for me along the way. Sure, you might say that He could have intervened and not allowed those struggles to occur, but then how would I have grown as a person? No, as much as struggles hurt and none of us want to endure them, they can serve a purpose if we allow them to do so. Psalm 139 is beautiful. Take a moment to read it through, if you never have before.

After church we went out to breakfast with Cheri and her friend, Leslie. Lee was playing golf with Marty after church so he didn't join us. His loss! :) I love spending time with Cheri. She is such a special friend and there's never been a time that I have been around her that I haven't walked away feeling loved. I am so glad she's my friend!

The rest of the day has been spent being lazy! I know, I know. It's hard to believe, but we were very “relaxed.” Randy was inside reading his emails and watching TV while I made sure that the new hammock we have works.. Yes, it's a tough job, I realize that. After I felt it was sufficiently broken in, I got up and went all the way over to my lounge chair to read some more. Before I knew it, it was 4pm! What a life! :)

This evening will consist of more TV watching, I'm sure. Other than that, it's just another day in paradise!

Until the next time . . .

A Carnival & a Birthday Celebration

Gosh, we woke to another morning full of sunshine. I'm getting used to this – hope it doesn't end too soon. Went to Curves for my third session of the week. Starting to feel some muscles that have been dormant for quite a long time! :) Starting to lose some weight – YAY! Now I just have to take some ibuprofen. ;)

Our campground held a short Memorial Day ceremony this morning. It was very touching. One of the owner, Greg's, dad, spoke on the importance of remembering our veterans and active military every day and not just once a year on a specific day. There was a color guard and presentation of the flag as well as some music. It was nice to stop and take part in a ceremony like this; especially now that we have a Soldier in the family.

Jason , Lindsay & Reagan came over for lunch and the campground carnival. We had lunch outside at the picnic table which was a nice change. Then we went showed Jason the ducks and went up to the campstore area where the carnival was being held. The carnival was very small but it had two bounce houses which was what Reagan was interested in! Of course we had to play at the playground; that airplane was still a big attraction! We came back to the campsite and just relaxed for awhile. The kids stayed much longer than I expected and that was so nice. Jason even entertained us with the dos and don'ts of laying in a hammock!

This evening we went down to Columbia to celebrate Kate's 7^th birthday. We got there earlier than everyone else so that we could spend some time with James, Amita, Kelly & Kate. We had not seen them since Christmas. Well, they did come to my birthday party last weekend, but I didn't get to talk with them much. Kate was very excited about her birthday, of course. Later in the evening her cousins and another family came to celebrate as well. It was good to spend time with them. I hope the girls can come out and spend the night with us this summer. They are very precious to us.

Such a busy day. And we got to spend it with special people. The rest of the weekend looks to be rather quiet in comparison. Sounds pretty good, actually.

Until the next time . . .

Fun in the Sun

Wow! The sun is really shining this morning! Usually I would have the blinds wide open and just loving the sun pouring in the windows. Unfortunately, I woke up with an ugly headache this morning, so I'm walking around the RV with my sunglasses on. I did force myself to go out with Randy and Blackie on their morning walk. Not my typical 30 minute walk, but better than nothing. Plus, I figure with Lins & Reagan coming over sometime today, I'll get my walking in.

Randy is going to put out the awning today and put up the screen room this weekend. YAY! I love our screen room. It makes our site look so much homier than without it. Plus, I can sit out without getting all buggy – I hate those flying no-see-ums and mosquitoes.

Lindsay & Reagan came over about 10:30 and that little girl was ready to play! As soon as she got out of the van, it was, “let's go feed the ducks, Nana.” So, of course, that's just what we did. Reagan is a pro at feeding them. And she wasn't afraid of them at all; so fearless, in fact, that her mommy got a little nervous 'cause she'd get so close. Then we went up to the playground, that was a hit. There's an airplane teeter-totter ride that is great. And that was the ride of choice, with Nana providing the “fuel” for the plane. :) After coaxing Reagan off the playground (no easy feat, I'll tell you) we checked out the camp store, met Miss LeAnn, and then it was back to that airplane. We had to bribe her with feeding the ducks some more to get her off of it!!

Back at the RV, Pop had gotten the awning up and was hanging our lights. It was time for lunch so we ate and then went down the lane to check out the momma duck hidden in a neighboring site's flower garden. She is brown just like the mulch, so we had to peer very closely for Reagan to find her. But, we didn't get too close because we didn't want to make momma duck mad! After Reagan found her, it was time for Lins & Reagan to leave – it was getting close to naptime. But, the whole family is coming back tomorrow for a carnival the campground is hosting!

Once the kids left, I got my book, my water, and settled outside in the sunshine! I got my fix, finally, of outside-sitting. :) It is an absolutely gorgeous day; a little chilly when the breeze picks up, but other than that, just perfect (or “perfeck” at Reagan would say). Randy and I sat outside and just grinned at each other. We are so content with our lives and are grateful to feel that way.

We met Lee & Debbie, a couple who have a seasonal site here in the campground. They seem very nice and we look forward to getting to know them better. The evening ended with a new dish for dinner, chicken & noodle casserole. It's a keeper; Randy even loved it. Now, I know he eats everything, but often chicken dishes are not his favorite. But we both agreed this is a good meal.

Looking forward to the carnival here at the campground tomorrow. Then, it's down to Columbia to celebrate Kate's 7^th birthday. Gonna be a busy day.

Until the next time . . .