Travels of John and Bridget

Visiting with Ava & Dinner with Friends.

2012-01-29T21:36:00.001-07:00

Today was John’s last day to work at the Renaissance Mall. Tomorrow we will be making our final preparations before heading off to Georgia.

Robert came by and dropped Ava off for a visit. Ava and I went by Bob and Marcy’s for a visit, then to the mall to visit with John then to Annie and Terry’s.

Ava and Uncle Terry.

Ava and I.

Ava and our friend Justin.

Tonight John and I met our friends Bo and Kay for dinner at a placed called Table 100. We all enjoyed the prime rib special. This was by far the best prime rib I have had in a long time. Thanks Bo and Kay for treating us to a wonderful dinner.

Bo and Kay.

Tomorrow will be a busy day getting things road ready.

Laugh everyday. Happy trails. Stay safe.

Colonoscopy

2012-01-25T19:29:00.001-07:00

The weather here the last few days has been unseasonably warm. I don’t mind the warm weather one bit. I just hope the storms that usually occur behind it aren’t bad.

Today I had my last doctor appointment……the dreaded colonoscopy or my 50th birthday present to myself. It is what I refer to as the necessary evil. My appointment was at 11:00 this morning. Of course I was there early but did not get called until 12:15. I was not a happy camper.LOL As anyone knows who has had this procedure done you are already starving and any extra time you have to wait just makes it worse. I think we finally headed home after 2:00 p.m. All joking aside I was relieved to get a good report. Having a routine colonoscopy is so important in detecting cancer early. Sadly, earlier this month my cousin Billy died from colon cancer. I don’t think he had ever been tested. Early detection probably would have saved his life. So, as much as I complain about the prep and process of the procedure I am so grateful that it exists.

Laugh everyday. Happy trails. Stay safe.

Majestic Burger.

2012-01-20T22:00:00.002-07:00

John at the mall 7 to 3 today. We are having unseasonably warm weather right now. It was 60 degrees at 6:00 a.m. and 71 degrees at 6:00 p.m. I am not complaining because I am happy to wear short sleeves and NO jacket. Now if it will just stay like this until we leave at the end of the month. LOL

Tonight John and I went to Majestic Burger with Bob and Marcy. This was our first time trying out this restaurant. We had a 30 minute wait before being seated. Of course it being Friday that was normal. The burgers were delicious. I forgot to take a picture of the food again!!

After dinner we returned to Bob and Marcy’s for a round of 10 Penny. Bob was the big winner with a low score of 40. Wow! I see a rematch in the future. LOL

Laugh everyday. Happy trails. Stay safe.

Happy Birthday Kelsey.

2012-01-19T21:53:00.002-07:00

Today is our daughter-in-law, Kelsey’s birthday. Tonight we all went to dinner at Fuji Japanese Restaurant to celebrate. Kelsey and Robert had sushi and John and I had hibachi chicken. Everything was very tasty.

Happy Birthday Kelsey.

Laugh everyday. Happy trails. Stay safe.

Heavy rain.

2012-01-17T22:53:00.001-07:00

John at the mall 3 to11 today.

Heavy rain moved in today. We are supposed to have a cold front move through our area tonight. I think the high for tomorrow will be in the 50s.

This morning John fixed pancakes with a side of turkey sausage links. Yum Yum!!

They were very large pancakes and very tasty.

Tonight I went to play 10 Penny with Bob and Marcy. We played three rounds. Marcy won two games and Bob one the other. Maybe I will have better luck next time. LOL

Laugh everyday. Happy trails. Stay safe.

John’s busy day.

2012-01-16T20:47:00.001-07:00

John had a busy day today. First thing this morning he took the Freightliner to get the tires balanced and the bakes adjusted. Then he realized there was a problem with the turn signals on the Vitara. After checking it out and taking it apart he found it was wired backwards. Now it works fine thanks to Mr. Fix it.

Laugh everyday. Happy trails. Stay safe.

A visit with Ava Grace.

2012-01-15T22:57:00.001-07:00

We had beautiful weather today…..all sunshine and temperatures in the mid 60s. I could get used to that.

Robert came by after lunch and left Ava Grace with us for a visit. Since the weather was so nice we took her for a stroll on the walking trail. She is such a sweet baby and is growing so fast.

Fred had to check Ava out.

Laugh everyday. Happy trails. Stay safe.

Cousin Billy’s Memorial Service

2012-01-14T23:34:00.001-07:00

Today we attended my cousin Billy’s memorial service. The memorial was attended by family and lots of friends. Sadly, funerals are usually the time you get to see relatives and friends you haven’t seen in a long time. I guess that is just how life is.

Billy had a passion for country music and formed a band years ago. Members from Billy’s band “Borderline” were there to pay their final respects as well. I know it will be hard for them to continue on.

Borderline band members.

Rest in peace Billy. We will miss you.

Laugh everyday. Happy trails. Stay safe.

Dinner and a movie.

2012-01-13T23:59:00.000-07:00

John at the mall 7 to 3 today. The temperatures are still cold here. Although this afternoon it did reach 48 degrees. Yea!!!

Tonight my sister and I had plans to go see the movie Contraband after dinner. Annie, John and I had dinner at a restaurant called Grant’s Kitchen. We all had the country fried streak with two sides. The food was delicious. They serve several main entrees and 20 sides…..a bunch to chose from. After dinner John went back to the RV and Annie and I went on to the movie. If you are a Mark Wahlberg fan you will like this movie. It is packed with action. The language is a little rough but we both liked the movie.

Laugh everyday. Happy trails. Stay safe.

Happy Birthday Joe.

2012-01-12T22:18:00.001-07:00

Today is our friend Joe’s birthday. We hope he has a great day.

Happy Birthday Joe.

John at the mall today from 7 to 3. The cold weather has arrived here. Tonight the low will be in the upper 20s. Uck!!! I am not a happy camper. It is much too cold for my blood. The good news is ….the rain finally left.

Laugh everyday. Happy trails. Stay safe.

Visit with Mom Hatch and Aunt Martha.

2012-01-10T23:59:00.000-07:00

Mom Hatch and Aunt Martha came by for a visit. We had lunch together before John went to work at the mall from 3 to 11. They are doing well. Fred remembered them and was happy to see them.

Tonight Bob, Marcy and I played 10 Penny. Marcy won a game with a low low score of 10. Wow! I think that is the lowest score I have ever seen. I was the biggest loser with a whopping score of 515. The cards just didn’t like me today. LOL It was fun though.

Laugh everyday. Happy trails. Stay safe.

Fred not happy with the rain.

2012-01-07T23:59:00.000-07:00

John at the mall 3 to 11 today. The weather has been overcast but warm. It made it to the mid 70s today. Later in the afternoon the rain moved in. Uck! Fred was not a happy camper because it cut his walk short. He gets an attitude sometimes. LOL

Fred decided to curl up in his bed and take a long nap.

Tonight while John was at the mall I went to play cards with Bob and Marcy. We played a couple rounds of 10 Penny and a round of Chase the Ace. Marcy won the first round and I won the second but Bob beat us both on Chase the Ace. LOL

Laugh everyday. Happy trails. Stay safe.

Sad news.

2012-01-06T22:46:00.001-07:00

Received the sad news this morning that my cousin Billy passed away. The cancer had taken hold of his body and there wasn’t anything that could be done but to make him comfortable. Last night I went with Bob and Marcy to see him. It was heartbreaking to see him suffering. He leaves behind two teenaged daughters. Please remember them in your prayers.

Laugh everyday. Happy trails. Stay safe.

Dinner with Dawg & Connie.

2012-01-04T07:39:00.000-07:00

We had more doctor appointments this morning. Uck! Glad to get them out of the way.

Tonight we went over to Nathan (Dawg) & Connie’s for a visit. Dawg had cooked a pot roast and invited us for dinner. It was very very tasty. Thanks you guys for a great dinner. Of course while we were there we just had to play a couple rounds of 10 Penny. Dawg won the first round but Connie came back and won the last one.

Dawg strategizing his next move.

Connie after her big win.

We had a great time.

Laugh everyday. Happy trails. Stay safe.

Busy day.

2012-01-03T20:03:00.002-07:00

Busy day today. John and I both had our annual dentist appointments this morning. Then it was off to the grocery store. Next it was lunch at the Mint Restaurant located in the Renaissance Mall. We each had a gift certificate and John was off from the mall today so it was a good time. The lunch special was chicken and dumpling and braised collard greens with biscuits. It was an ok lunch. I think John liked it better than I did. I think we had a couple of dumplings with a mound of chicken. LOL

After we got back from lunch John decided it was a good time to change out the tire on the axle that had been replaced previously. Just as he was completing his task, our son Robert and his friend Daniel drove up and were ready to go disc golfing. They played 18 holes and had a good time. I think John overdid it with his shoulder though. He is feeling it tonight.

While he was gone I got busy cooking up a gallon of spaghetti and meat sauce to package and freeze for later.

It sure comes in handy when you don’t want to cook.

Tonight John and I went with Bob and Marcy to visit my cousin Billy who is very ill in the University Medical Center. He has been I the hospital almost three weeks and has a very long road of treatment in front of him.

On the way home Bob mentioned getting a hamburger so we went in search of food. LOL We ate at (our old FD and TSC) McB’s. They are known for their wine burgers which are very very good.

John and Bob after finishing their burgers. Ahhhhh!!!! LOL

Marcy chose a turkey club sandwich with a baked potato.

I decided I would be good tonight and ordered the “Bo Jordan” , named after one of the retired firemen, which consists of a grilled meat and a salad. It tastes good also. It was hard to pass up onion rings or fries but I managed to do it…….this time. LOL

Laugh everyday. Happy trails. Stay safe.

See ya later Joe and Sherri.

2012-01-02T21:55:00.001-07:00

Woke up to cold temperatures this morning. Bummer!! I was getting used to the nice stuff. John at the mall today from 7 to 3.

Sadly this morning Joe and Sherri packed up and headed out for their next destination. I went outside to tell them goodbye and watched until they were out of sight. We were so glad to get a chance to visit with them. We sure hope to see them again real soon.

Here they go.

We wish them safe travels.

Laugh everyday. Happy trails. Stay safe.

Happy New Year

2012-01-01T23:59:00.001-07:00

Happy New Year to all our family and friends out there. John started off his day working on installing the tow bar on the Vitara.

Yeah!!! It is now complete and road ready.

A little later in the day we received a call from our friend Joe (Speedy) saying he and Sherri would be stopping in here before moving on to their next destination. Wow! What a great surprise. That made our day. It has been almost a year since we have seen them. So great to catch up and shares some laughs.

Tonight we all went over to Bob and Marcy’s to play a round of Chase the Ace. We all had a great time getting beat. LOL John emerged the winner. We will have to have a rematch.

Joe, Sherri & their grandson Chris.

A few people have asked if we were doing ok since there haven’t been blogs on a daily basis. We are all doing well. There hasn’t been many events to report. John has been working at the mall on a regular basis and has been busy with that. Bob (Dad) is doing well and recovering from his surgery he had in December. Thanks for asking about us.

Laugh everyday. Happy trails. Stay safe.

Lunch with the Striders

2011-12-27T22:25:00.001-07:00

The rain has finally moved on. Yea!!! John and I drove to Hattiesburg and had lunch with our friends, the Striders. We were supposed to eat at Leatha’s BBQ but we were saddened to find it closed. John called Mack to let him know it was closed then we met them at a place called Movie Star Restaurant. The restaurant has a good ole Southern style buffet with lots to choose from. Thanks Mack and Brenda for treating us to lunch. Brenda surprised us with one of her caramel cakes to take home. They are the best I have ever had. Thanks so much Brenda.

This is a sad sight…..Leatha’s empty parking lot. We were so looking forward to eating here again. In all of our travels Leatha’s has the best BBQ we have ever eaten.

The Striders: Mitch, Brenda, Hannah & Mack.

We had a great visiting with the Striders and hope to see them again soon.

Laugh everyday. Happy trails. Stay safe.

Merry Christmas

2011-12-25T23:59:00.000-07:00

Merry Christmas to all our family and friends. We had lunch in Crystal Springs with Mom Hatch, Aunt Martha and John’s sister and her family. Mom Hatch and Aunt Martha are doing well. It was so good to see them.

John and I with Mom Hatch.

Tonight we had dinner at Bob and Marcy’s. After dinner we managed to get a round of 10 Penny in……and Bob was the winner.

We would like to wish our friend Sherri a Happy Birthday.

Happy Birthday Sherri. Hope you had a great day.

Laugh everyday. Happy trails. Stay safe.

Christmas Eve with Ava Grace

2011-12-24T21:35:00.001-07:00

John at the mall 9 to 5 today.

I woke up this morning with a hurting foot. It is the same foot I had a stress fracture on a few years back. I think I over did it yesterday during my workout on the Wii. I limped around all day but tonight it is some better.

Tonight we went to Bob and Marcy’s for Christmas Eve dinner.

Granddaddy Hatch and Ava.

Awe we caught her smiling.

John and Terry trying to get Ava to smile.

Ava modeling her new outfit.

Kelsey, Robert and Ava.

Marcy and Ava.

Merry Christmas to all our family and friends.

Congratulations to Bob and Molly Pinner on the birth of their grandchild today. I know they are excited. That is such a wonderful Christmas gift.

Laugh everyday. Happy trails. Stay safe.

New tires for Vitara.

2011-12-22T23:59:00.000-07:00

Woke up to nasty rainy weather. Uck! The good thing is it moved on out of our area. John was at the mall from 3 to 11 today. Before he went in to work he took the Vitara in and got two new tires put on it.

I have been busy with some Christmas baking and finishing up with last minute grocery and gift shopping. The crowds in all the stores have been crazy.

Fresh Apple Cake (very tasty for the holidays or anytime)

Here is the recipe if anyone would like it:

Fresh Apple Cake

4 cups apples chopped

2 cups sugar

Combine and let sit uncovered for 1 hour.

Sift together dry ingredients:

3 cups of all purpose flour

½ tsp. each of salt, cinnamon and baking soda

Combine wet ingredients:

1 cup oil

2 eggs

1 tsp. vanilla extract

Add wet ingredients to apples/sugar mixture and mix until well coated. Slowly combine dry

ingredients then pour into well greased Bundt pan and bake for 1 hour at 350 degrees.

Glaze

½ cup brown sugar

½ cup butter

2 Tbs. milk

Mix together and simmer for 2 minutes. Pour on cool cake while glaze is hot.

Laugh everyday. Happy trails. Stay safe.

Laptops

2011-12-20T21:35:00.001-07:00

Oops…I forgot to write the blog for yesterday. Last night our friend Nick came over to check out our laptops. We have had some issues lately and he is very helpful. Thanks Nick for helping us out.

John at the mall from 7 to 3 today. Storms were forecasted to move into our area this afternoon but so far they have not arrived. I hope it passes us on by.

John has purchased a tire and rim for the RV to replace the one that was damaged due to the defective axle. He is also going to purchase two new tires for the Vitara. We should be road ready after that. Yea!!

I plan on finishing the Christmas shopping tomorrow. Maybe the stores won’t be too crowded before lunch time. Probably wishful thinking. LOL

Laugh everyday. Happy trails. Stay safe

Fred and the chicken.

2011-12-18T22:42:00.001-07:00

John off today. Yea!!! Stayed in most of the day doing laundry, and household chores. Later in the afternoon I decided to put some chicken in the slow cooker for later. Ah, so much fun. LOL

Tonight we went over to Bob and Marcy’s to play 10 Penny and Chase the Ace. John won both rounds of 10 Penny and I came in dead last. Oh well, I guess it wasn’t my lucky night.

When we got back home the chicken in the slow cooker was done. As I was placing it in a bowl I dropped a piece on the floor and Fred was waiting there to gobble it up. I tried to pick it up before he could get it but he was faster than I was. Of course it was too hot to eat but that didn’t stop him. A few minutes later he barfed it up. Uck, what a mess. I hope it doesn’t make him too sick. He is sitting the bathroom now and is not happy. Poor Freddy.

Laugh everyday. Happy trails. Stay safe.

Shopping

2011-12-17T23:59:00.000-07:00

John at the mall 7 to 3 today. After he got off he went to Wal-mart for a grocery run. All I can say is thank you thank you thank you John cause I didn’t want to go anywhere near Wal-mart with all heaving shopping.

Annie, Marcy and I went shopping and the traffic and crowds in the stores was awful. J. C. Penny wasn’t too bad. We were only in the checkout line for 15 minutes but our last stop…..Toys R us…..was beyond bad. There were only five registers open with lines of people a mile long. We were in line for almost an hour. After getting through the checkout line it was time to navigate getting out of that parking lot. What a joke. LOL People had gone crazy blocking cars in, parking in the wrong places an other rude stuff. It took another 15 minutes to get out of there. Thankfully that was our last stop before heading home. Yeah!!

After getting home we were tired and stayed in for the night.

Laugh everyday. Happy trails. Stay safe.

Hot water heater.

2011-12-16T23:59:00.000-07:00

John went to Crystal Springs this morning to replace the hot water heater at his Mom’s house. He had to make several trips to the hardware store so it took longer than he thought. Mom Hatch and Aunt Martha returned home yesterday after a long visit with Harold in Florida. They enjoyed their visit and are doing well.

Annie picked me up for lunch and then we went Christmas shopping. Even though it was a work day the parking lots were filled with cars. I guess a lot of people took the day off to go shopping.

Tonight Annie and I went to a jewelry party hosted by her nephew’s wife in Brandon, MS. It was a full day but I enjoyed spending it with my sister.

Laugh everyday. Happy trails. Stay safe.

Tow bar and wool socks.

2011-12-15T07:54:00.001-07:00

The weather here today has been great. It actually made it into the low 70s. I could live with that year round.

The tow bar for the Suzuki came in today. Also, the wool socks John ordered from future full-timer kareninthewoods came in, thanks Karen. That just made his day.

Tomorrow he will headed to Crystal Springs to replace the hot water heater at his Mom’s house.

Laugh everyday. Happy trails. Stay safe.

More 10 Penny & Chase the Ace.

2011-12-13T23:51:00.001-07:00

John off today. Yeah!!

Tonight we went over to Bob and Marcy’s to play 10 Penny and Chase the Ace.

Dad (Bob) enjoying a Coke Float. He is doing well after the surgery. Of course a hamburger would be nice. LOL He has his check up with the doctor tomorrow so hopefully he is one step closer to getting his hamburger.

John getting ready to deal the cards for a round of Chase the Ace.

Sometimes it is just too funny the way the cards play out.

We all had a great time even though we got stuck with the ace a few times. LOL

Laugh everyday. Happy trails. Stay safe.

Fred’s trip to the vet.

2011-12-12T23:07:00.001-07:00

John at the mall 3 to 11 today.

Today was Fred’s annual checkup at the animal clinic. He had a good check up and even got a couple of treats from the vet.

Fred standing up to get a treat. (He got a treat at home too…….so spoiled. LOL)

Laugh everyday. Happy trails. Stay safe.

Visit from Robert, Kelsey & Ava Grace.

2011-12-11T20:14:00.001-07:00

John at the mall 10 to 6 today. Still having cold temperatures here. The high today was in the mid 40s.

This afternoon Robert, Kelsey and Ava Grace came by. Ava was one month old yesterday.

Laugh everyday. Happy trails. Stay safe.

Christmas Lights.

2011-12-09T23:45:00.001-07:00

Dad (Bob) is home and doing well. I bet he can’t wait until he can go out and get a hamburger. LOL

John at the mall from 3 to 11 today. This afternoon I went to Annie and Terry’s house to sit while the foundation people were working. When it was close to the time that Annie usually gets home the dogs sat at in the front windows to watch for her.

Isn’t it funny how they just know what time of day it is.

Tonight Annie and I went out to eat then, shopping then looking at Christmas lights.

Laugh everyday. Happy trails. Stay safe.

Dad home from the hospital.

2011-12-08T22:15:00.001-07:00

Weather still cold here. It was 30 degrees at 6:00 a.m. this morning. John worked at the mall from 7 to 3 today otherwise I would not have known it was 30 degrees this morning. LOL The good thing is by lunch time it was 50 degrees.

Today is Sandie’s (John’s brother Harold’s wife) birthday day. Happy Birthday Sandie. Hope you had a nice birthday.

Dad’s test results came in today…..no cancer. Thanks for all the thoughts and prayers. He was doing so well the doctor released him tonight. Of course he wanted to get in a game of 10 Penny when he got home.

Dad making his play.

Laugh everyday. Happy trails. Stay safe.

Dad doing well.

2011-12-07T23:16:00.001-07:00

Dad doing well today. He has been sitting up and even walked a little today. If he continues to do well he may be able to go home in a day or so. Yeah!!

John and I went to the Renaissance Mall employee’s Christmas luncheon today. Great food and a great bunch of people. After leaving the mall we ran a few errands then went up to the hospital to see Dad.

The weather is still cold. I don’t think it got above 37 today. Not my kind of weather at all. I say bring on the warm weather. LOL

Laugh everyday. Happy trails. Stay safe.

Dad’s surgery went well.

2011-12-06T21:46:00.001-07:00

Thanks for all the thoughts and prayers for Dad (Bob). He went through the surgery just fine and is doing pretty well tonight. It was a long day you know…..the hurry up and wait game. He had to be at the hospital at 6:00 a.m. but they didn’t take him to surgery until 1:45. The actual surgery didn’t start until after 3:00 p.m.

Here is Dad waiting in a holding room. We were teasing him about his attractive hospital gown. LOL

Laugh everyday. Happy trails. Stay safe.

Dad’s surgery tomorrow.

2011-12-05T20:21:00.001-07:00

It has rained on and off all day long. The temperatures are supposed to fall into the 40s tonight.

John was off today so we went on a grocery run and ran a few other errands.

Tomorrow my dad, Bob, will be having colon surgery to remove a pre-cancerous spot. We are so thankful that it was caught early. I know he will be glad when the surgery is over and he is back home.

Laugh everyday. Happy trails. Stay safe.

John laughing out loud.

2011-12-04T23:59:00.000-07:00

We had warm temperatures in the low 70s day. It was very nice. John worked at the mall from 10 to 6.

I stayed in today and did the laundry and other household chores. blah blah blah!

Tonight while John was on his computer he started laughing out loud. Since he doesn’t “laugh out loud” very often I had to know what he was reading that was so funny. He was reading auto correct texts that people had posted on line. He read a few out loud. They were really funny. Wish I could have gotten a picture of him laughing. It made my day. LOL

Laugh everyday. Happy trails. Stay safe.

Breakfast with C-Shift.

2011-12-03T22:54:00.001-07:00

John went to Central Fire Station this morning to have breakfast with the C-Shift guys. I know he had a great time. After he left I thought I would go back to sleep but Fred had other ideas. He was up to stay which meant I was up too. LOL

John at the mall from 3 to 11 today.

The fountain at the main entrance to Renaissance Mall. Very cool looking fountain.

I stopped by Bob and Marcy’s tonight and played a round of 10 Penny. Bob was the winner with a low score of 65. I lost with a grand high score of 260. LOL

Laugh everyday. Happy trails. Stay safe.

Insurance

2011-12-02T23:59:00.000-07:00

John at the mall from 7 to 3 today. While he was at work I went to the insurance agent’s office to get the paperwork completed for our new health insurance policies. That took about two hours. Glad that is over. Insurance is not one of my favorite things to work on.

Tonight we went over to Bob and Marcy’s and had burgers for dinner. After dinner we got ready to play cards and found John asleep on the couch.

He was tired so we played a couple rounds of 10 Penny until he woke up. Marcy won the first round, I won the second. When John woke up he played a round and as usual…..he won. LOL

Laugh everyday. Happy trails. Stay safe.

Haircut and Highlights.

2011-12-01T22:12:00.001-07:00

Not much going on here today. It was cold this morning but soon warmed up to the low 50s. Of course John wore shorts…….. not me it was still too cold for my liking. LOL John was still in bed this morning when I left for my hair appointment. I tried to be very very quiet and not wake him up. That is hard for me because for some reason I am just noisy.

Before the haircut and highlights. Looks scary to me. LOL

After haircut and highlights. Look at Fred peeping around the corner. Look’s like he is thinking, “ What is she up to now.” LOL

You know there is nothing going on when I put pictures of my haircut on here.

Later this afternoon John and I made a grocery run to the local Kroger. He tried to rest up today. The past two nights he has worked at the mall and tomorrow he goes in at 7.

Laugh everyday. Happy trails. Stay safe.

Nosy Fred.

2011-11-30T22:45:00.001-07:00

John at the mall from 3 to 11 today. It is supposed to turn really cold here tonight…..in the 20s. Brrrrrrrr!!

This afternoon while I was cooking my spaghetti and meat sauce Fred decided to take up residence in John’s chair. He laid there until he heard the sounds of a new rig pulling in…..then he was wide awake.

Getting settled in.

Ah that’s just the right spot. LOL

Finally something to look at. I guess dogs are just as nosy as people.

While John was at work tonight I went over to Annie’s. We thought about going out to a movie but changed our minds and had dinner and a movie at her house.

Laugh everyday. Happy trails. Stay safe.

Homemade soup and Meatballs.

2011-11-28T23:03:00.001-07:00

We had a day of misting rain and cooler temperatures. It didn’t make it out of the 40s. The next few days will be colder ……in the upper 20 and 30s at night. Not my kind of weather at all. Since the weather wasn’t so nice I cooked a pot of homemade soup and 65 meatballs. We had the soup for lunch and the meatballs are for later to go with the spaghetti and meat sauce.

This picture doesn’t look very appetizing. Oh well it tasted good. LOL

Meatballs everywhere.

Laugh everyday. Happy trails. Stay safe.

Fenian’s Pub

2011-11-27T22:34:00.002-07:00

Up this morning to much cooler temperatures than yesterday. It never made it out of the 40s today. Tomorrow the high is supposed to be 41 degrees and there is a mention of snow in the forecast. Uck!!

This afternoon John’s brother Bill and his wife Tambra came by for a visit. After we visited for a while we all went over to Robert and Kelsey’s to see Ava Grace then go out for dinner at Fenian’s Pub in Jackson.

Kelsey and Ava Grace.

Ava Grace

Kelsey and Robert

Bill and Tambra

Bill, Robert and John.

Robert’s friend Daniel, his wife Christine and step daughter also joined us at Fenian’s. We enjoyed lively conversation and good food.

Daniel, Christine and Serena.

Laugh everyday. Happy trails. Stay safe.

Rain, rain go away.

2011-11-26T23:24:00.001-07:00

John at the mall from 3 to 11. It has rained all day long. Uck!!! I wish it would stop but I think tomorrow’s forecast shows more of the same. Fred is not liking the weather either.

If It rains again tomorrow I think I will make a large pot of homemade soup.

Tonight I went over to Bob and Marcy’s and played a couple rounds of 10 Penny Marcy won a round and I won the other. I think Bob will get us on the rematch. LOL

Laugh everyday. Happy trails. Stay safe.

Shopping & 10 Penny.

2011-11-25T23:42:00.001-07:00

John at the mall from 3 to 11 today. Before going to the mall he replaced the spark plugs in the Vitara. I got up early this morning and went shopping with Annie, Bob and Marcy. The stores were crowded but we were able to get around in a reasonable amount of time.

Tonight I played cards with Bob and Marcy while John was at the mall. We played three rounds of 10 Penny and each of us one around.

Bob was the first to put his set down……

and he had more wild cards.

Marcy planning her next move.

Laugh everyday. Happy trails. Stay safe.

Thanksgiving with Ava Grace.

2011-11-24T21:22:00.001-07:00

Happy Thanksgiving to all our family and friends. Today our family gathered at Robert and Kelsey’s for our Thanksgiving meal. I forgot to take a pictures of the food but I did take pictures of Ava Grace.

John and Ava Grace.

I guess Izzy thought it was her turn to sit in John’s lap. LOL

Hope everyone had a great day.

Laugh everyday. Happy trails. Stay safe.

Betty and Joe in MS.

2011-11-22T22:42:00.001-07:00

Our good friends Betty and Joe from Kentucky were in MS today and stopped by for a visit. We had lunch then went over to Robert and Kelsey’s to see Ava Grace.

Joe and Betty

Tonight John and I went over to Bob and Marcy’s for some cards. We played two rounds of 10 Penny and I won both. That has never happened before. We also played a few rounds of Chase. I don’t remember who won how many rounds but it was comical.

Laugh everyday. Happy trails. Stay Safe.

Back to Wal-mart

2011-11-21T23:59:00.000-07:00

John at the mall from 3 to 11 today.

Fred is sad because John is not home.

This afternoon Marcy and I went back to the store to get a few more things we needed for Thanksgiving. It was so busy at Wal-Mart I hope I don’t have to go back til after the holiday.

Later on we played 10 Penny and Chase the Ace.

Laugh everyday. Happy trails. Stay safe.

Pug Dog Found

2011-11-20T22:52:00.001-07:00

Pug dog is home. Yeah!! Robert saw a “found dog” sign posted in the neighborhood this morning and called to inquire about it. I am happy to say it was Pug Pug. He is back home safe and sound.

Pug Pug at home safe and sound with his pal Izzy.

Tonight we went over to Bob and Marcy’s for some cards. We played two rounds of 10 Penny and John and Marcy each won a round…..again. The same thing happened the other night. LOL Next we played a couple rounds of Chase the Ace. I won the first round and John won the second. We had a good time and plan to have a rematch soon.

Laugh everyday. Happy trails. Stay safe.

Visit with Ava Grace and a missing pug dog.

2011-11-19T23:59:00.000-07:00

John and Robert went to play disk golf while Annie and I went shopping. The stores are already crowded and Thanksgiving hasn’t even arrived yet. After shopping Annie and I went by to visit Ava Grace.

Annie and Ava Grace. Awe….another baby for Aunt Nee Nee to spoil. LOL

Right after we arrived to see Ava Grace we realized that Robert and Kelsey’s pug dog had gotten out. Annie and Kelsey’s Dad went outside to look for him but retuned with no luck. Annie drove around the neighborhood but still no pug dog. Before we left we went around looking for him again but still no luck. He has gotten out before but has never gone missing this long. I sure hope someone in the neighborhood finds him.

Laugh everyday. Happy trials. Stay safe.

Inquiring Minds

2011-11-18T16:11:00.000-07:00

John at the mall from 3 to 11 today. One of our blog followers asked exactly what John does at the mall. Before John retired while he was still working at the fire department he also worked part time at the Renaissance Mall in facilities maintenance. When we got back to MS in November John went by to visit with they guys at the mall and they said they would be needing some help so now he works when they need him. If he works the 7a-3p shift, they unlock service areas and corridors, blow off sidewalks and parking lots, clean the parking lots of trash, clean out pond pump and fountain filters and all the other maintenance issues that come up. The 3p-11p shift empties all trash receptacles, clean 3 public restrooms and management offices, turn on and off all decorative lights in parking lots, safety checks, basically keep the place clean and operational. This past week they installed Christmas lights in the parking lots. The mall is an outdoor mall meaning you walk from store to store outside.

Last night while John was at the mall I went over to Bob and Marcy’s for a rematch on 10 Penny. It was Bob’s lucky night. He scored a low 10 points and was the winner.

Laugh everyday. Happy trails. Stay safe.

10 Penny and Chase the Ace.

2011-11-17T23:59:00.000-07:00

We were sound asleep this morning when the phone woke us up…….early…..very early. They needed some help at the mall so John went in for a few hours.

Tonight we went over to Bob and Marcy’s for some cards. We played two rounds of 10 Penny. John won the first round and Marcy won the second. After 10 Penny we decided to play Chase the Ace. It was quite comical.

Oh no. Bob was the dealer and had an Ace then flipped a two. Not good. John beat him with a three.

Oh no. John had a two and Bob was the dealer so he had a chance to flip a higher card.

Bob got stuck with the Ace again. Marcy beat him with a two.

Laugh everyday. Happy trails. Stay safe.

Lunch with Robert & Kelsey and a visit with Ava Grace

2011-11-16T23:59:00.000-07:00

John and I met Robert and Kelsey for lunch then we went over and stayed for a visit with Ava Grace.

She was so sleepy she didn’t want to hold her eyes open.

Laugh everyday. Happy trails. Stay safe.

Vanilla Wafer Cake

2011-11-15T08:52:00.000-07:00

John at the mall from 3 to 11 today.

This afternoon I baked the Vanilla Wafer cake. Yesterday I said I would post a picture so here it is:

I sliced it up and put it on a plate because it stuck to the bundt pan. I guess I should have greased the pan a little more. It is not a very sweet cake. John said he likes it. I think it would make a good coffee cake.

Vanilla Wafer Cake (From Paula’s Best Dishes on Food Network ) This recipe is from one of her guests.

Ingredients

Butter, for greasing pan
Flour, for dusting pan
6 eggs
2 cups sugar
One 12-ounce box vanilla wafers, crushed
1 cup sweetened flaked coconut
1 cup chopped pecans, or your favorite nut
1/2 cup milk
Butter, optional
Whipped cream, optional
Berries, optional
Caramel sauce, optional

Directions

Cook's Note: An easy way to crush your vanilla wafers is to place half of the box at a time in a gallon zipper-seal bag and roll over them with a rolling pin or glass, then repeat with the other half.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and grease and flour a tube or Bundt pan.

In a large bowl, beat the eggs well. Mix the sugar, vanilla wafers, coconut, pecans and milk into the eggs.

Pour the mixture into the tube or Bundt pan. Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 1 hour. Let sit in the pan for 10 minutes, and then turn out onto a plate. Allow to cool completely.

If desired, heat 1 tablespoon butter in a small saute pan. Cut a 1-inch slice of cake, butter both sides and toast in the butter. Add a dollop of whipped cream and serve with berries. Drizzle with caramel sauce. Repeat with remaining cake slices.

Tonight I went over Bob and Marcy’s and played a couple rounds of 10 Penny and Chase the Ace. Bob won a round and I won a round then I got beat every round of Chase the Ace. The cards just were in my favor. LOL

Laugh everyday. Happy trails. Stay safe.

Pecans

2011-11-14T10:13:00.001-07:00

Not much going on here today. The weather is so warm you would almost think summer was around the corner. I am liking it.

John at the mall from 3 to 11 today. After I dropped him off at the mall I went to the chiropractor for an adjustment then over to Bob and Marcy’s to pick up pecans. Marcy and I picked up almost a whole gallon bag full.

Here are the pecans. (see I told you nothing much was going on…. You can always tell by the pictures posted.) LOL

Bob and Marcy cracked some of these while I was gone to take John dinner at the mall. Thanks to them I have enough pecans for the Vanilla Wafer Cake recipe I am going to try. I will post a picture and the recipe if it turns out to be a good one.

Later tonight I went back to Bob and Marcy’s to play some 10 Penny before picking John up.

Laugh everyday. Happy trails. Stay safe.

Ava Grace is home.

2011-11-13T20:57:00.001-07:00

Robert and Kelsey took Ava Grace home today. I know they are glad to be home and settled in.

Tonight John and I went over to bring some groceries and visit for a short while. They are all doing just fine.

Robert, Kelsey, Ava Grace and their dogs.

Kelsey and Ava Grace.

Laugh everyday. Happy trails. Stay safe.

Ava Grace going home tomorrow.

2011-11-12T23:59:00.000-07:00

John at the mall from 3 to 11 today. After he left for work I got in the kitchen and made meatballs to go with my gallon of spaghetti and meat sauce. I think I counted 48 meatballs. I freeze them and pull them out when I need them. That really comes in handy.

We heard from Robert that Kelsey and Ava Grace will be going home tomorrow. I know they will be glad to get settled in.

Laugh everyday. Happy trails. Stay safe.

Visiting Ava Grace

2011-11-11T21:45:00.001-07:00

We went to the hospital to visit Robert, Kelsey and Ava Grace this morning. Kelsey had a tough night with pain but has continued to do remarkably well today. She may be able to go home Sunday.

Cindy (Kelsey’s Mom) and Ava Grace

Laugh everyday. Happy trails. Stay safe.

Ava Grace has arrived.

2011-11-10T19:32:00.002-07:00

Up very early this morning and off to the hospital to await the arrival of Ava Grace. As the hours passed there wasn’t much progress so around 5:30 p.m. the doctor decided a C-Section was needed. Ava Grace arrived at 6:00 p.m. and weighed in at 5 pounds 15 ounces and is 19 inches long.

Kelsey at the beginning of the day.

Kelsey and Robert.

Butch (Kelsey’s Dad) and John waiting for Robert to come out with Ava Grace.

Robert and Ava Grace.

Tonight both Ava Grace and Kelsey are doing fine. Can’t way to see them tomorrow.

Laugh everyday. Happy trails. Stay safe.

Ava Grace to arrive tomorrow.

2011-11-09T23:59:00.000-07:00

John at the mall today from 7 to 3. Not much going on.

Tonight we went to Bob and Marcy’s and played a couple rounds of 10 Penny and a round of Chase the Ace.

Tomorrow we will be at the hospital early awaiting the arrival of Ava Grace. The doctor decided to induce.

Laugh everyday. Happy trails. Stay safe.

Ava Grace will arrive on Thursday.

2011-11-08T23:59:00.000-07:00

John worked at the mall 7 to 3 today. I spent the day doing laundry and other household chores. blah blah blah LOL As soon as John got off from work we went and voted.

We got word this afternoon from Kelsey that Ava Grace will be arriving on Thursday, November 10th. They will be inducing labor so some time Thursday we will have a granddaughter. Yeah!

Laugh everyday. Happy Trails. Stay safe.

Happy Birthday Kay

2011-11-07T23:59:00.000-07:00

John and I attended a luncheon at TSC today to celebrate our friend Kay’s birthday. Happy Birthday Kay. Thanks TSC for inviting us to join you guys. We enjoyed visiting with everyone.

Kay

This afternoon we went over to Bob and Marcy’s and John finished the work on the vanity installation. The original toilet was green and had been in the house since it was built in 1953. Of course I forgot to get pictures of the old one. LOL

I think the new toilet and vanity look real nice.

Laugh everyday. Happy trails. Stay safe.

Breakfast with C-Shift & Bathroom Remodel

2011-11-07T08:33:00.002-07:00

Up early and to the fire house for breakfast with C-Shift. We had biscuits, sausage gravy, bacon and eggs and a great visit. Thanks guys for a delicious breakfast.

After breakfast we were off to Bob and Marcy’s for some bathroom remodeling. John and Bob went to Lowes to pickup a new toilet and vanity. Marcy and I were off to Wal-Mart for other supplies. I forgot to take pictures of the old toilet and vanity but will post pictures of the new ones.

Last night Bob, Marcy, John and I went to Crackle Barrel for dinner. The service wasn’t all that great. The one item Bob and Marcy wanted the most…..a baked potato…. was not to be had. What is up with that? John even asked the manager how a restaurant could run out of potatoes. He didn’t have an answer. Now you might understand this happening one time but this happens every time they eat there. Crazy, huh?

Laugh everyday. Happy trails. Stay safe.

Kelsey & Robert’s Baby Shower

2011-11-05T23:55:00.001-06:00

Today Marcy, Annie and I hosted a baby shower for Kelsey and Robert. They received lots of wonderful gifts that will be very useful when Ava Grace gets here. I know everything was greatly appreciated.

Our wonderful daughter-in-law Kelsey.

Robert and Marcy.

Kelsey and Robert opening gifts.

Our thanks to everyone for making this day so special for them.

Laugh everyday. Happy trails. Stay safe.

Dinner with Nathan and Connie.

2011-11-04T23:59:00.000-06:00

Tonight John and I had dinner at Nathan “Dawg” and Connie’s house. Nathan prepared Chicken Fettuccini Alfredo with garlic bread sticks for dinner and a strawberry shortcake trifle for dessert. Everything was so delicious. Thanks Nathan and Connie for a wonderful meal.

Chicken Fettuccini Alfredo with Garlic Bread Sticks

Strawberry Shortcake Trifle

After dinner we played a round of Chase the Ace and then a couple rounds of 10 Penny. We had fun getting beat at cards. LOL

Laugh everyday. Happy trails. Stay safe.

John's greatest 10 Penny hand.

2011-11-03T21:56:00.002-06:00

Today was a busy day. I went along with Annie to a doctor appointment at the cardiologist’s office. We were there for 2 1/2 hours before the doctor came in. The good new is Annie is fine. After leaving the appointment it was time to find some lunch. We both had a taste for Chinese food so we ate at one of our favorites called Grand China Restaurant. This was the best Chinese food I have had since we left Mississippi. The rest of the afternoon was spent gathering things for Kelsey’s baby shower.

Tonight John and I went over to Bob and Marcy’s for some 10 Penny. We played two rounds. Marcy won the first round and John won the second.

Bob making his play.

John’s happy face after having the best 10 Penny hand ever.

Here is his winning hand. For those who play 10 Penny you know how great this hand is. This was his hand for the set of six round. It just doesn’t get better than this. Of course it was the end of the round for everyone else. LOL

Laugh everyday. Happy trails. Stay safe.

Grocery shopping.

2011-11-02T21:53:00.001-06:00

We have enjoyed nice weather since we got back to Mississippi. Tomorrow it is supposed to rain here but the weatherman says it will be scattered showers so that won’t be too bad.

John worked at the Renaissance Mall today from 7 to 3. After he got off we went grocery shopping. You know that is always fun. LOL This Saturday Marcy, Annie and I are hosting a baby shower for Kelsey and Robert. That will be fun. It won’t be long before Ava Grace will be here.

Tonight I made a gallon of spaghetti and meat sauce to freeze for later. I like having things in the freezer to pull out for those times when I don’t feel like cooking or when I run short on time.

Laugh everyday. Happy trails. Stay safe.

Renaissance Mall & Disc Golf

2011-11-01T19:09:00.001-06:00

John went to work this morning at the Renaissance Mall today from 7 to 3. He will be helping the guys out while we are in Mississippi.

Robert and Kelsey came over today for a visit. We enjoyed spending time with them. John grilled some brats then we walked over to the other side of the park where the disc golf basket is. John and Robert practiced for a while. Kelsey threw a few discs also. I just watched and took pictures. I can tell this sport takes a lot of practice.

Laugh everyday. Happy trails. Stay safe.

Moving again.

2011-10-31T22:29:00.001-06:00

John got up early this morning and went to the campground office to pay for our site. Immediately after he got back home he received a call from the office informing him that our site was scheduled to be resurfaced and that we would have to move to another one. Bummer! Lucky for us someone left early this morning in the area we usually park in. Now we are all set up again.

This afternoon John and I visited his former co-workers at the Renaissance Mall and Central Fire Station. We also visited my former co-workers at TSC. It was good to see them all.

Tonight we went over to Bob and Marcy’s for some 10 Penny. We played two rounds and Bob won both. He scored a 35 on the first one and a 45 on the second. Wow talk about lucky. LOL

Laugh everyday. Happy trails. Stay safe.

Back in Mississippi

2011-10-30T21:45:00.001-06:00

Today was moving day for us. Mike and Leslie got up early to see us off this morning. It is always hard to say “see you later” to friends. After a few tears and lots of hugs we were out of the park before 8:00 a.m. We made it to Timberlake Campground in Brandon, MS around 4:00 p.m. The area we usually park in was full so we had to park in the area with lots of trees. We were so surprised when the satellite TV worked. Yeah!

After getting everything set up we went over to visit with Bob and Marcy and play some cards. Annie and Terry also stopped by and joined in on the fun.

Laugh everyday. Happy trails. Stay safe.

Annual Meeting, Danna’s & a Luau.

2011-10-29T21:31:00.001-06:00

Today was our last day in Branson. This morning we attended the annual owner’s meeting for Treasure Lake RV Resort. During the meeting we were entertained by The Hughes Brothers, The Warnocks, the Alan Jackson impersonator from Legends and the Shanghai Theater acrobats. At the end of the program there were lots of door prizes given away. We didn’t win anything this time but Mike won tickets to the Veterans Memorial Museum.

By the time the meeting was over it was lunch time so we journeyed over to Danna’s BBQ & Burger Shop. Mike, Leslie and John ordered the Bleu Cheese Burger and I got a regular burger. They were very tasty.

Leslie’s Bleu Cheese Burger

After leaving Danna’s we rode around a bit and ended up at the Country Barn. The Country Barn has garden items, glazed pottery, crafts, gourmet foods, produce and fudge. Last year when we stopped here we purchased some Pay Day fudge. It is so good. Of course we bought some this time too.

Couldn’t resist taking a picture of these pretty bushes we saw on the side of the road after leaving the Country Barn.

Tonight we were loading up to go to the luau when Mike noticed one of our rear tires was going flat. We went to the luau and John left right after the meal to get the tire fixed.

My plate at the luau.

Mario Rosales was the entertainment at the luau. He sang songs from various artists such as Josh Turner, Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, Neil Diamond and others.

After all the festivities were over Mike, Leslie and I went back to their place and started playing a round of 10 Penny while waiting for John to return from getting the tire fixed. When he got back he joined our current round and then we played another. After the game it was time for us to say our “see you laters”. That is always the hard part because you don’t know exactly when you will see your friends again.

Our plan is to drive straight through to Mississippi tomorrow.

Laugh everyday. Happy trails. Stay safe.

Visit with Mac & Netters

2011-10-28T22:18:00.001-06:00

Fred was sort of down in the dumps today so we took him for a day at the groomers. He was back to his old funny self when he got back home.

This afternoon Mac and Netters came by for a visit. They will be leaving tomorrow and heading home so it is goodbye for now. We will miss them and hope to see them down the road real soon.

Tonight Mike, Leslie, John and I attended the hamburger dinner prepared by the Treasure Lake Board members. They have this every year the night before the annual meeting. Also tonight was the annual haunted trail ride through the park. After dinner we had a little time to kill before going on the ride so we rode through the park looking at the trees with all the changing leaves.

This is my favorite.

We saw this deer while were riding around.

By the time we finished riding around and stopping back by the RVs to get some jackets it was dark and time for the haunted trail ride. This year the ride wasn’t as spooky as before. They were having some technical difficulties. We had a good time anyway.

Laugh everyday. Happy trails. Stay safe.

Marty Robbins Tribute Show

2011-10-27T22:55:00.001-06:00

Woke up to 48 degrees and light rain this morning. As the morning progressed the rain stopped and the temperatures rose to the mid 50s. I guess our nice 70 degree weather is now a thing of the past. Oh well, fall is here.

Trees at the front of the park in the I-Max Theater parking lot. I just love the beautiful fall leaves.

This afternoon Mike, Leslie, John and I met Mac and Netters at the Marty Robbins Tribute Show. We all enjoyed it very much. Such a talented trio of musicians. They played Martin Robbins songs as well as other songs by great musicians such as Johnny Cash, Hank Williams, Jr., Waylon Jennings, Merle Haggard, Ferlin Husky, Willie Nelson, Earnest Tubb and a bunch more.

After the show was over we walked around in the mall area of the I-Max building. When we were here last year there was as vendor who sold the wiggle scooters. As luck would have it the vendor was still selling them so John rode the wiggle scooter again this year. I could not resist posting pictures of him riding it again. LOL

Tonight we went over to the park’s clubhouse for bingo night. None of us won but we had a good time.

Tomorrow we hope to get together with Mac and Netters before we all go our separate ways.

Laugh everyday. Happy trails. Stay safe.

Convection oven fixed!

2011-10-26T23:05:00.002-06:00

The rain moved in this morning as well as cooler temperatures. It was only light rain so it wasn’t so bad. Today was our scheduled appointment to have the new heating element installed in the convection oven. The repairman arrived shortly after 11:00 and did not leave until 1:35. I am so glad my convection oven finally works again. I baked some potatoes and a cake. Yeah!!!

We had some questions about the new axle. We were having a wear problem with one of the tires on the front axle and sent pictures to Lippert Components, makers of the axle. They said it needed to be replaced and when we got to a place long enough they would ship it to us for replacement under parts and labor warranty.

It seems the leaves on the trees in the park have changed overnight. I thought they were pretty enough to take a few pictures.

The trees across the street from our site.

The trees behind us.

Later this afternoon Mac and Netters came by for a visit.

Tonight Mike and Leslie and John and I combined our meat and vegetables for dinner. Afterwards it was time for some 10 Penny. Leslie won a round and John won two. I think Mike and I need a rematch. LOL The cards were not kind to us tonight.

Laugh everyday. Happy trails. Stay safe.

Axle replaced.

2011-10-25T21:18:00.002-06:00

Up early this morning and over to Branson Motor Coach to have the front axle replaced. Since our “home on wheels” was in the shop Fred stayed with Mike and Leslie while we were gone. The axle replacement took a few hours so John, Fred and I chilled out at Mike and Leslie’s until it was completed. Thanks Mike and Leslie for your hospitality.

This afternoon we all loaded up to make a run to the grocery store and to get some pictures of the autumn leaves. They are so beautiful this time of year.

Tomorrow the repairman is scheduled to return and install the heating element in the convection oven. I will be so happy then. LOL

Laugh everyday. Happy trails. Stay safe.

Dinner at Mac and Netters

2011-10-24T22:24:00.001-06:00

Today Mike and Leslie and John and I went over to Mac and Netters for dinner. Mac grilled up some chopped sirloin steaks and Netters prepared baked potatoes, green beans and bread. Everything was so delicious. Thank you Mac and Netters for a wonderful dinner.

Mac and Netters.

Mike and John.

When dinner was over we went inside for a game of 10 Penny. We had fun playing even though we racked up a lot of points. Leslie emerged the winner. After the game Mac served up some carrot cake. It was quite tasty.

Tomorrow is our scheduled appointment to have the axle replaced on the Mobile Suites so we will have to set the clock and get up early. Hopefully they will finish the replacement early in the day.

Laugh everyday. Happy trails. Stay safe.

Dinner with friends, frozen custard and 10 Penny.

2011-10-23T09:00:00.001-06:00

Nice weather again today. Temperatures in the 70s…..just the way I like it. After lunch Mac and Netters drove over for a visit. Netters and I went into town to look around at the outlet malls. We went in several shoe outlets but did not find anything that we could not live without. When we got back from our outing Netters and I walked over and visited with Leslie until dinner.

Since the weather was so nice we all gathered outside to eat. John had grilled some brats and chicken and steamed some corn and Leslie had prepared some cole slaw and a delicious spinach dish. We enjoyed visiting so much that I forgot to take pictures……again. LOL

Later on Leslie, Mike, John and I went into town to Andy’s for some frozen custards. To the people back home in Mississippi this is the same thing as Bops. It is so hard to pass up. Yummy! After returning from Andy’s we decided to play some 10 Penny. Mike won the first round and John won the second. I think Leslie and I need a rematch. LOL

Laugh everyday. Happy trails. Stay safe.

Safe travels to Chuck and Kathy

2011-10-22T10:28:00.000-06:00

Up to a warm sunny day. I started a pot roast in the crock pot then took Fred on his morning walk. The sad thing is when I looked across the street Chuck and Kathy were already gone. Everyone said their see you laters last night so we knew they would be leaving before we got up. We just wished we could have visited with them a while longer. We wish them safe travels until we meet again.

Chuck and Kathy’s empty site.

Later on I walked next door to visit with Leslie. When I arrived she was trying to get her printer to work. We tried to figure it out together but were not successful. John came over and we asked him to look at it. He worked on it while we went to run some errands and was still at it when we returned. Finally he determined the right cord was plugged into the wrong place. Yeah….now it works. Sometimes technology can be frustrating. LOL

Tonight we played a couple rounds of 10 Penny. Mike won a round and I won another.

Laugh everyday. Happy trails. Stay safe.

Dinner at Golden Corral

2011-10-21T23:31:00.002-06:00

This afternoon the gang gathered at Golden Corral for and early dinner. Donna, Nolan, Carla and the grandbaby drove over from Springfield . It was great meeting them.

Chuck, Mike, John, Mac and Nolan.

Leslie and Kathy.

John, Mac, Nolan, Donna & grandbaby and Netters.

Chuck, Mike and John. (Looks like they are plotting something) LOL

Chuck is so funny.

Tonight we said our goodbyes to Chuck and Kathy. Tomorrow they will be heading out to their next destination. We enjoyed our visit with them and will really miss them. Hope to see them down the road again real soon.

Laugh everyday. Happy trails. Stay safe.

Oh look…the gang is all here.

2011-10-21T08:52:00.003-06:00

Last night it didn’t get as cold as predicted. That was fine by me. Today our friends Chuck and Kathy will be arriving here to stay for a couple of days. Also our friends Mac and Netters will be staying at another park near here for a week. It will be good to see them all again.

Mike, Leslie and John and I went on a Wal-mart run and made it back just in time to meet Chuck and Kathy. Luckily they parked in a site right across from ours.

Tonight we all got together for chili, hotdogs with all the fixings, Lynette brought one of John's favorites, a corn casserole, Kathy brought a tasty bottle of wine and Leslie brought over a yummy pumpkin dessert. A little later Don, Susie, Lynn and Mickey stopped by to see everyone. We had a nice long visit sharing travel stories as well as repair stories. This has been the year for repairs. I think all of us have reached our quota. LOL

Susie, Mickey and Kathy

Netters

Lynn, Mac, Chuck, Mike and Leslie

John demonstrating how to use the hillbilly flashlight sent to him from RV buddy Jenny.

Laugh everyday. Happy trails. Stay safe.

Too dang cold.

2011-10-19T23:11:00.003-06:00

Woke up to 39 degrees. Uck! It was supposed to reach at least 50 degrees but it never went over 48. The weatherman has forecasted 30 degrees for tonight’s low. Now I just do not like that. LOL

Tonight we had dinner with Mike and Leslie. Mike grilled some awesome pork chops. We also had potatoes and onions and steamed carrots. I forgot to take a picture again. After dinner we played three rounds of 10 Penny. On one of the rounds Mike had a score of “5”. That is the lowest score I have seen. Way to go Mike.

John took a couple of pictures of the toad this morning.

Laugh everyday. Happy trails. Stay safe.

Tow Vehicle (a toad)

2011-10-18T21:41:00.002-06:00

John and I went on a road trip today to meet friends and look at a tow vehicle. Unfortunately something came up and our friends couldn’t make it. We went ahead with our plans to look at the vehicle and brought it back home with us. It is a 2002 Suzuki Vitara 4x4, one owner with 49k miles. I plan to post a picture tomorrow.

While we were away for the day Mike and Leslie dog sat Fred. I know Fred loved that. Thanks Mike and Leslie for helping us out.

Laugh everyday. Happy trails. Stay safe.

Convection oven part ordered.

2011-10-17T21:30:00.000-06:00

I can’t believe the repairman came out to look at the convection oven. Turns out it is the heating element so the part is on order. Hopefully the part will be here in just a few days. We have been trying to get it fixed since July so …..enough already. LOL

Tonight John and I had dinner with Mike and Leslie. We had grilled chicken, roasted potatoes, steamed squash, garlic bread and grilled pineapple. It was sooooo good. Sorry I forgot to take pictures again.

Laugh everyday. Happy trails. Stay safe.

Lunch with friends, ladder golf and visitors.

2011-10-16T08:37:00.001-06:00

Woke up again today to cool temperatures but it quickly warmed up and reached the 80 degree mark by the afternoon. The weather was so nice we all met outside for lunch. We enjoyed rib dinner leftovers from last night. I think it was even better the second time around.

After lunch we remained outside visiting and playing ladder golf. A little later in the afternoon Don, Susie, Mickey and Lynn stopped by. We enjoyed a nice long visit.

Tomorrow the repairman is supposed to be here to fix our convection oven……sometime between 8 and 5. I am keeping my fingers crossed as we have been trying to get it fixed since July.

Laugh everyday. Happy trails. Stay safe.

BBQ Ribs & 10 Penny

2011-10-15T22:41:00.001-06:00

Woke up to 48 degrees. You now I don’t like cold weather so I hope it doesn’t get much cooler than that. By 10:00 a.m. it was in the 60s….that is ok.

After lunch John and I walked up to the front of the park to play putt putt golf. We played 18 holes and John was the winner. That ball just didn’t want to go where I wanted it to. LOL

Tonight we all got together for dinner outside. We had BBQ ribs, slaw, potato salad baked beans and rolls. It was so delicious.

John and Mike bringing the ribs to the table.

After our delicious meal we came inside to play some 10 Penny. I won the first round, John the second and Leslie the third. I am sure Mike will get us on the rematch. LOL

Laugh everyday. Happy trails. Stay safe.

Stone Hill Winery

2011-10-14T23:08:00.001-06:00

Today was “clean out the refrigerator” day. Not my favorite thing to do but you know it just has to be done. LOL

This afternoon John and I went with Mike and Leslie to check out a couple of campgrounds for some of our RV friends. While we were out we stopped in at the Stone Hill Winery for the tour and wine tasting. There were lots of people at he winery…..a tour bus full. I guess wine tasting was popular today.

Tonight we went to Mike and Leslie’s for dinner. We had spaghetti then later settled in to watch the movie The Tourist. It was fast paced and had a twisting plot that kept you interested. I think this was one of Johnny Depp’s best performances.

Laugh everyday. Happy trails. Stay safe.

Brats, Bingo and 10 Penny.

2011-10-13T23:24:00.002-06:00

Woke up to sunny skies this morning. Yeah!! Looks like the rain has finally moved on.

John and I rode into town with Mike and Leslie to look around in some of the outlet stores. Leslie and I looked for our favorite sandals in the Crocs store but they did not have any. We are still wearing the ones we bought last year but wanted another pair. The sales lady showed us several different styles. We tried them on but were not satisfied with the fit. Oh well, we struck out on that. During our outing today we also stopped in at Kohl’s but didn’t see anything we couldn't live without so on to Wal-mart we went.

Tonight John and Mike grilled some brats for dinner. We tried two new flavors; pineapple jalapeno and apple. They were both delicious.

Mike and John setting the table.

After dinner we rode over to the clubhouse for bingo. We played 10 games and John won the round for the person with the sorriest card. LOL Since the night was still young after bingo we decided to play some 10 Penny. I won the first round and Mike and Leslie tied on the second.

Laugh everyday. Happy trails. Stay safe.

Rain and more rain.

2011-10-12T08:44:00.000-06:00

More rain today. Uck!!! John cooked sausage gravy and biscuits for all of us this morning. It was so good. I know that is not diet food but sometimes you just have a taste for biscuits and gravy. LOL

The rain continued on and off most of the morning then by early afternoon the sun came out. We were hoping that was the end of the rain but ….NO….. It started up again just as Mike and John ventured out to the grocery store for some French bread to go with the spaghetti Leslie was was making.

We enjoyed a delicious meal while it stormed outside. Of course the night would not be complete without some 10 Penny. John and Mike were the winners tonight. I think we will have a rematch. LOL

Laugh everyday. Happy trails. stay safe.

Dinner with Mike and Leslie

2011-10-11T23:02:00.001-06:00

Woke up to the sound of rain and overcast skies. It stayed likes this on and off all day long. John and I went on a Wal-Mart run with Mike and Leslie this afternoon. After leaving Wal-Mart we stopped in at Freddy’s for some lunch. John and Mike got Chicago style hot dogs, Leslie chose the patty melt and I got a steak burger. The food was quite tasty.

Tonight Mike and Leslie prepared a dinner for us to celebrate our anniversary. The weather was too rainy last night to cook out so we had it tonight instead. We had grilled flat iron steak, grilled asparagus, loaded sweet potatoes and coconut and chocolate cake for dessert. Mike had just finished grilling when the rains moved in again. After dinner we played a round of 10 Penny as it stormed outside. There was lots of thunder and lightening and we even lost power for a few minutes.

This was some yummy food.

Mike and Leslie.

Thanks Mike and Leslie for a wonderful meal. We really enjoyed it.

Laugh everyday. Happy trails. Stay safe.

31st Wedding Anniversary

2011-10-10T22:47:00.001-06:00

John and I celebrated our 31st wedding anniversary today. My how times flies.

October 10, 1980

Today was a travel day for us. We woke up to the sound of rain. Funny how it waited to rain on the very morning we were hooking up and pulling out. We made it to Treasure Lake Resort in Branson, MO around 3:00 p.m. Wouldn’t you just know it……the rain began falling here too. Oh, well it was light rain so that isn’t too bad.

On a sad note, this morning we received word that my parent’s neighbor, Danny Whitehead passed away. He went to high school with us and had retired from the City of Ridgeland a few years back. Our thoughts and prayers are with his family.

Laugh everyday. Happy trails. Stay safe.

Arts & Crafts, Cider & Donuts & a Winery.

2011-10-09T21:59:00.002-06:00

Mike and Leslie and John and I had a day full of outings. Our first stop was the Sugar Mound Arts and Crafts Festival in Mound City, KS. The merchandise at the festival are made by local people. The admission and parking were both free. There were lots of things to look at and lots of people attending.

Our second stop was Miss B’s for lunch. We made it just in time to get the last table. Today the café had a buffet complete with fried chicken!!! Oh yeah it was all good. I forgot to take a picture of the food. Sorry.

After our delicious lunch it was on to the Louisburg Cider Mill. They are known for their cider and donuts. It was very crowded here also. There were pumpkin sales, a festival with rides for the children and a live band playing. We bought cider and donuts for later.

Mike with his cider and donuts.

John and Mike watching the cider being bottled.

John and Mike watching the donuts being fried.

Live band playing at the Cider Mill.

A homemade vehicle in the parking lot. John walked over and talked to these people. It is part motorcycle and part Volkswagen.

By this time we were tired of crowds so we headed over to the Somerset Winery. We each sampled wines and ended up buying a bottle of the same kind then ventured outside to listen to music. The musician played keyboard, guitar, banjo, mandolin and harmonica. He played several different types of music and was entertaining.

Mike, Leslie and John outside the winery.

Our last stop was McBee’s Bratwurst General Store. After grilling the brats last night we decided to get some more before leaving the area. These are the best we have ever had.

Tomorrow will be a travel day for us. We will be traveling on to Branson, MO.

Laugh everyday. Happy trails. Stay safe.

Mike and Leslie have arrived.

2011-10-08T22:17:00.002-06:00

This morning John and I road over to a town called Amsterdam to McBee’s Bratwurst General Store to check out the bratwurst. They have 30 flavors of brats plus a meat market. A very nice little store. We bought pineapple, cordon bleu, jalapeno cheddar, pepper jack and Philly teaser brats.

Later this afternoon John and I were sitting outside waiting on our friends Mike and Leslie to come in. We spotted them coming into the park entrance and expected to see them within a few minutes. After a few minutes had passed and they had not arrived we knew they had probably taken a wrong turn. The campground is located in the very back of the park and cannot be seen from the front gate. While we were waiting Leslie called and asked where we were. The guard directed them the wrong way. John got in the truck and drove down the road to see if he could find them.

Yeah! They have arrived.

They parked in the site next to us.

After getting parked Mike and John worked on Mike’s landing jack while Leslie and I visited.

Fred was so happy to see his friend Leslie.

Tonight John grilled a package of the pineapple brats and Leslie prepared some squash and sliced peaches for dinner. The pineapple brats were so good they would make you want to slap somebody. LOL I bet the other flavors will be just as tasty. Of course the night would not be complete without playing a round of 10 Penny. Tonight Mike was the winner. Way to go Mike.

Laugh everyday. Happy trails. Stay safe.

Slide awning brake installed.

2011-10-07T21:16:00.002-06:00

Warm and sunny again today. There doesn’t seem to be any sign of rain and by the looks of the ground here it could sure use it.

John was busy this morning installing the slide awning brake on the bedroom slide. It didn’t take him very long at all. He is so handy.

Tonight I make homemade shrimp fried rice for dinner.

I remembered to take a picture.

Tomorrow we plan to drive to Mound City, KS and check out the Sugar Mound Arts and Crafts Festival. The lady at the park office here told us it is worth the drive.

Laugh everyday. Happy trials. Stay safe.

Just hanging out at the park.

2011-10-06T22:45:00.001-06:00

Nothing exciting going on today. Just laundry and other stuff like that. John took his one mile walk and I took Fred on three walks today. At least we are getting exercise. I guess that means there may be a dessert in the future. LOL

We hope to see our friends tomorrow or by the weekend. You know we will be playing some 10 Penny then. Yeah!!

Laugh everyday. Happy trails. Stay safe.

A walk in the park and Putt-Putt Golf.

2011-10-05T21:36:00.001-06:00

Up around 10:00 this morning. I guess we would get up earlier if we didn’t stay up so late at night. LOL Fred is just as bad as we are.

We decided to walk to the front of the park and play a round of putt-putt golf this afternoon. I think we played an even game or very close to it. We didn’t keep a score card just enjoyed playing. There aren’t many people in the park these days because of the season. There are only six other RVs in our section of the park so it is very quiet.

Putt-putt golf course.

Mailboxes for the residents of Linn Valley Park.

Linn Valley Fire Station

Park Office

Front gates at the entrance to the park.

Laugh everyday. Happy trails. Stay safe.

Lunch with Paul and Mary.

2011-10-04T21:57:00.002-06:00

John and I drove over to Louisburg and met Paul and Mary for lunch at a place called Miss B’s Café. The food and service was very good.

This is John’s plate. Look at the size of that country fried steak. Wow! I think that is the biggest one I have ever seen. LOL

I chose a grilled chicken sandwich on sourdough bread with a side of applesauce. This is the first pink applesauce I have eaten. It was tasty. Of course we were too full for dessert but got some to go. All the pies at this place were homemade. We chose a slice of coconut cream and a slice strawberry rhubarb. Yum Yum.

We enjoyed our visit with Paul and Mary and hope to meet up with them down the road one day. It is always fun to share travel stories with fellow full timers.

Mary and Paul.

Later in the afternoon John and Fred settled down for a nap.

I guess I was making too much noise when I reached for the camera because I woke Fred up. Doesn’t he look like he is aggravated with me. LOL

Laugh everyday. Happy trails. Stay safe.

Salmon Meatballs.

2011-10-03T21:25:00.002-06:00

Still warm and sunny here. It got up to 81 degrees today. This afternoon we went on our walk and took a different route. I forgot the camera so no pictures of that.

Tonight I cooked salmon meatballs, pasta with a reduction sauce and steamed brussel sprouts for dinner.

I remembered to get a picture after I started eating it. Oops! I have got to do better than that. LOL

Tomorrow John and I are meeting fellow RVers Paul and Mary in Louisburg, KS for lunch. It will be great to finally meet them.

Laugh everyday. Happy trails. Stay safe.

French Toast

2011-10-02T22:35:00.001-06:00

Up later this morning…..almost 10:00! Oops, I guess we are getting lazy again. LOL

John cooked French toast for breakfast.

He started with a loaf of French bread.

Then added other ingredients and cooked them on the griddle.

The finished product. It was yummy.

We stayed at home today and watched the race and later John grilled burgers. He cooked twice today. Boy did I get lucky. LOL

Laugh everyday. Happy trails. Stay safe.

Trip to Wal-mart.

2011-10-01T22:57:00.001-06:00

Woke up to cooler temperatures this morning. I don’t think it got any higher than 75 degrees today. That’s ok it is still warm enough. As long as it doesn’t start freezing I will be ok. LOL

This afternoon we took a road trip to Wal-mart for groceries. I say road trip because the closest Walmart is about 30 miles away.

Hopefully it won’t be too windy tomorrow so we can grill out. It gets real windy here at times which makes it real hard to cook out.

Laugh everyday. Happy Trails. Stay Safe.

Just chilling out.

2011-09-30T21:01:00.001-06:00

Another sunny warm day here in Linn Valley. Not much going on today. We just chilled out at home and caught up on household chores. I guess you could say today was a lazy day. Even Fred was lazy.

Tomorrow we will make a Wal-mart run for groceries. You know that is always fun. LOL

Fred in his favorite hiding place.

Laugh everyday. Happy trails. Stay safe.

Bodark (Osage-Orange) Trees

2011-09-29T21:40:00.001-06:00

The weather was nice today; sunny skies and warm temperatures. A good day for a long walk so……off we went.

As we walked through the park we noticed lots of odd looking trees with green balls on them and on the ground. John said they are bodark trees or Osage-orange trees. When we got back from our walk I had to look that up on the internet. I was amazed to read that today the fruit is sometimes used to deter spiders, cockroaches, box elder bugs, crickets, fleas, and other arthropods. Hey, I am for anything that can deter a cockroach. Can’t stand the nasty things. LOL

Bodark tree.

A ball or “the fruit” from the tree. The green balls are so hard they could give you a concussion if they hit you on the head. LOL

Look who showed up today….that pesty sock monkey.

I guess he escaped from the cabinet. LOL

Laugh everyday. Happy trails. Stay safe.

Linn Valley, KS

2011-09-28T21:43:00.002-06:00

John got up early and caught a ride over to the truck shop to pick up the Freightliner. Yeah!! Thank you Earl for giving John a ride this morning.

We were on the road before 11:00. The trip today was uneventful and we made it to Linn Valley, KS around 4:15. Of course we had to make a grocery run after getting set up.

Our site.

We saw several deer while walking around the park.

See the deer lying on the ground next to the tree in the center of the picture.

This deer stopped to look at us.

There are three in this picture. One lying on the ground next to the tree on the left side of the picture, one in the middle and one toward the right hand side.

They finally walked on into the woods.

Laugh everyday. Happy trails. Stay safe.