Yes....back in Tampa

Yes, we are back in Tampa at my Uncle's marina.  We have been all settled in here for a little over two weeks.  Lots of holiday celebrations.....great food and fun shared with family and friends.  It's good to be back!
Getting ready for our big New Year's Eve bash.....folks have come by boat and by RV.......we have such fun and everyone spends the night.....that is the best part... not worrying about folks driving home!  We can all just relax and enjoy!  Wishing everyone a safe and Happy New Year.....

Back in Miami

Back in Miami and back at the Larry and Penny Thompson Park.  This time we made sure we had a "roomy" site....less trees and much easier to get in and out!  We had originally planned on spending another 3 days in Key Largo, but that did not work out.  I had called the Key Largo Kampground and Marina RV Park....to check on availability and to make sure they could handle a rig our size.  The gentleman I spoke to assured me it was no problem and, in fact, I could have a waterfront site if I was interested.  We only had about an hours travel time to reach the place so we didn't leave Grassy Key until noon.  Arrived at the Key Largo park around 1:30.  Passed a really nasty accident on the way.....a semi who somehow manage to dislodge his entire cab from its frame....really scary looking.  We knew something had happen because before we left Grassy Key traffic had backed up for several miles.  Sure hope everyone involved in that mess is ok.  Anyway, back in Key Largo I'm informing the gal at the desk that I called yesterday....that we had a 40 foot fifth wheel, 3 slides, 2 dogs, and a dually.  She is all smiles, tells me the site number and to go ahead and check out the site then come back and pay.  This park is really old and tight.....got back to the site....no way in "heck" are we getting into it.  Back to the office to explain and she actually says to me, "Oh no, the largest rig we can accommodate anywhere in the park is 35 foot".  "I thought you meant you were 4o foot total...including your truck".  I"m like "REALLY????",  I called yesterday and spoke to a gentleman who assured me you could handle us.  "Oh well, maybe he thought you meant 4o foot total too".  Again, "REALLY????"!!!!!  Here it is late in the day, we have no place to go, and I really would like to jump over the counter and strangle this old lady with my bare hands.....time to go....least I be seeing the inside of a jail cell.  We got back in the truck...regrouped....and decided Miami was our best and safest bet.  Thank goodness that plan worked out.  Once we arrived and were set up we treated ourselves to a nice dinner out at the local Longhorn steakhouse....it was delicious!  Yesterday I went back to the Miami zoo and spent another great day there enjoying all the animals.  It really is a beautiful zoo!
Tomorrow, Friday, we head to Fort Myers.  Found a Passport America Park....looks very nice.  They have 75 foot concrete pull throughs and were even willing to give us the passport rate for all 3 nights...on a weekend no less.  Sure hope there are no surprises waiting for us there!  I'll let you know.....and yes, there will be photos!!

Grassy Key, Marathon

We have spent the last 3 nights in a sweet little RV park in Grassy Key.  It is called Grassy Key RV Park and Resort.  It is just about 15 miles north of Marathon.  Check out the web site, it is a small park so do call ahead for reservations.  I would also suggest you try and get a premium site....a lot more room and easier to get in and out!  There is also a bicycle/walking trail about a 1/2 mile from the park....very nice...will take you right into Marathon...about 18 miles round trip.  Easy riding....fairly flat and a lot of shade!  Here are some pics of the park and our site....

Awesome views....

Here is our site...we were right next to the pool.  They keep the pool right at 90 degrees...wonderful!!

Looking back from the dock....see us back there on the left

I just love this palm!  The whole place is beautifully landscaped and maintained!  

Key West.....

Loving Key West......we ate, we drank, we danced our way through downtown Key West and yes I'd have to say we were extremely merry!  LOL! In fact, my sister and I were even up dancing on the bar in Coyote Ugly!  That was a first for me and what a hoot it was!!! I know there is video of that event on my brother's iphone!
Here our a few pics of our digs there....beautiful......

 

Awesome right??

 Great relaxation spot!

This is where we parked....great view of the water out the rear window!

Now our stay was not without it's problems.....the "girls" (me, my sister, and two friends) headed over to the Tiki Bar one night (within walking distance).  We had a little trouble finding our way....somehow I manage to get caught in a neighbor's hedge...LOL!  But on the way back, we all decided to play a game of "we all fall down" lots of giggling ensued but somehow we managed to find our way home....although one of us lost their shoes...we did go back and find them later...the shoes not the person....HA!

Then there was the "oatmeal" incident.  Never try to microwave your oatmeal in a plastic bowl....cause this is what happens.....

Not good.....and yes, I was completely sober!

Now let's talk about my Bill!  What can I say....what a trooper!  Sober all week taking care of those who weren't.....a very dedicated DD!  I can always count on him to be there keeping us all safe.  I know it is not that much fun for you my love, but I so appreciate you allowing me to "party" with friends and family.  Just one little thing.....apparently lighting the oven Thanksgiving Day proved to be a bit to much for my overworked man.  Seems he forgot to take the "electric match" that he used to light the oven, out of the oven after it was lite.  NOT a good thing!  I was not there, but he said a fireball came busting outta of the oven and this is what was left of the match....

He was pretty lucky, as the match was almost empty of gas at the time.  

We left Key West Saturday and moved up to a great little rv park in Grassy Key.  I'll have some pics for you next post.  I hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving!  ME....time to dry out a bit before the next "party adventure"!!!  Living the "GoodeLife" and loving it!!

Miami

Yes we made it to the Keys and I am having a fabulous time!  Playing a little catch-up here on the blog....wanted to share a campground we stayed at in Miami and some photos of the Miami Zoo we visited.  The campground is the Larry and Penny Thompson Memorial Park and Campground.  It is very nice, but not very "big rig" friendly.  Sites are predominately back in and tight.  We have a 4o foot rig and it is "doable" but take it slow and have someone outside your rig making sure you are clear of concrete post and trees!  LOL!

 

The sites are set up in "pods" each pod resembling a wagon wheel with sites being the "spokes"

This is us.....

 

and here is my Dad's site

Our trip to the Miami Zoo was great and I do recommend a visit if you are in the area.  It is large so plan to spend the day.....

 

Here is Bill enjoying his day at the zoo!

Not sure what this guy is trying to accomplish....but hang in there dude!

Gorgeous Toucan!

 

and my favorite a Harpy Eagle.  He (or she) is awesome!

More to come on the Keys and some more photos next time!

 

 

 

 

 

Change of Plans

Originally, I thought we would be in the Keys by now, but turns out I had my Thanksgiving "date" all messed up.  I thought Thanksgiving was this upcoming Thursday....oops....what can I say, ever since we have been fulltiming I seem to have a hard time with the calendar.  Mainly because I never really pay much attention to it.  Not only do I typically not know what day it is, but I also have trouble knowing what city or state I'm waking up in on some days....LOL!  Anywhooo....we will be leaving Tampa tomorrow.  We will be taking the fifth wheel and following my Dad in his motorhome.  It will be the first time Dad and I have "traveled" together with our rigs.  I'm so looking forward to it!  This Thanksgiving will be a special one.  Bill and I usually are "on the road" somewhere celebrating with just us two, I mean four, can't forget the furballs.  Thanksgiving is one of their favorite holidays....they love turkey! 
Glad we were able to work this out so we can spend the holiday with family and friends....and in such a beautiful place!  Once again...so blessed....with this "GoodeLife" on the road!

All Settled in.....for now

We are all "settled in" at my Uncle's marina here in Tampa Florida.  Just love it here!  Last night we headed down to Ybor City with family and friends.....

As you can see....I'm having a really good time!  LOL!  Actually any of you who know me...know I don't drink beer.  I'm a Patron girl, but my cousin ordered this and I couldn't resist the "photo opp"..Ha!  We had such a good time laughing, dancing, singing....and I still managed to be home and in my bed by 10pm (we did start at 3pm)!

Walmart....Shame on you!

Yesterday was a travel day.....kinda a long one for us.  We normally don't like traveling on Sundays, but decided to go ahead and move on down the road.  We are heading straight down I75 South, once through Atlanta decided it was time for a little lunch.  Found a Cracker Barrel and a Walmart almost side by side in McDonough GA.  Now this Walmart had two parking areas...kinda an upper and lower.  We parked in the upper lot....which was empty except for 2 or 3 semis.  Now there were signs...no overnight parking and no truck parking, but we have never had a problem parking for an hour or two to have lunch and YES...we did buy a few groceries.  We popped over to Cracker Barrel for lunch, it was busy so that took about  1 1/2 hrs.  Then we headed back over to Walmart to pick up a few items.  Once back at the fifth wheel, we decided to go ahead and feed the furballs their dinner as it was going on 2pm.  Next thing I know a giant tow truck is pulling up beside us and is telling me that we have to go....Walmart is tired of all of us parking in their parking lot....tearing up their property and such.  I'm like, "what the hell are you talking about....we just bought some groceries here and are taking a little break from the road"  and his response,  "I understand, but you gotta go".  There was another rv that had just pulled in and they got the same message.  Mama is NOT HAPPY and you know the drill....if Mama ain't happy, nobodies happy.  I immediately got on the phone to the store and spoke with a manager.  She seemed to be oblivious to what was going on in her parking lot.  Wanted to know who the tow company was and NO it was not their policy to tow rv'ers especially after they had been shopping at the store.  She did come outside and spoke at length to the tow truck driver.....what was said, I have no idea.  She never came over to talk to me.  Which makes me think, that somebody higher up the food chain had called the tow truck.  We took our time, fed our pups, filled our diesel tanks, and got back out on the road.  So, if you are ever in the vicinity of the Walmart on Willow Ln in McDonough GA.....take my advice and keep on trucking right on down the road!  They are NOT RV friendly!
We landed in Tifton GA for a couple of nights.  Staying at the I75 RV Park.  Nice little place....nothing fancy and not much around to do or see....but a great place for an overnight or two! 

Today the sun is shining and the temps are climbing into the 70's.....yes, indeed....flip flop weather at last!  Tomorrow (Tuesday) we will be back on the road to Tampa!

A little Chattanooga Sight Seeing....

We did a little sight seeing in Chattanooga...starting right here at the Trav-l-park.  It seems this park was built right on top of a civil war battlefield...located on the campground is a monument marker to the 84th Indiana Infantry.  You can click on the above links for more information and history.

Here is the marker....pretty neat since I am originally from Indiana....born and raised

 

Here is a photo of our site....nice level pull through, full hook ups

 Photo of our row.....it is a popular place.  We didn't make a reservation and got lucky.  Got the last "big rig" friendly site.

Of course, we had to go downtown and check out the Chattanooga Choo Choo hotel.  You can read all about what it has to offer by clicking on the link.  Here is a plaque that explains the history of the train above

 

The hotel was interesting, but don't waste your money on the miniature train display....that was pretty sad

Next we decided to take the free trolley down to  the art district.

 

Got to walk across this awesome glass bridge.....don't look down!

And checked out some interesting sculptures on the river walk....

 

This was my absolute favorite.

We had a nice BBQ meal at a place called "Sticky Fingers" and ended our day with a little ice cream from "Clumpies".  They make all their flavors on site....fresh...and oh so good!!  All in all we found Chattanooga an interesting and diverse place.  Will have to stop by again when we have a little more time to explore and a little warmer weather would be nice....you can do a lot of walking in this city!

Chattanooga......

Uneventful travel day.....well, except for taking the wrong exit!  Our garmin has finally bitten the dust.  So...no problem....been using my "smart" phone.  Apparently we are not as smart as it is!  Ha!  We were looking for Exit 1 for our campground.  Suddenly we see signage that I75 goes to the left and I24 goes to the right.  The smart phone is strangely quiet....Billy thinks we may need to go right, I was certain we stayed on 75.  At least I was certain right up to the time Billy started questioning my "certainty".  So, at the last minute I told him to take I24.....WRONG!  Nooooow the "smart" phone has plenty to say!  No biggie as we took the next exit without any issues and got turned back around.  Note to self....."trust your traveling instincts"!  But, of course, there was lots of yelling and confusion for about 30 seconds...LOL!
Pulled into the Chattanooga Trav-l-park safe and sound around 3pm.  Nice pull through and lots of friendly smiling faces.  Busy little park. 
Today we will head into Chattanooga and yes...I'll be packing my camera...to see what interesting sights we can find!

Georgetown photos

We drove around Georgetown and I got a few good photos to share.  It was a beautiful fall day, but a bit chilly and windy for us to do much walking.  I checked out a couple shops on main street and snapped a few photos there.....

It is a very well done downtown with lots of restored storefronts.  Unfortunately, like many small towns there are not a lot of shops to explore....still worth the visit just for the architecture!

Found a bit of spectacular fall color to share and.......

 

I could not resist this colorful guy....just gorgeous...

 

Here is our campsite at Whispering Hills

 

Since the campground was fairly empty, we did have a nice view of the lake!   Friday, we head back down the road....next stop...."Pardon me boys, is that the Chattanooga Choo Choo"....You guessed it......Chattanooga Tennessee.  Just so all you southern folks know, we did close the door when we left....but dang that cold air seems to be following us down your way anyway!

Headed South.....at last.....

Wow....we left Lafayette around 2:30pm Tuesday!  Never imagine we would be that late getting out of town, but "it takes what it takes" and things just took longer then expected!  Just glad to be on the road again.  We arrived in Cincinnati that evening and set up in the parking lot of Precision Temp...for the repair of our on demand hot water heater.  We are NOT boondockers....but we managed to survive the night although we did find out that our batteries do need to be replaced.  They are just not holding or charging like they used to do!  Kinda like us....we don't recharge as well as we used to either...LOL!  The Precision folks took great care of us and our hot water heater is working great....back on the road by early afternoon.  Unfortunately the rain caught up with us and we had a very wet travel day.....stopped here in Georgetown, Kentucky at the Whispering Hills Rv Park.  Nice little park....certainly adequate for a night or two.  We decided on two!  Got lucky, as the rain let up just long enough for us to get set up.  After I fed the furballs and got them settled, it was time to go in search of dinner for the two of us.  What a find I found!  A great little restaurant, Wilshire's.  The Wilshires saved the historic home of John Payne, restored as much of as they could and turned it into the restaurant.  We had the most fabulous evening and dinner, with a really sweet waitress who told us all about the history and the resident GHOST....yes, apparently they hear the former owner, Mr Payne walking around the place from time to time.  It is just beautiful!  Tomorrow we will drive into Georgetown and check it out....then maybe a drive into nearby Lexington.  Hoping to get some photos tomorrow to share here on the blog....then it is back on the road to Florida come Friday.  LIFE IS GOODE!

BOOOOOO!

Aw....I just love Halloween....tis my favorite time of year!  Such a shame that the weather is so crappy this year....nothing but rain, rain, and more rain.  I'm afraid everyone is going to be very soggy by the end of the bewitching hour!
I spent the day yesterday taking advantage of the dry and warmer temps.  Rounded up all the "stuff" that needs to be packed into the basement.  Lawn chairs, rugs, doggie bathtub, the grill....all those things that make life easier on the road.  Billy is still working over at our "stick-n-brick" house.  Our son Sam and his lovely "bride-to-be" are living there now.  The house needed a new furnace and we decided to relocate it and the hot water heater to a closet in the garage.  Our utility room has always been so small and cramped, but now there is plenty of room for the washer/dryer.  Anyway during the process, Billy decided to replace the hot water heater with an "on demand" unit.  We have one in our fifth wheel and love it.  But as usual, nothing ever goes smoothly for my poor little handyman.  First issue was soldering the new water pipes in the crawlspace....so he is down there, on his back, soldering the copper pipe and "oops!"  Solder has dripped down and landed on his eyebrow....yup, he is very lucky it didn't land in his eye....and yup, there is not much left of his eyebrow.  Once the skin heals....I don't know if he will get any of that eyebrow hair back or not!  Yesterday they had all the connections made....energized the system...and of course there were leaks.  Good news is nothing was leaking under the crawlspace it was all out in the garage....thank goodness, as I would hate for him to "lose" any other valuable body parts!  LOL!    OK....so fixed the leaks....tried again...and small drip, drip, drip on one of the joints....that is today's project and I sure hope it goes smoothly. 
We did make the decision to postpone our trip to Elkhart til next spring.  We really don't have anything major that needs tending to...so when we head outta here, we will be heading SOUTH!  We will be making a "pit stop" in Cincinnati as we need to have a little tweaking down to our "on demand" hot water heater.  Hopefully that won't take but a day or two and then KEY WEST....here we come!

BRRRRRR!

Ok...so I'm officially cold now!  My beloved flip flops have been traded in for the dreaded "socks and shoes" and I've dug out all my turtle necks and sweatshirts!  Temps are dipping into the 30's this week at night and they even mentioned the possibility of snow flurries!  TIME TO GO!  Unfortunately we still have a couple of doctor appointments at the end of the month.  Won't be hitching up til November 1 and then we head north....WHAT!....I know, right!  We need a few things tweaked on the fiver so we are making a quick trip to Elkhart.  Also our on demand hot water heater is having moments of "you can demand all you want, but I'm not producing hot water for you!"  What's up with that!  Beats the heck outta of us.  Every once in a while it just doesn't want to light or it lights and then will shut down.  It is a mystery.....one I hope the folks over in Cincinnati can fix for us as that will be our second stop before hauling "you know what" to warmer weather.  Why Cincinnati?  Well that is where the factory is that made the thing and we like going straight to the top when those "head scratching" kinda problems appear.  I'm hoping the temps are a little warmer as there is a great zoo and city park there in Cincinnati....would be great to visit them both again.
Our winter destination is Florida this year, with our first stop being "the KEYS" for Thanksgiving!  So looking forward to seeing and discovering that area for the first time!

West Baden

Finally something to write about other then hospital stays and procedures....my step dad has been home from the hospital now for about 2 weeks and doing very well.  So glad to put that chapter of my life behind me!  Now on to the FUN.....Mom and I took a much needed mini vaca....just one night!  It was her treat....as we celebrated my B-day a bit early.  Thanks Mom!  We had an awesome time and will go back when we can spend more then just a night.  We went to the West Baden Springs Hotel.  Located near French Lick Indiana.  It was fabulous.....and yes I have a few photos to share......

 

This is the driveway onto the hotel property

ONE of the Grand entrances

Rocking chairs overlooking the beautiful gardens.

I wish we would have had more time to spend....I certainly would have taken advantage of those chairs!  We did wonder around the gardens...just lovely!  There are carriage rides and horseback riding, elegant dining, and a casino nearby too!  Oh...and I must not forget to mention the Spa....wondrous things happen there!  So much history is here and you can just feel the buzz of past years and past patrons.  

This is the atrium....it takes your breath away!

Grand fireplace

and finally me (on the left) and my beautiful Mom!

"This is the House that Jack Built"

So, as I said.....this is the House that Jack (my Dad) built......

This is where it all began with the five of us kids. 

This is how much we have "grown".....and we are missing a few from this photo.  My son, Samuel, and my niece, Clorissa and her son Noah.  Both theses photos were taken on our family cruise.  I think we are a pretty good look-in bunch of folks...but of course I am a little prejudice.  I know we had one heck of a good time on that cruise....thanks again Dad, and thanks for building such an awesome "house" full of love and laughter!                   You and Mom did good!

More Medical News.....

I had my root canal done early Tuesday morning.  The procedure itself was fairly painless, but not so after!  The dentist warned me that the tooth would continue to be painful for a while yet due to the infection and the trauma of the root canal.  Let me tell ya....THAT was an UNDERSTATEMENT!  Thank goodness for drugs and ice packs and another course of antibiotics!  This am seems to be a bit less painful.....and I'm thankful for that and hoping it last!  I go back in two weeks for round 2 of the procedure.....this time he packed my tooth with meds and put in a temporary filling.  Good news is that so far my "crown" on that tooth is holding up to the process and will only need a "patch" job after the completion of the root canal.  Saving some big bucks there!
My Step Father is still in the hospital.  He is stable, but so very weak and still on the ventilator.  However, the ventilator is now attached directly to his trachea.  This decision was made to help in his recovery process and to make him more comfortable.  Looks like he will be needing a long stay in rehab....there they can slowly wean him off the ventilator and start building strength back into his body.  The doctors are hoping to move him there by the end of the week.  That would be a very good thing as we will have him transported by ambulance to a rehab facility here in Lafayette.  Will make life so much easier for my Mom, as she will finally be able to be home instead of staying in a hotels.  So appreciate all those prayers and support from all of you.....thank you!
Now to the lighter side of life.....my little furball boy, by the name of Cosmo, has discovered the horses in the nearby pasture.  Cosmo and Bill were down by the fence line and about 4 or 5 of the horses came by for a visit.  Bill reported that our little boy was a wagging his tail every which way and as the horses put their heads down to investigate, he gave each one of them a big ole KISS on the nose!  Now, every time he goes out he heads down to the fence to see his new friends!

The GoodeLife has its ups and downs.....

I am exhausted!  This past month has been full of highs and some very low....lows.  Let's start with the lows.  My Step Father had surgery....I'm not going into the details, but things have not gone well.  I have spent the past week practically living at the hospital with my Mom.  In the middle of all that...one of my crowns decided to have a meltdown.  The pain was intense.  I managed to contact a dentist who prescribed some pain meds and antibiotic to see me through until he could see me on Sept 3rd.  Mom is still at the hospital...(my Step Father is stable but has a long ways to go it seems to recovery) a couple of Mom's friends are staying with her so I could come home get my medication, rest, and do some laundry before returning to the hospital on Thursday.  His surgery took place in Indianapolis....Mom lives in Lafayette....so it has been a real challenge driving back and forth and staying in hotels, well you get the drift.....exhausting for all of us!
Now for the really great news......I had an AWESOME time on the family cruise with my Dad and brothers, sister, and their families (THANKS AGAIN DAD!).  Probably one of THE best times of my life....lots of wonderful memories made....and I know somewhere on UTUBE I'm shaken my booty with a bunch of Philippians.  I danced til the band stopped playing every night....my body hurt in places I didn't even know it could hurt...but I didn't care I was having the time of my life!!  I'm telling ya....I danced, literally danced circles around all those 20 and 30 something kids on the ship....HA! HA!  Had my own little following of "groupies" too!  OK...so let's just say I left a lasting impression with several folks on that ship!  Did not get to swim with the dolphins though.....I did sign up, but for some unknown reason the event was cancelled.  Disappointing....but I partied on!
Next bit of news....we have relocated and are free of the AOK for the remainder of our stay here in Lafayette.  Some very dear friends invited us to stay at their place once they headed south.  It is truly wonderful....a bit out in the country, concrete pad, full hookups...well have a look for yourselves....

 This is the view out the front door....

Beautifully landscaped.....complete with patio furniture and a gas grill!

 

That is the adjoining pole barn....with a big shower and full size washer and dryer available for our use!

It is just fabulous and we can't thank them enough for allowing use to stay here for our last couple of months before we head south too.  Needed this so badly....a place to really relax and recharge.  When we came home from dinner last night, a mama deer and her two babies where their to greet us.  It is just heaven here.  We have both decided that we want something similar to this set up out in Arizona or New Mexico in a couple of years.  Someplace we can "hang our hat" during the winter months and continue to travel in the fall and summer!

All in all its been a wild and wicked month.....but its all just part of our "Goodelife"!

BRRRR.....

Just a wee bit on the chilly side this am....had to break out the sweats!  The temp is around 57 degrees, feels a bit like fall.  Fall is my favorite time of the year, but I'm not quite ready to give up the summer heat.  The weather man says the heat is coming back...so I"m just going to enjoy this little "fall preview" while it last.
The countdown has began....getting ready to fly down to Florida on the 7th of August to catch a family cruise to the Bahamas a few days later.  I can't "freakin" wait!!  So excited to be with my brothers and sister and their kids and grand kids, Dad and my Step Mom...it is gonna be such great fun!  I do need a little advice....I have an opportunity while on this cruise to be in the water with dolphins.  Now I adore dolphins, but they are BIG and I'm not so sure about being in the water with them....in fact, I'm a bit terrified to do it.  YET...a very big part of me says, "dam the torpedoes...full speed a head"  you only get to ride this ride once so "GO FOR IT"!  BUT...I have yet to "sign" on the dotted line....He, He!  So, what are your opinions and experiences? 
The next few days are gonna be spent getting ready for travel....and making sure my hubby has what he needs...Billy is staying home.  He has only been on one cruise...didn't like it...and says he will never go on another one.  So he will be staying here at the fiver taking care of our furry babies! Not me......
Can you say, "Bahama Mamas".....ooooooh I sure can!!  Set me up bartender!  I can smell the coconut rum from here!!!

What this???? A new blog post!!!

Ha! Ha!  Yeah, I have been really lazy in posting this summer....but I make no apologies...just haven't been terribly motivated to write...til now.  I have something very special to share with all of you.....something I have been kinda keeping on the "QT"!  Drum rollllll pleassssseeee........"Today I have officially lost 50lbs!"  YES!  That's what I said, baby!  50 pounds!!!  It has been quite the transformative journey.  I started last January, when we were in Yuma.  Now, I know your next question......"JUST HOW DID I DO IT!".....well, I wish I could tell you there is a new magic pill or diet plan.  BUT, I did it the old fashion way.  I count calories and exercise...and guess what...there's in app for that!  It is called "lose it" and I use the "free" version to track what I eat and my exercise.  It is simple and easy to use.  I eat so much healthier now and counting calories has really helped me learn portion control too.  More importantly....I gave up nothing!  I still eat and love my chocolate.....my sugar highs.....and my butter.  I just eat less of them on a daily basis, but I do allow myself the occasional splurge!  Surprisingly enough...over time....I have found that those cravings are less frequent and it takes less to satisfy them.  The dreaded exercise.....I started out very simply.  I walked....slowly increasing my distance and speed.  Sometimes on the treadmill, other times around the neighborhood.  Now, I have switched to my bike....LOVE my bike!  I usually ride at lease 7 miles everyday...yes, even in this heat!  I have found I can tolerate the heat pretty well these days and there is always a breeze when you are riding!  My energy level has increased and I just feel better...all over!  More importantly....my health is improving....there is a good chance my doc will take me off my blood pressure medicine this October!  I"m not done.....I'm still losing and I plan to keep on losing till .....well, I don't have an exact number in mind...I think I'll just know when I get there!  LIFE IS GOODE!

Settling in.....

We are finally "settled" in here at the AOK in Lafayette.  We were able to move to a larger site on the front row last week....much better....I feel as though I now have some breathing room.  Not much else to report....the weather has improved a bit, not quite so much rain.  I sure did need to feel the sun on my face again and I have the last few days!
Our son is building this "monster" shed in the backyard of our house.....I think it is 10 feet by 16 feet...but it is the 10 feet tall that really gets your attention!  Ah well, I'm sure when we sell the thing it will be an asset to the next owner....one just never seems to have enough "space" for their "junk"...oops...I mean "treasures"!  I'll post some photos once it is done.  He needed it for his biz, "CrawlSpace Remediation" he is really doing well and is busy, busy, busy!
Guess that is about it.....hope everyone is having a great summer!

Lafayette, here we be!

Yes, we did make it to Lafayette Friday afternoon and we have been busy visiting with family and friends.  Mother's Day proved to be especially exciting as my Great Nephew decided it was time to make his entrance into the world...."Noah Allen"....a beautiful, healthy baby boy...."your great Auntie loves you bunches, little one!"
So...we be settling in here for the summer...kicking back and having fun!  I leave you with a few pictures from my hike in Meramec State Park....

Meramec State Park, MO

We got lucky!  We pulled out of Carthage yesterday and decided to go ahead and check out Meramec State Park along our way.....hoping they might be open and we could spend a couple of nights there.  Well, upon arrival, there was a big sign stating NO vacancies!  BUT....I've learned to not always believe those signs....and it paid off this time.  I went into the office and the sign was up because of the park closure due to flooding.  The park ranger asked how long we wanted to stay....two nights....she called down to one of the other rangers who reported back that the area was clear and to let us "come on down"!  Let me tell you this is one beautiful place and we are just about the only ones here.  No one is in our section.....

 

As you can see.....we have a concrete pad, patio, and picnic table....FULL hookups.  The spacing is better then a lot of places we have been....BUT we have also had a lot less.  DAD....it reminds me of the river property....you would love it.  Lots of trees....lots of woods....and the Meramec River is just a across from us...a few feet away.  Last night and this morning a whole herd of deer (about a dozen mama's and babies) came through the campground area....awesome!  Today I'm hoping to do some hiking and get some photos to share we you all.  In the meantime, here are a few photos from our campground in Carthage....a few signs that despite the snow...spring is well underway.....

 Happy Travels....