Never SAY Never. . .

Well. . .I did it. . .exactly what I said I would never do. . .

the a/c’s were working so hard yesterday,

I finally broke out a couple of solar blankets and

hung them in the windshield to give them a break. . .

I really hate the look. . .but it’ll work until

we can have a solar cover done for the outside. . .right?

 

Finally got the Microsoft Streets and Trips software installed

on my laptop. . .and have been busily mapping out our trip north. . .

definitely ready for cooler climes. . .

 

Til next time,

Janice 

A Great Big Thank You!

Everything is ALL BETTER!

Wanted to say a great big thanks to all of you who sent notes of support and encouragement. . .

Dad has began his rehab in earnest. . .he says they are working him over. . .I say. .GOOD! 

The sooner he can be up and about again following his hip joint repair. . .the better.

My oldest brother has things well in hand with Dad. . .

and my youngest stepbrother has things well in hand with Mom. . .

they have given us their blessing to continue our Summer Trip 2013 plans. . .so

Dave and I have moved the coach to Lake Conroe. . .

it's so nice to once again have a patio area. . .

rather than just the parking spot RV Park we've been at

Dave has a couple more rescue classes to teach for the Fire School. . .

celebrate graduation with our oldest and only grandson. . .

and then plans are to head north. . .our first destination. . .

Little Rock. . .the Capitol of ARKANSAS

If you have tips of place to see or RV parks to stay in. . .please share!

Til next time,

Janice

Annoyed. ..Seriously

Our RV friends Vickie and The Pilot are giving up the RV lifestyle,

and settling in to their sticks and bricks soon. . .

so she is switching her blog over to discussions about aging.

I find that I am enjoying reading her thoughts and ponderings very much. . .

so, last weeks post. . .Off the Rails. . .really struck a nerve. . .

since this is a place my brothers and I find ourselves with our aging parents.

 

I get it. . .I really do. . .I understand the desire for independent living.

I understand the desire to age gracefully and peacefully in your own home. . .

I DON’T understand letting that home disintegrate around you. . .

while you stubbornly cling to your dream of living there til you die. . .

 

I DON’T understand being forced into making a decision for you,

because two years ago, when I requested that a change be made, you refused.

 

I DON’T understand being screamed at by you because,

although you were capable. . .you chose to not make good decisions,

and now we’re having to pick up the pieces. . .and the garbage. . .

and the crap that you’ve collected over the last 40 years,

the stuff that is so important we weren’t allowed to touch

that is stacked into piles and corners. . .

 

So yes. . .I do understand the desire to live independently. . .

but this is the third time Dave and I have had to clean out our parent’s houses. . .

and I for one pray that my children never have to experience the turmoil

we are experiencing of needing to make decisions for things

that could have easily been taken care of in a more timely fashion. . .

 

As I’m sure you can tell. ..my brothers and I had a rough day yesterday

cleaning out and getting rid of all the clutter accumulated in our parent’s place. . .

This is how we dealt with years worth of magazines,

and various and other sundry items we found stacked everywhere

as we prepare our parents for downsizing to a more manageable place.

 

We are saving everything possible that they can possibly use in their

new location. . .but it has been a rough ride. . .let me tell you!

 

What could we have done different?

What could we have done better?  I don’t know!

If you’ve read my blog very long. . .

you know that Dave and I have been taking our RV to their place

and staying on a regular basis. . .but it finally just got to the point

that we felt like all we did was work ourselves to death

mowing six to eight acres of the twelve acres on the place,

and cleaning up the clutter that we were allowed

to touch that had accumulated since our last visit. . .

 

We begged and pleaded for our parents to sell the place,

and move closer to one of my brothers. . .

It finally just got to the point of telling them. . .

if we wanted to maintain and keep up a place, we would have our own. . .

 

If you can’t maintain and keep up this place. . .then it’s time to sell it. 

Now that decision has been forced upon them. . .and they are not happy!

 

Thanks for allowing me to vent. . .I pray the next few days go more smoothly

‘cause I am at my wit’s end. . .

 

I know that by sharing this, I am opening myself up to criticisms. . .

I only pray that if you choose to comment,

you will be kind, and understand there’s more than I could possibly share. . .

Thanks!

Full Time RV Living - Serving the Purpose

I must say. . .this RV Park we are at right now is nothing to write home about. . .

but considering how busy we’ve been running back and forth

between two different hospitals,

checking on two different parents. . .

a $100 a week for 50 amp service and full hookups is not bad. . .

serves the purpose.

 

Dad’s hip repair (for a prior hip replacement) went well. . .

he is now in rehab. . .hopefully for only about ten days. . .

then he will stay at my brother’s

while our stepmom continues to mend. . .

 

Nothing too exciting to share in the last couple of weeks. . .

Our buyers showed up to pick up the rig. . .

and although they’ve never officially RV’d he did have experience with heavy equipment,

and took to the whole set up thing like ducks to water. . .

hope they love it as much as we did!

 

We leave here Monday. . .Dave has a couple more fire school classes to teach. . .

our oldest grand graduates high school. . .

and then we head out for our Summer 2013 trip to Maine. . .excited!

Full Time RV Living–Excitement or Drama–No In Between

Our very last weekend as park hosts at Stephen F Austin State Park was just plain excitin’

Friday evening the family began arriving for a mini family reunion. . .

there’s my fabulous baby grand in the purple shirt. . .

Saturday. . .with about 20 family members in attendance. ..

the rains began. ..

didn’t stop the washers game though!

and seriously. . .is this not the cutest thing you’ve ever seen. . .

my bub. . .his grandson. . .my great nephew. . .

can ya see the family trait. . .LOVE IT!

Monday was the day to have the tow package installed on the jeep. . .

they got it right in and got it done. . .very impressive. . .

I begged our service advisor to let me go back in the shop area to take this pic. . .

being without our transportation was no problem. . .

they set us up in their RV lot. . .50 amp service. . .

much better than the waiting room. . .

Once the tow package was finished. . .we merrily set out for our new digs

at Colorado River Preserve Thousand Trails. . .

but. . .about midway there. . .while traveling in a bit of rain. . .nothing serious. . .

the awning over one of the slides decided to unfurl

while driving down I-10. . .helloo. . .not a good plan.

 

I am telling you for a fact. . .we no sooner got pulled off the freeway

and into a truck stop. . .that the bottom fell out. . .it was pouring. . .

crazy wind rocking the rig. . .I told Dave our guardian angels knew

that we needed to be off the freeway at that precise moment. . .

I am a believer. . .more than a believer in divine intervention. . .thank the Lord!

 

And then Monday afternoon. . .the drama began

when I learned that my stepmom had fallen. . .fractured her pelvis. . .

was in the hospital. . .and was set for a very long recovery. . .not good.

 

Add to this. . .my Dad is scheduled for hip repair surgery next Monday. . .

so Dave and I were already planning to be there for that. . .grrrrr. . .

trying to coordinate family things long distance is no fun. . .

thank God for my Bub. . .the one you saw in the pic above.

 

He has totally stepped in to handle the entire situation. . .

between him and my youngest stepbrother. . .

they seem to have a great plan and making it all work. . .so thankful!

 

When my Dad had a bad car accident a couple of years ago. . .

Dave and I dropped everything. . .took the rig down there

and stayed until his recovery was well under way. . .

it was just going to be very difficult to do that this time,

since our buyer is scheduled to be here in a couple of days

to pick up the fifth wheel and truck. . .so all is well. . .

when our business here is concluded, we will be taking the rig

down to stay for Dad’s surgery and recovery. . .

which should just be a 5 or 6 day stay in the rehab hospital. . .

and then back to my brother’s  UNTIL. . .it’s the UNTIL

that concerns me. . .but I know it will all work out!

In the meantime. . .remember those crazy Carolina Wrens
we were at war with over at Stephen F Austin?

Their kinfolk have already found us. . .bring it on!