Bubbleflection!

May 3rd, 2013 Friday

The grand girls came over for a visit so I decided to try and get some pictures..WAY harder than I anticipated! Trying to get zoomed in and focused on a moving bubble is a real challenge. Anyway here was the best one showing the reflection of our yard

Quick visit

April 26, 2013 Friday

We just made a quick run to Goshen to visit Terry and Dale to go over some final details for our Alaska trip. We are trying to streamline the schedule to give us more time in Alaska as a buffer should we run into a problem. Seems like all is pretty much figured out now so its just a matter of passing the time. 21 days from now.

We spent Saturday hitting some RV surplus stores for a couple needed parts, we were looking for a cover for stove to give us a little more counter space as ours is pretty limited. We managed to fit the top and i just have to make some mounting brackets and its ready to go.

We then had lunch at Essenhaus and had the buffet. It was so good but no room for pie so we bought a chocolate peanut butter and a peanut butter pie for later. When we got back to the park we got a fire started so i could make a batch of hobo stew. The stew turned out great, ground beef and onions with carrots, peas, green beens, potatoes, corn and tomatoes. It made plenty for all four of us to have a bowl plus a couple bowls left over for lunch tomorrow!

To finish the night off they were training so people in setting off fireworks so we got a free show!

Started raining saturday night and continued through till we left sunday morning. Its about 3-1/2 hours home and we made it back about 2. Now the final preparations begin for the lifetime journey.

Warmer weather setting in!

April 7th, 2013 temp 57*

Warmer weather is finally arriving with temps to be 70 this week before cooling down to mid 50's at end of week.

Terry and Dale stopped by Thursday and stayed till Saturday, they were on their way back to Goshen to get their Mini-me motorhome ready for our trip to Alaska. We are within 6 weeks of he beginning of a lifetime adventure, a long desire to explore an exhilarating State full of beautiful natural scenery and wildlife and hopefully the opportunity to see some Northern lights although it will be tough with such a limited amount of darkness during the summer months.

All the packing and preparing is coming to a deadline and anticipation is raising quickly. Its amazing how much preparation for such a long trip is required, scheduling doctor appointments and medication coordination, ensuring insurance payments are made so coverage does not expire while traveling and other bills to be paid in our absence.

Trying to pack all the necessary equipment and items we may need is challenging. Before when living in the RV this wasn't quite as important because we already had everything with us but once we transformed back to a house it becomes a more daunting task. Constantly making lists of things thought about out of nowhere ( its important to write it down so not forgetting :) ).

With the days becoming longer and more daylight and welcomed sunlight available and warming days the excitement of the travel is enormous...more later!

March comes in with the Lions!

March 2nd, 2013 Saturday 28*

Typical winter day, overcast some flurries flying around and cold. We bought tickets from a Sportsmans club member for breakfast at the elementary school put on by the Lions Club. Awesome deal for breakfast, $5 per person for unlimited pancakes and sausages with coffee and juice! Sausages are good sized too, 4" long and an 1" diameter. We went to this last year and it is unbelievably crowded for a small town. The line flows smoothly but still took 10 minutes to get to the food. Lots of items being raffled off by silent drawing. This goes on till 2pm! I have no clue where all these people come from but they come.

11 weeks till Alaska trip!

My brother John has a birthday today and he hits the big 60! We will be taking him to lunch next week, it's a tradition we have shared for many years of buying each other lunch and I don't think it has ever been anything other than Chinese..... And that is not a complaint. :) we love eating it.

February 23, 2013 Saturday 36*

Not a lot going on, just an update. We had breakfast this morning at Bob Evans and then stopped by Home Depot for a couple of items. Then a stop by the shop to do a little tinkering with the RV in preparation for our trip. A little here and a little there and it will be finished up, Deanna is working inside organizing things and I am working on the basement trying where to place everything we want to take in a reasonable way for access. Three months from today and we will be on our way!

On our way home we decided we will  head east across the top of the states and go back through the Upper Peninsula of Michigan and spend our anniversary in the Porcupine Mountains, this sounds much more interesting than heading south and going by Chicago. This is on the Northern shore of Lake Superior near the Pictured Rocks. We were in this area several years ago but our friend Malia Lane spent the summer up here a couple of years ago and explored all the Michigan parks and this was one of her favorites. Well since we are going to be in the area we might as well enjoy the scenery! We spent a couple weeks last year up in Michigan exploring the Soo Locks and area and absolutely loved it, with a side trip to Mackinac Island.

We went to a benefit dinner last night for a friend of the oldest boy Bill. Apparently he is stricken diabetes and now needs a Pancreas and Kidney transplant. Bill and his daughter Jessica worked the door for a while selling tickets. There were lots of donated baskets of gifts and an auction at the end of the night. There was also a 50/50 raffle which we bought tickets to and ended up winning! The pot was $500, we gave the money back to the cause as we are pretty fortunate in this world and it just seems like good Karma.
   There was a great turnout, probably a hundred people or more and our friend Chastity Nance and friend of Bill had the Girl Scouts there fetching the orders and cleaning up the messes. Chas and these girls are always doing these types of things to help people out. Our Sportsman's club lets the Girl Scouts use the property every year for a camp and bon-fire night.

Here is a parting photo from 2005 when we were at Tombstone, this was the re-enactment of the gunfight.

Thoughts from a dog

February 22, 2012


Life is All About You
Be Patient

Treats are the answer to everything
Great days start with tummy rubs

Don’t sit at the computer for too long
If you really want the ball, then you go get it

It’s always a good time for a hike, as long as it’s not raining
Break out into moments of craziness when people least expect it

Play the piano everyday, and keep helping improve the lives of dogs worldwide with music!

It’s all good

Sleep close to those you love
Take frequent breaks for play time

The more kissing, the better everyone feels
If you are breathing, that is reason enough to be happy

Always keep your toys nearby and play with them often
Playing with another person is so much more fun than playing alone

Be present with your loved ones and they’ll be  present with you
Wiggle, Wiggle, Wiggle

Buddies forever!

February 22, 2013

Just thought I would post a hello!