Introducing Rocky & Reba Redwood!

       A close friend recently told me that I need to start blogging....so after eleven months, here goes!

Neil and I have simply been hanging out in PA and working.  That is until the Hershey RV Show in September.  I kept saying that we were in a conundrum...not moving ahead on any of our new goals as full-timers. Well we certainly got things going.  We purchased a new 2014 Redwood RV at the show and it was delivered to us last Friday.

We are currently staying at Pinch Pond Family Campground in Manheim, PA.  They were nice enough to allow us to use the site next to us for the switch.  Arriving almost an hour early, we quickly got to the task of moving.  I had packed as much as possible in bags to help expedite the move.  We were fortunate enough to have our son, Scott, my sister and her husband, Mike & Terry, our good friend, Darlene and Neil's friend Bill to help us.  After approximately five hours we had managed to move everything over to the new RV!

Introducing Rocky & Reba Redwood!

I still can not believe that after several years of looking for a truck we found exactly what we wanted and in that perfect black color to match our new home!

I must say that they are a beautiful match!

Saying "Goodbye"  to our Jayco was a little bittersweet!  Purchased in 2005 (a 2003 model - only two years old), this RV was always good to us...especially in the last seventeen month living in her as full-timers.

So now the real work begins...finding a home for everything?  We somehow managed to clear off the bed and sleep in our new home that night.  Sofa and chairs were all piled high with stuff.  So when I woke up on Saturday morning, I found my tea and tea pot for a nice cup to start off my day.  Here is an interesting fact.  My tea bags have slogans or thoughts for you to reflect upon.  this was mine on that first morning…

Travel light, live light, spread the light, be the light. 
(might need to work harder on the "travel light")

It has been several days now and I am feeling more organized than I did at first.  However, the biggest hurled was all the different size cabinets.  I guess I thought it would all be arranged similar to how I had organized our Jayco Designer.  Quickly, I realized that I needed to let that thought go!  Now things are coming together nicely, and I do say...we love our new home!  The lay out provides so much more open space.  I love the large island, so much counter space!  The fireplace is...well only off at night when we sleep!  Haven't tried the washer/dryer combo yet, waiting till Neil is home.

I will leave you with a promise to follow up with inside picture and an early Thanksgiving wish.  I truly know that Neil and I are truly blessed with such wonderful family and friends.  Thank you.

Happy Thanksgiving.

Neil & I had a wonderful Christmas this year!  We spent time with both of our families on Christmas Eve and on Christmas Day and  lots of time with Scott & Sara!  We even left Reba (our RV) to sleep at their home.  It was a wonderful time filled with great memories.  Scott even surprised us by playing and singing songs for us with his new guitar.  Including Silent Night (my favorite)!

As wonderful as Christmas was, we were very anxious too head south to warmer weather!  My father as some of you know was having health problems.  To be exact a 9mm kidney stone!  Several weeks ago he had back pain and was tested for a stone.  However, his pain was not from the stone. He actually had over done it and was having back pain.  In a few days it was gone and he was feeling better.  He was scheduled to return to the urologist on January 2nd.  So Neil and I decided to head to South Carolina until we hear the next set of test results.  So we found ourselves back at Huntington Beach State Park (the place we visited at the end of October for the Carolina Clan reunion).  

One morning I looked out our RV window to find a new friend!  He was just strolling around looking for food.  Not shy at all!  Eventually, almost everyone in our camp row came out to see him!

Found some time to relax by a nice campfire!

On New Year's Eve, we went to Brookgreen Gardens www.brookgreen.org for a candle light tour of the gardens.  It was absolutely beautiful!  The pictures do not do it justice.  

Beautiful wreaths and trees in the indoor rooms.

My favorite wreath with all the shells.

All of this exhibit was absolutely beautiful...would go back to see it all again!

My sister who has been helping Mom & Dad in my absents, has been wonderful and I will certainly be giving her all the time off she needs when we are home again.  Taking care of parents living in their own home at age 85 and 87 is not an easy job.  A big "thank you"!  

On Jan. 2nd, we heard that Dad was on a three month hold with the  doctor, so Neil and I headed south   to Florida on the 3rd!

So...we have arrived in Florida!  Our first night was spent at the Flamingo Lake RV Park  www.flamingolake.com  just outside of Jacksonville.  Quite awhile ago, we saw a show on one of the restaurants on Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives in Jacksonville called The Metro Diner.  OMG what a wonderful place!                www.metrodiner.com

YoHala on the Square!  A type of French Toast with bananas, creme cheese filling grilled and topped with fruit compote!  Please note this is a half order and was served as an appetizer!  I have never had an appetizer for breakfast!

Eggs Benedict with Crab Cakes and Hash Browns - my breakfast.
Neil is having eggs with bisquits topped with sausage gravy and home fries!

That is me on the left with a very large to go bag...breakfast tomorrow promised to be delicious as well!

Sorry I have not posted for so long and sorry this was so long...thanks for listening!  Happy New Year!

Well...it looks like we are on the home stretch for Christmas!  I still have a little shopping to do, all my wrapping needs done...but I know I will get there!  So for anyone out there who is stressing...remember we always get there!   Merry Christmas!  I love this time of year.  I always look at my cashier or sales clerk and say their name along with a Christmas wish!

We did a little bit of decorating in Reba...

My Dad has not been well.  So I spent a good bit of time with him and Mom this week.  He has a 9 mm kidney stone.  He will be 87 two days after Christmas.  Since we have reservations for all of January and February in Florida, we are questioning what we should do?  He will see the urologist again on Jan. 2nd.  At that time I am thinking a decision will be made about wether or not he should have surgery?

I do not want to be selfish, however we have gone though a lot this year and NOW is the time for us to enjoy the fruits of our labor!  So we have decided to go as far as Myrtle Beach till we hear more from the doctor.  That way if surgery is scheduled, we can come home ASAP.  A big thank you to my sister and brother who will help my parents.  This has been a very difficult decision, but it is getting very hard to just be in one place.  One place that is very cold and dreary!  We will be returning to Huntington Beach State Park.  Tatum wants to run on the beach again!

Have a very Merry Christmas!  

The Carolina Clan in 2012

So if you are wondering what we have been up to...we have been having a wonderful visit with all these good people!  We arrived at Huntington Beach State Park in Murrells Inlet, SC on Monday, October 29th for a twelve day vacation.  All of this group have several things in common.  They love the camping lifestyle and they completely enjoy every day of their lives, living each day to its fullest!!! 

 It is so much fun being with this group.  No special agenda,  except every evening we all meet by a grand campfire to share our stories, get to know each other and simply have fun!

On Friday, we set out with our Sea Eagle Kayaks on a wonderful adventure.  At one point after paddling for awhile, we all without planning it, hooked up to each other and sat a spell to visit and share some fresh fruit and snacks.  We became a barge and floated for a little while.  At the end of our adventure we had gone over four miles on the Waccamaw River.                                                                                                                                        

        

Neil and I both had a fabulous day on this our third kayak adventure!  We are looking forward to kayaking all over this United States!

During the day we spent some time on the beach...we quickly found out that "Our Tatum" loves to run and play on the beach!  

Just got to say...Life is good!

Can you hear the ocean?  Have a great day!!!

Reflections....

We are on our way to South Carolina for a much needed vacation and visit with our full-timer friends!   Somehow things have put me into a very reflective mode.  Our first night out we stopped at Misty Mountain Camp Resort just out side of Charlottesville, VA.  We experienced a beautiful drive along Rt. 81 and then Rt. 29.  Views of the mountains and autumn leaves were all around us!  We parked just in time for the campground "trick or treat".  Neil and I always love to see all the children having such a good time.

In the morning I discovered this camper down by the small creek.  Our first camping adventures in an RV began in a 1985 Sunline travel trailer - no sliders,  similar to this one.  Memory #1.

Before we headed out I thought this tire cover had some merit!

So down the road we headed...

Stop number two landed us at the Florence RV Park formerly a KOA.  This just so happened to be where we stayed in 2008, when we were on what we called, "Our Six Week Tour"!  That was our adventure to see if we really could be "full-timers"!  This picture of the pond was taken back then as I walked our Cocker Spaniel, Casey.  Casey is now in puppy heaven.  Memory # 2.

We will be leaving this campground shortly and I feel so many emotions with the weather in PA.  Being away as a full-timer now, I am concerned about our family and friends back home.  It is only slightly over a year since the damage from the tropical storm Lee.  I recall how severely our basement flooded.  How extremely frustrated we were!  And now I do not have those worries, but you still feel anguish for others  going through what you still remember so well.  Memory # 3, 4, 5 etc.

See you soon...stay safe everyone.

One week from today!

On June 8th, we moved from our "stick n' brick"  home to our RV and have been camped out ever since.  One week from today we will start our first full time adventure and head towards South Carolina.   I can not describe how fast the time has passed.  At one point in the heat of the summer with the air conditioner blasting and all the shades pulled down tight, I might have wondered for a moment if we would make it through!  But we did and the fall weather has been so beautiful.

We have gotten quite serious about being ready to travel again.  Neil has finally after over a month gotten his tool box installed and loaded.  It only took three different purchases and a welding  job to accomplish!  Buy the way the two red tool boxes are looking for a new home.  

Then it was onto the basement area...

Not sure how all this will work out!

So meanwhile, I am working on emptying tubs from our soon to be gone storage shed!

 We are determined to not have a storage shed when we leave.  Although, I must admit that we are okay with leaving things at our sons home and Neil's mother's house!  :)  

Psst...don't tell them we are coming over with more stuff!

Have a wonderful friday!

It's October!

Once again I find myself realizing that it has been such a long time since I blogged!  No particular reason, just busy with everyday life.  Even though we are full time RV'ers, we have not travelled anywhere since the transition.  We work during the week, catch up on things on the weekend, visit with family and friend...it is all just like the stick n' brick days!  NOT!!!

We are so happy being here in the campground, having camp fires, walking our Tatum, meeting other full timers and telling our story over and over again!  Constant talking and dreaming about the first days of traveling as a full timer is so much fun!

We have put a lot of effort into changing our RV into our home.  We purchased a new memory foam bed, with all the new stuff to go with it.  That is my palm tree pillow waiting patiently to get to the beach again!  The new bed and bed spread are very comfortable!

So Neil has been busy trying to get the truck area and the basement ready for traveling.  He purchased a new tool box (which did not fit) and now is awaiting a second one.  With new tool trays and wraps he might just get organized before the end of the month.  

So I will leave you with one final picture of the two balloons that we always hang out on our awning.  I do wonder if when we are traveling,  we will still put out so much stuff?