April 1 - 15, 2025 Getting Home and Completing Projects

1-Tue-We got around pretty early today. We left about 9:15 to start our journey home. We went north on I-95 then West on I-10. We joint I-75 to Atlanta (around the outside). We got to Georgia about 2:15 PM. The drive was pretty smooth. We arrived about 3:15 PM and stayed at the KOA journey in Forsyth, GA. We went in to register and they gave us warm chocolate chip cookies! Oh they were delicious. Then we parked and got settled for the night. Steve drove 324 miles. Supper was grilled chicken, romaine lettuce, berries and tortilla chips.

2-Wed-Today would have been my dad’s 102nd birthday. He was 64 when he died. I remember that day like  yesterday. We got around and were on the road by 9:30 AM. As we pulled on to the highway, a guy in a black pickup pulled around us FAST, then slammed on his brakes and flipped us off! Imagine that! Not everyone on the road is friendly. Getting gas was a tight squeeze in a convenience store. But we made it. Steve is an excellent driver. We headed north on I-75 around Atlanta. We had a few scary traffic moments then we joined I-20 West to Birmingham, AL. The wind gusts were a little tricky along with the traffic. Then our air conditioner kicked the breaker off. Steve flipped the breaker on the generator and it got going again. We took a little detour off in the woods to the RV park, Natchez Trace RV park, Shannon, MS. So technically we were on the Natchez Trace.

This was near Cordova, AL  Huge rock formation.

Interesting structure close to the RV park

3-Thu-OK we were up early and made preparations to leave. We are trying to get an early start because the weathers rugged (rain). We looked at the tires and the outside dually on the passenger side was very low. So we got our our air compressor and aired it up. Then we were headed to Tupelo to see if we could get it fixed or replaced. Either our GPS routed us poorly or I routed us poorly. We took aa lot of back roads accidentally. We arrived at Southern Tire Mart in Tupelo, MS and they got to us pretty quick. We were on the road again by 10:15 AM. This was a rugged drive with rain and some wind, but not as much as yesterday. We got through Memphis (on the out around) without any major problems. We finally stopped at North Little Rock -Sherwood, AR. I had trouble finding a site and finally got a hold of a new park (Kellogg RV Park). We got there and it was a gravel parking lot with all back in sites. But we just pulled in like a pull thru, because there weren’t many people there. It rained all night! We were in an old fashioned thunderstorm. Supper was ham, eggs and bagels.

Pond

Old cabin at the RV Park

4-Fri-We woke up early and got around fast. I walked the dogs while Steve unhooked the utilities. We were able to get gas at Casey’s and got to I-40 headed west. It rained most of the way to Fort Smith, Ar. It finally let up a bit short of the Oklahoma Welcome Center. Then when we got near Checotah, OK it poured buckets of rain on us. It was lightening! It was a little scary. We made it through OKC and home about 3:30 PM. We chilled and relaxed. We unloaded at the bare necessities and went to supper at La Macarena in Perry. We found out the next day that North Little Rock, AR flooded and we were so lucky to get out of there and home safe.

5-Sat-After breakfast we started working on laundry and unloading the RV. We looked at RV’s to consider trading for. I made chili and we had it for lunch and supper. 

6-Sun-Today we relaxed and watched TV. We also did some more laundry and unloading of the RV. I made stuffed potato skins for supper and our dessert was diet pudding and a fiber one brownie.

7-Mon-We started slow today. Eventually we went and picked up the mail. Then we were off to Stillwater. I went to Kay Jewelry to get my wedding ring fixed. It was interesting . They took several pictures and then we signed some stuff. It will be up to two weeks to get finished. Next it was on to Walmart to get groceries. Then we put our stuff away and had lunch. I made meatloaf, scalloped potatoes and green beans for supper.

8-Tue-We have been pretty busy since getting back home. We went through the accumulated mail, made a vet appointment, got meds refilled, purchased groceries, RV insurance, etc. etc. We went to supper at La Macarena again tonight. 

9-Wed-Slow day today, Steve doesn’t feel well. We did take the dogs to the Vet for their annual checkups. I ordered some new T-shirts today. Steve stuck with his chicken noodle soup and I ate leftovers. 

10-Thu-Steve was better today. After we got around we dropped off the pickup to get the tires rotated. That only cost $20. I got a new debit card, because mine will expire when we are gone this summer. We also went to O’Reilly’s to get some glue. Steve needs to glue some trim on the door of his pickup. After lunch we fixed the RV blinds that needed re-strung. I assisted under duress. We had the small one from the bedroom and the large one from the dining room window. I made chicken enchilada casserole for supper. 

11-Fri-I went with Steve to wash the pickup. He did it by hand instead of driving through. Then I worked on the computer and made a new password book. After lunch we worked on the big blind. We finally finished it. Tonight we went to Braum’s for supper. 

12-Sat-Today we worked on installing the blind in the RV til about noon. These blinds are always a pain in the buttocks. Our gazebo with the canvas cover got ruined in the storm last summer. It is now in tatters. We finally got the ladder out and removed it. We ordered a new cover and will put it on in the fall when we return. Supper was cube steak, french fries, salad and berries.

Full Moon

13-Sun-Today Steve worked on the RV oven door. We washed all the RV bedding and dog blankets. We also watched the car races later. Supper was turkey bacon, eggs, thin bagels and berries. 

14-Mon-After we got around Steve started the mower for me. I mowed the front yard and Steve did weed eating. Then it was on to laundry. We even cut the grass behind the fence. We had lunch then, checked the generator oil. Worked on bleeding the brakes on the pickup. It was a busy day. We had sloppy joes, french fries and berries for supper.

We pay dearly to get rid of these weeds! I guess it is not working.

15-Tue-We had a routine morning. I emailed Marsha some information about diverticulitis. Tony, her husband and Anthony, my nephew are both having trouble with it. We went to Stillwater for gas and then it was Lowes and Walmart. We also did some errands around Perry. We drove the car through the car wash. Then we had supper at La Macarena with Linda and Hazel. 

April 16 -30, 2025 Lots of Short Trips!

16-Wed-Today we did our morning routine then we got the RV out. We drove to Perry Lake and started spring cleaning the RV. we vacuumed and shampooed the carpet. We put the clean sheets on the bed. We wiped down all the surfaces. Steve worked on the front of the RV. He detailed the seats and carpet there. We ran bleach water through the lines. He lubricated the jacks. We worked from 11:30 to 5:00. Then we went home and rested. For supper we had pizza and berries.

17-Thu-After we got around we went back to the RV at the lake. We put the awning out to get the rain off. Then we worked on the carpet by the slide. We emptied the fresh water tank and let the bleach go through he lines. Anyway we worked from 9-1:30. Then we took the RV back home and parked it. Supper was H]hamburger helper, salad and berries.

18-Fri-I have been waking up a little earlier, about 7:00 AM. We got around then went to Stillwater to pick up my wedding ring. It has been repaired. Yea! I went to Thorn’s and ordered flowers for David & Paige - his mom died last night. They are having a tough time. Supper was turkey burgers, fries, berries.

19-Sat-Today is family game day. We left for Oklahoma City at 11:30. We are all meeting at the Texas Roadhouse for lunch. We are also celebrating Logan’s 20th birthday. Lunch for eight was almost $200. We gave Logan money for his birthday. He wanted everyone to come to his house in El Reno. We played Mexican Train and ate birthday cake and ice cream.We got home about 8:30 or so.

Mariana with Easter Egg 

Logan and Cielo

20-Sun-Today we watched TV, napped and relaxed. I made a pork roast, baked potato, mixed vegetables and berries for supper. 

21-Mon-We worked on the laundry, then did some picking of weeds. I accompanied Steve to work on the large shed. We were trying to make room for Kristi to put some things in our shed. After lunch we took the RV to get the oil changed. While we were out we filled it up with gas. Then we checked our mail and paid the car insurance. I made Chicken pot pie for supper, and we had berries for dessert. 

22-Tue-Today we did all the usual things. Then we got around and left for Oklahoma City about 11:15. Steve’s appointment was at 1:00. He is seeing Pain Management for his back. The doctor sent him for X-rays of his hip. The we had to stop by the pharmacy. When we got to Perry we stopped at Braums and got an ice cream cone. 

23-Wed-We were back on the road by 8:15 for another appointment at the VA. We got there about 9:30 for a 10:00 appointment. But we were finished by 10:30 AM. So we went to Bass Pro and Steve got some new shirts. Our next stop was Cummins for a generator oil change and tune up kit. We are taking it on our trip to have available when the generator needs it. We also stopped at Camping World but did not buy anything. We had leftovers for supper. 

24-Thu-We were up at 7:00 this morning. We had errands to complete. We went to the bank and stopped at the post office to pick up the mail. Next we were on our way back to Stillwater. Then we received a call from the VA to schedule an MRI of Steve’s back. I went to AT & T for a new screen protector for my phone. The old one had several chips init. I guess my phone gets dropped quite frequently. We also went to Walmart for groceries. We got home and put our stuff away. I ordered Steve some new shoes online. We will see how that goes. Supper was a hamburger, fries, salad and berries. 

25-Fri-Well we got going again this morning. We are headed to Bartlesville to see my sister Pam and her husband JC. We arrived about 1:30 and stayed til 4:30. It was about 6:45 when we got home. We stopped at Subway and got a sandwich. We have been keeping the road hot. 

26-Sat-Today we relaxed most of the day. We were tired from all our short trips this week. We had breakfast for supper. Yum.

27-Sun-We took it easy this morning. My brother in law called and said Pam had fallen again. They took her to the ER in Bartlesville. the doctor actually ordered a CT scan and they have discovered that in addition to her dementia she has cancer in her kidneys, liver and lungs. This explains why she has been hurting so much. I am so sad for my big sister. This will be hard. Supper was chicken parmesan, couscous, salad and berries.

My peony bloomed!

28-Mon-We were up about 7:30. We did some routine things around the house and worked on laundry. I mowed the front yard. We picked up our mail and I mailed my other brother-in-law (Tony) the OSU Golf Club socks. These are protectors for his golf clubs. We went home for lunch and this afternoon we paid some bills and caught up quicken. I called my niece, Paige and wished her a Happy Birthday. They are on their way to Mayo in Rochester, MN for her son Landon. He has had extreme problems with migraines for the last year or so. 

29-Tue-We completed our regular chores this morning. Then I vacuumed and shampooed the carpet in our bedroom, hall and front room. Steve cleaned the end tables and helped me with the shampooer. We had lunch . Then I talked to JC, he said Pam can’t leave the hospital, because she can’t walk. I also talked to Marsha and we talked to Steve’s sister, Irene. Steve and I ate Fajitas at La Macarena. Hazel and Linda were unable to join us because they went to Phoenix to see a cousin who is fighting cancer. Cancer sucks!

30-Wed-It has been raining the last few days. I am ready for it to stop. Today we left for OKC about 9:15. It was a little slow going because of the rain. Steve had an appointment with his MS physician assistant. We got home about 1:30. The rest of the afternoon was just putzing. 

March 23 - 31, 2025 Continuing on Our Journey - Savannah and St. Augustine

23-Sun-OK the mission this morning is to get to the beach at Huntington Beach State Park (where we are staying). So we loaded up the dogs in the pickup and went to the parking lot where the beach access was. Poopsie loves the beach  and acts like a young pup when she is there. She chases the waves! Then we returned the dogs to the RV and picked up Marsha. We drove to Georgetown to look at the harbor. We walked the boardwalk, but since it was Sunday most of the shops were closed. That was OK, we are just getting an overview of the area. Also Steve’s back has been bad, so we are trying not to make him walk too far. We returned to Pawleys Island and ate lunch at Bisqit. It is in the shopping center with the Hammock shops. Then Marsha took us on a golf cart ride around Litchfield Resort. We saw the beach at Litchfield. We putzed around and were back to the RV about 6:30.

View behind the RV

Big chairs near the park office

Playground on the way to the beach

Save the Turtles

Beach at Huntington Beach State Park

The cute movies of Poopsie at the beach will not load. Sorry

Shells

Pictures from Georgetown, SC -Harbor

Steve & Marsha

Steve & Mary

Mary Sue & Marsha at Hammock Shops

Marsha

Marsha & Mary Sue

Litchfield Beach

24-Mon-We were up a little later today about 8:30. We slept good. Then we made some reservations for the next 6 days. We prepped the RV to move again. We were out of our site by 11:30 or so and sat in the parking lot til about noon. Then our next site was available - so we moved to it. Then we went to Marsha’s and visited and ate supper. We had steak, french fries, salad, asparagus and bread. YUM. 

25-Tue-We did all the morning things. We get around a little slow because we are not in a hurry. After walking the dogs, we picked up Marsha. Today we went to Brookgreen Gardens. It is a huge place, over 9,000 acres. It is a sculpture garden and I think I was expecting more flowers. A very nice place. We were there a couple of hours. There was more to see that we did not  get to because we were being mindful of Steve’s back. Next we checked on the dogs and walked the. Then we went to Atalaya Castle (at Huntington Beach State Park). It was interesting. These people had money and built this huge castle and owned the Brookgreen Garden place. They bought this property here to escape the northern winters. The wife was a sculptor and the husband was rich and studied Spanish history. You can read about them. After that we ate a late lunch at Neal’s Creekhouse. Then it was back to the RV to rest. We gassed up the pickup and bought oil for the RV. We went to Marsha’s in the evening. This is our last night here. We head out tomorrow. I was kind of sad to leave my sister.

Path to the nature center in the park

Brookgreen gardens

Marsha

Steve

Turtle

Flowers

Marsha

Someone said these are crepe myrtles - not bloomed out yet

One of the sculptures

Flowers

Cultural dolls in the gift shop

Entrance to Atalaya Castle on the grounds of the state park

Sign I saw where we ate a late lunch. They have free weddings! No annulments!

Marsha and Tony

26-Wed-We completed the morning routine and put oil and transmission fluid in the RV. Then we prepped to drive. We did have to stop at the dump station because the site we stayed at did not have sewer connections. We got the pickup hooked up and drove down highway 17. It took us through downtown Charleston to Savannah. I think the RV GPS routed us a little crazy. But we got a good tour. We were able to get gas at I-95 and arrive at the RV park about 4 PM. We got set up and had supper. We were able to get TV here. Yea! Marsha sent lasagna and meatballs and bread with us so we had that for supper. It was so good! This place is called Spacious Skies Savannah RV Resort, but it has a lot of trees! No kidding and it really did not remind me of a resort. And miracle of miracles, Steve found the diamond for my ring! That made me really happy!

The last site we were in at Huntington Beach State Park

Mary & Steve - ready to go!

Here we are at the dump station

Pelicans

Waccamaw River

Mount Pleasant

Mount Pleasant Memorial Waterfront

Flowers in Charleston, SC

Charleston, SC

Charleston, SC

We are back in Georgia

27-Thu-We got around and went to Walmart. We needed to re-supply. It took awhile because we did not know where things are. I wanted to get a new flashlight, but they were locked up tight and the cheapest one was $15. So scrap that idea. We unloaded and put away our stuff. Then we had lunch and a short nap. After supper we watched TV and figured out our trip plan. I reserved a Savannah Trolley tour for us tomorrow. Supper was grilled chicken, Romaine lettuce, and berries. 

28-Fri-We got around and after walking the dogs we were ready to leave  the RV park and head into town for the Trolley Tour. This RV park is actually about 15 - 17 miles outside of Savannah. We were able to park at the Old Town Trolley Tours. We finally figured out where to stand to get on the Trolley. It was a great tour and took us all around Savannah. We saw the lovely buildings and flowers. We really enjoyed the tour. It was $98 for both of us. We just got an overview of Savannah. I could return and spend a few weeks exploring here. Then it was back to the RV. We ate lunch and napped. When it was time for bed I smelled something that smelled like electric burning. Steve and I got up and he determined that the converter seems to be fried. So we unplugged it and will deal with that in the morning.

They have ghost tours. I would love to take one of those too.

Savannah- North Historic District

Jepson Center & Telfair Children's Art Center

Spanish moss and a fountain

Fountain at Savannah Civic Center

Chippewa Square

Red telephone booth -Steve was in England during his military career. He is always excited to see these.

Savannah South Historic District

Telfair Hospital

I love these porches

Beautiful flowers!

Whitfield Square

Layfayette Square

The Cathedral Basilica of St. John The Baptist

Very old steps-historic-the yellow sign states: Use at Your Own Risk

My favorite brand of T-shirts

More from the North District

Colonial Park Cemetary

29-Sat-We were supposed to leave this morning, but we need to stay over another night and get this converter replaced. Were got the replacement at Camping World in Pooler, GA (suburb) just up the road on I-95. We had to change sites in order to stay over another day. Then we went to Auto Zone for a tool needed to installed the converter. Steve completed the installation and then it was nap time. We had eggs, ham, toast and berries for supper.

Converter

30-Sun-Today we are getting on the road to St. Augustine, FL. We unhooked the utilities and hooked up the pickup. Then we arrived at st. Augustine, Fl about 1:30 PM. This is Sun Outdoors St. Augustine. It is a fancy place, but they don’t lead you to your site, bummer. The pads were concrete. And, Oh my, it is humid and hot to us! We got set up and then relaxed. Supper was cheese and crackers along with berries.  We only have two nights here, they could not extend our stay because they have a rally coming in. So they gave us a credit for our first night (when we could not make it).

Altamaha River

St. Mary's River

We crossed into Florida

Jacksonville, FL

31-Mon-We were up at 8 AM. After getting around we loaded up the dogs and drove our pickup around St. Augustine til about 12:30. We even went to the state park - but  it was not too dog friendly - so we left. Then we went back to the RV. We had to make another Walmart run. Then we rested a bit. We figured out our route home. We probably should have taken the Old Town Trolley Tour here also - but we did not have time. The Fountain of Youth would have cost $20 each. We did stop at a park near the lighthouse and walk a bit. This is a place that should be in the January or February rotation, when it is possibly cooler.

To tour this cost $20 each - Could not do it because we had the dogs with us.

Statue of Ponce de Leon

Pictures around St. Augustine

Matanzas River

Anastasia State park

Neat old car!

Lighthouse Park