Appointments, Appointments.

Our Location Today is Tecumseh, Ontario, Canada.

This seems to be a week of appointments. Yesterday was Kathy seeing her doctor on a follow up on tests she had done at the end of June. Today was my appointment with my doctor for a follow up on blood test also done at the end of June and my yearly physical. All the blood test numbers passed with flying colors but then he noted my age had changed and started asking when was the last time I’d had other preventative tests done. It is amazing how in talking to your doctor he is telling you you’re very healthy but because of your age we should be doing these other tests that you have never had just to make sure.

Once back at the apartment Kathy and I left to run a few short errands. By the time we returned it was lunch time so Kathy was trying a new healthy lunch alternative which turned out pretty good and left us feeling satisfied. After eating the way we did for the three and a half weeks we were on our last trip we had better eat healthier.

The afternoon was spent making more appointments some for us others for the trailer. No matter how we try we just can’t get away from appointments.

Our daughter Karen E-mailed Kathy from work trying to set up a time we could visit this week since they weren’t home when we went over on Sunday evening and we are leaving again on Friday. It took half a dozen E-mails back and forth to make an appointment for after 8:00 tonight.

By the time we leave on Friday we will have kept another 6 Appointments and since that is only 3 days away that’s a lot of appointments. Feel free to follow us up to Frankenmuth, Michigan for our short weekend adventure. Be Safe and Enjoy!

It’s about time.

Krackers

Office Jokes, Quotes, and Anecdotes

Please don't leave half-eaten stuff on counter!

Take to your desk. Thanks

passive aggressive office kitchen notes, holytaco.com

Helpful Links

Our Location Today is Tecumseh, Ontario, Canada.

After breakfast this morning we took a few moments to check our computers and then head out the door by 9:30. Kathy had a Doctor’s appointment to get the results of tests she had at the end of June before our last trip. The results came back good except that her Vitamin D is low. Vitamin D is found in many foods such as meat, fish and vegetables & mushrooms. It is also given to us through the rays of sunlight that we absorb through our skin. Vitamin D also helps in the fight of many cancers and other diseases that we are hearing way too much of these days. Since Kathy also has an allergy to direct Sunlight she must limit her time outside and tends to be more selective of her activities.

Back home we returned to the computers again catching up and noting how tired we seem to be since we arrived home. Many of you who have home bases or are part-time RVers such as Kathy and I will probably note you feel the same way. The reason is because when on the road we tend to be more active by walking, cycling or even swimming more often. That activity is called exercise which is something many of us fail to keep up when at home and a simple glance at our waistlines will verify that. That prognosis alone would want to encourage many of us to spend as much time on the road or away from home as we can afford.

Most of us make comments on other blog sites. We comment on pictures, someone’s health, loss of a family member, friend or pet. Many times when I comment on someone else’s blog I try to give helping advice with repairs or money saving advice for RVing. On our sidebar for some time we have had Commercial Sites for RVers and Special Interest Links.

The other day while reading Gypsy Journal RV Travel Newspaper written by Nick and Terry Russell he wrote about 10 Websites You Can Use. He explained that more each day many of us use the computer for communications, banking, seeing the news, weather reports, marketing and of course blogging. The 10 websites he showed touched on the law pertaining to concealed weapons, to volunteering your time on the road, to checking the speed of your computer, to My Favorite “Saving Money”.

Kathy and I checked out each of these sites and thought that they could be a useful tool to anyone with an RV because they can “Save Money”. A Big Thanks for finding these sites definitely goes out to Nick and Terry but you can now reference any of these links in the Special Interest Links section of our sidebar .

The sites added are RV Park Reviews so you can hear what other people have to say about RV parks. Many casinos now offer free or reduced rate camping on site with security and great buffets at Casino Camper. Free Campsites is just that and it covers city parks to BLM and more in the U.S. and Canada. Corps Lakes Gateway covers camping around lakes developed by the military. Saving money on repairs, fuel and injuries is good to know so Low Bridges is very important. If you are looking to sell or buy an RV in the U.S. it is good to know the current blue book value which you will find on NADA RV Values. Lastly somewhere down the road we all have problems that we can’t handle on our own so the way to find a reliable repair shop is RV Service Reviews.

Finally Kathy and I would like to welcome Barbara from the blog Me and My Dog as a new follower to our post. We’ve been following Barbara and Katie for quite some time back in Quartzsite before the medical emergency to the present getting back together with friends she made at that time. Again Thank You Barbara for following our blog.

It just seemed like yesterday that we returned from our last adventure but it has been 4 days which means that Kathy and I leave on our weekend adventure in 4 days. Thanks for following our adventures. Be Safe and Enjoy!

It’s about time.

PS: All todays pictures were taken
in the Thermopolis,Wyoming area.

Krackers

You might be a Redneck if

Any of your children were conceived in a bass boat.

Writing Blogs

Our Location Today is Tecumseh, Ontario, Canada.

Today Kathy and I got serious about taking care of business between our adventures. Even though we are somewhat draggy today there were still chores needing to be done. This morning was spent mostly at the computers catching up on E-mails and Reading Blogs we follow.

After lunch it was full speed ahead. We sorted the laundry together and Kathy did the pretreat while I readied things for the trip downstairs. After I left with the laundry Kathy started cleaning the dust that had gathered since we left on our trip first by dusting than vacuuming by the time I had completed the wash.

Once the dryers were loaded I came back upstairs while we had a talk and again reading more blogs. From the time I went down to fold the clothes downstairs and returned to the apartment Kathy had been doing her magic in the kitchen preparing meals that would last until we leave on our next adventure on Friday.

Before supper I started writing an E-mail to our RV dealer about a few problems that had popped up on our trip. After supper I tried attaching 5 cropped photos of those problems. When I attempted to send it outlook was going to break it up into 65 messages. Trying the best I could to change the settings on the program it continued to want to disect this message. Finally I had no choice but to send the message without the photos.

After stopping at our daughters for our Sunday night visit only to find nobody home we stopped at the grocery store for needed food stocks.

Back home on the computer it is not unusual for new bloggers to have difficulty to have something to write about. When experienced bloggers start posting that they need a break or have nothing to talk about they are missing the point.

The reason we all blog first and foremost is a log, a journal, a post or diary of what we did today. This is supposed to be for our own benefit as well as for our family & friends & especially as we age we all need to have some way to remember things. If we elect to let only certain other people view these personal writings that is also fine. If we elect to allow any and everyone who wants to use their time of day to read our writings or ramblings that is also great.

We do not have to write on a daily basis because we feel the need to entertain our followers. We do so because we want to remember what we did or how we felt about world events or other things in our lives. If we are travelling or are ill or have chores to do or do not feel up to writing on any particular day it is not a crime and we should not have to announce that there will be no post today. The reason is because we are writing for ourselves and everyone will understand even if you take a few days away.

Had to get that off my mind because Kathy and I will be back on the road in 5 days for a weekend in Frankenmuth, Michigan. Be Safe and Enjoy!

It's about time.

  Krackers

Why was the blonde quiet around the medicine chest?

So she wouldn't wake the sleeping pills.



Life Between Adventures

Our Location Today is Tecumseh, Ontario, Canada.

Waking up at 8:00 this morning felt strange. Even though I’m sleeping later I don’t feel as rested as when we’re sleeping in the trailer. My mind was probably on Alert Mode about getting up on time with knowing I had an appointment at the Blood Donor Clinic this morning.

After enjoying a good breakfast with Kathy I arrived with time to spare. After the usual questions and answer screening it wasn’t long before I was hooked up for my 79^th donation. The only thing on the televisions was the Olympic Games. Sorry not much of a Sports fan but that’s another story.

I was home by 11:00 and continued working on my data entries for the trip until noon. Kathy couldn’t make the fuel cost balance with my books because she was going by the total on a few receipts that had additional purchases along with the fuel. After finishing lunch and critiquing names of some fuel locations I started making my printouts.

Travelling with friends in our trailer was much different than travelling with friends who have their own trailer. It did make for  increasing the bond of friendship and learning to share the workload as Kathy and I were reminded our guests were more than able to do. It also gave time to learning even more personal things about one another that we didn’t know before. We hope to be able to do it again in the future not only with Bill and Vera but other close family and friends.

The only down side to that trip was when it came to writing the blog. Even though they had their own bedroom in the trailer I felt like I was keeping them awake when I would work beyond their bedtime in the main living area at night.

The bright side was they could read the blog before it was posted and that their family and friends started calling them Gypsies because of our shared travels. LOL! Another bright spot is that my photo gallery has now increased by nearly 3,000 photos which will definitely keep many of you that read our post wanting to get on the road to start enjoying your own adventures. 

Another drawback to being on the road is that you don’t always have time to take note that your post has new followers. Kathy and I would like to welcome Rick Ledtje and Donna Quick as new followers. Unfortunately neither of them have any blogger information to pass along but if he did we’d surely be following it.

We’d also like to welcome Dennis Haddix from Makarios RV. Dennis and his wife are commercial dealers I have on our sidebar that sells all kinds of RV related merchandise and I believe he also ships things around the country.

Our latest blog followers are Lee Anna and Ed Tucker who started a blog called the Traveling Tuckers. They are just starting in the blogging arena and are looking at Full-Timing in the near future. Again Kathy and I want to thank all of you for following our blog.

While we were away last week our daughter Karen e-mailed us with the announcement that we had a new grandson. So after supper last night we went over to her house to be formally introduced. At nine weeks old he is a bundle of unrestrainable energy. Meet Sanford Bourdeau our new addition to the family.

Sanford Bourdeau

We hate to disappoint you but now we have to do everyday normal things that everyone has to do but we’ll be off to our next short adventure in 6 more days. Be Safe and Enjoy!

It’s about time.

Krackers

You might be a Redneck if

You've started a fight at a yard sale.

Adventure Wind Down

Our Location Today is Tecumseh, Ontario, Canada.

The last time we posted our blog was from Greenfield, Illinois on Wednesday where we were on a timed WiFi connection. Their bandwidth was also limited so I only managed to upload a single picture and not the best choice either.

After leaving that location we headed in the direction of Wapakoneta, Ohio. Slowly making our way eastward it wasn’t long before the rolling hills of Illinois soon changed to the country side of Ohio. After a short stop for lunch at Bob Evans it only took minutes to pull off the highway into the Wapakoneta, Ohio K.O.A. campground.

We had reserved a pull-through site but the management was having the entire electrical system changed throughout the park so we had a back in at a discounted price. It was easier than losing power when the lines were being replaced.

Even though the temperature was much more comfortable only in the upper 80’s that day it seemed very refreshing to have a swim in the pool before we called it a night. We spoke with a couple at the pool from North Carolina who were traveling in a “B” Class unit. They were telling us of trips they had made across the country including trips to Alaska. The way they described everything was so vivid you almost felt like you had been there with them.

Thursday morning was a somber day because once we reached home our trip that we had shared with Bill and Vera would be over. The mood for writing the post was overshadowed by the looming end of the trip. Slowly the tanks were flushed and equipment stored before it was time to hook up.

Before hitting the highway a not so quick stop for fuel was made. There must have been three new attendants being trained at the desk and the pump kept turning off. Finally after complaining the pump functioned well until the last $5.00 on the prepaid amount where it took almost ten minutes to pump. Needless to say I won’t be filling up at that location in the future.

Two hours later we stopped for our last meal of the trip after passing through Toledo. Cracker Barrel was selected and helped satisfy all our cravings. We even met a bunch of Motorcyclists that were heading over to Windsor for a Rally.

Once more we sat through the washboard ride on I-75 from the Michigan border until we exited to the on ramp of the Ambassador Bridge. The attendant at the booth was upset that I didn’t go through the RV lane but with the construction taking place a compact could not fit let alone a rig of our size.

Immigrations inspection on the Canadian side of the bridge was short and sweet. We were now officially home. A quick rest stop was made before the fifteen minute drive across town to the Guardian Storage yard to park the trailer.

It didn’t take long for Bill’s brother Alex to come around to pick up Bill and Vera. He got the grand tour of the trailer and got to listen to the enthusiastic descriptions of the trip. All too soon it was time for goodbye hugs and Thank You’s.

After our friends were out of sight Kathy and I gathered our belongings that needed to be brought back to the apartment. Once the fridge was emptied and propped open we were on our way.

After putting everything away we stopped at A&W for a light but filling Teen Burger Combo. Back home it was a chore uploading information from the laptop over to my PC and after uploading almost three thousand pictures it was time to call it a night.

Friday was a sleep in day. Believe it or not Kathy and I were up every morning we were away earlier than is normal for us at home. We got up at 8:30 and enjoyed the unrushed feeling. By 10:00 we were back at the trailer taking photos of a few warranty issues that will have to be dealt with for the trailer. By 11:00 we were taking care of banking needs at the Credit Union and we were back at the apartment long before lunch.

In the afternoon I completed my data entries for the trip while Kathy went through a mountain of mail.

The final count was 3,907.2 miles driven of which 3,737.2 were towing the trailer and we used 555.737 gallons of fuel all in 24 days. When were pulling up many of the steeper mountain passes the turbo definitely could be heard.  In 7 days Kathy and I will be back on the road to Frankenmuth, Michigan. Hope you’ll be able to join us. Be Safe and Enjoy!

It’s about time.

Krackers

Office Jokes, Quotes, and Anecdotes

Drinking coffee and slacking off are all part of what I do.

Ephemera

Bad to Worse WiFi

Our Location Today is Greenfield, Illinois, U.S.A.

This definitely has been one of those days. We managed to go from campgrounds that had limited WiFi to a campground that had none. Two days later we finally have WiFi but on a timer? Have any of you ever heard of such a thing? I’ll apologize now for my long winded catch-up.

Thinking the traffic would be light we planned our escape from Branson, Missouri for early Sunday morning. The plan was working beautifully. We were finished eating breakfast by 8:00 a.m. and were ready to roll by 8:30.

The distance to the highway was less than five miles. As soon as we were on the road we knew we had better not try to hold our breath and start praying for a miracle. Traffic was already bumper to bumper throughout the town. We occasionally could travel from one side of an intersection to the other non-stop but the rest of the distance was covered a foot at a time.

Within forty-five minutes we had managed to enter the flow of highway traffic east in the direction of St. Louis. Two hours later we were finally getting into smoother terrain and decided this would be good time to top-off the fuel tank as well as having an early lunch. We pulled into the Flying J in St. Robert, Missouri and managed to fulfill all our needs.

Back on the road after another hundred miles we decided to stretch and slow down a bit.  The thermometer on the dash was saying 108 F (42 C) but the heat radiating off the cement at the rest stop was so warm that our heat gun registered 152.9 F (67 C). That beat the reading we had taken in Wisconsin.

We arrived at the K.O.A. located in Granite City, Illinois late Sunday afternoon. Setting up the trailer was a trying task as the heat was just magnified so we settled for a light supper. Bill and I managed to get in a relaxing dip in the pool. That was really refreshing.

Monday morning we were on our way back into St. Louis for a 10:00 a.m. scheduled tour of The Cathedral Basilica of St. Louis. It was amazing! This building is a work of art that took over 75 years to complete and is constantly being maintained. There are over Forty Million glass tiles making up all the pictures throughout the building which has a total capacity of three thousand people. Our guide Pete was a walking Encyclopedia not only on the history of the building but also behind each of the stories being depicted in the mozaics.  The entire tour took two hours and luckily the building was air conditioned.

When we walked out the door of the Cathedral it felt like you were being hit with a bat taking your breath away. Having used the remote start on the truck helped us recover from the heat that was again hitting 108 F (42 C).

Our next stop was the St. Louis Botanical Gardens. We used the comfort of their air-conditioned cafeteria for lunch. Afterwards our plan was to tour the grounds by the narrated tram ride. That was such a wise choice considering the extremely high temperatures. This was another case of information overload dealing not only with the history of the gardens but all the different plants from around the world that are growing there. Nobody even wanted to get off the tram to look around any of the many garden areas. After the half hour ride was completed we headed back to the cafeteria for cold drinks and the A.C.

One last stop we planned on making was at the St. Louis Arch but it was rush hour and the GPS sent us a couple blocks away so we settled for a drive-by photo of it. By the time we arrived back at the trailer it was supper time once again and too hot to cook inside so we piled back into the truck. We found another cute little mom and pop diner called The Apple Tree Restaurant. The cost was reasonable and the food delicious and filling. After supper we all headed to the pool which surprised Kathy and Vera just how comforting it was.  In spite of the horrible heat we had a very nice & enjoyable day of touring the area.

Tuesday morning had us flushing the tanks and packing up to hit the road. It seemed when you stepped outside it was like someone had poured a bucket of water over your head. The AC in the truck could not cool us fast enough.

Our meals were spaced throughout the day along with walks for stretching but the heat made it uncomfortable any time you had to get out of the truck. By 5:30 we were setting up camp in the sweltering heat.  Hopefully I’ll be able to post a few photos with this post and do better on tomorrow’s blog.

Thanks for following our adventures. Be Safe and Enjoy!

It’s about time.

Krackers

You might be a Redneck if

Locking your truck involves a padlock and a chain.

Busy Branson Day

Our Location Today is Branson, Missouri, U.S.A.

With the shock of what happened in Colorado and the problems with WiFi things started slower than we’d planned.

On Saturday morning it took about forty-five minutes to drive out to Dogwood Canyon Wildlife Reserve but we were almost two hours ahead of our scheduled tour. With that in mind Kathy looked into getting our reservations for the four of us moved to an earlier tram so we’d have more time between this and our other afternoon plans.

Mike was the driver of the 11:00 am. tram who gave us the history of the reserve and how it came to being the way it is today. Using free labor from volunteers and assistances in planning from the Army Corps of Engineers it is turning into a first class place for visitors of all ages.

The trip through the canyon which is partly in the state of Missouri and the other part in the state of Arkansas with its habitat for trout was impressive but once we had ascended to the upper rim of the park it was awe inspiring as Mike laid feed out for Bison first, next for the Elk, and then the Texas Longhorn Cattle that reside there. Mike did save some feed for a special resident of the reserve. Elvis is the senior residing bison at the reserve but tends to keep to himself but he had no trouble posing for pictures.

                                                                       This is Elvis.

By the time we returned to the office where we started our tour it was past 1:00 and people were packed around the snack bar so we decided to head down the road to the first restaurant we saw. Fifteen minutes later we pulled into the Twin Lakes Family Restaurant. This mom and pop place served simple food at reasonable prices in an atmosphere that was hard to beat. When we left the restaurant we walked around an adjoining grocery gas bar before heading for the truck.

We head back to Branson going straight to The Dixie Stampede showplace. Kathy and I had been here eleven years ago but Bill and Vera had never been. Since we were picking up our tickets for the show that would be starting in less than an hour we stayed put in the confines of the air-conditioned lobby. After dropping off Kathy, Bill and Vera at the lobby I managed to find a parking spot near the back of the lot. Walking back to the lobby I managed to snap a few pictures of some of the stars as I walked past their stalls even nodding acknowledgement as I called their names.

Once the preshow seating began I was informed that I could not take any pictures of the show. Apparently someone did not follow the No Video or Flash policy so now all photos are prohibited. The opening act definitely warmed the crowd up. After moving into the main auditorium it did not take long to be seated and the serving to start. Even though the food was served to be eaten without any utensils it was still delicious and filling.

By the time the show ended the serving staff were busy prepping for the start of the next show. With the temperature still in the upper 90’s I had Kathy, Bill and Vera wait by the door while I went to retrieve the truck. I have driven in many strange situations before but never anything that brought to mind so many Redneck Jokes. I waited for an opening in the chaos and slowly made my way back to the front entrance with no further problems.

Back at the trailer the heat continued to rob us of our strength so the decision to remain inside for the rest of the night was unanimous.

Thanks for following our adventures. Be Safe and Enjoy!

It’s about time.

Krackers

What was Dr. Jekyll's favorite party game?

Hyde and Seek.

Catchup Travel Day.

Our Location Today is Branson, Missouri, U.S.A.

In the last few days I was writing about poor WiFi connections as being a pain that was messing with our travels with our friends Bill and Vera. My problems failed to compare with those of the many people attending the movies in Aurora, Colorado. It is a shame that people who suddenly become ill in such a way feel it is necessary to carry out senseless acts of violence rather than being able to ask for help. Now the victims, their families and everyone around can only ask Why?

Thursday’s trip from Salina, Kansas included a stop along the way for fuel at a Flying J and then later we used the parking lot of a Walmart not only for getting groceries but for introducing Bill and Vera to a new eating experience at the Golden Corral. Even though Kathy and I had the pleasure of bringing our grandsons there last summer it was different that these were grown adults with adult tastes. We all chose our food wisely not overloading our plates on any particular choice but samples of everything. Finally we all returned to the salad bar. Wise Choice!

Not the Wise Choice

The rolling hills of Missouri were so soothing that it made the ride quite easy. The only bad part was each time we stopped and left the comfort of the Air Conditioned truck the heat felt like someone was sitting on your chest. Finally we had to use the highway system to skirt our way around Kansas City.

By 3:00 pm. Central Time we pulled into Oak Grove, Missouri K.O.A. to spend the night. It didn’t take long to get the A.C. running to cool the trailer even before it had been leveled or the other utilities hooked up. The park vendor was having a special so we decided to order a full rack of spare ribs deliciously prepared and homemade coleslaw. For less than $15.00 the four of us were well satisfied with our meal that we ate in the cool comfort of the trailer.

Later Bill and I decided to cool off in the pool. The water temp was much more comfortable than it had been in Salina, Kansas. While we were becoming refreshed at the pool and talking a younger gentleman noted Bill’s accent and started talking with us. He was travelling with his wife, four children and sister in a rented C class RV. They were here travelling the Central United States from Finland. For Bill it was like talking to old friends. Before we knew it the pool was closing and we had been gone longer than originally planned.  

After failing to post any pictures in our blog Thursday and no connection Friday morning we decided it was time to hit the road. Again the trip was comfortable with a simple comfort stop in the morning before finally stopping for lunch at a place called Smith’s Restaurant. It was unique in that it had antiques and collectables that were not for sale but set the mood for the place. The prices were reasonable but the portions could easily have fed two people per portion. Doggy bags were also part of the menu.

By 2:00 we were setting up camp in Branson, Missouri K.O.A. Kathy and I were last here twelve years ago and hardly recognized the town because it has grown that much. Our plans are to enjoy a few of the local attractions tomorrow. Again the first utility connected was the electricity so we could cool the trailer. The thermometer said 108 F (42 C). Bill has been very helpful throughout this trip in setting up but thought he was about to pass out. He was very apologetic about needing to cool off still insisting he needed to help even after I told him I would rather he take care of his health rather than us having to call 911.

Kathy and Vera decided to hit the laundry room after supper. Even with air conditioning the laundry room never got below 86 F (30 C). Bill and I never even tried the pool to cool off. Today is our fun day here in Branson so stay with us and to see what we will be experiencing.

Thanks for following our adventures. Be Safe and Enjoy!

It’s about time.

Krackers

You might be a Redneck if

You've ever skinny-dipped in an inflatable pool.