Updating from Christmas until 1/12/09

Sorry that I have not been faithful in updating lately but will try once again to get everyone caught up with our doings for the past couple of weeks.

When I left off we were in Chesterfield, Virginia, enjoying the holidays at my sister, Betty, and brother-in-law, Roy's house. We also visited their two daughters houses with much going on at both.

Lori and Dave Schuelke had just moved into their new house. Dave has been building on this project for two years with Lori's help when she was not working for Dominic Power. Dave did all of the wood (cutting, stripping, and finishing). Pictures of the ongoing work and finished project are in my photos on picasa.

Dana and Brian have also had a busy year. In January, 2008, Jenna Nicole, was born. She is so cute and full of vim and vinegar. They also moved into a new house in March and had to contend with the slow housing market to sell their old house. Luckily they were able to accomplish this mission and are very happy in their big, wide-open house in Woodland Pond sub-division.

On Saturday, the entire family went to my Aunt Blanche Ladd's house for lunch and game playing. Her son, Rob, and his friend Penny along with his daughter Ashley were there. Also my cousin Tommy and his wife Pam from Ohio and Fred from Atlanta were also there. We all had a great time and a wonderful meal. Thanks Aunt Blanche.

Card games again started with everyone having a good time. Russ and I just could not get the right cards so did not win at all in all of the games played.

On Sunday, Russ and I went to Wilson, N. C., to visit with his family. Ms. Sarah has been having some health problems (back and eyes) so we called a family meeting and let her know that it was time that she seek other living arrangements. She is unable to care for her apartment in the way that it should be done. Sarah, Russ, his sister Susan and nephew Connor, went out on Monday to look at assisted living places and to talk with a counselor about what to do to get her into one of these. They were able to obtain much information so we will see what will take place in the near future.

We returned to Chesterfield on Tuesday afternoon and that evening went to my cousin Mary and Harry's house for a pasta dinner. She also had her mother, our uncle Bryan, her son, Brandon and brother Lewie. Another great meal and wonderful visiting amongst all of us.

On Wednesday, New Year's Eve, we returned to Florida. During the week Russ and I had decided that he would come back to TT and move the motor home into a spot and I would go down to Frostproof and stay with Mama for a few days. One she had come down with a bug and we were watching it to make sure that she did not go into pneumonia. We discovered when we got to the car that we had left both sets of keys to the motor home at Mamas house. We did stop at TT and get a space then continued to Frostproof so that Russ could get the keys and come back and move.

On Thursday morning Russ got up and searched out the campground for a space that he would like better as we had put in for the extended stay program here. He found a space that he liked better than the one that he had overnight and went up to register at the office. Once moved again he spent the afternoon and evening watching the bowl games on TV. On Friday morning, he had to take the motorhome over to RV Connection to have the refrigerator doors replaced. They had called and said that the doors were in but only one had come and the other is on backorder. They did replace the one and did the inspection that needed to be done to have the warranty extended for another year.

That afternoon he came down to Frostproof and picked Mystee and I up. We were both glad to get back to our own home. We continued to get our space fixed up like we want it and to meet some of the neighbors and people around us.

Over the weekend we continue our set up and watched the play-off games on NFL football. We have gone swimming some, sat outside and just enjoyed the sun, gone walking and bike riding the rest of the time.

On Tuesday we went to Frostproof as this is the night that they have Bingo. On the way down we picked up a few things for Mama and just enjoyed our visit. Russ and I both won at Bingo and felt very good about it.

Today, we went to Camping World and our second bike had finally come in. Now both Russ and I can ride together.

Tomorrow we will be going down to the Tampa Fairgrounds for the Big RV Show and SMART, Buccaneers campout. We will be down there until Sunday.

I will report from there.

Until next time, take care.

Kamper's Lodge of America, Wilson, N. C.

October 18 – 21. We left Pocahontas State Park and headed to Wilson, N. C., and Kamper’s Lodge of America. It is located about 6 miles from Russ’ mothers’ house and we had complete hookups. Once we got set up and to her house, we visited for a while and then went to Bill’s Bar-B-Que for lunch. The food was great and we all got our fill. We took a ride around to the houses that they had lived in and many changes had taken place. We went back to Ms. Sarah’s and visited with Russ’ sister Susan and nephew Connor. It was a good day.

On Sunday, we all gathered at Ms. Sarah’s for breakfast. It was all the things that Russ likes eggs with red-eye gravy, country ham, biscuits and tomatoes. Yum, Yum. Russ watched the race from Martinsville on TV while I messed on the computer. I later decided to go to Target, Ross, Marshall’s and a shoe store. I only bought a drink for our dinner.

After dinner it was back to our house on wheels and watching football for Russ and Desperate Housewives and Brother and Sisters for me. We have had a good two weeks with family and will see most again in the spring.