Feliz Navidad….

After almost three weeks in Red Bay, Alabama, we pulled out of the Allegro Campground and headed South last Friday evening.  Needless to say, it was a happy day!!  

The weather was a dramatic improvement….seventies over fifties and lots of sunshine….glorious!!

  We spent a great weekend with Keith and Donna, eating really good Mexican food and playing Hand n Foot….Donna and I finally got the groove back…we won four out of five games (we had to let the guys win one!)  Since there has been a major women’s losing streak for about the last six months, we were really happy gals to score a win. 

We hated to leave them, but needed to get on to Spring Branch and Tommie Sue and Harrell’s,  so Monday we drove deeper  into Texas….everything in Texas is a six hour drive….unless it’s more!  It takes at least a day and a half to get  into or out of Texas…unless you’re going to El Paso and then it takes THREE days!  So six hours later we arrived at TS and Harrell’s lovely place in the Hill Country.   This is one of our favorite areas and the drive over 306 is so pretty.   The peeks at Canyon Lake from Devil’s Backbone are so beautiful…maybe one day we will capture it in a photo, but not yet!

We put our little LED lights on the tiny tree that sits on the credenza…

…put on the Christmas music, lit the Christmas candles and then put on our SHORTS to enjoy the eighty degree weather!

The sunshine and warmth feel so good after the cold days in Red Bay!  

It was great to see TS and Harrell and we have been busy making Escapade plans and visiting.

On a sad note, Cathie called yesterday with the very sad news that Joe had suffered an aneurysm and the prognosis was not good.  What a great loss of a truly wonderful man, as he succumbed early in the afternoon.   As the co-founder of the Escapees RV Club, he showed us all how to be better people and to share joy in life with all around you.  He will be missed by so many people.   Keep them all in your prayers, please.

I find myself missing the kids very much, but not the cold and snow back home. How’d you like to spend Christmas on Christmas Island?     I would love it…and it’s still one of my favorite Christmas songs!

We wish wonderful Christmas blessings to everyone as we remember the reason for the season.   Hugs and love you all!

Red Bay, AL

Eight degrees yesterday morning in Red Bay....too cold for anywhere, is what I think about that!

We have been at Coldwater Inn in Tuscumbia, AL for the last ten days, and with the frigid weather that has been a good thing! It snowed almost all day Sunday, but no accumulation, thank heavens!! What is up with the weather??? Cold everywhere except where we are supposed to be!!

Dennis Hill http://rvdrivingschool.blogspot.com/ arrived Sunday to enjoy the cold weather. It sure was good to see a familiar face! We've had custody of the now almost famous "Little Green Man" since we left Abbeville....

....so we decided to return the little guy to his rightful owner! He has recovered nicely from his recent 'turtle napping' and hanging at the rally in Goshen. He really needs a jacket though...it's awfully cold outside!!

As an update, they should finish with the MH in the cabinet shop today! Yay....in the last ten days, they have replaced much of the tile floors and done a tremendous amount of cabinet and wall work; all of the technicians have done a nice job and we are pretty pleased. Today they should move it to the paint bay and bring the cleaners in, to get all the sawdust and grit cleaned out.

So, if the creek don't rise, we hope to be driving out of here on Friday....oh, happy day!!! :)

I am one of those that LOVE travel days...it is always exciting when Bob fires up the engine and I climb in my seat and buckle up...I can't wait to see what's coming up around the next turn, especially if it's new territory for us. Not to mention finding warmer weather and good friends ahead...leave the light on for us...the countdown is on!

Where in the world….

…have we been? Well, it’s something like this…from the Escapade in Goshen back to Virginia…. then on to the Equestrian Games in Lexington, KY with Paul and Katie. En route we experienced our first-ever break down in a motorhome…

and the great big tow truck delivered us to Lee-Hy Truck Stop in Lexington, VA where they installed an emergency belt on the engine and we were on our way the next day, none the worse for the wear.

It was a lovely time to drive through the mountains to Kentucky; the leaves were turning and the nights were brisk. We toured the Bourbon Trail stopping at the Wild Turkey plant…

Paul inspects some bourbon barrels in Bourbon County, Kentucky. Only spirits processed in Bourbon County can be labeled as bourbon…otherwise it’s just a whiskey!

We spent a good deal of time with Tiff and Scott up in Catonsville and then flew to San Juan, where the Celebrity Summit took us all on a cruise.

Scott and Tiff…

Trunk Bay, St. John…one of the loveliest beaches

Dinner on the ship was fun and delicious…

A view of the ship in St. Lucia Castries harbor…

Leaving Warsaw, we headed South to Abbeville, LA where some of us got caught in Betty’s web for the Thanksgiving week…

Recognize any of these guys???

How about now???

Keith, Bob, Dennis, Denny, Bob and Chuck-Bob hammed it up a little…Boss Hawg and Don were MIA in this photo! The time spent at Betty’s went by all too fast…it was wonderful spending time and just having fun there in Cajun country. The girls got beat consistently by the guys in Hand and Foot (‘nuff said!) and then it was time for us to head to….Red Bay, Alabama where we will be for a little while (that’s Alabama time, you know!) and then we will head West to the Texas Hill Country to see our good buddies Tommie Sue and Harrell.

The days fly by so quickly, it seems…thanks to all of you who emailed or called to check and see where in the world we’ve been; it’s always wonderful to hear from you! Big hugs to everyone!

Yes, it's about time....

Yes, it's been a little while...but we've been busy having some fun and getting ready for the Escapade.... it seems we were last in Livingston when the blog was updated....leaving there on July 28th, the temps were headed to 99 that day...thehottest day we'd had, so we were happy to be heading north...but it was a HOT trip....105 degrees in Little Rock when we arrived that night!! Too hot, for sure!!!

Then we landed in Tunica, MS where we met Karen and Donnie for a few days of fun and HEAT. It was 105, but it was cool in the Casinos so we headed right up to Paula Deens Buffet at Harrah's and indulged in her wonderful Southern cuisine. Yes, indeed she knows how to put the four main food groups of the South (Butter, chocolate, bacon and cheese!) to good use! It was wonderful!! Karen and Donnie had been down to Livingston to visit us for a few days, but they had a couple of issues with the motorhome, so they headed to Red Bay, where we met them on their way back to Fort Worth. The gals were victorious in Tunica, stomping the boys several times in Hand and Foot...of course, that luck would change quickly, as I have not been winning much since then!!

So, this brings us to Goshen, IN to the Fairgrounds where Escapade will be held and we've been working on the rally and enjoying the Amish countryside and meals for several weeks. There are lots of folks here in the Elkhart area for the rallies...among them are Dennis and Carol Hill. Dennis just bought some new kayaks and has been busy trying them out back east in the HEAT!!


So Dennis, this kayak is for you......

you might recognize it from the Lakeshore Grill...it's the latest cardboard model there and I was dared to get in it for the photo...yes, it's still there, but barely!! I can't say just who took the photo, but I can tell you that it was someone 'up there' on the advance staff!!! :)

Now, if you read any of the other RVers blogs, you already know what we've been up to...many fun Happy Hours with the great folks who are gathered here, and adventures in the area.

Here are a few not-so-incriminating photos of this wonderful group who are here getting ready for the Escapade....

Kellie had to try on all the animal masks at Das Essenhaus......

...and of course, our fearless leader and his dog, Blue...

...yes indeed it looks like Bud!

We all have a pact that goes something like this, "What happens at Escapade, STAYS at Escapade"!! :) That's my story and I'm sticking to it!!! :)

How about that Texas weather?

Leaving the Farm on Father’s Day, we rambled on down to Aberdeen and spent a few days finishing up some projects at the park.

It was SO HOT and humid in Carolina…..more so than back in Montpelier and it was really HOT there!!   So our Texas friends were smiling and saying “Just wait til you get to Texas…it’s really going to be hot and humid”.   So, we’re thinking “O K, we’ll be well prepared for the heat and humidity in Livingston”.  But…guess what?  The hurricane that brushed Texas pulled all of the humidity and much of the extreme heat up to the Northeast…it has been almost delightful since we arrived!   Makes for great walks in the evenings and most nights Kellie and I swim for a couple of hours…and it’s chilly when we get out!!! Who knew???  It’s beginning to get hot again, but so far the humidity has remained on the low side, making for some pleasant summer days.

I drove much of the way into Texas; Bob decided to share the wheel  so I got lots of time in the seat. Easy travel days, and we headed to Lufkin to spend a little time with Keith and Donna…..

They are finally settled into their lovely new home; of course the cards came out and Hand N Foot ensued.   The gals got stomped…really stomped.   If you read Keith’s blog, you already know this!!   There WILL be a rematch for sure!!

Arriving in Livingston on the 29th, we got our hugs from Tommie Sue, Harrell, Kellie and Walt.  After settling in, we got to work on the advance planning for Escapade.  These guys are just the best to work with; along with Bud and Cathie, we do a lot of brainstorming and feed off each other pretty well so there’s a lot of progress and a lot of fun going on!!  Yes, lots more card games, and Bob says to make sure to say that I’m still not winning!   But Kellie and I did have a victory one night….must have been brief because it’s long since forgotten…. And then there’s Farkle and bowling to add to the fun.

So life is pretty good in Livingston these days and the wheels will soon be rolling North…but so far we are loving this Texas weather!!!

Hugs to everyone!