Ready, Set, Go!

Kentucky Lake at Land Between the Lakes Rally

It is way past time to get this blog updated!  Where did this year go? And these past three months have flown by.

Three months in a nutshell....two fiberglass rallies and one hip replacement.

By mid September it became increasingly obvious that David's left hip was not going to last until March, 2018. We call the hip surgeon and set the process in motion, hoping that it will all work out time wise and not interfere with the winter desert trip.

We have reservations for the Land Between the Lakes rally in early October.  Arriving a few days late due to doctor appointments, we find old friends already there.

We take a break from socializing and go paddling!

We are camping in a different loop and it feels like a new rally.  Managed to get a few nice sunset shots.

We spend time with old friends, make some new friends and just enjoy life.

.......A brief interruption here...I am working with Blogger and Google Photos.  Just experimenting, trying to make blogging easier.

We get back home, wash clothes and head for another rally at Davy Crockett Birthplace State Park.

Now this bunch knows how to party!

(Anticipating some protest, I deleted the karaoke video!)

By mid-October the surgery date is set for 11/6/2017 and we need to get the Escape ready for winter before the operation.  As the trailer lives in storage, we decide to camp at our local county park, Chester Frost, to perform the clean up.

After 4 days of washing, polishing, adding gutters, and winterizing, we are exhausted and ready to go home.

This is the best these two senior citizens can do.  Think we will hire professionals the next time!

Two weeks later we are at the hospital and David's getting another hip replacement.  Definitely a scary procedure for an eighty year old but it is a successful operation.

David is working hard to rehab the hip and doing a great job of it!

Checking up on our neighbors' new house

This brings the blog up to present time where we are counting down to the winter journey.  This will be our 6th year to winter in Arizona! Looking forward to being back in the desert and also to seeing friends.

Miscellaneous thoughts:

Normally each year between Thanksgiving and Christmas, I get depressed.  Nothing major, just mild sadness possibly attributed to seasonal affective disorder.  But not this year!  Maybe it's because we have been so incredibly busy but I want to think that the different state of mind is due to internal changes.

This has been the most difficult year.  I have experienced the whole spectrum of feelings from sadness and isolation one year ago to rage, fear and hopelessness.  I have been astonished by a few friends and fretted over their behavior.  Yes, I am talking politics.

But through this pain and darkness there have been gifts.....for I am a better person than I was 

a year ago...a stronger person more willing to say what I need to say and a more forgiving person. Forgiving myself when I react negatively and forgiving others when they are unkind.

I am loving more, including those who want to label me.  And I have hope.

Wishing that everyone finds love, peace and happiness under their Christmas tree this year.

Spring at Home and more..

 

Phlox

Spring at home, fall at home, winter in the desert, summer in the mountains….that’s been the goal since we downsized and now it is happening!

Arriving home later than usual this year, we are greeted by trees adorned with blossoms, looking like mounds of white and pink cotton candy.  As we travel north on I-59, my eyes are delighting in the lavender blooming redbuds welcoming us to Tennessee.

As much as I enjoy the desert and its flora,  Spring in the Southeast is not something to miss. The landscape is dotted with different shades of green as new leaves appear on trees. Wildflowers are showing their color, azaleas are budding, lavender wisteria is draped in the woods.  New growth is everywhere and my plant disease is back!

Should say “plant addiction” instead of disease!  But remembering how this gardening bug drove us away from our house last year, I am looking, not buying, as we go through Walmart and Lowes!

Backing up in time to St Pat’s Day…..

The weather in Montgomery for the Green Eggs and Ham fiberglass rally is perfect.  A little rain falls later in the week, but nothing like the previous year where we never left the camper without a raincoat!

 

Multiple activities happen each day. This is our fourth year to attend.

 

 

Listening to the musicians at night….one of the magical events.

Wildflowers are blooming in the woods.

 

 

This lily like flower is blooming several places in the park..some in the deep woods. Not sure of its name.

For more info on the Green Eggs and Ham visit Jerry C’s blog. Wanda and Jerry are just across the road from us.

It is marvelous to arrive in our downsized new home… unlock the door, turn up the thermostat, switch the water back on and move back in!

Physically, we are back home.  Psychologically, I am still back in the desert. Upon waking each morning, I must remember I am not in the camper. 

But I am really enjoying all the sights of spring all around us. There are phlox blooming in our front yard…first photo.  Dogwoods and redbuds showing in the woods. Red azaleas are blooming in my neighbors’ yards.

And I notice that I am happy!

Just read an article on happiness.  It liken happiness to an ongoing journey and ended with “happiness is living the life you want to live.”  We are so blessed to be living that life!

David’s heart continues to be in rhythm.  And we have another rally to attend next week.  Part of the happiness is knowing that we soon will be camping with some treasured old friends!

Took this photo while getting reacquainted with our downtown….Market Street Bridge over the Tennessee River.

Tennessee River with Lookout Mountain in the background. Close to home.

It is a bit chilly today….we may still be in Dogwood Winter…but polishing the Escape is on the menu.  She needs to look her best for the rally.  Off to to the Great Smoky Mountains in a few days!!