Maggie May

Maggie May
Maggie May

Thursday, December 30, 2010

MacDill Fam Camp in Tampa, FL

We drove down interstate 75 yesterday with many snowbirds seeking warmer weather.  We found it as we had to turn on the air conditioner as soon as we started setting up.  The Fam Camp here at MacDill is huge with hundreds of big rigs in the park.  There is a boat marina nearby, the smell of salt water in the air, walking along the waterfront, and activities planned for almost every night.  They had a RV Christmas decoration contest so the park is certainly festive.   The full hook up sites were taken so we are in the overflow with only electricity and water connections.  That's just fine since the bath house is nearby and quite nice.  Think we should probably just stay here until they kick us out.

After setting up yesterday afternoon we went over to Marianne and Kevin's house for a short visit with Jackson.  He has grown so  much and has a head full of curly hair.  I am sporting a slight cold with congestion so I really did not want to get too close to him.  Today is his first birthday and I am debating on whether to stay away from him today as I recover.  His birthday will be celebrated with a party on Jan 1st, and I want us all to be well for the celebration.

We think it will be fun to stay in Tampa for a few months.  This lifestyle is awesome - enjoy the serenity of the country and then enjoy the hub bub of the "big city."  Life is Good Today.

On a sad note my mother's last sister passed away early Monday morning.  Aunt Evelyn always had a quick wit and a devilish twinkle in her eye.  She made the best out of everything.  She spent her last years in a nursing home, and still managed to enjoy herself and find something to smile and sing about.  We will miss her.

Monday, December 27, 2010

Christmas in Dixie

In spite of the cold we had a most wonderful Christmas with Caroline and the Paradise family.  Kelly graciously invited the entire family over Christmas Eve evening to exchange gifts and eat some more of that awesome Southern cooking.  Phil was about to excite away when he opened his new Nintendo DS and Lincoln joined right in on the fun of opening gifts and squealing with delight.

Brandon and Lori drove in at 7:00am Christmas morning so we were all present under the Christmas tree to see Phil wake up to discover that Santa had indeed arrived.  Again, Lincoln joined in with the celebration and even forgot that he had a bottle overdue.  After enjoying Caroline's quiche for breakfast we began to heat up the casseroles that Caroline had so thoughtfully prepared at Thanksgiving so that we wouldn't have to cook so much on Christmas morning.  Yeah!  Sam deep fried the turkey and Smithfield supplied the ham so we were set!  Later on in the early evening it began to snow and I awoke every hour on the hour to look out the window at the snow.

Billy and I packed up the motor home in the snow and drove away at about 10:00 am.  It took us over two hours to drive 50 miles before we were able to drive out of the snow.  We were on snow covered roads that had not yet been driven on.  After driving out of the snow we soon discovered that it is COLD in South Georgia and Alabama.  We are staying at Pecan RV park in Dothan, AL for a few days and then heading to McDill Air Force Base in Tampa to be with Jackson on his first birthday.

One last note.....Maggie does not like the snow.  We have to toss her out the front door to make her go outside.  Getting ready to make a Wal-Mart run so "Life is Good Today!"  Merry Christmas

Tuesday, December 21, 2010

THE Christmas Virus

Since my last post we have each, one by one, dropped out to endure the 24 hour virus that appears to be highly contagious.  Wow!  Hopefully that means that we will all be well for Christmas celebrating.  I have to add that I walked into Caroline's house early yesterday morning and warned her to be very careful as her front steps were covered with ice.  I enjoyed a hot cup of coffee there and then RUSHED out the door to our motor home so that Billy and I could go pick up the new camper shell for his truck.  Rushed being the operative word and in the blink of an eye both of my feet flew out from under me and I came down on the edge of the steps straight across my already beleaguered back.  Once I found enough breath to scream I began screaming for help.  Caroline was running the vacuum and couldn't hear me, but Billy heard me loud and clear.  Thankfully, no serious harm done.  I am just extremely sore and stiff all over.  For a time there I was sure that I would be spending Christmas day in the hospital as opposed to with my children.

Phil was a shepherd in the Sunday morning Christmas sermon at their church.  He sang his little heart out, and I was so happy that we were here to share this with him.  Brought tears to my eyes.  Caroline and Sam went back to church Sunday evening for the Christmas Cantata and Santa's visit with the children.  I stayed at home with a very tired Lincoln.  Wouldn't take a million dollars for that experience.  Caroline's house was decorated and she left with the Christmas lights all sparkling, candles lit, Christmas carols playing and a cuddly and sleepy little Lincoln wrapped up in my arms.  I could have rocked and cuddled that precious bundle all night long, but didn't want to totally spoil him for Caroline and Sam.

I have officially discovered Trader Joe's.  What a great store.  Their Triple Ginger Cookies, granola, smoked salmon, almond butter and lots of other items are just to die for.  Billy is out at the movie theatre with Phil right now enjoying Yogi Bear, but I plan on making one more trip to Trader Joe's before we leave here on Sunday.  Hard to believe that we have been here five weeks.  The time really flies by when I am with the kids.  Caroline prepared the sweet potato casserole yesterday and began putting the ingredients together for good old-fashioned cornbread dressing.  Many good smells mingling in this motor home.

Phil is the Shepherd to the left with the maroon shepherd's wrap.
Once again....."Life is Good Today!"  Thank you so much for stopping by to visit.

Thursday, December 16, 2010

A Few Rainy Days and Christmas Decorations

Caroline came home from work early yesterday morning sick as she could possibly be.  She went straight to bed and "Big Daddy" and I went to the sitter's to pick up the boys.  They were happy to see us there, and it was fun to pick Phil up and see him proudly bring home the miniature Christmas Tree he made for his mom!  We stopped at Chicken Express and got dinner for the three of us and fed Lincoln some mashed potatoes and gravy.  He REALLY liked that.  We brought the boys back into the motor home and played until almost bedtime.  A fun day was had by all but Caroline.

Caroline felt better today and went in to work.  I had my laundry to do so I just did all of hers, also.  Hope that helps her out just a little bit.  I so remember having young children.  My goal in life was to have the house clean, the laundry done, the car and dog washed and dinner on the table ALL AT THE SAME TIME!  A lofty goal that I have never reached.  Billy and I went to pick up a few things at Wally World today and I bowed my head in shame and bought some more Christmas decorations for the motor home.  Bought four pages of clear window cellophane decals that press on the windows.  It is a holiday decoration that is easy to store, looks good from the inside, but from the outside - well can you say "trailer trash?"  LOL  Tacky Christmas decorations and all "Life is (Still) Good Today" in GA.

Attached is a photo of Maggie barking at the minute hand on our clock.  She just realized that it moves.  She is a "ratter" dog and uses her sight to hunt, so I guess this means she is a good hunter.  You can double left click on the photos to make them bigger.

Wednesday, December 15, 2010

It is Cold in North GA

We have been basically busy trying to stay warm and learn how to live in the motor home during cold weather.  We had snow flurries here on Sunday and Monday; however, there was no accumulation.  I tried to go to the Tanger Outlet Mall in Commerce, GA on Tuesday to do our Christmas shopping to no avail.  Would rather give the kids money to shop after Christmas sales than waste money on something they don't need or like.  SO - our Christmas shopping is done.  Phil came home from school with the throw ups on Monday - hit almost every square inch of the car and splattered the bathroom walls.  Caroline came home from school early this morning with the same bug and she has been in bed ever since.  Much as I hate to say it, we are next.  Just wrapped up in coat, gloves, hat and scarf and took the three dogs for a long walk.  Now I am thinking I will call Ann Garrett (lived in Athens with us and now lives across the highway from Caroline) and ask her if I can help saddle up her horses to ride through the woods this weekend.  It is so beautiful under these tall GA pines.

Just to let all know that I have done it again.  I purchased three pages of window Christmas decals to adorn our motor home during the holidays.  I stored them away somewhere in here where they would not become crinkled.  I have turned the place upside down and can't find them anywhere.  There are a limited number of hiding places so I will look once more.  "Life is (still) Good Today!" even if our credit card has been compromised once again!  How in the world do CRIMINALS get a credit card number that we don't even use?

Saturday, December 11, 2010

Oglethorpe County for Christmas parked in Caroline's Front Yard

I have been properly chastised for not keeping up with the blog.  At the beginning of the week while we were still at Pointes West Army Resort Brandon and Caroline's Nana passed away.  On the same day Caroline's day care manager's brother passed away leaving Caroline with nobody to keep the boys for the week.  Big Daddy and Memaw to the rescue.  We packed up the motor home and drove to Caroline's front yard.  It was not as easy as it sounds as it was freezing cold and we thought our water was frozen.  Also had a "chemical" spill inside the motor home that required two bottles of Lysol to clean.  Two days without water (we used Caroline's inside) and a new water pump and we finally have running water again.  We kept Phil and Lincoln Monday through Friday noon and then the kids left for South GA and the funeral services.  While I was keeping Lincoln Phil and Big Daddy made a few trips to the RV store for water pumps, went out to eat a few times and Big Daddy took Phil for a hair cut.  Lincoln is an absolutely sweet baby, and I have had a blast bonding with him for the first time.  I haven't taken nearly as many pictures as I have wanted but here are a few of us after we got to Oglethorpe County.   As you can tell by Maggie's picture curled up on our bed pillows it is very cold here and snow is predicted.   We now have our "______ in the lawn chair and toes in the clay.......and Life is Good Today."

Saturday, December 4, 2010

Very Cold at West Pointe Army Resort in North GA

Not much going on this past week.  We piddled around the RV park and took long walks with Maggie.  We traveled into Augusta one day last week to pick up a few items at the Fort Gordon PX and Commissary.  After going to two PX's and a couple of stores it was a complete wash out so we returned home tired and empty handed.  On Thursday we went over to Brandon's house in the afternoon and we both took long hot showers.  Wow did that feel good.  The shower house here at the Army RV park leave a lot to be desired.  Brandon was still at work and Lori out of town so I cranked up his BIG stove and cooked up a big pot of Paula Deen's ham and potato soup.  Topped with chives and crumbled bacon it was great.  We had planned on staying the evening at Brandon's to help him surprise Lori by decorating the home for Christmas; however, Caroline phoned at 8:00 pm to say that her babysitter's brother was seriously ill and she needed me to keep the boys on Monday.  So glad that we were here and able to help her out some.  Of course I was tickled to be able to spend the entire day with the boys.  I left the RV at 5:45 am and didn't get back home until 8:00 so I was drop dead tired but so enjoyed my day.  Lincoln is the sweetest little baby and it has been a long time since I could spend the day with Phil.  So wish that I could go to the Watkinsville Christmas Parade with Caroline and the boys today but Billy and I have some errands to run in Augusta.  It is going to get down to 15 degrees in a few days, and we need to take precautions that our pipes do not freeze.  You have to love this lifestyle.......There are only 4 other campers in the campground and the Army just delivered and stacked a cord of wood for us "homeless" folks over here in the woods.  I definitely plan on picking up the ingredients for S'Mores while we are in town.  I'm a fire bug and love a campfire.  So you see "Life is Good Today" and my UGG boots keep my piggies toasty warm.