Well today isn't Monday, it is a lazy Thursday. The rest of today and all day tomorrow here in Asheboro NC and then we pack up and head back to Jackson Springs for two weeks before heading home to PA for Christmas with the kids. I can hardly believe another year is about to close, December is here and before the aroma of Christmas cookies has left the house it will be time to roll south again for the balance of the winter. I'm looking forward to seeing the kids and the grands. Little Sarai will soon be walking, only a year ago I was home planning a surprise baby shower, now she is almost a toddler. Moyra and Joselin are growing up too fast. Affectionately named 'Squeek and Screech' have developed into the little actress and Papaws little yard nome.
Bittersweet today December 1st (12/1/02) as it is the 9th anniversary of my dads passing. Now we have Johnny Freemans birthday to remember. Sadness envelopes me on days like today. I will never stop missing my dad and wish I could hug away the hurt that accompanies the loss of a friend.
The sun is shining the air is warm, the Christmas lights endlessly burning bright in the front window the tree aglow on the side... I'm dreaming of a white Christmas. Until tomorrow...
Thursday, December 1, 2011
Saturday, October 15, 2011
Another Summer Has Passed
Here we are again, enroute to North Carolina, where we have found Winter is most pleasant. It's cool, rarely cold; there's snow but it it never sticks around for long. The trees in our campground are always green, and the lake never freezes over. Our church is close, friends are plentiful and life is always good.
Summer in Pennsylvania was good as well, visited family, explored all the local Thousand Trails and Outdoor World campgrounds in between visits to Gettysburg then back again. Played with the grands, watched over my mother, and personalized the 'house' just a little bit more. My most treasured yard sale find was a brand new Brother sewing machine for $40 so I made curtains to hang in the big front window. My plan is to make valance toppers to cozy up the living space and make it feel more like home and less like a motorhome.
Fall in the mountains is an annual event for us. This is the second year we spent a week in Gordonsville near the Shenandoah National Park and the Blue Ridge Parkway. We spent several days just driving and enjoying the Fall color in the mountains. One day we may find an acre or two on a mountaintop where we will call home, for now though home is where we park it.
This year will be the first year I will actually decorate for Christmas. We won't head home for Christmas until mid December so when we arrive in Jackson Springs I'll put up the tree and start collecting those North Carolina pine cones to scent with cinnamon, apple and nutmeg warming oil and place on the coffee table. Lighted garland over the windowseat and warm mulled wine in the crockpot to share with friends by an endless crackling fire. I love Christmas time.
Summer in Pennsylvania was good as well, visited family, explored all the local Thousand Trails and Outdoor World campgrounds in between visits to Gettysburg then back again. Played with the grands, watched over my mother, and personalized the 'house' just a little bit more. My most treasured yard sale find was a brand new Brother sewing machine for $40 so I made curtains to hang in the big front window. My plan is to make valance toppers to cozy up the living space and make it feel more like home and less like a motorhome.
Fall in the mountains is an annual event for us. This is the second year we spent a week in Gordonsville near the Shenandoah National Park and the Blue Ridge Parkway. We spent several days just driving and enjoying the Fall color in the mountains. One day we may find an acre or two on a mountaintop where we will call home, for now though home is where we park it.
This year will be the first year I will actually decorate for Christmas. We won't head home for Christmas until mid December so when we arrive in Jackson Springs I'll put up the tree and start collecting those North Carolina pine cones to scent with cinnamon, apple and nutmeg warming oil and place on the coffee table. Lighted garland over the windowseat and warm mulled wine in the crockpot to share with friends by an endless crackling fire. I love Christmas time.
Sunday, June 5, 2011
Home in Pennsylvania
We've now been home in Pennsylvania for several weeks. Thanks to our 1000Trails membership and our TRA home park in Gettysburg, we've been able to travel from one to the other with minimal expense. There are seven 1000Trails parks in PA alone which makes it nice for visiting the family and grandkids.
It's also nice to have two home bases, one in Pennsylvania and the other in North Carolina as we head to NC as soon as the weather turns cold and the leaves begin to change. I like the snow, I just don't like the 2 and 3 feet of snow that Eastern PA gets on any given day over the Winter. While in NC we may see 2 or 3 inches and it's generally gone in a day or two.
Recovering from a hospital stay in April and a pulled muscle in my back in May, June seems to be the month I may just get on my bike and start to exercise again after a long winter nap. We will be visiting with family from out of state in a few weeks. Our daughter and husband bought a house in the country so we will be helping them settle in and our newest little grandbaby is growing so fast I can hardly believe my eyes.
I miss my children terribly but they are grown and living their own lives as we are living ours. I would not have it another way. They were only ours for a season, we dedicated each of them to the Lord many years ago and the time has come to turn each one of them back into His care and trust that we raised them to make good and right choices in life. We are proud of them, each one, probably more than they will ever realize.
It's been a great journey these past three years. I never want to stop. Many living this lifestyle...this vagabond lifestyle, park the RV at some point and get a little house or apartment somewhere, then waste away on a rock and roll chair staring out the window wishing for a mountaintop view, a babbling brook and crackling fire. I hope to live my last days, if the Lord tarries, by the fire, listening to the brook that overlooks a mountaintop where I meet God, and he waits for me there...
It's also nice to have two home bases, one in Pennsylvania and the other in North Carolina as we head to NC as soon as the weather turns cold and the leaves begin to change. I like the snow, I just don't like the 2 and 3 feet of snow that Eastern PA gets on any given day over the Winter. While in NC we may see 2 or 3 inches and it's generally gone in a day or two.
Recovering from a hospital stay in April and a pulled muscle in my back in May, June seems to be the month I may just get on my bike and start to exercise again after a long winter nap. We will be visiting with family from out of state in a few weeks. Our daughter and husband bought a house in the country so we will be helping them settle in and our newest little grandbaby is growing so fast I can hardly believe my eyes.
I miss my children terribly but they are grown and living their own lives as we are living ours. I would not have it another way. They were only ours for a season, we dedicated each of them to the Lord many years ago and the time has come to turn each one of them back into His care and trust that we raised them to make good and right choices in life. We are proud of them, each one, probably more than they will ever realize.
It's been a great journey these past three years. I never want to stop. Many living this lifestyle...this vagabond lifestyle, park the RV at some point and get a little house or apartment somewhere, then waste away on a rock and roll chair staring out the window wishing for a mountaintop view, a babbling brook and crackling fire. I hope to live my last days, if the Lord tarries, by the fire, listening to the brook that overlooks a mountaintop where I meet God, and he waits for me there...
Sunday, March 27, 2011
A Life Lesson
I learned something very important this week. Not to ever skip my thyroid meds for 2 days because I have a sinus infection and then take three doses of Nyquil very close together because of a bad memory. The result...104 temp, monster migraine headache accompanied by throwing up along with what the hospital emergency room doctor called a hypertensive crisis(very high blood pressure) In other words I was experiencing a 'Thyroid Storm". Not a fun three days. Thank the Lord He loves me and heard Barry's prayer because I was in no condition to pray, I could only moan, cry and throw up. Very strange I don't remember much of it. I know I had a cat scan and an ultrasound and they gave me lots of drugs.
All better now though. Another life lesson learned. Loose weight, eat right, take lots of walks and bike rides and NEVER take multiple doses of Nyquil while out of my mind sick with a sinus infection. Good advice to myself I'd say...
All better now though. Another life lesson learned. Loose weight, eat right, take lots of walks and bike rides and NEVER take multiple doses of Nyquil while out of my mind sick with a sinus infection. Good advice to myself I'd say...
Monday, March 21, 2011
Home Again
Here we are in Gettysburg PA. Driving back into this town is the epitome of warm and fuzzy. It's home as far as home goes and as close to home as we get without actually being home. We haven't a house anymore, homeless by choice we like to tell people. Home is where we park it as they say. Right now we're home in Gettysburg. Spent a day with the kids and newest grandbaby on Friday. Took the boys and Britt out to breakfast and spent the afternoon with my mom, Jess and Sarai. Then back to Gettysburg for 15 more days before heading back to the Reading area for a couple weeks. Have to have the taxes done and the plan is to clean out my moms basement or at least rearrange it so it looks cleaned out. She's very visual, I think we can pull it off. If it's organized it will look like less is there, I'm no fool...
We are alone here at the moment. This early in the camping season not too many venture out as it's cool and wet here in March. The weekend was surprisingly full but come Sunday afternoon the campground was quiet and we had the place all to ourselves once again. Soon it will be a different story as the weekend warriors make their bi-annual trek with all the young ones in tow, complete with fishing rods and frisbees and some with the family dog.
Our winter weeks were spent in the Carolina's visiting family in SC and friends in our Carolina home base in Jackson Springs NC. Thanksgiving was and enjoyable time at Sycamore Lodge and Christmas was spent at home in PA. Our greatest Christmas gift was the birth or our newest grandbaby Sarai. She makes six. We're excited to spend the summer close to the little ones and visiting with family until Fall Color beckons us Southward.
That's it in a nutshell. If you're reading here check out Suite101 as well and read the articles here. Let me know what you think. Until next month...
http://www.suite101.com/profile.cfm/755144
We are alone here at the moment. This early in the camping season not too many venture out as it's cool and wet here in March. The weekend was surprisingly full but come Sunday afternoon the campground was quiet and we had the place all to ourselves once again. Soon it will be a different story as the weekend warriors make their bi-annual trek with all the young ones in tow, complete with fishing rods and frisbees and some with the family dog.
Our winter weeks were spent in the Carolina's visiting family in SC and friends in our Carolina home base in Jackson Springs NC. Thanksgiving was and enjoyable time at Sycamore Lodge and Christmas was spent at home in PA. Our greatest Christmas gift was the birth or our newest grandbaby Sarai. She makes six. We're excited to spend the summer close to the little ones and visiting with family until Fall Color beckons us Southward.
That's it in a nutshell. If you're reading here check out Suite101 as well and read the articles here. Let me know what you think. Until next month...
http://www.suite101.com/profile.cfm/755144
Sunday, January 23, 2011
Home for Christmas
We've been home now since December 4th. It's now January 23ed and leaving is such sweet sorrow. Since we arrived at our son and daughters home in PA, we planned, prepared for and surprised our then pregnant daughter Jesse with a baby shower. It was much fun with family and friends old and new. The second big event was to recover from a bad cold before the Christmas festivities began. My cold was unfortunately passed around to just about everybody in the family. Daughter Courtney and grands Moyra and Joselin visited for a few days and then they went home to begin their own family Christmas traditions. The tree was erected and decorated. The first Christmas in 35 Christmas's that we didn't have a real tree. That was OK though, because the family gathered at daughter Missy's home and they did have a real tree. Besides, Christmas is all about family anyway not the tree. Cookies were baked and the stockings were hung from the mantle with care, the turkey's were fried, the ham was baked, the sweet potatoes were AMAZING as always. The meal was prepared by loving hands as another year came to an end.
Jesse made it through Christmas, Eve and Christmas Day but by Leftover Day it was obvious that we were soon going to welcome a brand new little one into the family. We did just that on December 27th Sarai Violeta Dascalescu made her debut with mommy, daddy, nonna and midwife present. Exactly the kind of home birth experience I prayed for. Thankful all went well with mother and daughter.
Out with the old and in with the new, the old year passed and the New Year was celebrated with Johnny and Faith and as many family members that could fit in their family space of their home. Kahlua and Egg Nog was plentiful among other spirited beverages. I think we've begun a family New Year tradition.
Now the fun began. I spent the next two weeks helping Jesse with the baby, cleaning, doing wash, organizing and helping where ever I could. Late night chick flicks and sore boobs seemed to go hand in hand. My cold returned with a vengance and I had to go home to recover in the cool of our basement room in the little house in the woods. Barry followed with a terrible bout with bronchitis that needed a course of antibiotics to assure it didn't turn to pneumonia. Finally we were preparing to head south when my mother was taken to the hospital for a few days so we postponed our departure for a week which brings us to today, January 24, 2011.
We said our goodbyes, packed the car, baked some cookies and first thing in the morning we're off. Jackson Springs, our first stop. The blog will continue from there.
Jesse made it through Christmas, Eve and Christmas Day but by Leftover Day it was obvious that we were soon going to welcome a brand new little one into the family. We did just that on December 27th Sarai Violeta Dascalescu made her debut with mommy, daddy, nonna and midwife present. Exactly the kind of home birth experience I prayed for. Thankful all went well with mother and daughter.
Out with the old and in with the new, the old year passed and the New Year was celebrated with Johnny and Faith and as many family members that could fit in their family space of their home. Kahlua and Egg Nog was plentiful among other spirited beverages. I think we've begun a family New Year tradition.
Now the fun began. I spent the next two weeks helping Jesse with the baby, cleaning, doing wash, organizing and helping where ever I could. Late night chick flicks and sore boobs seemed to go hand in hand. My cold returned with a vengance and I had to go home to recover in the cool of our basement room in the little house in the woods. Barry followed with a terrible bout with bronchitis that needed a course of antibiotics to assure it didn't turn to pneumonia. Finally we were preparing to head south when my mother was taken to the hospital for a few days so we postponed our departure for a week which brings us to today, January 24, 2011.
We said our goodbyes, packed the car, baked some cookies and first thing in the morning we're off. Jackson Springs, our first stop. The blog will continue from there.
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