Myrtle Beach South Carolina

Well, this has been a productive week. The motorhome has been washed and waxed and the inside has been spit-shined, floors mopped and shined and windows cleaned and the furniture vacuumed. I even had time to complete two articles for Suite101on our life on wheels. In the midst of all the work we were able to take some time to stop and smell the roses if you will. We did some thrifty shopping, Walmart shopping and storage container shopping. The under storage compartments are re-organized and stocked, the car is washed as well as the car dolly and today we even had some time to stroll along the beach hand in hand, enjoying Gods handiwork and thankful for this wonderful life He has allowed us to live.  In the morning we roll out and head to Yemassee South Carolina. We hope to relax a bit there visiting some local attractions and also spend some time in Savannah Georgia. For the rest of this day, packing up, dumping the tanks, securing the bikes and maybe watching a movie as we bring this month of January 2012 to a close.

The Ocean Calls My Name

Here we are again, another winter where we spend a week in Myrtle Beach South Carolina. Sometime around the early part of January the ocean waves begin to call our name. Traveling South for the Winter months has become tradition since we've been living full time in our motorhome. A week at the beach is a welcome change from the Sandhills of North Carolina. Sandhills is an understatement as sand is everywhere. On the flat ground, on the roads, on the hills, in your shoes and unfortunately in your rig. Sand with no ocean is odd to me so visiting Myrtle Beach is a fun side trip on our way south to visit family in Greenville South Carolina. This year we will be stopping in Yemassee South Carolina, near Savannah Georgia for a week and then up the South Carolina/Georgia line to Lakemont to visit Tallulah River Walk. After which we'll be in Fair Play South Carolina for a week before heading back to the Sandhills for three weeks. It will be a fast paced winter but we'll be visiting several places we haven't visited before. Next Winter maybe we will plan to stay longer. This week however, we're shopping the thrift stores and the flea markets. Washing the motorhome and house cleaning. Last but certainly not least, strolling along the beach enjoying the smell of the salt water and the relaxing sounds of crashing waves on our feet. The warmth of the sunshine on our face, thankful for another day, another week to live this life on the road in our rolling home 

A New Year

Christmas has passed and the new year is begun. Our visit home was an adventure, as expected. The time we spent with our kids and grandchildren was priceless. If I could change anything; it would be allowing our living conditions for those two and a half weeks to NOT control our mood and attitude. Next year things will be different, definitely different.

Moving on...January is spent in the Sandhills. North Carolina is our home for the winter months. We love it here, love the people, love our church, love Sycamore Lodge and all the tall wispering pines, the 'Big House' the lake, our site by the pond... We will be spending a few weeks in South Carolina, Myrtle Beach relaxing, Greenville visiting family and Yemassee exploring new territory, but we'll be back to the Sandhills in March for a month before heading North back to Gettysburg and closer to the kids for a few months.

Writing for Suite101 has been an outlet for me. I love our life on wheels and enjoy writing about all the aspects of it. Barry tinkering with his trains, doing ebay and writing is how we are enjoying retirement at the moment. Down the road...who knows, we may try some work camping or camp hosting and stay put for a longer period of time, but for now we love the move every two or three weeks. It's as if we are on a perpetual vacation. I never get tired of planning the months ahead, where will we go, what will we do, who will we meet??? Life is an adventure and we are so blessed to be able to live it in this way.

This year 2012 should prove to be an exciting year. Politics and religion I feel will dominate as we move ever closer to the return of the Lord. Soon and very soon we're going to see the King and I for one am looking forward to the day when the things of earth grow dim in the light of HIS glory and grace.

Lazy Days and Mondays

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...

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.

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...

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...