Happy New Year!

This past year has been fulfilling and fun.
We are looking forward to this new year and are very blessed and Thank God that our family is busy and strong. This summary of our past year .... We have enjoyed all of the fruits of our years of labor...The Grandkids are growing quickly and their parents are providing them with a good life... I think we as parents gave them a good foundation. We are very happy in our Adventurous lifestyle and have kept busy and away from illness. DH has got to accomplish more in the past year than ever before, spending the winter golfing and hunting in AZ, meeting new friends, Attending National Drag Racing events, participating in the Baja 1000 Rally and fishing in Mexico, a fishing trip to Catalina Island and walking on the beach in Carlsbad Ca. for his birthday. Hiking in Glacier National Park and lunching in Canada, catching the biggest Walleye of his life in North Dakota. Hunting this fall, he harvested 63 Pheasants from Nebraska fields. We visited several friends and a few casinos along the way too. We attended a Tea Party Rally in Iowa to be informed and learn more about the Constitution and making positive changes for the good of our country. The weather was tolerable for the most part, minus the dust storms and flooding rains in AZ. last winter. We avoided most of the summer heat but got caught in a bit of a tornadic wind by Omaha Nebraska this fall! I like to think I have done a good job keeping DH busy and interested in life. We fit together well...because some of his activities were made possible through some of my interests! I.E. my love of Drag Racing and now my wonderful drag racing family! I have gained peace and satisfaction from guiding us along and watching him play! We have a very special German Shorthair companion, KayCee Marie...that we both love and adore! People ask about what New Year's Resolutions I have! None. I just Thank God for all we have and all of you! I will just keep on keepin' on until it's not fun anymore! As we start the next Chapter of Adventures, we want to wish all of you a very Happy New Year! We'll see ya next trip!

Another Chapter Begins

The newest Chapter of the adventure began this past Monday. We left the Subaru in Storage, hooked the Suburban up to the coach Tuesday morning after semi arranging things and headed south on I25. The first long day ended at a rest area on I 40 for the night. Not a terrible night but not my choice of spots, we needed to be safe after discovering we had no tail lights! Yesterday we got a head start and was on the road just past daylight. We weren't expecting to get very far due to high wind warnings and an impending storm. To our suprise, we were able to put over 300 miles on and get to Deming New Mexico before calling it a day. The wind wasn't too bad but I was ready to be done. I had watched to weather map all day whenever I had service and knew the storm was coming, so it was good to be off the road and in a park. We took a trip to Walmart to pick up a couple of things, DH found the blown fuse for the tail lights and I promptly got grit in my eyes, I had forgotten what it's like to be outside in blowing desert dust! We were suprised to have a call from some friends in the Escapees Club that we had only talked to on the net or phone. They were stopped here too and staying right down the road. They are from Oklahoma.... We have had fun chiding about the two state's football rivalry this fall and they are on their way to the Fiesta Bowl in Phoenix on Saturday. We will watch Nebraska in their bowl game on TV tonight. It was nice to finally meet and put faces with their names. We went to breakfast and hung out today.
It was a blast, even if it was snowing! I really thought I was escaping from the north having not seen any snow at all this year, but apparently god had other plans!Carol taught me a bunch of things about my photos and organizing them and other stuff in my computer and the men visited as we sat in my warm cozy coach! She is a professional Photographer and I am so glad we met. We have son's that were in Iraq at the same time, among other things that we are learning about each other. The waitress at breakfast said it doesn't snow in Deming....that's why we have about a half inch on the ground and watched a blizzard! Today we had rocking winds, and then snow..and then a blizzard and now the sun is out! Go figure. I think we will continue on tomorrow to Eloy. I'm hoping the weather system will be behind us. We have 267 miles to go to get to our New Year's eve destination and tickets to go see a friend play a show in Casa Grande AZ. I'm looking forward to listening to him play and partying the night away! hahahahaha I'm the designated driver! I don't think it will be appropriate golf weather and we will continue on over to Yuma the first of the week. We are very glad to have met some more new friends and they will be at Yuma, so will see them again soon!

Merry Belated Christmas!

We have been crazy busy for the last 3 days! Delivering presents, and spending a couple of days with my sons and their families. We had a fantastic time at my best friend's new house and Santa Clause was very good to everybody.

A friend shared this thought with us, and I'd like to pass it on to all of you......

Christmas is not a time nor a season, but a state of mind. To cherish peace and goodwill, to be plenteous in mercy, is to have the real spirit of Christmas.

We had a college student from China join us that is attending the University of Nebraska at Kearney.
It was nice to be able to visit with her, she spoke pretty good English, but didn't understand a lot of words. After presents in the morning, she said that our family got more presents than she received in 18 years! The culture is a lot different and more modest in their celebrations. They don't celebrate Christmas, so she was very fascinated. I got DH and both boys remote control helicopters this year. They are fascinating and it was a good time watching the boys play with something other than guns and Cabelas stuff.



We all ate too much. Many goodies and a big dinner. I had a good time in the new kitchen! Thank you Mary and Karen! We are truly blessed.
The day was complete with being able to share the day with Izzy and Emma...they are as spoiled as KayCee Marie! Good thing our travel plans are written in Jello...was planning on leaving this morning, but due to all of the other stuff I was having to remember, I forgot to call the insurance company on Friday and take the coach out of storage. Will wait til tomorrow and in the meantime, I have today to rest! I woke up as usual before 6 and looked outside to find everything covered in White! We didn't have a white Christmas, but it snowed just a skiff last night and all of the trees are frosty and beautiful this morning. We hit the road tomorrow!

Small Hen Party

Today was the day for the annual hen party. The day that I called a get together with three of my old high school friends. We've remained friends for a lot of years after high school and try to get together whenever possible, which isn't real often since I spend a lot of time away from here now.
A good time was had by all...we had coffee and cinnamon bread and fruit....I'm glad I have some recent pictures to take with me on the road, and it's great to have cell phones and computer access to keep in touch through the year.
I'm baking two dozen Cinnamon rolls in the morning and then tearing my kitchen apart. Lots to do tomorrow.
All ready for Christmas and I am holding my breath that the weather will not make it difficult for those who have to travel tomorrow and Friday. I'm getting excited to see everybody and trying not to think about all I have to do to get ready to travel. DH had his last hunt today, he took our old neighbor and went on a goose hunt to Grand Island but didn't score any. The end.

Road Trip in the Sandhills

We've spent the last couple of days visiting our Grandkids in St. Paul Nebraska. While the kids were in school yesterday we went for a road trip north into the sandhills of Nebraska and made a circle on some of the roads that I used to drive when I worked as a Food Vendor in this state. That job gave me the opportunity to see a lot of country in 4 states and although I had a lot of windshield time traveling from one account to another, I enjoyed the countryside and vowed to revisit these places one day when I had time to stop and look at things and could share them with DH. The bad deal of the day was that I forgot the camera, but got a couple of pictures with my phone that I needed to share with my son. This is Richard B. Abbreviation for T. Brown. My favorite drummer. He has played in a hard rock band for years, and now has mellowed some and their music is the proof of aging like a fine wine!
The opportunity presented itself and we dropped the kids off at school and treked north on State Hwy 11, a small two lane highway to Burwell NE, the home of Nebraska's largest rodeo. On the way, we stopped in the town of Ord and drove around a bit. There has been tons of changes there since I have been there. On up the road, we took a break at a working Chalk mine, but didn't have time for a tour. Then on to Burwell for lunch and also just a few more miles out to the Calamus Reservoir. I thought that even with the freezing temps and frozen water, we may find wildlife and birds. There was still an open place on the water in the center, and it was filled with geese. On the drive across the dam, we spotted a bald Eagle soaring around, scoping out the edges of the lake for morsels of food. We stopped at a old fashioned 50s diner for lunch and then since we were passing through the town of Sargent, we stopped to scope out the venue that will host my sons new band, Whiskey Richard, for New Years Eve.
It seems like a long way up there to play for one night, but it is his hobby and passion to play the drums. What ever makes him happy.
I haven't heard this new group of guys, and I won't hear them this time and we will be in AZ by then, but at least I can say that I have been there and the advertising is proof! He couldn't figure out why we were in Sargent yesterday! That's just me, ya never know where we're gonna turn up! We traveled over 200 miles and back to St. Paul in time to pick the kids up at 3:30...we headed back home last night, another 100 miles that seemed farther late at night and in the dark. At least it wasn't freezing rain like it was the night before. Needless to say, I'm not getting a darn thing done today....I'm wiped out!

Wind is Definitely NOT My Friend!

I wonder if anybody has ever gone crazy from listening to the wind blow? Well let me tell ya, I think I'm pretty close! We have had severe winds and gusts up in the 50mph range today...all day! I'm getting pretty sick of listening to it. It was about 19 degrees this morning and the others in this house went hunting anyway. I think they are already crazy. They didn't get any birds, and I thought they would probably end up in Kansas for sure. I took a trip around town to do some errands, and on the way back home I had to dodge a big red plastic box blowing through the air! I didn't stick my nose out the rest of the day. It's getting a little (lot) too cold for me now. Temps are dropping lower and lower at night. Down to 7 tonight and maybe 3 in the morning. It's hard to believe that a friend and I went shopping on the 10th of December and didn't wear coats! It was a beautiful day. I am starting to track the weather patterns and I'm holding my breath that things remain calm from Colorado south, so we can make a run for it. If the winds blow like today, we won't move. Too many things get broke and it's too expensive for my liking, it's easier to sit it out. I'm hoping we don't have to back track to the east and then south to avoid Raton pass...but if we do, it'll take us into Amarillo and I kinda like to stop there anyway! Our schedule is pretty full from now to the 25th. We got all new tires on the Suburban on Friday and have an appointment to get some issues repaired on Tuesday next week...just another thing to check off my list. Getting my ducks in a row! I have baking to do for the next few days and a little shopping to finish up. I won't attempt stores on the weekends now, they're much too crazy. DH is getting a new toy if I can sneak away long enough. (shhh!!)He's fascinated by these remote control helicopters that he's seen in the mall....and I figure it's something you get someone who has everything!An inside toy. Me? I'm wishing for an I Pad and a Kayak!!!!!

Endings and Beginnings

Pretty quiet on the home front these days. We attended one of our Grandson's Christmas Music and P.E. Program. He is in the 3rd grade.
It was interesting to see how they combine different activities now and back when our kids were in school all we did was stand there and sing. They really had fun and it was more enjoyable for the spectators. Our Granddaughter Addison kept us entertained all evening too! She wanted to go down and help Jaron juggle in the worst way! He doesn't like to sing, but he sure can perform! !

This week here it was announced that we would lose our Duckwalls store. I am sad, this is one of the only stores left in town and it was nice. Kind of a small Walmart. The future of this community is becoming more uncertain, thank you recession and downed economy. We lost yet another important person in our community this week. An employee of our convenience store passed away. Pat was always friendly and helpful and she had lived in this town as long as I can remember. We are most definitely seeing an end to a generation and it's sad. I hate to see all these endings. On she beginnings front, it's a mere 20 days until Christmas and 21 days until we hit the road again. I'm starting to gather, organize and store things away. I spent the day yesterday fixing a complete Thanksgiving dinner...nevermind that it was a week or two late. I didn't have any left overs and found a recipe for a brined turkey, soaked in Apple Cider, Salt, sage and vegatables for 3 days, then dried off, rubbed with butter and seasonings and roasted. Not difficult and it is delicious. After all that work we spent the evening watching the Cornhuskers play in their final Big 12 Championship game against Oklahoma. A really close game and the Huskers didn't perservere in the end. The only word I have for that is Frustrating....Good game Boomer Sooners! They played the Oklahoma Fight song so much I woke up with that in my head....now it's time to move on. I have almost 60 days until NHRA Racing begins. The first race of the season, the Winter Nationsls are in Pamona California, and I may go that weekend. DH likes the motorcycles and I like Thunder Alley and the smell of Nitro in the morning! I'm looking forward to our next adventures.