Miracles on the road and in life.

 I want to tell you about my miracles from this last 11k trip around the country we made this past year (2023-2024). We live full time in our RV and when summer hits Florida we head for the cooler parts of the country. So as we were getting ready to hit the road..............

Miracle #1 - We were still in our winter quarters in Bowling Green at an RV resort - and I happened to be in the pool bobbing up and down with a noodle. If you don’t do that you really need to because its so relaxing. I was kinda by myself and God said in my head “ask me for a blessing” and now my head was spinning because WHAT DO I ASK FOR??, deer in the headlights look because WHAT DOES ONE ASK FOR? so I thought in my head “GOD YOU PICK”. I'm so excited now I have a blessing to look for! 

But then, I was told to look up  and there was this beautiful cloud in the sky and I watched as an angel formed. The cloud was bronze, and then it formed into a full-sized man the helmet, sword, boots with his back to me - but it was sooooo beautiful and I’m trying for a coherent thought because all I could think was GOD GAVE ME AN ANGEL. 

Little did I know how much I was going to need that angel.

Miracle #2 - We’re flying down the highway 65 mph 4 lanes, we pull off the highway because Tom is uncomfortable so we get off drive down the road and our tow bar breaks. It wasn’t a big deal we were on a regular street and there was no catastrophic cars piling up. Also, we were a few hundred miles from Blue OX that makes the tow bar - a lovely site to overnight and since its guaranteed for life - free. We then unhooked and drove separately to Blue Ox where we had a site for the night and a new tow bar.

Miracle #3 - Shane (favorite youngest son) flew over handlebars on a scooter - no helmet. Suffered a traumatic brain injury and is now recovering nicely, however, it was really dicey there for awhile and anyone who knows Shane, knows he does nothing the easy way. He and his wife have sinced moved to FL. One year later his brain is still swollen, and his eyes are still not right. Please pray for him. 

Miracle #4 Once again flying down the highway, 65mph rush hour - 4 lane highway with fences and antelopes. I stood up in order to give Tom a blow by blow because I could see the antelope (and they are squirrelier than squirrels and they were twitching). Tom - here they come they made it over the first fence and 2 lanes and not getting hit by the grace of God. Now they’re coming to us. Cars are rushing by, antelopes are twitching, bumper to bumper and I’m telling Tom they’re coming. Somehow they made it past all the cars that were passing us. Then they under the left side mirror just standing and twitching, and then they moved under the right side mirror. 

- I’m talking to Tom letting him know what’s going on - he’s not responding and I get it because its tense. Now the antelope are still off our right mirror and I’m looking down on them and WE NEVER HIT THEM and of course they’re being squirrelly and I’m actually calm saying they’re still there. I look over Tom is still driving we’re doing 65 mph - AND WE NEVER HIT THEM. In looking back and I do it a lot because I’m beyond awestruck and over the moon and blown away - 

The ONLY way I can explain it - we were in suspended animation. 

Cars are still flying around, Tom never braked or acknowledged anything I was saying, and I watched the antelope for like EVER as they were dancing around and even at one point were thinking about going back across. 

WE NEVER HIT THEM. 

They finally ran off to the right and everything went back. I was trying to explain to Tom what went down and he was oblivious to it all. It would've been so catastrophic and we’d have been thrown right through the window - not to mention the rest of the traffic would have piled up with catastrophic results. 

Miracle #5 - We came home and were setting up with our new doctor and Tom complained about his hip hurting so they took an x-ray and found that he had a Triple A - Abdominal aortic aneurysm - Very life threatening. After fighting with insurance including the day of the scheduled surgery- it was very successful, although he did get an infection and other stay in the hospital. I was very blessed to friends and family with throughout this process. God was there every step working out the disaster of the insurance and infection. 

 

We were beyond so blessed. I found miracles are everywhere: some you have to look for and some just appear.

God Bless you and keep you.

Drive by photos -

Zipping down I-20, as much as a big rig can zip,

I decided I missed my drive by photo-taking.

I also had to wait for my window to be fixed so I can whip

it up -screen and all to snap a photo.

This is a Louisiana Bayou.

 Because I could, a farmer hard at work.

John Deere green.

 And these trees.

Had to be black & white.

So much cooler than the color.

That was boring.

Continuing in that b&w mode the house on

 columns in Texas.

At first I thought it was a deer blind but

nope.

I have no idea but it's cool.

 This also looked much better in black & white

which says a lot about my color pictures.

LOL.

 We are camped in High View Army Corp of Engineers

campground. $8.00 a night.

You can't go wrong with Army Corp ever.

Of course I did a page in my book of campgrounds.

That's another post. 

And away we go! Tomorrow....

We are living in the RV - in our own yard. And it’s actually been pretty cool because we’ve been practicing.

Practicing is important before going on the road.

Because so many things can go wrong.

Because so many things can be avoided.

Because so many things can be solved.

We also thought we had sooooo much storage in the coach and UNDER the coach.

Until we didn’t.

This or that.

Whether it’s this or that. 

This or that could be wrong. 

Depends on the circumstance. 

A circumstance you didn’t account for but should’ve thought of. 

Until you need it. 

And then you don’t have it. 

Or you do have that and don't need it.

ARRRGHHH!!!!

So while we were stationary for a bit, and had a place to put things we did find:

1. We can’t run the air and do anything else, like microwave and cool the bedroom without tripping the breaker. Need 50 amps - only have 30 here. In a campground that’ll be different.
2. We have a cord running into the house to use our coffee pot and grinder to allow us to run other things such as air or heat.
   
3. We are arranging, rearranging, adding and subtracting dishes, pots and pans, food pantry, spices, testing out the ice maker (swoon) rearranging the fridge, and making sure every nook and cranny is perfectly used.
   
    Those pots and pans are gonna need rearranging just sayin....
   
4. Making use of our insta-pot, learning when the induction cooktop will blow the circuit (when the AC or heat is running LOL) and when to use the gas stove. (No microwave for you). 
5. Using the gas stove top seriously limits the countertop space for chopping, slicing and dicing food preparation so all that needs to be done ahead of time.
6. Keeping the dirty dishes done and put away in a timely manner (meaning as you go) as there is only so much space on the in the dinky double sink.
   
7. How much to fill the freezer and when it will actually freeze.
8. Monitoring the tanks.

Therefore, being in the electronic age, we don’t need to be here waiting and watching for the house to sell. We are done with the waiting, so hopefully we are gonna make things happen.

It’s time to move forward.

I’ll keep ya posted!

Shakedown cruise - The Endeavor has landed

We've been out and about since about July 24th.

Exciting times for sure starting with "the breakdown" on

the third day.

Since then we've had a few things that needed taking care of, like:

air conditioning in the front - it just quit so we

hung around in the New England states because the weather was

beautiful and no A/C needed.

Whilest hanging in New England, we visited grandkids

in NH and NY and hung out in the driveway with ourfriends in Maine.

We then "camped" in a friend's really big yard and had

a 50 amp hookup installed so all things ran really well and life was good.

We used the facilities in his garage so our tanks

didn't full thus not requiring a dump.

We have been here almost a month.

Since then:

our A/C has been fixed

tested the washing machine

and used our fireplace that takes away all

things damp and cold.

We have internet, personal wifi and are trying to figure

that out for the long term because I love

watching my scrapbook vids and that takes a lot

of bandwidth and bytes.

Right now I connect to my phone because it has

"unlimited" with personal hotspots as a back up.

It's working so far and we are out and about more so

that I'm not on the internet as much.

On working out.

I have been lazy for sure but I find doing it

alone is no fun.

Need to figure this out long term.

I'm hoping we'll be hiking and exploring and

that'll be a start.

We still have a lot of storage to figure out. Right now

there is minimal "stuff" aboard because we still

have our house and I am too lazy to run things back and forth.

Since we had an RV previously we have all the things we need 

such as dishes, cookware and utensils, bedding, etc.

However, we have a lot of favorite things we like to use and

those will be loaded up.

So far, it's been an easy transition but we still have a house

to return to so I'm waiting to see what emotions will be lurking

when we don't have that permanent structure to return to.

On the bed, the coach did come with a queen size select number

that rocks but we finally got the foam memory to add

to the mattress and oh my my.

Big diff in the sleeping.

I know you're waiting breathlessly on the scrapbooking part,

it appears I'll have my own little space that is
right behind the passenger chair and next to the "kitchen"
MY SPOT

 I will be able to take these 2 drawers and set them apart and instead
of the top that is on them now

I can take the architects desk (top only)  and
set that on top of the above drawers and that'll give me
some leg room and lots of room to scrap.

Of course the clutter will have to taken down to a mild roar
but I won't have to put everything back and I can
wander over and rearrange and tweak stuff. I do need
to whittle stuff down adding/and deleting to what I did
take which of course was all the wrong things. LOL.
And my brand new printer...need to figure how to work that
bad boy in. It's big. Canon Pro-100.

Then we had the breakdown on the return home.

Sort of the same thing with the DPF only different.
We were able to camp outside the fence at 4 star Freightliner
 virtually haunting
the techs till they got things done.
We had a lot of fun in the customer lounge getting to
all the others that were experiencing technical difficulties.
Another RV'r and a few truck drivers.
All have interesting lives.

On time alone, we found the
one time I actually took the car and went out
to shop alone where I was able to roam the aisles at my own pace
and Tom got to relax and enjoy the coach and ound that we
both appreciated that "time alone."
Learning curve no doubt that'll be a work in progress next year
when we hit the road for sure.

It is an exciting change and I find that I want to move things along to
 "get going on the road"
we have a lot of stuff to get rid of and then
it's the "return" or maybe "not return" for the winter
 that I have to wrap my head around.

TN pages one no photo

GASP!

And there's no journaling.

Yet.

and did I stress over that until I didn't.

I love the page and I can always go back 

and journaling when I have something to say.

I'm still having trouble with photographing 

and cropping. I'll figure it out eventually.

Still getting used to the size and

and white.

On the first page - I used a stencil with black ink.

Embellished it a tad and used that

amazing glassine envelopes from Studio Calico.

Studio Calico, Tim Holtz, and punches.

The beginning of the Mississippi Delta Blues Tour

We left yesterday headed first toward Tallahassee but ultimately

our goal was Biloxi, MS.

It was decided to drive straight through and I must say

it was a looonnggg drive.

Especially when it gets dark at 5 p.m. 

That was weird. 

 We didn't get rolling bright and early- at least I didn't -

all that driving you know, LOL,

but we hit the gulf coast road and of course, the obligatory

photo of the lighthouse that is now

right in the middle of the road.

 McElroy's Harbor House was picked for breakfast

and this was the view.

While swooning over the breakfast of shrimp and grits;

here comes a shrimp boat steaming up the harbor.

And than to make a girl even more giddy there's an

entire marina of shrimpers.

While strolling around I found this guy doing circles out in the harbor 

 so I wandered on out to check things out.

After catching this and still not getting the circle mystery

I hear "help" - turning and hoping its

not a drowning or medical emergency because I handle

neither well,  there was this poor fisherman

that did a really good job tangling his lines up

(that I could handle).

(looked like he had an out of control ball of yarn LOL).

If you don't know, I LOVE tangles, I love trying to get them untangled

and crazily enough I have the patience to do it.

I have to admit it took us a few minutes working out the

details but we succeeded and

 I left a happy fisherman that didn't have to cut

 his lines, nor did he lose his fish.

I dont' know about him,

 but I had a good time.

 Cruising up and down the gulf coast road, being a tourist,

right out the car window, is this dolphin coming out of the ground.

How cool is that.

 Another light feature out on the water that we believe was a path

to safe harbor when the weather was foul.

And a palm tree eating shark.

No need for details there.

Does life get any better?

Why yes, yes it does, because tonight 

because we'll be eating more seafood and then 

heading to the Temps & Tops concert.

Yum.

Last Shaker Farm

is the Sabbathday Lake Shaker Village near

New Gloucester Maine.

Sadly, only 2 shakers are left - one man, one woman.

 At one time this was a booming commune where

men and women lived as equals, but were celibate.

 They did foster children and the girls would live

in this house with the women who became their mothers.

 The elders and eldress house.

No photos were allowed inside and that was disappointing

because they had such beautiful furniture.

Front of the house where the foster girls lived.

 The elders and eldresses lived in this house.

There were 4 total - 2 of each sex.

  The meeting house where they would dance and sing

after the Old and New Testaments and the Gospels were read.

 The old school house.

Young girls would do samplers of cross stitch

doing the alphabet and numbers and when

it was deemed acceptable work they were then

allowed to stitch their names on their sewing projects.

 We called this a snowball tree in Pennsylvania

 Another home.

 Cattle.

 And sheep - were he found the grass was greener

on the other side of the fence.

 Hanging in the barn.

I believe he's sticking his tongue out at me.

The guided tour was absolutely fascinating.

This did become a National Historic Landmark so hopefully

it'll continue.

Grand Portage National Monument

This is very cool as it's a reenactment and reconstruction of

the fort and supply depot between the Ojibwe and fur traders.

 People dressed in period costume and

are very happy to share their knowledge.

 Lots of cool pelts for your stroking pleasure.

And some of them are soooo soft I can see why they were en vogue.

How cool - letters and documents.

Makes me swoon.

We arrived at the end of the day and things were starting

to close up but there were still enough

people to chat up and find interesting things.

Rollin' down Montana Roads

Love the monochromatic look of this.

If you look close there are two birds in that nest

that perches on the of a stick, basically.

Anyway, the sun was trying to come out, there was

a haze from the fires.

We were just coming from our boondocking at Lost Johnny Campground

that was really amazing.

While walking around the camp, right there in a

field, no 15 feet from us was a doe scarfing down some grass.

We kind looked at each other and decided all was well

and she went back to eating.

Later, she actually strolled through our camp.

Could have touched her out my window.

And of course, no camera.

 This is part of the Hungry Horse dam

that we had to roll over in order to get to the campground.

 This crane sits up on the dam.

 I was really disappointed that there was no water flowing

over, not even a trickle, however, you could hear the hum of power.

 Then there was this landscape that is just

soooooo pretty riding down the highway.

 Couldn't help I do have a million more but I 

only picked out a few for you.

You're welcome 😊

 Then, sadly, we came upon this sight.

Fire department putting out a trailer fire.

 Hopefully all came out of it alive.

 It happened in Sun River, Montana.

 And another dam - Black Eagle on the Missouri River.

It is huge and I love all the flowing water.

This little guy came to great us at our camp

and did a great job posing.

 Isn't he cute?

I'm assuming he. 

 Then decided some chillin' was required.

So cool. 

He's still out there as we speak, chillin'.