Well, I arrived home about 4:15 this afternoon and just now finished unloading the trailer ( with a few breaks). My final mileage was 6,969. My biggest expense was fuel - a little over $2500.00 and within about $100 of what I projected! It was worth every penny! The house seems huge and the dogs are dead. My wonderful neighbor Glenda brought over key lime pie bars to welcome me home, and my mail-lady, Julie brought the whole month's worth of my mail to the back where I was unloading when she saw the trailer had arrived back home. What a delivery service! Tomorrow is an oil change, grooming the mutts, a car wash, grocery trip and then an airport trip to pick-up baby Sarah and Patrick for a visit. YAY!
If you have a dream, go for it! All you'll have if you don't are regrets.
Ta-ta for now!
Thursday, September 17, 2009
Wednesday, September 16, 2009
MY LAST NIGHT!
I'm in Joplin, MO and just finished a great Thai meal with Charles and Sherry Buchanan, my cuz, and it was much too short!
Tomorrow is only 7 1/2 or 8 hours as opposed to today's 11 1/2 (ugh!). But then, I have to get the trailer parked, unload, do laundry and get the trailer ready for my sweet son to wash this weekend. Patrick and baby Sarah will be here Friday while Erica has a spa day and a restful weekend.
I'll be just over 7000 miles when I get home, and on this last leg is the first problem I've had. When putting the tire chocks between the trailer tires (to prevent "rocking" while in the trailer, for those of you non-rv'ers), I saw the steel belt sticking out on one trailer tire. Uh-oh! I've called AAA and they will be here in the morning to change to my spare. I guess that's not too bad, though.
It's really quite sad to be going home. I could soooo do this! I planned for almost a year and it was everything I had envisioned and more. Life is out there, and we can choose to be a spectator or a participant. I am so glad to be a participant. My dreams of RVing have been realized completely with this trip and also the realization that it isn't about what you have, but what you do with what you have. I have been blessed and I intend to make the most of it.
I'm in Joplin, MO and just finished a great Thai meal with Charles and Sherry Buchanan, my cuz, and it was much too short!
Tomorrow is only 7 1/2 or 8 hours as opposed to today's 11 1/2 (ugh!). But then, I have to get the trailer parked, unload, do laundry and get the trailer ready for my sweet son to wash this weekend. Patrick and baby Sarah will be here Friday while Erica has a spa day and a restful weekend.
I'll be just over 7000 miles when I get home, and on this last leg is the first problem I've had. When putting the tire chocks between the trailer tires (to prevent "rocking" while in the trailer, for those of you non-rv'ers), I saw the steel belt sticking out on one trailer tire. Uh-oh! I've called AAA and they will be here in the morning to change to my spare. I guess that's not too bad, though.
It's really quite sad to be going home. I could soooo do this! I planned for almost a year and it was everything I had envisioned and more. Life is out there, and we can choose to be a spectator or a participant. I am so glad to be a participant. My dreams of RVing have been realized completely with this trip and also the realization that it isn't about what you have, but what you do with what you have. I have been blessed and I intend to make the most of it.
Tuesday, September 15, 2009
I had a wonderful evening and great meal with James and Heidi Horton in Janesville, WI last night and then we left early this morning for Taliesin, the home and studio of Frank Lloyd Wright. What a great experience. His personal life was a mess, but he was an architectural genius. Here are a couple of pictures at the homesite he built in 1902-05 and his Romeo and Juliet windmill. Looks like 50s and 60s to me! Then we had lunch in a little town called Spring Green, came back and took the dogs for a long walk in a city park, and called it a day (all 5 of us!) Tomorrow, I need to leave really early - 619 miles to Joplin, Mo and dinner with my cousin Charles and his wife, Sherry. Here's a picture of James and Heidi.
Monday, September 14, 2009
Saturday, August 12
Jaycee and I had a great day - once we found the church marketplace that we were headed for! Neither one of us should be turned loose alone, and together, we were pretty dangerous. Good friend. Good times. We talked and talked and didn't solve a single world problem, except we both agree tha the province of Quebec needs to lighten up on the French thing.
Sunday August 13
I left early today and drove to London, Ontario, arriving at the house of one of my former student's grandmother (figure that one out!). My trailer and car BARELY fit in her driveway (I mean barely), but it did! What a wonderful evening with a wonderful lady. She fixed a scrumptious meal complete with Wisconsin cheddar from right near her island - she spends the summer there. Then we took the dogs on a long walk to prepare for apple pie! I retired to my private room in the driveway with the pups, and we got an early, early start Monday morning - leaving at 7:20 a.m.
Monday, August 14
LONG day again. We entered the U.S. of A. around 8:30 a.m. and the bridge was a wonderous site. I couldn't get a picture, though, as I was driving. Then the drive got quite boring, scenery-wise, but was lightened by some entertaining phone calls, since my phone was now turned on. I arrived in Janesville, Wisconsin about 5:45 p.m. and Heidi picked me up soon after. Their home is lovely! I had the honor of being the first DeSotoite to visit their home, although Fran and Peggy are not far behind me! Heidi fixed a delicious meal with veggies that were outstanding and we visited for several hours. I called an end to it, as I had been up early and had gained an hour. Tomorrow, we are going here and it sounds like a lot of fun! http://www.taliesinpreservation.org/ It is the home of Frank Lloyd Wright, who designed Dallas Theatre Center (with no corners!)
Then a very very long day - 609 miles to Joplin, Mo., where cousin Charles and his wife Sherry and I will go to dinner.
So far, almost 6000 miles.
Jaycee and I had a great day - once we found the church marketplace that we were headed for! Neither one of us should be turned loose alone, and together, we were pretty dangerous. Good friend. Good times. We talked and talked and didn't solve a single world problem, except we both agree tha the province of Quebec needs to lighten up on the French thing.
Sunday August 13
I left early today and drove to London, Ontario, arriving at the house of one of my former student's grandmother (figure that one out!). My trailer and car BARELY fit in her driveway (I mean barely), but it did! What a wonderful evening with a wonderful lady. She fixed a scrumptious meal complete with Wisconsin cheddar from right near her island - she spends the summer there. Then we took the dogs on a long walk to prepare for apple pie! I retired to my private room in the driveway with the pups, and we got an early, early start Monday morning - leaving at 7:20 a.m.
Monday, August 14
LONG day again. We entered the U.S. of A. around 8:30 a.m. and the bridge was a wonderous site. I couldn't get a picture, though, as I was driving. Then the drive got quite boring, scenery-wise, but was lightened by some entertaining phone calls, since my phone was now turned on. I arrived in Janesville, Wisconsin about 5:45 p.m. and Heidi picked me up soon after. Their home is lovely! I had the honor of being the first DeSotoite to visit their home, although Fran and Peggy are not far behind me! Heidi fixed a delicious meal with veggies that were outstanding and we visited for several hours. I called an end to it, as I had been up early and had gained an hour. Tomorrow, we are going here and it sounds like a lot of fun! http://www.taliesinpreservation.org/ It is the home of Frank Lloyd Wright, who designed Dallas Theatre Center (with no corners!)
Then a very very long day - 609 miles to Joplin, Mo., where cousin Charles and his wife Sherry and I will go to dinner.
So far, almost 6000 miles.
Friday, September 11, 2009
Note to self #6, I think:
When your Garmin has lost it's voice AND it sent you through downtown Montreal instead of around it AND it's Friday afternoon at 4 p.m. AND there is construction everywhere AND you're on the route to the airport AND EVERYTHING IS WRITTEN IN FRENCH........ YOU'RE IN TROUBLE! Wow! What a drive! But I arrived safely and somewhat soundly on the west (that's ouest - I figured the directions out = nord, sud, ouest, est) side of Montreal and my friend Jaycee was there to meet me at the campground. We wre planning to go into Laval tomorrow to scout around,eat lunch and good off. Quite nice. So far 4,600 plus miles.
When your Garmin has lost it's voice AND it sent you through downtown Montreal instead of around it AND it's Friday afternoon at 4 p.m. AND there is construction everywhere AND you're on the route to the airport AND EVERYTHING IS WRITTEN IN FRENCH........ YOU'RE IN TROUBLE! Wow! What a drive! But I arrived safely and somewhat soundly on the west (that's ouest - I figured the directions out = nord, sud, ouest, est) side of Montreal and my friend Jaycee was there to meet me at the campground. We wre planning to go into Laval tomorrow to scout around,eat lunch and good off. Quite nice. So far 4,600 plus miles.
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