HOME (for the next few months)

We arrived at Vacation Village in Largo Fl. near St.Petersburg early this afternoon and within 10 or 15 min. Jim and Chris pulled in behind us.
This is no small feat as they are living and working doing Computer seminars and Datastorm installations at Peace River Preserve 80 miles away.
What a great surprise. It's John's birthday and our anniversary today.


So first to the beach and then a nice lunch.
Tomorrow we'll check out the jobsite!!

Welcome to Florida

Just after filling with fuel in Florida we noticed our exhaust sounded alittle louder.... Ouch , one of the brackets holding the muffler up was broken creating a small crack near the muffler.... baling wire and we are on our way.

Why the Party Is At the Walmart In Katy Tx

It had been a long few days of driving but a real confidence boost for me.
Within the first hour of leaving Mom and Dad's John was hit with the evil bug that had taken it's toll on Mom.... Arghgh !! The cool thing was that although John was down for the count on the sofa he didn't care how I drove.
Today was the first day he drove and we are almost out of Texas so when the Prevost pulled in next to us and 3 very fun looking people stepped out it was a sign. Super Walmarts are a good place to stop for a quick night but not often do we really get the chance to visit our neighbors.


Nigel and Jane were traveling with their friend Ruben in his Prevost to an Auto Auction in Scottsdale Az.
They supplied the BBQ and Shrimp and we broke out the rum. What fun. After a quick tour of Ruben's coach we discovered he had no personal photos in all those frames so we snapped a couple pics, printed them out and TADAA! Home!

Here Ruben is talking to his wife in Canada. See John has recovered nicely.

Tomorrow FLORIDA!!!

A Really Short Visit

We only have a few days and wouldn't you know it Mom has caught a horrible bug. She was so weak that it surprised me she was up for a quick lunch with Shirley and Earl (my son Ryan's other grandparents).
Here is Mom,Earl,Shirley,John and Dad outside the restaurant.


Tomorrow we head east shooting for 500 miles a day. John and I take turns driving so it isn't as tough as it sounds. We've done this drive so many times it's to bad we can't put the CM2 on auto pilot.

One Last Romp On A Pacific Beach and Turn Left

We stopped for a quick photo and then back on the road. I really didn't think we would see more snow but it IS winter !!


Tonight it's Red Bluff RV Park to drop off the tool trailer til summer when we build the house with Dick and JoAnne and then on to Quartzsite.

Not All Detours Are Bad

Because of snow we decided to head for the coast when we reached Albany Oregon. This brought us to within miles of John's godfather Reagan and his wife Rachels' home. Although it was short notice for them we were welcomed with open arms, you see we have been trying to get together with them for years but just seem to keep missing them. They are great, still traveling in their Ford van that Reagan customized himself.


We promised to keep in touch and headed on our way finding a nice RV Park for the night near Bandon Or.
Robbin's Nest RV Park and Jim's Gems.
Just click on the photo below to check it out.

We'll be makin tracks in the morning as we have til Jan. 15th to make it to St Petersburg Fl. and we have many stops to make... but this detour was well worth it!

Be Careful What You Wish For

Well we were packed and ready to head south... Only as far as Port Townsend. Having no definite plans til summer (when we will build a home with friends in N. Calif.) Heck I'd even said my goodbyes(for now) to Barb.


And the phone rang. It was Jesse in Florida.
He and the warm weather had been on our minds for sometime and wouldn't you know he made us an offer we couldn't refuse. So instead of the Keystone Ferry and Port Townsend it was I-5 and Florida for another Target remodel.
Of course there is snow in the pass between Or. and Ca. and we must stop in Quartzsite Az. to see Mom and Dad. It is so cool living on wheels!!!

Upholstery on the Road

Upholstery is something I love to do and every once in a while I get a chance to do a really unusual piece. Thanks to open hearts and doors of friends like Tim who gave up his living room for me to tear it down in.


And to Barb at North Whidbey RV Park that let me use the rec-room to rebuild it.

Maybe next time I should consider where I am.... an RV!

Presents???

The Weather is Here; I Wish I Was Beautiful

And it just keeps coming. First it was flooding (rain instead of snow in the mountains)
Then we had snow at sea level, followed by below normal temps and then THE WIND.
Thursday evening as we secured things around the park and filled propane tanks I just kept thinking about how wonderful this summer was.
It hit at 2:15 a.m. Fri morning with a crack....a tree near us went down just skimming the motorhome next to the Muffin.


We lost about a dozen trees in the park. Our power is all under ground but outside the park lines were down all over the area in fact there are still neighbor hoods with no power!
Fortunately no one here was hurt and only one rig sustained damage.


100 mph winds can rip your roof right off. Dave said it makes a weird noise but the real givaway that something is amiss in the dark is when you stick your hand up to the skylight in the shower and nothing is there.
2 a.m. also coincided with high tide .


This is the parking lot at Deception Pass State Park (across the street from our park) on Friday afternoon.
And this is the pass entrance . These are wind driven waves....


Kayaking anyone??

LET IT SNOW, LET IT SNOW,LET IT SNOW

BRRRR!!


Whidbey Is. Wa.

The Beginning of the Next Excellent Adventure

Today was the last day of the Burlington Fred Meyer remodel. It's hard to believe 6 mos. (and 22 days) have passed since we started.
There were a few OOPs

A lotta laughs


And made more new friends.


It's these people that work in the store everyday that really make the difference between success and failure of an open store remodel. They not only helped the customers find their way thru the chaos of construction but helped us complete our jobs ( literally in some cases).
THANKS!!!!

It Only Takes 3 To Howl At the Moon

Just a little gathering Barb (the Rv park Manager) thru together again. This time it was a combo Halloween/October fest. I guess that is why the bonfires, costumes, brautwurst and beer.


Not that Erza, Barb and I were having fun but...... it's on our job description!
Everyone else seemed to be enjoying themselves as well.

Then and Now

Then is October 1997. John and I are living in Port Townsend and are involved with the Kinetic Scultpure Race for the first time.



John was a Kinetic Kop and I was Tsunami Mommi (behind the scenes helping to decorate,instigate , infiltrate and all around maintain a state of perpetual indulgence.)
This being our first fall back since then we at least had to watch the Rose Hips Parade( another fun event that coincides with the Race. I'm not sure which came first but at least the people still at it haven't lost their enthusiasm .


Here's Mike (another Kinetic Kop) this year riding in style.He has been involved in the Race as long as I know of. When he's not, you can find him spreading the joy of Solar Energy!!!

End Of Summer

A sure sign summer is just about over is when the kids go back to school.


Today is AJ's (left) and Kelly's last day here on the job. The have been working for ICG ( the general contractor) this summer but now will return to college. AJ will probalbly continue in the construction industry and Kelly may go on to be an educator. What ever they choose they wil be forces to be recond with....

Dylan Ryan Reid

OK, OK, I'm acting like a .....well you know. Anyway this is the first picture.
Being a "long distance " grandparent you will be saved from all the gory details concerning bodily funtions and a constant stream of the strange and sometimes humorous anectdotes.

GRAMMA ALERT !

Yep at 9 am CDT Ry and Steph had a little boy.
Dylan Ryan Reid and his Mom and Dad are all doing great.
Don't have any pictures yet but I do know he weighed in at 6 lbs. 13 oz. and was 20 and 1/2 inches tall.
HMMMM... I guess now I can start shopping.... that is what grandmothers do isn't it?

Just Another Day In the Great NorthWest

I never get tired of this drive to and from work....Just look at what we saw on our way home tonight.


Deception Pass Bridge looking south.

Always Something Going On In Port Townsend

Another beautiful evening. I can't beleive how great the weather has been this summer.
Sue (Tim's sister),Tim, John and I along with a few other friends took advantage of that fact and took in an Art Walk .


I don't know what Sue is saying but she has John's attention.

10 YEARS......

Yes we have a need to travel and 10 years ago today we took off on what seems like a short but very educational life on wheels or water or whatever.



We left Tahoe, our jobs and friends for what we hoped would be a traveling and working adventure. When not living in our van we were living on our boat" Spirit Keeper".
Things were different then. The idea of living and working out of and RV wasn't as common place as now. Cell phones and computers have come along way!!!
We were "the youngsters" then. Many people thought we were nuts, or something.
We have stopped from time to time and actually lived in houses to enjoy a spot or new friends for any where from a couple months to several years but are always drawn to travel again. Our gifts ( or abilities) have made much of this possible and continued good health hasn't hurt.
We are continuing our adventure. Making new friends and seeing new places while trying not to loose touch with all the people and places we've come to love along the way.
So..... ENJOY THE JOURNEY!

Afternoon Entertainment

A bit of afternoon entertainment by one of the guests.
We are lucky that everyone(especially me) doesn't have to sing for thier supper.
This is Wayman Lombard from Las Vegas Nv. He and his daughter entertained us late today. What a treat. I thought about how much Mom and Dad would have enjoyed this.

Another Really Fun Day

It's always the unexpected that turns out to be the most fun.We had just splurged on a new matress (a very important and very underated piece of furniture) and were heading towards home when we spotted a mini-Cooper, then another and another. Well we just had to whip a U-y see what was up.
You see that is John's dream car... not one of the new made by BMW cars but the little tiny ones. After a great tour around Whidbey Is on roads we've never traveled, we caught up with them.


I guess we created a bit of a stir as everyone wanted to know who the green Honda was that had been stalking them.
They were the SAMOA's out for a cruise.
We met some neat people and this is it.... the car John dreams about.


Of course after all that excitement we couldn't go straight home so we contined the site seeing tour and drove to the top of Mount Erie (the highest point on Fidalgo Is.)
You can see forever


Cambell Lake on Fidalgo Is. Notice the Is. in the lake on the Is. ?
We even hit the Anacortes Art Fair but can you believe it I couldn't find anything to buy? Actually its coming down to "I can't think of anything I want to get rid of" You know ... "Pound in , pound out!"

More New Friends

Its hard not to mix work with play when you are talking about Port Townsend Washington.
Once again Jeannie (cohort in many a crime and owner of "Potpourri Northwest") introduced us to a familly that are working on a home near there and we were lucky enough to lend a hand. Heck we even lured Tim and his trusty side-kick Steve (an aging but still robust Ford pick-up) to help. Not only was $ involved but an awesome dinner and entertainment. All provided by Kip (dad) and Gwen (daughter).


We are definitely looking forward to more of this.

AWESOME

Tim's house is completely enclosed...and it looks awesome.


Of course it has been Tim and John's labor of love while I was having fun at Jeannie's shop above Potpourri Northwest. It felt good to be back doing some upholstery again.

O' My Another Months Gone By

Remember when you were a little kid and all the grown-ups told you that the older you got the faster the time went by....WELL I GUESS THEY WEREN'T KIDDING!
We are still on Whidbey Island and working on the Fred Meyer remodel in Burlington Wa.
The job is moving right along (which is good when doing an open store remodel) and we are having fun (coz we all know it's not the destination...its the journey)
But its where we are that is so cool! Each day the drive to the store is different.
A steaming lake.


Or a field of giant marshmallows.


The weather is still being incredibly agreeable and being this far north there ARE enough hours in a day..... meaning there is always time for alittle play after work.
Here's Claire and Annie over 4th of July weekend.


There is a sweet "parr 3" just around the corner from our RV Park. My game is as lame as ever. I don't imagine it has anything to do with being distracted by every bug,
or bird.



Or slug... this one is a beauty!

KAYUBAWA

Finally we got on the water. Cranberry Lake is only a 1/4 mile from the RV Park and a stone's throw from the straight.
It's and no motor lake full of fish so I imagine this summer it'll be packed.


Launching is a breeze... No gators or water moccasins!!!!

Flowers of the NW

It's been 1 month and we still haven't gotten the kayaks in the water, but we have been enjoying the area. The most of the big BLOOM is over. The tulips just as we arrived the end of April and while we've been hiking we've seen the rhododendrons.


The Madrone trees are about through blooming.


and our Rv park is "Lookin Fine"

But perhaps the most interesting species around is the "Pink-headed relay crew" .


Here's Judy and Donna. With everything going on in the store even the "Relay Crew" is playing it safe....

Victoria Day at North Whidbey RV Park

This was a long weekend for our neighbors up north (and we are a very close place to "get away to" for them) so we celebrated with Canadian flags and a nice pancake breakfast Sunday morning.


Barb the park manager and Sue a resident here do all the work.