Ah, warm blankets, a comfortable bed, and Marti relented and gave me some space this morning.  Put it all together and I really was in no rush to get up this morning.   All good things, though, must come to an end and so did my time in bed.

Our day today was a rather mixed bag of this and that.  Some shopping, Marti to the veterinarian, hair cuts for both of us, and Hallmark in the evening.  Yes, we’ve settled into a comfortable routine and liking it.  The itch to get on the road is still strong and still there but we just have to be patient.  Knowing now that my knee will be in tip-top shape come the New Year allows us to look forward with eager anticipation to Tour America 2019.

Tomorrow as we all know is Thanksgiving.  Therefore, I thought I’d share with you what

we as full time RV’ers have to give thanks for this year.  We definitely have a lot to be thankful for and this list is if you will just  a short summary of sorts.  Throughout the year the good Lord has blessed us to the point that our cup is overflowing.  And His goodness to us continues to amaze us.  So here goes. . .

• We’re thankful that we have each other to share together this amazing journey on The Road of Retirement.  Friends from the beginning, friends still, and friends forevermore.
• We’re thankful for our family and the love we share.  Say what you will but I believe you could lose everything and yet if you still have your family at your side you’re a very fortunate and blessed person.
• We’re thankful for the new friends we’ve made throughout the year.  Full time RV life is so much more than miles driven and states visited. We’re especially grateful for everyone we’ve met on our travels.  Meeting new people is all part of the adventure and often times it can and has turned into a life-long friendship.
• We’re thankful for the freedom of the open road.  We can go where we want, when we want.  This is not something the normal person living in a sticks and bricks house can easily experience.
• We’re thankful that the majority of the roads we travel are paved and smooth.  Taken together they make our journey so much easier.  Oh yes, there have been some really, really bad roads along the way.  Thankfully, they have been in the minority.
• We’re thankful for a safe and dependable rig.  Graybeard may be a bit older than most, a bit smaller than a lot of other rigs out there but he gets us where we want to go reliably and safely.  And when we get there he provides us with a snug and comfortable home.
• We’re thankful that when we’ve had an issue with Graybeard that has been beyond our scope of expertise someone has always been there to bale us out.  Not just someone mind you, but professionals who care and never took advantage of us.  A few of them have even become our friends today.
• Were thankful that there are still affordable places to stay that make this nomadic lifestyle possible.  It be a Harvest Host field, an Escapee Park,  a State Park, a COE site, or someone’s driveway but together they allow us to continue our journey without breaking the bank.
• We’re thankful for the sites we’ve discovered that are level, nicely spaced and with the utility post conveniently located.  Sites like this make setting up so much easier and quicker.
• We’re thankful when we find a park with a nice, clean and reasonably priced laundry facility.  We don’t have an on-board washer and dryer so finding a laundry facility that is well taken care of is a big plus for us.

So there you go a few of the things that we are giving thanks for this Thanksgiving season.  How about you?  Have you stopped to count your blessings and name them one by one?  If you haven’t yet, how about doing it now.  It’s absolutely amazing how giving thanks can give wings to one’s soul.  So I leave you with this though this evening before I go:

As always,  if you are coming to the end of your day with concerns and worries, let me suggest that you turn them over to God.  After all, He is going to be up all night so why not let him handle them for you.

Time now for our evening prayers and eventually some shut-eye.  Till tomorrow.

These are the voyages of  Graybeard and it’s occupants, four paws and two humans.  Our continuing mission: to explore as many new states as possible, to seek out new acquaintances and make new friends, to boldly go where we have not been before

See you on down the road

 

 

A mixed bag this morning when we awoke.  It was comfortable in terms of temperature but overcast and rainy.  As the morning progressed the skies cleared and it became a delightful morning overall.

Finished up the satellite install today.  We now have both TV’s hooked up to Gertrude and finally working great.  That is until we had someone moved in next to us with a new 40 foot 5th wheel and I lost my primo location for her.  Back to the drawing board.  I pulled up the satellite finder app on my phone, searched for a clear shot through the trees to the proper satellite, then I moved Gertrude and – you knew it couldn’t be that easy.  The front

TV and receiver locked on immediately.  The back TV and receiver I had to play with and learn as I went.  In due time I figured it all out, even synced the remote controls between the TV and receiver so I only need one  Score one for the good guys!  All is good now front and back.

Moving into the afternoon it was time for the appointment I had been looking forward to for so very long.  Today was my orthopaedic appointment at The Orthopaedic Surgery 

Center of Ocala.  They took new X-rays and then Doctor Tim shared the results with me.

Yes, as I knew all long the right knee is bone on bone.  Surgery to be scheduled, hopefully, within the next two weeks.  That way I will be up and about for our Christmas trip to see family at Christmas time.  Regarding the left knee which had been done at the VA facility in NJ – I always suspected something was not done right.  Correct again.  In so many words when they replace a knee today they insert a Femoral implant and a Tibial 

implant.  Between the two is the plastic Joint Liner.  The trick is getting the right size plastic disk installed.  The doctor in NJ missed on this one.  After the right knee is done this may not be a deal breaker.  But if it is it will need to be corrected before we leave here next March.  One thing I do know I’m at the right place and I’ve got a first class surgeon in charge this time.

That was our day on The Road of Retirement.  Both of us feel so much better now knowing what is ahead of us.  Moreover, we can now absolutely move forward with our plans for next year.

Thanks again for joining us today, we always enjoy your company as we travel along, side by side, singing our song.  Time for supper so I’m going to sign off but before I do as always a thought for each of us to consider:

As always,  if you are coming to the end of your day with concerns and worries, let me suggest that you turn them over to God.  After all, He is going to be up all night so why not let him handle them for you.

Time now for our evening prayers and eventually some shut-eye.  Till tomorrow.

These are the voyages of  Graybeard and it’s occupants, four paws and two humans.  Our continuing mission: to explore as many new states as possible, to seek out new acquaintances and make new friends, to boldly go where we have not been before

See you on down the road

Well I did it again.  Marti got me up at 6 am because he just couldn’t hold it any longer.  Once I got him back in I thought I would lay down for a few minutes.  A few minutes turned into 7:30 am.  Oh my!  I normally never sleep that late.  Could I be growing old?  Nah.

Breakfast was absolutely fantastic.  A nice egg, green pepper, cheese, and ham omelette on an onion roll.  Yum, yum.  My usual glass of juice and a couple cups of coffee and my tummy was full and I was ready to go.

First things first, time to vacuum from front to back.  Next, the bathroom.  Then the fun job and one I quickly found out I had let go too long.  The freezer needed to be defrosted.  Turn off the unit.  Place a big bowl of hot water in the freezer.  Wait thirty minutes and then begin scrapping out the ice.  Two hours later I was done.  Take a look, all defrosted.

In the future I need to do this every thirty days instead of waiting a couple of months.

Take a look at this.  Just a simple picture but I found it so interesting.  It’s the light from the bathroom night light projected down into and out from the cup underneath.  Kind of

neat I thought and so I took a picture.  OK, maybe it’s just me but I like it.

We have new neighbors – Tom and Julia.  A couple with an older 40 foot Country Coach in a site best suited for a class B.  Believe me it is a tight squeeze.  A couple of us went out to

help get him backed in after he hit two trees on his first attempt.  Took a little bit of doing but as of now the rig is on the site, leveled and all hooked up.  I do hope they stay a bit.

Late afternoon Barbara had a doctor’s appointment in Brooksville so off we went.  She’s had a kidney stone for some time and they wanted to determine how large it is and whether something should be done now or a bit later on.We were in and out within an hour.  Now we wait for the results.

That was our day on The Road of Retirement.  Once again we traveled along, hand in hand, singing our song.  We enjoyed every minute of the day especially since we were together.  Thanks once again for joining us and being a part of our day.  Now, before I say goodnight a thought for each of us to think upon:

As always,  if you are coming to the end of your day with concerns and worries, let me suggest that you turn them over to God.  After all, He is going to be up all night so why not let him handle them for you.

Time now for our evening prayers and eventually some shut-eye.  Till tomorrow.

These are the voyages of  Graybeard and it’s occupants, four paws and two humans.  Our continuing mission: to explore as many new states as possible, to seek out new acquaintances and make new friends, to boldly go where we have not been before

See you on down the road

We’re more or less back to normal in terms of temperatures – 70’s during the day and 50’s at night.  Just the way I like it.  Looking for new places to winter next year I’m letting these kind of temp’s be my guide.  I’m definitely steering clear of any place that goes down to the 30’s on a regular basis at night. That to me is one of the nice things about having wheels under your home.  If you don’t like the weather you can move elsewhere.

 

Today being Sunday we started the day off in the best way I can think of and that is gathering in God’s house for worship.  We have been so very blessed this whole year from beginning to end.  And I can think of no better way to start the week then with praise and worship to the good Lord who has made and continues to make all things

possible.  Once again we had a great service with great music and a great message.  Pastor Ron asked each of us to think about this, Am I the type of person that others would be grateful to know and have in their lives?  Does give one pause to think about how we interact with those around us.

We came straight home after worship, not because we had anything pressing to do but simply because we had nowhere to go.  Besides which, football games would soon be

coming on TV.  I don’t know which games you might have watched but the only one  I believe that was worth a hoot was the Steelers and the Jaguars.  What a finish to that game.   A really great comeback by the Steelers.  

OK, Barbara said lately there has been no spice to the blog.  Nothing exciting added.  No zip.  In an effort to prove her wrong here you go, spices I am told that will help you live longer.  Now I have to idea what they are but at least tonight there is spice to the blog!

 

I have to agree we have sort of settled into a bit of a rut.  We’ll be correcting this shortly I hope.  We’re also sort of just sitting back and relaxing because we both realize that as of January we’re going back to work.  Ugh.  We’ll be work camping at Dade Battlefield which means for certain days of the week it will be up and out in a very unretired manner.  Earlier in the year it sounded like a really good idea.  After all it meant our time in Florida would be kind of like free.  Now, however, I don’t know!

That was the sum total of our day on The Road of Retirement.  Evening has come and it’s time for some Hallmark Movies and a game of Mexican Train.  Thanks for joining us once again.  We hope you too had a chance to give thanks for your blessings today.  Before I go a thought now for each of us to consider:

 

As always,  if you are coming to the end of your day with concerns and worries, let me suggest that you turn them over to God.  After all, He is going to be up all night so why not let him handle them for you.

Time now for our evening prayers and eventually some shut-eye.  Till tomorrow.

These are the voyages of  Graybeard and it’s occupants, four paws and two humans.  Our continuing mission: to explore as many new states as possible, to seek out new acquaintances and make new friends, to boldly go where we have not been before

See you on down the road