Monday, June 18, 2012

Adapting to the RV Lifestyle.....

This past weekend, Eddie Dale and I took our maiden voyage in the "new" RV.  We recently bought an older fifth-wheel from my dad, who is "retiring" from RV'ing.  We were eager to get out on the open road and set up camp to work out the kinks before taking it on vacation in a couple of weeks!

Here she is.....24-feet of home-away-from-home!!!

I spent a good deal of the day on Friday cleaning and getting everything ready.  You have to remember - a bachelor had been using the trailer!  I finished off the day with a trip to the dollar store for supplies we would need - paper plates, cleaner, shower caddy, towels - items we can just leave in the trailer from trip to trip.

On Saturday morning, we rounded up everything we would need at the grocery store.  We went through the hook-up process and got to the State Park, about 20 miles from town, right at 2:00 pm, the assigned check-in time.  Set up was a challenge this first time.......Eddie Dale tells me that backing up a fifth wheel is quite different from backing up a regular trailer.  I was glad it was him maneuvering it into place and not me!  Once we got it onto the parking pad, the rest of the hook-up went smoothly.

We took the pups with us for this first run and they were quite nervous and bewildered when we moved them from the truck to the trailer.  But, they quickly realized that it was much cooler in the trailer with the A/C running than it had been in the cab of the truck.  By the end of the evening, they started to relax and grow accustomed to their new surroundings.

We rested, read and napped for a while and then set up the portable grill to cook some steaks for dinner.  While we were outside, a doe came wandering up to our campsite and hung around for a while.  She actually got very close to us and didn't startle easily.  I guess she lives out in the area and is used to campers.  Isn't she just beautiful???


 
Dinner was simple and delicious!  We sat inside the trailer in the little dining area and enjoyed our sirloin steaks, twice backed potatoes (frozen and cooked in the microwave) and grilled squash and peppers from Daddy's garden.  Chilled tomatoes harvested from that garden earlier in the day provided a sweet pop of flavor.

A storm blew in at dusk and we put away the outdoor chairs and tables, battened down the hatches and crawled into bed to read.  The brunt of the storm passed us by, but there was some wind and rain and it cooled the sweltering temperatures to the point we could actually sleep with the windows open that night.

I can sum up our entire time at the State Park by saying "we did a whole lot of nothing"!  We napped, visited, read, sat outside in the quiet and relaxed.  It was a wonderful time of recharging and working out some of the snags of camping.  Every once in a while, you just need a little time to "decompress" like this!

I am looking forward to our next outing here in a couple of weeks for a week-long trip down to the Guadalupe river!  I think we're ready!!!



Tuesday, June 12, 2012

Snips and Snails......

And puppy dog tails!  That's what little boys are made of!!!

At least, you sure would have thought that this past weekend at our house......

Both Ben and Sam were hanging out over here for part of the day.  Oh, I know, they're not "little boys" anymore.....they're more like "grown men" now.......

But, they will always be my little boys!  (Sorry, guys!)

The dogs love having them around!  They just eat up all the attention and the rule-breaking (you know, that "no dogs on the bed" rule) that happen when their "bubba's" are here.  (And I just couldn't bear to be the "mean mommy" and break it all up....)

I caught all three pups up on Ben's bed with the boys......rolling around, tails wagging, having the best time with those goofy boys. 

Let me show you......





You will have to forgive the state of the room....the hangers on the doors, the partially made bed....I have had to adjust my definition of "neat" with a 23-year old guy living in that room!



Even so, it did my heart good to see them all enjoying just being together!  Them's my babies!!!


Grateful for the little moments today!


The Blessing After the Storm.....

Temperatures soared well over 100 degrees here today....

Can you say HOT?!?!?!

By late afternoon, we were sitting at 107, with a storm brewing.  Right at 5:00, thunder rumbled and we had about five minutes of intense rainfall.  Brought that temp right down, yes!

Even though the sun was shining throughout the brief storm, it was a welcome respite, bringing welcome relief from the heat.  For the next couple of hours, the clouds continued to build and the skies darkened.  I had headed over to Daddy's house after the initial storm so he could go over the care of his cat and garden while he is out of town for the next couple of weeks (No doubt, there will be an upcoming post covering this, as I am sure it is going to be quite an adventure).  On my way home, I received a phone call just a few blocks from the house and sat in the car in our driveway for a couple of minutes to finish up the call.  Huge drops began to fall from the sky and  Ed and Ben were scurrying around out front, unloading some lumber from the back of the truck for more fence repairs. 

I wrapped up my call and made a dash into the house just as the storm unleashed its fury.  While we prepared and ate a quick meal, the wind blew and the rain fell in sheets.  It felt safe and secure to be inside our cozy home. 

Ben and I had plans to run out to Kohl's and take advantage of a 30% off coupon so he could buy himself some shorts.  By the time we finished dinner and cleaned up, the storm was letting up and we were able to head out.

The sun was setting in the western sky; the clouds still hung ominously in the south and east, where the storm had passed.  And there it was.......



The blessing after the storm.......

As we pulled into the parking lot at the store, both of us reached for our phones to capture this beautiful sight. Even though the sun was still shining, random sprinkles still fell on our upturned faces as we gazed at the sky and breathed deeply the freshly cleansed air. 

"I have placed my rainbow in the clouds.  
It is the sign of my covenant with you and with all earth." 
~ Genesis 9:13

I hope you found a gift as lovely and wondrous as this today......




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