Week in Review: October 21 through October 26

What a fun week this was! Sunday we spent the afternoon with Elaine, a roommate I had in Connecticut before Dick and I were married. Elaine and her husband Bill live in Lees Summit, MO, just a few short miles from our RV site in Lake Paradise. It's been almost 30 years since we've seen one another, but only a moment to pick up where we left off those many years ago. Lunch was served on the patio: lamb chops, salad, potatoes and fresh fruit. YUM! (We were reminded that it's really "Lady Elaine" and "Lord William" Coleman, as they own real estate in Scotland...:-D)

 

We looked at photos from back in the day (my glasses were HUGE!). Elaine, one other roomy, and I lived on an old estate in a house that had been converted from a barn. In our backyard was a river and an old stone grist mill, with a waterfall. (The Fall colors were unbelievable!) Lots of memories from that time, not the least of which was the time we caught a river rat (18" from nose to tail) in our kitchen, after it had moved a loaf of bread from one counter to another and eaten half of it!

 

Lunch on Monday was at the Courthouse Exchange in Independence, MO (across the street from the courthouse were Harry Truman served as judge). Another attraction in the area is the Harry S. Truman Museum and Library, which we'll have to catch the next time we come through here.

 

Afterwards Elaine took us on a tour of Birds Botanicals, where she works. Located in an old limestone mine in Kansas City, it's the only place in the world where orchids are grown underground. David Bird, owner/horticulturist, does an amazing job of cultivating over 100 species and hundreds of varieties of orchids from all over the world. We were (almost) speechless as we walked through the aisles, listening to Elaine as she shared about orchids. As a Master Gardener, she knows her stuff! I'm including a few photos of the orchids, as well as her business card, so if you're ever in Kansas City, you might find this interesting. This weekend was an orchid expo in downtown Kansas City, so David and staff were busy getting ready. (Due to the grow lighting in the cave, some photos may appear yellow.)

Limestone mine/cave parking area outside Birds Botanicals

Notice the limestone ceiling.

 

 

We woke Tuesday to a partly sunny day and wind. Temps reached 80 degrees, but the wind kept it bearable. Dick spent part of the day repairing his Mongoose bicycle, which had blown over in the wind on Monday, damaging the derailer.

 

Wednesday our friends Bea and Mike picked us up for lunch. (If you've followed our blog, you may remember we met them in Grand Portage, and subsequently had lunch with them in October, while we were staying at my mom's.) We dined at Cascone's, a regionally infamous Italian restaurant in North Kansas City: lasagna, salad, Italian bread...YUM! (Kansas City lore says Cascone's was closely tied to the Kansas City mob. Couldn't find anything on this, tho...hmmm...)

 

 

Thursday we woke to a 38 degree rainy morning. Brrrrr! We stayed in, although I did make a trip to the laundry. Good to get 3 loads washed and dried in an hour, thanks to commercial equipment!

 

Friday we load up and head to Jay, Oklahoma for a week at Pine Island RV Resort. Situated on Grand Lake O' the Cherokees near Grove, OK, our site is on a bluff overlooking the lake. Beautiful! Just another reminder of God's creation; thank you, God. The weather promises to be sunny all week, with temps in the 60s during the day. Wonderful.

Our site at Pine Island

View of lake from our door.

Woke Saturday to a beautiful sunrise and temps reaching the mid-60s by noon. Supposed to be down to about 30 tonight. Another brrrrrrr...! We took a little driving trip to the local Super Walmart (becoming our favorite store...ha!) and also filled up with diesel. We walked for 45 minutes to the RV park Welcome Center, down and up some of the steepest hills we've seen in a long time.Whew! We hitched a ride back home with one of the park's maintenance men. Don't know how long it would've taken us had we decided to hike back on our own...ha! After a short rest, Dick took a 90-minute ride on the motorcycle. I'm such a wuss--I stayed back at the trailer to keep warm. Glad I did, as Dick was like an ice cube when he got back. Chicken fajitas tonight, with some of my homemade salsa. YUM!

 

Hope this finds you all well, and hope you enjoy our blog and the photos. We're havin' a ball!

Love and miss you all.

Gail and Dick

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Week in Review: October 14 through October 20

Sunday, October 14, our last morning in Cloquet until we return in the Spring. We had hoped to hit the road by mid-morning, but you know how the best laid plans go...

Dick had nuked Windows from our old Compaq laptop computer (affectionately named "Miss Piggy") and loaded Linux. We surprised our niece MacKenzie with it on Saturday. There were issues on Sunday. So...we did a housecall before we left; Dick fixed the problem, and we were off! We were able to be "on the road, again" (thanks, Willie) by 11:30, on our way to Welcome, MN, close to the Iowa border: 283 miles. We pulled into Welcome to the Checkers RV Park around 5:00, in time to get set up before nightfall.

What a lovely little town. Monday dawned bright and beautiful, with temps reaching 70 degrees. Dick took a short motorcycle ride around the area, while I enjoyed the sunshine and sat outside to knit. We took an afternoon stroll through the downtown area.  (Almost expected Sheriff Andy, Opie and Barney Fife to walk around the corner!) On main street I think we counted no more than 8 places of businesses open on Monday. The library is open Monday, Wednesday and Friday, from 2-5 p.m. Dick wanted to find a car wash that could handle the black beast; we actually found one!  Later in the day, he decided to wash the windows on the outside of the trailer! Rather handy to have around, I'd say:-D!  Lots of lady bugs and box elder bugs around. Rather a nuisance...  While on our walk we took photos, but this one stood out among all of them.


Sign says: "WATER FOR HORSES AND HUMANS"
Built in 1814

Established July 9, 1894

Tuesday brought rain in the morning, but sun and 70 degrees in the afternoon. Dick took the truck to the carwash, and decided he wasn't through washing stuff when he got back: he washed the hard surface floors in the trailer! Later, Dick and I rode our bicycles: he, around town and me, around the campground. I haven't really ridden a bike in about -- well, in a really long time -- so I'm still getting my bike legs under me.

Wednesday the 17th was a day to pack up again, to head towards Des Moines, to a campground in Kellogg, Iowa, 251 miles away.  It was a very windy trip, with winds gusting to up to 25 mpg. Glad to have a 1-ton and a 5th wheel, rather than a pull-behind.

We arrived in Kellogg, and were met with:
Wind, wind, wind...
Rain, rain, rain...

That night the storm continued. Wind, wind, wind...mantaining at 25 mph and gusting to 40 mph...and rain. Ugh! Thursday we did head to a local Walmart to pick up a few items, and gas the beast. Good day to stay close to home and watch Iron Man-2, streamed in HD from I-Net! Very cool!

Friday the wind and rain abated; we packed up to head to Missouri. And, we had our first mishap. Dick didn't get the hitch closed so when we pulled forward the 5th wheel fell onto the truck bed. Ouch! Thanks be to God, no major damage was done (just to a bit of fiberglass on the trailer and the sides to the truck bed were spread about 1/8", enough so the tail gate wouldn't stay closed--we're working on that). After jacking up the trailer again--and an hour later--we were "on the road again," headed to Missouri.

We arrived to Lake Paradise Resort in Lone Jack, MO 262 miles later. Beautiful spot, covering 300 acres with 600 campsites, including RV and tent sites, as well as cabins. It's known as the "Ozarks of Kansas City" because of the beautiful and scenic landscape. There are well stocked lakes for fishing on the property; there are plenty of trails for hiking and biking; an in-lake swimming pool, boat rentals, and tons of other stuff to do. There are only about 100 occupied sites at this time of year, so it's very quiet and peaceful. (I'm not sure we'd want to be here in-season, with so many sites.)

 

View from our site. 8 a.m.

Saturday morning dawned bright and beautiful. Our site faces south, onto Paradise Lake. The temps reached 78 degrees, sunny, no clouds, with a slight breeze. What a good day for a bit of R&R. We walked around the property for a while in the morning, enjoying the weather and meeting a few fellow campers. Golf carts seem to be the mode of transportation around the property--we'll stick to bikes and the motorcycle. Later, Dick cleaned up the motorcycle and took a little ride, while I enjoyed the sun and spent some time knitting.

One of my roommates from Greenwich, CT lives in Lees Summit, MO, just a few miles away. I connected with her and we'll be having lunch with her and her husband on Sunday. Should be a fun time; we haven't seen one another in almost 30 years.

Now that we're officially moved in and settled in our 5th wheel, I thought you'd like to see the interior. Here are a few shots. We love livin' in our new home!

Hope this finds you all well. We'll be here in Lake Paradise for about a week, so check back next week for updates.

Hugs and blessings,
RJ (Dick) and Gail

Week in Review: October 7 through October 13

This week was really quiet around Mom's house. We went to church Sunday morning, then spent the rest of the just lazing around the house.

Monday, Mom went to see her doctor, to get the final approval for in-home assistance. The group, Senior Friend, works closely with family doctors to make certain that the proper care is prescribed. They did a blood draw in the lab, but she's good to go, so we should be able to start care this week.

I finally finished a wedding gift for some dear friends, who were married on the 7th at Snoqualmie Ridge Golf Course (Washington), and we got it sent off Tuesday. They're on a trip to Europe and a Mediterranean cruise, so they'll get it when they return. (Thank you, Michelle, for taking care of it until they get back.)

Tuesday Mom and I raked the leaves from the front yard for about 1 1/2 hours, until Dick took the rake from Mom and helped me finish. We filled 12 huge lawn and leaf bags. That night the wind blew--Wednesday morning it looked like we hadn't raked at all! This was the 2nd time I had raked--we're leaving the leaves now until most of them are down, and Mom's neighbor Dave will use the riding lawn mower to pick them up along with the leaves in his yard. (Thanks, Dave! The mower is in the shed!)

Just a small section of the front yard.

 On Wednesday, we woke to 23 degree temperatures. Although it warmed up to the low 50s, it was quite a shock! Also that day MacKenzie got braces...note the teal and orange elastics she chose. By that evening she was a hurtin' puppy, as her teeth had already started to move. She's been on a diet of soft foods for a couple of days, including soup, jello and ice cream. (She says, "thank you, liquid ibuprofen!") 

 

That evening my dad's youngest sister Milly and her husband Wayne (from Renville, MN) stopped by to see Mom. They were up visiting a close friend of theirs, who is in a nursing home here in the area. Always good to see them, and get caught up on the Brummer side of the family. They have a 700 acre farm in southern Minnesota, including a gravel pit (the gravel is used solely for highway concrete pavement).

Thursday we attempted to get in to eat at the Black Bear Casino, for their sumptuous seafood buffet. The wait time was 75 minutes, so we scrubbed that idea and went to another local restaurant, The Streetcar, in Carlton. It was "rib night" so my brother Rich and I had ribs; Dick had a burger; Mom had chicken marsala; and Karen and MacKenzie had German potato soup. Yum-yum!

Friday. The day arrived for in-home care for Mom. Yeah!!! We can leave now, with assurance that she'll have more companionship during the week, help with housework, and more attention to her personal hygiene. Thanks to brother Rich, wife Karen, and daughter MacKenzie for all they do, but this will relieve them of some of the burden of the day-to-day stuff. Mom says she doesn't need help, that she can do things and isn't helpless yet; and, yes, we know she can do things, but I remind her that she doesn't remember to do those things. The Senior Friend will come 3 days per week, for a couple of hours each day.

What a gorgeous day Friday was; temps reached mid-60s with bright, beautiful sunshine. The leaves continued to fall, reminding one of large snowflakes drifting to the ground. Made chocolate chip cookies--won't last long! Have to hide them from Mom, otherwise they'd be gone by dinner time!

Saturday dawned rainy, but still. The temps at noon were only in the low 40s. Made "quick caramel coffee ring" for breakfast, but made them in muffin tins instead. (Recipe is in the "Blessed Bistro" cookbook, ladies!) Served them along with scrambled eggs, bacon, and citrus salad. Yum-yum!

Saturday evening was the annual spaghetti feed, supporting the local Friends of Animals Shelter (sis-in-law Karen manages it, as I've mentioned in previous posts). Didn't need to cook!

We're doing the final preparations for departure, either tomorrow the 14th, or Monday the 15th. Laundry, moving clothes back out to the trailer, etc. The hitch and ramp is ready for the motorcycle, and the rack is ready for the bicycles. (Dick manufactured the bike rack from pvc pipe, so we can haul them inside the trailer between the living room slides. Cool, huh!) 

 First stop after we leave Mom's: Welcome, Minnesota. (Due to the delay in leaving Cloquet, the other parks we had wanted to visit are closed for the winter.) Originally known as Lily Creek for a creek that still flows to the north, the name was later changed to Welcome in honor of Alfred M. Welcome, an Englishman who homesteaded near there after the Civil War. Population: 680+/-. Total land area: 0.9 square miles. Median age: 41 years It's about 300 miles, or a 4.5 hour drive. Weather promises to be good Sunday, but better Monday. We'll see... Don't know how long we'll stay there...:)

Hope this finds you all well. We miss you, and look forward to hearing from you via emails or phone calls. Blessings...

Week in Review: September 30 through October 6

This week was a week of whirlwind weather, and pretty esoteric. Not much happening, but here goes.

Sunday, September 30, was MacKenzie's last soccer game of the year. Beautiful day: 75 degrees, with just a few clouds and slight breeze. The Fall colors were still vibrant. It was the final division playoff, but unfortunately they lost 3:2 in double overtime and a shoot-out. The girls were pretty bummed, but there's always next year. For the 11 year-olds, they'll move into an older age bracket so they're pretty excited about that. As an added bonus, a bald eagle soared overhead for most of the second half of the game and overtime.

Monday was quite blustery, so all the lawns, streets--basically everything--was blanketed with fallen leaves. Good thing we photographed the trees last week--most of them are pretty bare now. I spent all morning raking Mom's front yard, but of course by mid-afternoon you couldn't tell I had done a thing!

In anticipation of our departure next weekend, I had my hair cut quite short on Tuesday. RJ says he'll begin cutting it when we're on the road: NOT! He's OK with me cutting his, though.

Wednesday was a beautiful day: 75 degrees, sunny, no breeze. Loved it! This day we took the next step in having in-home assistance for my mom. An RN came and spent over 2 hours doing a health assessment. (Thankfully, Mom was cooperative!) Next step is for Mom to see her physician (scheduled for Monday the 8th), afterwhich the in-home assistance should start pretty quickly. We want to be around for the first couple of visits by the aide, to help Mom be more comfortable having someone new come into her home.

That day RJ rode the motorcycle to Moose Lake, MN on county roads to view more color. And, MacKenzie auditioned  for a singing part in a local play at the Encore Theatre. Her voice teacher suggested she try out, so we're waiting to hear if she made it. RJ and I also visited the local sheriff's office to apply for Minnesota's Conceal and Carry permits. Here's a photo of us doing a hands-on shoot at our class last week, with our instructor Dennis. (I think I could really get into this shooting thing...:0) And, yes, I did hit the target!

Thursday's headlines in the Duluth News Tribune:  "Weather Goes from 70s to Snow!" "...In Northwestern Minnesota as much as 14" of snow is forecast to fall..."  Spoke to my brother Ron (who lives in NW Minnesota); they got 10" of the heavy wet stuff. It's way too early for this weather. Temperatures dipped to around freezing, but thankfully, we didn't get more than flurries.

Friday and Saturday brought more cold weather, occasionaly flurries, and more falling leaves. The forecast is for warmer and more seasonal weather to hit next week. It will be welcome!

Well, that's it for this week. Stay tuned for more exciting news!