WOW! Time Passes So Quickly!

We arrived in the St. Louis area on May 12, 2022. I canNOT believe that it is already July of 2023. Where has the last year gone?!?

If you read my previous post, you know that we moved in with my 93 year old dad, who doesn’t need much caretaking. He has a big house, and the finished basement is “our home.” After going through A LOT of my parents’ stuff, we finally got settled in and feel right at home.

In 2013 my mom was diagnosed with dementia. She was doing ok until she got West Nile disease and had a severe reaction. She survived it, but she was never the same. After battling this devastating disease valiantly for six years, mom passed in August, 2019. My dad has lived independently since then.

Dad has done really good adjusting to having full time “roommates.” Jack and I have also adjusted quite well. All in all, things have gone as smoothly as possible. Dad’s daily routine involves going to McDonalds for breakfast, walking at the church walking track, reading his newspaper, watching TV, and reading books. He loves to play a card game called Three Thirteen. We try to play at least one game every day. He also enjoys watching our two Shih tzus, Ricky and Lucy, chase each other around the house and play. Sometimes one of them will even nap on dad’s lap as he snoozes a little, too.

We haven’t visited any more of the states we haven’t been to yet. As a result, I don’t have much to blog about. Hopefully we can visit one or two of those states soon. I will post about that when it happens.

Oh, yeah! I had right knee replacement surgery March 9th this year (something to blog about! 🤣). I had put it off for many years so we could travel. By the time the surgery date arrived, I could barely walk. I know this will sound weird, but the surgery pain was almost a welcome relief from the CONSTANT pain of bone on bone. I have done really well, but that’s because I’ve followed doctors orders and worked REALLY hard in physical therapy. Everything looked good at my three month checkup, so I’ll see the doctor again at six months and at the one year mark. Then I will be officially released.

I just have to include a couple of pictures of Ricky and Lucy. The one with them resting on Jack’s back is a very frequent occurrence at our house!

I have missed traveling, and I’ve missed blogging. I don’t really have anything to blog about now except doctors’ appointments and what I’ve cooked for supper. 🤣 I’m sure you don’t want to hear about that!

I’m not sure how to close this post. I guess I’ll just say …

So, for now … UNTIL we’re “On the Road again!

Betty

RVing and the COVID-19 Virus: Is There Light at the End of the Tunnel?

I know that you all have probably thought that I have dropped off the end of the earth. It has been a long time since I posted anything. I am sorry about that.

This post will probably NOT be the most interesting post I’ve ever written. Therefore, I feel the need to occasionally post some “fun” photos for your viewing pleasure. 😉

Ricky and Lucy are always playing.

When October 1st came around, we left our good friends, Darrell and Malia, in Wisconsin and headed back to Missouri. We spent about seven weeks in Missouri visiting family.

When the time came, many of the “guys” in the family met at the farm in Thayer for deer season. The wives had some much needed “down” time; well, at least I did! When you live in an RV, time alone is a rare, precious commodity. While in Missouri, we enjoyed time with our parents sharing meals, watching TV, and playing cards, of course!

This is the new, homemade deer stand. It is huge!

Look how BIG it is.

This is our grandson, Jackson, enjoying the deer stand’s protection from the cold wind.

While in the STL area, Ricky and Lucy were old enough to have their surgeries so there would be NO puppies. Of course, they had to wear the “cone of shame.” They actually did pretty good adjusting to the cones while still chasing each other around my dad’s house.

Around mid-November we headed south to Foley, Alabama (warmer weather). We chose Foley so we wouldn’t be too far away to return to see family for Christmas. Foley is about 10 miles from Gulf Shores, AL, and the shoreline of the Gulf of Mexico. We’ve been in this area several times before, so we really didn’t need to “go exploring.” We walked along the beach numerous times and had a relaxing time.

This COVID-19 virus thing has really changed the way people do their RV/camping now days. Everyone is cautious and stays at least six feet away. Five o’clock Happy Hour is not so happy anymore. Most places have indefinitely suspended planned, group activities. People are still very friendly, but it’s just NOT like it used to be.

I was beginning to think COVID had gotten the best of us all. However, with the first vaccines being given recently to healthcare workers, I think we can reach “herd immunity” sooner than later! There just might be light at the end of the COVID-19 tunnel! 👏👏👏

I am happy to report that Jack and I have avoided this virus, and we hope and pray we can continue to do so. For the most part, all our family, on both sides, have been fortunate to avoid it. I’m sad to say that we’ve had friends who have gotten it. Some had SEVERE symptoms and will have a lengthy recovery time; others have not been so fortunate and have passed away. 😢 We have been greatly saddened by each call we have received informing us of COVID infections and deaths. May God help us all to stay healthy and get rid of this virus! 🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻

We did make a “shortened” trip for Christmas Day. We went to Edmond, OK, to see our youngest son, his wife, and our grandkids. Our oldest son decided not to come because he would have to fly to get there. He didn’t want to risk being exposed to COVID on the plane and passing it on to us. Also, we did not make our usual “rounds” in Missouri because we didn’t want to risk exposing OUR 90+ year old parents if we picked up the virus. It was definitely an unusual Christmas. Here are some photos of Christmas Day.

Jade (left) and Kylee (right).

Jackson (in the background) and Mike’s wife, Jennifer (foreground).

Jade

Kylee and Finn, their little Maltese.

Jackson

Our two sons: oldest, Jeff, is on the phone screen and youngest, Mike, is in the foreground.

Our annual family Christmas photo: COVID style!

On January 1st we headed to Florida in order to get further south, visit with some dear friends (after we isolated for the appropriate number of days), and see our oldest son. We will be here until April 1st. Hopefully, we will be doing some visits to outdoor places, so I can blog about them.

So, for now ….. “On the Road Again!”

Betty

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