An Overdue Visit to Littleton , CO - May 2011

We decided to take a slightly longer trip back to Ohio and Pennsylvania via a side trip to the Littleton, Colorado area so Rob could visit his parents grave sites. It has been nearly 11 years since we have had the opportunity to be there and a visit was long overdue!

We visited the cemetery on Mothers Day, then returned on Monday to place some flowers.

It was a bittersweet visit...nice to pay our respects and say a few words, but sad because we don't know when we will be out here to visit again since most of the family is now living in the Eastern U.S. It helps to know that their memories and spirits are always with us, wherever we may be!




This visit happened to work out perfect because it also gave Rob the opportunity to see the family home one last time. His sister had recently decided to put it on the market and it was put under contract to be sold the day we arrived.


We were able to visit with our niece, Sarah, and her family and also spent an evening with Dennis & Ellen, long time family friends, who are still in the area. We enjoyed the time we spent with them and hope that they know how much we appreciated them fitting us into their busy schedules!

Our "Southern" homestead - Pass Christian, MS

We did it!! We found a RV site here in the Mississippi Gulf Coast area that was priced in a range that we couldn't pass up. We have been looking for another place to call home in the south and this one surpasses all we ever thought we would find.

It is close to the sandy beaches of the Gulf (about a 4 mile drive), handy to the lights and sounds of the casinos, and just right for our desire of warmer temperatures in the winter months. The site is in a RV Resort that is being rebuilt from the disaster of Hurricane Katrina. A new owner is working feverishly, bringing it back. It has 2 pools (smaller in size, but still pools), 2 club houses, a small laundry, a playground for kids, and lots of shoreline for river/bayou or pond fishing.

Our plan is to live here year round while I attend school, then maybe travel back and forth from here to Pennsylvania afterward. No definite plans for that far in advance yet.

New Orleans Hornets Basketball Game - February 2012

Tonight we attended a New Orleans Hornets NBA basketball game with Gwen and her nephew Justin. The tickets were amazing! They weren't for just average seats, they were for one of the luxury VIP suites at the New Orleans Arena that is leased by Gwen's employer!

The game was fun to watch. The Hornets had the lead through the first three periods, but ended up losing when the final buzzer sounded. Despite the loss, we had a fun evening, and can scratch "watching an NBA game in person" off our bucket list!

New Years 2011 - January 2011

Well here it is the first of another new year!!

This year, as we did last year, Rob and I brought in the New Year at the Silver Slipper Casino in Bay St. Louis, MS! We celebrated with a toast of champagne and the traditional New Year kiss!! Then we spent a few hours trying to win our fortune playing various slot machines. We didn't win, but did break even, so went home feeling happy about that!!

Today we joined others from the park here in Abita Springs for a Pot Luck Dinner for New Years. The park supplied fried chicken and everyone brought a side dish or desert. There were plenty of black-eyed peas, cabbage, greens, rice, potatoes, coleslaw, corn bread, dinner rolls, and assorted pies and cakes. It was all delicious!

Found a few pictures in another email that was sent to me that go along with my New Years resolutions...

1st Resolution:
Do better at showing how much I appreciate others
(and accept help of others if needed to do so)!


2nd Resolution:
Be better organized in prioritizing my needs and desires
(don't bite off more than I can chew)!


3rd Resolution:
Strive to always look my best
(utilize accessories that will compliment my style)!

We got new bicycles! - December 2010

Today Rob and I decided to get ourselves new bicycles!! Imagine this...we are going to start getting into shape by riding bicycles. Actually I'm looking forward to the whole idea of getting out and having some fun riding with Rob on the trails around here. And when we get over to the Gulf Coast of Mississippi we can ride along the beach road, taking in the sights of the shore while getting healthier! Now all we need is a basket on the handlebars so Highway, our cat, can ride along with us on our biking adventures!!

Here are pics of the new toys...

My bike


Rob's bike

Christmas at Gwen's - December 2010

We were invited by my very BFF, Gwen, to come spend Christmas with she and her brother's family. I hadn't seen her brother in over 30 years, and Rob had never met him, so we accepted her invitation and looked forward to the day!

Since Gwen had planned a HUGE meal and she didn't have anyone else to help her prepare, Rob and I drove over on Christmas Eve to spend the night so that I could help her cook and prepare for Christmas Day with her family.

We had a great time, laughing and enjoying each other once again!

We cooked enough food to feed the neighborhood. Dinner consisted of roast beef, ham, fried turkey breast, mashed potatoes, sweet potatoes, macaroni and cheese, Cesar salad, green peas, broccoli, queso dip and chips, dinner rolls, chocolate cake, red velvet cheesecake, sugar cookies, and fudge!

With everyone there on Christmas Day the bit of sadness in my heart lifted, and both Rob and I enjoyed the day and time spent with everyone!

Thanks Gwen for everything!

A special message - December 2010

This is a special message to a very special person that has been my best friend, my confidant, a shoulder for me to cry on, my rock when the rest of my world was crumbling, and the love of my life! This message goes to my wonderful husband of 25 years, Rob!

For almost 2 years now, you have put all your personal cares and needs on the back burner and put all my personal cares and needs at the top of the priority list. I can never thank you enough, nor tell you how much I appreciate your love and support. I hope that the decisions we have made will enable us to someday pick up and travel about this country again, building memories and enjoying life to the fullest! I love you with all my heart!!

A final good-bye to my Mom - December 2010

Today our family gathered to pay our last respects to my Mom, and place her ashes along side my Dads at Restland Cemetary in Tenaha, TX. The ceremony was just as Mama would have wanted it, private, with not a lot of fuss, but with her family who loved her there to say good-bye.

With the sun shining, my sisters and I each shared our special thoughts and honored our Mother one last time. The following is the poem that I wrote for her...

Memories Of You Mom by Joanne

I've always known this day would arrive,
The day I'd have to say good-bye.
And though my heart aches and I miss you so,
The memories you've left me,
I'll treasure forever and never let go.

Your caring and your sharing,
Always putting others first.
With unconditional love, and warm welcoming hugs,
You gave from your heart to all those you knew,
Your family, your friends, your church and charities too.

You were most happy keeping busy,
Puttering about your house.
And if something were to ever break,
Only you could find a way to fix it
With a rubber band or a roll of scotch tape.

When the miles between us kept us apart,
A quick phone call we'd make, so at least we could talk.
We’d giggle and laugh as we chatted together,
Asking “What’s new with you?” or “How is the weather?”

We traveled about, Rob, you, and me,
Every day an adventure, something new to see.
With Rob at the wheel, and you with map in hand,
What fun we had together, in our motor home, our “van”.

My memories of your final year
Are filled with many emotions.
But despite my anger, confusion, and fear,
It was your strength, your determination, and your attitude filled with cheer,
That taught me life-lessons that I’ll always hold dear.

Yes, the time has come for me to say good-bye.
I wish I could promise not to cry.
Though my life without you will never be the same,
I’ll smile each time I think of you, or hear your name.

Memories of you Mom
Held deep in my heart.
Memories, special, loving memories
That will stay with me forever and we’ll never be apart.

Millwood Landing RV Resort, Ashdown, AR - November 2010

After spending Halloween and a fun-filled birthday celebrating week with Jason, Bonnie, and the kids in Ohio, we began our trek south. We had some time to just relax and transition to being once again "retired", so we decided to head to Ashdown, AR to stay at Millwood Landing RV Park and Golf Course, one of Ocean Canyon Resorts that we had not had the opportunity to see yet.

The park was lovely! Small in number of RV sites, but what they had was more than adequate in needs, and the grounds were absolutely beautiful! Neither Rob or I golf, but if we did, the free greens fees included in our membership would have been a nice perk! We opted instead to take in the color of the surrounding trees, relax while watching the ripples on the surface of the lake, and enjoy the socializing we were offered by the staff of the park and surrounding RV'er neighbors.

Here are a few pictures of the park. I wish I had taken more but these will give you an idea of the how pretty the park is.

It's time to bring this blog up to date............ August 2009 - November 2010

OK all, it's time to get back into gear and get this blog updated. I don't want you to think Rob and I have been sitting idle all this time!

August & September 2009
After finishing up our job in Terrell, TX in August, 2009 we headed back to Pennsylvania to visit the kids, and get our physicals done. While there, I flew back to Louisiana to be with my family and Mom for her surgery. Following her surgery I flew back to Pennsylvania, but was only back a couple of weeks when we were called back to Louisiana due to Mom's recovery taking a huge set-back.

Rob got me back to Louisiana as quickly as possible, and we were taken in by the manager at the Travel Center of America RV Park who had a site that she held for emergency stays. We believe that this was the only site available for a long-term rental in the area due to many construction and pipe-liners working and living in all the RV Parks. If she hadn't held it for situations such as ours, who knows where we would have had to go to find a site!

October - December 2009
We stayed in Louisiana for over 2 months, rallying at Mom's bedside, doing all we could to help with her care. Just before Thanksgiving 2009, Mom was sent from Louisiana back to her home town, Center, TX, to continue her recovery at one of the local Skilled Nursing Facilities.

Rob and I stayed in Texas until just before the 2010 New Year. It was only then that I felt comfortable with Mom's recovery progress, and comfortable with leaving her in the care of the nurses and staff at the center and also leaving my sister who had also been spending all her spare time with Mom.

Now, let me back up a little to explain where and why we headed to our next destination. During Mom's long stays in various medical facilities following her surgery, I spent many days and nights at her side. I met and grew to respect many wonderful men and women who cared for Mom. I also learned more than I ever dreamed I could about caring for someone. It was during this time that I decided that my next goal in life should be to return to school and become a Nurse! I talked with many nurses who assured me that even at my age, I could get through the education and then, later, after gaining some experience, I should be able to pursue work as a Traveling Nurse, combining a new career with our traveling lifestyle.

January - May 2010
So, off to the Mississippi Gulf Coast we went! Rob and I had decided that if we were going to spend 2+ years in an area to be educated, and work to gain experience, it would have to be somewhere that we would be comfortable with the environment. Rob and I have always enjoyed the Mississippi Gulf Coast, so we set up in Long Beach, MS and I began working with the local Community College to be accepted into their Nursing Program.

As life most often goes, this task turned out to be more difficult than I ever imagined it would. I set myself up as a resident, took entrance exams, and applied to the school. I was hoping to complete all the requirements to apply for the Nursing Program classes starting in August 2010, but was stopped cold when the school decided that they would revamp the Nursing Program curriculum and requirements. When all was said and done, I learned that I would need two prerequisite Science classes and some additional entrance exams before I could apply to be accepted into the Nursing Program. Auggghhhhh!!!

Stop.....Breathe.....Continue breathing.... and revise plans to make it all work, again!!

May - November 2010
At the first of May 2010, after not having any luck finding work locally in Mississippi, and knowing I could take my prerequisite classes online, we packed up and headed back to Pennsylvania to visit with the kids and grand-kids, and take on another Security job. We began working in May on an EPA Superfund Site located in Niagara Falls, New York.

Here is a picture of the site where we worked. The EPA was cleaning out the building behind our motor home.

We did do some sightseeing in Niagara Falls during our time off. These are a few pictures of the Falls from the American side. We did not have passports, so couldn't go over to the Canadian side.

The American Falls (Horseshoe Falls in background)

Rob and Joanne atop the viewing tower

Maid of the Mist being loaded up with tourists

During our time working I took one of the two prerequisite classes that I need to complete online. It was Microbiology!! I hated it at first, it was hard, and I had to look up the pronunciations and definitions of almost every other word in the textbook, but I worked at it, and got through it with an "A"!!

During this time, Mom's illness got the best of her, and despite her courageous battle to recover, she must have grown tired of her battle to return to her normal self, and passed on. If there were ever a blessing to her passing today, it was that this day was also the day of Rob's annual family reunion in Grove City, PA, that we had made arrangements to attend. Being surrounded by all those loving and supportive family members made the tremendous heartache of just losing Mom easier.

When our job finished up in September, and we started heading south. We stopped for a short visit with the family in Pennsylvania, then spent a longer than normal, but still too short, visit with Jason, Bonnie, and the kids in Ohio. We were there for Halloween and birthdays (Rob and Jason). While there Jason and Bonnie treated Rob and I to a "no expenses barred" night out to celebrate our 25th wedding anniversary! We hit our milestone while we were working in NY, so they waited till we could be together to treat us! It was a wonderful evening!!

Pics from Halloween party at kids school and the birthdays...

Grandma & Grandpa with Autumn and her ghost wind sock.

Derek and a classmate at his classroom Halloween Party

Autumn at her classroom Halloween Party

Autumn decorating the birthday cake

The birthday boys!

From Ohio we headed south stopping for a couple of weeks over Thanksgiving in Arkansas, then made a short but totally enjoyable visit with friends and "family" in the Dallas, TX area. Then we moved on to be in Texas for Mom's funeral.