Issue 42 - Fun Being Together With Family

October 23 (Newsy portion of our week in Review)

This Diary - An Up-front and Personal Look of Fulltime Life On The Move has been published weekly since 2001. Alternate version here

SPECIAL NOTE; This weeks post (20 October) is late because we have had so much fun at a rare weekend visit with John’s sister Marilyn, hubby Arnold and their kids in the Chicago area. Their driveway makes such a wonderful camping spot complete with electric connection. Read all about it further into this post. However we chose not to set up our dish for the weekend and I forgot how slow my cell is – so no Diary till today.
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Hi All: What a picturesque trip we had so far. Almost immediately after crossing the border, the fall colours become vibrant. I know nature does not respect a line that separates any border, but ironically there was really a huge difference – Michigan colours were vivid and although SW Ontario was pretty – the trees were only coloured in spots (we found similar colour change in parts of Chicago.) Our very pretty trip south has been enjoyable even though part of it was wet – temperatures are very warm. It feels so good to be on the move again!

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OUR WEEK IN REVIEW

We were definitely on the run this week to say the least – trying to tie up all ends before we left Cda was our major challenge. On Monday it was Katie’s turn for Last Minute Medical. Our Vet cut her nails, gave us a positive health report (as good as possible) and scraped her teeth as best as she could. Because of Katie’s heart condition (controlled with meds) Dr Allyson can not put her under for a tooth cleaning so she was on antibiotics for 10- days and then with the help of an assistant and a small mussel Dr ‘A’ was able to remove calculus from Katie’s back teeth. She is still on another 10 days of meds - then she should be good for 3-4 months. Our somewhat sick 13-year old ‘energizer bunny’ (with her large growth on her spleen) is hanging in there so guess she will be in Texas for at least part of the winter. Right now she does not show any signs of an early exit from this life.

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On Tuesday we drove 1.5 hrs to Brampton (near Toronto) for my regular (every 3 months) scheduled BOTOX injection to stop my eyes from blinking and my Dr had cancelled all his patients for that week. BUT since the office had a wrong phone number on file to reach me, I did not get the message. Sooooo guess I will just have to get it done in Progresso, Mexico as soon as I find an Ophthalmologist – I do have the Botox injection solution in the freezer and a schedule of where Dr Khan place the solution around my eyes.

However all was not lost because we love to shop at the bigger stores in the city and our trip back provided the perfect opportunity to visit good friends Trudy and Rod in Kitchener who are preparing to begin Retirement Phase Two. They will still be RVing but they wanted to add a Park Model to their possessions as a back-up to the mix for times they may not go south. So of course we had to stop by to see their quaint very spacious new-to-them acquisition. They are having a ball setting up a ‘stick’ home again after their many years of totally living on wheels. Enjoy the benefits of wide open areas.

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By Wednesday it was time to turn the key and leave our park for a short jaunt to Forest City RV Dealer In London (great service stop) to have an ignition switch replaced. While the coach was there John and I ran many other errands in the city by car. An hour later the coach was waiting for us. We hooked up and left for an overnight in the London Flying J.
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We wanted to arrive at the Sarnia/Port Huron Border early on Thursday before traffic had accumulated. The Border Agent did ask many Q but since we travel with no meat in the freezer or citrus fruit on hand, we were on our way with minimal delay. However we did have to wait 25 minutes for traffic on the bridge to subside, but that is OK because we don’t like waiting extensively at the top. It is a long drop to the water. (Ha! Ha!) Although it rained, traffic was light with awesome colour the entire trip.

That evening we stopped at an RPI Park in Hartford, Michigan. As members we paid $8.00 per night – although it may be a great park in high season, it was barely OK at this time of year. On the good side of things we were able to set the Dish up in and around the trees. We also completed a couple loads of wash and relaxed so John could rest his ‘strained’ ankle. Early October he wounded himself climbing steep hills that used to be ski lifts at our new park in Braemer Valley, Woodstock, Ontario. It is still bothering him quite a bit. Coping with these ‘*#$%^&*’ birthdays that keep limiting us from doing the things we want to do, can be a pain in the neck.
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By noon Friday we had settled into our driveway ‘home’ (Chicago) for the weekend. Dinner featured a trip down memory lane with Grandma’s recipe for tasty Pork Chops w/Lima Beans. On Saturday, sister Marilyn created a feast to-die-for in honour of a Belated Canadian Thanksgiving. She’s a gourmet cook who pulled out all the stops - from a fancy table set-up, to fireplace fire, to great conversation. Although this was our third seasonal feast, it was definitely the high point.

We see John’s family fairly often, but it has been a few years since we stopped at their house. This year we enjoyed their newly paved expansive driveway. Their spacious house borders a nature preserve and on Friday, five deer were passively grazing in their backyard. Unique and hypnotic yes, but they are also very destructive to Marilyn’s extensive manicured gardens.

This weekend was extra fun because nephew Jim and wife Lee Anne plus niece Mary Ellen and hubby Mark made a point to spend quality time with us during the day and for dinner. Of course our joy was extended because we also touched base with their families AJ; Henry & Ben, plus Stewart & Helene. These kids are growing so fast that two of them are already driving cars or soon will be. How time flies when you are having fun.
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SUNDAY began when the entire family met at church and our socializing culminated with BBQ steak dinner at Jim and Lee Anne’s. Too bad the weekend was over so fast but today, Monday, the work/school schedule was again in full swing and we all had places to go – including us en route to Rio Grande Valley in Texas. Thanks everyone from the bottom of our hearts, we had a fabulous time.
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FINAL THOUGHTS

This lifestyle offers so many advantages to each of us. From staying with friends and relatives to camping in high-end resorts to boon-docking in the pristine wilderness to attending a rally to being snowbirds. We can each follow our dreams. Hopefully I will get our Fall pictures posted on Picasa soonest. Watch for the update notice on RVLiving.net! Take care everyone and always make a point to travel safe. P&J