Unofficial Adventures of the DIY Travel Agent!

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Welcome to the Wild Ride

Friends, make sure your seatbelts are securely fastened, and your tray tables are in their upright and locked positions! Adventure (and a wild spreadsheet or two) awaits! As full-time Airstream explorers, my husband and I bring fresh meaning to “taking the scenic route.” We chase dreams, dodge sketchy WIFI, and treat every day like a grand celebration, all while facing metastatic breast cancer with defiant joy. Who says you can’t have a road trip that’s one part epic, two parts heart, and a sprinkle of red candy for good measure?

In our world, planning isn’t just about logistics, it’s about dancing with the detours and throwing confetti at every U-turn. Our journey is a testament to turning the unexpected into something delightful, weaving flexibility and curiosity into each curve in the road. As we chart our course, we’re not just making a trip. We’re gathering stories, collecting laughs, and redefining “trip of a lifetime” on our own deliciously unpredictable terms.

The Road Less Traveled—With Extra Snacks

Imagine this: boundless highways glimmering, the endless blue sky spilling sunshine through our panoramic sunroof, the Airstream humming behind us, and there I am riding shotgun, masterfully orchestrating our calendar and strategizing our next move like I’m playing a chess match against Oscar the Grand Master, a Diet Coke in one hand and a fistful of Hot Tamales in the other. As the self-appointed travel agent for West Airstream Adventures, my trusty laptop is always within reach—because, truth be told, organizing our travels is my happy place.

Spreadsheets are my not-so-secret superpower. (They even earned me a rocker patch on my old motorcycle vest!) With my husband behind the wheel, we set out to conquer bucket lists: national parks, state capitols, presidential libraries, Airstream dealers, and of course playing golf in all fifty states (Tim). An occasional side trip may also include eating local cuisine, gawking at waterfalls, photographing landscapes and lighthouses and life in the wild, hand feeding songbirds, and visiting whatever additional site happens to show up in the current location on our Apple Maps. Every stop is a new spin on our adventure playlist.

Work Hard, Play Hard

While Tim juggles remote work including Zooms with church leaders and auditioning men and women for their next starring role as pastor, I’m the travel wizard—plotting our meals, mapping out must-see spots, wrangling chores, and always on a quest for that perfect snooze spot so he’s ready for his next big call.

Mid-spreadsheet, I’m suddenly inspired and declare, “Let’s detour to see the world’s largest jackalope!” One click and my carefully color-coded itinerary is now an explosion of side quests. At this point, my travel-planning style is somewhere between a caffeinated squirrel and a game show host—spinning the wheel, rolling the dice, and making grand proclamations like, “Next up: Mystic Pizza or bust!” Who knew trip logistics could feel like a road trip reality show, with bonus points for every quirky roadside attraction we actually discover?

RV Park Planning: The Good, the Bad, and the Wi-Fi

Researching RV parks is like dating: you swipe through countless profiles (websites), trying to find *the one* knowing the pictures you see will most likely fail to match reality.

And the hours spent? Let’s just say our search history could make Siri throw up her hands in confusion. The stakes are high because, let’s face it, no one wants to end up in an RV park where the “quiet hours” sound like a karaoke competition! Prior planning is far superior to letting Chaos take the wheel.

Finding the perfect RV park? It’s my least favorite game show! Oh, we’re picky, er, at least one of us is. Here’s what makes us cheer:

Location: Must-have proximity to adventure, attractions, nature, and at least one good café.
Parks that don’t demand their ransom (err, full payment) upfront: We like our finances as untangled as our extension cords.
WIFI that’s faster than a jackrabbit: Buffering on a Zoom call is not our idea of a thrill ride!
Honesty: I asked if one site had shade and the park owner replied, “Yes, but only from 11:15 to 11:29 a.m. when the neighbor’s satellite dish throws a shadow.”
Landing our Airstream near an airport: When life or work calls, we answer—quickly. Proximity to airports is the sweet spot we need. Too close, and you might feel like you’re parked on a runway. Too far, and suddenly your “quick flight” feels like a cross-country relay. Ah, balance is everything.
Road size: Can we park without causing a major traffic jam or an existential crisis? Essential.
Concrete pads with full hook-ups: Stability is key when your house rolls on wheels. Forego full hook-ups on occasion if we are able to use the bath house to shower and go #2.
We don’t like to park next to fifth wheels: They look down on us—literally.
Space: Not just enough room to open our Airstream door without smacking the neighbor’s flamingo lawn ornament, but enough distance so we don’t mistake their snoring for a bear attack. Tim’s still recovering from last time—Will the site fit our Airstream without a stressful game of Tetris?
Quiet: Please, spare us from the “Campfire Crooners” who can’t build a campfire without thick, black smoke delivering a nauseating punch, and their five yapping chihuahuas who try to sing along.
Give us a lake or a mountain view over a neighbor’s fence any day: Mother Nature is our favorite backyard!
Last but not least—Amenities: Laundry machines that don’t feel like ancient artifacts = bonus points.

We may not always hit every item on our list, but getting close means we enjoy the best of both worlds—peaceful nature and everyday comforts. Plus, everyone appreciates having a quality pizza joint nearby.

Living Fully, Laughing Often

Metastatic breast cancer is a tough companion, but here’s the thing: it doesn’t get to take the wheel. (That belongs to Jesus.) Travel is our therapy, our joy, and our way of saying, “Hey, life, God’s got this.” We embrace every sunrise over a desert plateau and every ocean or lake sunset like it’s the star of its own movie.

We’ve become masters of adapting and celebrating small wins. Need a quick detour for work visits or cancer treatments? No problem! Navigation skills and AAA Trip Tik swoop in to save the day, plotting the details onto spreadsheets with precision.

Then there’s the GPS drama…

Look, if you’re towing a 30-foot silver Twinkie behind your truck, your route options are:

The scenic way,
The interstate,
Or, the panic-inducing, “Why is this a dirt road?” and “Are we in a cow pasture?”

“Sorry honey, I tried.” We may never make a YouTube episode out of those moments—but let’s be honest, they’d break the charts on “Comedy of Errors.” Seriously, if you’ve never U-turned a 30-foot Airstream Classic in a Cracker Barrel parking lot while your partner is yelling, “You’re going to hit the rocking chairs!” — you haven’t lived.

When trip planning and living life start feeling less like an adventure and more like a pop quiz, my husband’s always there to lighten the mood with a funny joke, a goofy face, or some wild idea that sends us both into fits of laughter. Who knew playing the role of travel agent could turn into a daily comedy show?

Travel Therapy: Powered by Wanderlust

For me, the road isn’t just asphalt—it’s medicine for the soul. Every curve, every turn, every surprise destination, and even the potholes remind us that life is meant to be savored. Our Airstream isn’t just a home; it’s our sanctuary—a place for laughter, cozy dinners, afternoon naps, and the occasional dance party.

Those parks? Whether they’re nestled in forests or perched near buzzing cities, they’re perfect for recharging. Stargazing, reading under the awning, hiking, or simply soaking in the serenity—these moments are golden. And those presidential museums? Let’s just say they’re packed with enough oddball trivia to make us honorary time travelers.

Rolling Into the Next Adventure

We’ve been reminded on many occasions that patience is a virtue, Wi-Fi is a necessity, and planning ahead makes life smoother (while spontaneous detours are still the best). We’ve also learned that travel agents deserve a standing ovation. Seriously, someone send them a big bouquet of flowers.

Each park we discover, every capitol we wander, and every museum or church we step into adds a vibrantly illustrated page to the story of our lives. With my husband at my side and faith in the Lord lighting our path, we are not just journeying—we’re rising above every obstacle. Together, we are weaving a legacy of courage, wonder, and boundless hope, proving that even in the face of challenges, adventure and joy are always within reach.

So, here’s to the open road, bucket lists, and living life as a celebration. We will forge ahead, not merely checking off destinations in a passport booklet, but commemorating the richness of another day of life with every mile we travel. Let’s keep rolling!

June 23, 2025June 30, 2025

State Capitol 22: South Dakota

June 23, 2025. Pierre, South Dakota.

While the city was named after a colonial Frenchman who built Fort Pierre across the Missouri River, and it is spelled the French way, the city is pronounced “PEER.” The city itself is worth a visit, as the Missouri River flows through and around the area making for some beautiful scenery. It may not have some of the amenities of a large city, but our campground was in a beautiful location and there are a lot of parks and walkways along the river (picture at the end). The population of Pierre is less than 15,000 (South Dakota only has a million people total).

We had our two oldest granddaughters with us during this visit, as we were on a summer road trip to the Badlands. The Capitol didn’t have any volunteers this week, so we did the self-guided tour. Every State Capitol we visit has some unique features worth mentioning, like the one in the caption below. No wonder some people like living here!

South Dakota has the only capitol building with a black dome. It is made with copper, which patinas over time. Unlike other locations where copper turns green, this dome turned black because the air quality is so high, e.g. no pollution! The girls got a science lesson today. 🤩

This is the first Capitol thus far that allowed us to stamp our own book. They tend to be pretty protective of those stamps! Yet, South Dakota had two different places where you could stamp your own. The picture on the right is in the governor’s office. The girls kept stamping the back of their guide books every chance they got.

Something special the girls spotted was the display of the first lady dresses. (And now there is a first gentleman’s tuxedo, as their current governor is a woman.) This special display is always my favorite as well. Paige liked the slim dress while Alison picked a dress that looks like a quinceañera gown. We talked about that in the truck later. She said she had not heard of this before, but since her mother is Mexican we assume she will have a quinceañera celebration when she turns 15.

Inside the rotunda Yoda (his name for grandpa 🤦‍♀️) continues the tour.

Rotunda means “under the dome.” I think they were more interested in hearing their voices echo in the rotunda than listening to Yoda playing docent 😂. Sound on.

From the Rotunda floor to the top center black circle of the dome is 96 feet. It’s another 65 feet above the stained glass to the exterior ball. Not as tall as some others we’ve seen, but pretty impressive!

House and Senate. During the construction of the building in 1910, the House and Senate were each given the same amount of money with which to furnish and decorate their respective chambers. Because the Senate has fewer members, they were able to afford more lush wall treatments and furnishings, including marble wainscotting and cherry wood accents. To match wood tones between the two areas, thanks to the superior craftsmanship of the carpenters, the Senate doors are cherry on the interior and oak on the exterior.

Senate Chambers, decorate in cool green tones, scagliola columns, Vermont White Cloud marble, cherry wood, and African mahogany. After an extensive search for the original 1910 light fixtures came up empty, solid brass replicas were cast and used in restoration. Each of the chandeliers weighs 750 pounds. Also of interest, the largest painting in the building, **The Louisiana Purchase**, is located here. If you look closely you can see it above the President’s Chair.

Tim briefly describes the purpose of the Senate 😂. Sound on.

**House of Representatives.** The House Chamber is decorated in warm earth-tone colors, decorative plaster and solid oak wood accents. Chandeliers are not original or duplicates; they were removed from the original Federal Court Room in Pierre, also built in 1910, and installed in the Capitol. The House chamber is accented with decorative stenciling and backlit Victorian leaded stained-glass ceiling.

This stained glass fan is in the back of the House gallery, and can be seen from the Senate across the observation railing.

What is it with kids and stairs? They loved jumping from the second step, as we were preparing to leave the building.

Per legend, 66 blue signature stones – each representing a capitol Italian terrazzo artist – are laid in flooring. We didn’t see even one of them, or maybe we saw them but didn’t realize they were special.

Credit goes to the guide book for the wonderful information about the Capitol included in this blog.

Great day at the State Capitol of South Dakota!

We camped for two nights at the Farm Island Recreation Area. It’s so quiet and peaceful there! We had a beautiful spot on the river, with a small sandy beach the girls enjoyed as well.

À la prochaine…hasta la próxima vez…until next time!

January 21, 2025January 22, 2025

Snow! In Texas!

We had planned to leave for Florida today. Our plans were to spend a week in Panama City Beach at St. Andrews State Park, and then travel on to Melbourne where we would stay a month at Land Yacht Harbor (an Airstream only park). But the closer today approached, the more our uncertainty as to what to do expanded.

A few events lead to our decision.

Weather. We checked the weather. Daily. Hourly. Sometimes even more often. As you are probably aware by now, the weather forecasted a major snowstorm for the entire southeast. Unless you live under a rock, you have probably read about this or seen it on the news. It’s making national and international news.

I went to FaceBook and asked, “stay and play in the snow, or leave early?” Of course, my Florida friends said, “you have to ask???” Our Airstream friends were mixed, and extremely helpful in terms of making sure our Alde heating system was working. Some of our northern friends had already come south, but at least one of my friends experienced snow in the deep south after they left clearer skies up north.

Houston doesn’t get snow. In fact, KHOU-11 (our Houston news) said in a recent blog post, “Snow is so rare in Houston that we cannot even discuss the top ten recorded snowfall events in Houston’s history, because only eight of them exist.” Well, now there will be nine.

The NPR is talking about it. Winter storm “Enzo” is wreaking havoc all along the I-10 Corridor. Pictures and videos are flooding the internet of Beaumont, downtown New Orleans, Galveston Beach, and the panhandle of Florida. It’s a HUGE blizzard of “epic proportions.” (Now I sound like a weatherman.) I even saw a video of a cowboy in Texas riding his horse through the snow, pulling someone on a makeshift sled behind him. Classic.

Medical concerns. In the meantime, Tim received some disturbing news from his dermatologist. He has a few skin concerns, and the medicine would come in the mail for some of them. More importantly, he needs to schedule surgery on a spot very close to his eye (right on the corner by his nose). She’s about 95-99% certain it is basal cell carcinoma. He is waiting for the MOHS center to call back with an appointment, and whether we can afford the cost.

Work concerns. In addition to his regular work obligations, Tim is now scheduled for a presentation trip to Minnesota the first week of February (2-4). It’s easier to fly out of Houston than all the places we had planned to visit in Florida.

I also have some work to catch up on. I’m still supervising some LMFT Associates in Texas, and I need to complete some CEUs for my AAMFT supervisory status as well as licensure. I can do this better with the solid internet we have here as well.

Sometimes, it’s less hassle to go with what you know.

All that being said, we decided to “hunker down” and stay where we are. We were able to cancel our reservation at the State Park for a small fee, and delay our reservation at Land Yacht Harbor by a week (no fee). Both of these were paid in full, and LYH has no refunds, so we were glad to make these changes. We did try to reschedule St. Andrews, but it’s really hard to get in Florida State Parks this time of year. There are only one or two days available here and there (across the state).

We did end up getting between an inch or two of snow. The pictures are pretty. It stuck to the ground, but not the concrete. I was hoping for a total blanket. You know the kind that turns the trees to a solid white? The kind you see in all the other pictures from up north? However, this was pretty exceptional for our neck of the woods.

When stuck inside, it’s a good time to bake bread. There’s a little heat coming up from behind the sink, so my einkorn starter rose really well.

If you look closely, you can see the icicles hanging from the front of our Classy Girls, looking like fangs. She kept us nice and toasty warm inside! It warmed up to the 40s later in the day and most of the snow melted.

As it turned out, Panama City Beach Florida ended up getting more snow than we got in Willis Texas. Go figure! Looks like we made a good decision.

À la prochaine…hasta la próxima vez…until next time!

October 5, 2024October 17, 2024

State Capitol 12: Missouri

October 5, 2024. Jefferson City, Missouri.

When we arrived in Sedalia for the Airstream Club International Rally, we had a free day before the rally started. We drove from Sedalia to Jefferson City on Highway 50, which we have been down on the motorcycle a couple of times according to my map photos. It was a beautiful day, and after my fever broke I felt better. We both wanted to get out for a little bit before the Rally kicks off. We knew if we didn’t go to the Capitol that day, we might not get another opportunity. It’s a good thing we went when we did, because it wasn’t long after that before I was back in bed with a fever and a bad cough. The Rally will be another whole blog, as it was a week of fun and adventure, but here’s our Capitol experience.

State Capitol of Missouri. This is their third capitol building. The first two were destroyed in a fire and it looks like this one was constructed well enough to take on the lightning strikes. Standing atop the Missouri State Capitol is the historic bronze statue of Ceres, the Roman goddess of agriculture. (That was interesting after hearing about the controversy of Ceres in the Kansas Capitol.) The ten-feet tall copper and bronze statue was installed on Oct. 29, 1924 and has remained there ever since, with the exception of a 13 month period from 2018-2019 when she was carefully transported to Chicago for restoration. While the dome topper was on the ground at eye level, someone counted where it had been struck by lightning 800 times.

We pulled up to the Missouri State Capitol at 1:50 PM, found an easy parking spot in the shade, and got there just in time to join the 2:00 tour. It’s interesting how some people feel the need to correct you when they think you did something wrong, rather than just welcome you in. The tour desk clerk informed us with a stern look that we were supposed to reserve our spot in the tour 24 hours ahead of time. Did we do that?

Ummm no.

Well we do happen to have space available so you can join the 2:00 tour.

Okay, thanks!

🤔 She could have just said, “you’re in luck! We have space available in the 2:00 tour.” 🤦‍♀️ 🤨

It’s unfortunate for this “Show Me State.” I kind of wanted them to show me something! That was not the best of introductions. This Capitol building was pretty but it was missing a bit of the “wow” factor. Maybe the Saturday tour guide had something to do with our experience, or the desk clerk’s reprimand, or the fact that I was coming down with a bug. So don’t take my word for it; go see for yourself!

The first floor contains a museum dedicated to the resources for living. Agriculture, petrol, mining, wind, the carriage and other modes of transportation, and more. We browsed through there for a few minutes before the tour began.

Modes of transportation and how they are powered. Tim was a minute late to the tour as he didn’t know she was there yet. The tour guide was a little put out by that, asking multiple times if we had checked in and registered with the front desk 🤦‍♀️.

Des Moines-Palmyra Mail Coach, This Concord-style coach was built in Palmyra, Missouri, in 1840 at a cost of $600. It carried mail and passengers between Palmyra and Des Moines, lowa. The route was jokingly called the “tri-weekly mail” because it tried to offer weekly service but didn’t always succeed.

We had the Saturday tour guide, an eccentric old lady who took us into the hallway on the second floor and showed us some unique aspects of the murals found there. One of the paintings looks like the direction of the bridge changes as you move from one side to the other. That was cool. When she started up the stairs Tim asked if I was ok. I replied, “If she can do it, I can do it. ” 🥴 We were right behind her making sure she didn’t pass out on the way up 😳.

Her favorite phrases were, “Is everybody ok?” and “Thoughts, questions or observations?” She reminded us of an old schoolmarm. She had some specific “dos and don’ts” along the way. In her defense, it was a large group and she probably deals with naughty school children every day 🙄🤪.

Next she took us down the hall of fame where busts of famous people are on display. Fun fact: Bob Barker graduated high school in Missouri, and his bust says he went to Drury College in Springfield Missouri on a basketball scholarship. I never knew that! There are many facts about him including advocacy for animals, seventeen-time Emmy Award-Winning American Television Game Show Host, and Lifetime Achievement Award for Daytime Television in 1999, amongst other things. Here are a few more Hall of Famers I found intriguing.

Top Left: Ginger Rogers (1911-1995). Born in Independence, Missouri. Legendary actress and dancer. Academy Award winning best actress for film Kitty Foyle (1940). Famous for her dance partnership with Fred Astaire in ten films.

Top Right: SACAJAWEA (1788-1812), born in Lemhi Valley, Idaho. Shoshone interpreter for the Lewis and Clark Expedition which explored Missouri and other Louisiana Purchase territories. She seems to show up everywhere we go!

Bottom Left: Emmett Kelly, Sr. (1898-1979) born in Sedan Kansas. Grew up near Houston Missouri. Created the World-Famous Hobo Clown character “Weary Willie,” and became a major star of Ringling Brothers and Barnum and Baily Circus.

Bottom Right: Anna “Annie” White Baxter (1864-1944) was the first woman elected to public office in Missouri in 1890 and the first female county clerk in the U.S. She defeated her opponent by over 400 votes and earned a reputation as one of the state’s best county clerks, overseeing elections for which she could not vote due to her gender.

Next we went into the “lounge room” on the third floor, which has a very vibrant mural with life-size people depicting various good and bad aspects of Missouri. The artist spent time in Missouri people-watching, and each face in the mural represents someone he actually saw, but he used his imagination to put them all in the mural. The mural is painted to look like there are people leaning on the trim (which is also part of the mural).

The baby who is painted on his mother’s lap in the center grew up here. He came to the building as an adult on occasion to see the painting of himself and his mother. That one piece of the mural was quite controversial in the community, but the artist insisted on keeping it because it represents moms and real-life stuff that happens daily.

Our guide kept us in this room for quite a while as we unveiled many different aspects of the bright mural. Perhaps she was tired from all those stairs. 😅 🤪 I know we were! We all sat down and were not in a hurry to keep moving.

They no longer use this room as a lounge, and the public cannot go inside without a tour guide.

Over each of the three doors is a “legend” depicting, Jesse James, Tom Sawyer, and Frankie and Johnny. There is an Elvis song written about them. And a movie. It’s the legend of a woman who killed her husband after he cheated on her. Word to the wise.

Anyway, of interest is also this tidbit. Jesse James was known to “rob from the rich and give to the poor,” and now there is actual proof that he did so. He gave a lot of money to the local school, which was quite poor. Our tour guide did some research in this area and found this to be a true fact.

She unlocked the door to the House of Representatives gallery, which has a beautiful stained glass window front and center. This is where our tour ended with the guide checking in one last time to make sure everyone was okay.

Beautiful ceiling and stained glass window in the House of Representatives.

We were unable to go into the Senate Gallery. There was a lot of scaffolding in the interior, as they are working on the stained glass windows. They should be finished with this restoration project in about a month.

The Capitol was built on the Missouri River. There are cool pictures of it from the other side of the river. In fact, lots of people seem to like this picture spot. We saw two different wedding parties gathering on the Capitol steps for their pictures.

Missouri State Capitol from the Riverside. It has a bit more “wow” factor on this side of the building.

All in all, we had a good time at the Missouri State Capitol. I hope you don’t mind my musings about our tour guide 😅. She was an interesting character, which added to the overall experience at the State Capitol.

Now, pick up your Passport and start collecting those stamps!

À la prochaine…hasta la próxima vez…until next time!

September 17, 2024September 19, 2024

UTI ON THE ROAD

Life on the road is quite unpredictable. One has to be flexible. Travel can be full of ups and downs. Currently, we have several ongoing issues with our Airstream. Mostly small, but a couple are potentially bigger ticket items. We have scheduled an appointment with the Mothership in Jackson Center, Ohio. It will be late October when we get the warranty work done. I wrote about that in another blog.

This blog is about my most recent medical issue. For a few days I had been noticing symptoms. I developed a UTI (IYKYK), and while AZO was providing temporary symptom relief, it had been long enough that I knew I needed an antibiotic. It was a challenge to travel all day, stopping at every rest area along the way only to experience the thrill of “I have to go NOW” to … “oh, maybe I didn’t have to go after all” to … “oops.”

As you know we are far from home. My primary care doctor can’t send a prescription across state lines, so I needed to find a walk-in clinic. Because we were just passing through when Tim had an important Zoom meeting, he had providentially booked us into a hotel in Sidney Nebraska. He needed to ensure his Internet would be working, and he didn’t want to be stressed out with Roamy.

We got to Sidney fairly early in the day, just before lunch in fact. We had traveled a bit further the day before to make this a shorter day. The timing and location could not have been more perfectly aligned. As it turned out, there was a walk-in clinic just a mile or two from the hotel. The staff were wonderful! Very warm and supportive. I had no paperwork to complete (imagine that!), as they are on the EPIC online medical system. MD Anderson also uses EPIC. The Nurse Practitioner who saw me had my medical history in front of her as we talked. That really helped speed up the process, and I felt like they knew what they were doing.

Only one person was in front of me in line. They got me in, out, and I had in my hand a prescription from Walmart–also a mile away–all within less than an hour. I do believe this was a God-thing, because my prayer partners were in their closets petitioning Him to rescue me from this ailment. Within 24-hours I felt much relief, and was definitely on the road to recovery. They sent me a survey via text after the visit, and I gave them very high marks. I would definitely recommend this clinic if anyone is passing through Sidney Nebraska and needs medical attention.

I wasn’t going to let a UTI stop me from my plans.

After Tim’s meeting, I surprised him with a (very small but albeit memorable) birthday party and card shower in the hotel lobby. This is his BIG 60, so I wanted to do something special. I had been secretly asking for birthday cards from our Facebook friends. We have been traveling so much it was hard to connect to everyone we know, but Facebook is a pretty good sweep. I picked them up at the mailbox the last time I went home for treatment, and had the rest mailed to the hotel.

The cards were so clever, hilarious, heartwarming, reminiscent, and just plain fun. I have never seen any of these great cards in all the times I have looked for his birthday cards (I also gave him a card every day this month leading up to his birthday, which I have been buying in various places over the past year). We laughed and continue to laugh as we think back on each card from our family and friends.

In addition to all the cards, he also got a t-shirt from me with an RV and tow vehicle that says, “I’m sexy and I tow it,” as well as a Louis L’Amour book that he can add to his very large collection.

It’s good to be on the mend, and seeing life returning to “normal” as we know it on the road.

À la prochaine…hasta la próxima vez…until next time!

March 14, 2024June 21, 2024

Book Review – Mistress of Rome

Our book for March was Mistress of Rome by Kate Quinn. I almost didn’t leave a book review, because it comes with mixed reviews. I recommended it to my book club based on a friend’s very high recommendation. Also, it’s a best seller! I didn’t think we could go wrong.

I understand why my friend liked it. The setting of first century Rome was intriguing, the author did a good job of maintaining historic accuracy including some real historic people, and it follows some strong women throughout the book. I learned a lot about the role of Domitian (the last of the really bad Emperors, and that dude was ba-a-a-a-d) as well as gladiators, the games, and how women matriculated their way through society. I didn’t realize gladiators were like our modern day athletes, and while they were technically slaves, they were revered by the community because of their position in the games. Similar to our celebrities, women would fall at their feet. Tim also filled in some information about this time period in Rome that helped me appreciate the history.

However, my book club hated it. 🥴🙄 Some of them didn’t even finish it! 😭😭 I knew they were going to be careful about revealing their honest thoughts as no one wants to hurt the feelings of the person who recommended the book. So, I started the meeting off with, “First of all, I want to apologize. I thought this would be a good book but it wasn’t.” I could see a wave of relief spread across the room, and we were all able to laugh after that 😂😂. We had previously read another novel by Kate Quinn (The Rose Code), and it was absolutely wonderful! So, we were all disappointed to say the least.

The story follows two women primarily, Thea, a slave girl from Judaea, who was purchased as somewhat of a “pet” for Lepida Pollia, who is a spoiled socialite and daughter of the creator of the games. They attend the games on a regular basis, and Thea has to answer all of Lepida’s whims. One thinks they might mature and become friends, but that is not in the cards. Thea falls in love with a gladiator who becomes the best and most well known. He continues to win because of his obsession with killing. Lepida is jealous, because she wants him for herself, so she sells Thea to a brothel and tears them apart.

There were a lot of graphic descriptions about the games, how (specifically) gladiators would kill, with all the blood and gore, and I think this is primarily what turned off our readers. The crowds would cheer with each death, more loudly when more gruesome, and there did not seem to be any remorse to the killings. I was aware of Christians being thrown out to the lions, which was also discussed in the book. I felt like I had a front row seat to what the early Christians endured, and a glimpse into the suffering Christians experience in other parts of our world even today. While hard to read, I was glad to experience a greater understanding of their hardship.

It was a very depraved society in so many ways. In addition to the blood and gore, women in first century Rome were basically sex objects, so they used their bodies as a means to advance themselves in society. There were descriptions of some of the sexual exploits, orgies, prostitution, and other conniving actions of women, especially those of Lepida. Again, the author was true to historic first century Rome, but it just wasn’t a “feel-good” book.

One member said she finally ran into a character (Lepida) she actually hates. I felt the same way. Lepida was so conniving and had only one mission in mind, to become the Emperor’s mistress. She would stop at nothing to fulfill that mission. I didn’t care for this book overall. I found it hard to pick it up after the first page which finds Thea self-mutilating into a blue bowl, but I did finish it. This just goes to show that not every book is for every person. Authors of all types are needed. Some people love this book–it is a best-seller–while others are put-off by it.

We had some fun discussing the book and laughed about our feelings, but everyone agreed they would not read any more books in this series. This is now the second book I have recommended that my book club didn’t care for. I have decided to buy a book and read it first before I make my recommendation next time. 😂😂 Here are the notes from our book club meeting.

Eight of us gathered this afternoon to discuss Mistress of Rome by Kate Quinn. We all giggled about this book because we were so disappointed in this Kate Quinn novel especially after reading The Rose Code in January of 2022. Lisa couldn’t finish it which she always finishes a book. We all agreed that it was a struggle to get through and found the book a lot like the movie “Gladiator”. We thought it gory, abusive even though it was during the Gladiator times. We did appreciate that some of the characters were real and her research in this book. We rated the book a 4.5.

À la prochaine…hasta la próxima vez…until next time!

February 23, 2024February 26, 2024

The Cure is Worse Than The Disease

Have you ever heard the expression, “The cure is worse than the disease”? This statement applies to our recent Airstream experience.

If you follow us on Facebook you will undoubtedly recall, last summer on our way to Oklahoma City, a rogue spaghetti jar and some of his hooligan tin-can friends decided to escape the confines of their luxurious pantry and dance about on our pristine white Airstream floors. Their party was so raucous that spaghetti sauce found its way into some of the most obscure parts of our trailer. Needless to say, the owners of said partiers were in shock, and ultimately deeply depressed. The brand new Globetrotter had been defiled. This is a poetic way to say that our Airstream suffered some serious consequences from that mishap.

After two dealer recommendations and five home remedies, the mess only seemed to get marginally better. Was this an insurance claim? Was this a warranty item since the pantry lock had failed to do its job properly? Was it the result of owner stupidity? A few days later and after some serious conversations with the warranty people at the Mothership, it was determined this was indeed a warranty item — a $15,000 warranty item. There was a sigh of relief that this problem could be solved and return our Airstream to her previous glory.

Fast forward a few months. We found ourselves at Foley RV Center and Airstream of Mississippi to get the repair. (Originally we were going to travel to Jackson Center, Ohio for the repairs, but Foley has been highly recommended and since they are closer to home we could drop it off and avoid paying for hotels until the repairs were done). Mind you, this repair is not as simple as it might sound. The warranty work required that anything touching the floor, or connected to anything that touched the floor, had to be removed from the Airstream, and reassembled after the floor was replaced. That meant removing all of our personal stuff from the rig. We decided to use this opportunity to do some reorganizing and cleaning when we got it back from warranty work.

After removing everything, the last things to come up were the rugs. We reexamined the floor. To our astonishment, the stains had largely and substantially disappeared! On the drive from Conroe to Gulfport, we came to the conclusion that the cure (tearing everything apart and reassembling it) might be worse than the disease (some residual, very light staining). We spoke to John, the service manager, and while he would have loved to receive the $15,000 revenue from warranty work, he also felt that leaving it as is was likely the more prudent course. Decision made.

You have to look really closely to see the spaghetti sauce stains. It should look even better after we clean it a few more times.

We are returning home as we write this blog from Gulfport, on TX SH-12. It’s a beautiful, sunny, 71 degree Friday morning, a perfect day to clean the rig and put everything back where it belongs. All the additional warranty items have been repaired, and Roam Home seems to be feeling pretty good. Surgery was avoided and she will just have to live the rest of her life with only a small scar as a reminder of a piece of her journey.

Isn’t this much like us? We begin life with hopes and beliefs that our journey will be blemish-free. Then real life happens. We too find ourselves with the residue of regrets and bad choices, bumps and bruises, with scars along our path. But once we meet the Divine Service Advisor, we learn that we can be whole again even if not perfect (until we meet Him in eternity). The damages that we once had so much sorrow over become tutors to a better future.

(Thanks to Tim for helping me write this blog on our journey home from Mississippi. He has also started learning Spanish with me using Duolingo, so we are honoring our language studies at the end of each blog.)

À la prochaine…hasta la próxima vez…until next time!

Foley RV Center and Airstream of Mississippi (above). View from our hotel window (left).

November 22, 2023

“Just Waitin’ on You, Babe”

MD Anderson, The Woodlands. They are adding more handicap parking. I was hoping it would be done by now.

Today is scan day at MD Anderson. I just checked in and I’m waiting for my first appointment…Wow…They just called my name. Much quicker than I expected. To be continued…

I’m back. I felt so frumpy 🤪😜🤪. They gave me scrubs and the pants drag the ground. Also, the nurse didn’t like the top because it was a bit tight to access the port. She gave me a gown instead, then the next person gave me a second gown to cover the gaps 🥴🤣😂 from the first gown. But “you can wear your boots” 😂🤪🥴. Yeah, I looked frumpy 🙇‍♀️😖 . Sorry, I missed getting a picture of that 😂😂.

I got weighed, port accessed, injected with nuclear medicine, drank the raspberry flavored contrast, had my chest-abdomen-pelvis CT scan, then my port was de-accessed. A little trouble with the port being tighter today, but they decided it was okay to go on with a slower input of contrast.

After all that, I went to the Market Place on the second floor where I currently sit. I have about 75 minutes between scans, so I ate breakfast and opened my computer.

I like sitting here because you don’t have to wear a mask while you are eating and drinking. I’m waiting for the nuclear medicine to paint my body; I’m scheduled to go back for the bone scan at 12:00 and then the mammogram at 12:35.

Tim dropped me off this morning and went to Panera Bread around the corner to work while he waits. (I’m sure his lunch will be better than mine 😂🤩.) Actually, I had brunch. Oatmeal and fruit+nut trail mix. They installed a self-pay kiosk in the Market Place, but I wanted hot tea so I went to the cashier today. It will be helpful when I want a snack and the cashier is unavailable, which is quite often!

My husband is always waiting on me. He has probably completed a million games of Solitaire on his phone while waiting for me. Two reasons I can think of that lead to him saying, “Just waitin’ on you, Babe!” First, I’m slow. Second, he’s fast!

I admit it. I’m slower than most people. I’d like to say it’s because I’m old—and I probably have slowed down even further with age—but no, I’m just slow. I have a hard time getting up when I’m sitting down. My ankles and knees take a moment to get into first gear. My steps are cautious, and I think things throughnbefore making a decision. That includes where to put my foot 😂🤪.

Tim, on the other hand, is faster than most people. He completes ten tasks in the time it takes others to complete two or three tasks. And they are done well! I don’t know how he does it. His stride is long and when he gets to thinking it speeds him up. Thinking slows me down.

Some might say we are incompatible, but we’ve learned how to adjust. It does present a challenge when we walk together, and it’s sometimes a problem when we are getting ready to go somewhere. But he has learned to adapt to my speed and sometimes (albeit rarely), I speed up to match his stride.

After nearly forty of years of marriage, his mantra never changed. I doubt it ever will. “Just waitin’ on you, Babe!”

À la prochaine…hasta la próxima vez…until next time!

October 10, 2022

Free Veggies for MBC

At MD Anderson The Woodlands chemo center, following treatment on Thursday Oct. 6th. Every three weeks!

Support goes a long way in the healing process. Companies and individuals love to give us stuff and pray for us. It’s for a good cause! Metastatic breast cancer (MBC) is one of the leading causes of death for women, and there is currently no cure for it. The state of Virginia recently offered an incentive for the person who finds a cure. More companies are jumping on the bandwagon to help us until they do. I feel loved and supported by so many of you, as well as some companies with great programs. I recently joined some who offer free stuff for those of us battling this disease.

My latest is sponsored by a national group called “Unite for HER.” Their focus is on wellness from all angles. I believe I posted some pictures of the big box full of goodies they sent me just for joining. It’s legit! I have 6 “squares” in my National Extended Wellness Passport, which can be used in any combination of services including integrative therapies, whole food nutrition, and fitness. They also offer lots of free retreats, consultations, classes and more through their “All Access Pass.” My passport will renew each year in January, with six more squares!

I signed up for my first Farmbox Direct and I got my first box yesterday! It cost me 2 squares for 6 weeks of boxes. They deliver seasonal, farm fresh vegetables directly to my home. Fortunately it fell right between our travel dates, so we won’t miss a delivery. We were so excited to see what they included! Here’s a little video of our reveal.

Veggies Free for Me, Part 1

I was even more thrilled when I discovered what I thought were turnips were actually beets (aka beetroot) 😂😂. Short video explains below, and shows you the full crop. We are so farm ignorant, but I hope to learn more. Maybe I will have my own garden one day.

Name this vegetable 😂😂😂

If you have to live with something like metastatic breast cancer, you might as well enjoy the benefits that come with it. The Lord knows we can use the perks! If you or someone you know has MBC, please comment below and I’ll send you the information on how you can join as well. It’s a great program!

À la prochaine…hasta la próxima vez…until next time!

March 27, 2022March 29, 2022

The Four Boys

Sometimes Tim and I visit model homes to get decorating ideas. That’s what we did on this beautiful Sunday afternoon while we were waiting for our granddaughter’s party to start. But, wait, this is titled “The Four Boys,” so it has nothing to do with our beautiful granddaughter who just turned seven, or the Urban Air experience, or the yummy chocolate cake, or watching children float down the zip line and run through the mazes.

Four young teenage boys from different cultural backgrounds were friends. They were wandering the street when we pulled up to the first house on model row. One was riding a bike; another was carrying a plastic baseball bat; and they were having some fun interacting with the model hosts as well as guests. We were the only guests at the moment.

They told us we would have to pay an entrance fee. They informed us we would need a million dollars to buy that house. They told us not to go inside because they were asked to leave. They were harmless, really, just hanging out and having some fun. But boys will be boys, and the agents were concerned they might accidentally break something.

After some friendly banter, off they went, and we went inside the first house.

I didn’t think more about it until we were walking down the path to the second and third house. The boys turned back around and began interacting with us. They seemed willing and even eager to engage us in conversation, so I turned back to greet them before following Tim into the model home.

I immediately picked out who was who, and decided to have some fun with them as well. Mr. Knuckles reached out his hand to shake mine, then winced as we shook hands; he showed me the sores on his knuckles. As it turns out, he was trying to adopt me as his mom so he could get inside the house. I nearly had to pry him away.

Before I went in, I felt the urge to talk with them more. I asked the boys, “You say these houses are expensive, right?”

Yeah…they all nodded their heads in agreement.

“You need at least a half-million dollars to own one, right?”

More nods. More playful hits on their friends’ arms and chest.

“Okay, so I’m going to give you a little lesson on your future. One day you’ll look back on this day and remember the crazy lady that stood in front of the model home, and you’ll thank me for this.” They got a laugh out of that, but they stuck around for more.

“I’m going to ask you a question, and I want you to think about it seriously.”

Intrigue seemed to increase.

“Look at this house. Look at it closely. What do you need to do…right now…and in the future…to buy one of these homes?” I asked.

They came up with several answers. Mr. Afro said, “play in the NFL” and “be an entrepreneur,” as Mr. Cheeseball wearing the AC/DC shirt came up with anything from selling drugs to being a porn star. He didn’t get the reaction he was seeking from me. Mr. Knuckles kept begging to be my adopted kid.

Mr. Intuitive on the bike seemed most interested as well as sincere when he said, “Save money. Get a job. Go to college.”

“Great ideas!” I said. You’re going to go places. I thought.

This conversation continued as I challenged the boys to start thinking about their future now. Today. What do they need to do to go to college (get good grades), and what if the NFL doesn’t call (if they do, you can buy a house for all your friends). Or what if that drug deal goes south. You need a better plan.

Mr. Intuitive seemed to listen the most intently, but I think the others maybe heard as well. I challenged him to think about that, to plan for his future, and to remember this conversation.

Take your future seriously. Keep a mental picture of this house, and what you need to do to buy one some day. Be smart. Don’t wait until you’re thirty and wonder what you are going to do with your life.

I said a few more things to encourage them, and then I went inside the model wondering if that conversation had an impact. Sometimes it takes just one person to leave a mark.

I know they left a soft spot in me. I truly wondered if those kids will grow up and make something of their lives. They are just hanging out, enjoying life on a Sunday afternoon. They have no idea what lies ahead of them. Will they take life for granted, or take it by the horns?

It is for moments like these that I believe I am still alive today.

As we were exiting the home, the boys were still out there. We had a few more exchanges, then Mr. Afro told me his name so I could remember him when he’s a famous NFL player. I think he was listening.

Mr. Intuitive said he would remember our talk. I looked him square in the eyes and told him he had some potential. I can see it in him. He is going to do something great with his life.

He’s already looking for ways to make money. He tried to guess my age for $20. He missed by four years.

I would have given it to him if he was right.

À la prochaine… Until next time.