Atlanta

We were fortunate enough to stay just ahead of the line of thunderstorms all the way across.  I wanted to stop at Stone Mountain outside Atlanta, but we could not find a campground that didn't require a two nite minimum stay (some sort of collusion seems to me).  So we came on out to the edge of town and stopped in a Walmart for the nite.

We did get weighed in Livingston..... and it was not as good as we hoped for.... but ok.  We got rid of approx. 1100 pounds.... so now we are only over by 915 lbs on the rear axle. The good news is we are no longer over any tire rating.  Nobody polices the weight ratings... but it is a safety issue to me.  But honestly, I don't know what else we could purge.

Anyway, as I was driving thru Alabama today the feeling started to come over me that we were almost back to the mountains..... aaaahhhhhhhhhhh !

Later, Marilyn

we"re leavvvvvv-ing

On our way to Livingston to get weighed. Stopping at the tire place to get an inspection. North Carolina here we come!

Paddle faster !!!

We have not left Houston yet..... waiting for the regions northeast of us to drain down a little. We will be traveling diagonally across Arkansas and Tennessee, which includes several large floodplains.

Current plan is to pull out on Monday; and be in Rutledge, NC on Friday.
Good news is: for once we have everything accomplished on the list, and are ready to leave !

Our "weight problem" is "weighing" heavily on our minds :-)  We weighed the motorhome when we first got back to Texas in December, and found ourselves to be some 1800 lbs. over our gross vehicle rating...... soooooooo..... we have been Purging, and purging, and getting rid of lots of 'stuff'.  And we will stop back by Livingston Escapees to be weighed again.  "We" are hopeful, but "I" am nervous.
There is no penalty for being overweight except for safety issues and excess wear and tear on the coach.  I just want to be safe.  So, if we get to Livingston and are still overweight.... you may hear of a constant string of 'discarded items' along the roadside heading north.  Aside from that we could draw straws to see who gets left behind ;-)

Everyone is well... except Toby the golden retriever is getting less and less mobil. I have a ramp for part of the steps down from the coach, but it is still hard for him.  He's 13 and really starting to slow down.
More later, Marilyn

All is well

Charlie's surgery went very well, it was simpler than we feared. She is in ICU but will be home soon.
We've been here in Pearland (Houston) for about 10 days now, and are enjoying mild weather.
More later, Marilyn

Blue Bell !!!!

Almost home. We are in Texarkana tonite..... Charlie went into Walmart to get Subway or McDonalds, and came out with 3 pints of Blue Bell... our dinner !  It tastes as good as we remembered.

Several friends reminded us not to have a dramatic events on the way back to Houston this year. Last year we had, not one, but two blowouts..... and a very sick dog that required stops at four different vets in four different cities.
So we were like, "driving on eggshells".... and doing fine.... until yesterday morning as we were pulling out of our camping space we got stuck!  They had a looooot of rain and I cut the corner a little.  But, it was just one rear corner, so we put some boards down and backed out of it without too much problem.  Always some kind of adventure :-)

So, I wanted to stop by Livingston, TX where they have a 4 corner weighing setup for your motorhome..... to see how my weight distribution is currently.  But the service will not be available because of the holidays.... so we will make it to Pearland by tomorrow (Wednesday) evening.

Later, Marilyn

Merry Christmas !!!!!!

This is wonderful time of the year to tune in to friends, family.... loving and caring for those God has placed in our lives.

We are away from our "homebase" Houston for the first time; and are realizing that, at least for now, Western North Carolina is where our hearts are. Not that we don't miss our Houston friends...a LOT.... but we really love these mountains.
We will be leaving for Houston this coming Sunday; and be there at least two months.. depending on how Charlie does after her surgery.

However, we now know that we don't have to be back here any certain time next spring... because our next years camp host jobs have been "revoked" :-).   Really.  We were signed up to work at Cascade Lake from April 1 to October 1; but they called and said the campground would not be opening next year!  

Actually, its a sad story about a beautiful 1400 acres of forest with two lakes in the middle of it.... which had been willed by a very elderly (rich) gentleman, to be conserved as a park for the public's use... ..... However, after he died in 2010, his heirs contested his sanity (of leaving it to the public), and the lawsuits have been continuing to this very day.  So, we don't know for sure, but it seems likely the heirs may have won and it is destined to be developed into (VERY EXPENSIVE) private homes.  Too bad !

So, we are not sure what we will be doing next spring, but whatever it is we'll come back thru here in March or April on our way to New York upstate to see Vera's sister Donna.
In the meantime we are having steak on the grille tomorrow for dinner, with friends.
Vera has done a bang up job on Christmas decorations (always a challenge in the motorhome)

the dashboard at night

the steering wheel / table

BooBoo has to be in the center of things

Toby stays out of the way in his "mancave" under the dining table

 

So we'll keep you informed....later, Marilyn

Friends visit :-)

Our friends Patsy and Darlene from Houston came to Asheville for the Thanksgiving holiday.  We were soooooooo glad to see them and have them here in our world for a little while.
We asked them what they wanted to see..... and they said show them whatever it is that makes us love this place so much.   So we did our best.... a long day with a lot of country covered: A drive down a portion of the Blue Ridge Parkway, the campground where we will return to work next summer, a waterfall, and of course, a stop in Brevard at Rocky's Ice Cream Shop.

everyone's favorite, the Cracker Barrell

Night time Gatehouse entrance to the Biltmore Estate grounds

 

 

Meanwhile, back at the homestead.....We keep pretty busy with water aerobics 3 days a week, and Vera's stained glass classes..... and I've been doing some "doodle art".

Vera has shopped for a few Christmas decorations, and has our motorhome dashboard all aglow (picture later).

So we plan to leave Dec. 27th for Houston.  Charlie will have surgery on Jan. 11th.

That's it for now.

Marilyn