About US

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This the story of our journey, Into Something Good, going Somewhere Over the Rainbow, and trying to Hold Onto Our Dreams. How we got on the way to becoming HALF time RVers! Our Ford 350 super duty diesel truck is our horses, we call it the Beast . Our 2008 34'7" 3 slide Cedar Creek Silverback fifth wheel is our Prairie Schooner Wagon,we call it the Bear. Just like the first RVers, the Pioneers of Yesteryear traveling around the country searching for a rich full filling life! Come along with us for the ride and read about our triumphs and mishaps along the way! About to be Part time RVers in a Cedar Creek Silverback 2008, 34'7", 3 slide 5th wheel, which is our Prairie Schooner Wagon, and a 2006 Ford 350 super duty 1 ton diesel truck is our horses, or oxen, only we have to feed it diesel instead of grass, and oats, which costs a lot more! Retired Air Force empty nesters off to see the good ole USA! Favorite Quote: "Life is a Blank Canvas, Made For Me to Add the Colors" Goal: I am trying to add as many colors as I can to my life!

Friday, March 29, 2013

Getting Better I Think !

Today:
   Last night and today was a little rough pain wise, but I think I am on top of it now. I hope my Vicodin holds out, LOL!  Lets hope it continues to do the job and keep the pain at bay. My doctor ordered me a knee walker, it looks like a scooter. You put your knee on the seat and push with the other foot. It is so much easier to use then the crutches!  I was so shaky on the crutches!  I had used crutches for about 4 years, but I was always able to put my foot down before.  With this surgery I had to keep my left foot up, and the hopping, jerking motion was killing my knee and hip. I was so unstable that I was afraid that I was going to fall. I can't believe the difference this little knee walker had made in me getting around!  I get to keep it until the doctor releases me to walk on my foot. What a relief!  So enough about that, I will do a little blurb on my progress each time I post, and that will be all.

Good Friday:
   Happy Good Friday Everyone!  I saw a cartoon on Facebook yesterday that said, "Silly Rabbit, Easter is for Jesus!" How true!  I won't get into religion on my blog, because I believe that everyone is entitled to their own way to worship. Having said that, I think Easter and Christmas has been commercialized so much that sometimes we forget the reason for the holiday.  Don't get me wrong, I don't have any problems with Santa or the Easter Bunny, I just think they have taken it too far with them. All the manufacturers have tried to push Jesus to the back burner, and that is just wrong, in my opinion! I hope I didn't step on any toes by saying that, but this is my blog and I stand by my right to speak my feelings!

Sleep Study For Mike:
   Mike has a second sleep study tonight, what a way to spend a Friday night! Ha ha! The first sleep study he had showed that he has sleep apnea. So tonight  they will hook him up to a CPAP machine and get it calibrated for him  to bring home in the morning. After that he will use it at night when he is ready to go to sleep. I hope that this will help with him being so tired all the time. Lets face it, when ya wake up all night long because you quit breathing for short periods of time, you're bound to be tired, and cranky the next day! It is also very scary to think that he is not breathing right during the night! So wish him luck finally being able to get a decent nights sleep!

Heat Wave:
   We're havin' a heat wave a tropical heat wave! Lol! We actually got up to 54 degrees today and the sun was shining!  I think I will end here on that positive note. So where ever you are be sure to add some colors to the canvas of your life, until we meet again...






Thursday, March 28, 2013

Foot Surgery Went Well / Home by 11:30

Surgery:
   The surgery went well, and we were home by 11:30 a.m.  Of course, we had to be there by 6 a.m. way too early for me. I always seem to get the early slots for surgery, and I am not sure if that is a good thing or a bad thing. On one hand, it is good to get it over with, and on the other, I think it would be better to have a 9 a.m. slot, too bad we don't get to choose our own time. Regardless, it is a done deal, and I am glad it is over!  The doctor called last night to see how I was doing.  When he called my foot was still numb, about an hour after that oh boy, PAIN to the nth degree hit!  Wow!  I never thought it would be so painful. After having joint replacement surgery I have a pretty high level of pain tolerance, but I wasn't expecting this! I also found out he used a pin to hold the bone in position, instead of a screw, and after he mentioned it I could see it sticking out of the dressing on my foot.  Yikes, that sort of creeps me out!  Don't get me wrong this pain is in no way as bad as my knee replacement was. It is different kind of pain, but it feels like I am being stabbed with something and it stings. The doctor said I should be much more comfortable by Sunday. Until then I'll try not to whine too much!  Lets hope I can get the pain under control with the ice and the pain reliever he gave me. I am not doing so well on the crutches either, in fact my doctor ordered a knee scooter for me because I can't put weight on my foot with that pin in it. Bless his heart, I really appreciated him doing that for me! Mike went to pick it up for me too! I am so wobbly on the crutches I was afraid I was going to fall, and all that hopping made my good hip hurt. That is my one real joint I have left in my leg.  The left hip and knee were replaced, and then in 2010 my right knee was replaced. Bad arthritis! I guess I do still have my ankle joints now that I think about it.  Anyway, I can see why very few people have the second foot done after having the first bunion surgery. My bunion surgery wouldn't have been so bad if my bone and big toe joint wasn't a bit deformed. I get to look forward to having my right one done this coming Fall, it is almost as bad as the left one was. He (the doctor) had to cut the bone, then shave it down, and then move it to a new position (the reason for the pin holding it), then the bad bunion I had was  removed. He also scraped as much as much arthritis out of the big toe joint as he could, but he  said that joint would probably always be very stiff. So that is my surgery story and I well try not to mention it again. Unless I forget while I am in this drug induced haze!  Ha ha!  I hope you will just overlook it if I do.
   

SUN:
   The SUN is out!  Woo Hoo! It is still only about 38  degrees, but at least I see sunshine! It looks warm even if it isn't, because the wind is blowing a bit.  I can see the cover on the fiver moving a little because of the wind. Our tulips are up about 4 inches and I am still looking for the Forsythia  bushes to start blooming. I know it will be awhile, but I can't wait for the Lilacs to bloom they are my favorite!  They smell so good and come in such pretty colors. I always want to be outside in the Spring.  It is my favorite time of the year, and it will be hard for me to sit still when it starts warming up!  Lets hope that the 6 weeks off my foot goes by fast and it heals good.  If it doesn't heal right I will end up in a cast, and I don't want that!  

Half Timers:
   Half Timers- means people who use their RVs about half of the year and are wanting to go Full Time at some time in the future.  While I was at the hospital I was talking to some of the nurses and techs, and I found out that there are quite a few  more half timers out there than I thought.  Leading up to my surgery we talked about the places we had been and the places we still wanted to go.  It made the time go faster while I was waiting to go into surgery at 7:30 a.m. I found out people use pop ups, small travel trailers, motor homes  and up to 40' fifth wheels to go all over. I was shocked there was so many just at the Medical Center at  (Wright Patterson Air Force Base) who like to Rv more than just the week end campers.  They actually take long trips when they can, using whatever kind of Rv they have.  You have to admit it is a much cheaper mode of travel, especially if you have kids.  I have to say our kids enjoyed it, and all still like to camp now that they are adults.  Our Grand Kids also have enjoyed going camping with us when we just go to a state park. Yes, they still brought some of their electronics to use after it got dark or it rained. But, they never got them out while we were outside enjoying the sunshine, or sitting around the fire making memories! They are still excited to be asked if they want to go camping!  So that is 3 generations of our family who enjoy going Rving!  So where ever  you are I hope you are on the road and making great memories for your family and yourselves!   Having said that it's time to close this post, so  see ya's next time...



   

Tuesday, March 26, 2013

Sorry I Was MIA for a Couple of Days

Yesterday:
   Well we made it to my doctor's appointment! The base was on a 2 hr delay because of the cold white stuff!  We got there about 10:15 a.m. I called first and they said to come on in. My appointment was supposed to be at 8:20a.m. The roads weren't too bad, and the scenery was beautiful, even if I didn't like it. We didn't get home from the medical center until after 3p.m. with all the pre -op stuff yesterday. 

Surgery:
   Tomorrow I am going to have out patient surgery on my left foot. I probably won't do a post tomorrow, as I don't know what time we will get back from the hospital.They are going to relocate a bone in my foot near my big toe joint and try to straighten out the joint.  It is full of arthritis and very swollen around the joint. The bone will have to be cut, shaved  then be shifted, and will be kept in place for healing either with a pin or a screw.This means no weight on my left foot for 6 weeks, and I get to wear a wonderful very cool designer  open toe shoe! (surgical shoe) Very high end ha ha! Crutches and a wheel chair will be my mode of transportation until it is healed. We will have to put our first outing in the RV back a couple of weeks, but this way the whole Summer won't totally be messed up. That is why I chose to do it now instead of in mid April, and I will be able to get right back into walking the dogs in mid June. Wish me luck!  The dogs are already barking at the crutches, so it should at least be good for some stories Lol!  I have some things to do and get together for the hospital so this will be a short post.

It's MELTING:
   The white stuff has been melting all day, and it is completely off the trees.  It is very wet and muddy outside now, but at least that awful white stuff is going away. The sooner the better as far as I'm concerned.  I'll even take April showers over this stuff if it is half way warm.  Now you watch I'll probably gripe about the rain after a few weeks!  I'll let ya tell me I told ya so!  Ha ha!  

   Okay, I really do have to get busy today, so I'll see ya's on the flip side!  Happy travels where ever you may be...

  

Sunday, March 24, 2013

Cartoon, Funny (not) / Dentist Visit / With a Little Whine Thrown in for Good Measure!

Photo: OK. Here's another funny one circulating around Facebook.                                 


Cartoon:
   This was on Facebook, yesterday.  I think someone was very clever, and has a good attitude, and a good sense of humor about this! To me loading Spring was an Epic Fail! Lol! Not too funny for me you understand, I want Spring, NOW! Hopefully this will be big bad Winter's last hurrah! That bad 4 letter word for cold white stuff, has already started here in Ohio.  It has been doing that for about 2 hours and we're supposed to get about 5 to 9 inches of the stuff.  As you can see I refuse to even type the word, let alone say it!  I went to Meijer's yesterday and picked up a few things just to have on hand, just in case we had a craving for something!  Probably for something I didn't get ha ha! I have a doctor's appointment tomorrow at 8:20 a.m. and I am wondering if I will be able to get there.  I'm thinking if we get that much white, cold stuff they might close Wright Patterson Air Force Base down for the day.  I can only remember them doing that maybe a few times, and we have lived here since December 1973! The stuff falling from the sky seems to be stopping for now.  I am going to hope for the best, but I'm sure you'll hear about it from me if the base closing happens.  LOl! I better go get some cheese to go with my whine, as I seem to be complaining about it a lot! ;(

Dentist Visit:
   I don't know about you, but when Mike goes to the dentist ya know it is bad !  He almost has to be pulled kicking and fighting all the way. So if he is willing to go, ya know he is in pain, otherwise he would live with it!  He almost has to be numbed just for a cleaning, his teeth are really sensitive! Yesterday Mike went to the dentist, he had to get a wisdom tooth pulled out. There goes all his wisdom ha ha!  He had already had a root canal on it, so it had to be pulled. It wasn't worth trying to save again, as the cavity was below the gum line. That was another reason I went to the store yesterday,so I could get Mike some soft stuff to eat because he will have trouble chewing on that side of his jaw for a while.  So soup check, Cream of Wheat check, mashed potatoes check. Yes, I buy mashed potatoes! Bob Evans original are really good, and just the right size for us. They are really nice to keep on hand, especially for someone who needs something soft to eat for like a tooth being pulled, or for an upset tummy they are bland enough for them to try to eat. I usually add a bit of butter, and some salt and pepper.  Then I don't have to peel the potatoes which I have always hated doing, and I always made way too many!  Only 3 minutes in the microwave, stir, and 3 more minutes back in the microwave. When the bell rings, Ta Da  they are Done! They are awesome and ready to eat, fast and convenient and no dealing with left overs!  Sounds like I am doing a commercial for them right? Ha ha!  Anyway they are good,  you should try them if ya like mashed potatoes, and who doesn't, I think they are the original comfort food. They also have mashed sweet potatoes which are very good too. I usually add some cinnamon and a bit of brown sugar to them, but that is just us, they are good plain too. Okay the commercial for Bob Evans is over! Ha ha!

Dog Whisperer Book:
   I am about half way through the first book of Cesar Milan's  titled, Cesar's Way.  So far just about everything we have done is wrong according to this book.  A lot of the things he is saying makes sense and it is just using common sense dealing with a dog.  Do you humanize your pet?  I have found out we do!  His main thing is that we think we can talk to our pets, and they will understand what we are saying.  Evidently this is a big misconception! I have found out our dogs are not ready to make their appearance in society! Lol! They are not socialized correctly if what I'm reading is anything to go by. Their big thing / bad behavior is when someone comes to our house, and walking properly on a leash. I have been unable to stop them jumping up on people, so that is why I decided to try the Dog Whisperer's methods. Let's face it, when a dog that weighs 50 to 60 pounds jumps up on you it can knock you down, not to mention it hurts! I'm sure it isn't going to work as fast as it does on his show! Lol! Wish me luck trying his methods, I know it is going to take time, much repetition, and discipline on my part!  If I can get it I know the dogs will, they are pretty smart!

That Time:
   Well now it is time for me to post this and get something  done, meaning I'm probably going to play a game on my laptop!  He he!. Once again I haven't said anything about RVing! Frankly, with the way the weather is, I'm wondering if we are going to be doing anything soon.  But, you know me,  being the forever optimistic person I am, I am going to make some reservations for the first week of May probably this coming Thursday or Friday!  There, Winter be gone, we have had enough of you.  You are not welcome here so take off!
Meanwhile, that white stuff is again falling from the sky!   The wind has picked up considerably because I can hear our wind chimes almost constantly. Well wherever you are I hope you are warm, safe, happy, and moovin' down the road of  your life's highway!  See ya next time...