Having Fun and Planning Ahead

Since we moved to the Amarillo Ranch RV Park on the East side of Amarillo, it seems like life has been a continuous party (even more so than it usually is!).  Karon and I got back into our habit of walking the Schnauzer Brigade each morning, getting in our 30 minutes.  We even got some time in the swimming pool one afternoon, that was wonderful!

Our evening hours have been mainly filled with gatherings of Jim’s high school friends, those gatherings typically involve a happy hour and meal, so staying on Weight Watchers has been a challenge.  Karon and I did attend a meeting here though, which certainly helped us both! In between all the activities, we have found time to cook a few healthy meals at home, so all is not lost (or in this case, gained).

I took this picture of our sites at Amarillo Ranch one evening.  The picture is looking to the East at sunset, the sunlight was reflecting off clouds in the East:

Dan and Karon’s schedule took them back on the road Monday morning, their time with us was way too short!  We certainly hope it won’t be too long before we get together again.  Meanwhile we wish them safe and happy travels, wherever their road leads.

Jim’s reunion activities “officially” begin tomorrow night with a “meet and greet” at the local Range Rider Club House.  The main event is a dinner-dance Saturday night at a ranch just outside town. Somehow (one of the happy hour gatherings, I’m sure) my name got added to a list of volunteers, so I will be taking a turn at the registration table at these events.  Naturally, something as momentous as a 40th year reunion requires new clothes, so we spent most of the day yesterday making sure we both have new and appropriate (not too casual, not too dressy) outfits to wear for both events.

These are some of the people we’ve been enjoying time with --

Vickie and her husband Don (Jim went to school with Vickie):

Sam, his wife Kalene; and Linda (Jim went to school with Sam and Linda):

 

                                                                         Another high school friend, Eddie:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Cousin Mike’s birthday was last week, and we took them out for dinner to celebrate.  Afterwards we went back to their house and sat outside for a little while, it was nice and cool!

Shirley and Mike:

Today we’ve been finalizing our next travel plans.  We’re both having a great time here, but looking forward once again to rolling the Castle on down the road.  This time we will continue our eastward trek.  We have several items on the “fix-it” list so a stop in Red Bay at the Tiffin Factory Service facility is on our agenda.  But on the way, we plan to stop and enjoy some time in Arkansas.  One stop will be at a Corps of Engineers (COE) park along the Arkansas River for a few days.  Then we’ll continue on and stop at West Memphis, at the Tom Sawyer Mississippi River RV Park.  We had reservations there about 3 years ago, but had to change those plans.  Ever since, I’ve thought about staying there, I’m always drawn to the water, somehow.  We’ll stay there for a few days to enjoy watching the river, and I’m sure we’ll make a few trips across the bridge into Memphis to check out the BBQ places!

Once our work is completed in Red Bay, our plan is to begin wandering through Tennessee and Kentucky on the way to Indiana where we’ll be attending the Gypsy Journal Rally and the Escapee’s Escapade (stay tuned for more details about those).  Gosh, then it will be time for the Fall Camp Taz in Mississippi and then “Camp with Lisa” back in Tennessee.  We’re in to mid-October by then, and no definite plans are in the works.  Ideas include Georgia, Florida, New Orleans, a visit to our “home” in Livingston, Texas, and then working our way back out West for the winter.  But you know us, our plans are always set in Jell-o!  It’s a lot of fun making those plans, then more fun to see how they all play out.  What a life!  As Jim always says, “someone has to do this!”