Woke Up Alive and Happy!

[DearMissMermaid]

Another beautiful day. I got up before sunrise so I could enjoy the cool of the day outside at my camp to watch the sun come up. Food in the fridge, a roof over my head, I am the happiest person around to be so lucky!

The perfect morning weather gives me a chance to turn off the air conditioning so I can air out the motorhome. Trade stale germs for fresh ones.

There is a wonderful breeze this morning. Birds are singing. Not a human or manmade sound anywhere. I am the lone camper on 7,000 acres of gorgeous rolling sand hills decorated with long leaf pines in northeast South Carolina. Even though I am inland nearly a 100 miles, I occasionally find a seashell because this was an ancient sea bed before humans wandered this planet.

I came outside with my first cup of coffee. Somehow I knocked it over leaving me barely two sips in the cup. What a shame, because my table cloth was nice and clean. I had seriously given it a good scrubbing just yesterday. I didn't realize it had become so dirty from the afternoon storms. Which we had no storm at all yesterday, just a dark sky for an hour.

It's easy enough for me to fall into the love of solitude. Sometimes I crank up my stereo full blast so I can dance and savor how wonderful it is to wake up alive. This particular state park is super busy in the fall and winter for horse riders and professional sporting dog trainers. Besides renting campsites, there are horse barns, corrals, show rings and dog kennels.

Life is goof.

[Othersharon]

Good morning! Looks like another hot, muggy day today! I'm actually up and dressed and working on cup 2! i have to leavve in a few minutes to go back up the grandson. He's mine for today, not sure what we'll do but I really need to get some things done around here so he will have to hang in there with me! At some time today we'll probably walk downtown to take in the street fair going on. Probably find some lunch!

Jim called yesterday and said the awning arrived but the switch was missing so I'm going to drop Lola off with him so he can do everything else and then install the switch after he gets it. He knows I want to leave next week so we are kinda under the gun! Tuesday is my cut-off, I need to have her back so I can load her and take off for Carolb's!

Opps, need to get going! Have a good day, watch the weather and be safe!

[grammynmaggie]

Good morning mm and o'Sharon &all... it is nice and hot but that's typical of Florida this time of year summer... no camping and no GTG here the last was with Margie at Mount Dora in May... I am working on a deal to trade the lemon on a Class B a nice little Roadtrek.... they know everything that is wrong with it and it's cheaper for them to fix it and sell it than it is for me to fix it and keep it... besides I do not want to drive that big of a rig anymore... this will do me fine just for a run around day treking ...camping and GTG... well I better get busy I have a lot to get out of that class c I didn't know you could cram so much stuff in it some of it's been in there for 4 years and never been touched so you all know where that's going to go... have a great day & B safe donna

[avalen]

Good morning ladies
Lol Donna, I know exactly what you mean, who knew I could store so much crap
in here and know I had it. I found stuff from when my children were little! So
much sentimental stuff, and means nothing now, they don't want it.
Sheila, I did start ss when I was 62. The total of that and retirement looks to
be approx 1500, right now I'm living on 1800, putting out 394 in rent, so,,,,
maybe I'll be ok if I'm not paying rent and just living off the land, its a scary
uncertainty. Good thing is, I do get that increase when ex turns 62. (4years)
Another hot day of course, its the desert and its summer. Maybe I'll take a drive
to the cooler mountains and have lunch one day this weekend.
Once again my trash can is over stuffed, but honestly, that feels good! The shed is
looking more spacious, think I can actually see light at the end of the tunnel.
Need to get my hair washed and look human as Bill is stopping by sometime today
to bring me my cord he borrowed to update his garmen, and my fishing pole was in
the motorhome. Y'all have a great day, be safe

[asirimarco]

Good Morning to All - we are up early here in the Pacific Time - got up 6:15 - no need. Plans today are to go 100 miles from Tonopah, NV where we're in a "campground" parking lot behind a casino, to Beatty, NV. But I have a feeling we'll be going 200 miles and end up at home. In Beatty I wanted to go to the ghost town of Rhyolite - but it is going to be 109 today - hottest day of week of course. We'll see. If we stay there we can go out tomorrow a.m. before it gets too hot and still make it home tomorrow.
We've been in the new RV for two trips. This one for 28 days. First thing we have to do at home is make appointment with dealer to put a new awning on. Had to have the wrecked one taken off in Idaho. Also fix a few other things and see if we can replace and add a few things. Had getting used to being in a smaller RV. I miss my recliner. OH well.
Weather is good, no wind just heat but without humidity so it is easier to take.
Drive carefully and have fun.

[dpf]

Good Morning! It’s cloudy and unseasonably cool for July…but it appears we’re in for another heat wave next week. Looking forward to later this afternoon as Bronc is coming to stay overnight with Papa and Gramma. I have to get his pool cleaned out and refilled…it’s getting a little iffy. Hope the sun comes out to warm up the water. And I have to get to the grocery store for some milk…if Gramma doesn’t have chocolate milk it won’t be pretty!

Barbie, have you tried any of the consignment shops or thrift stores in your area for the slacks/jeans you want? There must be hundreds in the cities. I’ve found some fantastic deals on some very nice garments. But then I’m not a fashionista and tend to stick more with classic styles….nor am I looking for a size 4. Just think that there must be some small wealthy mature women who are cleaning out their closets! Right now I have trouble going into the consignment shop…I see something and think “Hey that would be good for work” then I realize that I don’t need work clothes anymore! About all I wear anymore is capris/jeans and t-shirts/sweatshirts…I really should take a bunch of my sweaters in to sell. Eddie Bauer quit making my favorite jeans but I went on ebay and was able to find three just like new pairs for $20.00 less than I paid for one pair from Eddie Bauer. So I’m set for a while. Just have to make sure I keep one good "marry 'em and bury 'em" outfit on hand.

Ava, I understand your situation. I am fortunate enough that between SS and my state retirement plan I'm receiving very close to the same amount that I was while working. Even when I deduct health insurance supplement and prescription plan. I don't have the expense of driving to work either. Lucky if I fill the good car with gas every 3-4 weeks. I don't think I've put gas in my bomb around town '95 Tracer since the end of April! Maybe you should consider workcamping...it would still give you the chance to travel. I know you aren't too excited about working, but I think you'll find you might miss it a little. I enjoy the days that Pam and Jim call and want me to work at the bar. It makes me get out of the house. I wish I could talk DH into retiring and workcamp during the winter months. At this point he's "retiring" from his city job the beginning of October and will start collecting his state retirement benefits....then in January he can be rehired by the city and get both a salary and state retirement and SS....and the farm. So much for retirement on his part.

A friend who I taught with for 13 years lives about 90 miles from me. She called Tuesday night and asked if I would be home Wednesday because her sister was going to a funeral in the area and she would drop her off at my house for a visit If I was going to be home. When she got here she informed me that she has breast cancer and will start chemo on the 21st. Vynita is single. Her one sister has MS and her husband is recuperating from heart surgery. The sister who came with her is in her 80’s and has arthritis. So she doesn’t have a strong back-up system. I told her that if she needed help or a driver to let me know and I would come.
Not much else is new around here. Same ol’ same ol’.