Homes Sweet Homes

We arrived back in Seattle on the 4th of May after 9 months on the road. The motorhome is neatly tucked (squeezed) into place alongside the garage. It's a tight fit, but with the full hookup that we had installed, it's like being in a campground. The big difference is the view from one side is of the garage wall. It's about 6 inches away.
The house is coming along, and it looks like it will be at least the 3rd week in June before move in. The cabinets have all been installed, but it will be 2 weeks until we get measured for countertops, then another 2 weeks until installation on the 14th of June. Then we can finish the plumbing installation, and get the final inspections. Everything is looking good, and we have lots of pictures to share, but can't figure out how to download them to the new computer!!! As soon as we do, we will get some added.
Today we will be starting to unload the rented storage space where we have kept our pictures, paperwork, and all of the things that we wanted to be sure were safe while we were gone. We also have appliances being delivered this afternoon. I hope to get the plumber in soon to hook up the gas range, the gas dryer, and finish the downstairs bathroom (except for the sinks) so we have a almost fully functioning bathroom. Kristin is coming up on the 4th of June to help with the house, so it will help to have another working bathroom.
Pictures will be added soon, as will additional blogging about the other things going on in our lives.
Please Stand By, Ernie

2013

It's been quite a while since a blog update, for which we appologize. The first day of 2013 finds us both under the weather with a cold or possibly the flu. We should be back to normal (?) by the end of the week. It's been pretty much business as usual here except for the 8 days that we were back in Seattle at Christmas. That was the fastest 8 days of our lives. We were on the go from around 8 in the morning until 11 at night every day. We must have put over a thousand miles on the rental car. Besides several trips to see the kids in Woodinville and Mount Vernon, we Visited 3 appliance stores, a tile store, and met with all of the subs working on the house. We made decisions and selected all of our appliances, and plumbing fixtures.
We got back to Apache Junction on the 27th. Joyce stated feeling sick about 2 days later, and I a day later. We may have picked something up on our flight back. Last night was the big New Years Eve party here at the park, but we missed it, and were both in bed before midnight.

Front Before

Front After

Back Before

Back After (During)

Monica on Christmas Eve

Josh, Brynn, Colt, and Santa

3 Generations

Grandma and Colt

We've gotten back into the Thursday hikes, and have been getting out on the golf courses. I've gotten back into playing Hand and Foot, and the other organized games. The weather's been a little on the chilly side with daytime highs in the low 50's and nighttime lows in the low 30's. When the sun is shining, it doesn't seem that cold. We'll try not to let the blog go so long next time!

We Are Here ( Apache Junction, AZ )

We made it to Apache Junction on the 10th of November. Since our return, we've gotten back into the routine here at Shiprock RV Park. The weather has been perfect with daytime highs ranging from the mid 70's to the mid 80's.
We've spent more than a few days on the golf courses in the area, and have done our fair share of dining out, We just got back (yesterday) from a couple of days at Parker, AZ. with a group of 20 from the park. We played 18 holes each day, and stayed at the Blue Water Resort on the Colorado River. We all had a good time.
It's only 3 weeks until we head back to Seattle for 8 days. We will have quite a bit to look at, and quite a few decisions to be made at the new (old) house. Work has been progressing well there, and we are looking forward to seeing it, and everybody back home. The weather will probably be a little hard to adjust to as we've only seen rain once or twice since we left on the 1st of September.
We've been neglecting the blog, but there really hasn't been too much happening. We may be getting too comfortable with this lifestyle. We haven't even been taking many pictures.

Heading Accross New Mexico

Sunset at The Park

All Set Up Again

We'll try to do better, Ernie

Back In Texas

On Saturday October 27th, we left Savannah and headed to New Orleans. We spent Sunday wandering around New Orleans, and Monday morning we headed west to Duson, Louisiana. Monday evening we all went out for some good Cajun cooking and a little Zydeco music. Joyce and I had been to this restaurant 4 years ago, and we thought it was worth another visit. Everybody seemed to enjoy it, and some even spent quite a bit of time on the dance floor. On Tuesday, we hooked up with a local Swamp Tour guide for a 2 hour tour and dissertation on life on the swamps and bayous of Louisiana. It was another big hit among the tourists from Washington and Idaho. After the swamp Tour we headed over to Avery Island and took the Tabasco factory tour. Had a little lunch and learned all we needed to know about Louisiana's #1 pepper sauce.
Wednesday morning Joyce and Mike, & Jim and Marcella took off for Corpus Cristi, Texas. Joyce and I stuck around for one more day in Duson. We went to Breaux Bridge and checked out antique stores, and relaxed a little after our busy schedule the past couple of weeks.
Thursday morning we headed off to Carmine, Texas. We checked out a couple of antique stores, then found a place to eat. The next morning we left for Austin. We got together with Kristin and Cody Friday evening, and went to dinner a a chicken place that was very good. Saturday Joyce and Kristin went to Ikea while I took care of a few things. I even got propositioned by a hooker while getting gas in the car! That evening we went to dinner again with Kristin and Cody, Cody's parents, & his sister and her boyfriend. After dinner we taught them (Kristin & Cody) how to play fast track. And true to form, the guys won all 3 games.
Sunday evening we went to Kristin and Cody's for dinner, and played a new game (for us) called Banana grams. Joyce and I got skunked on that one.
Today (Monday) Joyce and I went to Lockhart to have lunch at the most well known BBQ joint in Texas, Kreutz's. The food was all very good, and I would say that other than the Salt Lick, this is the best BBQ I have had in Texas. This evening we will be meeting up with the kids again for dinner at a Cajun place in Austin. Tomorrow we'll be back on the road heading to Fort Stockton, Texas. Wednesday we will be in Carlsbad, New Mexico and joined back up Mike and Joyce, & Jim and Marcella. Thursday we'll see Carlsbad Caverns, and Friday we've got a tour scheduled at the Spaceport in the White Sands Proving Grounds near Alamogordo, New Mexico. Saturday we all head for Apache Junction, and that will bring to a close this phase of "The Big Adventure".

A shop on Bourbon Street

Downtown New Orleans

Loisiana Bayou. This would make a great screen saver.

Since 1900, but the building's only a little over 10 years old

Like it says, "No Kidding"

Where to start!

Look for the next update from Hot, Dry, & Sunny Apache Junction.     Ernie

Getting Out Of Harms Way

This morning we will be heading out of Charleston,South Carolina as Hurricane Sandy approaches. We will be somewhere in the vicinity of Talahassee, Florida this evening, then we plan on staying just north of New Orleans for a couple of days. When we came through Louisiana in 2008, New Orleans was being evacuated due to Hurricane Ike.
We've been in Charleston since Monday. The weathers been warm and humid. We took a bus tour of the city, and a boat tour of the harbor. Wednesday was spent on the golf course, where it became obvious that laying off golf does not improve ones game. We've only played a few times since starting this trip, which will be 8 weeks ago tomorrow. Yesterday we drove down to Savanah, Georgia for the day. We took a Trolley Tour there. Neat old city. We could spend a lot more time around here, but our goal is to be in Austin, Texas next Friday. We eliminated our planned stop in Asheville to make more time for Charleston/Savanah. In retrospect, we probably stayed about a week too long in Maine. It would have been nice to have more time between here and Austin.
When we leave Austin, we are going to head to Alamagordo, New Mexico on the way to Apache Junction. We don't expect that this route will be much different than I-10 to El Paso, but it's worth a try.

Taking The Bus Tour

Fort Sumter From The Tour Boat

One Of The Town Squares In Savannah

Joyce;s Chocolate Soda At Leopold's in Savannah

Time to move on, and I'll post some pictures this evening.   Ernie

Heading South

We spent a few  days in Amish Country in the Gettysburg area of Pennsylvania, followed by a couple days in Maryland near Washington DC. We're now getting ready to head south to Williamsburg, Virginia for the next 4 days.
The amount of history in this area is phenomenal. Houses and buildings that date back to the 1700's, Civil War battlefields all around, and sites where President Lincoln made speeches. We could easily stay here for a month, and still not take it all in. We will have to come back to this area again, and spend more time. The Northern U.S. and the New England area have been better than anticipated. It's so different from the Northwest.
We spent a couple of days at Gettysburg touring the battlefield and to take in the visitor center. We also checked out some of the surounding communities. Then we moved closer to Washington DC to visit our old Seattle neighbors, the Boyers in DC. They are on a year long sailing adventure, and will soon be heading to the Bahama's. We visited the Department of Engraving to watch money being printed, then went to the Holocaust Museum. DC is another place that we need to come back to. So much to see.
The weather should be warming back up to the mid 70's as we begin heading south to Williamsburg, Virginia. From there we'll be headed to Ashville, North Carolina. Then it will be Charleston, South Carolina followed by Savanah, Georgia. By the 1st of November we'll be heading West toward Arizona.
Meanwhile, the house is progressing nicely back home, and we're anxious to see it in December.

Washington Monument

Aboar the "Anything Go's" with the Boyers

Gettysburg Battlefield

Robert E. Lee Memorial

Culture Clash

What a life;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;Ernie

Leaving New England

Yesterday we left Maine and began heading Southwest toward Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. The plan is to stay 3 nights there to take in the history of the area.
We ended up staying in Wells, Maine for 12 nights. We took the commuter train into Boston on Monday. Then we took the subway out to the JFK Library. We were a little dissapointed in the library. It wasn't nearly as interesting as the LBJ or the Reagan  libraries. After the Library we took the subway downtown and had lunch at Cheers. The TV show was filmed in Hollywood, but looked like the real bar.
We drove in to Boston earlier in our stay and took the Fenway Park tour. $28 to park the car was just like home. It is the 100th anniversary of the park. Reminded me of old Sick's Stadium with the columns blocking the views from some of the seats.
This past weekend we drove out to the very tip of Cape Cod. We learned that this is where the US Coast Guard got it's start. The weather cooperated most of the day. It's been cool and wet about half of the time here. But looking ahead, it's 70's and 80's once we get into Virginia and continue heading south, then west to Arizona.
The Fall colors have been less than anticipated. Maybe it's been a bad year.


Fenway Park (obviously)

The Ladies with a unique sign in Maine

The Colors (again obviously)

Mayflower Recreation

Us at Cheers

Heading Down The Road

 Getting ready to head out, so I'll add some pictures tonight.    Ernie