First week of work done….Wow….Now we sure don’t call that work.  Monday of this week we had the day off.  lol.  Tuesday Morning we showed up at the office at 9am.   I stayed their and Debby showed me simple things like taking the payment checks that were coming in, stamping them and putting them away in the drawer.   Then started answering the phone.   haha….didn’t know a lot but I took messages.   Talked to Lots and LOoooots of people.  So friendly.  Rich started his maintenance job and he has to go to the trailers that are rented, for the people who haven’t arrived  yet,  and do minor repairs.  He has a golf cart to use.  He has been fixing things like repairing light fixtures, towel bars, toilet bowl seals, and will also be fixing a drawer that has been ripped apart.  At noon time Deb tells us to go home.   Wow.   Such a long day.  We worked Wed. also.  Attended the Ice Cream Social Wed nite.   Home made ice cream…….Mmmm….Chocolate, Vanilla or Cookies and Cream….Yummmm….Oh….Almost forgot.  Tue was Bingo nite.   A card was only 50 cents for all evening.  haha…At that rate you can afford several.  Of course we never won.  If you did the prize was 50 cents for you and 25 cents for your neighbors.  Our neighbors never even won.   lol  That’s our luck……

Thursday we took the day off already…lol….Some very good friends of Tammys have been coming down here for a number of years.  Cheryl and Linda.  They were bus drivers for Tammy at First Student.  They are in another park.   Tammy had introduce them to us, and Cheryl said, give them a call and she would take us over the border….lol…So that is what we did Thur.  Cheryl picked us up and took us to Progresso.

In this picture we were just starting to walk the bridge….

We parked and walked over.   Rich was able to fill all his meds for a small fraction of what it cost in the states.   Also see many neat things for the kids, but this was just a learning trip. Cheryl was a great guide and took us all around and showed us how to navigate in Mexico…lol…another words,  where to go and where NOT TO GO…..Actually Progresso is really not a bad town to cross over to.  I never felt afraid.  It is full of tourists and the Pharmacias are really clean and well organized.

On the Mexican side, the people were holding their hats through the bridge and asking for money.  Some were just asking to throw money over.

First Picture, we were on the Mexican side getting ready to walk back, 2nd Pic.  Back on USA side.  Pic of Progresso border.

After that Cheryl took us to a Resturant in Donna on the Texas side.   It is a place where word of mouth has made it popular with the Winter Texans.   That is our name ya know…lol..It is called Gonzales Grocery…..but it has only one shelve of grocerys and it is really a grill restaurant.   They only serve hambergers, cheeseburgers, fries and onion rings….but OMG…they are huge.   I took some pics but not the best.  We will be going back again.  We had so much fun with Cheryl and learned a lot.  She was a great tour guide.

So today was the last work day of the week…lol…Imagine that.   I don’t even think I put in 11 hours.  But next week, I’m sure I will.  People are still coming in and they won’t be full till everyone shows up after first of the year.   Everything is almost rented.  Only several good sites left and then they have some others they might rent, but the pads haven’t been redone.   All the pads are concrete 10×40, A really nice size.

There are so many activities going on all the time.  Your as busy as you want to be.  They also have a Woodcarving group that meets twice a week.  I thought I would show you some of their work on display.   These Hummingbirds and Morning Glorys are wood and absolutely beautiful.  Love the shades of blue.

 

Now this aquarium is AWESOME.  It has no glass and is made up of mostly wood fish.

Tina this is your kind of Aquarium.  lol….only have to dust it.  It is so neat.  So much work in all these fish.  When you first look at it you don’t realize their is no glass.

I am going to start posting some of the flowers and trees around the park.  So beautiful.  Everything is blooming….

This is a grapefruit tree, just full of fruit.  They are all over.  The next picture is a house plant up north.  Rubber Tree plant I think we call it.  I never had any luck with them.   They are growing all over as bushes.

First picture is of the huge cactus and the second is an interesting tree with fruit near the top.  Don’t know what it is, but I will be finding out.

They have had a good rainy season, which is not normal they say.  Usually when some of the people come down in Nov, the grass is brown, but it is a nice healthy green.  Every morning it is really wet and full of dew, very humid.  But it drys up pretty fast.  So now the weekend is upon us.  Don’t have any plans yet.  Just take it a day at a Time.

 

12/1/14

This morning is a beautiful morning.   It was foggy earlier but cleared up.  by noon it was almost 75 degrees.   The sky was blue with gorgeous white wispy clouds.   I have noticed that the weather is always moving and changing here.   The wind is always coming from the east going west as we are only about 20 miles from the Gulf of Mexico.  The clouds are always moving and it can be beautiful and cloud up and rain in minutes like it just did.   But it doesn’t seem to rain much, Just sprinkle.

 

 

I have some happy things to report today, but I also have some sad things to mention.  If you read my post FRIENDSHIPS FROM THE PAST—REKINDLE THEM BEFORE TO LATE   dated 10/26/14, you will know I went to visit a friends father.  My friend Diana had past away last year, just before I started searching for her.   I had went to visit her father in a nursing home and met his wife and 2 of Diana’s  daughters.   I had a wonderful visit and talked with Ivan about the fun times and memories when Diana and I were kids.   Well I am sad to have found out that he has passed away this morning.   He was in his 80s and had lived a long life and was taken care of by his wife who love him with all her heart and then some.  My sympathy to his wife Vivian, his sons Donnie and Neil and their wives and all the grandkids.  It will be a very difficult week for all of them.  So you see, it is so important to look up these people who are from the past, or even the present….You just never know….I missed seeing Diana but I did get to see her dad again.   So take the initiative and find that someone in you life…..

Also another person who is gravely ill is a very VERY close friend to Tina and ED….They call them Grandma and Grandpa Maulfair.   They became very close to Ed and let him stay with them when he was younger right out of service.  He has done a lot of work at their farm through the years to help them out.  They are some of those SPECIAL PEOPLE we meet.  They were so happy when Tina and Ed got together.  Grandpa died months  after Austin was born.   But Grandpa was such a HAPPY CAMPER when Austin was born.  He was so glad to finally see Eds baby Boy…..They loved Miley to pieces….Just like Grandparents do.

So I just had to add a picture of Grandma Maulfair at Austin’s 1st birthday party.  The ironic part is Austin is 4 today, and Tina and Ed are throwing Austin’s his Party Next Sunday….She has always been invited and came if she was able….It is not looking good for her….So keep her in your prayers and thoughts…

So lets move on to some HAPPY THOUGHTS……AUSTIN IS A BIG #4 TODAY…….He’s getting so big….He loves his dads tie so Tina bought him a suit for Christmas.  Miley also got her Christmas outfit.  And guess who brought them…..The Elf on a Shelf showed up again this year.   He brought their Christmas outfits and new gloves cause he heard Austin was outside crying the other day cause his hands hurt because it was so cold out.   So now Austin has new gloves and his tie like his dads…..Tina and Ed are having his birthday party next Sunday….This will be the 2nd party of his I will miss.   The first one was because I had to WORK at That Place…..grrrrrrrrr….last year…..They made us work Sunday so people could have off on Turkey day….

They other morning I got a call from Tammy.  Little Carly woke up crying….She wanted to talk to Grandma….So at first she was shy…lol…and then finally opened up….She will be 3 in January…but boy can she talk so clearly already.  so so smart.   Last nite Cameron called..He is 16, and will be starting his first job at Steak and Shake…He will be making the shakes….OMG….now here is a kid who loves food and Ice Cream….so look out Steak and Shake….This will be interesting…..If anyone gets a pic of him, send it my way….lol….

So Going to post some pics of East Gate.   The people are so friendly here.  We got a welcome pkt.   There is something going on all the time, and every nite.  The workampers keep the place so clean.

 

 

We went and visited Deb and Rick this morning.  They are the park managers.   We will start tomorrow morning.  I will be in the office and Rich will be maintenance.   They have over 20 mobile units that they rent.   They will all be full by Jan.  They need some maintenance repairs and Rich will have a list and keys available and a Golf Cart to do his duties.  So tomorrow the fun begins.

Here is 2 last pictures……One of our living area…..The big TV fits beautifully on the dash….The chairs turn around for company….and my favorite Seiko clock that plays music is hanging in the top corner….and of course you can see Rich’s feet as he sits in his recliner….and of course here is KITTY fast asleep…..back to his sleeping all day and doing his guard duty all night….Now that amounts to I think….around 20 hours sleep…….2 hours awake….maybe 1 hour of walking back and forth to the food dish and the other hour just sitting and playing alittle….lol….The life of a CAT…

 

11/29/14

I have decided I need to start dating these blogs.  Now that we are retired, I am losing track of the days.  We have no routine right now.   Nothing bad about that…All is good.

 

Well yesterday we got on the road from Choke Canyon and headed on down Interstate 37.  We passed Corpus Cristi and arrived at Eastgate around 2 pm.  Debbie the manager had called us earlier in the week and had changed our lot #.  She wanted to know our ETA and that she had company and we wouldn’t be starting anything till Monday earliest.  So we have several days to get settled.   We found our lot and backed in.  Then we found our water hose and sewer hose were to short.  So off to Walmart we went.   OMG.   Forgot it was BLACK FRIDAY.   Horrible.   Finally got out of their, came back to the campground.  We got the electric and sewer hooked up but having trouble with the water.   It was winterized and had to drain it all.   Can’t seen to find all the shutoffs to get the water flowing again.  Oh well wait till tomorrow….No Rush….Their is Wi Fi and Dish all through the park but have to find out passwords and things to use it.   I’m on my hotspot for now.  Today will be a laundry day.  Lots of laundry to catch up on……We even took a load of dirty clothes from home cause we didn’t have time to do it all.   My washer at home was on the verge of dying and the drier did, so we were in a sad state of affairs.  Also today and tomorrow will have to vacuum and straighten out this RV.  At the last minute we just threw stuff in.   Hahaha….Ran out of room and I new at that time I had put some stuff in wrong places……We got the big TV hooked up last nite.   We brought it from home, but I think we forgot the Remote….OH What a Pain….I just hope we run across it somewhere, but I think not……

So the next 2 days will be busy, trying to get everything set for living….lol…We met the people across from us, and several others.  The weather is beautiful.   It was so hot going to Walmart yesterday, I wanted my shorts on.  When the sun went down it cooled off fast.  So we will see what today brings……Hopefully Water hook ups…..lol

 

PS….Kitty is doing wonderful….He is happy and is back to normal…..He has learned to sleep with the RV running down the road.  Life is Good for Him…….Altough I lost him again last nite……..I heard a distant……… MEOW……MEOW…..I got up and found him locked in the bathroom….Now how does one not see him in a 3 ft. square room when you shut the door….lol…Poor Kitty…..He has a lot to learn……..So this morning he ate and ate and played and pottyed and soon he will be ready for his day nap….ANOTHER 10 hours….lol…

 

Finally,….It has come…The time we have been planning for over 2 years for….DAY 1…..We left yesterday just in front of a cold front heading to Illinois.  It still doesn’t seem real that after all this planning and last minute chaos, that were in the Motorhome with most of your everyday needs (and more)…I think we probably packed away much more that we should have.  Probably should have weighted in at the elevator on the way out of town, but then we would know how overloaded we were.   Ignorance is Bliss…..LOL….But first………Thanksgiving at Scott and Brandy………

We had our family Thanksgiving at Scott and Brandys this year.  Our house sure did not need that much activity.  They have a huge bar room down basement, complete with bar, pool table, fooz ball table, tv, and many other toys for adults….lol…Now he is building a small stage area, because he just ordered a karaoke machine.   Everyone showed up this year.  It was so nice. Tammy and the kids came to our house first …She made scalloped corn and went through some more stuff to take home.  Then we all went to Scotts…Everybody came, Rich’s Sister Pat and Charlie, sister Connie and Brian and their daughter Ashley and Mat, and Rich’s  brother John.  Also their was Staci, Brandys daughter.  She came home from college just to have dinner with all of us, and also Ed’s sister Beth.  She has become a very special person in our lives as well as Tina and Eds.  Aunt Beth is GREAT…… Also a very good friend Pam came to say goodbye.  Pam,  and her family have been in our life since we were newly married and with out kids.  We met Pam and her brother Bobby, and  her parents Carol and Bob, way back in the 70s when we first started camping.  Bob was sheriff of the hill at the campground….lol….We took Pam and Bobby to Chicago just to have fun when they were just kids.  Also Rich and I and Bob and Carol even did the Demo car Derby together.  We all 4 had our own cars…..Later when Scott was born, Pam went with us to the hospital and watched Scott be born.   Lessons in life to be learned…..haha….So it was so nice that she came by to see us.  Carol was home sick.  So sad Carol….Hope your feeling better by Thanksgiving.

I think we had food for another 50 people after we were done.  So so much food.  We made ham and green bean cassorle, deviled eggs, pea salad, and jello.  Scott and the guys deep fried a turkey.  Connie brought some friend chicken.  Pat brought a crock of little weinies.  Everyone loves them.  and that is only the beginning.  Much more food.  For drinks, we always have punch in the punch bowl.   Its just sherbet and 7 UP.   But so easy and the kids love it.  Of course the Adults had something a little stronger.  The bar is always stocked.  We all left stuffed and with bowls of food to take home….Isn’t that they way it always is.   So now our frig is packed with left overs….Actually, were going to have leftovers for breakfast this morning…..cake and deviled eggs….lol…We went home after the dinner and cleaned up the kitchen, knowing the Sunday was going to be a BIG Day…

We got up by 7 in the morning and started in.  So much yet to do.  Last minute clothes to put in.  Fridge to clean out.  Cabinets to take out last minute stuff.  Bathroom to clean out.  Just to name a few things…..lol….Well guess who showed up….Tina and Ed and the kids.   Now those of you who know Tina, will understand.  She is an organized work horse sometimes.   She can give orders and expect to work right along side of you while ordering you around.   And so it began.  She would question me on what to take and she carried it.   We would put it away in the RV and return again.  The worst part was the carrying.   Out the kitchen down 2 sets of steps,  to the Motorhome and back up steps.   Then here came Connie and Brian.  Connie stepped right in and continued the packing and carrying.   And so by Noon we were almost ready to go…. The guys loaded the scooter on the pick up, and did all the guy things.  haha….And LAST OF ALL KITTY……He was not happy.   He seen his bed get ripped apart.  His bedspread disappear.  then his sheets leave.   And finally his pillows left the bed.  Then I came for HIM…..lol….He sunk his claws into the mattress….HE KNEW SOMETHING WAS UP….He fought me all the way out.

So finally time to say GOODBYES…..Connie and Brian left to go to Breakfast…..You know it was almost 1 pm and he hadn’t had breakfast yet….OMG….and Tina and Ed and the kids stayed to lock up and take the LAST PICS…

 

We left finally around 1;30….fully expecting to eat leftovers….Well we decided to eat at one of our favorite resturants…..BONANZA in Lincoln….love the Sirloin tips and salad bar….and of course we get Senior discout now….Being old does have its PERKS…..then headed down St. Louis….That’s were we have spent the nite.  Kitty did well.  He finally took a nap on the sofa and last nite slept in bed like normal.  So going to have breakfast soon.  Deviled eggs, cake and maybe a little pea salad.  lol….and on down the road we go…..Soon no more rain…Maybe sunshine by tonite?

 

 

This weather is soooooooo so cold.   We didn’t plan on this. It is 19 degrees right now and going down to 12 tonight.  This feels like the middle of January.  Even in Harlingen Texas, it is 48.   I bet those snowbirds are freezing.   lol.  Here it is Monday evening and where leaving  Sunday.  6 days and counting.   Almost here…..Yea……Gotta pack the winter coats even for Texas….brrrrrrrrr…..

This weekend we went to a Gymnastics meet for Miley, my 6 year old granddaughter.  She is so tiny and cute.  Miley has been attending Tumbling for 3 years.  Tina entered her in Competition the first year.  She has won many medals and trophy’s and has competed in State and in the Nationals.

 

These are Pics of Miley back in 2012.  She looks so tiny.  The girl is Emily Hansen, her favorite coach, and little Austin still had his paci….lol…

We decided to leave for Rock Island on Saturday.  We have friends their that use to live down the street from us.  John use to work at Coca Cola with Rich.  John transferred back the Quad Cities were he was from,  2 years ago.  They became good friends of our family while they lived here.  The Meet was just a half a block from John and Jessie’s.   Tina decided that her and Miley and Austin would stay with John and Jessie, and we parked the Motorhome at the high school where the meet was to take place the next day.  Cameron came with us also.  You’ll never believe what happened.  It snowed 2″…..HOW HORRIBLE….Its suppose to wait till we leave.  We decided to go out to eat.  Rock Island is built on a hill.  Fortunately they live on the high side.   We headed down the street, and the cars coming up were at a stand still.  Well they tried,….lol…….They kept slipping sideways….slipping right into the curbs…….lol….Out came the wreckers…..the fire trucks…..What a mess.   We ate at a Mexican Rest.  and then came home.  Fortunately by the time we went back up the hill, the salt trucks were out.   Easy trip back home.  The next morning , breakfast at Johns and on to the meet at the high school…..

Miley competed in 3 categories.  Floor tumbling, Trampoline, and Double Mini Trampoline.  Her first was Tumbling at 9:30.   Next was Trampoline at 11:30 and finally Double Mini at 2:30.  By the time they got to the last one, they were running late.  It was a long long day.  But she did fabulous.  She did wonderful especially on the Double Mini.  The top 3 girls were only a difference of 7/10 in score…So by the time the day was over, Miley won a 2nd, 3rd. and a 5th

….CONGRATULATIONS MILEY…..GREAT JOB……

 

Finally It was time to go home……………Stopped at McDonalds…..Miley wanted a chocolate shake….Every Champion deserves a treat…..Right…..So Homeward bound finally…..Another late nite……School for the kids the next day….but now US?……Retirement is great…Just sleep in another morning…..lol….     6 DAYS AND COUNTING            LOL LOL LOL   GOTTA ESCAPE THIS SNOW AND COOOLLLLLLLLLLLLLDDDDDDD

 

Here it is at 6am in the morning and the temperature is 28 degrees……..brrrrrrrrrr………We are just 9 days away from leaving.  This cold snap horrible.  It is even chilly in Harlingen.   58 degrees….lol….but we can handle that.  Were just hoping the snow doesn’t fly before we leave.   lol.  Were having our family Thanksgiving at Scott and Brandys, on the 22.  It will be our last family gathering till next summer.  Then we plan on leaving on Sunday 23.  That gives us a week to get to Harlingen Texas.  We can take out time and enjoy the trip.  But if it is bad weather and snowing….OH NO….we will head straight south.  To the Sunshine and warmer weather and then turn west.

We’ve made a few more trips to Goodwill and Lily Pads.  Sold more stuff on Facebook Garage Sale sights.  Gave more stuff away.  Yesterday, I went through the cabinets in the kitchen.  All those bowls and lids.  I seen on Facebook recently, a funny post.   “Did you know that all those socks that go missing in the dryer, turn into Tupperware Lids”?  ……Hahahaah…….That’s why I found all those lids in the cabinet.   Now I know where they come from.  I guess I am never to old to gain more knowledge.  But still have lots of stuff……Will it never end?….

When I was a little girl, I lived with my Grandma for 2 years when my parents split up.  I was in 4th and 5th grade.   I have so many memories.  She lived in an old 2 story house.  I loved it.  It seemed so big but I bet it wasn’t.  Seems like when your a little kid everything is so HUGE!!!….When you grow up everything becomes much smaller.

I have so many memories of this house.   Waking up in the morning, (of course had to tryout every bedroom in the house, up stairs or down) smelling fresh percolated coffee filtering the air.  Sitting on the front porch whether, I was swinging or just sitting on the wooden steps.  I would love to watch the cars go by.  She lived on Main St. in Kewanee.  I can still see her cutting her grass with the push mower, hanging her laundry on Monday, wash day.  The whole back yard was full of sheets and clothes hanging with the poles holding the lines up.  She did her laundry down basement in the wringer washer and the old washtubs.  She had a sistern with a hand pump for water and huge crocks of water.  She also had a coal bin down basement.  In the winter she would have to get up in the middle of the nite to stoke the furnace with coal and corn cobs.

These are 2 pics that I found quickly to add.   The first one is in 1960.  It was probably a Sunday.  We always dressed up to walk to church on Sunday.  She didn’t have a car, so we walked everywhere.  The second is taken in the back yard facing the back porch.  I must have been around 2 or 3.  I spent many hours playing on the back porch and the sidewalk with my neighbor friend Sue Ann.  We would play jacks, hopscotch and roller skate with those old dangerous skates that clipped on the shoes…You would be skating along and they would come off the shoe and dangle from the ankles.   Well you know what that would mean…..CRASH….OUCHHHH…..Cryyyy…..Bandaids…..I’m dying…………lol…

She had a beautiful garden in the backyard.  It was full of fruit trees, bushes, flowers, and vegetables.  She grew all kinds of veggies in her garden and canned them.  She also had cherry trees, apple trees, and peach trees.  Raspberry bushes, red and black, and currant bushes.  She even had a grape arbor.  Flowers were everywhere.  I remember her beautiful red poppies that came back every year.  I would come home from playing and I would go to the back yard behind the garage and find her picking the berries.  Of course they were all sticker bushes, so she had long sleeves and a net on her hair.  She canned everything she grew.  Ohhh How she could cook.  She had around 11 brothers and sisters, so when they came to visit, everyone had to go see the garden, and what wonderful aromas and food came from her kitchen.  Ohhhh the jams and Jellies she could make.  Grandma had the old stove with the cast iron lids on the top.  On the left side was the area to put in coal or wood to fuel the stove and on the right was the oven.  Extending up on the back was the warming area and a shelve for salt and pepper.  the cast iron lids had a removable handle that you interchanged from lid to lid to open the stove area.  This is where she would brew her coffee.   (So what happened to me? lol  I love the smell of coffee…..Brings back these memories….But can’t stand to drink it.)  But the one thing I remember most is her ……OLD FASHIONED ROSE BUSH…..

It was planted against the back of the old garage.  It bloomed only once a year at the end of May.  It was just covered with beautiful Pink flowers.  It would get so big that she would tie it up.  The branches would grown long and arch out and bend to the ground from the weight of the flowers .   This picture is from the 1940s.  I also have a picture of my Grandfather standing beside it.  He died in 1949 before I was even born.  When my mom was married, she took a piece of the rose bush everywhere she moved.  Burlington, little town of Cameron, country house in Cameron, and finally Toluca.  All the bushes I believe are now gone.  When Rich and I were married and moved here to this house, I took a piece from my childhood house in Toluca.   It just flourished on the north side of the house.  When we added on to the back I had to replant it again on the west side of the front porch.   Their it is today.  Growing like crazy.

My sister from Albuquerque came for a visit, a number of years ago and took a piece home with her.  Then she gave a piece to her son in Santa Fe New Mexico.   It is still growing at both homes.  Now in the spring,  when we return, I will be starting more pieces of it at both the girls homes and my sister in law, Connie is anxiously waiting for a piece also.   Connie has a beautiful yard.  She has put so much time and energy into it.  She has a green thumb.  Connie and Brian bought her dads home, and I know she spends her time sitting on the back porch and reminiscing also.  Leo put a lot of time into his garden.  So a Rose bush in her yard will make a Beautiful addition.  So this little Rose Bush is still growing and flourishing in Albuquerque and Santa Fe New Mexico and McNabb Ill.  Next spring it will also be growing in Spring Valley, Granville and little Mt. Palatine.  All since the 1940s.   What a history.  It may be much older as my Grandma moved to her home in the early 1920s after she was married.   The picture that I have of my Grandpa is how I am giving the Rose Bush its age.   My Grandpa died the year before I was born, 1949.  Hopefully the Bush will live on and the kids will all follow tradition and keeping passing a little piece of this bush on………What a Great Legacy…..

Some more pics of the Rose Bush and some other flowers in my yard.

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Of Course , I have to end this blog with a pic of Kitty in the window…..Hes been around for a long time….

Ps…….The sun is up……….will not really…its just daylight…….OMG…Their is a Dusting of SNOW ON THE GROUND…………..

 

At Last…..Rich drove his last mail truck yesterday.  He drives / or did  lol  / a shuttle run from Wisconsin to St. Louis Missouri.  He picks up his leg of the route in Oglesby, Illinois and drives to St. Louis and switches trailers and comes back to Oglesby.  So yesterday was his last run…….Finally……..He has been so looking forward to this all week.  He was on the count down just like I was.  He came home last night and had cleaned all the stuff out of his truck.   He was a good boy, unlike me.  I left my locker untidy.  lol.  I will say one thing about his job and he agrees with me.  It is the best job he ever had.

Rich started working for Ursa Trucking Company around 5 years ago.  He has done many routes during his years their.  He drove shuttles to Iowa, Wisc. and Mo.  They always treated him well.  They would put him up in motels when needed so he wouldn’t have to make the long drive home.  They even provide shuttle cars when necessary and they can take them home.   They always compensated him well and checks were always on time.  They also drive good equipment and keep them repaired.  But one thing we can’t understand, in this day and age when people supposedly need jobs, where are they?   The People?  They have been short on drivers all summer.  He has been doing more that his share of miles, almost bordering on illegal.  Sometimes he was illegal .  Finally they have found 2 drives they hired to take both ends of the run.  He has been training them all week.   Here is some of the questions they ask.   What do you do when the roads get icy and snowy?   OMG…..They don’t want to drive in bad weather.   Did they not ever hear the saying about the US Mail,  Nothing stops it….Neither Rain, nor sleet, nor snow….The Mail must Go….Next Question……….Do I get all Holidays Off?…..Oh Gees, Did you not ask that question during orientation?   It would have been answered then.   Your holiday is the next day following the holiday.  That way the mail is their for the next day delivery.   Then another observation.   How does one get lost coming straight south coming from Wisc. to Oglesby…..Ugggggggg…..Rich doesn’t hold out much hope for some of these new drivers they hired.   But at Last He IS……….FREE……..

 

He already had his first evening planned.  lol.  Scott and Brandy were going to a Halloween Party at a bar with some other friends.  So they all went out together.  Of course several bars later, he came home at 3 AM.  lol   How do you think he is feeling this morning?   haha….Not to good.   He just went back to bed.   Or should I say just NOW went to bed.   He was sleeping in his recliner.  So glad the MH has a recliner.  He would be lost without it.  So today begins our first day of our New Life…..

NO MORE ALARMS will go off…..My alarm by the bed was set for 4 AM.  His phone was set also for 4 AM.  It was also set for all his other runs and all his rest stops, in case he took a short nap.  It seems at times it was always going off.   I even called the phone company and had the house phone shut off.  So only active phones now are the cell phones.  Well, mine doesn’t work good here at home.   Good ole  AT&T………service at its best…..Now I can only text or FB….That’s ok……Now we are approaching Crunch time.   So much to do.   Were having Thanksgiving early this Year.  Saturday November 22 at Scott and Brandys.  Then we would like to leave the next day.   That will give us the whole week to slowly make our way down to Harlingen Texas.   Our ETA is Dec. 1 .   Its a long trip so were going to take our time, providing the weather isn’t to bad.  Until then we have lots to do around the house to get ready for our Journey.

I would like to add a link…

My Movie—-My Retirement Last Day at Work

This is my Slideshow/video that I made.   I wanted to add music…Thriller from Michael Jackson….haha….they only way I could was to publish it on Youtube…..hahaha….so all my friends at work….Your now on YOUTUBE….lol….Hope you watch….it was fun to make….so many memories…

Halloween was not very nice weather this year.   So so cold.  Hardly any kids out.   We usually have close to 80.  This year, maybe 40.   They came in some bigger groups so, the streets were dead this year.   Only 1 or 2  hayracks pulled by 4 wheelers.  I decided to add some of my favorite pics .  The first group is the grandkids this year.

 

This next group is some of my favorites in the past…

Now this group is so cool…..I added little friends with them to make them SPOOKY……lol

Our House………

 

 

 

At last its over….But what a ride its been.  I was in my 17th year at Advantage Logistics.   Can’t believe it.   So many people have come and gone.  But the best friends one makes are the ones at work.  In all my years of work, I have made special friends that have stayed with me forever.  This place is no different.  I have friends from my first job, and then There was Plano Molding.  You guys know who you are.   Your all like family.  We shared so much time and our lives together.  The ups and downs of everyday living.  The secrets, and we confided our problems to each other.  We all guided each other threw everyday living.  We spent more time together than with our familys some days.  We all leaned on each other when needed, and gave words of encouragement.  That’s what family is for.  We can be apart for years, but when we see each other or communicate, we can pick right up were we left off.   Advantage is no Different….So MANY WONDERFUL FRIENDS…..

This is my group in Pharmacy.  They are a Fabulous Group.  They got together the morning of my last day.  While I was working in the back, they all got together and took this picture.   They presented me with it that nite at my party.  I just LOVE IT…

So I will tell you about my day.   I got in trouble the day before, cause I wasn’t sitting in my seat when the bell rang….hahaha….so grade school….so the next morning I made sure I would get in late….haha….I just had to rebel.  So waited outside till the bell rang and walked in.   Oops, startup meeting over, Exercises had begun.   So what to do?…..Bring out the camera…..hahaha….

Everyone was laughing…Would could they do “Fire Me”…..lol….And so the day began…I wasn’t to productive, cause everywhere I went some was stopping to talk to me.  After 1st break, Allison mentioned I should take the camera back with me…..BINGO….GREAT IDEA….So I hide it in my pocket.   Oh what fun we had.

These are some of the pics from the Audit cage and Vault areas…..Hmmmmm Hope I don’t get anyone in trouble.   Leads and Supervisor sure didn’t know I was doing this.   Hahaha….Later I was picking out in the U.   That is the special name for it.  Each line has an Aisle number.  So as I was picking, I took some more pics.

 

I wonder what my rate was….hahaha…Probably 60 percent…Later Sherri came along.  She is Pharmacy inventory.   She presented me with a gift.   lol.   We have had a long time running joke.  I don’t even know what started it.   She has always called me vaginitis.   haha….My friend Vicki B.  is cuntilda.  hahaha…Hilarious.   But what ever it takes to get through the day.   So her is my gift:

It is a repurposed troll that she found in her drawer.  It is to be used as my New Dashboard Ornament.   I just love her to death. The troll that is.   haha…Love ya too Sherri.   Then at Breaks and Lunch, I was presented with a cake:

 

The cake was from Carol and Tina.   It read:  “YOU MADE IT POOPY PANTS     WE LOVE YOU“….Now isn’t that special.   Tina is such an AWESOME person.   Such a jewel.  We all love her dearly.   She helps us all get through the day with her laughter that only she can bring.  Her smile is one you will never forget.  So has no idea what she means to everyone.

 ” WE LOVE YOU TINA“.

Here are some more pics of people in the warehouse as I walked through for breaks.   They would stop me and I would take their pics.   haha…

All such GREAT PEOPLE….

Finally the end of the day…..Party Time at Cabin Fever in Peru…..

Everyone started showing up right after work…3:30 and some later cause their schedule was later.   And some old friends from work also came…..My awesome friends Fawn and Jen, who now longer work their.   Not their decision, but oh well, company loss.   On to bigger and better things. Both of you girls look :  “FABULOUS“

We had such a good time visiting and they gave me presents.   One present was the pictures of them and a collage from the past.  So many memories.  Thank All of you for your friendship and support through the years….Some of us have all been together for almost 17 years.  Deb and I worked at Plano together.   We have worked together since 1992…Wow…That would be 22 years.   Just Amazing.   I wouldn’t have made it without all of you being their everyday.  Now its your turns to help each other and keep up the fight.  With out each others friendship it would be almost difficult if not impossible to make it.   And just remember, its not over…..Ill BE BACK…..We are all friends.   We will get together next spring when I get back, Cause that’s what Friends do….Right….So its not …………..”Good Bye”………….Its…………”SEE YA NEXT SPRING”……

So What does 17 years mean?

 Amazing though,  It was announced at Cam meeting that I was retiring by management, but, actually it was just an after thought….they almost forgot….Did anyone in Management come and personally Congratulate me….No…only the one I didn’t want to see….and Ya all know who that was.  Did anyone meet me at the door going out….no…..Did I turn in my badge…No….So did I clean out my locker…..no…Gees, My seniority number is even under 10…..Must be glad to see me go…

P.S……………So……… NOTE TO HOME OFFICE…………….#954 has left the building……….You can cancel the insurance again……………..Carry on…………….

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