0077 - Reunion

We traveled from Augusta, GA to Shreveport, LA on Thursday and while we saw several tree service trucks, generators, and FEMA convoys heading toward the Mississippi/Louisiana border, we didn't encounter terrible weather ourselves. It was grey and overcast the whole way, and it began to sprinkle as we neared our destination, and... the wind was blowing pretty hard, but the rain never became unbearable, it was more like a steady drizzle. All in all it was an easy trip, as far as ten hour jaunts go.

Mike's family is very welcoming. This place is amazing. I'm not going to post a lot of pics of the house because this is a public blog, but suffice it to say that Dana and Hunt have done an amazing job with this place and it feels like a resort - still homey and inviting, but surreal. I want their summer bathroom... a tub in a screened-in porch with rattan (I think) blinds you can pull for privacy if you need to. I would have never thought of it on my own, but I love it. And I want their pool kitchen. It's all nice, those are just my favorite two places in a house so I'm a little biased. We're having a great time catching up, exploring, and meeting relatives that tell stories about Mike's past. There is a band and crawfish etoufee... plenty to eat and drink.

It's a small thing, but I love dragonflies. You may have noticed... I'm not sure how you could have known, but people seem to figure it out somehow (that's humor... I'm trying). This afternoon there was one in the pool. At first I thought it was a wasp, but then I realized it was a green dragonfly flipped on its back and it was trying to get out. I managed to get it onto my finger, Mike has that picture, and then onto a bush, which is the picture I'll be posting. Poor thing couldn't catch a break... after I set it on a branch the wind started blowing and it looked like it was going to rain... it didn't though. I checked later and it was gone, so I think it lived. I hope so. Is it sad that saving a dragonfly makes me happy?

More pictures:

Tracy and Dana (the hostess with the mostest) giving everyone a tour of the grounds.

Dragonfly on the ground

Pretty flowers by the pond

Neighbor's horse running through the field.

My horse whisperer

Zulu, the cutest damn dog in the world.

The dragonfly I rescued.

Just looked photogenic.

Ditto

And... ditto

Pretty sky

Artsy fartsy

Love these trees

I call bull

Finally found a way to get good pics on my camera, so these shots turned out so much better than the ones in my previous post.

I don't know if these are chestnuts or what, but they're pretty

Cute little Shetland pony, vamping for the camera

You're so vane (and I'm so tired)

Never seen a full rainbow before, wish I could have gotten it all in the shot but the camera was locked in the truck (yeah, we had to have a locksmith come out last night - there is no end to our good fortune) and Mike's phone is the best we could do.

0076 - Wordless Weekend Part One

Everyone else does it at least once... Pics I've taken at the family reunion in Louisiana:

0075 - Frustration

We didn't go to Mississippi as we had planned. Because I had to wait an extra day for some of my medication, and we expect a little bit of a slow down from the storm, we decided to stay an extra day in Augusta and will head out for Shreveport tomorrow. It's also nice here at my aunt's house - much like our stay in Charleston, it was nice to slow down and just enjoy our time with family without rushing it.

Today we didn't do much beyond cleaning out the truck and organizing our stuff. With the rain, it turned into an all day adventure, but it's something we've been wanting/needing to do since we set out. Having grabbed what we thought we needed for a couple of weeks, we didn't really put a lot of thought into it, and the back of the truck has been a mess. It's still a mess, but an organized one. I hate having all of our stuff in the truck like this... living out of bags.

Speaking of which...

The RV is going to be in the shop for about a month. They estimated around 82 hours to complete the work, and my rep says they don't dedicate eight hours a day to one RV, so that's four weeks "worst case scenario." That was the case two weeks ago, or so I thought, so... if you ask me, I'm guessing it will be more like six weeks. Kudos to Allstate, they sent an appraiser the next day, so they were not the hold up. And Forest River has also approved the warranty work, or rather most of it, she said they are still waiting on a couple of things. So, this is really sucking for us since it is our temporary home. It means we have to find a place to stay, which usually costs us money we hadn't planned on spending, and is made slightly more difficult by the fact that we have Gracie with us.

And when it rains, it pours. Got another call from the property management company about the air conditioner. This time the compressor has stopped working. So this wonderful home warranty we got will cover $1,000 of the replacement (I'm being sarcastic if that didn't come through), and we cover the other $1,500. Mind you, we don't have a lot in the bank right now, so this was not good news. I know we'll work it out, but it seems like we can't get ahead because there is always something costing us money... maintenance on the truck... maintenance on a house I don't even live in anymore... a deductible on the RV... always something, and usually something expensive.

At this point we don't have a plan as such. We're going to Shreveport. After that we have ideas of what we think will happen, but it depends on a variety of factors. He's talking to his brother about some hauling jobs, and talking to the guy he worked with on the last tower job about something temporary, if either of those come to anything, we will change direction. There is also a training class in Dallas mid-September, so that's pretty much a given as long as he can get a spot. Other than that, we're all over the map... up in the air... rolling like a tumbleweed on crack.

0074 - It's no longer fun when it's an addiction...

Today we visited two Goodwills in the Augusta area. Did you know some of them have cafes and bookstores? Seriously! This one took the cake. I'm not buying as much as I was, I'm becoming more selective, but I have decided I may be an addict... I have plenty of shirts and sweaters for all kinds of occasions now. And a damn cute hat. Mike found a leather jacket the other day, and today he got a hat (hats are his addiction). Rose even found some things she liked. It's odd because I wear large or x-large in most tops, but sweaters are more forgiving and I can usually wear a medium. I even bought a small shirt this afternoon... all I can think is that it is either grossly mislabeled or perhaps I really bought a small dress... it's a tunic shirt... it's hard to tell. :)

We also went to a... well, he's not really a chiropractor, I don't know what he is, a homeopath maybe. It was a very interesting experience. Rose calls him a master diagnostician, and after years of initially thinking a lot of her health philosophy was bunk (ah the vanity of youth and my misguided belief in modern medicine), I have begun to see the wisdom in what she says and does. She is the healthiest person I know, and Western medicine hasn't impressed me a lot lately. Chiropractors have always been more open minded and less expensive than a doctor... dare I say generous in some respects?

So anyway, Mike has been having issues with his shoulders, arms and hands. The doc compared what he was doing to being an electrician. You change the bulb and the light still doesn't work, so you test the wiring. By running the wires back to the circuit board you begin to figure out what is actually causing the issue. He said x-rays and scans will diagnose certain things, but not physiological causes. He would have Mike hold his arm a certain way, or touch a certain point on his body, then test the muscle resistance. After all that he told him which nerve was pinched, and where the issues stemmed from, and he used an instrument to tap areas on his back and shoulders that released the tension in that muscle. Mike's problem is primarily chiropractic.

Since we were there and I have had an issue with my neck catching when I turn left... and my hormones are whacked out because of the infertility drugs, as well as stress, which has caused me to gain a lot of weight... we got him to look at me too. I have been frustrated because no matter what I do, I keep gaining weight, so I know there is something going on but I don't know how to fix it, and Weight Watchers or dieting isn't the answer (which is what everyone tells me and I want to punch them all).

He pinned it down to my thyroid and pituitary gland. My adrenals are fine, my ovaries are fine. He said every organ in the body has a corresponding muscle, and he would have me push against his hand, similar to the way he worked with Mike, having me place my hand in a spot (energy centers or pressure points, I am not sure) and seeing how that affected my strength. Then he put supplements on my stomach and had me do the same thing, seeing what left me weak and what helped. I don't know how it works, but it really does affect you somehow. So I got a couple of things to take that should help my body start working properly again. I asked if I would have to take them forever, he said no, so I like that. I don't like myself much when I look in the mirror anymore. I've gained 30-40 lbs since last year and I was already chunky. I'm ready to be me again.

Pretty (and cooperative) dragonfly:

0073 - Charleston

After less than a week at the broke down cabin in Florida, we decided to hit the road to see family while we have a little free time. First stop was about eight hours away, just north of Charleston to see my Aunt Madeleine, Uncle Robert, Cousin David, his wife Andrea, and their two kids. We had a great time. Their house is amazing - spacious, but cozy and warm. My Aunt is a wonderful cook, she kept us well fed, and the kids kept us entertained.

As we headed into Charleston it was rainy, but this is the last time we saw rain. Did you hear the angels singing just then? Oh gracious... I have missed the sun.

We decided to visit The Citadel. I went last time I was in Charleston, but Mike and my uncle hadn't seen it. It was a beautiful day, not hot, not cold and NOT HUMID. There went those angels again.

My aunt and I took a peek inside the chapel, she thought this stained glass window was gorgeous.

The main campus of The Citadel and their parade ground (and water tower).

Mr. Squirrel being rude and eating in front of us without offering to share. Military squirrels - what can you do?

Bet you didn't know Hagrid went to The Citadel. Okay... so that's a lame joke. I'm tired. Sue me.

Cadet humor.

Umbrellas on the rooftop bar.

Chipmunk cheeks! Haley is so adorable. Andrea + David = Super adorable children with lots of personality. (probably has something to do with David's hyperactivity as a child)

The view from the restaurant.

Brooke has so much personality. Every picture really does tell a thousand tales.

My husband's pinup shot. That is a tiller in his hands in case you're wondering... this is not Playgirl. ;) He just looked so relaxed and happy doing his thing on the boat. He used to race in Clear Lake and has missed being on the water. I just love boats.

Saw a few pelicans flying by and finally caught one that I could get a picture of.

I got to help with the sails while Mike steered us into the wind. It was a lot of work sometimes, but it was fun. I like sailing.

After sailing I was burnt to a crisp, and everyone else got a little toasty too. Yes, I used sunscreen. I think I'm immune. So afterward we went back to the house to relax and grill some steak and shrimp. Aunt Madeleine made the most delicious dessert quesadillas (and margaritas).

This morning we set out for Augusta, Georgia to visit my Aunt Rose. It was nice to take a short trip for a change, only three hours. Gracie also didn't freak out this time... it was nice. Rose made a nice dinner and now we're just relaxing and doing laundry... I'm sleepy.

Rose always has a gorgeous yard and several bird feeders, so we caught some pics of hummingbirds, but it was getting dark so it was harder to get a good shot. Maybe tomorrow we'll do a little better.

Think Mike took this one in Winter Haven, Florida. It was a cute little town.

We're here in Augusta for a couple of days, then we're moving on to Amory, MS before heading to Shreveport, LA for a family reunion. After that we're going to go to Beaumont and Houston if we have time, before heading back to retrieve the RV in Tampa. Thinking we are going to stop at Gulf Shores on the way to Tampa but don't really know. If you're in any of those areas, let us know and we'll try to do dinner or something.

Mike took this picture of the moon and said, "It's cool... the moon is at half phase for Neil Armstrong tonight." RIP Mr. Armstrong.

0072 - Hallelujah

Today we found the i-Ching of Floridian Mexican food: Taqueria Teocali. One woman, one mission, one deliciously limited menu. The salsa was fresh... the closest thing I can cite is Chuy's because theirs has that same bright, fresh tomato-y taste. The fried pork tostadas were delicious and it was just enough food. After all of our searching, this is it... this is delicious Mexican food. You can tell the little old lady who runs the place takes pride in it, the place is clean, the presentation is well done, prices are really good... If you are in the Wauchula area, seek it out and you will not be sorry. Just bring your high school Spanish... she can speak English, but she primarily spoke Spanish.

After lunch we drove around... no real destination in mind except that Mike saw a motorcycle shop and was trying desperately to find it again. We never found it, but we ended up in Winter Haven, which was a really nice lake town. We didn't quite get the thrift shop bug out of our systems the day before yesterday, so we checked out another three stores. The Meals on Wheels Thrift Store was kind of small, but turned out to be the winner, I found a couple of tops that were really cute... and oranges and lemons. If I had thought about it, I would have gotten whatever was cute, in whatever size, and tried to resale it on ebay... but... I didn't think about that until I got home. I'm just really happy with some of the stuff we've found... it's been good. I want to find an old-fashioned ice cream maker, that's the only thing really on my list. The new ones don't cut it... you have to plan ahead, and we don't have a big enough freezer.

Finally found some red clover. My hormones are all kinds of screwed up at the moment and I'm ready to try almost anything. So I'm trying a cocktail that seems to have worked for other women... red clover, fenugreek and saw palmetto. I just know I am not doing anything different, but I keep gaining weight, and I don't like it one bit. I look like a damn egg. It's time for something to change and I'll be damned if I'm going to become anorexic or kill myself working out for no results anymore. My stress levels have gone down, my eating habits haven't changed, I'm probably getting more exercise, and I'm definitely getting more sleep. So... this is my next attempt.

Got some great deals at Tractor Supply. Mike found some work boots that he really likes. The saleslady asked me what my shoe size was, and told me about some hiking boots they got in for $30 that normally retail for about $80... I looked online and they really retail for about $60, but I won't sneeze at half off. They are comfortable, and I need something for all the hiking we've been doing lately... my crocs are slippery... my tennis shoes are okay but they don't support my ankles. These are awesome. And we also found Mike a denim shirt for work... was $22 and we got it for $10. Score.

Dinner was foraged from our supplies... a baked potato, leftover steak, and salsa we brought home from Teocali.

Tomorrow we head for Charleston - woot! Excited to see my family, and excited about Charleston food. Honestly, we're also excited to get the hell out of this cabin... it's depressing. I wish we had our 5'er back, but it's going to be a while, so I am glad we get to spend time with loved ones in the meantime. :)