June 18 Chappell to Holyoke

This morning we got up with 11 units of Jackalopes in the campground!  Yes, the club that we used to camp with once a month was at Chappell!  We got together for a lovely pot luck breakfast - it was all so delicious, but most of all it was seasoned with the friendships we have forged over the years! 

Do you know that you can click on any of the pictures to make them bigger?  Please do so if any interest you!

After a quick meeting Pam & Gary took off for Holyoke, CO...David and I were about 20 minutes behind them.  It was a short travel day - only about 50 miles, which was very pleasant! 

Statistics:  We are at the Red Dale National Wagon Train 2011 Rally.  It is being held this year at Holyoke, Colorado.  It runs from Sunday, June 19th through Friday, June 24th, which is hitch up and go day :)

We actually were members of the Jackalopes, and the Longmont Red Dale Drifters.  We are now classified as Members At Large, because we no longer have a stix and brix house here in the mid-west!  So, for the next couple days, I will attempt to show and tell - show you in pics what we are doing, tell you in words! 

We came in a day early to 'help' the Drifters park the clubs as they come in.  It doesn't sound like a very hard job, but when you are expecting 75 to 100 BIG rv units in one location, it is quite a task!  Thankfully, we had Ron Bernard from the Drifters who got here early enough to map our the parking and started us parking in the different locations!  We got a spot pretty close to the building, where the events take place, which is wonderful - so David can walk to stuff and not have to drive the car! 

After David backed in the MH, we immediately started chatting to friends :)  This went on for hours, in the sun, the result of which was:  TOO MUCH SUN

 The Drifter's then gathered together and had a wonderful Salad Supper - there was SO much food!  All kinds of salads, including crab, tuna, pasta, potato, macaroni, jello salads, cheese & crackers, fresh fruit, french bread, chocolate chip bars as well as rice krispie treats...It was all delicious!  Then there was a short meeting and it was time to come back home.  At the beginning of the meeting a front came through and it got very COLD...we had to put on jackets! 

The day ended with playing with Cinder, relaxing in our home and chatting about the day...it was wonderful and we anticipate many more this week!

Oh yes, Happy Father's Day to all the dads out there...to my dad, Chauncey Friedline, I love you more than words can say, and to the love of my life, David, you are a wonderful father, and a spectacular Grandpa!!! 

Here are a few pics of the Drifter's Salad Supper!



June 16, 2011 Sidney

Well, I've written this entry twice, both times BLOGGER lost it - would not save and would not copy..grrrr!

We took a trip to Sidney NE today, to Cabela's - got out with less than $50.00 which is a minor miracle :) 

We're under severe thunderstorm warning right now - know where the shelter is if the weather radio goes off!!!  Dark skies, lots of lightening...

Since I didn't take pics the last two days, here are several of my oldest Grandson, Devon and his girlfriend Vanessa going to Prom a couple weeks ago.

June 15, 2011 Chappell NE

Today was one of those days where we did domestic stuff...I defrosted the freezer, and we drove to Julesburg CO (16 miles away) and did laundry.

Julesburg is a very nice little town, lots of big beautiful cottonwoods (aaccchhhooo) and very well manicured lawns.  We got some very good ice cream to eat while the washing machines were running!

I also took the opportunity to read - I have a kindle and I love it!  Especially since I've joined Pixel of Ink on facebook and they send me messages about free books every day - I have about 40 downloaded that I haven't had time to get to yet!!! 

It got to be 86 here yesterday - the hottest weather we've had since we left Texas.  We did run the AC for about 2 hours, then we sat outside after dinner and when it was cool enough, we turned it off and just run the fans. 

There was quite a light show last night - a little bit of rain but LOTS of lightening!  Not a lot of thunder either...kind of weird!

Because I was in a 'domestic' mood, we had taco salads for lunch, followed by fish, baked potato & cole slaw for dinner...unfortunately the fish tasted like 'freezer' and we had to toss it :(  I hate it when I let food go bad!!! 

This RV park is very nice - 30 spots, some 50 amp and some 30 amp, 1/4 mile off I-80, and very quiet except for the trains.  However, having lived about a block from the trains in Cheyenne for 14 years, we like lto hear them and we sleep very well!

No pics today - I'm sure no one wants to see me defrosting the freezer, or washing windows :)

June 13 & 14 Goodbye to friends in Cheyenne

Our day started just fine yesterday - June 13th.  We got up, had our coffee, and talked about what was on tap for the day - at 9 am we were at Cost Cutters, I got a haircut, as did David AND a beard trim...he looks so young and handsome when he is not a 'mountain man'...See...

After that we went and picked up my jacket that I forgot at Sanford's last Thursday evening - returned a dress to Sam's that I loved on the hangar - not so much on me :)  Then we met Marsha and Megan at Twin Dragon for lunch - what a great time we had!  Marsha was one of my ee's back when I was a 'working girl' in a previous life.  Megan is her daughter that just graduated - Megan also kept my grandkids in the summer for me when they were in Cheyenne.

After far too much chinese food, we went back to the MH and got naps - and my friend Lynn came to visit - she is a terrific lady who lived 5 houses away from us for 13 years!  We had a great visit and hope to see her down the road!

Our friend Janet stopped over to visit about 4 just to say good-bye.  I find that they are very hard in this lifestyle, especially when you are as close as Janet and I.  Yes, tears flow, but plans are already in the works for her to come to PA to visit us!  Yaaay!

Then we got a call from Dwight and said meet them at Don Rey's Mexican Restaurant at 6:15 for dinner...of course we did.  We got to meet their new adopted daughter, Juanita (Wanny) and we agree that she is a treasure!  Of course, no blog post would be worth it's salt without at least one picture of food...and I had a 'torta' for the first time.  It was wonderful!  Perfectly cooked pork, with avacodo, mayo, cheese, something spicy on a freshly grilled handmade bun...YUM!  Here is also pics of Soni, Dwight & David!

This morning we got up and got everything ready to go.  I had someone ask the question, what do you do on a 'travel day'...well, we put up the lawn chairs, pack away any outside 'stuff' we have out, (mostly dog toys, leash, etc.) and we really do make an effort to put stuff away the evening before!  The toaster, Paper towel holder, fruit bowl and the basket with the condiments in go under the table where they ride nicely! 

David does the 'outside' stuff, which means dumping the black and gray tanks if we have a hookup, rolling up the water hose, and unhooking the electric.  I make sure the windows are shut, the rugs put where they won't interfere with the slide, cutting boards secured, bathroom door locked, refrigerator door locked, all loose objects in shower and kitchen and bath sink are corralled into baskets, from curtains open and tied back.  We check and make sure the antenna is down, and hook up the car.  FINALLY we are ready to head down the road, after at least one walk around and a light check (make sure the lights on the car work in conjunction with the lights on the MH).  It sounds like a lot of work, but really, we can get it all done in about 20 minutes..not hurrying!

That's what we did this morning, except that we didn't have a sewer hook up so David took the MH to Flying J where we paid $3.45 a gallon of gas (Cheapest since we left Hondo in April), and then he went down to the visitor center where there is a pretty nice dump station.  While he was doing that I went for a grocery run at Safeway.  I met him at the visitor center, we loaded up the groceries, hooked up the car and away we went...bye Cheyenne until the next time!

We drove about 150 miles to Cheppell NE where we are set up very nicely!  Full hookups and long level grassy sites for $12.50 a nite...passport america rate!  I'll get some pics tomorrow I hope - we plan on cleaning windows and the rest of the coach - got to do those deep cleaning things when you have hook ups! 

June 12, 2011 Breakfast w/friends, hangin' w/Janet, Dinner with the Ashby's!

Oh what a day - we're exhausted, but happy!

This morning we hosted breakfast with Ray n Sandy and Joe n Donna.  I made sausage gravy and Sandy brought biscuits, Donna brought juice...and we had some jelly and watermelon too!  'breakfast' lasted almost 3 hours - so much fun!  No pics, too early :)

Then I went over to visit with Janet - again time flew by too fast, and once again, no pics!  We hung out on her deck for hours just chatting and reconnecting.

Once I was home, I put together a lovely rhubarb blueberry crumble...it was supposed to be strawberries, but Safeway had them on sale and they were sold out, so I got blueberries...and off we went to Matt N Brit's house.  In their house live two gorgeous little ones, Alana and Aubrey..you will agree they are adorable!  Matt grilled steaks, Brit made a great asian salad with baked potatoes, boy dinner was yummy! 

What a great evening...thanks for a great dinner Brit N Matt! 

To all our wonderful friends - thanks for the memories!

June 11, 2011 BBQ & Pizza :)

This morning once again was a 'hang out' morning where we really didn't do anything - we were going to have breakfast at the Moose club, but when we walked over there was a sign that said NO breakfast...:( 

We were invited to a BBQ at Cindy Love's house at 1ish, and I put together a nice tossed salad, using fresh lettuce and onions from Maureen's garden!  We got to Cindy's and boy, she sure puts on a BBQ!  Unfortunately, her bubby Shawn was called out to work, but another of our friends, Deena was there, along with Cindy's daughter Stephanie and her two children (totally adorable) and a friend of Shawn's, Dave.  There was pasta salad, veggie tray, marvelous potatoes in foil, ribs, sausage, chicken breast, burgers & dogs...oh my!!!  So much food! 

This was my SECOND plate...

Of course, seeing our friends and having such a great time reminiscing and solving the problems of the world really takes precedent over the food...or the food is the excuse we use to get together to do that.  Here we are :)

We finished off the day by running some errands and having the best possible pizza in the world (at least the Cheyenne portion of the world) - Parkway!  Oh yeah, it's that good!!!





June 10, 2011 - Cheyenne & Longmont Friends

This morning was kind of laid back - took my time waking up, having coffee with my sweetie, surfing the net...looked at the clock and uh oh, best get moving.

Met a wonderful friend for breakfast at Perkins.  Jody and I met through Zonta International, and finding we have many things in common, became pretty good friends!  We chatted for an hour and a half, and had a lovely time catching up!  Jody, thanks so much for breakfast!  I had my camera with me and did not take a single picture...sorry!

Then we were off to Longmont to see Lloyd & Maureen...what a terrific couple!  Maureen fixed us a wonderful lunch of chili relleno casserole and salad with fresh lettuce and onions out of her garden, pund cake with raspberries and whipped cream yum!  Once again we talked for several hours to these fascinating people!  They have a 'ranch' in Montana and we got to see pictures and hear stories from many years ago - they are heading up there soon and will not be at 'National' in Holyoke.  They both have some health issues so it was doubly important that we get to see them.  Life really is far too short you know to miss out on good friends!  Maureen and I went out and robbed her garden of some fresh lettuce, onions, and rhubarb.  Yum!

Then we went about 2 blocks and stopped to visit with another very special couple, Joe & Sandy!  If you follow the blog, you know that I was in PA when they stopped in Hondo to visit us, so they had to make do with David :)  They also spent a couple months with us in Rockport in the winter of '09.  Needless to say, they are always on our list to see if we are close!

Joe asked if we had to hurry back to Cheyenne or if we could stay for dinner, of course we can ALWAYS stay for dinner :)  They took us to a lovely restaurant called Pinocchios...once again, several hours of fun talking, reminiscing and planning the future!  We will see these two along with many of our camping buddies beginning next Friday...and at 'National' held in Holyoke CO June 19th through 24th...if you are anywhere close, give us a holler and we'll meet up!!!

Joe & Sandy - thanks so much for a delicious dinner, and wonderful friendship!

Oh yes, in the picture we were all laughing very hard because I forgot to take pictures of our dinners...and Sandy said see if someone else would let me take a pic of their food...hilarious! 

Jody, Lloyd N Maureen, Joe N Sandy, and of course David, thanks for the memories!