Great Weather !

We’ve had great weather lately but the past couple of days have been spectacular. Check out the picture below.

The 60  at the top is the current outside temperature, which as you can see is the high for today at 10:29am. The temperature at the bottom was the current temperature in the rig with the windows open at that time. But, my reason for posting this picture is to show the 45 degree reading which was the low overnight sometime after midnight. What grand sleeping weather it was---even in a recliner chair! Today the high is forecast to be in the upper 70’s. This is why we are sitting in the NE Georgia mountains instead of sweating in sunny Florida.

River Vista here is full of Labor Day campers this weekend. We road around in the golf cart last evening and I counted only 7 vacant sites. Alot of folks walking around last evening plus they had a local DJ playing tunes and encouraging karoake singers down at the outside pool pavilion area. He played a few good tunes but still isn’t as good as Big Daddy DJ Jeff. Of course, that is my humble opinion.      :-)~ We went to Clayton to eat at Mama G’s, an Italian Restaurant, yesterday afternoon. We didn’t find the meal as good as it has been there in the past. They start you with out-of-this-world garlic butter topped dinner rolls. These didn’t seem fresh baked to either of us. I had a baked ziti with meatballs and Barbie had eggplant parmesan. My ziti was good but the meatballs had a frozen taste. Barbie said her sauce lacked taste. Of course, influencing our opinions might have been the fact that even though we’ve charged my Victory scooter when needed , it doesn’t seem to be holding a charge. We had just charged it and it was showing extremely low to the point, I barely made it in the restaurant and back out to the car. Now this is after Barbie had taken it in to Command Mobility, where we bought  it, Friday to have it checked out. They told her the charger was good and the batteries were good, we just needed to charge it each and every day whether I use it or not. Well, that isn’t what the manual said. Barbie will take it back Tuesday and demand new batteries.  Anyway after we ate we took a country ride around Wolfolk Valley Road which is between Clayton and Dillard.It is beautiful country I tell you !

I watched some football before we left to go out to eat yesterday. I started watching the Gators-they stunk and were lucky to win. I switched over to the Georgia Bulldog game (my second favorite team, obviously) and they looked good with local Tampa Plant HS quarterback, Aaron Murray, making his first college start. I’m glad the college football  season has begun.

Well, enough for this time with the exception of my “photo flashback”.

Would you believe a Floridian here for the weekend? Actually I took this at the FMCA “Nifty Fifties” Southeast Area  Rally held a few years back when I was the official photographer for the rally.

It’s September….

I don’t know what it was but when I logged on the computer this morning and saw September 1, it hit me. The summer is nearly over. We have been up here in Dillard for about 6 weeks. Of course for me the month of July is a blur considering my back issues and all the meds I was on then. At least I’m on the slowww mend now and mentally doing much better. After I log on the computer in the mornings and check to see what the email inbox has in it, I check the 30 some rv blogs I have saved in my favorites folder and follow. The past couple of days that has been a tad tough as about a half a dozen of the bloggers are in Elkhart, Indiana, participating in the Gypsy Journal Rally that we were to be attending. Their posts have detailed the fun and comraderie they are having at the rally. The first night they had a “Hoosier Honey” Pageant where the guys dressed as ladies. Here is the winner.

We were really looking forward to that rally as we have been subscribers of the Gypsy Journal Newspaper we get each month from Nick Russell and his wife Terry for years. They are full-timers and travel across the country, mostly off the main highways/interstates and away from the big cities, writing about the places they visit. They also include lots of pictures. He was in the newspaper business for years before becoming a full-timer. They have held a rally in the west and one in the east the past few years. They are not huge rallies, between 75 and 150 rvs normally. We’ll just plan on attending one next year.

We went out grocery shopping and ate at La Cabana, a Mexican Restaurant in Clayton, yesterday. It was our first outing using the new scooter carrier on the back of the Terrain. It certainly made for an easier job for Barbie to load and unload the scooter for me.

To insure that I have at least one picture in each post, I have decided to start something new today with this post. I will include one picture from my archives that I’ve been saving from 1998 to the present. The picture may be of persons, places or things I’ve shot over the years. I hope you’ll enjoy them. I also want to remind you that you may leave a comment to a post by clicking on the word “COMMENT” at the bottom of each post after the words “Posted by Jeff and Barbie” and the date. I encourage you to do that. We love reading your comments for sure.

Following is my “Post Picture for the Day”. It was taken at the Friendship Rally in Moultrie, Georgia, in April 2004 in which about 15 coaches from our Roamin’ Rigs FMCA Chapter attended. Now I’m telling ya I could have won that “Hoosier Honey” Pageant wearing this same poodle skirt get-up that I won the “Magnificent Moultrie Mama” Pageant back then. What do you think?  :-))) ‘Til next time…….

A New Week

The weather up here in the NE Georgia Mountains is great. Highs in the upper 80’s and lows in the lower 60’s at night. We still are waiting for it to get a little cooler. Saturday we went on a ride to visit Mocassin Creek State Park, then on through Helen and Clarkesville then back north through Tallulah Falls and Clayton before returning to Dillard. We drove through the campgrounds at Tallulah Falls and Mocassin Creek. I like Mocassin Creek as it is right on Lake Burton and they have sites can accommodate big rigs. On Saturday they were full with no vacancies. Tallulah Falls campground does have a couple of longer sites but the roads are much more difficult to navigate if you have a long rig. We stopped at Fred’s Famous Peanuts in Robertstown, just outside of Helen for a boiled peanut and drink fix. Barbie, as you can see below made friends with some locals while at Freds..

Helen was bumper to bumper with weekend tourists. We didn’t bother stopping during this trip. I’d like to head back over that way during their Octoberfest activities. It was a nice 3 1/2 hour ride on a gorgeous day.

This morning Barbie took the Terrain up and had the hitch put on so we could put my new scooter carrier on the back of the car and not have to load it up the ramps and into the back of the car. It will be a much easier process to load the scooter up for me until I no longer need it. Plus it allows room for us to put things in the back or carry passengers in the back seat. Below is what the carrier looks like in travel position without the scooter.

Barbie went out over the weekend and bought some plants to put in the planters we had bought a week or so ago. It adds some color to the site and they look good. See for yourself.

 

The homeowners association is organizing a Labor Day picnic here for next Monday. We plan to attend. All we need do is bring a dish to share and some of the fellas are barbequing. It will be held at the covered Mud Creek Pavillion at the bottom of the hill. Should be some good eats.

Well that’s all the news for now……….’til next time….

Roamin’ Rigs Friends Visit

Yesterday was a great day! We had a visit from our Roamin’ Rigs friends, Barb & Ray Pace, Sharon & Tom Mann, Mary & Ted Collins, and Darlene, Karen and Chuck Schurecht. They are making a summer rv journey through the southeast and were camping in Hiawassee, GA, which is about an hour from Dillard. Barb had called and we arranged for the group to stop and visit with us for a couple of hours here at our site and then we’d go to eat at the Dillard House. We caught up with all that’s been going on with everyone under the awning and out on the deck. It was warm but not unbearable. The meal at the Dillard House was grand as usual with all the fresh veggies, pork, ham, fried and barbequed chicken we could eat. We all walked out with styrofoam to-go containers as well. The two carloads of Riggers then left heading back to Hiawassee. They are headed to Cherokee and Happy Holiday Campground for 3 days before moving on. It was great seeing the group since we had last seen them at the rally in April at Tampa East RV Resort in Dover. Below are some pictures taken at the Dillard House.

Accomplishments

This is Barbie writing to you. I haven’t written in some time now due to being very busy with being a “nursemaid” to Jeff. I have felt “kind of down” due to all the responsibilities that I thought I wouldn’t have after I retired, but now I am feeling upbeat again. Why? These accomplishments that have occurred this week.

#1: Jeff can now get into and out of the motorhome without my help. He can use his hands to get up the five steps without me having to push his feet on each step. A big success for both of us.

#2: We went to the neurologist on Thursday and she spent an hour with us. She thinks that Jeff has made a tremendous amount of progress considering his nerves have been damaged. She said it should take 6 to 8 months for nerves to heal. She prescribed low impact physical therapy and wants to see him in two months. She observed his walking with his walker and also pinpointed his numbness in his feet by marking it with a marker. His numbness has improved greatly. He can now move his legs and wriggle his toes. He can’t stand up or walk without the walker, but he is trying very hard. It just takes time.

#3: Jeff tackled bringing himself and his scooter into a restaurant twice this week. We went to La Cabana on Tuesday after his haircut and then to the Feed Mill on Thursday. I didn’t do too bad with getting the scooter in and out of the car either. We have ordered a hitch and a ramp to go onto the car for his scooter to be placed outside of the car , rather than inside it.  That should make things easier for both of us. We will then have more room inside the car when we go on short trips.

#4: I took everything out of the shed and laid down carpet that we had bought back in June. It looks great! The only hard part was getting the small refrigerator out , but I did it! Now I will assemble the shelving unit so that the refrigerator will fit on it. When that is done I will get some of the guys who are working next door to put the refrigerator on top of it for us. I am not that stupid to lift it up by myself!

#5: I found a great little used bookstore in Franklin, North Carolina called Millie and Eve’s Used Books. I really don’t need anymore books but I had to see what it was like. The aroma when you enter is very enticing! It makes you want to stay awhile and look over all their little rooms they have that are full of books arranged very nicely. I did buy two history type books. My goal is to not buy any more books and join the library in Clayton and Franklin. That will be next month.

Five accomplishments in one week is a great motivator to do other things. Today , it has been raining since 11:00 this morning and most likely will continue until late this afternoon. But, the good news it will bring lower temperatures. It is supposed to go into the low to mid 60’s for low temperatures and highs around 82 for the next three days or so. We can live with that. So, my goal is to clean the inside of the rig this afternoon and then read and relax.

Thanks again to those great friends of ours who wish us well by email or cell calls…. Linda and Bill F., Steve and Linda C., Ron and M’liss K., Sandie and Pat G., Bill and Diane M., Linda and Al W.,Nancy and Danny P.,Carol and Tim G., Donna R, Barb and Ray P., Wendy and Tom C., and Donna R. If I missed you, I apologize--let me know and I’d be sure to mention you next time. It means a lot to us that you care. We are doing fine now and can see that the future will only get better. Patience is a virtue… and we need to practice that.

If any of my old colleagues are reading this, I hope you have a great school year. It sure feels good to not have to plan lessons, sit through boring meetings, and do school work at night!!! haha I don’t miss any of it!

Remember… have a great moment!

Some improvement………

This past Tuesday I had my second epidural injection into my lumbar area. This time Dr. Long changed the angle slightly and put the needle in a little deeper. I could certainly tell it as I felt more pressure and discomfort this time during the procedure. But, I am pleased to say I have noticed some improvement! The numbness in my feet is not as bad as it has been. I am able to wiggle my toes alot more in both feet. Overall, my feet do not feel like I have 100 pound weights attached as I try to lift or move them. Walking with the walker around the motorhome is easier. Standing up from a seated position with the walker is much easier. And, thankfully getting in and out of the motorhome is easier. I keep pushing myself as I want to be able to get around the motorhome without the walker. I still have a ways to go for that though. I got a call from the neurologist’s office Thursday and they have moved my appointment up to next Thursday, August 19. When they scheduled me initially I wasn’t able to get in to see her until the first week in October. Dr. Long called and spoke to Dr. Rampell and they moved me up as soon as a cancellation occurred. Dr. Rampell hopefully will be able to pinpoint the location of any pinched nerve(s) or locate what is called nerve entrapment. Once that happens treatment can be directed specifically to that location. So that is the health update.

Barbie drove us up to Highlands, NC yesterday. That is the closest actual Bank of America location to us. We needed to deposit some checks we have gotten the past few weeks from Barbie’s first retirement pension check(you can’t set up direct deposit until you receive your first one), plus we’ve gotten some refund checks from the rallies we cancelled out on. It was a nice 25 minute drive up the mountain.  Highlands was crowded for sure-alot of out-of-state cars lining the main drag through town. I love the little spillway on the golf course as you enter town. We came back a different route, down through the Cullasaja Gorge into Franklin. I always enjoy passing Bridal Veil Falls which is right off the road. You can actually drive your car behind the falls.

That is a neat drive but the road at times narrows down with alot of sharp curves.

The trip to Highlands was actually my second outting of the week. Last Saturday we made a trip to Hillside Orchard Farms where we bought some local pickled vegetables and pickles. Then we stopped at Goats on the Roof-yep you read it right and I have pictures as proof. This is a clever touristy spot right on Route 441 between Tallulah Falls and Clayton. They have canned goods, jellies, crafts, food items, clothing and of course-goats on the roof ! Can you find them?

Barbie fed them by putting feed in the bucket and cranking it up to them. With all these tourists these goats eat well I’m telling ya!

Barbie was in awe of the place for sure.

Well, enough for now---Til next time……

First epidural down…….

I did have the first epidural last Tuesday morn about 10am. It was in question for awhile---damn Humana issues approving it. We didn't know we were a go until 8:05----55 minutes before my appt. The Mountain Lakes Medical Center folks called me Monday pm and said they still had not gotten final approval from Humana-they had faxed all info to Humana the week before but no response to that point. So I called Humana, spoke to someone who said they'd research it and get back. About 4:30pm Monday I got a call back saying the "Ortho-Net folks who do the approving had nothing from Mountain Lakes Medical Center". I got a # and fax and called MLMC. The office folks said they never heard of Ortho-Net but would get on it. About 5 til 5:00pm Monday, MLMC folks called back said they spoke to Ortho-Net folks faxed stuff to them and approval would be expedited but normally took 1-4 days. At that point I was thinking they would reschedule me. But Tuesday am we got up and prepared as though we were a go and I called at 8:05(the office opened at 8) and they told me we were a go ---a faxed approval had arrived. Barbie got us there by 8:45. They did preliminary paperwork then took me to OR. The process took about 45 minutes. Barbie was in waiting room talking with the locals while I underwent the procedure. I had a couple of shots to numb up the area first. They felt like big ole bee stings which is what Dr said before. He talked me through all he did as I was sitting on OR table with a nurse in front of me while Dr and another nurse worked behind me. The epidural itself was a lot of pressure but no real pain. I go back tomorrow and depending on what this did or didn't do, maybe have a second one right away. We'll see. I know one thing between the valium I had to take on the way there and the procedure itself ( he told me I'd probably be weaker than normal the rest of the day), I was weak and tired. We stopped at Burger King on way home got a burger but once I got in motorhome I slept for nearly 4 hours. Of course, I didn't sleep much Monday night either. The major accomplishment that day was when we got home, I told Barbie I wanted to try to go into motorhome frontways on my feet not backwards on my butt. She had to lift my feet---one at a time then I pushed off and pulled the other leg up. Bottomline we made it and I didn't have to skooch up on my butt! I think I’ve noticed some minor changes---Dr. Long did say it wouldn't be overnight. It seems I can wiggle my toes alot easier and the walking in the motorhome with the walker seems to be easier. I’m trying to be patient but it’s tough.

We went out last week and bought a new recliner for me. The one we’ve had in here for 8 years had seen it’s better days. We went to Eller & Owens, a local furniture chain here in western NC. It is only 10 miles up the road. They had a great selection and 3 brands with removable backs which is a necessity to get it in the motorhome. We got a navy blue leather one and they delivered it the next day and took the old one away. Since I spend 98% of my time in the recliner ( I even sleep in it for now), it was important to get a good one.

Before I sign off on this entry, I must THANK the following Roamin’ Rigs friends for their emails and calls over the last week wanting to know how my procedure went and offer well wishes: Pat & Sandie Gregory, Bill & Diane Maxwell, Ron & M’liss Kemerer and Tim & Carole Gates. It is a pick-me-up hearing from you believe me.

Well, ‘til next time, I’ll leave you with this view of the Dillard countryside.