Lake Thompson Recreational Area in DeSmet, South Dakota

September 25, 2017-It's been raining off and on since we got here Saturday so we haven't really done anything except chill. The lake we are on is so huge that it looks and feels like we are on the ocean. It's amazing!! 

We did go to the town of DeSmet, which is the town that Laura Ingalls Little House on the Prarie took place. We plan to go visit her house this week when it stops raining. We found a really nice grocery store. We were the only customers in the store Saturday night so of course we got friendly with the cashier. She looked like she was about 18 but she was 28. She was from Florida and we asked what brought her up to South Dakota. She said she came with a friend whose mother lived here. She was trying to clean her life up as she was living very hard. She said we couldn't tell but she had tattoos up and down her arms, back and legs and she had a lip ring and a nose ring. She actually did look out of place in this little town. Anyway she said she has been clean and sober for 8 years and you could tell she was proud of it. She said she adopted her little sister 6 years ago when she was 12 years old. I told her that was wonderful and that my daughter had just adopted two teenage boys last year and they were a handful but truly completed her life. She said that her sister just turned 18 and she has just started college. I also told her I was retired from CPS and she said CPS was involved in her life her entire childhood. She was very positive and I told her how inspriring she was. She now has her husbands two boys, her sister and a year and a half old son. She looked so proud and she should be. The story actually excited me and I didn't want to leave. I just wanted to keep talking. So I guess I haven't completely lost that social worker in me. I was afraid I had but it really made my day. I also couldn't believe I couldn't get away from it. It seems CPS touches every life in some minut way!!

Yesterday day we just sat out by the lake until it got too cold but I'm not complaining. I love this chill. We had the fireplace on in the coach all day! It was so cozy!! And I watched 3 chick flics on the Hallmark Channel. I've never watched that channel before but I love it. 

We walked to the bathroom/shower in the afternoon. It's pretty close and we decided to use it when we can especially for showers since we only have electricity at the site and not water and sewer. We filled the fresh water tank and dumped the grey and black tanks when we pulled in so we have a week  to last before we have to do something and we are leaving next Saturday so we're hoping we're ok. We have a few gallons of drinking water plus a 43 gallon fresh tank. It will make a big difference if we shower elsewhere. 

Last night we went into town to the only laundromat. We of course were the only ones there. It was clean and quiet. The owner came in before we left and of course we talked to him for awhile. I told him when we drove up it was dark and I thought it was closed. He said it's open 24/7. I was shocked. He just got into this venture about 8 years ago and it does pretty well. We were surprised he hadn't had any trouble since the doors are open all the time and no one misuses it. He said most people don't lock their cars or houses here. Small towns!! Gotta love them!! But then there are only 1067 people living here. 

At night we went up to take showers and get ready for bed and guess what? We didn't have hot water. It was barely lukewarm. I thought about just biting the bullet and taking a lukewarm shower but couldn't do my hair. I did shower  my body but it was grueling. I said no way, this is not what I bargained for. I walked over to the men's bathroom and went in to talk to Rich. We were the only ones there. He said he knew. He wasn't going to either. He'd be out after he brushed his teeth. I guess he left the hot water on while he was brushing his teeth and it got hotter and hotter so he went into the shower and it was hot. He came out and told me and asked if I wanted to go back and try again. I declined. I was too cold to start all over. He came out all clean and happy and we went home. Oh well, I'll try again tomorrow night.

We came home and sat out by the fire. Oh did I tell you we are the only campers in the entire park? It was almost scary but I guess we're safe. We do lock our doors in the truck and the coach. But we woke up this morning with no issues. We left the fireplace on all night and were toasty warm. It was 45 degrees when I got up to put on coffee. I left Richard asleep and I had breakfast and perused recipe books and found a recipe I'm going to try tonight. The I started the bread maker. I'm going to make Irish potato bread. 

It's finally stopped raining and I actually see the sun peeking out so I guess I'll head outside with my coffee to explore. Rich is up and out and doing who knows what.

Gets Better Every Day

9-22-2017 -- Lots of things going on since we got to Chief White Crane Recreational park in Yankton, SD. We love it here but it's been a surprise that it's been so hot and we've had to use the air conditioners more than we expected, more days than not. But I'm just thankful that we have them both. I'm nice and cool at night and sleeping like a baby.

I figured out last Sunday that I can only take so much relaxing and I needed to be a little busy. I got a bit depressed and started worrying about my family. My daughter was fighting with her hubby. Similar to Rich and I when we were raising teenagers. We couldn't agree on what they could do and what they couldn't. I was so much more lenient than he was. But they turned out ok so I guess the fighting just lets them know that you can fight and still love each other and stay together. I know they love each other deeply so I'm going to try not to worry. By Monday she was saying she thinks they are just going to move forward and forget about the weekend because they will never agree. That's what we eventually learned. No way you're going to change each other. When we figured that out and just accepted our differences, life got so much easier.

And of course who doesn't worry about a father who is 88 years old. I have to stay off that worry or I'll drive myself crazy. So Monday we got up and I cleaned the coach real good. Then we went to the laundromat and did 4 loads of laundry. I actually don't mind that. It all gets done at once in about 2 hours. We had worked hard cleaning and organizing and I felt really good. Then we walked across the Meridian Bridge between South Dakota and Nebraska. It was very cool. We talked to a retired school teacher who said she does it about 3 times a week. It's over the water so she doesn't have to worry about pollen and allergies.

Tuesday Richard took the kayak and went on the lake. That was a bit scary because he looked so unstable but he finally got settled in without tipping and going in the water and I left him to it. He called me a couple hours later and I went and picked him up. He had really enjoyed it. I was able to come home and just enjoy some "aloneness." Also didn't know that would be so much fun. I watched a chic flick and read without worrying about someone else. He said he felt the same way. It's weird what you still learn after 47 years together.

Wednesday we went to the Lewis & Clark Visitors Center across the river in Nebraska. That was fascinating. We watched 3 videos about Lewis and Clarks journey up the river from St. Louis MO to California. OMG, those men must have been dedicated and strong. They pushed those boats with huge poles to go against the current. And they had to deal with different Indian Tribes all along the way, which by the way most of them were very peaceful and cooperative. Not like you see in the movies. I'm so glad I didn't live during that time. I don't think I would have been strong enough. They must have smelled as they couldn't take many baths and they had to sleep with all those bugs and animal sounds.

You wouldn't believe that living this life has to be so Cush for me or I wouldn't do it.  In fact, the worst thing about this whole trip has been the flies and bugs. They are awful. We bought a "trapper" not a "zapper" from Walmart to see if that would help. We think it did but there are still hundreds. We hung a fly paper strip. That got a lot of them but not all. We sit everywhere with a fly swatter. Even in the restaurants there are flies. We went to a local restaurant yesterday and I almost got up to leave as I saw flies around the booth. But then we went to dinner at a Subway and I still saw them around us. We went last night to Walmart to get some more fly strips and they were completely sold out so I think something is going on around here. Fortunately it hasn't been mosquito's. That's what we were fighting at home all summer.

So yesterday we drove 2 and 1/2 hours to sight see. We saw the Corn Palace in Mitchell, SD. We went to an Indian Burial Ground and saw an archeology dig that had been going on for 20 years. Talk about slow. It looked like about 10 holes in the ground but I guess they've found lots of stuff as they dig down. Then we drove to Chamberlain, SD and saw the Dignity Statue of an Indian woman, 50 feet high. That was the best!!! We didn't get home until 9PM so we were zonked but it was great. We enjoyed all the country side with mile after mile of cattle ranches, corn fields, sunflower fields, soy bean fields and windmill farms. It looked like most farms had bee hives. Such beautiful country. I can understand why city people don't understand what they are missing. We took a different highway home (50 Hwy) and for 2 hours we only saw about 5 cars. It was eerie but calming.

So today we are going to relax and pack some things tonight to avoid packing in the rain tomorrow. We head north tomorrow to De Smet, SD. I feel so totally blessed. I'm still checking work email but mostly just deleting. It's obvious they have moved on just fine without me. I had a dream last night that I was having to defend some of my leadership efforts to some of my management team. Have no idea what that means except it's still on my mind and is a worry somehow. But overall, I'm just grateful that I'm done.

Here's to the continuing adventure!!!

The Adventure Begins

September 9, 2017 -- We were all loaded up and ready to leave in the morning. We were so excited that we couldn't sleep and we thought we would leave around 8AM but by 6AM we couldn't bide our time anymore so we got in the truck and took off. We were so excited like little kids. Everything was fine until it looked like the canoe on the top was moving. So we measured how far it was from the trailer. We started out 27 inches and after a few hours it was 24. Richard tied it down tighter and we traveled to Cracker Barrel. We split a breakfast which is something we have decided to do when we go to restaurants because we always get too much. The split was perfect.

We left and were getting on the freeway and Richard heard a slight banging on the roof so he pulled over on the shoulder of the axis road and the trailer was now 15 inches from the trailer and obviously moving.

I was ready to take it off and leave it on the side of the road but he worked until he thought it was tight again. I was scared to death someone would come by and side swipe him.

We got underway and the first thing I did was go on Amazon to see if I could find a better canoe carrier. I did find one so we will probably get one before we leave. We can have it delivered to General Delivery at the Yankton Post Office to pick it up. Danger thwarted!!!

We got in to Chief White Crane Park but we had to cross a bridge over the Dam and you know how I hate bridges so I closed my eyes and we got here. The park is next to a nice lake which is next to the Missouri River. It's absolutely beautiful. However it was pouring down rain while we hooked up. We unhooked, leveled and tied into electricity and water and went inside. We were asleep by 7PM.

Travel days are not my favorite days but woke up this morning September 10, 2017 and it is drop dead gorgeous. We will hook everything else up today in between RELAXING. The park is almost empty because everyone has to go back to work tomorrow but guess what........NOT ME!!!