6-30-16 - Leaving the Rez (The Next Chapter)

 We have had a monthly rental site at Timberlake Campground for six years. We have developed many lifetime friendships, watched some amazing sunsets, sat around great campfires, shot a lot of bull, caught a lot of fish, and have wonderful memories that will stay with us forever.

 Many years ago we went to Goshen Springs to go crappie fishing in April.  The campground was full. We were told there were campsites available at Timberlake Campground.  We were so disappointed because we knew how to fish at Goshen Springs.  It was one of the best disappointments we have ever had!

 We came year after year and fished in the spring for crappie.  We got lucky in 2010 and got a monthly rental.  We spent the next couple of years going to the Rez on my days off.  After retiring in 2012, we started spending most of our time at the Rez.  We have had the time of our lives here.


 After 2 fantastic going away parties, we were really tempted to delay our departure and see how many more parties we could have,  We are sad to leave our friends at Timberlake Campground, who are more like family than friends.   As much as we love it here, we are going home to pursue our dream of selling out and becoming full time RVers.

  After we got to Crossroads, Ferny Kat snuck back in the camper, and was looking out the door at us.  She is as ready as we are. for the next chapter.  We aren't sure where that is, but we'll write when we get there!

6-7-16 and 6-8-16 - Coon Dog Cemetery

                                                                   

                                       
                                                           The Beginning  (1st dog buried)


   We have been wanting to ride the motorcycle to Coon Dog Cemetery in Tuscumbia, Alabama for the last couple of years.  We decided to make this ride before we left the Rez.  The weather was a little less humid, and a little cooler, so we took off.

The road going to the cemetery is a windy. somewhat rough road.  About half way of the 10 mile stretch, Lauren almost went into the ditch to dodge a big ole rattlesnake.  I never thought about a rattlesnake encounter on a motorcycle.

The cemetery was a nice memorial to all the coon dogs buried there.  There were some unique tombstones and grave markings.

We ate dinner at the Rocking Chair restaurant and spent the night in the Cold Water Inn.  We headed to Red Bay Alabama and toured the Tiffin  Motor Home factory.  We took the back roads to French Camp and had a great BLT, (AKA Big Willie).  Then we motored down the Natchez Trace to the Rez.

Another check on the bucket list!!

You think we might be rednecks????


Pictures: https://goo.gl/photos/vfnEHqwPWQuC67KE6

6-6-16 - Boatless

                                                                                        

    As much as we love boating, we decided we cannot take our boat on the road with us.  It was hard to part with this boat after 25 years of  so many happy memories of fishing and boat riding. This is one of many things that we must get rid of in order to follow our dream of full time RVing.  We hope that the young man that bought our boat has as much fun in our boat as we did. It is bittersweet, but we think it found a really good home. 

          We are a little bit closer to our pipe dream today of selling out and hitting the road!!!!!

BYE!!!!!

April 3-16 to April 9-16 - Fitbit steps (100,000 in a week) WHEW!!!!!!!!

Kim's steps

Lauren's steps

Kim's mileage

Lauren's mileage

3-28-16 - First Golf of Retirement

   Lauren and I met Anita at Hollywood Casino in Bay St Louis, Ms. to gamble and golf.  We played our first golf of retirement at The Bridges.  The ground was soggy from all the heavy rains, but the day was beautiful and warm.  Lauren managed to hit $500 on the slot machine.  I hit more than I wanted of golf strokes, LOL.  It was a great time.  We obviously need to spend more of our retirement days practicing golf!!

                                                                  Our view

WHOO HOO, I AM RETIRED !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 The day we have been looking forward to for the last 25 years is finally here.  I am officially retired from nursing.  I have had an amazing career.  I loved being a nurse. I will greatly miss taking care of patients. I have experienced the beginning of life and the end of life with many people.  It has been tough at times, but overall nursing has been a rewarding career. The best part of nursing has been the coworkers I have worked with. The St. Dominic team was more like family than coworkers. St. D has been an awesome place to work. I could not ask for a better manager or coworkers.

  This all being said, I am looking forward to retirement, and so is Lauren. He no longer has to get my grumpy butt  up at 5 am, (actually last wake up call was 5:20 am).  I am looking forward to the next couple of months of staying at the Rez and walking, riding my bicycle, and fishing for white perch.   It will be nice not to have to plan my life around a work schedule.

                                     "HAPPY 55TH BIRTHDAY TO ME!!!!!!!!"

  The ones that have been following our blog since 2012, know that we love to travel. Our travels will be posted on our blog. If interested,sign up for e-mail notifications from our blog at http://sinceretiring.blogspot.com/.

Day 8 (7-16-15 - Home Sweet Home)

                                                   Flower Garden at Best Western




It was a nice, cool, 75 degrees when we left Cartersville, Ga. this morning.  It was a hot, humid, 95 degrees when we arrived at the Rez 7 hours later.  We traveled 422 miles today.

We traveled a total of 2,447 miles  in Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia, North Carolina, Virginia, West Virginia, & Tennessee.  It was a fantastic trip.

Fernykat was happy to see us for just a couple of minutes after we got home.   Then she was done with us.  After I fed her, she didn't want anything to do with us. She did not appreciate being part of our selfie. She is in the bedroom, as far away from us as she can be, sleeping on my shirt.  I hope she doesn't hold a grudge too long.

                                                          We made it home....


Pictures: https://goo.gl/photos/JNpsktJtj97sPoPd7