12/31/2011 365 Days

The end of another year. Tomorrow is the beginning of a new one. It seems like only yesterday we were waiting to usher in 2011 and now its coming to an end. My mom always told me that the older you get the faster time goes. She knows what she’s talking about.

Its been a good year for the most part. There were some bumps in our road but that’s what life is all about isn’t it? Taking the good with the bad, sharing ups and downs, learning about ourselves and who we are along the way.

January found Bob riding high over the desert floor on his new to him four wheeler and taking a much needed rest after all the hard work he did on our park model. January found me dealing with a bout of depression. We took in a Street Festival and attended Quail Run’s Carnival.

February was a busy month for us with me feeling better after a doctors visit and some tests. Our friend Marvin came to visit us all the way from Florida,,,,this 86 year old made it in 3 days. We celebrated our 31st wedding anniversary and attended (Quail Run friends) Dan & Lin’s wedding reception. We participated in the Winter Olympics, attended an Indian Music Festival and a Gourd Festival.

Once again Quail Run residents celebrated the victory over cancer and remembered those who didn’t win the battle with the Cancer Survivor Party.

March brought us Quail Run’s First Art Show and talent just oozed from every corner of the park.

Tuesday mornings wouldn’t be the same anymore with our line dancing as Carl & Sandy take a much needed break.

March also brought the end of another Quail Run season. A round of parties and BBQ’s were on our agenda it seemed almost daily. So long and see ya next fall were the call of the day. But the best party of all? Had to be, hands down, Darlene’s birthday party!

We ended up the season with dinner for 60 in a local restaurant.

April found us on the road again for another summer adventure. Plans were all in place and we learned how fast plans can change!

Having a new rig there just has to be problems and we found ourselves camped out at a dealership for a week. We spent some time in Fort Wa-chew-ka (I still can’t spell it) and also in Fort Bliss. We love those Army bennies!

We visited Coronado National Memorial and saw some beautiful scenery.

We also got to see the biggest rose bush either one of us had ever seen!

April was fun and frustrating at the same time.

May….wow do plans change fast! We were all set to be in Nebraska this entire month but that changed all within 20 minutes. Onward to South Dakota!

Before we knew it we were settled in Rapid City and once again we were very thankful for our Army benefits. Little did we know just how good they would be.

We settled in here to re-group and refine the game plan and well we just never left. We were offered the position of Camp Host and were we ever glad we stayed.

We learned to deal with rain. And wind. We didn’t like it, but we dealt with it.

We got the chance to explore the Badlands National Park.

Close by was that famous drug store.

The month of May wasn’t what was planned but it was A-OK in our book!

June was probably the best month out of the whole year. This is the month we met, now forever friends, Jerry and Valerie. They came for two weeks,,,,and stayed all summer!

In our travels we visited a beautiful Norwegian church,,,,

,,,,a very interesting Journey Museum.

We started a veggie garden.

We lived through the HAIL STORM!

July brought us our first visit to Custer State Park.

We visited a whole town that was for sale.

We got a much needed new chair.

July also brings friends to visit. Joy and DeWayne arrive for a two week visit.

August introduced us to STURGIS BIKE WEEK. I will never, ever forget this!

This is the month I make another good friend. Lynnie Quinn has been here for awhile but its not until now we start connecting.

Bob gets our truck window all dressed up with his military achievements. I’m always so proud of him!

This month I hang a friend….

This same friend puts holes in my head.

Dianne arrives! Dianne, our forever friend from “home” flew out to spend two weeks with us.

We went to see Mount Rushmore.

We watched the bears play in the trees.

And we stood in awe at Devils Tower.

Joy & DeWayne end up staying as our fellow camp hosts! YAY!

September already!

We said farewell, see ya soon to Dianne.

Our friend Jerry wows us with another meal. These meals are getting ready to be a regular thing and we’re likin’ it!

Bob did some repair work to our rig.

We bid farewell to Jerry and Valerie, DeWayne and Joy and Ellsworth Air Force Base. It’s time to move on.

We landed in Fort Bliss in El Paso for a day or two and then dropped the rig off in Tucson, Arizona for some warranty work.

We headed on to Arizona City to get our park model ready for our friends.

It was HOT when we arrived!

We sold the ATV since we aren’t spending the winter here.

We finished all we had to do in Arizona and hit the road again, through New Mexico….

and back into Texas settling in Fort Sam Houston with Joy & DeWayne and Pat & Dann that we met in South Dakota.

The six of us checked out the Alamo and the River Walk in San Antonio.

The six of us then move on to the Rio Grande Valley where we’ll all be workamping for this winter season.

In October we get all settled in Mission, Texas at the Mission Bell/Trade Winds RV Resort.

We attend a workamper potluck supper and I find myself carving a pumpkin blindfolded.

NOT!

We find that we are workamping with another couple we met in Quail Run back in ‘07, Eddie & Toni.

We also meet Chip & Bunky who are sure to be forever friends too.

Halloween is soon upon us.

November finds Bob putting a new states map on our 5th wheel.

The very best day of this whole month was when we met up with LaVon and Don just seven miles away.

I make my first trip to a Ropa Usada.

December brought us the BULLFIGHTS!

Delicious dinner with friends are something we look forward to each week.

A trip to Hidalgo to see the Light Festival was on our agenda.

Let’s not forget the ants!

All in all, it was a pretty good year. Met some great people, made wonderful new friends, saw some fantastic sights, shared lots of meals with friends that overflowed with good food and lots of laughs.

Who could ask for more?