Several inches of Rain

This day is a gift.  And I am grateful.  I'm trying to be more positive about every day happenings.  

When I got up this morning it was gloomy and dark,  the low clouds were full of rain.  Immediately it started to rain.  I had opened the front door and put out the awning.  Then I took my houseplants outside to get some rain water.

We had hot barley cereal for breakfast with an apple tossed in.  The dampness made me chilly so hot food was needed.  About 0830 the rain got heavier and it poured!  Rain in the tropical zones is just something you need to see and become part of.  After living in New Orleans we know about heavy rain.

For our midday meal I fixed some vegetable stew and hot biscuits.  Comfort food for our souls.  We've spent the day just hanging around and watching it rain.  Oh Jim took a nap.  

I took these pictures with my phone through the windows so please excuse the raindrops

It's 1600 and this water has already drained away from the house

This puddle is half it's size now.  That's part of the correctional institution you see in the distance 

This field is supposed to contain excess water and it did a fine job.  As you can see it didn't fill up because you can still see the culvert

When Jim got up it wasn't raining so we took Boo for a walk and checked the mail.  This baseball diamond is a pond....no one will be hitting balls here, no pitchers mound!

We've been in a tornado watch most of the day but it looks like we're north of the system now and the skies are clearing.  Usually when it rains we head to Barnes and Nobles...but neither one of us wanted to walk in the rain to the truck!

This morning we had the furnace on, this afternoon the AC is on.  Ever have days like that?

All is right in our world

Weekend of Fun

What did you do Valentines Day?  I hope you spent time with the one you love.  We were expecting Sonsearae and Chris for the weekend and decided on a spaghetti dinner at home.  Along with a glass of wine we had a quiet dinner.

Shortly after dinner I rushed to get the dishes done as they were arriving any minute!  As soon as I got that chore done we headed for the cabin they had rented and made ourselves at home....I'm not sure, but I think Chris thought he was in the wrong place!  Sonsearae had sent a King Cake from Gambino's Bakery in New Orleans and we all enjoyed some dessert.  After sending a text, Kathy and John joined us to eat this treat also.

We didn't stay long because both had worked and it was a long day and they looked tired.  Besides, we had an adventure to go on tomorrow!

Saturday the six of us piled into two trucks and headed to Carrabba's in St Augustine to have a wonderful lunch before embarking on the adventure.  So much good food that we all took some home.  Why do restaurants serve such large portions?  We had such a good time talking that we almost forgot the time!  We had to hustle to make it to the Alligator Farm so Jim and Sonsearae could do the zip line obstacle course!

This was Sonsearae and Chris' birthday gift to Jim.  Perfect way to celebrate his 71st birthday!  While they were gearing up and getting instructions (and signing their lives away!) the rest of us entered the park and started wandering around looking at the exhibits.

The whole course is above the ponds and exhibits of gators and crocs!  Not sure who came up with this idea but I'm sure it brought some life back into the Alligator Farm along with a boost of revenue.  

Most of the older gators look fat and happy and I'm sure if someone fell in they'd probably meander away annoyed at the intrusion!

This poor fella didn't even have teeth!  He'd have to whip you to death with his tail.  :-)

There were several varieties of crocodiles and they were in small enclosures, most by themselves.

Here they are getting ready to the first zip...Jim has done this before but it's a first for Sonsearae!

After this adventure we four did some shopping at Target and then headed home. I can't remember the last time I was in a Target!  Kathy and John headed off on their own.

Saturday evening we had tacos at the cabin with all six of us contributing to the dinner.  It was a good way to end the day.

Sunday my dear birthday boy was a wee bit sore!  I put together a pan of French toast and baked it.  Sonsearae came by for a cup of coffee.  Then the three of us headed back to the cabin for breakfast.  I had told Chris I would make it for him.

They lingered awhile longer then they had to get on the road for the drive back to Lake City via Jacksonville for a stop at Whole Foods Market.

The rest of Sunday we just chilled.  Jim was a bit achy and wasn't up for much.  Where's a good football game when you need it?? 

7 years ago

The past twenty four hours have been very emotional for me.  Hurricane Isaac has stirred up a lot of memories!

Seven years ago Hurricane Katrina was coming to New Orleans and we left town.  We evacuated heading to Lake Charles in our small 5th wheel.....who knew we'd still be rving???

Several days later we were allowed to go back home.  I can't begin to tell you how returning to our home felt like...my first sight as we got closer to New Orleans was of naked trees....I expected downed power lines and trees.  I knew there would be damage to buildings and homes...but naked trees in September just blew my mind.  Our home had what we call normal hurricane damage...part of the roof was gone which allowed rain to come in.  Carpeting and walls were soaked.  We didn't have any flooding in our neighborhood.

My heart goes out to all in Louisiana and the Gulf Coast, the road ahead will be hard but I know that the resilience of these fine southern people will prevail.  You can rebuild!

We stayed in the area for another year while Jim worked and we repaired the house.  We lived in Baton Rouge on the levee outside of Jim's office.  Driving down to Terrytown when we could, man did that get old!  Jim retired a year later and we lived on base in Algiers so we could get the house cleaned out and sold.

So we've been Full Timing for seven years....

 I love it and still look forward to traveling

Last Sunday, Mother's Day, we packed up and headed east to Madisonville.  When we travel we try to avoid the interstates as much as possible.  They are boring and tend to make us sleepy.  Interstate 10 through Louisiana can be pretty but the road surface is awful and in need of repair.  We chose highway 190 as we've traveled this road before and it's interesting driving through small towns.  Well there's a section that they're working on and we know why!  Jim got an upper body work out just trying to keep us between the lines.

After two stops, one to stretch and relax from the bumpy ride and one for lunch we finally made it to Fairview Riverside State Park in Madisonville, Louisiana.  Nestled in the pine and live oak trees on the Tchefuncte river it's one of our favorite places to stay.  We always stop here when in the New Orleans area.

home sweet home

As you can see we are among the oaks just dripping with Spanish Moss

our backyard

 We chose this site, back by the boat launch because it's so pretty

bald cypress on the Tchefuncte River

 There's a boardwalk along the river with benches set up so you can watch the river.  We saw some folks water skiing and towing tubes Sunday afternoon.

my fellas sitting on a  live oak

bald cypress on the Tchefuncte river

Jim spent Monday morning cleaning bugs off the front of the rig and the washing the truck.  No matter which road you travel it's springtime in Louisiana and that means bugs!

Tuesday we drove across Lake Pontchartrain and visited a couple of our favorite places.  We found diesel for $3.70 so we filled up the tank.  Then we headed to the Brick Oven for a pizza....but everyone else decided they wanted to eat there too.  So we headed to another favorite spot Deanie's in Bucktown.  We each had a schooner of Abita Amber (we should have split one!) and enjoyed the boiled potatoes they offer as a treat to get you started.  Jim ordered fried shrimp and catfish and I had a delicious bowl of seafood gumbo.  I was so full when we left that it hurt!  And we still had another stop....

As many people know Whole Foods Market is my favorite grocery store in the whole wide world!  That's where we headed next.  We picked up a few necessary items and some not so necessary but delicious items.  I was surprised by our restraint!  But perhaps that was due to the meal we just ate  :-)

Yesterday Jim cleaned up the trikes.  They get nasty riding on the back of the rig.  I've been informed that a weld or two on the rack is in need of fixing so the trikes will be riding on the bed until we can find a welder.

Today is our last day here, we would have liked to stay longer but this state park is a popular place and they stay booked up on the weekends.  So we'll head out in the morning and head east.