This journal got its start back in 2005 when we started full-timing in a motorhome and traveling around the country, visiting with family and friends and seeing the sights of America. The focus has changed through the years as we became more stationary and no longer travel by motorhome. Since October of 2018, it is the story of the journey of Tom and I and me flying solo again. To view entries before June of 2013, go to http://archive.bridgeccs.com
Saturday, September 16, 2023
Saturday, September 16, 2023, MN
Saturday, September 9, 2023
Saturday, September 9, 2023, MN
I had my blood work for my upcoming annual physical on Tuesday morning and I had the results in
Friday, September 1, 2023
Sunday, September 3, 2023, WI
It was so nice to see Monica, Logan, and Nan again. Once Logan was no longer shy around me and learned my name, he kept pointing to me and saying “Aunt Rose”. That just made my heart happy. He is so smart - knows how to count to 15, knows all of the colors and shapes, and he’s not quite two years old. We had such a nice visit.
Wednesday, August 23, 2023
Saturday, August 26, 2023 - MN
Wednesday, August 16, 2023
Wednesday, August 16, 2023 - MN, WI
Sunday, August 13, 2023
Sunday, August 13, 2023, MN
Sunday, August 6, 2023
Sunday, August 6, 2023 - MN
I’m still recovering from my bout with bronchitis but getting better every day. The weather folks on the news are calling this “the summer if fires” as we keep having days with poor air quality because of smoke coming in from Canadian wildfires. It is sure having an effect on me.
Monday, July 31, 2023
Monday, July 31, 2023 - MN
Saturday, July 29, 2023
Saturday, July 29, 2023 - MN
Tuesday, July 25, 2023
Tuesday & Wednesday,July 25-26, 2023 - MN
Before heading to our B & B, we stopped at the Spring Valley Swimming Pool to burn up some energy. They are both really good swimmers and spent most of the time in the 11’ deep part of the pool and jumped off the diving board many times.
The girls suggested walking tacos for dinner and we realized that I forgot to bring the cheese, so we walked to the little convenience store and they didn’t have any either - cheeseless tacos. We sat out on the patio and had our tacos and walked back to the little store for dessert. There weren’t a lot of GF options, so they had popsicles while playing in the park behind the jail house. We watched America’s Got Talent and went to bed. They were afraid that they would fall out of the bunks, so we all started out in the queen sized bed, but then I ended up sleeping in the bottom bunk of the jail cell. Now I can say that I’ve slept in a jail cell (it was NOT an item on my bucket list). Wykoff has done an excellent job of restoring this historic building and bringing some extra tourist income to the town. The area is beautiful - part of the driftless area with lots of hills, valleys, rock formations, and the Root River.
Our destination for Tuesday was the Olmsted county fair at Rochester. It was the first day of the fair, so the rides and games were not opening until 6pm. Dang it! We spent three hours in the animal and 4H displays and eating.
Friday, July 21, 2023
Friday, July 21, 2023 - MN
Tuesday, July 18, 2023
Tuesday, July 18, 2023 - MN, WI
Tuesday, July 11, 2023
Tuesday, July 11, 2023 - MN
Ben and his family got back home and the girls are in Cardboard Camp this week. Since I had told Jill that I could help out with pickups, I am doing that on Monday and Tuesday this week. They just love it and are tired, dirty, and smelly when I pick them up. When we got back to their house, they played with the neighbor girls, as they are trying to get as much time in before they leave on August 1 to live in Spain for the next year. How nice is that? And I wonder where do young couples get all of their money to be able to do that?
Friday, July 7, 2023
Friday, July 7, 2023 - MN
Sunday, July 2, 2023
Sunday, July 2, 2023 - MN
Sunday, June 25, 2023
Sunday, June 25, 2023 - MN
I did my laundry and cleaning on Sunday, as the next week was gonna be a busy one, starting with a residents meeting on Monday morning. We had a guest speaker to inform us of how the local recycling works - with a review of what can and cannot be recycled. I learned a lot and a few of the takeaways were that the caps should be left on plastic bottles, aluminum cans should not be crushed, and anything that is smaller than your fist should not be put in the recycling. If I’m doubt, throw it out.
Friday, June 16, 2023
Saturday, June 16, 2023 - MN
Saturday, June 10, 2023
Saturday, June 10, 2023, MN
Monday, June 5, 2023
Monday, June 5, 2023 - IA, MN (Home, Sweet, Home)
Sunday, June 4, 2023
Sunday, June 4, 2023, MO, IA
Saturday, June 3, 2023
Saturday, June 3, 2023, MO
We lounged around, enjoying the beautiful views of the lake. Fortunately, it was a slow weekend at the lake and boat traffic was light. Later in the afternoon, we went into Osage Beach and had some late lunch at Tucker’s Shuckers Oyster Bar, ate on the upper deck and people watched. I had fish tacos that were excellent. More lounging on the deck, talking and lake watching.
Thursday, June 1, 2023
Thursday, May 1, 2023, MO
This morning, Randy and I walked at a small park near his home and then I fixed us some scrambled eggs for breakfast when we got back home. We were talking about how to spend the day and I suggested a motorcycle ride and he and Ryan were both up for it. It sure felt good to feel the rumble of Randy's bike on the road and the wind blowing through our hair as we rode some of the hilly, winding roads near his home. We even stopped at a couple of garage sales.
We all took naps when we got back home and then Randy and I went to see Sunny Sweeney at the Southbound Bar and Grill in the evening. It has been ages since I saw a live music concert and the opening act wasn’t the greatest but Sunny’s show was very entertaining and enjoyable. Thanks to Randy for taking me on a date - it was lots of fun!
Wednesday, May 31, 2023
Wednesday, May 31, 2023 - MN, IA, MO
Last Tuesday, the 23rd, I packed up and got ready for my trip to Missouri (this is my visit siblings for one on one time trip) and left right after my haircut appointment and was on the road by about 2:00 pm and traveled as far as the KOA in West Des Moines where I had a little cabin rented for the night. I have stayed at this campground many times in the past, as it was a convenient stopping location when I was pulling my little trailer. It’s a beautiful, well cared for park and I enjoyed my stay there.
After a walk and loading the car on Wednesday morning, I headed off to Bob and Penny’s house. Dang, it felt good to get their hugs. We had a lovely time conversing and having cocktails and a yummy steak dinner with fresh salad greens from Penny’s beautiful garden.
On Thursday, after a nice walk, we took a drive to the little town of Windsor, about 40 miles west of their house and stopped for lunch at a little Mexican restaurant along the way. It is an area with several Amish farms where plants and flowers are sold. We also stopped at a store where grains, seasonings, pies, and other goodies are sold and I bought some corn meal and jelly to take home with me. None of us were very hungry later that evening, so we had salad and pie for dinner.
Friday was the day to spend time with my brother Ron at his apartment, but we did go out for a nice breakfast too. He had just had his living room painted and new carpet installed, so I helped him to hang some pictures and get it back to normal. We also spent some time looking through the old family album that I brought with me and that brought back lots of memories and we had a really nice talk.
Penny made Shrimp Boil for dinner Saturday night and we gathered at Amber and Ashley’s lake house with their kids and families. She had the shrimp shipped from Padre Island (where they spend the winter and feast on seafood) and they borrowed a huge cooker for it. It was yummy and there wasn’t much left of it. What a fun evening connecting with their family.
It was on to visit the next sibling, Rene, at her home near Warsaw on Sunday. Mike wanted to treat us to barbecue for dinner, so Rene and I headed into town in her new used Mercedes SUV that she wanted to show off. The BBQ place was closed, so that plan was nixed. While we were in town, Mike called he to let her know that his daughter Kristin, her husband Mike and daughters Abby and Ellie were stopping by. I don’t think I had seen Kristin since before Rene and Mike were married, so it was nice yo see her and to meet her family. They stuck around until almost 9 pm.
Mike, Kristin, Abby & Ellie, Me and Mike
Rene has been having sciatica problems, so she has been laid up for a while. I offered to help her out, so I dug up her flower bed and planted a couple of Rose bushes, two tomato plants, and some flower seeds for her. We then started to burn a stack of cardboard boxes that had piled up in their garage (some needed to be cut up and she hadn’t been able to do the bending required). We also gathered up several containers of aluminum cans that she hauled up to her neighbors for recycling. After our chores were done, I took a shower and then we all sat around their yard and enjoyed the setting. We had a nice dinner of brats, spinach salad, and lemon poppyseed bread that I had brought along.
Tuesday morning was the day to move south to Springfield where I would spend a couple of days with Randy and his family. I didn’t get out of there until almost noon, as Rene had things to show me and we hadn’t gone through the old family photo album. We said our goodbyes and I was off down the road again.
I got to Randy’s house, one that I hadn’t seen before, as he and Julie are separated now and living individually. It’s a lovely house in a quiet neighborhood and he has it set up very nicely. We did some grocery shopping as he has invited his family for spaghetti dinner on Wednesday evening. We had sandwiches for dinner and watched the movie, “Peanut Butter Falcon”, one that I never get tired of watching.
I met up with Julie and Lanae this morning for a nice walk on a paved trail through a nice little park.