Whelan's Wheels (go round and round, round and round): learning isn't easy these days

Saturday, February 28, 2009

learning isn't easy these days

So, I just got a new phone ~ yes I have been whining that I wanted the ability to "text" to whomever and I really wanted a phone with a camera - welcome to the 21st century Tracey Whelan!

So there she be ... but what I didn't realize, and certainly should have ~ especially if gadget man has to buy an Iphone for dummies book ... there is one heck of a learning curve involved ... well I just don't do much in the way of learning curves these days ~ do you think!

Today we went out on the bikes to Starke, FL about 30 miles away - south and perhaps east I guess .. for lunch. Great ride, fabulous weather and we had the great pleasure of passing many many fresh produce stands along the way - apparently it is strawberry season in these parts and man oh man I would just love some fresh strawberries and cream for breakfast tomorrow but I thought I'd be pushing my luck to buy fresh strawberries and put them in the back pack I carry in the fork bag of my bike ... smooshed berries anyone?)). With all that said, I did not take my old stand by, faithful companion side kick (no I am NOT speaking of my dearly beloved Richard J. (because of course he was there) at the moment) my nikon coolpix 3200 ~ soon to be replaced ~ but much to Chad's dismay NOT by an SLR ~ which would be way too much bulk for me ... I need easy, portable, very user friendly and did I mention portable? So with all that said, I took several pictures in Starke (an interesting little town that seems to have been hit strongly with ... you guessed it, this sucky economy) but I need to learn how to get the pictures from the phone to the laptop to the blog then I'll post them ~ if they are blog worthy ..........

Tomorrow we are off to a cook out at Paul's brothers in Jacksonville and hopefully their Mom (who lives next door to Paul) will be feeling well enough to go with us ...

In closing tonight ~ to Amy ...... Rick and my thoughts and love are with you tonight and through this incredibly difficult time ~ my words of "wisdom" (such as they are) ... hold tight to the many fond memories and let them comfort you and remind you of the love, peace and wisdom of your Dad ...

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This is our story ~ and we're sticking to it.

Our attempt at a blog - quite scary isn't it?

We left MA in early October, 2007 after I (Tracey) retired September 5 as an executive assistant for a software developer and Rick retired from his job on October 1. We passed papers on our house September 28th and off we went. We traveled down the east coast to the Florida Keys ~ where we planned to spend three nights but 17 nights later had to leave our site because someone had reserved it a year prior! We then stayed in northern FL for another month and headed off to meet our Marine returning to the San Diego area after his second tour "over there". We spent several wonderful weeks realizing why grandparents get tired easily! After the San Diego area we headed to the "low desert" (certainly a new phrase for us) of CA and into western AZ .. and decided it was finally time to start the blog we'd talked about since August or so!!

So many wonderful things we saw along the way. And the people, oh the people. I have said so many times to Rick the best part of this journey has been the people. So, so many people with so many interesting stories. Think about it - think about the stories YOU have and multiply that by the many many people we must have met along the way ~ particularly a social person like Rick .. we met a rattlesnake milker in Sweetwater, TX, we met the camp hosts in the Keys who summer back in NH ~ talk about the best of both worlds! We met the female police Sgt. at the Sweetwater Elks whose son was also in Iraq at the same base as my son. We met people in Slidell, LA who survived Katrina and had a great attitude and a smile on their faces and were proud to share their local cuisine with us. We saw the Blue Angels, purely by chance, in El Centro, CA. Or the "campground" where within an hour of arriving our house had been hit three times by golf balls! Or the Elks lodge in Indio ~ the sweetest, bike riding, bartender ~ I just wanted to pack her up and bring her along on our adventure. Not to mention the aerial tram while we were there, the warplane museum for Rick who does NOT do aerial trams! The Salton Sea ~ WOW just WOW. We stayed in the lovely little town of Wilcox, AZ - there was just something about that town. How about Pensacola, FL where the Elks Lodge on the beach is now built high, very high, off the ground! Or what about Huntington Beach State Park in Murrels Inlet, SC - talk about beautiful. What a great place that was to spend our first Thanksgiving on the road with good friends - that was something to be thankful for, for sure. Our first Christmas and New Years in the Keys!! WOW. The love and support of a dear friend in FL while Rick had to fly back to Boston and we dealt with all that entailed with unexpected follow ups back in FL .. how fortunate were we through all of that. Not to mention having the new trailer outfitted in Myrtle Beach and staying at what a week or two a year is the Broken Spoke? Or the kind and soft spoken LA Police Detective who is on the gang unit? So many people, so many stories. And there is so much ahead. The people .. did I mention how wonderful the people have been - all different walks of life .. so many personalities, so many stories! I have said many times ~ I need to pinch myself every morning to be certain it REALLY is happening to US! We are so grateful.

Click here to see our pictures on picasa