No pictures, no video ;-(

Appreciated your comment Bethalene - I swear you and "Good Paul" are the only two that have stuck with me through these post "pauses". I still can't seem to upload the video (Rick told me a long time ago not to whine on the blog about my technical inability (read challenges) so I won't go there!

Rick and I have gotten through three days of labs, scans and doctors appointments. The BEST BEST BEST was yesterday when Rick's cancer doctor "cleared" him for another year.

While waiting for me to get done with my doctor Rick ran into an old friend JJ - who was more surprised to see the other I'm not sure!

This evening around our our campfire (much to Rick's chagrin ~ perhaps a topic for another "slow post" post) this evening I asked Rick how his doctor was (they have a looooooong history together) and if Dr. Carl had asked about Rick's travels (as he usually does) and Rick's reply among other things was that Dr. Carl had asked him if he had learned any new skills along the way! Isn't that an interesting question?!?! I am certain I will still be pondering that at 3:00 AM. I was trying to recall when was the last time I "learned a new skill" and I guess it would have been within the last six months (thankfully, because I was certain my mind was far beyond (and not in a GOOD way) learning ...) how to finally do a "proper" quilt binding by hand. I've been quilting for about 100 (alright maybe 35) years and finally "got it" with the binding thing!

So when was the last time YOU learned a "new skill"? I just LOVE that question.

Now with medical appointments almost over we will work on our "to do" list (see even in a motor home we have that flippin' list) ... not to mention a list of things we need to take care of in our "old area".

Speaking of our "old area" we had a WONDERFUL dinner with our former neighbors last night and I was delighted that the boys - Joe and Patrick - remembered us! I had very very VERY mixed emotions about seeing our old house ... it was in fact, bittersweet, BUT the new owner (a single guy in his late 20's or early 30's) has really done a fabulous job on the yard (he wasn't home - thankfully or not) ... he has put lots and lots of work into what I thought was a nice yard - he put me to shame .... it was so very sad to see my perennials gone - some of them had a family history - they were offspring from my Mom's gorgeous gardens, but that is a price you pay when you sell a property with gardens I guess! But the yard now is far superior to what we left! I really wanted to see inside the house because I knew from talking with him two years ago he had MAJOR plans and I really would loved to have seem the results ... Maybe it was a "blessing in disguise" that he wasn't there - who knows. I guess I will "let the mystery be". I was delighted with what I saw however, and didn't have a "nervous breakdown" over it.

That's it for this post I guess ... off to la la land (!!!!) for me.

Back in MA

We left New Hampshire last Friday and arrived at our "old stomping grounds". We are at a KOA in Middleboro where we often came for weekends when when we were in Whitman.

Our friends Richie and Mary and Arlo's best friend Casey were here with us for the weekend - we often camped together in the old days ... it was a great time.

This week is health week for us - lab work yesterday, Rick's scan this morning and doctor this afternoon and we both have doctor appointments tomorrow. After these appointments it is sort of hang loose and relax time. Tonight we are having dinner at our old neighbors - can't wait to see them.

Hopefully I'll get myself to the laundry room here soon. Rick discovered a major lint buildup in the dryer vent in the coach and we haven't had a chance to rectify it so until then it's community laundry areas, which is alright by me - at least it's quicker!

Below is Sir and his new toy from Snoopy. Arlo just loves this chicken. I took a couple videos of him playing with and "talking" to his chicken but can't seem to upload them ~ gonna keep trying though because it is pretty funny.

It's a bird, it's a plane

WOW ~ HOLY MACKEREL ...... I THINK IT IS ... NO IT CAN'T BE .... IS IT REALLY THE SUN?

After constant rain for the last several weeks it finally happened!

A few days ago we were in Concord (in the car of course) and stopped at a restaurant in Hopkinton on the way home (actually, I think it was the day of my trip to the Concord Hospital) - check out this old Cadillac - Rick was pretty impressed!

Last weekend we went to visit my nephew and his wife and son (Owen, Jess and Brayden). Below are Rick and Brayden looking over some old (really old) Peck family photos. Brayden is quite a bundle of energy - I had forgotten how much energy and 23 month old has, but boy is he entertaining and just a funny funny little boy who LOVES his dog!

And once again, proof of what a tough life Sir Arlo has!

We are still in New Hampshire but headed to Middleboro, MA on Friday for a couple weeks before leaving New England. Rick will have his doctors appointments while we are staying in Middleboro. We will be heading to the Peck Family Christmas BBQ on August 1 then may or may not be heading to a motorhome rally in VT before heading to the Great Lakes before starting our journey south to the Keys!! Yippy, the Keys again!

A week later

I don't know if I mentioned in my last post that we had moved to a different site (same campground, different site) and no longer have the campgrounds wifi and we are under so many trees and down a hill that we can't get our satellite - hence not so frequent posts!

Anyway, Rick and the group went back up to Laconia on Saturday (I sat this one out as well because I'd been to the hospital the day before to find out I now have bronchitis). Sunday evening we were at Pat and Beth's fro Father's Day and spent the night so I am on their internet connection!

It has rained constantly here for the past week and a half. There was one break on Tuesday I think it was so we were able to get the bikes out and ride for a couple hours. Rain is predicted for the rest of the week, but at this point SUN is predicted for the coming weekend - we will all keep our fingers crossed on that one. Hopefully we can get the bikes out again!

I was so frustrated the other day with the hospital deal, but after several days of going into these coughing fits and not being able to catch my breath Rick convinced me it was time to do something. There are not walk in facilities or urgent care facilities in these parts so Blue Cross sent us to the e.r. at Concord Hospital! Seems like a hell of a waste of money to use an e.r. for such a thing, but that was the only option.

We will be in NH for another couple weeks then to MA for two weeks after which we head to NY and VT for a couple weeks (doing a rally in VT we think) then heading to the Great Lakes.

That's the brief post for today - hopefully the next one won't be a week away or as brief!

Yesterday Rick headed up to the Laconia (on his bike - it is the start of Laconia bike week) area with friends Richie and Frankie.

I headed out to an Artisans Faire in Hillsboro Center. Hillsboro Center is different from Hillsboro and about five miles north (??). The rain finally took a break and it was a lovely sunny day. Check out this tree that was in the "yard" where the faire was. That is a hole right through the tree! One of those weird things I guess that just catch my eye sometimes!

Hillsboro Center was a beautiful little town with gorgeous old homes on lovely acreage. The tree however was the only photo I took!

Today we are off to Chad and Amy's to meet Amy's mom. Arlo will be going with us so he will meet Indie. Chad thought it would be best if they met at a dog park (good idea as it is "neutral territory") and hopefully they would be worn out and wouldn't run around like nuts on Chad's hardwood floors, probably making all kinds of racket for the landlords who live below. It is however raining, pouring (the break was so nice yesterday but didn't last long enough for sure) so I don't know if we will still be meeting at the dog park. I think it may be "weird" to me to be back in Boston.

The weather for the rest of the week is ~ you guessed it ... rain. We have no plans although we had discussed a bike trip to Laconia on Friday - we shall see. We need to find Arlo sitting for probably Thursday and Friday nights if we do that. Also, Sir needs to visit a vet this week for a rabies shot and heart worm test - so I guess that gives us something to do part of one day.

I did finish the quilt I'd been working on yesterday while Rick was gone. Other than that I continue to have this mental block about my sewing machine. I have some hemming to do on a couple pair of pants and there is a quilt store in Henniker that I'd like to visit - I am looking for a fabric with small flamingos to do a wall hanging for the bedroom - where I intended the flip-flop wall hanging (that turned out to be a table topper) to go. I have the best intentions and then get lazy and sit doing word searches or reading (not to mention eating and drinking and expanding, ever expanding). But at least I am feeling better!

remember the song?

Whose lyrics are........

RAIN RAIN GO AWAY, COME AGAIN ANOTHER DAY ....... Like how 'bout 60 days from now .....

j.c. get this flipping rain AWAY .... can't stand anymore cold, rain, rain, rain, rain, cold, rain, cold, rain, rain, cold, cold, cold .... We've had the heat on four mornings in a row ....

I used to HATE it when my mother in law would sit on my/our deck wearing blankets and sweaters commenting on how cold it was. Yes, it used to irk the heck out of me ... my thought was, you know what, it is cold here in MA in April/May and you should know it after spending how many years in the area .... well ..... history is repeating itself isn't it .... and yes, it is MID june .... UGH UGH UGH cold damp ... sweaters and afghans ......

lupines ~ just beautiful lupines

When I had my gardens I tried to grow lupines (a very pretty perennial in at least two colors - blue and pink) and didn't have much success. The planting came at the end of my gardening at the stick house - and I think perhaps (excuses excuses??) the dog or the boy that mowed the lawn (although the lupines weren't in the lawn, so most likely the dog!?!?) destroyed the plants.

Anyway, with all that said, the story is .... we went to Peterborough the other day. We were on a shopping mission (well I was) and a mission to find the closest (25+ miles away) gastroenterologist .... seriously, as well as a hospital or emergency facility - 25+ miles.

It is so interesting to me that NOW in my life I consider the distance to emergency care and medical specialists. Another interesting point that pushed my buttons (in a less than positive way) was that when I "checked out" (on their website) a gastro doctor and his associates in Concord - I have to have a referral to make an appointment .... I don't understand all this referral stuff ... but am ever so so so grateful that I do have the insurance that will cover the ongoing "issue". Enough about all that "stuff" .... yeah I could have done a play on words there, but I guess Mom is over my shoulder saying don't don't don't.

Gosh I digressed with all that didn't I. Our trip to Peterborough was great - cold, but great. Rick and I had a "date", seriously we left Sir Arlo at home and headed out the two of us - OH the nerve (isn't that terminology more than a bit odd!!)

Along the way we passed what was probably a two mile stretch of daisies, beautiful white daisies and lupins, gorgeous blue lupines. I decided that I needed to have some of the lupines, so on the return we stopped and I picked a few .... they don't smell all that great (read a bit on the nasty side) but they sure look lovely in the bathroom and on the kitchen counter. Lois is here with us in spirit, I swear, when I do these, often times, small flower "things" . When Sister Candy was here last week she brought me a beautiful arrangement in a lovely old bottle ... we got the Lois thing going through our veins for sure!

So on our "shopping" travel today, we bought a new outside chair/recliner deal for Rick - I bought one a week or so ago for me and got frustrated trying to deal with the camping world store for it (i didn't feel well that day to start) and came home and ordered a LaFuma on line. Apparently Rick did like mine after all so off to CW we went today so Rick could "test" them all. Now if we could have the flipping weather cooperate!

After that it was a trip to the fabric store (I used to spend lots and lots and lots of hours at fabric stores in a previous life!!). Princess Paige is being baptised in a few weeks and she will be wearing the Alves family baptism dress. I, however, am honored to make a bonnet and a pair of booties for the occasion. I needed patterns for such things so that was a stop today .... still having issues with the booties pattern ~ seems the major pattern manufacturers don't make such a thing anymore! Since my boys were never baptised (does that make me a bad mother?? ... well it could be a post for a different day ... baptism etc.). As for the pattern, I will make it work and Paigie (aka "Muffin Face") will have very special booties on her day - and they will be embellished with lace or something taken, oh so discreetly, from her Mom's wedding dress. IT WILL BE LOVELY (I hope because T~T wants to be involved in a good and loving way on this special day).

So the weather here in Deering continues to be (as seems to be the case throughout New England) cold and rainy and just plain crappy. I won't continue in that vein (vane??), but ......... um, we not be thrilled with it and the bikes remain in the trailer!!!

Rick is heading to Pat and Beth's tomorrow with Sir. Arlo needs some "Mr. S" time .... as in he needs some great exercise, and I am looking forward to some "me" time and will use the time to complete a quilt I've been working on and/or perhaps cut out a "shirt" I've had on the project line up for about a month and a half ... we shall see about that one! If all else fails, I will be out there in my oh so comfy "recliner" tomorrow working on the completion of my current book.

Speaking of books ....... seriously, who knows the name and/or author of the book about the Amish "children" going through their "free" year before commitment to the lifestyle? Not the Jodi Picoult (although Michelle, what IS the name of that one?? That is on my to read list as well).

That's all for tonight y'all ... sleep tight etc.