We are HOME! Celebrating the Fourth!

  Monday Louis Dean and I spent the entire day cleaning up, packing up, loading up and closing up the camper AND, for the first time, the extra room!

It's always a bit melancholy to open up the gate and drive out knowing it will be awhile before we return.

We felt good about all the progress we made. Louis Dean worked extremely hard for weeks and he greatly appreciated his son and grandson coming to his rescue a few times!

THEY are the reason that roof is done - decking, felt paper and tin! There's just a small section over the bathroom that needs the tin. LD bought it and that will be a project for next time.

On this one trip so many things were accomplished! 

We even have a front door which I locked before we left!

Never mind one end of the room is still open!

We started this trip on June 8th and had lunch at The Lone Star Cafe on the way down.

It was only fitting we celebrate with dinner on our way back home.

We splurged with an appetizer of onion rings!

Delicious and we brought a few back home with us.

Louis Dean dug right into his chicken fried steak with EXTRA gravy!!
Even so, when he weighed this morning he was down to 220 pounds!

We had such a good time basking in the glory of all that had been done while eating good food and talking about all the highlights of our 25 days on the ranch!

We had a fine welcome home!

Notes from Amber and Logan and a sweet encouraging card from Arlene of Nanaland!

She is an amazing 'stitcher?' Is that the word? I should say, she is an artist with a needle and has encouraged me to pick up my needlework again. In her note, she included a pretty autumn cross stitch that I'm looking forward to stitching soon.

Thanks to all the friends and family who watched over our home while we were away.

Sherry, Ruth Ann and Roy and Stephanie plus Amber and Logan all kept the place watered and the produce picked. Olga watched from next door as did Stephanie on the other side of us.

Not much can get by with two sweet neighbors looking on!

It felt good to turn on all my lights and sit in the gazebo for a bit!

Our electric bill went down while we were gone!

As we sat sipping a late night glass of wine after having unloaded and putting things away, we heard a rustling up by the air conditioner.

We had caught a possum!

He had to spend the night in the cage because we were not letting him out.

I thought I slept well at the ranch but last night I slept even better!!

I woke up in the middle of the night and couldn't even remember where I was.....

I looked at the door and wondered if I was in the camper or the new room!

Neither.....

This is the produce we gathered after our first cup of coffee in the gazebo!

It had rained in the night so we took the opportunity to pull some of the weeds that had grown up.

We didn't linger long, though, because we had a movie date with Amber, Mike and the Quads.

On our way over, we had to make a detour so we could release the possum in a friendlier environment than our back yard!

The kids were excited to see us and we all laughed while watching Boss Baby.

About a quarter of the way in, though, Trystan - who sat on one side of me and Logan on the other - said, "MeeMaw, this is NOT my favorite movie!"

Granddad sat further down the row with Harrison on one side and Kailey on the other.

We all enjoyed seeing each other!

Logan said, "I was getting worried about you!"

After the show, we went one way and they went another.

Since it was Tuesday we hit up the Goodwill and scored on several good buys!

I don't like to heat up the camper in the summer with cooking inside so I use a crock pot, grill and hot plate outside. I also needed an electric skillet and we found one for $6!

Looks practically brand new!

Louis Dean selected several wine glasses and a couple of beer steins.

We had ONE really good glass at the camper and he had put it in the freezer for when he wanted to drink a Shiner. I opened the door and it fell out and broke. So now he has a real stein to replace it!

My favorite was the fall goblet!

 

Christmas in July!!

Ruth Ann and I need to start Santas soon!

I loved this great big bowl that will be perfect for big salads.

Books and movies! Win! WIN!!

My treasure of a find was this Italian top for $5.25!

It is beautiful and it is brand new with tags still on it!

I love that it's written in Italian!

A Chico's top is another score.

$2.25

This sweet light weight top is a bit big but I can fix it.

We shopped for groceries before going home to start the laundry and tending to housewifely chores.

Then we were off again - this time to Quadville!!

The kids were throwing a little party!

Mike grilled dinner and Amber ran the kitchen and it was all ready by the time we arrived!

Look at Jersey Girl!

She was really kicking back and relaxing!

We all loaded up in two vehicles and went to watch fireworks!

Amber has got it together! There were glow in the dark necklaces and such plus bug spray, a quilt, chairs for all four kids and more! She's one organized Little Mama!

Granddad was showing off some of his 'ouches.'

Kailey said, "What have you DONE??"

We parked by the edge of a field where you can see fireworks from several areas.

Granddad was tired but he didn't want to miss being with the family.

I think he enjoyed himself!!!

It was a Happy Fourth of July Celebration and we were happy to be a part of it!!