While we were in Kissimmee for Jim's trade show, we contacted my sister-in-law, LuAnn, to make sure the dates we planned to be in Ohio were still OK.....since we would be parked in their driveway, that seemed like a good idea. She suggested we come a day earlier so we could watch Niece Becca do a Tough Mudder. Sounded like fun, so we said "Sure". Well, that was followed by Becca asking Uncle Jim if he would like to be on her team and compete in the Tough Mudder instead of being a spectator. Jim checked out the website and gave it some thought and decided to go for it. He only had three weeks to train and he went at it full tilt. He used the amenities at the RV park for training. Running. Chin-ups at the playground. Push-ups. Weights in the exercise room. Laps in the pool. Then we moved to Stone Mountain, GA, for a week and he ran up the mountain. (And we went to a Braves game at Turner Field, home of the Tomahawk Chop) Well, he was in pretty good shape to start with, but by this time he was pretty buff! So we arrived in Ohio a couple of days before the event, and he was ready. Becca's team consisted mostly of doctors, nurses, and EMTs so we were pretty sure Jim wouldn't die. Angie and Chris weren't so sure but they are in England and couldn't intervene. :) He finished! I'll have him put some pictures here. Yes, he looks like he was having a good time!
Speaking of good time, we had a really good time in Ohio. Jim had to leave for a few days for another trade show so I had to drive to and from another airport in another strange town, but with the help of the nice lady on my phone, I made it. LuAnn and I spent a fun day in Amish Country and stopped along the way at the longest covered bridge in Ohio. No cars allowed.....just people and horses. We all went to Cincinnati for a ride on the duck boat, some famous chili, ice cream and a Reds Game (with a long rain delay, but oh well, the Reds won). Went garage saling with Zach and Katie. Went to the theater with Becca to see Wicked (I had already seen it in London, but for some reason, I couldn't remember the story line. I know, Old Age!) Went to a great little tea house for lunch with the girls. Went for walks with Bill, LuAnn and the dog. Topped it all off with a visit to the Air Force Museum and dinner out in Cedarville followed by ice cream that was sooo good and some games of Corn Hole. It was a really good trip!
And then on to Illinois to park in another driveway. This time it was Jim's brother Bill's house . The night we arrived, we had a great dinner prepared by Jake and Jamie, our nephew and his wife, and we got to meet our great-niece, Millie. What a cutie! She in almost two and full of questions. Loves her Pops who always has gummy bears in his truck. We made fast friends with Bill's dog Max. Went to one of Jake's softball games. We tried to go to the St Louis Zoo but everyone in St. Louis decided to go that day and the traffic was so horrible that after trying for almost two hours to get to a parking lot, we gave up and went to Cheesecake Factory instead. Bill, Adrienne, Jake, Jamie, and Jim and I went to a St. Louis Cardinals game. Great seats and the Cardinals won in the tenth. (It was tough to go to the scene of the Rangers' Game 6 meltdown in 2011, but I made it through, Jim)
Now we are in Blue Springs, MO, for a few days. Right outside Independence, where everything is named after Harry Truman. Perhaps this weekend we can go visit a few of these historical places and visit one of the lakes near the campground if the rain will go away. Then we will be going to a KC Royals game against the Texas Rangers in Kansas City.
We found out today that the RV park where we planned to stay in Highland Village, TX, for three weeks in June is under water. So we will be staying in Aledo at a park that we have passed hundreds of times on our way somewhere else.
We are doing pretty well at advancing up the learning curve for RV living. Nowhere near the top yet. But people along the way are helping and trial and error is a good teacher. For instance, even though the doors of the fridge are strapped closed, having twenty or so bottles of water on the top shelf is not a good idea when rolling down the road. I opened the RV door to check on things when we stopped for gas and was greeted by bacon on the floor. That can't be good, I thought. And I was right. The water bottles had pushed the doors open and food was everywhere. Live and learn.
We are getting to do so many things we wouldn't have done otherwise. Jim still works every day but we find time for the fun stuff too.
