When life gets overwhelming, you should take time to reflect, and decide what you must do and what you can neglect.
If a friend needs your support then you really must assist. Do everything you can for them. They should top your list.
If the house needs cleaning and the laundry is piled high, make them two and three in case someone should stop by.
We have many kids and grandkids and some other family members. I forgot a birthday once and everyone remembers.
I love taking part in the activities I’ve selected. I will admit there are a few I have seriously neglected.
We fire up the motor home and load up all the pets. We travel everywhere we can, so we’ll have no regrets.
I’m getting so confused. What number am I on? I’m pretty sure that I have almost all the numbers wrong.
I’ll switch number one and two and leave out number four. I’ve already forgotten what I’m doing all this for.
I have more tasks to add but some I’ll have to skip. I have three number ones so I’ll just shoot from the hip.
How many friends have I lost touch with? Do I owe some thank you notes? A get well card or five with sympathetic quotes?
I had such good intentions when I began this blog. I thought I had the answers but instead I’m in a fog.
We’ll be home today. It’s the end of our vacation. I wonder if I should 86 this jumbled up creation.
We’re staying at Jellystone RV Park. They have a petting zoo, Yogi the Bear riding on a fire truck, a place called Kountry Kreamery with homemade ice cream, and all kinds of other things. We happen on to some pretty fun places.
The petting zooThe walking trailYogi BearYogi on the fire truckWaiting for Heidi to meet us for lunch
Yram: If you expect every day to be a good one, you are setting yourself up for a big disappointment. MG and Kip got off to a bad start yesterday and it went downhill from there. I laid low. Sort of. I’m not alldumb. (Mom’s word.)
I will enumerate what happened…
1) MG raised her voice while trying to convince Kip that it wasn’t a good idea to hook the Jeep up to the RV in the drive where Lagoon RV people might be trying to get out of their driveways. He said he had already asked the people it would affect. I didn’t…I mean MG didn’t know that.
We were lulled into thinking the day had turned the corner. I, (Yram), began to relax and file my nails.) Below are a few pics taken early in the day.
2) They went to 3 places to fuel up. The first 2 were out of diesel. At the 3rd place, when we were about to leave, a large pelican, who appeared to be injured, landed in front of the RV and we couldn’t move without running over him. Some lady called the game warden and while we waited, MG had to guard the poor bird so people pulling into the station wouldn’t hit him from the other side. That’s why she didn’t get pictures. Before the warden got there, the big pelican suddenly just flew away and landed in this field.
Next to that field, was a field on fire.
3) shortly after leaving the gas station, we heard something flapping. Apparently the wind from the night before had messed up the gear that turns the awning over the slide-out and it was loose. Kip pulled off of a very busy highway to take a look which didn’t make MG too happy, but this time she kept her mouth shut.
4) Shortly after finally making it back onto the highway, a rock hit the windshield and put a little crack in it. This didn’t make Kip too happy.
5) Then, MG discovered the refrigerator hadn’t switched over from electricity to propane when they disconnected that morning. This didn’t make Kip or MG too happy. Thankfully, things stayed pretty cold until they got it hooked back up to electriciry last night.
At the end of the day, we had only covered 160 brutal miles. Since I haven’t had very many riveting interviews on my roving reporter assignment, I tried to ask a couple of open-ended questions last night, which apparently was the wrong thing to do…geez. I sure wish the dogs and cat could tell their stories. I bet that would sell a lot of newspapers.
Make her go away. She doesn’t make me happy.
That’s all for now. Your roving reporter, Yram Sicnarf.
Molly…your neighbor wanted you to see this. She bought it at a store in Fredericksburg called, Remember Me.
As you know, Yram Sicnarf has been on a trip with MG and Kip. They have been visiting friends who are wintering in Rockport. She has absolutely worn everyone out. The residents of the Lagoon RV Park no longer try to hide their dismay when they see her yellow hair coming. Today is the last day in Rockport, but Kip, MG and Yram will be on the road until Monday.
Yram: I sure had fun at the dance last night, MG. That guy from Sioux Falls, South Dakota really knows how to cut a rug. I’m surprised he didn’t know us since you’re from Murdo and I spend a lot of time 500 feet from there. Restraining orders are the pits. I can’t believe I offended a whole town.
MG: You don’t give yourself enough credit Yram. You’ve done a pretty good job of irritating Cary and Molly’s friends, too. You have given new meaning to the words, social distancing.
Yram: I’m supposed to ask people open ended questions so they can’t answer yes or no. I need details. The Gun Barrel paper only hires top notch roving reporters and that’s what I’m shooting for. I’m going to interview Molly right now.
Knock knock…
Who’s there?
Yram…I’m here to interview you. I have some thought provoking questions to ask.
I heard that MG said she needed placemats that are smaller than normal size and you whipped some up for her. Aren’t you concerned that because she thinks she’s a queen that she will, you know, take advantage?
Molly: No
Yram: You can’t say no. An open ended question requires you to respond with a lot of words.
Molly made these pretty placemats to go with my new dishes.
Molly: You can’t make me say a lot of words. Nobody can. And that was not an open ended question.
Yram: Please…I can’t go back to Gun Barrel without an exclusive. I’ll be a roving reporter with nowhere to rove. I’ll be the only crack up reporter who can’t get interviewees to say a lot of words. My career will be over.
Molly: Have you tried following up your open ended questions with a little closed end silence? Now if you’ll excuse me, we’re taking Kip and MG to a really nice place for dinner. It’s called Paradise Keys.
MG’s delicious dinner
Molly: Speaking of the St. Patrick’s Dance, which we weren’t, where did you learn to dance like that?
Yram: You must have noticed how I was easily able to catch on to Mr. South Dakota’s ancient dance moves.
Molly: That’s not what I meant. We thought it was kind of strange that you decided to dance with him while he was dancing with Mrs. South Dakota.
Yram: Do you think I’ll get a restraining order?
Molly: No…he forgot all about it when he won the door prize.
Yram: So Molly…will you bring me back some food? I’m going to catch the crown series on Netflix. I like crowns, too. Just like MG and her cousin, Lav.
Molly: No I won’t bring you food…put your crown on and come to dinner with us. Is that enough words?
Yram: Will there be dancing?
Molly: No!
Molly and I have shopped till we dropped. (pictures tomorrow). We have all enjoyed great food including a St. Patrick’s Day potluck, lots of great restaurants and Molly’s wonderful cooking.
I had French toast, bacon, 2 eggs, and crispy hash browns for breakfast, followed by chicken salad on a croissant and a huge lemon bar for dessert. We snacked for dinner.
Fun breakfast cafe
This is Yram Sicnarf, your rolling roving, reporter. I had a great time following the gang around yesterday. After breakfast we went to a Lagoon RV and Resort beach party at Rock Fort Beach. It was a hoot. We played a game of throw a roll of toilet paper through the toilet seat. Others played corn hole, or participated in a variation of the wet T shirt contest and some walked the beach. The water was surprisingly warm.
Kip and Cary took part in the beer drinking contest. The guys had to drink one beer through a straw. College buddies that they are, their serious beer guzzling days are 50 years in the past. They didn’t place in the contest, but they were good sports. Kip, however, took a 2 hour nap after all the festivities.
I know I’m leaving out some highlights, but so be it. I’m a busy rolling, riveting, roving reporter.
Saturday…The Ferry
The dogs love Rock FortI don’t really like Wyram…or is it eeram? She eats my chicken.
This is Yram Sicnarf, roving reporter. I just completed my third day on the road with MG and Kip and a good time is being had by all.
First on the agenda was an aerobics class with MG and Molly. I did such a great job of stretching, twisting, and balancing, that within seconds people were looking at me with so much admiration that I felt really… humbled. I gradually moved to the head of the class, so others could follow my moves.
And then about ten minutes into it, I became winded while trying to master some tricky dance steps. How was I to know I was in fact facing a real “move it or lose it” challenge. I was close to falling out when MG came and led me off the floor.
I was brought back to my normal energetic self by a great lunch at a fun place called, Pops. We all had chicken fried steak, mashed potatoes with lots of gravy, green beans and toast.
I (Yram) took the picture. From left, Cary, Kip, MG, and Molly
After lunch, we went to see the big tree. It is the biggest, gnarliest, tree I have ever seen and its over 1000 years old.
MG made dinner. Oh well, I’m sure we’ll have another chance to eat tomorrow.
THURSDAY
Your roving reporter forgot to tell you about happy hour. Every afternoon around 4:00, a group or RVers circle up their chairs in a free spot and enjoy their refreshments. The men have their own circle and a few feet away, the women have theirs. I have met some really cool people and do they ever have the fun stories to tell.
This morning Molly took a friend of hers and me to a ladies house to shop for unique tops and shirts. I bought two. I’ll probably give one to MG because she begged off. She said she was getting weary of being joined at the hip with me. She needs to chill a little.
Today, we all went for another fun lunch. This time we went to Moondogs. We got to watch boats with bags of fresh oysters float by and dock while the bags of oysters were loaded onto refrigerated trucks.
Lilie Dale got to come. You can see her under the table in the second picture.
We went to Rockport Beach and watched all sorts of kids swimming and having fun. I think it’s sort of a prelude to spring break.
Tonight, after happy hour, Molly and Cary made a luscious dinner. We had grilled pork chops, baked potatoes, asparagus, rolls and turtle pie. I was so full, I waddled back to our place by myself. I sure hope MG helps Molly clean up. That’s the least she could do.
Tomorrow…we’re going to a beach party…after we go out for a fun breakfast.
We made it! Golly gee traveling is exhausting. I was hoping we could have some time to chill once we arrived on the scene, but that wasn’t in the cards for Yram, your roving reporter. I will have to admit the view coming in was pretty impressive.
When we pulled into tje Lagoon RV Park and Resort, I could tell right away that I was going to enjoy my working vacation. Cary and Molly were delighted to meet me. They walked with MG, Kip, Lilie and Pattie to a beautiful dog park nearby where the dogs could run loose. The park surrounding the huge dog park had all sorts of walking and bicycling paths and two little lakes. At least that’s what I was told. I didn’t go. I hadn’t seen my soap operas for three days and my little tootsies were tired from being squeezed into my fave but too small boots.
I woke up from my nap in time to join everyone at Molly and Cary’s RV for a yummy dinner. I was relieved to know Molly is a great cook. MG? Not so much.
Tomorrow (now today) I’m going with Molly and MG to an aerobics class. I didn’t bring any athletic type clothes, but MG said I could borrow some of hers. They’ll probably hang on me.
Too bad I left my aerobics outfit at home…who knew?
After a robust workout, we’re going to Goose Island State Park and see the whooping cranes…pics to follow. After that outing, they have insisted on taking me to what I’m sure will be a fun lunch at some hot spot.
This is Yram Sicnarf, roving crack-up reporter. It’s way too early in the morning for this riveting writer to be roving. MG and Mr MG kept me going all day, yesterday, which was the first day of our odyssey to this place called, Rock Fort.
They woke me from a sound sleep to help them with ALL the things they have to do before they travel the highways and byways. Mr MG kept asking, “What is an Yram and why hasn’t she been cancelled?” He was only upset because there are things I can’t do on account of my nails. Not that I have nice nails, because I do not, but since the beginning of time, women have gotten out of distasteful tasks by insisting they might break a nail.
Following Mr MG to fuel up before we hook up the Jeep. We’re all riding in the coach…Yay
Good sport that I am, I ignored several of Mr MG’s innuendos. I even stopped short of complaining when he limited my closet space in the RV coach.
After a long day of travel that was only made bearable by stops at Dairy Queen and Walmart, the RV coach pulled into the Schulenburg RV Park.
Shortly after we got all set up, I was resting when I heard MG scream that we had a leak. Water was pouring from the pipe under the sink. We were filling up faster than the Titanic. I was riveted as I watched MG and Kip spring into action. Turns out when Kip changed out the water filter, he didn’t get it tight enough. It took about ten towels to get it all soaked up.
It was my suggestion that they start a shoulda, coulda, woulda, list. I got so sick of hearing them say they should have done this or we should have done that. Like the one-time Coach Riley with the Lakers used to say, “If we coulda and we shoulda then we woulda.”
Well, We are now embarking on day two of our trip. We should arrive in Rock Fort early this afternoon.
This is your roving reporter, Yram Sicnarf, signing off…
