Catching Up.....

Ok, as you can see I have been rather amiss with my blog entries........
A lot has happened since October 2010 but life being as hectic as it is I haven't documented the trips we have had in the motorhome.
We have only made three trips in the motorhome, two for weekends to Terribles Lakeside in Pahrump and two weeks at Xmas 2012 to San Diego to visit and spend Christmas with Ryan.
The rest of the time we have had to make trips without Lily and spent the majority of 2012 selling the house and downsizing from 2200 sq. ft to approx. 350 sq.ft.

Remainder of 2010..... We went to Hawaii in November 2010 with our friends Chrissie & Ian to celebrate Bryan's 50th.  It was a great trip and I fell in love with Hawaii.  One day I will fill in the details on the Trips without Lily page!!!  Bryan's dad died just before our trip so it was very emotional visiting Pearl Harbour as Pops was a Navy veteran.

2011 was classed as Ryan’s year!!

He decided in January that he wanted to join the Navy and saw a recruiter.  It took until June to enlist, as there were several steps. With the economy as it was there were a lot of people trying to enlist and not many jobs.  I admire him for persevering with the process as he was adamant it was what he wanted.  He graduated High School on June 14^th and enlisted the week after as a Gunners Mate. Sue’s mum, brother Ray and his wife Julie and Brenda (Bryan’s daughter) came here for Ryan’s HS graduation and we had a good visit.

Ryan left for bootcamp in Chicago on July 26^th and so he didn’t have long to get fit and ready.  It was the hardest 60 days as the only contact we had with each other was letters and then only after the first three weeks. We had three very quick short phone calls.  The final one told us he was a sailor, yippee!! 

We went to Chicago for his graduation on Sept. 23^rd with Bree(girlfriend) and Brenda (sister) and had a fun 3 days with our sailor about town.  Making sure he got back to base each evening by 10pm.  He said it was hard and the first three days he was ready to quit but he remembered the letter I had written him to read on the plane and it helped him through. He also missed us and didn’t think he would. We knew it would be hard but were so proud of him for handling it. He has grown up and is now a man, my poor baby, Ha!! Ha!! He stayed in Chicago, training for his Gunners Mate position and came home for Xmas.  Unfortunately, his girlfriend broke up with him a week before Xmas but we made the most of his visit home. We celebrated our 20^th Wedding Anniversary in September and went to Alaska on a cruise with our friends Chrissie & Ian (Chrissie was celebrating her 60^th).  We had a wonderful suite with huge picture windows and a butler!!  Chrissie & Sue went on a Wilderness Safari where we canoed up to a glacier.  It was cold and wet but fun and amazing.  We returned from this and then 3 days later went to Ryan’s graduation in Chicago.  We were relieved that his graduation wasn’t while we were on the cruise as the cruise was booked before he decided to join the military.  Bryan’s back & shoulder are not getting any better and he will probably be medically retired in 2012. 

We went out in the motorhome a couple of times this year both about an hour away, so not far.  We started to clean out the house to get ready to move into the motorhome.  It is not easy trying to sort through a lifetime of things and being selective as to what we can keep.  There is only so much room in  Lily!!! 

2012 was a busy year......Bryan retired in August for the second time and became a house husband, waiting for me to retire June 2013.  It is a good thing Bryan retired as he was busier since leaving work than when he was there.  He got the house ready for us to move, selling and donating our stuff.  2200 sq. ft into 350 sq. ft!!!  Needless to say, sold a lot of things and Bryan scanned and shredded paperwork and pictures. We finally sold the house and moved into the motorhome mid November.  We stayed at Las Vegas RV Resort, a park in Las Vegas until July 2013, apart from two weeks at Christmas when we took the motorhome to Santee Lakes, San Diego to spend Christmas with Ryan. 

We had another addition to our family in July this year when our second grandson, Kai, was born to Ian and Kris.  Bailey is enjoying his brother and started school in September. Ian & Kris are buying a new house, still in Wales, which they hope to move into in June next year.

Our two granddaughters, LeeAnn and Aimee are both doing well at school and both made the honor roll.  It is Aimee’s first year; she looks just like her momma did at her age. LeeAnn came second in the Special Olympics.

Speaking of Olympics, Sue was happy that Andy Murray won gold and silver at the London Olympics and then went on to win the U.S. Open.

Ryan finished his training and is now a Gunners Mate.  He got sent to Panama from training to meet his ship after coming home for two weeks in May. We went to welcome him and the ship back to San Diego on July 3^rd.  It was great, a band welcomed them and had a lei made of paper flowers dropped over the bow as they were coming in. He gave us a tour of the ship, it is a small frigate only 200 sailors aboard but he likes it and chose that over a carrier as everyone knows each other.  He was glad that he wasn’t sea sick!!! 

 Bryan went to visit his mum in August and help her with some things around her house. The hurricane arrived while he was there and the power went out for a couple of days so they drove west to his brothers in Texas for a couple of days.

2013  I started the year by getting tickets for Wimbledon in the lottery.  Then started a period of should I/shouldn't I go!!!!  It was decided that I would go, Bryan would stay at home to look after CoCo.  As Bryan said, the opportunity might never happen again.  Bryan got a perfect 300 score at bowling in March.  He had bowled a 299 last November and so this was a fantastic achievement.  

I retired from work on June 5th which was the last day of school and left for UK on the 19th.  I celebrated my 60th birthday with Mum, Ray & Julie and two days later Julie & I went to Wimbledon.  To top everything off, on July 7th Andy Murray won Wimbledon, the first British man to win in 77 years. Mum & I spent three weeks with Ian, Kris, Bailey and Kai in their new house in Wales.  Bryan had knee surgery two days before I went to London and Ryan took a weeks leave to come home and be with him. It got so hot in Vegas, temps reached 125 degrees, that Bryan moved the motorhome to Lakeside RV resort in Pahrump, which is where we have been a few times. It's about 10 degrees cooler in Pahrump and the park has grass and a lake so it was better for CoCo as well.  He picked me up from the airport on July 28th and we made the hour trip to Pahrump.  Thunder, lightening and torrential rain welcomed me.  

Now, we could start to plan our retirement together.  We decided to go to San Diego first to see Ryan as I hadn't seen him when he came to visit Bryan and we will leave Pahrump on August 13th.  After visiting Ryan we will start our journey east.
You can follow our route by clicking on the map on the left.  I will try and keep this as accurate as possible. There will be notes on the places to say when we will be there.  As with everything in our new lifestyle everything is subject to change so hang on tight.

Our travels are really beginning at last........

Tempe, AZ to Las Vegas, NV

Travelling back home today.  Got up, Bry went and got McDonalds breakfast so we didn’t have to cook and clear up as we have a long drive home.  We leave the park at 8:30 and head home.  I have an idea that I should video and do a talking commentary mainly for PawPaw as he can’t see too well these days and he likes my accent. J  So, I get Bry’s I-phone and do a short video on the way to Wickenburg.  On way to Wickenberg Video.  We stop at a Mobil station at 10:30 on US93 between Wickenburg and Kingman at marker 195.  This station is RV friendly with separate pumps and parking for RV’s. There is a Jack in the Box and DQ here but we are not eating here today, too early.  We have decided to go back over the Hoover Dam as it cuts some miles off our trip.  We didn’t go this way on Friday as it would have been extremely busy and with the checks on vehicles would have taken us longer probably than doing the extra miles.   Stopped at Wickieup again at 12:15pm and made some sandwiches for lunch.  On the road again at 12:45pm.  Went over the Hoover Dam and took another VIDEO, there wasn't any big delays.  We had to let them inspect the motorhome, this is routine, before going over the Dam.  The new bridge that they have built over the Colorado River as a bypass for the Dam is pretty much finished and I found out later will open next week.

Arizona Cardinals v New Orleans Saints - Cmon you Saints!!!

The boys are going to the Arizona Cardinals/New Orleans Saints game today and I am going to stay in Lily with CoCo and do some work.  I put the game on tv, put my feet up, set up my desk and away I go.  Managed to get most of my report written, unfortunately the Saints lost but you win some and lose some. This time they left it too late to make a comeback.  Cardinals 30 – Saints 20, Cardinals scored a touchdown in the last seconds which makes the score seem farther apart than it was for most of the game.  The boys bought Whataburger in with them as Bry loves these and they are not in Vegas.

Apache Palms RV Park, Tempe, Arizona

 Get woken up about 7:00 as the awning is flapping in the wind.  Slept pretty good.  Had coffee, made breakfast and packed up and headed out about 9:15.  Filled up with gas, wow it takes a while to half fill the tank!!!  Leave Laughlin, Arizona bound.

Stop at the Wikieup Trading Post  11:05am  on US93 between Kingman and Wickenburg so Bry can stretch his legs and CoCo can pee.  Sue went shopping, have warned Bry it is fatal to stop anywhere but he doesn’t listen.  He bought me a frog ring which sits really nicely on my little finger.  My mum had bought me a frog ring when I left England for the States in 1993 but unfortunately I lost it a couple of years ago.  I still have faith that it is in the house somewhere and will turn up but until that time this one will substitute nicely.  

Arrive at Apache Palms RV Park at 2:30pm, it is smaller than we thought and the area leaves something to be desired but there is a public transport tram system right by the front gate.  Also a SMALL swimming pool and spa and it is clean.  Have a pull thru site which works well.  Decide to hook up and then go to eat.  We have found out there is an Applebees nearby so off we head.  Have lunch/dinner.  I am in need of some liquid refreshment and have 2 White Zinfadel Sangrias, mmmmm.  Feel better now.  For those of you that don’t know me that well I don’t drink very often but sometimes get the urge for one.  This was one of those times!!!  We went to the Ace Hardware store and bought a couple of bits.  I advised Ryan to always look in the sale aisles!!! Ha!! Ha!!  And went to Safeway.  We always seem to have a need for something, will have to get out of that habit.   Back to Lily for some rest and relaxation, this travelling sure does tire you out.   

Riverside RV Park, Laughlin, Nevada

Bry, Sue, Ryan and CoCo are heading out for a long weekend to Fort Apache, Nr. Tempe, Arizona.  Bry & Ryan are going to watch the New Orleans Saints v Arizona Cardinals football game on Sunday.  It will be Ryan's first live football game. We are accompanied by “Milly” a teddy that was sent to us by her family in England who reside with my brother Ray, sister-in-law Julie and my beloved Mum.  Milly will accompany us on our travels and keep her family back in the UK up to date on her travels.  This is her first trip. We also have “Siddeley” the Saints bear as Bry & Ryan are going to the Cardinals/New Orleans Saints football game on Sunday.  It will be the first time Ry has been to a professional football game. Bry has been a Saints fan all of his life, through thick and mainly thin but his patience finally paid off when they won the superbowl in January. We can’t leave until Bry gets off work but then we go.  We have been driving about an hour and a half when we realize that we have left the game tickets at home.  Sue will not point any fingers here but it wasn’t her!!!  We are just outside of Searchlight – it has taken us a while to get here because we are towing “Tilly” – our 2010  Chevrolet Malibu – it is her maiden voyage as a TOAD (towable vehicle).  It is our maiden voyage out of Nevada.  The tow cable that connects the electrics so the lights etc work on the car hasn’t got a long enough lead and keeps working loose, consequently the plug has been damaged from dragging on the road.  We decide that we will park and Bry will drive the Malibu back to Vegas to get the tickets and call Camping World who installed the tow bar to see what we can do about the cable.  He sets off at 2:00.  At 3:15 he tells me he is heading back, he has a new cable and plug from camping world and the tickets.  I ask him if we should stay at Laughlin tonight as it is probably at least another 4 hours to Fort Apache and we decide to do that.  Ryan calls Riverside at Laughlin and they have plenty of spaces so we are OK.  At 4:15 we head off for Laughlin, arriving about 5:00.  The site is not that good, mostly gravel but it does have hook ups and a pull thru site so we don’t have to unhook the car ready for a quick exit tomorrow.  We are all exhausted and so cook Hamburgers, eat, watch a movie (Avatar) and go to bed.