Tag Archives: rving

Elsie’s Blog Post

Posted on by
12
IMG_2132

Elsie Venturing Outside.

Hi, I am Elsie the cat. I am on a grand adventure. I have traveled through 9 states already and am still going. I have seen things a kitty could never imagine.

I am riding in this small and comfortable house. It moves around. I am a little nervous about it moving but when it stops I get to do some things I love.

During the driving part I sleep under the blankets. I feel safest there. As you can tell, I haven’t really seen a lot of those states I have traveled through.

I am getting brave enough to go out on a leash. I know where the door is and am beginning to ask, politely of course, to go out when we camp for the night.

Here are things that scare me.

  • People I don’t know. That is just about everyone.
  • Janet inviting people to see her RT. They come inside and I hide.
  • Big animals. For 2 nights I saw horses and mules right outside the house. They scared me A Lot!!! I couldn’t take my eyes off them, though. When the mules talked I hid.
  • Dogs.
  • Sudden movements.
  • Big bodies of water. Janet takes me down to the edge of them but I run. Where the heck did all that water come from?

IMG_0387

OMG Big Animals!!!

Another Point of View

Another Point of View

IMG_0442

Hiding

 

 

Here are the things that make me more comfortable.

  • My stuffed toy. I like to carry it around.
  • Being fed.
  • Going outside when it is quiet. I was tracking a mouse about 2 weeks ago.
  • Knowing my new house is close by in case I get scared.
IMG_0501

Soaking up the Rays

  • Laying in the front window and soaking up the rays. Vitamin D is good.
  • Getting a skritch when I want one.
  • Sleeping
  • Hanging out with Janet and trying to guess where we are going next.

I am now in North Carolina. For the past 4 nights I have been staying in a house. Janet’s friend Zoe offered us her house. I really like it. There is a giant screened in front porch and I can go out there and look around. No collar, no leash, just me. Sweet!!! I get to watch birds and try to stalk them. Darn that screen for being in the way. I am suspicious though that this is not going to last. I saw Janet spending time cleaning her RV yesterday. She doesn’t know I was peeking through the blinds.

I have become quite the traveling kitty. I am not fearless yet, but I am working on it.

IMG_2593

“Squirrel”

IMG_2255

Hanging out in the National Forest Campground.

Being Thankful

Posted on by
9

The-Things-I-Am-Thankful-For-A-Special-Needs-Thanks-GivingI have not once forgotten the theme of this blog. Every day I am grateful and thankful for at least one thing or person. I believe that I will remember to do this for the rest of my life. Without all of the people who have entered my life be it for a moment or for a long time I would certainly be alone. I value everyone in my life and am thankful.

Two days ago I, physically thought I was doing well. After breaking up camp I started to get in the drivers seat and something went kablooie in my lower back. OUCH!!!!!! All of a sudden I could not stand up straight and I could not sit down comfortably. After taking a motrin, I got on-the-road.

I was about two hours out of Spearfish, SD. I remembered this chiropractor I had seen two years ago when I came through this area. He has moved on but Kari has moved in. I made an appointment to see her later that day. I limped into her office and she began to work with me. After several adjustments I walked out standing straight and remained sore.

hs_logo

She sent me out with an ice pack and I decided to spend the night so I could see her the next morning. I did not see much of Spearfish. I did see a lot of the KOA where I stayed. Every hour, on went the ice pack. After 20 minutes I took it off and walked the park. I did this until it got dark and I went to bed.

The next morning I was feeling a bit better. Back I went for one more adjustment and sports tape to my back. As I drove into Nebraska yesterday, I was on the same routine, ice pack to my back, while I was driving and then stopping and take a walk. This morning I am better, not great but better.

Dr Kari Bennett

Dr Kari Bennett

I am so thankful for Dr Kari. She was kind and very professional. Because of her I am still on-the-road. The second day I saw her she usually doesn’t see patients in the morning, but she put me in at 8 a.m. so that I could get on my way. Now that is nice. Would I return to her when I am in the area again? In a minute. Today I am thankful for all the chiropractors that have ever treated me. Because of them I am able to go out and stretch my limits.

IMG_2632Now I am in Bassette, NE. I spent the night last night in the Rock County Fair Grounds. I was tired and sore and there was a camping sign but I couldn’t quite figure it out. I saw another RV and the man told me that it is open for camping when not in use. What a great place to stay. I had an electric hook-up and a great view. Elsie loved it because it was quiet and she felt safe to explore.IMG_2611

If you have never been to northern NE, and I bet many of my friends have not, it should go on your list. What pretty country. There are rolling hills and wide open prairies and plenty of water. They have been getting a lot of rain here. I even got to see a bald eagle at one of the small lakes. I felt blessed.

IMG_2606IMG_2626

 

I am ready to roll soon. I am taking my time. Well right now I am laying on an ice pack. Oh Lord!!!! This morning I am standing straight, though. That is an improvement.

Thank you chiropractors everywhere. Today I am grateful.

I think you all probably already know but just in case, if you click on the pictures they will enlarge.

Getting Ready To Roll

Posted on by
14

mapsTwo summers ago I began a new adventure in travel. I bought my cute little Roadtrek RV and traveled the United States for two and a half months. I felt a strong pull to visit as many of the people that supported Jim and myself through three plus years of struggle. I wanted to thank those people for their support and have fun and some adventure along the way. It was a marvelous summer.

Little did I know that this journey would contine on past my travels that summer in my RV. I have been overwhelmed at times and continuously grateful for the ongoing support of all those friends, near and far, older and newer that have continued to love and support me as I have traveled through the uncharted territory of grief. I am blessed.

In two weeks I am packing up my RV and traveling to the east coast and beyond. I am planning to be on-the-road for about three months. Where am I going this time?

EventPhotoFull_horsedriveposter-2015 aI have a date to ride in the Hells A’Roaring Horse Round-up in Gardiner, MT May 21-23.  I am so excited about this. I love to ride horses and you know even though Jim was not fond of horses, he would have done this. Oh my, he did try so hard when it came to horses, yet I know that he was not fond of this activity. It did not stop him from trying. Hmm…there might be a lesson here somewhere.

After spending time in Yellowstone National Park and Montana, I am driving east. When I began to plan my departure, I knew I was attending the wedding of my niece, in July, in Connecticut. Now good friends are getting married in June in North Carolina. If you have been following my blog you may remember my visit to Zoe and Kay in North Carolina in 2013. In early June they are getting married. I am ready for a grand celebration. Does anyone else want to get married while I am traveling? Terry?

In between do I know where I am going? Well kind of, and kind of not. I like the idea of planning my touring from day to day. I want to be spontaneous and let adventure take me where it will. I am hoping to connect with many of my friends and family along the way. Heads up all you northern United States people. The journey of thanking others continues.

Elsie in Patagonia

Elsie

This year I am not traveling alone. Miss Elsie, the cat is going to join the adventure. So far I have had her on two short trips and she did OK. I really did not want to leave her home this time. I will need to consider her needs a bit. I have decided to stay in one place for more than one night. This way she gets adjusted and you know I don’t need to be in a rush. I can enjoy different places and enjoy relaxing and exploring along the way.

I am already so thankful for those friends (6 of them) who are going to love and support my home while I am away. My neighbors are also going to help. For the first time since I have lived here I now have the most marvelous neighbors. There is so much I feel thankful for on a daily basis.

A week from Sunday this new adventure begins. I am opening my heart and mind and am ready to find the expected and unexpected. Please join me as I blog my way through the summer. It will be fun to meet up with some of you along the way.

Birding in Patagonia….Arizona

Posted on by
2

Have you ever been to Patagonia??? Arizona??? I just returned from a week in southern Arizona visiting my friend Cat. Remember her…she was biking across the United States with her two dogs. She got as far as east of Tucson and had to change her goals once again.

Cat's home

Cat’s home

Cat’s doctors informed her that the “Bike across America” would need to go on an indefinite hold. She was without a home and wasn’t sure what to do. Cat fell in love with my small Roadtrek RV. Thinking that an RV would give her a home anywhere she wanted to be…she bought a 5th wheel (much bigger than mine) and moved in.

For the foreseeable future Cat is making Patagonia home. I decided that seeing her new RV was worth the drive and the visit. It was a great re-connection. When I arrived Dory the dog, came running out and up to the door of my RV and waited for it to magically open. She really likes me and my home on wheels. You might remember a previous post where I met up with Cat and the pups in Yuma.

What a fun 5 days that was. I have learned that people go to Patagonia to bird watch. I mean these are serious birders, folks. For a 5 day stretch I became a birder too, and, it was fun. There are a lot of birds there, of all kinds. We hiked the Nature Conservancy Reserve with  binoculars in hand. We went back to the Paton House, managed by the Audubon Society three times while I was there. For five days my binoculars were around my neck and my camera was close at hand.It was so relaxing and fun.

IMG_0759

Violet Crowned Humming Bird

IMG_0749

Gambles Quail


IMG_0802

IMG_0764

Yellow Rumped Warbler

When I was young I was in the 4-H. One of my projects was bird watching. I remember it as a time when I had a close connection to my mom, as she helped me with this project. I have never lost the interest in wild life. I have found that since Jim’s death, I have become interested in birds again. There is something soothing about watching birds. And…they  are such pretty colors. Being outside also is another bonus for me. It is a challenge to photograph them.

Cat & Janet at Paton's

Cat & Janet at Paton’s

Spending time  with Cat was also special. She and I mutually inspire each other. Our friendship is new so we are still learning about each other. I love our conversations. They are so easy and natural. Her sense of adventure exceeds mine, although I could be right behind her. She is an example of taking one day, one hour, one minute at a time and never, ever giving up. This is a reminder to me as I age, gracefully, I hope, to be willing to accept the changes that occur in life and if need be, change course. I don’t need to stop just change course.

Friendships are important. Each one is of such great value to me. I would have been very alone without my friends to support me and helping me to keep looking forward. Mostly I am happy they are more than willing to come along with me and have fun and explore our world. Each trip I take reminds me again of the value of good friends. And…I am thankful.

Cat & Janet

Cat & Janet

For those of you who are reading my blog you will notice something new. On the left side bar is now a button that says Go Fund Me. This is something new I have started at the suggestion of friends to help raise money for the Jim Fenningham Memorial Scholarship. This is a scholarship honoring my husband’s dedication to education. It is a quick and easy way to donate anything from $1 on up.

Who Knew???

Posted on by
4

Approximately two weeks ago I was interviewed by Caitlin Kiernan for Yahoo Travel. At first I was going to be included in a larger article about RV’ing. Then her boss and she decided that my journey in my cute and new little RV that started this blog would be good as a feature article.

She interviewed me and some of the people I met along my travels and soon the article was finished. It appeared in this weeks Yahoo Travel on the web. It was a good article and I felt that she had done a good job. And I thought it was done.

Oh my goodness, the past few days have been amazing. I have recieved e-mails from people commenting on the article and their own personal journeys. Several people are now following this blog.

I am overwhelmed. So what did I do? I left town. When all else fails, run away (sic).  I am now in Patagonia, Arizona visiting a friend and taking time out to digest what happened with this article. I am also going bird watching and hiking and generally enjoying my time out.

I started this blog as a way to keep friends and fellow adventureers up to date with where I was as I moved across the country. Very quickly it became something more. All any of us can do is help each other out. I hope that through these posts that maybe just maybe it can touch someone else’s life and help make their struggle just a wee bit easier and if not at least it is a good read. These posts have certainly helped me become clearer about life and my own personal journey.

I have continued to post because people did not want me to stop. My own journey is not over yet. Each time that I go somewhere whether it is for a day or a week or much longer it is part of my own personal journey of healing and wholeness.

So welcome aboard all of you who decided to start following my blog. Welcome to those who have been following this blog since it’s inception. I am honored and grateful for each of your visible or invisible presence in my life. Let the journey continue.

Here is a link to the article in Yahoo travel. Driving Through Grief