Bertha repairs

Well , Bertha is still being repaired.  New calipers,pads and some other parts.  We will still get the same mileage, but we will be able to stop on a dime. Still loving the motorhome life.  Went to the VA today and started the process to get hearing aids.  Will take a while but eventually hope to get them.

Yea !!!

Billie is on the way home.   Melanie is doing well and Billie can come home.  Tomorrow we get the brakes on Bertha fixed under the NTSB brake recall.  Will be able to head South for the winter in 2-3 weeks.  We may 'HAVE' to spend the winter in South Texas on the beach.  Woh is us!

Update

Well our daughter Melanie continues to slowly inprove after her surgery.  She is eating,moving around and taking the antibiotics and an occasiional pain pill when she needs it.  Billie will know when she can come home after Melanie's Dr. appt. next Tue.  Hopefully next week.  Our daughter Bonnie continues to have problems with a kidney infection, She only  has one, and may have a new viral ,stomach infection causing her to cough up blood.  Will wait to see how she does for the next couple of days.  I am doing well here in Amarillo.  I go over to see Bill and Bonnie,Patsy and Robert, Billie's parents and sister and bil .  I usually come home between 9-11 PM.  Tonight I will probably come home early and let her family regain their sanity from my daily visits.  I will probably lay on the couch, eat popcorn and watch the ESPN college football game on TV.  Ah!  The life of a retired POSTAL WORKER. How can it get any better???

Back home.maybe.

Well.  We arrived home at the RV in Amarillo.  Our daughter Melanie had some emergency surgery today after we left.  Billie has gone back to DC to help her with the house and kids for a few days.  I will be here in Amarillo.I have our home phone and you can reach Billie at either Melanie's phone or Mischelle's phone.

BACK IN TEXAS !!!!!! Good to be HOME !

Well. We arrived in Amarillo about 5PM. yesterday.  Had a good visit with Bill and Bonnie last night.  My team lost on Monday Night football.  Boohoo!  Poor me.  Well we will be here for at least a month to visit and to get the Motorhome brakes fixed.  Massive Caliper recall on all Workhorse chasis between 2000 and 2010.  Maybe a few other upgrades also.  You never know.  Well we are doing fine and fit as a fiddle.  See Ya Later Alligator. ;)

Balloon Fiesta

We arrived in Albuquerque Friday afternoon around 3.  What a beautiful drive from Loveland to Albuquerque.  The Denver skyline is pretty, then past the Bronco's stadium.

After many more miles we were finally out of Denver.  I think it was a good 1 1/2 hr drive across Denver.  I was beginning to think we would never get out of town.  Finally  fewer and fewer buildings and less and less traffic.   The sceanery was awsome between Denver and Colorado Springs was breath takeing.   We stopped at the scenic overlook at the Air Force Academy.   Saw a couple of groups of parrachuteres come down while we were there.  One had American flags.  It was so awsome.

                                                                                                                                                     

Through Colorado Springs and on to Raton.  We stopped in Raton for the night.  The sight coming down out of Raton Pass was spectecular.  Wow!                                                                                                       
On to Albuquerque.  Over the mountain and through the valley and plains. Now more mountains.  Ahhh--

Albuquerque---Beautiful sight.  KOA campground easy to find.  Beautifully kept camp ground.  Pool, hottub, small store.  NICE!!!  Must get to bed early.  Have to be up early ---4:30am---to get to the Balloon Fiesta.                                                                                                                                                        

Cool, Crisp, beautiful morning for the balloons to take off.    WOW!!!!!!!!!! Awsome sight.  Still dark and the balloons are lite up with the flames for heating the gas.    Beautiful.  Dawn patrol lifts off.

 7 am---National Athem  sung by Air Force Acadamey Caddett.  In honor of Breast Cancer Awareness Month two pink balloons with Big American Flags lift off

Now  we watch over 400 balloons lift off in waves of 10 or 15.  Balloons literally fill the air.  It is a beautiful sight.  I took over 150 photos.  I'll post a few of them.  If anyone wants to see more of them email me or see my album on Facebook.                                                                                                                            

Pictures don't even begin to show the beauty of the balloons or the excitement of see them lift off and float away. 

We were back home by noon.  Rested for awhile then went over to see my niece that lives here.  We visited with Carrie and Henry her 7 month old then met Paul (Carries husband) for dinner.  We had a great visit and a great meal.  What a sweet baby Henry is--- smiles, grins and big sloppy kisses, coos and more smiles.  I just love this age baby.

Sunday we went to church with Carrie, Paul and Henry.  A great time of worshiping with family.  Then after lunch we drove down old Route 66 to old town Albuquerque.  Drove around the old square.  Beautiful old buildings and old church.  Then home to get ready to leave Monday morning for Amarillo.  Carrie and Henry came out to our house Sunday afternoon.  We had another great visit and Henry is such a cutie.                   

                   

Hope you enjoyed the pictures.  God bless you.

Until next time.

III John2

BALOONS GALORE

Well.  We arose at 0430 on Sat. and proceeded in the dark to see the baloons here in Albequerque.  Cold nose and cold toes.  However it was worth it.  Baloons are erily magestic when hit with a burst of propane in the night air.  Beautiful. Remings me of the movie " Around the World in 80 Days".  We watched over 400 baloons lift off at 0700 and float into the still,cold,crisp air around us.  The only sounnd was the Wompppp of the propane igniting in the dark.  Had a great time seeing it with Billie.  That makes all things better.  Billie has tried to download some of the pics. but has had trouble.  Maybe we need more memory,electrons,protons or something like that.   I will ask a GEEK at Best Buy.  They know these mysterious machines best.  I know automotive,guns, killing and such, but not much about laptops. Well better get off the computer and start getting ready for Church.  Catch you later,Alligator !!!!  Watch for the next THRILLING episode of The Great Adventure!  Coming soon to a computer screen near you! ;

Leaving Loveland Co.

Well ,we start breaking camp today and prepare to leave Loveland Co.  We will travel two days to Albequerque NM. for the baloon festival.  Then on to Amarillo Tx. to visit Billie's parents for a while, probably about a month,depending on the weather.  We hope to go to a WT football game while we are there.  It should be a good time.  Have to get the RV , Big Birtha's,  brakes fixed on a NTSB safety recall while we are there.  Will probably go South from there for the winter to stay out of the freezing weather. We don't know just where yet but have several options. Probably through Breckenridge, San Antonio down to around Fredicksburg or down to Bay City. Next spring we hope to go up into the Dakotas, Wyoming area to see the National Parks and other assorted attractions. Travel depends a lot on the cost of gasoline and RV park costs.  These are the biggest budget crunchers.  Well , better close for now and go wake Billie.  She is getting into this retirement thing quicker than I thought.  In truth, we both have adapted fairly quickly. ;) We have had a great time so far and,GW, will continue to enjoy our time in each others company for a long time to come..   We have met some "CHARACTERS" so far in our travels and expect to continue to find interesting friends along the way.  STRANGERS  are just FRIENDS waiting to happen.  You know me. Such a shy ,retiring and timid guy!!!!  Well better close for now and get going. Please, continue to follow us for our next action packed adventure coming soon to a big computer screene near you !!!!!

Pictures taken while at Ft Collins

 The close of another great week.  Spent most of the week visiting with Bonnie and helping her get caught up on some of the house work she has problems doing.  Did our laundry.  Friday Emma and Molly spent the night with us. They wanted to stay up til midnight--OK.  We played games--dominoes, Skipbo, Happy, Yatchee, and banangram---by 10:30 they were so tired they just couldn't hardly stay awake.  made out the bed and both were sound asleep by 11:15.  Slept late Sat AM (9am) had breakfast, cleaned up, got dressed and went in to Bonnie's.  She wanted to do some shopping and get Emma's hair cut.

This morning we went to Snowy Ridge Church in Fort Collins.  Great time of fellowshipping and a great sermon from Romans 12:1.  Bonnie was not feeling well this morning and was not at church.  We took Emma and Molly out to luch after church.  The girls could not agree on what they wanted to eat----so we went to a Country Buffet so everyone could have what they wanted.  Emma had steak, Molly had pizza, Lydell had fish and shrimp and I had fried chicken, steak and shrimp.  Everyone was happy!

Below are a few of the pictures I have taken.  Enjoy!!!!!!!!

III John 2

My beautiful girls!

Hope you enjoyed seeing these.