COLD this morning in NE Mississippi......with a very strong wind blowing from the WNW. I quickly found I did not have enough warm clothing on as I began the task of getting the RV ready to travel: check all tire pressures(RV and Truck), empty holding tanks and this time I spent a great deal of time flushing out the black tank, raising the back stabilizer jacks, getting the truck lined up to slip the kingpin into the slot when we finished the preps, and then inside to move the heavy recliner and wedge itinto the corner, roll up the area rug, and then all of the various things that we needed to stow away for the bumpy roads.....always.
We left the RV Park at 9:o7....and at 1:30, after two brief stops, we arrived on Buford Heights....and with a couple of "jigs and jaws", I backed the RV into the driveway. And, from that time on until 6:30pm, we spent getting the first ton of things out of it and into the stick and brick.....that leaves one more ton for tomorrow!!
We also have the piano movers arriving in the morning. Quite some time ago I told Dr. Jeni she could have my baby grand piano for the kids to take lessons and practice on, so she is sending some piano movers in the morning to move it.....CAREFULLY.....out of the living room. I have had it since the late 70's....and it will leave a hole in our decor, however,......it is much more important that the kids have it to use.....and Dr. Jeni's home is huge, so space is not a problem.
Tired, we are.....and I have lots left to do. Rains arriving tomorrow afternoon......Damn!!!.....and we do need to finish getting things out of the 5er. Temps tonight below freezing, so I have left my furnace on and turned on the heaters that warm up the holding tanks. The basement gets some warm air from the furnace blowing in there, so......all should be ok.
Below, I will copy and past the last couple of days events/activities while in Mississippi, soooooo.......read on. Pictures will be posted during the upcoming rains when I can't get outside!!!! ........And.......even after being gone for 86 days..........
LIFE IS JUST REALLY, REALLY AMAZINGLY GREAT!!!!!!!.......And, I hope it is for all of you, also!!!!!!!
WEDNESDAY…….
WHAT a gorgeous day!!!!! Getting up, raising the shades…..WOW, it was just wonderful to see the sun in the blue sky. After my Fr. Roast coffee, I went over to the laundry room….and posted the post for Mon and Tuesday. Glad I did get that one sent out into cyberspace…..because, I was not sure I would get a post made tonight.
We were to meet Kelly Powers, a former student of ours from Eldon HS, a few miles south of here at the upscale Renaissance Shopping Center…..and upscale it was!!!! We got there a bit early and walked around….and all of the shops are definitely not like an average small community shopping mall. NICE……a beautiful layout for the mall…..much like the one I described in Panama City Beach……resembled an Italian village with the bare light bulbs on lines strung out over the narrow little pedestrian walkways….and some great and unique architecture. LOVED IT!!!!
Kelly arrived right on time…..and it was just really sooooo damn great to see him again!!! The last time we were together was when my cousin, Sonya, passed away in Vienna, VA, and I stayed with Kelly and Heather during the time I was there for the funeral services. Sooooo, we had lots chatter about…..including their move to this Jackson, MS, area. He looks soooo good, even though he is fast approaching the “over the hill” age….in one more year. He and I were born on the same day….March 31st…..and so we have almost always called each other on that day, when possible. This time…..well, we are almost able to celebrate THAT day together……just a few days early!!!
When he returned to his job , the 1st Lady and I did some more shopping and we found a really super little store where she was able to pick up some Christmas and birthday gifts for the upcoming year. A really unique store for all ages of girls, and older generation females who love to be “in style” with their accessories, etc. We were there about 45 minutes….and even for me, it was great fun.
Returning to TheHowserHouse out at the RV Park, we just kicked back and relaxed for a bit….and then it was time to leave Kelly and Heather’s new home in Madison, MS…just a northern suburb of Jackson. He met us at the junction and we followed him a short distance to their gated community…..and their incredible home!!!!!!! WOW……..just a wonderful house….11 foot ceilings, lots of bedrooms and baths,….just fabulous!!!! I am soooo happy for them as they seem to really like living down here. Heather??? WOW…..with each passing year she becomes more beautiful……what a great joy it was to see her again!!!!!!! They are such a fantastic couple…..and their four daughters…??? Well, they are soooo lucky to have such well-mannered, talented, and cute girls!!!!!!
We toured their home, had some wine, laughed, enjoyed visiting with the girls….and about 1.5 hours later we left for a great Mexican restaurant to go to dinner. It was a great place…….very good food, and a great Mariachi Band that was always playing and wandering around. They played “Happy Birthday” for Kelly and I, as well as some other great tunes. The violinist was quite talented……just soooo enjoyable to watch and hear him play sooooo well!!!!!
As the evening grew late, the girls had to get back home, to homework and to bed……soooo, the hugs and kisses were numerous as we had to take our leave from each other. Ahhhhh……you know, THIS is beauty of being a teacher…….the ongoing relationships that you have with your former students……they become incredible friends……life-long friends! We are sooooo close, we have many things in common, and with each passing year, our friendship becomes stronger and stronger. We love this wonderful family!!!!!!!!!!!!
Returning to TheHowserHouse, I did some prep work for our departure to Tunica. And…..finally, came inside and before long, I went upstairs and laid my sagging hulk of Me on the bed…….and, soon I was dead to the world.
THURSDAY………
During the night, the storms began to roll in……and the lightning and thunder soon woke me up at 1AM…..raining pounding on the roof…..and this continued most of the night. No strong winds as predicted, but the thunderstorms were strong, to say the least!!!!
This morning, it was raining at 7am…..HARD!!!!! So, I just laid there knowing that we didn’t have to leave right away as today was a short drive….only 190 miles up to the Tunica area where the Casino Strip is.
It was finally a bit after 10AM when we finally pulled out of the RV Park…….having waited until the rains halted, and then I began to unhook the umbilical cords and hook up the truck for the short run up to NE Mississippi.
It took about 3 hours plus…..and we were pulling into the Sam’s Town RV Park….next to the Casino. I had made reservations on Tuesday afternoon, so we did have a site…..albeit a bit flooded from the rains that poured out of the sky during the last 30 minutes of our trip here. Soooo, I padded around in ankle deep water getting hooked up to power, water, and sewer…….not a pleasant task. However, it is really nice RV Park…..and with the Good Sam Club discount, the price was ONLY $12.51 for the night, complete with cable tv….but, NO INTERNET!!!!!!!!!!!! DAMN…….you would think they could have that here……waaaayyyyy behind the times with most other RV Parks.
About 5pm, we drove over to the Casino as it was getting REALLY WINDY….and the temps were dropping with hard showers every 20 minutes or so. We walked around the Casino building….not all that impressive, but we are familiar with it since we have stayed here three times. Finally, we went to the Grand Buffet……and…..?????? Disappointment, to say the least!!!!!! The food was not even average chow…….we tried many items on the buffet, but nothing…..NOTHING..NADA….tasted good. The best thing we ate???? Ice cream!!! It cost $32 and change for the two of us…..and, never again will we eat here/there!!!!!!!!!! Some of it was just nasty…..especially their boiled shrimp which had not one iota of flavor….just cold, tough “meat” under the shell. YUK!!!!!! Again………as I said, DISAPPOINTMENT!!!!!!!!
We went into the gambling part of the Casino…..and it didn’t take long for me to lose my $20, the amount we allot for visiting such places. I might as well have just torn up the $20 bill and walked out……as it just disappeared soooooo rapidly!!!!
Returning to the RV Park of the complex……..we are now kicked back and enjoying our last night before returning to the stick and brick. I believe tomorrow will be day 85 of our winter journey to the south of Texas, to Mobile, Alabama for our son’s wedding, to the Gulf Coast at Panama City Beach where we spent the first week with Dr. Jeni, Darrl, and children Meghan, Ava, and Max……where we enjoyed Charlie and Katherine who stopped by for three days as they continue their journey back to Cornwall, Ontario, Canada, after being in Texas with us…..and then our wonderful day and evening in Jackson, MS with the Powers Family. WOW…..WOW…WOW….WOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
And so……….as always,
LIFE IS JUST ABSOLUTELY INCREDIBLY GREAT!!!!!!!!!!!…..And, I CERTAINLY hope it is for all of you, also!!!!!!!!!!!
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