October 14, 2008 Final entry for a while!

We have been tied up most of this summer and now Carol is about to have her knees replaced. She has been in pain for a long time and hopefully this will return a decent quality of life that she has not had for so long. If it is God's Will, she will be pain free and we will begin traveling again in the spring. We look forward to seeing Mt. Rushmore and area when the spring flowers are abloom and the wildlife have their babies running around. We have wanted to take this trip for several years now and each time something has arisen to stop us. Who knows - we may start out and disappear for a long time, giving our location only to our grandchildren. Thank you so much for allowing me and/or us to vent and share our experiences with you on these pages. We look forward to resuming in the spring.

October 5, 2008 Grand Blanc, MI

I am finally getting some sleep. We got home at 2:00 PM Thursday and we met with Carol's surgeon at 3:00. She is now scheduled for total knee replacement surgery on November 3. My cataract surgery on my right eye is this Wednesday. I worked as "Ranger Jim" Friday and Saturday nights and now we will try to discover what we learned from that great MOC Rally so that the next Wagon Masters will be able to have an even better one. Three more weeks to work as a park ranger and then Carol's rehab after her surgery and then we will decide whether or not we will be going to Florida and Walt Disney World this winter. Stay Tuned!

October 1, 2008 Goshen, IN

Today was the day that most people from the Montana Owners Club (MOC) who had attended the 2008 MOC Fall Rally left the campgrounds heading for all the points of the compass to go to their next destination. Wow! What an adventure this has been. I appologize for the lack of entries in the blog this summer but will be back now for a while again. We just finished a one week MOC rally in Goshen, IN. Carol and I were the Wagon Masters for this rally, a very new experience for us both. We were fortunate to have been surrounded by a host of very helpful folks that made our efforts easy to do. If what we were told by the participants during this week and as they left, they liked it very much. Keystone Montana supplied representatives, sometimes the owners, of the builders of the component parts of our Montana 5th Wheels and the week was filled by seminar by these people, techs, designers and engineers from Montana and the use of their fine Service Center. We met and were invited into the lives of people from all over North America. We had excellent Assistant Wagon Masters and activity coordinators and a host of volunteers for all sorts of activities. The rally went so smoothly that, even when glitches arose, we were able to work around them with no problems. The crock pot dinner, pot luck, ice cream social, beverage and cheese session and all other food activities just added to the understanding that RVers really know how to eat. This national rally was different from regional rallies in that Keystone opened their doors for us. Even those of us who have attended in the past were impressed with the factory tour and we were allowed peeks at some prototypes. Montane asks our opinions of ideas that they have and over the years have taken some of these ideas and put them into production. This is great marketing for Montana. They really want to know what we think and so we feel part of the company. We are camping at the Elkhart County Fairgrounds. When we first heard that we were going to be camping in a fairgrounds before our first national rally, we were skeptical - dusty fields with possible water and electric. Were we ever pleasantly suprised. Nice grassy sites with full, 50 amp hookups. We will post more about this rally as time goes by so stay tuned. Have safe travels now, hear?

May 5, 2008 Hartland, MI

We spent the weekend at Waldenwoods RV Resort. We were able to meet with and enjoy some of our fellow Workkamping Rangers and it made for a very enjoyable time. They have hired married couples this year as Rangers as an experiment. Friday night we went to the Bellringer Lounge with several of the couples for pizza and had a great time. The schedule is changing almost daily but it looks like, for the month of May, I will be working Friday and Saturday nights at the large hall that hosts parties and weddings and in June will probably have a day added to work days in the park. We are leaving the Montana set up at the park and will spend several days a week living there and the rest at home. Since Waldenwoods is located only 20 miles from home, there is no problem going from one to the other. Even in this time of high fuel costs, since the RV is set up, we can use the car and leave the truck at home.

May 2, 2008 Hartland, MI

Today we came out to Waldenwoods RV Resort where the Montana was set up and waiting for us. As soon as we got inside, the rains came. We were fortunate that we only had rain and thunder and not the horrific tornados that plagued the south. A nap cured our ills and we are now watching the rain and planning our next move. Last night we saw Meagon and her school class perform a musical show. It was very entertaining and, since Meagon was the star, it was great. Sunday we probably will go to the Brighton area and watch Jon play soccer. I work Monday on days as Ranger Jim here at Waldenwoods. That should really be fun. Just like Disney this winter, I am having a ball and they are paying me too. What a concept! Tomorrow we will see how homey we can make this site. We will be here for the summer so it will be nice seeing what we can do with the area. We had a low spot right at the stairs to the trailer and the park manager brought a load of dirt for this spot. Also, we now have a wooden porch floor under the steps, making it nicer. Tomorrow, if the rains stop, we will put rugs down to help keep the mud from the newly transferred dirt from entering the rig.

April 30, 2008 GREAT NEWS!

Carol went to the orthopedic-surgeon's office and left with something different than she has from the previous arthritis doctor - hope instead of pills. We saw the x-rays of the knees and her right knee is bone on bone. He first gave her a shot of cortisone into the knee and then advised us of a new procedure called Synvisc. This is a series of three shots into the knee that lubricates the joint. He said that this is a procedure that will probably put off the inevitable full knee replacement for months or longer. As we were leaving he said "We can help you." Sweet words that Carol has not heard before. The shot she got took the majority of her pain away almost instantly. "For the first time in a long time, I feel I can walk without hurting." Soon after she got home she took a warm bath. Another first for quite a while. She has had to shower because she could not lower herself into the tub and then get up and out without extreme pain. We really appreciate the kind words and prayers that we have received from so many of you. Hopefully, we can soon restart our traveling commentary again as we get out into this beautiful land. We enjoy sharing our sights, sounds, smells and experiences with you all.

April 28, 2008 Grand Blanc and Hartland, MI

Tomorrow is a big day for us. Carol and I go to see the orthopedic surgeon to see what the options are for her knees. She has had the x-rays, MRI and is now ready to see just what can be done to stop this constant pain. Tomorrow, hopefully, we will have some answers that will lead us to the next step. I have been meeting with my new boss at Waldenwoods trying to learn what my new duties will be. I will be working Mondays on days riding a golf cart and walking the park assisting guests and members and Fridays and Saturdays on nights at the Cromaine Hall in the park , providing assistance and security at weddings and parties. Another new experience. Ranger Jim is ready.