A long time has passed since I updated our Blog.  There has also been a lot happening since our last posting.  To make a long story short we went to Maine after spending our Anniversary in Hannibal, MO.  As most know, Sharon - our daughter-in-law died in July - now coming up to the first anniversary of her death.  It was a very emotional time for our family as everyone loved Sharon - Sharon and Tim were together for nearly 24 years - and fought her battle with cancer for many of those years.
After leaving Maine and heading back south we were delayed in Massachusetts for Dian to have surgery to remove one of the four parathyroid glands.  She did very well with that surgery and is doing well now.  We stayed until the first part of November and when hurricane Sandy came through we were parked at Hanscom AFB Family Camp riding it out with good fortune.  However the day we left from Hanscom it had dipped to a low of 22 degrees and we had ice over an inch thick to take off of the top our our slide rooms.

Ice from the slide toppers.

     When we arrived back in North Carolina - having to travel through for just an overnight stay in Pennsylvania - we spent a quiet Thanksgiving and then a very busy Christmas season with Aimee having to have emergency surgery for colon problems caused by a small piece of toothpick.  She is doing very well now but had to have several surgeries to finally correct the many set backs.
We left for Florida the first part of January 2013 and spent the winter traveling about to various parts of Florida to see where we may want to settle once we finish galavanting around the country.

      While in Florida we found ourselves trading our camper in for a new Grand Design Solitude fifth wheel.  We had so many problems with the Heartland that it was only in our best interest to trade it if we could without losing too much in the process.

Grand Design - Solitude

        We left Florida the first part of March and traveled to Georgia to visit with Dian's sister for several days.  Then headed back to North Carolina where we have remained till the present time.  At this point we are  here while we catch up on Dr. appointments.  

        We celebrated, on June 12th, Kaitlyn's graduation from High School (makes us feel quite old) as she is our first grandchild.  She will be attending Duke University in Durham, NC in August.  It has been wonderful watching our grandchildren grow and become who they are today.

       We are in hopes of leaving North Carolina next week on our way north to New England.  This is a change from our earlier plans to start our journey to see this great country of ours.   This change came about while we were in Florida and saw our "6th child" our exchange student daughter - Anita, her two sons and her Mom who were visiting from Ecuador.  She has been asking us for years to come to Ecuador and see her home and her country.  After considering where we are in age and our ability to travel we are going to Ecuador for just over three weeks.  July 11th to August 5th.  We are flying out of Boston - it was the cheapest flight we could get without going to Miami.  We are excited for this up coming trip - though we are going to struggle a bit for a few days as Quito, Ecuador, where Anita lives, is at an altitude of nearly 9,600 ft above sea level.  (Denver, CO is only 5,280 ft above sea level) so our lungs will be challenged to start.  Part of our journey will take us to the Galapagos Islands, the Rain Forest, several Volcanos, and time with Anita and her family.  I am sure we will have some great moments and great photos to share with you on our return.

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New South Dakota Residents

Well we arrived in Sioux Falls, South Dakota on Sunday, June 10th and meet with the folks at Alternative Resources on Monday.  They were awesome in getting us set up for our new home!  

Sioux Falls, SD

Tuesday we received our new Drivers Licenses (mug shots as usual!!!) but because the background of the license is Mt. Rushmore we can say we have our faces up with the "Presidents" LOL - Sioux Falls is a beautiful city and has lots to offer.  We only wish we had had more time to explore.  But we didn't and so we left on Thursday for our return to Belle, MO.  
We stayed our first couple of nights in Grimes, Iowa (just outside of Des Moines) and spent the day on friday touring Madison County Iowa and the "Bridges of Madison County", John Wayne's Birthplace and some beautiful country.  Oh! By the way if you are in the area be sure to check out Covered Bridges Winery in Winterset, Iowa.  There wine is delicious and the names of the wine are appropriate!!  

Hogback Bridge

Roseman Bridge - Most used in the 

movie "Bridges of Madison County"

John Wayne's Birthplace - Winterset, Iowa

John Wayne and me in Winterset, Iowa

  On Saturday, we returned to Belle and to the Gallagher Campground.  Katy, Jay and Anna have provided us with a great spot with 50amp electric and water.  We told them they should think about opening a small campground out back around the catfish pond!!

Sunday we celebrated Father's Day with Katy, Jay, Anna, Janice, Wendell, and Harold.  On Tuesday we went to Anna's T-ball game, and on Friday we walked with Katy at the Relay for Life Rally in Owensville.  We celebrated the lives of those who have gone before us (from cancer) and honored those who have survived cancer, as well as those struggling with cancer.  It was a great honor to participate in this event.  

Mid-Mo-Team for Relay for Life

6 Luminaries For

Aimee, Charles, Gary, Mabel, Sharon, & Katy

 It is now Sunday, June 24th and we are in Branson, MO at the Stormy Point Resort - Timeshare - which is like a New England Cape Cod Village.  We are here till next Saturday and plan on taking in as much of Branson as we can.  Katy and Anna will join us on Thursday and Friday we are all going to the "Dixie Stampede".

Stormy Point Resort, Branson, MO

It seems like yesterday we arrived here in Branson and yet we leave tomorrow :-( and head back to Katy's in preparation of leaving for our travels eastward.  

Since we have been here we have had a great time and love the area.  

We have seen 4 shows - most of which we would highly recommend.  

Joseph at the Sight and Sound Theater - was incredible and we would highly recommend that if you are either in Branson, MO or in Lancaster, PA that you take advantage of seeing this show as it will raise your hearts and fill you with many blessings.  Sight and Sound Theater                           

• The Dutton's Show was also very good.  This is a total family show.  The parents had seven children and each and everyone of them sings, dances, plays up to 11 instruments and give a very faith filled message in song.  The grandchildren follow in their parents and grandparents footsteps as they too are very talented.  The Dutton's on Facebook

• The Tweed Show - is a Father/Daughter show that is fantastic as well.   They sing songs from many generations and sing songs which each has written.  If you are in Branson on a Wed, Thur, or Friday at 5pm go and see their show it will leave you singing a very happy tune!  The Tweed Show

John and Sarah

• The Cat's Pajamas was a good show with very talented folks who are singers and their own vocal band.  The sounds they can make are incredible.  Our only problem was it being a bit too loud which distorted a lot of what they were singing.

We returned to Katy's on Saturday, June 30th, and had a wonderful time celebrating the 4th of July.  

We left Katy's on Thursday, July 5th and headed to Hannibal, MO and Mark Twain Cave and Campground.  We leave here on Monday, July 9th and head for Elkhart, IN to have some much needed warranty work done on the camper.  

Today, July 6th we celebrated our 27th Wedding Anniversary by staying in most of the day rather than try and get around in the 108 degree heat.  We went to dinner in Hannibal for our Anniversary and had a great meal at "Lula Belle's" which is a B&B and Restaurant.  It is a former bordello which was built in 1917 and popular with prominent businessmen, railroaders, travelers and other assorted visitors and was still in business in the 50's when it was finally closed by an uproar from local ministers and raids by the police.  It may have been a bordello but it now has another excellent service - great food!!!

Lula Belle's and notice the "red light"

History of Bordello

Great place and great food!

Be sure to visit when in Hannibal!!