November in FL ... Wake Up Call

We left Red Top Mountain mid-Saturday morning. While driving through GA, we took turns working the phone trying to find our next campsite. We've been so lucky, we never really worry about advance reservations any more.

After 12 hours on the road, we arrived safely at home. Not a FL state park site available over the busy weekend in November. I couldn't deal with a FL RV Park; too depressing. So...

The Christmas tree is up! Now to decorate! Happy Thanksgiving!

Nature’s Gifts

A sunny Saturday morning greeted us in the amber woods of Georgia's Red Top Mountain State Park. Richly colored leaves under a November sun soothed our souls and warmed our hearts. Clichés are important here. And so is a good night's sleep.

Friday was a tedious day on the road. We broke tradition and drove way too long. Little annoyances became big frustrations as we set up camp and prepared dinner. A hissy fit ensued. Fatigued and stressed, there was little comfort from the beautiful surroundings of a private campsite overlooking the lake last night. Luckily, it's becoming an increasingly rare occurrence when gratitude doesn't triumph over attitude.

My husband is a saint. 😇

GA State Parks

Always amaze! Red Top Mountain.

Cooking at Camp

The pressure cooker is an invaluable tool in the van's galley. Steel cut oatmeal, risotto, brown rice and stone ground grits are ready within minutes. With Bill on the barbie, we pull together some easy, great meals at camp. It's helps having a freezer, too. After our day at the service center, we enjoyed grilled salmon tacos with rice, beans and homemade guacamole. Simple and delish. I may have to write a camp cookbook!

Jackson Center OH

Early to bed and early to rise... We were up way before the crack of dawn, returned the rental car and left greater Chicago as planned Thursday morning. Instead of starting the trip for home, we took a detour to the Airstream factory in Jackson Center Ohio for service.

It was actually a very pleasant ride down rural routes for four of the five hours.

While our van was being serviced, we took a two hour factory tour. It was fascinating to see how the classic and iconic trailers are made.

Airstream even has campsites for service customers. It's great to be retired!!

Laughs and Lamb

Only weeks in their new home and they're already decorated for the season! Maggie and Kev treated us to a delicious home-cooked meal at their new place Wednesday night. Kevin expertly prepared racks of lamb and we chatted around the dinner table for a couple of hours. Plenty of good 'ol belly laughs, too!

Getting it Done!

Oh boy! The eating fest continues with the last of our Chicago comfort food cravings. Christmas shopping in Long Grove followed by pizza. Yes!

West Side

After our journey down memory lane and sneaking around the now-terrifying old stomping grounds, I felt a little melancholy. It's been 43 years since we lived on the west side of Chicago. So many memories! And so sad to see the destruction and decline of a neighborhood.

It was the perfect evening for a family reunion. Sister Nancy and bro-in-law Terry met us in Elmhurst for dinner at a newly opened restaurant on York Rd. The meal at Victory Meat and Seafood was good but the visit was better. Nance and Terr lifted my spirits and so did these silly napkins in the shop next door.

Throwback Tuesday

We did it! Heart racing through my old neighborhood and old house now blue! More comfort food at an old time fave: Russell's.

Time Out

The Kia Soul just may be my next car. We arranged for a rental during our stay at Camp Reinburg and this spunky car has been perfect.

Monday was a business day for us. We spent five hours at the Mercedes-Benz dealer in Hoffman Estates troubleshooting a Florida service appointment gone awry.

For all the joy we get traveling in our Airstream Sprinter, there are plenty of frustrating moments with complicated electronics and temperamental components. Our dinner date with Irene was cancelled as a result. Sadly, we are now considering options for further service at the Airstream Jackson Center in Ohio.

While our camper woes grounded us on Monday, we had an enjoyable evening at camp with brats from the freezer, a nice wine and Fannie Mae candy for dessert.

Go Bears Beat the Packers

These cold temps have us loving a lazy Sunday in and around camp. Lingering at the breakfast table with our devices and tea, day-drinking and splurge-eating at Durty Nellies with football fans, shopping for warm slippers at the Deer Park mall and a cozy evening with TV in the van. Cold weather camping is pretty nice, too!

Pazzi Di Pizza and Palatine Snow

After picking up a rental car on Golf Rd., we set up camp, showered and enjoyed a Saturday night martini before heading to Elmhurst for pizza with Irene and John.

It's always fun to see those two. The restaurant was really good and had a great selection of meat and seafood in addition to pizza and pasta.

While hanging around camp Sunday morning, I made a little video of the snow in Palatine. Amazing what one can do on an iPhone these days. Click here to see my video.

The Bears vs. Packers are playing at 1pm. This may call for a visit to Durty Nellies today!

Frost on the Fields

Frost on the fields in the southern prairie state, a chubby Yellow Lab stuffed into the back of a tiny car, an empty highway...more beauty on the road.

It is the fourth anniversary of our life in FL. We rolled over the Marco bridge in a three-car caravan from the northeast on Veterans Day 2013. American flags mounted all along the median on Collier Blvd. welcomed us like we were grand marshals of the parade. What a fun journey it has been in FL!

It's 85 degrees in Marco today and we had lunch in Crestwood IL where it was 35 degrees at Portillo's. Yes Portillo's!!! First stop for comfort food. We couldn't decide between beefs and chop salad so we got one of each to share. Delish!

Finding Beauty in all Things on the Road

We absolutely love our camper van. Driving from point A to Point B can be rather mundane but trying to find beauty in even the mundane is a fun and uplifting challenge while traveling the Interstate. For instance, I-75 is much friendlier than I-95, that's for sure. It must be the wholesomeness of midwesterners. 😉

After nine-plus hours of driving, we pulled into Fern Lake Campground (err parking lot) in Paducah KY. It's a shame there isn't a universal rating standard for campgrounds but, I've ranted about that before. With near freezing temps we really weren't planning on doing much around camp anyway, just hanging indoors with the heater cranked up.

A nice, easy dinner of chicken on the barbie, left-over orzo and white bean bruschetta, avocado tomato salad with blue cheese crumbles and a nice Chardonnay left us full on life and gratitude. The beauty of self-sufficiency in cold-weather camping.✔️

If I had pics of the beautiful fall colors, I post them, but instead...another selfie.

Late Fall Midwest Adventure

Pastoral scenes of sheep and cows grazing together in the cool of the morning. Cotton fields dotting the horizon looking like freshly fallen snow. And so we begin our day out of Reed-Bingham State Park in Sparks, GA. It has been over a year since we embarked on trip to Chicago. The time has come for some cool weather camping and anti-freeze in the water tanks. Another adventure looms! And yes, I woke up like this.