Our retired life plans involved RV life and travel. The opportunity to combine that with volunteer work at various faith based organizations across the country presented itself shortly after retirement. And it seemed like the perfect fit.
Continue reading “Mad Skillz? Nah…??”Category Camping!!!!
Comfort and Joy
Just a little preface to this post. You’re not going to find anything that even vaguely resembles what you might read in the headlines or hear on the news these days. My motive is simple stories and encouraging words. No politics, no controversy, no mean stuff. This is Simply B keeping it light and simple. Finding the good. It’s there to be found.
Continue reading “Comfort and Joy”
Old roads
This past May took us on a journey with my sister and hubby to meet up with their son and wife on the Nebraska/South Dakota border. Near Yankton, SD, in a COE campground on the Missouri River. The Nebraska side.
Continue reading “Old roads”Wintering Elsewhere
If you’ve experienced winter in the Midwest, you fully understand the appeal of going South during the cold months. We decided a few months ago to make late January and all of February our month to head for the warmth of Texas.
Continue reading “Wintering Elsewhere”You’re wrong
If I’ve heard it once, I’ve heard it a million times. Words like “mind-numbing terrain”. “It’s so boring”. “There’s nothing to see”. “Longest drive ever”. Any guesses what these words are describing? Well I’ll go ahead and give the answer: Western Kansas. I-70 in particular.
Continue reading “You’re wrong”‘Sup? oh my….SUP
My oldest daughter has an SUP. Stand up paddleboard, in case you need to know. Her mother-in-law also has one. They rave about how fun they are, how easy they are to use, how great the muscular work-out they provide.
Continue reading “‘Sup? oh my….SUP”Yaks and Origami
For most of the month of November we’ve been volunteering at a faith-based camp on the Texas gulf. Palacios by the Sea is a lovely little spot in the universe. So low-key and friendly. About 4600 folks call Palacios home. It’s bordered by a lovely bay that connects to the Gulf of Mexico. By the way, for those of you word nerds who need to know how Palacios is pronounced: Puh-lash-us
Continue reading “Yaks and Origami”There’s a Lighthouse….on a (really steep) hillside
After a long period of time with no volunteering trips with our RV, we finally finally are able to get back out there and go. As I mentioned in my blog post titled “Purpose and Plans”, everything kinda stopped in 2020 for us due to Rotten Rona. In 2019 we began the volunteering plan, in 2020 it screeched to a halt. Only two projects total for us and BAM, done.
Continue reading “There’s a Lighthouse….on a (really steep) hillside”The Morels of Campgrounds
Against my better judgment I’m fixing to tell you a camping story. With details I’d prefer not to share. Go ahead and read, but I may need you to sign a waiver first promising you won’t share info. Reality check, Simply B, that can’t happen. They’re going to read it anyway. Well, okay, here goes.
Continue reading “The Morels of Campgrounds”The Eyes Have It
Again, I have been given the opportunity to reminisce about my mother. Several days ago I had cataract surgery. Soon I will have cataract surgery on my other eye. Just a short appointment, quick recovery, and voila, good eyesight. Maybe even no prescription eye glasses needed once my other eye is done. Just that simple.
Continue reading “The Eyes Have It”Traveling south; Gene, Blake, and Olive Ann
Did you know there is a national park in south central Oklahoma? Well there is! Chickasaw National Recreation Area.
Continue reading “Traveling south; Gene, Blake, and Olive Ann”Shakedown Shakes
We camp in a fifth wheel. We winterize our 5th wheel late fall every stinking year. Always with a sad face. Because we love to camp and the winter feels like an eternity when we can’t go camping.
Our part of the world experienced record breaking cold temperatures this past winter. And they lasted for a record breaking fourteen day period. Why does this matter? Well, it can mean winterization fails. AKA, cracks and leaks. Ugh.
Thus, our annual spring shakedown camping trip was taken with trepidation. Actually, for more reasons than winterization fails.
Continue reading “Shakedown Shakes”Purpose and Plans.
We’re retired. It’s been two years now. Since we love to travel and have a fifth wheel, we looked into ways we could incorporate both of those into our life plan. Doors opened for us to volunteer at faith based camps while living part-time in our fifth wheel and in the fall of 2019 we had our first stint in eastern Oklahoma. After the first month we loved it so much that we quickly signed up for another month.
And it seemed we’d found our purpose.
Continue reading “Purpose and Plans.”Rising numbers. Rrrrrrip.
My collection of numbers has become pretty large. Too many birthdays has added a ton of numbers to my age. And I seem to have an uncanny ability to add numbers to my weight. Though it’s tempting to blame COVID19 and the whole stay-at-home scene on the weight dealio, that would be a lie.
All these numbers have resulted in gravitational effects and odd changes to my already unfortunate configuration of body parts.
Continue reading “Rising numbers. Rrrrrrip.”Smiles, language barrier, and poop. Oh my.
A couple of days ago we found ourselves strolling through a local mall with the littlest grandboy. Malls have become pretty desolate, but there were quite a few mall-walkers utilizing the space on that day. As we were standing next to the little children’s carousel, a mall-walker woman looked our way and I smiled and greeted her. She started to walk on by then turned to speak to me. “Thank you for smiling. I’ve smiled at everyone in this place today and you’re the first one to return my smile.” I told her I understood what she was talking about and thanked her for her smile, too. She patted my shoulder and said “God bless you,” as she walked away.
Continue reading “Smiles, language barrier, and poop. Oh my.”Would you like some whine with that cane?
Unless you are blind, you are fully aware that my husband and I do not have athletic looking bodies. No one looks at us and concludes that we must work out many hours each day.
We don’t look like we would be hikers. We look like walking to the fridge is our exercise of choice. (oddly enough, as I typed those words, the hubby strolled by from the fridge with a nice bowl of ice cream in his hand) Continue reading “Would you like some whine with that cane?”
Texas, the final chapter. For now.
Tyler State Park. Our final campground in Texas. This picture was taken on a hiking trail near our campsite.
There’s no end to Texas. I’m certain of that. It is vast and so diverse topographically.
Our stay in Texas was initially going to be 6-8 weeks. Due to various circumstances we were only there a bit shy of 4 weeks. But even if we’d spent all 8 weeks touring Texas we could never have seen it all. We shall return. I want to see more. Continue reading “Texas, the final chapter. For now.”
Hills. And flowers. And friends. And adventure.
Texas in the spring. This was our first experience with camping in Texas, and oh my it’s been so very nice. Bluebonnets rule the fields. And sometimes Indian paintbrush rule the fields: Continue reading “Hills. And flowers. And friends. And adventure.”
Does Ft Worth ever cross YOUR mind?
Fort Worth has never been a place I dreamed of going. On this particular extended trip to Texas, I assumed it would just be our first stop on the way to somewhere better.
I was wrong! Continue reading “Does Ft Worth ever cross YOUR mind?”
Where’s your sense of adventure? Stay tuned.
For the last several springs and summers we’ve taken frequent camping trips to local lakes. And the Mr. worked remotely from our RV. While he worked, I did, uh, very little. Mainly spent time outdoors in exquisitely beautiful surroundings, hanging out with the Creator. Continue reading “Where’s your sense of adventure? Stay tuned.”
Simply B 