Tuesday, December 31, 2019

What a Year it Has Been!

As I started to write this post earlier this week I realized that it will be the last one I write in 2019. And what a year it has been. I can’t think of a year we have been so busy, it seemed like all we did was work on the house day after day after day....... Despite this when I look back at our travel map we did get quite a bit of traveling in. 
Our 2019 travel adventures
We started out 2019 in New Brunswick Georgia making our way south to Florida where we visited, gorged ourselves with seafood and ran across lots of friends and my sister Judy.  Kayaking among the manatees, catching up with Jim and Brenda and Dan and Jeanie. Near Tampa we caught up with Jim and Diane, Dino and Lisa, and David and Sharon, even Farmer Bob and DeAnne came down for a visit! We also finally met Steve and Mona Liza, as well as getting to know Mike and Liz better since our brief meeting in Alaska in 2016. Mike is the one who has a brother who owns a couple shrimp boats and was nice enough to let me tag along for one night on the water! A week in Fort Myers with my sister Judy, husband Mike and all their friends was a whirlwind of activity! Just writing about it now makes us want to go back there!

Of course most of our year was spent in South Dakota working on ours and Kevin's houses, memories we will never forget. We are still in awe when we look at where we started in March...… 
to where we are now......
We cannot thank everyone who stopped to help enough. Especially Kevin and Cheryl but also Jim and Diane, Guy and Sue, Doug and Jan, Dan and Bonnie, Dave and Leslie, Doug and Lisa, Tom, Earl, Richard and Cheryl, Steve and Deb, Al and Ingrid, Dino and Lisa (Well, Lisa anyway....) and of course, our son Forrest! Wow, we cannot help but feel blessed with so many great friends who stopped by, visited and lent a helping hand....

We did manage to get up to Pasha Lake for a month and even over to Oregon to see Forrest, Somer and Lily. The bonus of that trip was Jessica and Shane flying in with their kids as well. 
The Nelson/Mowen clan
Our biggest regret was not getting up to the farm for an extended stay. I did manage to get up there for a day on my way to Pasha while Barb was in California helping out with her stepmothers estate. What a long and busy year!

So what have we been up to down in the desert? The week since Christmas has been wet and cool. Two days of rain meant we had to break out the generators to maintain the batteries. The rest of the week has been sunny but cool  with lows in the 30's and highs in the 50's and low 60's which is not horrible but the winds make it feel a lot chillier. 

We did escape to Parker one day with Dino and Lisa and saw the movie Jumanji. Another day I just sat inside and read while Barb and Lisa ran to Phoenix to do some shopping. I actually don't mind these down days, it is nice to just have a "do nothing day" once in a while. 

Daisy spent her day watching the National Dog Show.....
Friends Ray and Deb arrived on the 27th. They parked a little way down the wash so their dog Freya would have a better area to run. Deb invited us over for ham dinner on the 29th. Deb's cooking is world renowned and this is the first time she has invited us over for dinner. 
The gang is ready for dinner!

Ray bought a number of beers to taste!

Ray and Deb's rig in a beautiful sunset

Freya took over the captains chair!
 It was everything we thought it would be and more! For the first time ever I had cooked carrots and liked them! The ham and scalloped potatoes were out of this world as well!
Dianne and Barb getting cozy
Red and Pam arrived on the 28th and are parked right next to us. We have not seen them since December of '17 when we stayed at Red's brothers place in Texas and went deer hunting. Since then they lost Dominic and have a new addition to their family in their pup Sadie. 

Sunday was cool but calm so I got the drone out to take a few pictures of the area....


To the west

South
Monday was another a dreary but special day as it was my birthday! The winds were brisk and it did not get out of the 40's but we managed to have a happy hour thanks to Steve bringing his truck over as a wind block. Deb once again outdid herself with her tater tot appetizers! If you have never had bacon wrapped tater tots you have to give it a try. 


2020 looks like it will be very similar to '19. Working on the house, some travel and more working on the house. Although this year we are going to Alaska! 

Our year will look something like this.....
2020 Travel Plans
This is just our tentative plans, we know we want to stop in Klamath Falls, Vancouver Island, Haines, Homer, Kenai and Fairbanks. We still need to iron out timelines and additional stops but that is where we are at so far. 

Looks like it is going to be another busy year!

27 comments:

  1. I have learned that the biggest help I can be is to stay out of the way. Unless you need a supervisor with a ton of advice.

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    1. Come on, don't sell yourself short. You know you want to come back and help when we are putting up the tongue and groove on the ceiling!

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  2. Alaska sounds like a great trip! If you get the opportunity to stop in Kelowna on your way north through BC to Alaska try and spend some time at Bear Creek Provincial Park and look us up, we are the main Campground Hosts ... right beside the gatehouse. Nice park on Okanagan Lake and great wineries and breweries, as well as lots of other place to see, in the area.

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    1. It does not look like our route takes us through that way on the way up, maybe the way back will bring us through your neighborhood, it would be great to stop by!

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  3. Wow...Kenai. Be sure to eat at the Burger Bus. You won’t be disappointed. It was fun helping you guys with the barndominium...even if we did get the words on the wrap upside down. Carrots....ugggh.

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    1. Your help was invaluable! We did not eat at Burger Bus last time we were up there, we will make sure to hit it this time!

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  4. Great family shot in Oregon! Wow that was a lot of visitors...it’s amazing you got as much done as you did.
    Lots of fun times in the desert and more to come. Happy New Year!

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    1. We had not gotten together for a family picture for several years so it was fun to finally get back together.

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  5. YES on the Burger Bus!! Happy New Year!!!

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  6. AK again, that'll be fun. You've had a busy year for sure. Happy Belated Birthday!!

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    1. We see Alaska on our travel plans every 3-5 years going forward, love that state!

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  7. Glad you guys had a good time here for dinner. Love it when people like my food. :) Nice to see you again after 4 years. Hopefully not so long between for next time.

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  8. Wishing your entire Family a Safe, Happy and Healthy New Year.
    Even though 2019 was a busy year we are looking forward to your next adventure.

    It's about time.

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    1. Thanks, same to you guys! Missing you in the desert this year!

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  9. I can see where you all appreciate some downtime this time of year. What an incredibly busy and productive year! It is truly impressive. Hopefully you'll get plenty of nice warm sunshine out there to begin 2020. Happy belated birthday and best wishes for a great year!

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    1. Thanks for the birthday wish! Today was the best day we have had in a while. Only 55 and sunny but we will take it!

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  10. Belated happy birthday! Looks like so much fun you guys are having, coats and blankets though? We put on a coat the other evening at 70F. There was a strong wind though. Drone shots are awesome, gives great perspective of desert camping. We see a line through Alberta on your Alaska trip. Maybe we could return your hospitality. I can't show you anything like Mt Rushmore though.

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    1. That would be awesome if it worked out. We are thinking of taking the ferry out of Prince Rupert, once we know for sure I will let you know.

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  11. Happy Birthday and Happy New Year!

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  12. Happy Belated Birthday! We’ll see you soon! Going back to AK, yay!!

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  13. Happy New Year's to you guys 😎
    Hope our paths cross sometime this year.
    Till then safe and happy travels, Rick & Maxine

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    1. Thought maybe we would hear from you on your way east last fall. You are welcome at our place anytime Richard!

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  14. Happy New Year guys! Thanks for the drone shots. I'm sure it will get a LOT busier there soon. We'll won't get there until Jan 26.....unless we pop down to the Show. We'll be up at Earp.
    You guys sure have had a busy year. I thought we drove a lot of miles until I saw your map.

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