Monday, 9/27/21, Bill picked up our new (used) truck, I picked all the squash from the garden, trimmed tree by deck

 

This tree needed trimming badly

Trimmed tree looks much better

All of the squash in the garden is picked

 Delivering some to Stacie, Phyllis and waiting to hear from Charlie and Sue

Bill by his new (used) truck

 Driving his truck when he and I went for our ride

Bill taking Vikki and the kids for a ride and me trying the back seat out

Started the morning out doing our reading and devotions.  Bill went with Charlie for coffee. I talked to Kimmy and Vikki in the morning, then I put stuff we brought in from the camper away as we won't be using it for any more camping trips this year.  I picked all the squash from the garden and got lots of it.  Bill got home and then had to leave again to go pick up the truck and trade our other one in.  I pulled some weeds around the blueberry bushes, and emptied some flower pots and put them in the garbage can.  Bill came home with the truck and it is so nice.  It's black and matches our camper really well. (not planned) He showed me it and took me for a long ride.  It gets much better gas mileage than our other one did and rides really smooth.  When we got home, Vikki, Peyton and Isaac came to go for a ride.  I sat in the backseat to see how it was when riding.  It was fun being back there with my two sweeties and the seat was pretty comfy.  Not as comfy as the front seat where you can have a massage in either seat if you want to.  Never heard of such a thing and Bill didn't know it had that until he started reading up on it after we decided to get it.  It has a cool ladder step that comes down by the tailgate to get up in the bed of the truck.  

I decided to trim the tree by the deck near the gazebo.  It was work, but it sure looks nice now.  Everything went kind of wild growing this year with all of the rain and sun.  

I texted people to give squash to and wrote out a delivery schedule.  Will take the rest if any is left and give it away at church.  Bill had to go to an Elder's meeting.   I worked on my blog and texted with Vikki, Melissa and got my nightly text from Adam.

Sunday, 11/26/21, We ate breakfast and then read our Bibles together, packed up, said our goodbyes, headed home, Vikki, Rody and the twins came over for chili

Some color starting on US 10 between Midland and Freeland

Plants are still looking so pretty

Jack by the pumpkin patch

Bruce hauled our big trailer over to park it next to his camper.  Jack and Bill also in the picture

Jack is almost as tall as Bruce now and almost as big

Came home to a big blossom on my clematis plant

Isaac taking a really close up of me...he's so cute

Peyton, me and Isaac

I got up early and got the coffee started, then packed some stuff up.  Bill got up, then Ziggy came in from the bunkhouse, and we ate pancakes, egg, hash browns, and bacon for breakfast.  We talked about our families, testimonies, and the Bible while we ate.  Afterward, we sat together and all read our Bibles.  The guys went outside to get things put away, and I put worship music on and closed up the inside stuff.  It is super easy in this camper and takes half the time.  I went outside to say goodbyes to everyone before they left. Ziggy waited to see if Bill needed help bringing the motorcycle in, but it only took one try and Bill had it parked right away.  He's so good at that!  We said our goodbyes and Ziggy left.  We went and dumped the tanks and then we left too.  It was a nice smooth ride home and there was some color to enjoy.  I thought about how nice it would have been to stop and see Kimmy and family, but we had the big camper so I knew we couldn't.  We always stop if we get that close.  Boo Hoo.  Can't wait to see them Tues. night at Adam's game.  We got home and Bill pulled on the grass with the truck to back the camper in it's place.  Big Mistake.  The ground is still soaked because of all the rain, so the truck sank right down.  We ended up putting the things down for under the jacks and setting the camper up right there.  It blocks the driveway to the shed, but it's there until the ground gets much dryer.  He had me pull ahead with the truck til it unhooked from the hitch.  Made me a little bit nervous, but I did it.  He left to get the truck washed at a carwash, but passed Bruce bringing his camper to park back by our shed.  He turned around and came back to help him.  I walked back there, and was happy to see Jack with him.  We talked for a while.  Jack carried on a pretty good conversation.  He's growing up.  I opened windows, and put the vents on and Bill opened the back door where the motorcycle goes.  We put our facemarks on and I got to show Jack the camper.  He loved it and was so cute.  He was super excited like Adam was when he saw it.  I can't wait until Covid is gone and he can camp with us again.  Bruce went around the back of our camper and got his camper parked.  He moved our trailer back into place after he was parked.  Bill gave him something to help roll it easier.  He picked some squash when he was here.  I will pick the rest and cook it up.  Sounds so good this time of year.  Vikki, Rody and the kids came for chili.  I had a big mixing bowl size container left.  I had taken two and only used one.  So nice having them over.  Vikki and I went out to the camper and moved the couch over so it lines up with the table better and is easier to get behind.  We thought we would need Bill and Rody but with Isaac's help, we were able to move it.  It was a tight squeeze getting behind the table on the one side, but now is much easier.  We talked to Paul while we were out there for a while.  Then we sat on the deck and visited with Paul while we sat on the swings.  It was such a nice day.  I'm happy to be back home sweet home until we go to Mackinaw Island this weekend.  

Sat., 9/25/21, pancakes and bacon for breakfast, motorcycle ride to Houghton Lake, campfire and devotion

Max

Max volunteering 

Homecoming Court...Ali on the left

Beautiful Hailey and her homecoming date, Martin

Ally and Hailey

Breanna and Hailey

. 

Selfie Ziggy took by our camper 

Nice hills on our ride

We did see some beautiful color but not a lot yet

The lake was beautiful today

Jeff, Ron and Bev

Bill

Ziggy

Panoramic of our chili cook off and campfire

Bill on the end next to my empty chair

Bill and I eating our chili

Isaac and Rody helping clean up a garage and yard on serve Saturday today with our church. Lots of work to be done at lots of places and 100 volunteers from our church doing it.  Wish we would have been home to help.

I made pancakes and bacon for breakfast. I forgot to turn the fan on and open the vent, so the smoke detector went off and was very loud. Good thing Ziggy is tall because Bill and I couldn’t reach it even when we stood on the stool.  After breakfast, we all relaxed on the recliners and read our Bibles.  We shared some of what we read.  We also shared our testimonies of how we were born again.  Six motorcycles were on the ride and eight of us on them.  It was in the 50’s but we all had lots of layers on and heated seats sure help.  It was a great ride with lots of hills and curves. It was so much fun!  We ate pizza at a restaurant in Houghton Lake.  When we got back to the campground, we relaxed and took short naps.  Dawn and Mike came up for the evening.  It was so nice having them sit around the campfire with all of us.  There was hot chili in crockpots to eat.  Gean shared a devotion out of Ephesians that was really good.  There were many answers to last night’s prayers we were thankful for.  Talked to Vikki a couple of times and also Melissa.  Hailey had homecoming and Vikki fixed her hair. She l looked beautiful.  Max did his first day of volunteering at the animal shelter. He loved it and is excited to go back.  Of course I texted with my Adam.

Friday, 9/24/21, went to St. Helen to CMA leadership Campout, campfire in the evening

 

Our first bunkhouse boarder at Schaard Bed and Breakfast 

Bill backing the motorcycle out for the first time

It was a beautiful sunny morning.  We packed the last minute stuff, then closed up the camper and headed to St Helen.  It took about 1 1/2 hours til we arrived.  Bill went for a 4 hour motorcycle ride with Jeff and some other guys.  I visited with Kathy who is our State Worship leader for a few hours.  She is such a nice caring person.  Ziggy got here when Bill got back.  We told him he could stay in our bunkhouse instead of setting up his tent since it’s supposed to rain all night.  He was so happy.  He’s one of the nicest and most fun people we know and is an awesome man of God.  He takes care of his mom who is in her 99’s and has been very careful since COVID started.  Bev and Ron came and parked their camper in the lot behind ours.  We were very happy to see them.  In the evening we all sat around a big campfire and visited, then prayed for people we know needing prayer.  Before bedtime, I put the chili in the crockpot in the refrigerator so in the morning I can just plug it in before we leave to go on our motorcycle ride.  

Thurs. 9/23/21, Packed a few more things in the camper, Wes and Gayla came over, Vikki, Peyton and Isaac came over

It was cold out today, so I was happy to get to wear my warm cute slippers Lela made me

Wes and Gayla came over to see the camper today.  They brought us a gift Wes made when he first started doing stained glass.  A mouse!  It will always be a reminder of when they brought the mouse and 4 babies to our old camper.

Got up and made oatmeal and coffee.  It tasted good on this cold rainy morning.  It rained pretty much all day.  I sure was thankful for my warm pretty slippers from Lela.  We packed some stuff in the camper during the short periods of time when the rain stopped.  Wes and Gayla came to see the camper.  We had a good laugh at the surprise mouse they brought us.  We played 3-13 and Bill was the big winner.  Vikki and the kids came after school.  After Wes and Gayla left, we all went out in the camper.  We have it all closed up and ready to just put a few last minute things in in the morning, and then leave.  I did the newsletter tonight and sent it out for the officers to review.  I will send it out Monday.  Happy I got it done before we leave for our camping trip.  Texted with Adam today.  

Wed., 9/22//21, Rained most of day, I made chili for chili cookoff when camping, loaded stuff in camper when rain slowed down, did laundry

Chili all made for State Leadership Chili Cookoff

Lots of Chickadees coming to the bird feeder today

Lots of blossoms on my knockout rosebushes

Autumn Joy makes me joyful to look at.  Love the color!

Bill got up before me.  I put the electric blanket on the bed since there is a cool down coming.  Had the bed all made by the time Bill was done showering,  He was happy to hear the electric blanket was on the bed.  Did my morning reading.  I went out and brought some things we won't need for this camping trip in.  I also took some stuff we will need out.  I walked around and looked at some of my flowers and plants.  First day of fall, so have to enjoy them while they are still doing good.  Made chili for our camping trip.  They always have a chili cook off.  We will see how my award winning chili does there.  It won 3rd place, than the next year 1st place at the Harley Dealer chili cook off.  That's when I changed the name to award winning ha ha.  Talked to Vikki when she got out of work.  Had a nice chat with Melissa today too.  Jack and Evan started their horseback riding class.  They are pretty excited about it and I'm excited for them.  Texted with Adam which I always love doing.  They have a half day on Friday.  I sure wish we were going to be home so they could come over.  It has rained pretty much all day and got pretty windy there for a while.  Calmer now.  Bill and I got the camper ready to move and he backed it into position for us to just hook up and leave.  It's supposed to rain all day tomorrow too, and we were afraid if he waited he would sink in the grass where so much rain is coming down.  Glad it is all set on the pavement now and ready for take off.