Thursday, 10/9/25, Sat outside for a while, set up clothes rack and hung stuff from our showers outside, shopped downtown and then at BeAlls.went on great ride On the National Talimeha Scenic Bypass, Lunch at Queen Wilamena Restaurant/lodge, Came down the curvy way,

It was 55 this morning.  We started the fireplace to take the chill off.  Still wearing the camping boots my mom made me.  Only wear them when camping.  I love the memory of her.

Bill was pretty excited when he saw this game.  He asked me if we should buy it.  I got a little scared at first, but then decided he doesn’t show me any mercy anyhow so we got it.

Riding up Ouachita Mountain

Halfway up

Bill wanted to stay on the bike at this lookout, so he took a selfie of us with scenery behind us

Almost to the top

Stopped for a picture when we were close to the top

I’m really liking my phone case with the built in stand.  It makes taking selfies easy.  I put it on the motorcycle and took this picture

There’s more writing on the rocks than we’ve seen before.  It used to one section and now it goes way down the road.

Queen Wilhemena Lodge and Restaurant

They have a beautiful lobby.  I didn’t take any picture of us eating this year.  We both ordered what we had last year though.  I got chicken Alfredo and Bill got chicken tenders, mashed potatoes and Coleslaw.  Yum!  It was just as good as ever.  A man came and thanked Bill for his service and talked to us for a while.  Then another man came with his wife and said he wanted to tell us something.  I thought it was going to be about Bill’s service again, but he just wanted to tell us thank you for praying before our meal and how it touched their hearts.  

Our ride back down the mountain.  The girl at the lodge was on the phone reporting that there was a boulder in the road east of the Restaurant.  Bill wanted to see if we could find it.  This road in the picture goes pretty much straight down and is very curvy.  Bill went slow and no boulder was to be seen.  We turned around and went back up and went the long way down the mountain and didn’t see any boulder in the road either.  They must have got their pretty fast to move it.  We saw lots in an area along the road, but good they moved the one in the road.  

                                          Relaxing on our patio when we got back

I was texting with my friend Sue who will be here tomorrow and she told me they were going to be on lot 66.  We walked around to find it and this picture is taken standing on their lot and our camper is on the next row over on the end.  We are going to be nice and close. Yay!

Bill playing No Mercy Uno..Do you see any mercy with all of those cards he just added up for my score?

We were going to sleep in today.  I set my alarm for 9.  I couldn’t sleep any longer than 8, so decided to just get up, get ready, eat, and read my Bible.  Bill got up about 15 minutes after me.  We sat out on the patio for a while, then decided to go into town.  We went into some shops and found my favorite shop from last year.  It has lots of Christian shirts and signs.  Also has essential oils and beautiful candles, plus lots of decorative stuff.  So peaceful in there!  I bought a cute hoodie for $3 and a shirt with a Christian Saying on it for $11,  We decided to go to Bealls after that.  It is our favorite department store in Florida and we love going to the one here too.  I got a super nice sweater for $16.  I’ve been looking for a sweater back home but didn’t see any I liked that well and they were priced really high.  

I got a cute 2 pack of pajama shorts for $9.99 too.  I didn’t think I would be wearing shorts to sleep in, but it is going to be hot for both weeks we are here.  I got a note book for $3.97 so I can take notes here.  My other one is getting full.  Bill found one that was real small to keep in the camper to figure out mileage.  Our mileage was better than our other small motorhome and we were using the generator the two nights we spent at Cracker barrel which comes from the tank we drive with.  

We decided to go on the Talimena Scenic drive and to to eat lunch at Queen Wilhemena Lodge and Restaurant to eat.  We both knew what we wanted.  The same thing as last time!!!

It was so delicous.  Yum!  I brought half of mine home.  We saw a couple sharing a piece of peach pie with ice cream.  We were talking about getting some and our waitress heard us and came closer and told us there was only one piece left.  She said she would set it aside for us.  It was delicious too.

We enjoyed our ride back down the mountain on the short route and back up it.  Then another nice ride going down the long way.  What a fun day!  

My sister, Brenda was doing so good today with hardly no pain.  They took out one cyst with 800 ml of fluid in it and a small cyst with 100 ml of fluid in it.  She sure will be feeling much better with those gone.  

We relaxed more out on the patio when we got home.  We went for a walk around the campground.  It is a big campground so I really got my steps.  Got almost a mile in just tonight’s walk.  We saw Jane and Jay, our National Evangelists come in on their motorcycles.  They stopped to talk to us for a while.  Then we walked a little farther and saw Barry.  He is from Indiana and he and his wife are really nice.  He is 6 ft. 7 inches tall.  I really look up to him lol.  Then I came in and worked some on my blog.  I called Kimmy to see how Jacob was doing in his new apartment.  She has been working so hard switching both boys rooms around.  Jacob will have Adam’s small room because he’s not home very often, and Adam will have Jacob’s larger room.  She showed me videos and they both look amazing.  They will both be happy boys. I got to talk to Melissa and Vikki today too, and texted with my nephew Matthew.  

I am stopping now to play the No Mercy Uno game.  I will add on later how it goes.  Well, we played two hands.  No mercy for sure!  I threw Bill a draw 6+ and he told me he could add to it, so added a 10+ which made me draw 16 cards.  Then he went out so my points were 250 for just the first hand.  Then the secondhand, he threw a 6+ and I put a 10+ on it, but he looked up the rule again and said no you can’t do that.  I drew the 6 cards, then he took his turn, then I put a 10+ down, he drew the 10+, then I still didn’t have the color I made it so I put another 10+ on it.  I still had a turn, so put a 6+ on next.  He had twenty five cards in his hand.  When you have 25 cards in your hand it says you are out.  You have to lay your hand aside, and he didn’t know what you did after that.  We decided to play it when it is earlier sometime and went pack to our fun easy game of 3-13.  He beat me by 8 points.  We played dice after that and I beat him by 2500.  We had fun and enjoyed our usual games and our blood pressure stayed in the normal range lol.  

Wed., 10/8/25, Went to Iron Mt. Pavilion to meet with volunteers, John gave devotion, we helped take inventory, then at 1 went back and packed up things for each cabin and Tent, and John and his helper delivered the stuff, We went and unpacked everything and put it in ,

Nice morning...65 when we walked to the Pavilion to go to the volunteer meeting

Bill sure did a great job parking the camper and lining it up with the cement slab with my guidance.

These cots for the international CMA members that are coming from all over the world were super nice, but very hard to get to stay flat.  Bill figured it out, so it became his job.  He sat on one side, then the other side and that usually did it.  Sometimes it took one more try.

Our ride going down the mountain into Mean

We both had a delicous hamburger and split some fries.  Afterwards Bill had a hot fudge sundae and I had a banana split.  It’s tradition here!

Bill...the plants in the background are beautiful.  I love the yellow hibiscus!

Our new neighbors next to us that got here today

Back at our camper, sitting under the awning

We got up early so we could be down to the volunteer meeting by 8.  We walked there so we were about 3 minutes late.  We stood outside for a while because the leader, John, wasn’t there yet.  We met the other volunteers and talked with them while we waited.  About 15 minutes passed, and a lady came and let us in.  We sat at some picnic tables and got to know one another better.   John got there and gave a devotion, then explained the jobs that needed to be done.  One was moving rocks and raking which they needed 2 guys for, then another was moving tables in the leadership training area while the guy washed the ceiling fans above, and the last one was opening boxes and taking inventory of all the things that were dropped off for the International CMA members to use in cabins or tents.  That’s what we did and about 8 others joined us.  My job was taking the towels out of the box and counting them.  It was kind of weird because there were 41 which is an unusual number to have.  When Connie and I stacked them, that’s what the number was though.  She counted pillows.  There were 38 of those.  Then we both counted pillow cases.  The guys counted cots, sleeping bags, mattresses for the cots, USB charger/plugs, extension cords, and small lanterns There also was 1 heater.  We let John know the numbers when he came back.  He told us we could come back at 1 if we wanted to and put them into piles that were needed for each tent and each cabin.  Bill stayed and helped move tables for the fan cleaner guy.  I walked back to the camper.  It was mostly uphill all the way.  That was good for me.  I relaxed when I got back and in about a half hour Bill came back and we both read our Bibles, then we both relaxed.  At 12:50, we got on the motorcycle and rode down to the pavilion.  John and another worker came, and they would tell us how many of each item we needed for Tent 1 and 2.  They took that load, and put them in the tents, then we would get the next Tent number of items ready for however many tents he told us.  It was a good system and everyone did great helping.  After we were done with that, John asked us if we wanted to go set the tents and cabins up today or tomorrow morning.  We all picked today.  

Bill and I went down by the youth center and set up two cabins down there with everything that had been put in there.  Then we went to see how Connie and her husband were doing.  We helped them in the one they were working in.  Bill told them he knew how to get the cots set up flat, so he did the two in the cabin they were in.  Then we went in the other two cabins they had done and got those two flat.  He had me help sit on one side while he did the other side   I guess he figured I was heavy enough to weigh it down too.

We got on the bike and rode up to where the big 2 room tents were.  I should have taken pictures, but I didn’t.  Bill and I were working together in the tent, and realized we were missing a sleeping bag.  We looked around but didn’t find it.  He went out of the tent and I was closing the windows like John had said too.  I was reaching and discovered the one wall was just snapped in and there was another room for a cot and the sleeping bag was in there.  I had Bill come back and he helped me carry the cot in the other room.  These cots were big and had the mattress, the sleeping bag, their towel, the cord and lantern on it.  Bill was surprised when I told him it had another room.  I guess we are really old school.  

We went to the next tent and started setting everything up in it.  Bill was. hot and thirsty, so went to the camper to get water.  I hurried to see if I could get everything else done before he got back.  I did!  Melissa called me and I talked to her while I was finishing.  Kept talking on the ride back to the camper and then in the camper.  Bruce has to get his vehicle fixed, so they wondered if they could use my car.  I told Melissa of course and told her where the key was.  We talked some more.  After that, Vikki called and I talked to her for a while.  She told me about her fun day hanging out with Caroline’s mom so Isaac and Caroline could hang out at the mall for a while.  They are friends from BayShore.  Peyton went along too. 

We left for Cruisers after I hung up from Vikki.  We rode the trike.  The temperature was 77 when we left, but no sunshine.  Bill and I were both cool when we got to Cruisers, so we put our jackets on and I put my velcro chaps on.  Then we ordered our food on the speaker outside, and ate it at a picnic table.  It was so good and so was our dessert.  We rode back to our camper, then sat outside for a while.  When we came in, Bill took a shower in the camper. That’s the first time we’ve used it.  I’m taking mine tomorrow.  We have full hookup so that’s why we are using it.  He said it was great, the water stayed hot and there was lots of room in the shower.  I can’t wait to try it.  

I worked on my blog and he caught up on his phone.   

   

Tues., 10/7/25, Left Little Rock, Drove around 120 miles and got to Hatfireld, AK, dropped trailer off, parked camper, set up, went for a walk, played cards and dice, Bill won both games

Beautiful ride on our last stretch before getting to Mena

Pretty spot with great view

We love our spot.  I’m relaxing in our no gravity chair while I took this

On our walk around the campground...My watch said, looks like you’re on a walk, do you want to record it.  I said yes...I have been riding for two days and haven’t got exercise and it could tell lol.

Iron Mountain Pavilion...Bill decided to go to the bathroom while I rested my leg.  Lots of hills to go up on our walk.  

Bill in front of our spot we were camped in last year.  

Our spot, #59

I got up at 7 and got ready and ate breakfast. Bill got up at 8 and got ready.  We left at 8:30.  I forgot to get a picture at Cracker Barrel. Oh well. That’s the 2nd time.

I read my Bible while Bill drove.  Then we listened to worship music!  It sounds great with all of the motor home speakers on.  We only have 120 miles to go.  We stopped after we got out of heavy traffic Ang got coffees at a gas station.  It sure tasted good.  It was another beautiful day starting out at 70 when we woke up and going up to 84 by the time we got to Hatfield.  We drove and found our campsite, dropped the motorcycle off, then took the trailer and dropped it off where you can park trailers, then drove back to our spot and Bill drove in and we lined up the steps with the cement slab.  Then Bill leveled the camper and after he pushed the button it was only a minute and it was all level.  So happy it was so fast.  No boards needed other than the 4 we always put down.  Yay!  Bill set up the outside and I set up the inside.  We relaxed for a while after that, then we ate lunch.  He wanted a peanut butter and jelly sandwich, and I ate my left over chicken breast from the Cracker Barrel.  It was big and so good.  I am going to get the same thing when I stop there on our way home.  No fat and nice and crispy.  I had some cottage cheese with peaches on top also.

I sat outside for a while.  It was shaded and was a nice temperature.  I sat in the no gravity chair and really rested for a while.  It was so peaceful and nice.  Jack messaged me and sent me a video to watch.  We texted back and forth a long time discussing what we liked and didn’t like about what the guy said.  Our discussion ended well and we always end with I love you.  I love that my grandkids take with me about things they are interested in.  I love all of my grandkids so much.

Bill wanted to go for a walk, so we walked all around the campground.  There are some pretty big hills to climb, so I told him I wanted to sit on a bench and rest my leg for a minute.  He went to the restrooms in the Pavilion while I texted more with Jack.  I had told him I couldn’t text and talk, because it could be dangerous lol.  

He did a ha ha.  

We saw the spot that Doug and Sue are going to be in we think, and it’s our spot we were in last year.  They are close to us only we are in the row behind them 4 spots down.  

I texted with my sister, Brenda, and the pain is getting better.  She thinks she will be able to go home tomorrow.  I’m glad she’s doing better.  We texted for quite a while.  I also texted with my BF, Vikki, for a while.  I talked to Vikki today and she loved working at Heritage.  The boss there was so kind and such a difference in attitude from the boss she has.  She said she could work there everyday and be happy.  I love that she had such a great day.

I was happy to see videos Kimmy sent me of Jacob’s apartment, his room and garage.  She also sent one showing the area he is in.  Everything looks great.  They met his roommate and said he was really nice.  Praying all goes very well this year.  Always praying for my grand kiddos.  Adam is excited because he gets to move into Jacob’s room at home.  Jacob was so nice about letting his brother have his room.  It works for both of them because Jacob is home for such a little time now.  

My dad always said, they are wonderful boys, just wonderful boys.  They can’t be beat and he sure was right.  They were so small when he said it, but he knew.  I called Kimmy and talked to her so I could hear more about Jacob’s move.  I’m so glad it’s so nice and went so well.

Well, we are getting up early to go volunteer and see what they need us to do here tomorrow.  We had fun volunteering last year, so came early again this year.  Then we will hopefully get a ride in after that and go to Cruisers for ice cream.  

Oh, Bill beat me in both 3-13 and dice tonight.  Both games were super close.  We sure had fun.

Monday, 10/6/25, Left Cracker Barrel’s parking lot at 8 a.m., My sister, Brenda’s surgery went well Yay!, Nice day for traveling, Got as far as Little Rock, Arkansas, stayed in a Cracker Barrel parking lot after eating there.

8

Pulled the seat belt through so I could stretch my leg out and take a little nap while Bill drove.

Woke up to find out we were still in Illinois as you can tell by their cute sign.

At the rest stop took a picture of Bill by the camper

Me by the camper

This is my favorite rest stop we stop at.  I love the lake in the background and this cute bridge

 

Lunch in the camper..chicken salad sandwich and chips.  I should have taken the picture before I ate part of it lol.

Bridge over the Mississippi River

Entering Missouri

Lydia and Evan at Jackson’s pumpkin farm

She and her mom made yummy little apple pies when they got home, and gave some to Evan and his family

 

Got up at 6:30 and got ready and read my Bible.  Bill got up at 8 and got ready.  We left the Cracker Barrel in Anderson, IN, at around 8 a.m..  We had a peaceful night’s sleep although in the morning around 6 a.m., someone’s loud car alarm was going off.  We stopped once for gas, then continued driving.  I started off being a really nice day.  We stopped again at a Rest Area in Illinois.  I had been sleeping, so was hoping we would be in Missouri already.  My leg had been hurting so I went back and got the seat belt through the recliner chair and sat in it and reclined.  Ooh, it was very comfortable.  My leg is doing better today.  Yesterday when Rehvyn turned around and ran to me, I ran to him and my leg hurt worse after that.  He was so cute running to me that I couldn’t resist.  It was really sore the rest of the day.  t like to change positions often since I got blood clots on my way home last year.  An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure my mom always said.  

I was happy to hear from my brother in law, Dave, that my sisters surgery went well.  The cyst was removed and cauterized.  There was 500 ml of fluid inside the cyst.  So thankful it went well and she should be feeling much better after having that big cyst out. 

I talked to Sue for a long time.  She sounded better today.  Yesterday she was feeling depressed.  She called me back to say her niece, who helps her lots, fell in her driveway and was at the ER.  We are praying no broken bones.  Bummer, found later that she fractured her  fibia and had to have surgery.  She came through it good.

We traveled until we got to the Cracker Barrel in Little Rock, Arkansas.  We ate dinner, then are camping in their parking lot overnight.  There’s another motorhome towing a car here that is spending the night too. So nice that they let people do this.

It was a long day...we are playing 3-13 and dice after Bill reads his Bible, then going to bed.