I'v been a bad Blogger.

Hi All

Well, as you can tell I have been bad at posting again.
Our site at Poverty Point, great State Park.

We made it to Longview, TX

Along the way we tried to make milkshakes in out fridge.

Shreveport, LA really needs to do some work on their roads.

 We had a great couple of days with my cousins in Longview.

Great home cooked meatloaf and the next night takeout BBQ ribs.

We had to leave or start exercising more and diet.

RV Park is kind of a “man camp”, but a nice one. Well cared for and great staff.

No view, no trees and found the ticks were out in the grass.

This is our third time at this park.

kind of lets you know it really is a good place to be while visiting relatives.

From Longview we moved to Sanger, TX just north of Ft Worth.
Pancho got to finish Millie's milkshake.

Nice RV Park with grass for the fur balls and concrete for the BWB, although still no trees,
except the shelter belt around the park.

Think we are running out of the trees as we move west.

Spending a few days with Millie’s cousins in Ft Worth,
last night having pizza and adult beverages.
And a great backyard sunset.

Today we shopped at a nearby Camping World.

Almost kept it under a $100.

Got a pair of reclining patio loungers for a great price.

It made me straighten out the bed of the truck so we could fit them in.

Having some beautiful weather, sunshine, light winds and mid 70’s.

Will be here till Monday and hope to spend more time with the cousins.

Make your day great
Tom and Millie

Wow! time flies by.

Hi all
Need to catch you up on the travels of the BWB.
After we left Hattiesburg, MS we traveled to Natchez, MS
Stayed in a State Park a few miles from town.
Spent time looking at Antebellum homes, built before the Civil War.

Toured a couple of homes, ate down by the Mississippi River and generally enjoyed the area.

One of the homes, called Melrose, is part of the Nat. Park System.

The tour and the guide were wonderful, the home and the grounds were not part of a plantation.
The place was built by an Attorney, who became wealthy and owned plantations.

Slave operated ceiling fan.

The parlor.

The grounds.

We only spent 3 nights there and upon leaving we traveled a bit of the Natchez Trace.
The road mostly used by people returning North after bringing their goods to market using the River.
Stopped at a plantation/ road house/ BnB, along the original Natchez Trace.

This was a pre civil war place that provided rooms and meals for travelers.
From there we went to Vicksburg, MS and visited the National Military Park and the USS Cairo.

The park drive went along the Union lines at the Siege of Vicksburg on it's way up to the Cairo.
The ship is the remains of an iron clad vessel used during the Civil War.

It had been sunk by a mine and was recovered about 100 years later and reassembled.
In the photos the newer looking laminated timbers were added to structurally support the remains.

And to indicate the general shape of the original construction.
Was a nice diversion on our way to Poverty Point State Park in Louisiana.
Got in and set up Thursday (3/22) and enjoying another beautiful state park.
Yesterday we went to the Poverty Point World Heritage Site.
The site is where hunter/gatherers built the largest civilized "city" in North America.
Of course this was 3000 years ago and had 1000 to 3000 people in residence.

With no signs of agriculture it was unusual for these peoples to gather into such a large community.
They also built large "mounds" that were not burial mounds and archaeologists still don't know why.
Was a great day to be out and in the sunshine.

Today we are staying put and relaxing after showers, laundry and catching up on the blog.
Tomorrow we travel to Longview, TX to get together with my cousins Cliff and Joy.

Make your day great

Tom and Millie

Great long weekend

Hi all
It was wonderful to get together with friends from the past.
Ralph and Michel used to live in Moorhead when we became friends.
Kids about the same ages and other similar interests.
They moved to Wisconsin many years ago and we have just barely kept in touch.
You know how it is...... kids, family, life in general and miles apart.
They retired and went full time in their RV last October
and we have been looking forward to getting together.
Believe it or not we managed a long weekend as they are headed east and we are going west.
We met in the middle near Hattiesburg, MS
They are traveling with Michel's sister Terri and her husband George.
We met them for the first time and they sure added to the enjoyment and laughs
throughout the time we all spent together.
The six of us did almost everything together and I hope they all had as much fun as Millie and I.
Good food, good friends, and meeting new people, makes this RV life so enjoyable.

Went out for St Paddy's day to the Keg and Barrel for Guinness Stew, Corned Beef and Cabbage.
There were even a couple of green beers consumed.

Was a great day, the rest of the weekend was on and off rain until Monday when it cleared up.
We still had fun going to the Museum at Camp Shelby and
Staying in on Sunday.
Needed the time to catch up and get to know George and Terri.
The "guys" went out and picked up BBQ at a local spot and brought home.............
a couple of smoked chickens, potato salad and some of the best Brisket I've ever had.
Millie made a salad so we could get our "Rabbit food" and we all stuffed ourselves.
Michel painted us a keepsake rock to remember our time together.
Thanks Michel, it will travel with us where ever the RV goes.

Monday we packed up and went our separate ways, with plans to cross paths next year.

Today we are at Natchez Trace State Park near Natchez, MS.
Pulled in about sunset after wandering around the back roads of Mississippi.
Beautiful country and really small paved roads.

Gonna do stuff today and will let you know who, what, when and where tomorrow.
Make your day great
Tom and Millie

A rainy day

Hi all
Yesterday was pretty much rain all day.
To enjoy the weather we headed for the
Camp Shelby Museum

A great military museum and targeted mostly about Mississippi service members
from all of the US conflicts.
So much of the history I got in school was so general
and often breezed by that it is great to see more historical information about the conflicts.
Then have it more personal with the stories of area residents.
Camp Shelby has been very important since the early 1800's.
Training so many service men and women.
African American troops were not only trained there,
they were even when segregated, treated and provided equally with all the troops.
Japanese, natural born citizens,
were trained here and served honorably in the European theater during WWII.
Being some of the most decorated in American history. (never heard that in my history class)

After several hours and absorbing lots of info,
Millie and I headed for rush hour.
The plan was to get a new ink cartridge for the printer at Office Depot.
Was about a 20 minute trip of about 15- 18 miles.
Well, like I said, it was rush hour and took us more than an hour.
Guess what?
Office Depot did not have the cartridge.
So being disappointed we headed to
Tractor Supply for wood heating pellets for our outdoor fire ring.
Almost could have walked there faster, and they were out of any pellets.
Only saving part was the trip back to the BWB took only 20 minutes.
Went by 3 accidents on I59, 2 of which happened after we went by there on our way.
Glad we missed the action.

Home and next door for cocktails, conversation and laughs with Ralph, Michel, George and Terri. Delicious ribs, asparagus and new potatoes by Michel. More conversation and finally home to bed.

Other than being unsuccessful at making purchases and wasting so much time and fuel, we had a great day. Learned new stuff, enjoyed friends and had some great home cooked food. Times like this makes retirement special.

Make your day great
Tom and Millie

Hattiesburg, MS

Hi all
Wednesday and Thursday brought us lovely weather.
Around 70 ℉, Sunny with light winds.
Enjoyed the park and another trip into Hattiesburg.
First stopped by Camp Shelby, to scope out the Museum as an activity for one of the rainy days coming this weekend, and looked around the RV park at the base.
Stopped at the base Exchange and picked up some small items.
Just outside the base we had lunch at Rose's BBQ.
A "quaint" little stop on the highway with some very good BBQ.
Then into Hattiesburg for a few groceries and a stop at the .....................................

Millie just had to play Soccer Pool.
Told me after that she was probably better at regular Table Pool.

Good beer and chatted with a fun couple from Northern Mississippi.
They were, taking advantage of "spring break" time off with the school system, and on the way home after enjoying some time biking and good weather.

Thursday AM we spent taking care of trailer duties and the beautiful weather.
Around Noon Ralph, Michel, and her sister Terri and brother-in-law George, made it here.
Got them parked and set up then got out the chairs, adult beverages and conversation.
Later Millie provided us all with Tacos for supper.
After dark, and it got chilly out,
spent a little time with Ralph and Michel catching up on family and travels.
We enjoyed being inside visiting in their big 5th wheel.
The space felt good and helped us look forward to our upgrade this spring.

Today looks a lot like rain all day.
Likely will take advantage of the Mississippi Armed Forces Museum at Camp Shelby.
Anything else has not been figured out.

Make your day great
Tom and Millie

It goes by so fast!

Hi all
I keep telling myself every morning that I need to do a blog.
Then make coffee, the bed, breakfast, make a plan for the day and.....................
making supper and getting ready for bed.
How does that happen?

So to catch you all up
After Blue Angel we moved a few miles to a KOA campground in Alabama.
The morning view out our window.

Spent the weekend there as finding State or Federal sites available on weekends may be rare.
While at the KOA we went back to Pensacola Naval Air Station to visit the
National Museum of Naval Aviation

What a day, and a full day it was.

I think there is still some we did not see or went by to fast.

Worth the trip if in the area and it is FREE, including parking.

The flight simulators do have a cost and since we didn't do them I don't know how much.
We even ate at the on site restaurant and enjoyed that as well.

Then on Monday we moved on to Paul B Johnson State Park near Hattiesburg, MS
Here we will be meeting up with friends from Wisconsin for the weekend.
We decided to check out what there is to do and headed to Hattiesburg.
First was laundry, don't know why they don't invent self cleaning clothes.
With that done we went to some thrift stores and a quilt shop.
Being hungry, we found a great local place that had lots of beers on tap
and supposed to be great food.

We each had a great local brew and shared shrimp and sausage on grits.
The food was delicious and we were glad we shared the meal.
Could have enjoyed a few more shrimp, and I always say that when they are this good.
Possibly going back on St Paddy's day for Corned Beef and Cabbage also Guinness Stew.
Will let you know what Guinness Stew is should we get back there.

On the way home, added fuel to the truck.
Nearly dark when home and just relaxed and to bed early.

Now you are caught up and I am out of things to say and show..
Make your day great
Tom and Millie

Last Day at Blue Angel

Hi all
Here is our little piece of Heaven at Blue Angel Navel Recreation Area.
This is the busy side of the site as 2 of our sides are fully wooded.
Sure makes this feel somewhat private.
It is a very nice RV Park, staff and campers are all friendly.
Weather has been great, although tomorrow it is supposed to rain while we move.
Last night it did get down to 38℉, and the sun greeted us this morning looking for a mid 60's high.
Yesterday we stayed home.
Millie was quilting away and kind of wishing she had brought a real iron.
That little thing on the mini ironing board is what I call her "toy iron"
May do some shopping!
The fur kids got baths and enjoyed sitting out in their pen soaking up the sunshine.
I got laundry done while visiting with a couple from Minnesota.

Have not decided on today yet.
May stay put again and just enjoy the weather, sunshine and quiet.
We still have the Naval Aviation Museum to do and thinking
Sunday when it is raining would be better than using a nice sunny day to be inside.
The KOA Campground we are moving to is only a few miles away.
Making it easy to get back to the base, museum, and shopping.
Guess you will just have to come back and find out what we decided!

Make your day great.
Tom and Millie

Pensacola, FL

Hi all

We are enjoying being where it does not freeze at night.
Their RECORD low is only 26℉, and that is 5℉ higher than we have done.
Not getting below 40 so far and sunny with light winds.
Perfect winter time camping.

Yesterday started out at the Base Exchange just looking to see what they had.
Was not all under one roof as several departments were outside in tents.

When done there we went out to the Gulf Islands National Seashore for a day at the beach.

The boyz loved running in the sand and Elska even went wading.
Well, the waves came to her and she didn't seem to mind at all.
Water was a bit to chilly to swim or even wade for us.

After enjoying the beach we headed to the end of the island to Fort Pickens.
Lots of interesting things to see,
Big Cannon

Brickwork with the gun openings

And what a view of the gulf and the bay.

After we had of first Chic Fil A
Was pretty good, although I still prefer a good burger.
Stopped at the Base Commissary for a few items and home to an adult beverage and supper.
We were all tired and early to bed.

Not sure what today will bring, maybe the Naval Aviation Museum.
To nice to stay home and tomorrow will likely be prep to move and laundry.

Make your day great
Tom and Millie