High Time...

...for an update!

Jack and I left Tucson on Sunday, 7/8, and we made it quickly back to Paris. Tucson was hot when we left, with very intermittent monsoon rain. We had made some admirable progress on Jack's deck and skirting, but, with a combination of heat, humidity, things on order, and pressing business back here, we made the decision to head out.

Our trip back was mostly uneventful. There was a big rain and hailstorm as we went across the pass near Ruidoso, NM, but otherwise, the weather was fine.

We spent our first night out at Willcox, AZ, just 80 miles from Tucson. We like doing this. Sunday morning early, we did our laundry, including sheets, towels, and blankets. After church, we took care of our last-minute business, bought some groceries, packed our things into the RV, and prepared our cottages for our absence. Then, at 4pm, we put the RV into Drive and headed down the road. This keeps our day relaxed but gets us started down the road.

We drove through New Mexico, stopping for lunch at White Sands. We stopped north of Alamagordo at the Pistachio Tree Ranch, one of our favorite places, where we picked up some souvenirs. :)

Onward we drove, stopping at Clovis, NM for a short night. Tuesday was a day of pure driving, taking us to the KOA on the outskirts of Joplin, MO. This was another short night, and we were up and driving by 6:10 am on Wednesday.

Wednesday night, we made it to Avon, where we stayed with my sister and brother in-law. We went out to dinner and then talked till late. We slept in on Thursday, and, after our walk (we have been walking every day, without missing a day!), we had breakfast, and left.

A short and leisurely drive took us to Elkhart, Indiana. We did stop along the way at the Wakarusa Dime Store, where they sell fantastic huge jelly beans and other sorts of wonderful candies. Friday morning, we dumped and cleaned the tanks before getting back on the highway. We arrived in Paris at about 1 -- early in the day!

Arriving early carries with it a huge advantage -- a long day to get the house reopened, water heater turned up, things plugged back in, outdoor furniture put back and cleaned up, things taken in from the RV, and the RV cleaned up. We were able to do all of this well-rested and with no rush or tension.

We got the van's batteries reconnected, and it started right up. Into town we went, running errands, getting groceries and our mail. We visited Jack's house that he has sold. His things are still there, and he has plans to hold an auction. The new people are doing lots to make the house their own -- painting and installing new carpet, and replacing the garage door. And all of this while Jack's stuff is still there. We have some work ahead of us.