VACATION - Another Week at the Folks in Florida

So much for taking off to parts unknown, or camping out in the everglades or basking on the beach in bikinis....  we decided to just hang out this week at the folk's house again.  The weather isn't the warmest, and we are just happy and cozy to be here parked in their yard.

Steve and Lowell are having fun with more projects:

A neighbor lady going through cancer lives nearby with her elderly mother.  They were in need of a washing machine so Steve and Lowell went and plumbed in all of the hookups and drain line, and then went to pick up a used washing machine.  Although the guy said it worked, they wanted to test it before installing it.  So these clever guys ran a garden hose to the back of the machine, and set the drain hose off the side of the box.  It worked! 

They spent the rest of the day installing it, and hooking up their shower curtain rod and some other odd jobs.  What darling boys to help out the ladies.

Then they came back to solve our turn signal problem on the Tracker... with Lowell watching from the rear, they got all the loose grounds cleaned and rebolted and the plug cleaned out and contact grease put in the slits.  So now it works correctly!   Another task completed.

Check out that super duper body work and paint job on the lower portions of the Tracker! 

When Steve got a break, Mom set Steve to do a new task for her....

click on this video link to see what it was:

Yeeee Hawwww he got her old 8 track player working again!  

She was delighted to have her old songs to listen to.  

She was cranking the tunes and country two stepping all over the house now. 

(pretty soon the neighbors will be complaining) 

As they worked on projects, I was able to get the rest of my quilt finished.  At home in advance I had the blocks done and had it mostly pieced together.  Now I joined up the two panels, finished up the free motion decorative stitching (vines and leaves in red stitches on the dark portions)  and then I did the binding around all the sides and the hidden seam up the back.  It's done!   

I put it on the king sized bed in the motorhome for now, just to see how it looks.  But I think I am going to keep it as a cuddle up quilt in the livingroom or else maybe at home in our guest room.  Not sure yet. 

 I kinda made it to try out the templates of the Strip N Twist design from Nancy's Notions. 

Besides all of our projects and crafting, we have been computerizing-- mom is getting better and better at using the internet.  Today I came in and found her watching YouTube videos on how to make little animals from pipe cleaners!  All by herself!  I had never even started to show her about YouTube, but she found links and now with her little speakers we bought yesterday, she can hear the dialog and music too.  Today she also watched great grandchildren on YouTube of Allegra's dance recital, she saw videos of Jameson's birthday party, and Chelsea and Clayton watching cartoons. Then she learned to save Mason's 2 year old studio photos that had been taken at Target.  The internet is an amazing thing for older folks to keep in touch with the fast paced lives of her children, grandchildren and great grandchildren.

Besides all the fun, we have been computerizing and fiddling and of course cooking foods! We have been making all our family favorites---- I made a pot of creamy potato soup with ham on one day, and another day was grandma's tater tot casserole!

Smush raw hamburger in the bottom of a glass pan, sprinkle on dried or diced onions and some seasonings to your taste.   Gently spread on 2 cans of cream of celery soup.  Then arrange tater tots on top, garnish with some seasonings and parsley, then cover with tin foil and bake.  About an hour till it's bubbling good and the meat is cooked and the tater tots golden.  Let it set a bit to firm up and cut into squares.  YUMMMMMMM

Check out those hot pads!  Wonder who quilted some hot pads for Da Momma?

Another day we cooked up a whole huge turkey breast!  Mom made mashed taters, sweet potatos with marshmallows on top, and a pan of stuffing.  The stuffing was better the second day when we re-baked it in a separate pan in the oven with the leftovers.

And Lowell begged us for cherry cheesecake, a double batch please? 

Auntie Lois never fails to bring us a container of her famous peanut butter cookies! 

(I can't get the picture to flip, but they are good no matter direction you see them from) 

The dogs have an important job to perform each day too....

Shelties are working dogs that need to have jobs to be happy and feel needed.

This is very SERIOUS job that all of our dogs have been trained to do. 

They need to do "Sockie Wockies" where they need to sit still and hold a new sock on their nose, elephant trunk style!  Once they are told OK, we remove the sock and put it on our foot, while they wait patiently for the second sock. I have been wearing sandals for so many days now in Florida, they were getting out of practice.  My parents decided to help the dogs out by encouraging their routine. 

 They watch carefully as the sock is put on the foot. Then their job is done! 

As our departure date is nearing .... the folks have been putting on the pressure to stay longer and just drive home in one mad dash at the last minute.  Home is 1,400 miles away. We try to convince them that we like to drive 200-300 miles a day, rest up well, and take our time in between storms.  Dry pavement is a must, as motorhomes and ice and snow covered roads do not mix.  We are explaining it rationally .... and they are pleading and begging us to stay longer. 

They are so cute.