April 26, 2019 SURPRISE! I'm back.

It has been quite a winter, and now spring.

Things we have learned after moving into a house after eleven years plus.

• FURNITURE SHOPPING. It takes longer than you think.  No walking into a store and saying "I will take that."  The answer is "that will take 6-8-10 weeks."  We had two deliveries this week.  This is the last of the furniture ordered.
• YOU NEED EVERYTHING.  Yes, we brought clothes and toothbrushes and shoes with us from the motorhome.  That leaves lots of other things.
• THERE IS LOTS OF SPACE.  However we are enjoying every bit of the space.  On the other hand, it doesn't take long to fill that space.
• COOKING IS FUN.  There is room to spread out!
• WINTER TEMPS ARE BETTER IN A HOUSE.  We haven't spent a winter in a house/Missouri since 2006.  Since we had to be here in winter, it is much better in a house.  No worries about running out of propane, or keeping hoses from freezing.
• A GARAGE IS WONDERFUL.  Enough said.
• UNFINISHED ITEMS: irrigation ( started but won't stop raining), and sod (will be put down?/installed? after irrigation/sprinkler system)

Currently the motorhome is a the repair shop for damage suffered from the tire blowout (October 2018).  

We will be using the motorhome for two weeks in Branson in May, meeting other Hickey siblings for "Blues and Bar B Que" at Silver Dollar City.   There are other trips planned for later in the summer.

In February the doctor told me there was nothing else scheduled until the first week of May.  At that time we decided to head to Zapata TX to spend a few weeks with Jeff and Marcella, and Gary and Evelyn.  But....two hours south of here the thermostat on the motorhome started showing high temperatures.  Since it was 16 degrees that morning, we decided we should turn around, head back to Cape Girardeau rather than possibly be stranded on the side of the road.

The mh went to the shop on Friday, and was repaired by the next Tuesday.  By that time we learned that the Texas gang would be returning to Missouri in a couple of weeks.  We took a deep breath, and chose not to start again.  (BTW a new thermostat was installed in the mh.)

We have enjoyed immensely cheering on Zade in winter basketball; and Ashlynn in volleyball.  Baseball practice has begun and games will begin in a few weeks.  Ashlynn will continue volleyball into May.

A few weeks ago we travelled by pick up to Dallas TX to spend a few days with Trisha and Jeff.  They made arrangements for all of us to attend the Dallas International Speedway for a NASCAR race.  That was an item to be checked off of Glen's bucket list.  On the return home we visited with both Tanner and Brady.  

Yesterday Glen's brother Paul and wife Pam came from St. Charles Mo for a day visit with us and Jeff and Marcella.  

Paul and Pam

Glen, Marcella, and Paul

Jeff and Marcella

Friends Dave and Laurie Stults, from Indiana, stayed two nights with us the end of February as they were headed to Arizona for a month.  They were also able to spend a night at the end of March as they headed back to Indiana.

We are set up for company.  Come and see us.  

We didn't realize it until we were IN the house, but we were ready for a break from the motorhome.  NO, we aren't giving up rv-ing.  We would sell the motorhome if we received an offer, but would replace it with a smaller unit as we won't be in it full time.  

More later as we rev up for spring and summer.