Year 4 - #142

This is our 4th year in Bay St. Louis, Mississippi. We know the area very well and due to the proximity of the coastline, it is very easy to find your way around here. The Mississippi Gulf area is not as well known, as for example, Florida - but it is so lovely here! The small southern towns that dot the coast are small, quaint, artsy.  And because tourism isn't as big, there's less traffic, crowds, noise. This year I thought we would only be staying a short time and returning to Cypress - but that turned out not to be the case.  

Speaking of Cypress, we have decided (at Brooke’s suggestion) to go forward with our kitchen renovation while we are away.  We had already received our quote, our contractor rechecked measurements, Brooke will pack up our stuff and work will begin after the holidays. I’ll be FaceTiming to check on the progress. It will be nice to come home to a completed project and not have to live through all the mess! 

Before/Now

                                    “AI” Idea for After

                                Our Contractor's Plan

The weather in BSL has been perfect! 50’s-60 at night, high 70’s- 80 during the day and no humidity! Our a/c has been off for a couple of weeks now and we are enjoying the fresh air, sounds of birds through opened windows. We also have tons of butterflies! It has been very dry here; hasn’t rained in several weeks; not even during the “hurricane” event - we only got a little wind. 

Ever since I started on my daily high dosage Vitamin D3/K2 - I have been feeling so much better! I’m less tired, more positive, and inflammation in my body has decreased - so I’m walking more.  Charlie and I have been diligent about attending our exercise classes and it’s really been good for us. We even made ourselves weights out of used soda bottles- filled with beach sand to use for strength training. They probably weigh a couple of lbs each. 

We have a regular schedule now that keeps us moving and engaged. Twice a week  (Mon, Thurs)  we have exercise class, twice a week (Tues, Fri) casino perks days, Wednesdays Mexican Train game. This is something to build our week around. In between, we have painting, visiting museums, going to informational classes and flea markets - me working on crafts and cleaning the camper - Charlie, his HAM radio and keyboard. It’s been a perfect pace so our downtime at the park is welcomed and relaxing. I have a dentist appointment in another week (I have a great dentist down here). We try to limit eating out to 2-3 times a week, mostly going back to places we really enjoy. There are soooo many! 

 

This weekend is Halloween and there were to be activities at our park, as per advertised flyer.  A chili cook-off was on the agenda so I was inspired to make a crockpot of chili and cornbread. I would have been surprised if this event actually happened but I had planned to share the chili with friends if it didn’t. Turns out, I was correct (it did not occur) but my chili was really good! 

 

 

We finally stopped by the senior center in BSL; I picked up a “schedule”. Unfortunately, I was not very impressed by this facility - the doors were kept locked, there wasn’t anything going on when we visited and it had a nursing home vibe. We might try to attend some activity there in the near future and see what it’s like when there’s something going on.

We were invited to dinner by full-time camper friends; Candace and Brian. Candace is an outstanding cook and hostess. She and Brian made fresh large, local shrimp, catfish, hush puppies, fries, and all the sides to go with this! It was delicious! Ann and Shane, our campground hosts also stopped by. We feel awful they are leaving but that's another story. 

We visited our friend Steve at Bay Hide Away, our previous campground; we’ve known Steve for a few years.  He lives with his cute little dog Buster.  Steve told us he was finally moving after 5 years at BHA. He told us the new owners, besides continuing to do things with the park he wasn’t happy about,  were sneaking in arbitrary fees where they could; he felt it was time to go. To me the park looked a bit shabby and was pretty empty too. Steve told us the owners are still cutting in new campsites and have started buying trailers to park at sites and rent out.  This pair just keeps making one questionable decision after another.  There is nothing more problematic than inexperienced people who think they are smarter than everyone else simply because they have advanced degrees and make decisions that will only cause more work, money and issues.  We have great memories of the campground when it was owned and managed by Lea and Randy. 

And speaking of parks, problems, and drama - that doesn’t leave out where we are now. Lake La Croix owner is another one who doesn't live in reality.  This beautiful park, only a year and half old, has no one running the show. The owner does not live on site, pops in for short times a few times a week - to do what, I'm not sure of anymore. We've been waiting over a year for a second set of washer/dryers to be installed in our rear bathhouse; we realize now this will not happen; their word is no good. They advertise events that never happen. Our current host couple have quit due to unreasonable work expectations for no pay! The campground advertises the host position as "volunteer" which is absolutely ridiculous! As Charlie and I have discussed - this is not a non-profit organization. Granted, a free campsite is given - but that value is only about $850/month which is nothing for a 24/7 "job" of cleaning 12 bathroom/bathhouses daily, mowing, cleaning sites and glamping tent, maintenance and repair of property, manning the office, greeting new guests, picking up trash, overseeing campground events, enforcing park rules, etc....   There has also been a lot of drama between the former and current hosts - both still onsite - things we have been told.by both sides; we believe the truth lies somewhere in the middle. It’s a bit disconcerting.

So, Charlie and I decided to look at other options for campgrounds in the area. We did visit one park the other day that is definitely a possibility for the future. I spent a sleepless night, wondering what we should do.  The thought of packing up again and having to move was not appealing. So, ultimately, we have decided to take the "wait and see" stance and stay away from the negativity and drama.  We really enjoy this campground but realize there can be no expectations of improvements or services in its current state of limbo.   And,,, worst case scenario - we will put our trailer in storage and go home.

Meanwhile, it’s back to our business of fun, relaxation, exploration and living!

To Sell Or Not To Sell, That Is The Question- #141

We have settled in beautifully! And although the weather has been very wet the past few days and we still have some outdoor work we want to do, we are so comfortable inside our trailer. My stove almost feels luxurious since I don’t have an actual kitchen in our new place in Texas yet; I’ve been enjoying cooking. And we brought less stuff down so it feels less crowded and it’s easier to organize and access our things. 

Charlie is in the process of setting up his antennas for his radio. The little storage tent worked out fabulous and really protected all his equipment while we were gone. 

I purchased from Amazon a small leaf/debris blower to help keep our site clean. We get sand and leaves on our concrete slab; it’s hard to reach underneath the trailer with a broom - so this will help keep it tidy. Plus we could always use it at home to help battle those pine needles. 

I also bought a pack of new light fixtures for the inside of our trailer. These are dimmable, changeable lights so it’s a bit of an upgrade. We have a couple of other things we need to repair but thank goodness - nothing imperative.

We’ve gotten right back our activities too.  This year, we are trying to focus on being more active/exercise.  We are attending exercise classes a couple of times a week ( looking for a third to add) plus walking everyday.  We already participated in our first painting class and have a whole slew of activities on our calendar. This week, from Bay St Louis to Biloxi, is busy with Cruisin’ the Coast.  Our campground is filled with campers here just for this event -  many with their antique cars.  Personally, Charlie and I feel we’ve been to enough car shows, museums to last us a lifetime. Plus - you can’t avoid seeing them - they’re everywhere! 

Bingo!

Cars at our campground

It’s hard to believe this is our fourth year in Bay St Louis. Sometimes I think we should have just moved here but then, we really want to be with family too. We were all gung-ho ( at least I was) to sell our trailer shortly after we got down here… but it didn’t take us long ( about 5 minutes ) to realize we still want to be here. We’re so much closer so it’s an easier trip… so we will not be selling. We’ll probably continue to come here as long as we can and as long as the trailer lasts! It’s not about the weather anymore - it’s all about the location!

Luckily for us, the hurricane moved east to Florida; there was nothing more than a couple of windy days in our area. We still opted to pack up our campsite, secure our trailer and stay at a hotel about 25 miles north of us in Picayune as we weren’t sure what to expect. Everything was perfect when we returned. Well, back to our activities! 

This is where we stayed.

October - #140

We arrived in Mississippi a few days ago on the first of October. The whole trip from Cypress took 7 hours; 3/4 tank of gas - stopping only once very briefly. We had one major tie up in Baton Rouge where we lost 30 minutes - otherwise it was a good trip. 

As we crossed into Mississippi and passed some of the places we’ve enjoyed visiting (like Infinity Center), I felt a joyous feeling overwhelm me. Love. I know I’ve said this repeatedly but there is just something I really love about this area. 

Lake La Croix RV Park is just down the road from Route 10. It couldn’t be any easier to get here. The campground looked very good too. We met our new hosts - Ann and Shane - who were very pleasant and helpful. Some of the roads had fresh gravel and were leveled. The campground overall looked neat and clean. Our site looked good; our trailer and storage tent all seemed to hold up well from outward appearances. We were definitely worried about any leaks and water damage on the inside … but much to our surprise, the trailer was bone dry and was just fine! I hang a lot of Damp-X moisture absorbing bags inside of the trailer plus scatter fabric softener sheets all over - I know that helps. Definitely needed a good cleaning though. It didn’t take long to get it in shape, put away things we brought (a lot less than previous years) and get organized. It went very smoothly. What made it especially easy was having our camper static - so nothing shifted; everything was exactly how we left it. 

This year the park is much busier. There are many workers who contract with Stennis Space Center and are here for extended periods of time. That’s good for the park. The sites are very nicely spaced so you never feel like anyone is on top of you.  This year we actually have a neighbor on one side of us.  

We were greeted a few hours after we arrived by fulltime camper friends Candace and Brian.  It’s always nice to see familiar faces! They gave us a very thoughtful and delicious charcuterie plate for a snack- which actually turned into dinner for us last night. You gotta love camping friends! 

We have already immersed ourselves in our local activities which we enjoy.  We are signed up for art, exercise and other classes. We visited our favorite casino - Silver Slipper for Friday Perks and Sunday begins the week long Cruisin’ the Coast car event all along the coast.

   

Selling the trailer? ….  well, hmmm. We have to really give it some thought now. 

Mississippi - #139

This is the first year I am not looking forward to traveling to Mississippi for the fall/winter season. If our trailer wasn’t already there, we probably would not be going at all. We do love it there - that’s not the issue - it’s just moving and traveling so much this year; we just want to stay put for a while. 

But we will be heading out in just about 3 weeks. 

Normally by now, I would be in full planning-packing mode. I have been thinking about it- that’s as far as I’ve gotten this year. 

I plan to keep it simple. Not pack too much or bring too much. The trip is exactly 400 miles from our home now - a straight shot on route 10 - it will be easy and we will try to do it in one day. 

We are planning to sell the trailer while in Mississippi. There is no need to travel south anymore and I think our towing days are behind us now. Our biggest concern is how the trailer faired over the summer months.  Though we had covered it before we left, we were notified by the campground, winds had caused the cover to shred; they removed it. There was also a lot of rain and water is the enemy of RVs. So- we are concerned about its condition. 

We are not sure how long we will stay in Mississippi this year. That is totally up in the air. We will see how things go. 

Meanwhile… on the Texas home front

we have our Texas drivers licenses, license plates, insurances, EZ-tag, doctor and library cards.  We are starting to get a good feel for the area and everything is very accessible. 

Our first renovation is complete and I’m waiting to get a quote on phase 2 which will be the kitchen. It will be almost identical to the layout of my previous kitchen. That project will happen once we return home.  

                     Now                                                                                    Future

The weather has been extremely consistent; hot and humid everyday. Today it actually feels less humid and is very nice out. You get used to it fairly quick; I personally like living in shorts and tank tops. 

We’ve been trying many restaurants; there are A LOT to choose from! Last night we went with the family to a Halal Chinese Restaurant. It was delicious! 

 We're eating good!

Friends Arlene and Jerrel visited us this past Monday. It was so nice seeing them again after reconnecting 5 years ago when we wintered in Bandera, TX. Who would have ever thought we’d be neighbors one day!

Me (4) and Arlene (3) at my birthday party

Today I’m just going to hang out and do nothing in particular. I’m sure I’ll be puttering around finding something to do, plus I’m actually reading a book! 

Next time…. I’ll be writing from Mississippi! 

Schvitzing in Cypress - #138

Schvitzing is one of those wonderful Yiddish words that describes a situation better than any English word could. There are so many great Yiddish words; many are commonplace in our language, more than most people realize. Schvitzing literally means sweating- but it’s so much more than that! It’s that hot, humid, sticky feeling with sweat dripping off your brow and neck- soaking your clothes. 

Yes! It is hot in Houston in the summer and we picked the hottest time of the year to move here. Everyone we meet from Texas always remarks to us (with a sly smirk) about the heat. Newsflash! It does get hot up north too! Our family loves the heat and hasn’t found it too oppressive. You do have to pace yourself when working outside but we’ve been getting a lot done. The key is to limit your time in the sun, take breaks and stay hydrated. 

Construction on the houses seem to be taking much longer than we thought. The crew is doing a good job overall and they are very nice but it’s just dragging on.  Our French door is in and it’s even better than we hoped! Not only does it bring brightness to a previous dark corner, gives us a nice view of the garden but we also can now see the sun set the evening. Minnie loves it too! Our wall is up separating the bedroom from radio room but the door and a/c vent still need to be installed. The fluorescent lights on our bedroom side need to be removed, closed up and ceiling fan with light needs to be installed. Over at the main house, minimal work has started to remove the bedroom fireplace and replace with glass door.  Hoping they get to it today! 

 

                                                          Minnie stamp of approval

As for acclimating to the Cypress area, we are feeling more at home every day. The little ones have made friends through school and their Mosque ( several whom live in the neighborhood).  School started August 12th; it’s such fun watching the school bus pick Dee and Wally up every morning right from our corner. Charlie and I continue with our morning coffee on the patio ( sitting amongst the construction materials). We are getting comfortable with driving in the area and I’ve been using my GPS less as I become more familiar with the roads. And speaking of roads - they are so much nicer than up north. No potholes, double lanes, clean and attractively landscaped. 

Yesterday we completed the arduous task of registering our vehicles ( truck, motorcycle and camper). I’m glad it’s done; it cost us almost $600!!! We have appointments for our new drivers licenses in a couple of weeks. 

                                               First day of school

                                                   Waiting, waiting to register our vehicles

We don’t eat out a lot but have checked out a few places. So far, our favorite has been Jason’s Deli. We also found a great place for a delicious burger and tried “bellagreen” for its healthier options.  I actually wasn’t that excited about the food but would be willing to try again. 

Today we are checking out the local community center and attending the charcoal drawing class I signed us up for before we moved. 

                                                                          bellagreen

Life is beginning to feel more normal- just wish we could get this construction work finished so we could reclaim our space and relax. 

Little House on the Property- #137

Our new little house has really great potential! Firstly, it is private, spacious, comfortable and at the back of the property with a great view of the lake when sitting on our porch. We love, love, love that porch!!  That is our go to spot every morning to have our coffee and our relaxing spot throughout the day. I’m sitting there right now. There is a delightful breeze despite the 95degree temperature and I enjoy listening to the beautiful wind chime hanging on our porch which the previous owners left behind. I love it! The property has lots of very tall trees creating a canopy, helping to keep the house and yard cooler. The gardens, coy pond, bridge are all something special!  

Even though our new space is much bigger in square footage, we are faced with putting the pieces of our previously well-coordinated home into rooms that are laid out very different. It’s much like mixed up puzzle pieces- it just doesn’t quite fit the same.  I mentioned to Brooke today - which is how I got on this train of thought - I feel like I’m “repurposing” our furnishings.  The space dictates what is needed and what will fit.  All our furniture, appliances, pictures, etc… were all purchased for our apartment in Stoughton. I put a lot of thought into outfitting that space - from the paint on the walls, window blinds, floors, decor, and color scheme.

The little house itself has probably undergone many renovations over the last 30 years but it doesn’t appear anyone has used it to actually live in. In old pictures we have seen of the interior - exercise equipment, desks, couches, and a bed in a very weird location (probably just for overnight guests) occupied the two main spaces. 

Here is a tour of our new home:

Welcome Y'all!

Space one is a very large living area with an awful color ceramic tile floor (blue-green-grey).

At one end of this large room are a set of French Doors that lead to the "L shaped patio; to the left of the doors is a pretty round top window, which ties in with windows from the main house. I have repurposed a glass table Charlie made and I previously had under our living room TV - it is now my desk sitting under this window. It fit perfectly!

On the opposite end of the room is where our kitchen will one day be. Right now, it is just a tiny wet bar sink, very dark tile counter area with a cabinet above and below and a big stainless steel refrigerator. Since the frig is my only appliance, I purchased an electric fry pan, and microwave for cooking. I may get a toaster oven or bring back the one I’m using in Mississippi. Right now, I’m using the small counter area as my coffee bar. I have room for a toaster and just enough space to cook with my electric fry pan when being used. A bookcase from Stoughton is also being used as open kitchen shelving to store dishes, cups, glasses, spices, cookware.  Luckily, it just fits on a wall adjacent to the refrigerator. I’m also using my stainless steel cart and shelving cart  to store further kitchen items.  Unfortunately, both of these units were damaged in transit but they’re still useful; they’ll have to do for now. 

My retro kitchen set survived the trip, as did our couch. My little red recliner was broken and although we can still use it - it only reclines; no one can sit up straight in it any longer. 

Our full bathroom is off to the left of the wet bar area. It’s a decent size (though no comparison to our other bathroom). The corner rounded shower reminds me of the transporter from Star Trek; we used it for the first time today and it works well, though I have an intense urge to yell out “Beam me up, Scotty”. The vanity is small; there is no linen closet, so I repurposed a storage shelf to keep our towels and bathroom essentials. The bathroom will eventually need an overhaul but it’s clean and it works. 

Off to the side of the bathroom and a most interesting feature you'd think would have excited me more knowing the industry I worked in for 40 years - is a garage door.  Perhaps at some point this was an area used for a golf cart or lawn mower- but it is now just a hollow, metal, raised panel garage door WALL. It does not open - despite all the tracks, springs and hardware are intact.  There are no windows on this side of the house and it makes this area very dark. So this has become one of my priority projects; we will be replacing this garage door with a French Door. Not only will it bring wonderful light into the room, but we’ll have a great view of the garden. Renovation will begin next week! 

The second large space we enter through the big French Doors off the living space. It had a work shop on one end; this is where we will create Charlie's "Ham Shack" and office.  We will be putting up a sound proof wall with door to access the new designated area; the other side of the wall will be our bedroom. This is also part of priority project #1 and will be done along with the French Door next week. There actually is no official bedroom at this time but we are making the best of it. There is also a 15' long narrow area off the "bedroom" which we are using as a closet and eventually will have built ins and such and a door. 

There are many storage closets - one so big I plan to create another little room with cabinetry. 

So that's the grand tour! We actually have usable attic space with a finished floor but I doubt it will be something we will use. Needless to say, we have a lot of work ahead of us; I have no idea when it will be completed since we are off to Mississippi in about 8 weeks. But we're getting started!  Oh, one other thing since it's something I am asked a lot. Yes! We have wonderful A/C in the house. The house is well insulated and the brick is an extra bonus which keeps the coolness in; it's very quiet too.  I actually keep the thermostat between 76-78 and you'd be shocked at how comfortable it is! (any lower and we're cold)

Have a great day!