Monday, July 9, 2018 - Slow Day and Dinner with Friends.

Monday, July 9, 2018

I've been sleeping a little later but this morning I was awake at 4:30.  I felt wide awake so I got up about 4:45.  After starting the coffee I was reading my emails.  A short time later I heard a ping - it was my sister Cindy, sending me a text.  I called her and we visited for awhile.  A nice way to start the morning.

Dean was up soon afterwards and we enjoyed our second cup of coffee outside.  We should do this more often.  

The sun peeking through the trees this morning while we enjoyed our coffee outside.

Once we finished with our coffee we took our morning walk.  Dean walked with me the first mile and then I walked two more to reach my 3 mile daily goal.  It was getting pretty warm by the time I finished.

Today has been fairly slow.  I signed up to begin receiving Social Security beginning in November.  It's hard to believe we will be retired 5 years at the end of this year.  We've had so many memorable moments and look forward to many more.

One of our RVing friends recommended a book recently, Cancer on Two Wheels.  I purchased it on Amazon and downloaded it to my Kindle.  I'm already 2/3 of the way through it.  Cancer on Two Wheels was written in blog form by Chris Haga as he battled Stage IV Lung Cancer - and he never smoked in his life.   After he died his wife had it published.  It is such an uplifting story of his walk with God through this time in his life.  

I used to read all the time, mostly fiction.  It's been a long time since I've read a fiction book that can hold my interest, but I love uplifting stories, biographies, inspirational books, and self help books.  One of my favorite authors is Gretchen Rubin.  She wrote "The Happiness Project", and "Better Than Before".  She also does a regular podcast with her sister.  

We are going to dinner this evening with several of our Escapee RV friends that are here in the Branson area.  I am looking forward to it, first and foremost to see all of our friends, and second it's an Italian restaurant I've wanted to try out.  I'll let you know what I think later.

We are thinking of having some work done to Bentley on our way to New York, when we make a stop in Elkhart, Indiana.  I called today to get an estimate on one of the projects.  We should hear back in a day or two about that.

I received a surprise phone call from Flora, one of our Heartland friends today!  I enjoyed visiting with her very much and appreciate that she took the time to check in on us.  

This evening we ate dinner at Florentine's with several of our Escapee friends.  Don & Linda, Gary & Connie, Keith & Drena, Carolyn, Jack & Connie and Dean & I.  The food was quite good and we had a nice time visiting with each other.   Dean and I shared a trio plate that included lasagna, fettuccine alfredo and Parmesan chicken.  We thought it was quite good.

When we returned to the park, we stopped at Bentley, then drove back to the Club House to hear "The Texans".   We enjoyed their music and having a little something to do.  It only lasted about an hour; and it was a nice way to end our evening.