Trip Thoughts

The reason for this trip was really not at all pleasure. It was a trip of unknown when we began, there had been an illness, hospitalization, home health and hospice interaction. We really did not know what we would find or what to expect. Many prayers had been lifted the last several weeks as Grandma Wheatley faced some health issues. 

Thankfully, we were so pleasantly surprised when we arrived that she was much better then we had anticipated. PTL! It was still not an easy sight to see her so unable to complete the simplest of task and we knew the situation needed remedy. The decision was made to get her into a skilled care nursing facility in a neighboring town. This would allow her to receive better care and physical therapy that will help her regain her strength so that she can start to care for herself again. And maybe, just maybe allow her to return to her home. Of course that is her deepest desire to continue to live in her home. Keep in mind she is 87 years young and her two older sisters are still in their homes, one right next door and the other located in the town she will receive skilled nursing care in! They are incredible women, they are!!! Stay tuned for more on this journey...

In other thoughts:

Good clean hotels at a reasonable price are not easy to come by...however, we found such a place!  I would recommend this little family owned, friendly motel any day of the week! They definitely met our needs, they were reasonable AND still gave us a military discount. I'm a happy stayer for sure. Did I mention it was CLEAN? Well, it was and that is a BIG PLUS in my book. 

Last night we were at the only place in town we could find a room! While it was clean, and I am VERY thankful they had a room and gave a military discount, the other aspects were not so appealing.  Last night was noisy, there was a bus full of loud people, late arrivers and early leavers along with paper thin walls...while sleep was had it was not without interruption. So this morning as we checked out we were hunting new accommodations. Lo and behold right across the street it said vacancy so we wheeled in and have found our home for the next three nights!

One drawback was the corners of the bed being tough on someone's knees! LOL

I'm in UTAH!

Yep I'm on the road again! After flying into Denver over the weekend and enjoying the mountains, we headed to Arizona, but JUST barely. Fredonia, AZ is really, really close to UTAH and so I'm visiting family in AZ but we are staying in UTAH! It's a lovely beautiful state and lots of nature to see!

Arizona...Oh MY

We arrived AZ and went straight to the house, not really knowing what we would be in for we prayed for the best...you see this trip was really not at all for pleasure. It was a trip of unknown when we began, there had been an illness, hospitalization, home health and hospice interaction. We really did not know what we would find or what to expect. Many prayers had been lifted the last several weeks as Grandma Wheatley faced some health issues.

Thankfully, we were so pleasantly surprised when we arrived that she was much better then we had anticipated. PTL! It was still not an easy sight to see her so unable to complete the simplest of task and we knew the situation needed remedy. The decision was made to get her into a skilled care nursing facility in a neighboring town. This would allow her to receive better care and physical therapy that will help her regain her strength so that she can start to care for herself again. And maybe, just maybe allow her to return to her home. Of course that is her deepest desire to continue to live in her home. Keep in mind she is 87 years young and her two older sisters are still in their homes, one right next door and the other located in the town she will receive skilled nursing care in! They are incredible women, they are!!! Stay tuned for more on this journey...

 

Since we did not know what we were in for we had not made hotel accommodations, so we found ourselves at nearly midnight and needing a bed for the night. This is what we found. Note the pictures are in the light of day...looks okay, but at night it looked a whole lot better...hey, at least they had wifi! Don't think I have stayed anywhere like it EVER and hope to never again, but I must say the bath towels were clean and the shower was hot.

 

  Our little cabin! It was a duplex...the people next door watched TV late into the night!

Seriously this place has soooo much potential and with some tender loving care it could be a great place, oh and let's not forget several cases of pine-sol pretty sure it would need that as well, but it does have much potential with the right management!

Back in the Mountains!

How lovely to see the gorgeous Colorado Rockies again.

I have such an amazing life...I walked on the beach this morning and slept in the mountain this evening, I love my life. This is another benefit of life in the blue, what a joy! Enjoy your surroundings!

F U N

What a treat to be with good people! It has been great fun to hang out and get to know the extended families of "three doors down"! They are fun, real and have family stuff just like we do, I think that's a good thing. Getting to be around people who are people, people who don't try to put on airs, that's a good time! They were honest to goodness people who had tales to tell, stories to share and memories to recall. I would like to think they made new memories and will tell stories after their visit to FL for the retirement of one of their own as well. They are a close knit family and like most families do not get to spend enough time together since they are all spread out over several states.

Since we were such a large group and we had lots of things going on around us it was easy and simpler not to go out for meals. I mean we were all right there close to the magnificent "SurfSide" with a fully equipped kitchen so why not whip up some food for the hungry mouths to feed. It was not gourmet but it was good, we had lots of snackies, lots of veggies and lots of fun. We enjoyed the kitchen time, the patio time, the beach time, the porch time. Tonight was my last night with them and we were privileged that cousin T was doing the cooking and I was honored to be her prep girl, I held my own with her in the kitchen, I mean after all she wrote a cookbook! However, SisterS was in charge of the fruit salad and make an awesome fruit salad she did! It was super yum!

 

Isn't she cute? She's from Minnesota dontcha know!

Though she lives there no more, she's a NAVY spouse so she lives wherever the ocean blue sends them!  

I leave for Denver in the a.m. I will not say goodbye, only farewell for now...I know we will be seeing them again, sooner or later! Thank you extended family for allowing me to be one of you these last few days I thoroughly enjoyed every single minute!!!

Thursday Thoughts: RETIREMENT

Bittersweet is the word that comes to mind...I mean it's a new chapter in your life but it also means you are moving on, and that means leaving. Leaving behind friends. It's tough, but it is a part of the life in the blue. I know our day will come and it will be exactly that, bittersweet. It's been a great ride for three doors down, but the ride is over and a new chapter is beginning and how exciting that is. It's a whole new world out there outside of the blue suit, it's a great big world as well, I know he will thrive, they will relish the new opportunity they have been afforded, they will grow deeper roots, become homesteaders. I still wonder whether that will happen in my world or not...maybe...then again maybe not. I think MiB does not like roots, we'll see!

Anyway, it was a fantabulous retirement ceremony, full of family, friends and co-workers, it was a celebration and there was humor to break up the emotion. I am thankful for humor!!! It was such a tribute to the man who has been such an exemplary Airmen. I am soooo proud to know him AND his family, to be associated with such a great leader. I am also proud to be his friend, to be considered in his circle. I am so thankful our paths crossed, I am honored to have been able to have "helped" with things... While they may think it was "something" I am honored and feel privileged to have been able to have been called upon and trusted to carry out such "things"! These "people" are people who have made a big impact on our life, have helped us to grow and to be better and to continue to want to serve and yet. also have made us ponder...But in the end, in the big scheme of things it boils down to the fact that they are FRIENDS and we love them dearly and wish them all of life's best and hope to be crossing paths for many, many days to come!

Ultracool surfboard Three Doors Down received at his retirement, how cool!!!!

Thoughts:

• Florida again!
• Lovin' the salt life...
• I have missed SteinMart and Bealls!
• R E T I R E M E N T is coming for us too!!!

Goodnight, I'm beat!

I'm back on the beach!!!

Oh what a great 24 hours!!!! Being beachside again is awesome. I think I am totally agreeing with MiB we may need to be near water when we retire!

So it's kind of unbelievable the connection we have had with these wonderful friends in the Blue. I mean they ARE family! And we are so incredibly blessed. I am so honored to be invited to this ceremony and more then a bit sad that they will be retiring out of the blue; but I know it is the right thing at the right time for them...however; selfishly, I will miss them!

Three doors down is retiring tomorrow and the USAF is loosing out. I firmly believe in this case we are letting one of the best get away. Stellar man, outstanding leader and rocket scientist, what more could the Air Force need, we keep all kinds of others with less skills and abilities and we have this amazing guy and we let him walk out the door...SPACE X you are gaining one great guy!!!

Being back on the SpaceCoast is always a treat and this trip is no exception. I am loving seeing all the work going on around the beach. It's long overdue. The military beaches are prime real estate and for the entire time we were here MiB petitioned and lamented on their neglect but his song seemed to fall on deaf ears. Well apparently someone has finally heard and taken action and lots of improvements are in process and it's awesome!!!!

Probably doesn't seem like much to you, but this is 2nd Light and we went here lots. This area is closed right now and they are totally reworking it. The picture shows the old shower area, which is where MiB took his own shovel and dug out several times during our time here. It looks like it's going to be pretty neat when they get it all done, they are also replacing lots of timbers and walkways!

After a long day I am off to bed and hopefully I will get a nice morning run in on the beach before doing a few odds and ends prior to the big retirement ceremony. YIPPEE and good night!