Seminole State Park

Camping Trip #2 started off nicely.  I left work at 11:00, we loaded up a few last minute things and then we were on our way to Seminole State Park near Donalsonville, Georgia. Don't ask me how we got there.  We turned so many times that I lost track of exactly where we were.  We checked in and started down the road to the other side of the lake looking for the perfect campsite on the lake.  We found it!  #11!  Then this....... OOPS!  I thought I was supposed 

to be watching the back tire to make sure it didn't get too close.  Bubba unhitched from the trailer and then gunned the engine to get the truck out of this mess.  Then he had to hook back up (which wasn't easy either) and work the trailer and truck very carefully into our perfect spot #11 with me standing outside watching all the tires and the trailer this time.  It was worth it.  This is our view from spot #11, our weekend home.

This was such a beautiful location.  I can't begin to tell you how peaceful it is to sit in such a beautiful place and enjoy the wonder of it all.  Of course, Bubba is cooking our supper which makes this shot even more special.  Getting a truck and a trailer out of a tight spot is hot, hard work.  We were ready for a good meal in the air conditioned comfort of our "camp".

This was supper.  A grilled pork steak, hash brown potatoes, and a pear salad.  Why is it that everything tastes better when you're out like this?

We finished off the evening by watching a little bit of the news and reading until we got sleepy which didn't take too long.  

The next morning we were able to enjoy hot chocolate and coffee propped up in our bed with the windows open so we could see the lake and hear the sound of the geese flying over.  We had breakfast and toured the park in the truck.  

This is a picture of our weekend home from across the lake.

Saturday, we went into Donalsonville looking for a restaurant that had been recommended to me by a friend at work.  There is nothing in Donalsonville except some cheaper gas ($3.18) and a wonderful Piggly Wiggly.  We changed our plans and decided that we would rather grill some steaks by the lake instead of eating in a restaurant.  If you are ever in Donalsonville, don't forget to check out the Piggly Wiggly. 

After a sumptuous meal of steak and potatoes, we spent the evening doing something we have never, ever done before.  Amy had given us a Scrabble game a few years ago that we had never opened so we decided to try it out.  Bubba has a lot of good qualities, but spelling is not one of them and I'm the person everyone at work calls when they want to know how to spell a word.  I thought I would skunk him.

 As you can see, we played a pretty good game and I only beat Bubba by three points.

As usual, Bubba found something to work on.  The drawer wasn't sliding out as smoothly as it should, so Bubba fixed it.  He also tinkered with the light over his side of the bed until he broke it, but that will give him a project for another day.


Sunday morning we enjoyed our hot chocolate and coffee in bed again.  Bubba got ready and visited a little church service under a pavilion with a steeple.  He said the sermon was really good.  Next time I'm going with him.  After some pancakes and sausage, we loaded up and headed home.  


On our first trip, we unloaded and put everything up in one hour's time.  This time it took a little longer because Bubba had to wash the love bugs off the truck and the trailer.  This outing was definitely better than the first.  Although we had cable tv and internet the first time, it doesn't begin to compare to a beautiful location. I would recommend Seminole State Park to anyone.  It was beautiful, clean, and quiet.  The bathroom/bath house was clean, both the men and women's sides.  (I know this because I was busy reading a sign on the door instead of looking to see which bathroom I was entering.  There was a urinal on the left and someone in the shower.  I was thinking that the urinal was there for little boys who were with their mothers when it dawned on me what I had done.  Thankfully, the man in the shower did not exit while I was in there.)


I know that you are all on the edge of your seats wondering Bubba's reaction to my mis-directions which caused the truck to go over the containment wall at the campsite.  He didn't even act flustered about the whole thing.  He was so patient and sweet even though I caused him a lot of extra work.  For this he should get the "Hubby of the Year Award".


Things we learned this time out:

• Make a list of everything you plan to take that is in the refrigerator or freezer.  We forgot ice and butter.
• Make sure when you are helping someone navigate in a tight spot that you understand which end you are supposed to be watching.
• Take everything into consideration when deciding which spot is perfect.  After all we went through to get spot #11, we noticed that spot #13 was just as good with no navigation perils.

We thoroughly enjoyed the weekend and are looking forward to the next time out.  For those of you (all five) who voted on where we should camp next, we paid no attention to your recommendation, but please feel free to express your opinion in my next poll whatever it may be.  Happy Camping!

How Does This Relate?

Every spring we plant at least one hibiscus bush near our back door.  I can't pass a hibiscus bloom without stopping to study and admire it.  This is a picture of a typical bloom on this year's plant.  My camera is not the best in 

the world, but I think you get the idea what a perfect creation this bloom is.  It is there beautiful and perfect all day long, but, alas, as the sun goes down this most perfect bloom that has greeted me going to work and coming home that day begins to close up and then ... it is gone.  The next day it is as though it had never existed.  Sometimes I get another bloom the next day and sometimes I have to wait a week or more.  I'm reminded of this Bible verse:
"Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes." James 4:14
I guess what I'm trying to say is that Bubba and I had been putting off doing some things until I could retire, but I think we have both come to the realization that life is what happens when you're busy making other plans. (I think I heard that in a song, but don't know which one.) How does that relate to the beautiful bloom of the hibiscus? At the end of my day, I hope that I have lived to the fullest during the short time I've had here on earth.

First Time Out

Finally, it was time for our first camping trip.  We decided to play it safe and not travel too far for our first time out. I took off from work at 11:00 and we were on our way.

As we pull out of our back yard, Archie leans out to check the tire pressure.  He takes after Bubba, always checking to make sure all systems are go.

 We chose to go to Mexico Beach and made reservations on line for our weekend stay at Rustic Sands Campground.  I learned that "rustic" in the name is another way of saying something is run down.  The place definitely did not look like the pictures online, but since we were self-contained that didn't matter.  On the up side, we had cable tv, wifi, and a sewer hook-up.  Another positive was that there were not a lot of campers around us so no one could witness any camping mistakes we might have made.

After successfully getting everything hooked up, Bubba got out his new $20 charcoal grill and fixed us the best hamburger I ever ate for supper.  At the same time, he grilled some hot dogs for nuking at another time, and some Register's sausage for the upcoming breakfast of pancakes and sausage.

After breakfast, we headed for Mexico Beach which was beautiful.  The weather was pleasantly cool.  We carried our lounge chairs, beach umbrella, and snacks.  We dozed, read, talked, and cooled off in the gulf which was cold but refreshing.  When we returned to the camper, we enjoyed our hot dogs which Bubba grilled the night before.  Later that afternoon, we went to Rodeo's in Panama City for Bubba's birthday meal.  We both had the Shrimp & Grouper combination platter and it was delicious.

We had a lazy Sunday morning.  After breakfast, we packed up and headed for home.  It was as enjoyable as we thought it would be.  When we got home we cleaned up and put things away, taking less than an hour to leave the trailer ready for our next outing which I hope will be soon.


Everything went well.  We learned how to operate everything on the camper.  Next time we plan to fry mullet and grill chicken since the cooking went so well this time.  
Those of you who voted that Archie would be a good travelling companion (all two of you) were right.  He behaved well and seemed to enjoy the outing.

Set Up Day

Today was designated as set up day for the camper.  We planned to carry our purchases from last week out to the trailer and put everything in its proper place.  Anyone who knows me knows that I like to wake up slowly by drinking several cups of coffee.  Then I'm able to spring into action; however, this Saturday didn't start like that.  I was just finishing my first cup of coffee when Bubba came in from his morning walk and stated that it was going to storm that I needed to get dressed and help him carry everything out to the trailer.  So I quickly dressed and started packing up and carrying out.  We finally got everything out and started to work.

It was really a fun day.  I put shelf paper in all the cabinets and drawers.  We made up the bed, folded our new towels and put them on the shelf, and put all the kitchen utensils away.  Willie Nelson and Johnny Cash were playing on the cd player (with speakers inside and outside).  We talked a lot and made plans for out future outings.

Bubba has explored every nook and cranny of this new purchase.  He is determined to figure out how everything works because he is sure that sooner or later he will have to "fix" it.  In this picture he is on his knees in front of the refrigerator looking at the fuse boxes.

We got salads and iced tea for lunch from Subway and ate in the camper.  Bubba is watching the football game while he rests.  Everything is all set for our maiden voyage.  All we will have to do is load our groceries and we will be ready to go.  I can hardly wait!


Note:  It only sprinkled a little bit all day long.  I think I was tricked into giving up my wake-up time.

The Next Step

Buying the travel trailer was just the first step.  Getting it set up to actually go camping became the next step.  There are so many things we will need if we are going to be roughing it.  Bubba agreed to go shopping with me, but he never dreamed how long the list of items we just had to have was going to be.  We started out by spending some time in the trailer just measuring so that the things we purchased would fit.  We measured shelves, floor space, drawers, etc.  Then we made a list.  On Saturday we set out with our first stop being the newly opened dollar store in our town.  We loaded up the buggy there with things like measuring cups & spoons, flatware (we got a service for eight with a plastic tray for just $10), and some rugs to go by the bed, at the sink, and at the entrance.  We were off to a good start.


All that shopping was making us hungry so we ate lunch and headed to WalMart.  There we found pretty much everything else on the list. I even got shelf paper for the shelves and drawers. We got home at 3:00 pretty much exhausted.  Some things we needed had to be ordered like sheets to fit the short queen bed.

It wouldn't all fit on the table so I could take a picture, but you get the idea.  This was before our Amazon order arrived with the rest of our stuff.