We're getting the motorhome ready for our vacation which starts tomorrow. Sometimes, there are so many preparations just to get everything ready that I don't want to leave. Then, I start thinking of all of the projects I'm wanting to get started and finished before the fall semester starts...but, I know that once we get onto the road and just go we enjoy our time away from the regular routine so much that we don't want to come home!

I hope the temperatures are as mild as it has been lately. We aren't going very far, just to Lake Murrey in Oklahoma, but it is in the Arbuckle Mountain range and maybe it'll be cooler there. We're taking our bikes and walking sticks since we love to be outdoors doing active stuff. I'm hoping that the resort has paddle boats to rent so that we can get out onto the lake. We usually do so much hiking, biking and whatever else we can find to do that by evening, we are ready to shower and go to bed. We have a T.V. in the motorhome and can take movies with us, but it's nice to just play games, read or just crash after a busy activity filled day.

Mike didn't grow up camping but I did! There was a period of time when I hated going camping as a teenager, but now I love it as does Mike. I think he even likes the preparation time. He usually checks everything out to make sure everything is in working order like the air pressure in the tires, the propane and all of the electrical stuff along with the batteries (basically the 'guy-stuff'). He also washes the outside and loads up whatever isn't already in the storage compartments. I do all of the inside stuff: clean it again (it's amazing how fast spiders can make webs when not using the motorhome not to mention the dust), pack clothes and food stuff and make sure we have all of the basics refilled or replaced. I don't stop with the motorhome, I can't stand to leave the house unless it's cleaned, laundry is done and everything is in it's place. Before we end the day, the yardwork will all get done and watered if it isn't going to rain while we are gone. It's a lot of work just to go on vacation, but at least we have most of our basics all together in the motorhome and once we get there we just plug in and hook up water, then sit back and relax for the week.

Once we get home, after we clean out the motorhome and do laundry, I have to go up to the college to pay for my tuition for the fall semester. It'll cost more then my first semester and even my summer classes, but at least I have all of my books paid for. I've been getting my books ordered online for half the price of the used books at school! I can't justify paying $115 for my algebra book when I was able to get a brand new one for $30. The only thing I have had to do was get all of the information about the books I'll need for each class and then go online to find them, order and wait anywhere from one to three weeks. It is worth the time and effort on my part to get my books for a great price.

And then, my neighbor offered to give me a free pass to fly up to Oregon so that I can visit my brother and his family for a week. It might be a challenge to locate a seat (it's stand-by status) with the allotted time period I have before school starts on the 30th, but I hope I'll be able to go. They have a lot of fruit on their land and are surrounded by farmers who grow various types. My SIL Maria wants me to show her how to can and make jams. It'll be intense getting very much done in the week I'll have up there, but it'll be fun to spend time with all of them. I've missed keeping my niece and nephew for the summer as I did last summer.

Somehow, in between all of this busy schedule we will be celebrating our 27th anniversary. I'm beginning to think that after summer classes and everything else that has taken place in such a short period of time, it might feel like a break once school starts for the fall. It's a thought, I'll let you know if it's reality...I have to take beginning algebra and we all know how much I "loved pre-algebra!"

Hope everyone is having a great summer!