Let the good times roll.

BOX SCORE
Element	Current	Std. Range	Trend
Hemoglobin	10.7	13-17	v
Platelets	37	140-375	v
ANC	1890	1800-8300	v

Some things are predictable. For example, if you check out the Box Score for today, you will notice that all the numbers have gone down. This is not surprising, since I am a couple of weeks post-chemo. Here's another example. Monday, we took off for a couple of days in the travel trailer to get a feel for whether or not I am physically ready to continue that lifestyle. You may recall (See "Seasons") that we had made the decision to sell her, but that was in the middle of my struggling with a frozen shoulder. 

When my shoulders recovered, I was feeling so good, and spring was upon us. I began to question whether we should hold off a bit longer. Well, the results are in. In spite of the fact that I feel good most of the time, I don't have the strength or the stamina I used to have. So, while we thoroughly enjoyed our little adventure, we realized that neither of us is physically comfortable enough in the trailer to continue using it. Accordingly, we made a firm decision to sell. 

When we got home, we started unloading our personal gear, which includes some electronics I had installed. Now, here comes the predictable part. When I got the things I wanted extricated from the rest of the entertainment system, I discovered that the TV antenna amplifier in NOT working. I figure I just need to go through the installation and I will find the problem. I went into the house for a few minutes, and when I returned to the trailer, I noticed the entry step is a bit wobbly. Upon examining the mechanism, I discovered that a metal rod that acts as a hinge point for the folding steps has severed. It was fine while we were camping. It must have happened yesterday morning sometime, because the piece that broke off was precariously lodged in a place where enough traveling would have surely have dislodged it so that it was lost. More predictability: decide to sell something; it falls apart!! I'll examine these things and see if there are easy solutions. 

In a way, this timing seems like a punctuation mark on our decision to sell. We have had the trailer for seven years, towed it well over 10,000 miles, and never had a lick of trouble. The broken step seems to be saying, "Now's the time to let someone else enjoy the trailer and deal with the maintenance that you no longer can, Tom." We were completely in agreement about selling the trailer, and this little incident seems to confirm we are on the right track. We look forward to the next adventure in life. 

God has been so good to us. Most people never get to enjoy the travels we have had, nor to learn some of the lessons we learned along the way. We have learned that, sometimes, our plans needed radical change in the middle of a journey; like the time we had determined to drive across central Texas, only to find that the areas we were headed for were either under siege by tornadoes or flooded or both. 

Instead, we drove across the Texas panhandle on Interstate 40. We discovered that there is an amazing RV museum in Amarillo. We got to see Oklahoma City's river walk (after we spent a night worrying about a huge tornado that passed about 30 miles from us), and then headed northeast on I44. We enjoyed several shows in Branson, MO, got to see the big city of St. Louis; all things we hadn't planned. In total we covered 8,600 miles on that trip. Along the way we visited friends in Evansville, IN, in Mitchell, IN and in Webster, WI. 

So, although we will miss the adventures on the road, it is time for someone else to carry on for us. We could be sad and mourn our loss, but we are not sad. We are grateful for what we have had and for the promise of some kind of yet to be determined new adventures. So, let the good times roll. We are all in, praising God that there are still more new things to see and to do and to learn. May He bless you as richly as He has blessed us in 17 years of RVing!