Week 798 - We are Thankful - 11-28-2021

We just celebrated Thanksgiving Day. We had a great dinner with Pete's sister Donnalee and friend Don. And we talked with all our siblings, our children and some of our grand children.

We are thankful for all our children.

We are thankful for our extended family, the Horn of Plenty.

We are thankful to live in the United States of America.

We are thankful for those we have traveled with (just to name a few).

Dar and Cindy. We met online while researching motorhomes. We both bought our motorhomes from DeMartini RV on the same day. Dar/Cindy bought off the lot and took off. We ordered ours and it took 12 weeks to build. We have seen them in Atascadero, Grass Valley, Apache Junction AZ and Twain Harte CA. We followed the 2-2-2 rule and they went with 4-4-2 and we never caught them again!

Ben and Sid. After living next door for 13 years in Atascadero CA, we both took to the road. Together we have been to Avila Beach CA, Surprise AZ, Blanchard ID, Casa Grande AZ, Albuquerque Balloon Fiesta, Vancouver Island BC, Olympic National Park WA, RV Rallies, RV Service in Harrisburg OR and Wakarusa IN, Niagara Falls USA and Canada, Tucson and Yuma AZ and more. We will see them again in 2022.

Clint and Jackie. We met online in 2011 to play in a pickleball tournament and won gold. We haven't traveled together but we have visited them every year since 2011 at their homes in Rancho Mirage CA and Stanwood WA. We'll see them again in 2022 in the Phoenix area.

Gordon and Karen. We met GK at the same PB tournament with Clint. We have since played together in many PB tournaments. Gordon and Karen both play PB. In October 2011 we left the Huntsmans Senior Games and caravaned together. We stayed at the North Rim of the Canyon, Flagstaff, Happy Trails and Yuma. They introduced us to Algodones for dental work and chimichangas. They retired from full time motorhome travel leaving us to find new traveling buddies.

We are thankful for new friends.

We moved into Far Horizons RV Resort in Tucson on Sep 25th, 2021. A few days later Jim and LaRae showed up. Ellen met them right away and Pete joined in. Like our RV travelers above, these are the kind of folks that you instantly like. Jim, Pete and Ellen played pickleball together. Ellen gave LaRae lessons and now LaRae, like us all, is addicted. Our gang plays cards and table games a couple times a week and Cornhole Toss on Sundays. We will leave Far Horizons on Jan 1st and will really miss these two (until we meet again!).

We are thankful to meet old friends for the first time.

Meet Ellen and Alan. We just met Alan, but Ellen we have known for 15 years. In 2006 our web hosting company was in College Station, Texas when Ellen lives. Our great friend Paul would send us emails as we were on the road. However, his emails to Ellen Mattson never showed up. Due to a flaw with our web host the emails went to Ellen in College Station. Ellen called Pete one day and said "I think I have you wife's emails!" She was certainly correct. We resolved the problem, while explaining about our travels. Ellen asked to be on our weekly travelogue email list. We have communicated over the last 15 years but never met. Ellen and Alan happened to be in Tucson on Thanksgiving Day. They graciously took time out of their day to meet us. Small world, eh?

And we are thankful that the Lord has given us the privilege of meeting so many people and seeing so much of His creation in America.

We are truly blessed.

With love, Pete, Ellen and Mandy

"Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; give thanks to him and praise his name." Psalm 100:4

Photos from November 2021