Only a week left? Really?

Hard to believe we leave the Capital City KOA here in Topeka a week from tomorrow to keep heading North towards Chicagoland.

Been busy here this weekend with the park over 75% full.  A big group of FMCA Covered Wagons is here this weekend, I think they said 21 rigs in all.  Kind of neat how they get out on a specified weekend and enjoy each other's company in different places.

Speaking of enjoying company, our first weekend here Connie hopped on the hayride and met our 'across the street' neighbor, Cody.  We've really enjoyed his company, as he's versed in sports, a college and pro football fan and a cigar aficionado.  He's been here for six months while his kids finished school in Dallas (about 15 minutes from where we stayed at Shady Creek RV Park) and he started his new job.  Weeknights watching TV outside and talking sports and life (and a few beers) has been fun.

Sadly, his time here is coming to an end.  He's closing on his house in Dallas this weekend, and his new one here in Topeka on Monday, so he'll be rolling out of here Tuesday or Wednesday.  Just another example of how people of like interests tend to gravitate towards each other.

Loving the lifestyle, looking forward to moving along when the time comes.

The week behind....

Not much went on this week as we settled into our new adopted hometown of Topeka, KS at the Capital City KOA.  Winds have started picking up each day, but it's still so mild we can get by with the fan for most of the morning and evening while running the air during the afternoon.  We have had wonderful evenings.

Forbes Air Field has been really busy lately with large Air Force 737 cargo planes landing, along with a few fighters either doing touch and go's or refueling.  Great staying in a place that has a free air show.

Wednesday we found either (a) how great our vision insurance used to be or (b) how awful our vision insurance is now.  Take your pick. Used to be we'd hop into the eye doctor, pay our $10, have our glasses within a week and never pay another dime.  That was when we were working.  Now, that we're retired -- wow!  We had no idea glasses cost so darn much.  $600 later and we've got our glasses for the next couple of years, and that's going 'cheap' on everything -- no scratch coating, no reflective whatever, cheap frames, etc..  Yikes.

Friday, we saw the hayride rolling with no one on it, so Connie hopped aboard and so did a camper from behind us.  After conversing, it's our second person we've met since leaving Sea Breeze RV Park who has also stayed at Gulf Waters RV Park in Port Aransas, TX.  Cody grew up in Kansas City, is a Mizzou grad, and is a common occurrence we find in 'full timers' -- he's waiting on his house to get built.  His wife and family are actually living about 5 miles away from where we stayed in Aubrey, TX (The Colony).  We enjoyed his company Friday night talking college and pro sports, and again Saturday night as we watched the NBA Eastern Conference Finals (campground here doesn't have ESPN) and Stanley Cup Final game 5 outside the rig.

We learned from the guy at LensCrafters that the first two weeks of June are the busiest for tornadoes here.  Didn't want to hear that.  Hoping that our luck holds out.

Today, in learning your RV....

Happy Mother's Day, everyone!

The other day, we both noticed that there was a small crack up towards the shower head in the line but no leak.  Today, Connie said it was time to get it fixed because "it was like a little boy peeing on me".

So, Bob goes to Lowe's (which is not too far here at Shady Creek RV Park) and gets a new shower hose.  Bob hates plumbing.  HATES.  Always has, probably always will.

As things would have it, as we're screwing the new hose onto the faucet, something inside breaks.  Not good, but highly typical of Bob's plumbing experiences.

We finally get to unscrew the plate that's in the back room behind the shower fixtures.  Everything is so simple.  All plastic, everything  easily hand done.  No problem to unscrew the plates from the flanges, the water supply and off goes the faucet.  Sure enough, the little "thingy" that you pull up to trigger the shower had broken inside.  Off to Camping World we go.

We knew there was one in Denton, TX, which is about 15 miles from here.  Packed up the girls and off we go.  First time we've been in Camping World since they merged with Good Sam Club.  Had a bit of an issue getting that straightened away, but everything went pretty smoothly, and the girls always enjoy their shopping cart ride.

Funny how that 1/2" longer than the original tends to be a problem.  Not real funny, but typical.  Had to do a little working to get the water supply screwed on.  There was the customary "OK, turn it on....OFF, OFF, OFF!" as water is spewing everywhere from a bad connection.  Then again, as we were missing a washer to connect to the shower head.

All in all, about $40, four hours and we learn a little bit more about our RV.

We Make it to Dallas!

Had a very enjoyable couple of days in Waco.  We stayed at the I-35 RV Park, which was perfect for us.  Mostly pull throughs, everyone shows up at 3-4p, and leave by 10a.

We spent Thursday visiting the campus of Baylor University.  They've got some great facilities on campus, their baseball stadium was outstanding and would make many minor league facilities blush.

They're the Baylor 'Bears', and yes, they house their two Bears on campus in a habitat, the Bill and Eva Williams Bear Habitat.  We think Mike the Tiger at LSU has it better, but these two bears have it pretty good and are right in the center of campus.

 Not in the center of campus is their football stadium.  Good thing we had the name of it and a GPS, otherwise, there was NO CHANCE of finding it

Not sure what they'll do now that they have a Hesiman Trophy winner, but they pay tremendous homage to their All Americans.

Too bad their practice facilities look a little shabby -- didn't even have a full sized practice field.  Looked like plenty of parking all around, but was a little disappointed with its location that far off campus and out in ding dong.

Friday was a travel day, and we're in Dallas again (the suburb of Aubrey, north of Dallas and Fort Worth) for a month at the Shady Creek RV Park.  Will try to keep up with the blog while we're here.  First time camping with friends, so we'll see how that goes!