Back in the Swing of Things

It's been a whirlwind of a few weeks since we last camped! I've started a new job at work leading a team of Virtual Education Consultants who provide online workshops for our workplace clients; lots of incredible talent there, and LOTS of learning for me as a new people manager.  Texas froze over for a week - literally. We managed to come out with only the sprinkler system damaged, and didn't lose power; though I'm a bit worried about what the electric bill will look like once it comes in. 

Our camper was down at Ron Hoover for water leak repairs, and thankfully they took the time to winterize it (though they missed the inline water filter, which in turn froze and burst, but they took full ownership and repaired it before turning the camper back over for this trip.) I'm telling you, they're doing one hell of a good job at keeping our business! (Though we are getting a little tired of having to drag the camper down there after every trip, it seems.  But, that's just par for the course, I think, when it comes to owning a new camper.)

Yet - here we are! Back in the camper again, back to 75* days, and back to a nearby favorite: Lake Livingston State Park. We left out Friday evening after work and made it to the campground before sunset (yeah! longer days!).  We had booked side by side sites so that R(m)B(r) could join us, but they needed to stay home and tend to a few repairs themselves. 

Saturday we slept in, enjoyed a few Bloody Marys (the coffee pot, unfortunately, had broken. RIP Cuisinart), and cooked lunch in the camper.  It's so nice to be "off the clock" and "out of the office" even though I can check my email via an app on my phone (proud to say, at 2pm on Sunday, I still haven't checked my email!).  Camping is all about unplugging, and starting the weekend off with a few delicious drinks definitely helped set the tone.

RDB and I took a little trip over to Gookey's Old Town Emporium  - we've passed it every time we come to Lake Livingston, but this is the first time we went back to check them out. Cute little antique and odds-and-ends store, with a candy counter that would make you think you woke up in Willy Wonka's factory store. 

We enjoyed a few scoops of ice cream outside as an afternoon treat before heading over the the Wal-Mart to restock a few items (and buy a new coffee pot).

I spent the better part of the afternoon out in the hammock, reading.  (Besides not checking email, that was the one objective I had for this weekend!) Diesel cracked me up - he had 25' of lead to wander throughout our campsite, but he wanted to be right up against me the vast majority of the time.  Goofball.

We topped off the night watching our favorite movie ($10 if you can remember which one that is) before calling it a night.

Sunday morning, we hung out in the camper - enjoying the new coffee pot, fixing a late breakfast/brunch, and eventually made our way over to the Polk County Courthouse.  Interesting fact: this structure is the 5th county courthouse for Polk County... makes you wonder what the heck is going on around there!

We grabbed a quick geocache there by the courthouse, too. Nothing fancy; nothing left behind.  Jumped back in the truck and drove back over to the campsite to start packing up to go home.

It was a good, relaxing weekend - as I sit here on the couch back at home.  Tali is purring on RDB's lap beside me, Diesel is snoring on his bed at our feet. We all have full bellies from dinner and I can truly say: I am a happy camper. (Oh, and the replacement coffee pot? Works just fine!)

We were in site #98 at Lake Livingston State Park.  It's in the new Pin Oak area - nicely level, big concrete pads, clean bathhouse within maybe 100'.  We'd definitely stay here again, even though the internet was weak (to say the least: we couldn't even get local channels on the TV!) 

We've been here several times before: Birthday, Bentely, and Bliss,  A Thousand Reasons Not To, and A Relaxing Weekend at the Lake.

For more camping pics, go here.