"Don't you threaten me with a good time." ;-)

RDB's birthday weekend and it's Labor Day with a Monday off, so I took Friday as vacation and we headed out to Lake Somerville State Park, Nails Creek Unit to make a long weekend of it.  Being in finance has it's benefits -market holidays- and having friends in finance is awesome, too. Those same holidays meant that R(m)B(r) could join us!  (Notice the added (r)? They had an addition to the family since the last time we were all camping!) Just us adults for this trip though, as R kept saying: "Don't you threaten me with a good time!"

Nails Creek is set up to be an equestrian park, but with the flooding that took place back in 2015 they've shut down access for horses.  The pens are still a part of the sites though, and though we didn't use them didn't mean they weren't getting used....

That little guy had zero fear of RDB and I (Diesel was napping in the camper, so, thankfully, they didn't have any interaction.) 

Dinner the first night was "whatever you can find" since we got out of town before we had a chance to get any grocery shopping done.  Thanks to the ingenuity of a previous Facebook post by my friend CS up in New York, we made Pop-Tart PB&Js.  That's roughin' it, I know.

RDB and I have both been getting over a bit of a summer cold this week, so we really didn't have much by way of activities planned for the weekend.  Lots of hanging around the campsite, some studying for me, and enjoying what were perhaps the most beautiful sunsets we've had the chance to enjoy while out in nature.  It's been great to have the Kawasaki so that we can zip over to the better viewing points to enjoy those huge Texas skies.

R(m)B(r) were on their way over Friday night after dropping the kids off with family.  RDB and I were able to get out and get the shopping we needed done.  Unfortunately, along the way to the HEB in Brenham we managed to pick up a rock chip.... well, more like a boulder-chunk - it was larger than RBD's credit card!

It was SO NEAT to see R(m)B(r) show up with the pop-up we used to camp in!  I love that we're in the new toy hauler (and that set up is sooo much easier) but we had lots of really great memories in that pop-up!  They even taught us a new trick on the way to put out the awning that we had never figured out.  We spent a few hours playing Mexican train dominoes in the camper before we called it a night. 

Saturday afternoon we jumped in the truck and took a drive over to Round Top for a birthday treat at Royer's Pie Haven (we would have gone back to Blue Bell, but unfortunately, they're not open on the weekends.  Bummer!)  

It was a great choice though, since it was right back to the same little old-timey town square that R(m)B(r) had visited on their last no-kids vacation.  The pies, by the way - were OUTSTANDING!

So outstanding, that you could just drink it up with a straw.... well, at least R thought so! 

"Don't you threaten me with a good time!"

We spent a little while walking around and enjoying the cute shops (some with waaaay overpriced but pretty pieces) and each picked up a bottle of delicious bloody Mary mix to enjoy back at the camper.  The trip to find a liquor store was a bit of a misadventure, but when you're with friends, it's fun regardless!

Saturday night we fired up the grills - RDB and I had a HUGE steak to cook, and R(m)B(r) had a beautiful piece of salmon in a marinade so tasty that  I should have written down the recipe!  It was dark-thirty by the time the grilling was done.  Darkness doesn't change taste, though - and that was a really enjoyable meal!

Sunday morning I had my nose so deep in the books that I hadn't realized it had been raining.  R(m)B(r) shot us a text saying they were packing up with the short break in the radar and heading on home (a day early).  I couldn't blame them - there was a storm approaching in the Gulf and it's just so much easier to pack up the pop-up when you're not in the middle of a downpour.  So, we followed suite and packed up ourselves.

There are so many things that can keep you from camping - I need to study, we don't feel well, there's a storm coming, it might rain, we damaged our truck - but if you keep wasting time thinking about and focusing on all the things that could go wrong you miss out on all the amazing things that can go right - hanging out with dear friends, lots of laughter, traveling to cute little places, great food, and GLORIOUS sunsets.....

We camped at Lake Somerville State Park, Nails Creek Unit, sites #36 (us) and #34 (R(m)B(r)).  Nice, large - both had pens for horses which increased the distance between each site, and we were at the head of the trail that led to the bathhouse.  The above sunset pictures were from the boat ramp, which was the best spot to watch the sky turn such brilliant shades of pink and purple and blue.  Just be aware of slithery 'friends' up that way since it's close to the water. 

For just a few more camping photos, go here. 

The best time to start thinking about your retirement is before the boss does.

Working this week sure felt like being retired - camping across the country, doing what I love (my job), and spending a lot of time with RDB.  I'm not sure how we got to be so blessed, but I'm sure thankful for it!

I was scheduled to do a set of meetings in Jackson, MS on a Tuesday this week, so RDB and I sent Diesel to daycare, packed up the camper, and took off across the southern states on Saturday. Being the first time we took the bike along, we spent the better part of Saturday morning ensuring that everything was tied down tight.  First night was planned for boondocking in Louisiana, and then on to LaFleur's Bluff State Park in Jackson, MS - about 40 minutes from my client - after that.  

The drive itself was uneventful, in a good way, until we stopped to fix a sandwich at a Wal-Mart just shy of our camping ground.  While we stood in the shade and munched on lunch, RDB noticed that it appeared the camper-top on the truck bed had shifted backwards.  On closer inspection, not only had the camper-top shifted, but it appeared that the entire bed of the truck had moved backwards due to the weight of the trailer we were hauling.  

So we made a detour into the nearest CAT scales (after a funny phone call trying to figure out if we could actually _use_ those scales) and determined that we were exceeding our maximum tongue weight by about 80lbs; adjustments would need to be made before we head home in a few days, but we were comfortable with traveling the last 40 minutes to the campsite.  

LaFleur's Bluff SP is situated right in the heart of Jackson, MS and so there is plenty to do out and about in town (like having lunch at The Pig & Pint or dinner at The Manship Wood Fired Kitchen - big thanks to WLTR for the dinner recommendation!).  The park also hosts a bevy of recreational activities - from the usual hiking and fishing, to the unique: golf course, disk golf, a huge playground, and two museums.

We had to drop the truck off at a local dealership for a fuel filter change (we were working out all the kinks around truck issues this trip, for sure) and so we spent the better part of the morning over at the MS Museum of Natural Science.  It was awesome that we had the bike with us (the whole reason for  a toy hauler) so that we had a set of wheels to head down to the museum - where I think I fell in love with the tiny alligators.

They're so cute... when they're little!

They had a Ripley's Believe it or Not exhibit scattered through out the museum as well.  That brought along a few interesting items to check out.

I found Nemo!

Yeah, Toast!

Can you imagine what he could have done with a computer?

My hubby's such a good sport... ;-)

Man made matchstick car and a car made into a man....

Since this was a work trip, we couldn't spend all day playing around.  RDB got the camper set up so that I could easily hook into the TV and use it as an extra monitor on my laptop.  I'm so glad that he knows the ins-and-outs of technology stuff!

After I got a bit of work done, we went out for a ride on the bike.  RDB had downloaded an app "Offbeat Attractions" (for iOS) that maps out random things like the World Largest Ball of Twine and the Sweet Potato Capital of the World.  We did a quick search and found the Birth Place of the Teddy Bear  was just a few miles up the road in Onward, MS.  You can follow our motorcycle adventures on Instagram: @twowheelthrills 

Work on Tuesday was both good, and bad.  Good: it was an easy day with only two meetings and both were well attended (over 200 people!).  Bad: these were all-hands meetings because the plant is closing by the end of December, and the first wave of about 65 people will work their last day this Friday. I know that the group was appreciative of the information I had to offer, and several sat with me individually to 'run the numbers,' but it's hard at times to reconcile the feelings of overwhelming blessing RDB and I have, when faced with the emotions of what others are challenged with.  I was grateful to come home and snuggle the Teddy Bear who hitch-hiked back to the campground with us.

We packed up Wednesday morning, taking care to adjust - and then readjust - where the bike was strapped in.  Another visit to the CAT scales confirmed that we were now under the limitations of our tongue weight and could travel along safely home.  It was a long haul and I'm forever grateful for my "Camping Chauffeur" who trucked us the whole way home so I could be well rested for work back in Houston the next day.  I had to keep reminding myself: "this is Wednesday night, not Sunday night."

I could get used to that. 

LeFleur's Bluff State Park, in Jackson, MS, allows for a site-specific reservation: we stayed in Site #2.  We were pleasantly surprised at how level the pad was from side-to-side (when you first look at it, there's a pretty steep grade back-to-font, but dropping the tongue solves that.)  The site is directly on the waterfront and made for wonderful bird watching over the lake.  Short walk to the bathhouse, decent showers and good water pressure.  There's a gate code for entry and they emailed that to us ahead of time in case we arrived late.  We also received a call from the office the day of our arrival checking in on us.  (A really nice touch!) 

For more camping photos, go here.