CHECK OFF BUCKET LIST

we have wanted to for several yrs wanted to go to the grand ole opry and last night we finally did..when we have been here before there wasn't a show going on or we were here when Mitchell was just 8 weeks old and didn't want to leave him for several hrs alone...we checked into the campground around 3 and talked to the girls behind the counter abut getting tickets and she told us nothing for tomorrow night but I can check on tonight (fri) so we looked at each other and said if we are going to do it then I guess we have to go tonight...yep she could get us tickets for tonight...also included was transportation to and from ...of course for a wee bit more...we had just gotten off I-65 which was a mess bumper to bumper for lots and lots of miles and there was NO way we wanted to fight the traffic besides we didn't even know where the theatre was....we drove in some very heavy rain which didn't help the trip here....we had to be ready to go at 5:15 so we had to hurry set up and grab a bite to eat...we did it not a problem.. I-65 was still a mess when the driver came for several of us to take to the show but luck was with us he knew his way around and said he was taking some short cuts ahhahahaha...he also had to pick up several others at hotels around town but we made it on time... now getting out of the parking lot was a different story...again bumper to bumper slow not even a quick quick once in awhile...got back home (rig) around 11:30 exhausted but we had a good time and enjoyed the show once we got to our seats and it started....would we do it again..right now the answer would be no cause of all the horrible traffic going and coming from the theatre but who knows in a couple of yrs we might have forgotten about that... the names of some you might know who were entertaining last night were RICKY SKAGGS-LARRY GATLIN those were a couple of names that rang w bell with me.... tomorrow is easter and we will probally be traveling but will take a minute or two to remember what it is all about.. god bless

ELVIS

today was spent at the elvis Presley homestead and museum...but not before we did some shopping found an outlet so we stopped and spent some money..bought some new jeans and lar got a NEW pair of habitat work pants so he is a happy camper.. our next door neighbors where we are camped are spending all their time fishing so tonight we had sme fresh fish to eat...they cooked in in a cast iron ditch over with bacon and onions and it was very good.... tomorrow heading toward Nashville and hope to get in a show at the grand old opry which we have never done before and have been to Nashville a couple of times and never had time or there wasn't any shows going on but this time there are so we hope to take one in. .

TRAVEL DAY

we left Jackson, ms around 9 and took route 25 then 35 and headed to the natchez trace parkway and what a scenic ride it was...there was a 7 mile stretch where april 2011 a tornado came threw and sure took a lot of trees down..then we acame acrosssome signs in the road that said do not report the fire along the side of the road...the rangers were doing a scheduled burn... we were a tad disappointed while oin the trace as we didn't see any wildlife but we arrived at a state park outside tupelo and have seen way over a couple dozen deer...so I guess the wildlife hides here in the stsate park.. today we are off to go visit elvis home town.. all's well with us god bless all

TUESDAY

today we started out at the museum of natural history..when we arrived there were 12 school buses in th parking lot...oh my we said wonder what is going on...we had already bought our ticket so we just went in...the young man at the desk said it the kids wer too much we could still use the ticket and come back in the afternoon...so we thought lets try it...the first exhibit was the dinosaurs so there were lots of kids around that ..then we started down a hall way and before we knew the kinds had somehow disappeared and were wee for the most part alone looking at the rest..every now and then a kids a came by but over all they were not a problem and we got to see what we wanted... 3 1/2 hr later we left... after a quick lunch it was on to the old capital building where we spent the rest of the afternoon and at 3:30 there wasn't enough time left to go find the gouvenors mansion... we have seen a lot of Mississippi learnt a lot now we need to just remember what we saw and learnt.. it has been a good visit here--thanks to roy and carol checking out this place before we arrived... tomorrow not sure exactly which direction we are going to go maybe tupelo and visit elvis home town...

JACKSON, MS

we left Thibodaux around 9ish yesterday sunday and headed for Jackson, ms where we wanted to spend a few days seeing some of the sights...a very scenic ride on interstate 55 one we hadn't drove except for some very short rides on it...one we might want to do again.. we headed for a state park here in Jackson on where the rou and carol stayed on their way south so they gave us some pointers...we are in a state park that is almost right in the middle of the city and close by are all the things we would like to do..spent the morning touring the state capital and it the tour guide we thin was on the run..she just kept one walking fast and talking all the time...hardly had time to ask a question..so an hr tour took 15 minutes (we felt that anyway)..then off the lunch at two sisters southern cooking...good chicken-turnip greens-cabbage-pickled beets-good stuff and all home cooked.. then off to the ag museum where we spent the rest of the afternoon..saw the biggest collection of pencils that we have ever seen... .

LAST DAY

today was the last day of the Thibodaux build...it has been a good 2 weeks...sheathing-windows-wrapping of tyvek-shinners-checking nail patterns --etc..lots of little things little things that needed done..now all that is left to do on the house before the owner can move in is to electric-plumbing-insulation-sheet rocking -painting and cabinets-appliances which ought to get done in no time..the roofers came today and someone else does the sheathing rocking..so if they get some workering care-a-vanners they ought months...sure hope so.. heavy t/storms are in the forecast for tomorrow so we may stay here another day rather than drive in some heavy stuff--even heard hail... been a good 2 weeks and my body(knees) know it..

WED--THURS

ok it has been a couple of days since if posted anything..so i'm back..on Wednesday it was a rainy day so we went to bon-jovi where there are a bunch of habitat houses that are in a redo mode.so that is what we did for the day..first spent a few hrs pulling up the molding and flooring so new can be put in for the new owners... Thursday the sun came out but it didn't get hot today and we had a nice breeze most of the day..started put by wrapping the house with tyxek...then the windows were started along with butting buttons on the tyvek..so it has been a very busy week..everyone is pleased with how much the group has gotten done..with the hopes that the new owners gets moved in before summer.. it has been a fast 2 weeks as tomorrow is the last day of the build..we will start heading east but not in a real rush..and hope that he snow will be gone before we get back.. it has been a good winter for us ...

WEEKEND

it sure was the swamp tour ..has been a busy weekend...firday night ..we went into the cityh of thiboddaix for a concert in the park...sat ..then for dinner we had a catfish dinner...our team leaders bought the carfish and fried it up along with real french fries-cabbage salad-hush puppies --mmmmm good.. on sat first we went to church with roy -carol--maria good service--- sunday up and off for coffe and biegets..back to the campground to get ready for the parade.. about noon we let=ft for the parade and likew last year it ws a fun time...instead of beads they really do throw cabbage-potatoes-onions-carrtos-peppers-pineapple-bananas..a fun time was had by all... back to the campground for happy hr...now we are all exhausted from the weekend and need to get rady for work tomorrow...

PLAY DAY

today is a day off and we went on a swamp tour...a most interesting place out in the bayou somewhere away from nothing...some of you might watch swamp people on tv well our guide is a swamp person who has appeared on that program...a 16 yr old...his name is zz or sam or something like that and as you can see he has long hair etc...he also is a gator control person who is called to get gators from back yard swimming pools etc...he spent most of his time telling us stories of things he has done...because he is only 21the history channel makeshis parents put the money in the bank till he is 21 before he can have any of it...might be a good thing..after the tour we ate gator...tasted like you know what chicken ahhahaha

BREAK TIME

thursday the roof is all most finished up then it will be time for the roofers to come this weekend (hopefully) to put the shingles ..so next we can beging to wrap the house-put windows in-then make it really look like a house..we have not met the home owner as of yet but understand that she has 2 jobs and really deserves this house... break time is around 10 and of course we all are drinking lots of water...us northerners sure can fell the heat..lots of sunscreen.. this weekend will be a busy one..tomorrow we are going on a swamp tour--then on sunday it will be the st patty's day parade where last year they threw vegies..so we are going to go prepared to catch lots of them....d more later

THIRD DAY

today is wednesday and it was back on the roof for some (not me) to finish up the back of the house..because it has a hip roof there is alot of cutting to make pieces to cut and make fit into the empty spaces...lar was the cutter and myself and a couple of others were the ones to carry the pieces....also shinners had to be hammer out and carol and one of the other women have been in charge of that... over all it was a good day and we quiet aroujnd 2pm as it was getting "HOT" and some needed to get off the roof... that was ok with us on the ground as it was also hot on the ground.. tonight we are going to one of the local churches for dinner... tomorrow ore than likely back to the same house to finish up the front of the roof so it will be a day like today..

SECOND DAY

started the day wtith cold temps but it didn't take long before it warmed up and everhyone started to take off layers of clothes...not sure how warm/hot it got today but enough that the sun screen came out.. at the morning meeting we got the scheduile of what needed to get done today..the main focus was to get the sheating on the roof to enclose the house in...well it got done excpet for all the pieces that need to be cut special to fit into the differnt spots... also shiners were hammer out and there was lots of carring plhywood etc..so over all it was a busy day and a lots got done.... it may be early to bed tonight...

FIRST DAY

on sunday we had a dish to pass dinner..the team leaders made sloppy joes and the rest of us brought salada -chips-desert and we also had the formal meeting along with dinner.. it rained in the night and most all day monday so we worked inside some of the refurb houses at bon jovi development...finally by noon the sun came out so we went to the house that is building built..and it had to be moped as there was alot of water on the floor..as it dosen't have a roof yet...which is todays plan... the n last night roy-carol-lar and i went to the national park to listen to some canjun music...the park does it every monday evening and also has a little interestng museum.. after that it was time to go to bed.. need to get rested up to start another day of work

ARRIVE WORK PLACE

we havenow arrived in thibadaux, la where we only have a day of rest before we start work on monday....we got here about 1:30 yesterday lar and mem were the first to arrive then we got there got parked and rou and carol arrived next jeff and judy so we are all here now...after everyone was set up we had a short meeting and get together then it was tme to go do whatever we wanted to do...roy-carol-lar and i went out for catfish... sat we took roy and carol on a tour of the area as we remember it...back to the bon jov/oprah development and noticed several houses with do not eveter signs on them and it sure looks like no one is living in them...must be they were lonesome for new orleans and left the area...some of the property appeared that they haven't been too well cared for...funny take a person from the city and move to the country and it is a different life style for them... tonight we all had some steaks that we had a couple of b-b-q and each cooked their meat and a dish to pass dinner..kinda a getting acquanted gathering..tomorrow we also have ameeting and a dinner to follow..it appears that we are settling in for the next 2 weeks..

TODAY'S ADVENTURE

today we all decided to travel in a different direction and landed up on dequincy, la and found a railroad museum...the lady who was in charge today waas sure into railroad history...he father was an engineer and so she knew all about trains since a child..she told us more info than wwe probally needed to know okr at least more than i needed...i will say thaere was some intersting stuff in the museum even an old phone...now did you all know that if you worked for the train system you had to have your watch tested every 3 mths to make sure it was correct...it had to be verifitied that it was checked by a certified watch cheecker and if it wasn't on time the system lent you another one till you got it fixed or a new one..it had to be exzct...so i guess that is why the trains then were on time...not like today ahhaha...

LAKE CHARLES, LA

we are now in lake charles, la and yesterday wemet up with stu (my brother-ib-law)...he had been in phoenix flew to houstan-drove to LC...first stop was to the visitors center to pick up a audio tour gps guide thing...which would tell us where to go and what we would be lookin at a bery informative thing...(if anyone comes here go borrow one worth while)...you have a choice of going east or west and we went west...took us thru what is called the creole nature trail..saw lots of oil wells-rigs out in the gulf-intercoastal waterway-lots of flat land-areas that still has signs of hurricane damage..more rita than katrina...katrina hit more east of here but rita did her damage.. then of course out for seafood for dinner and local food for lunch.. a good fun day of seeing the sights here in lake chalres...

SUNDAY-FISH CAMP

today finds fish camp very quiet not like yesterday most everone that were here for the cook-off have left but another grup of coachs have come in..so there must be a group that is here...hope they are as quiet as the ribbit cook-offs people ahhahahahaah... lar and mem moved on to their next place betty's campground in abbeville, la and we move on tomorrow to lake chalres to met up with stewart for a couple of days.. lar and i took a ride to a visitors center that lar thought was a national park..oh it was just a visitors center but it had a small museuum and a movie so it was not in waste...also diesel was 3.88 so we filled up... as we are in fish camp and there are ponds you can fish in with out a state license lar fought a kid for his fish pole so he could fish for the afternoon...he really didn't fight but bought a cheap one at wal-mart..not sur e if he will catch dinner so it is a good thing that i already have it planned...our neighbors who wer ehere for e=the cook-off made homemade gumbe and we were given a container of it..i only have to cook some rice to go with it and we are all set...this was one of the cooking lessons we got about cajun cooking... tomorrow is suppose to be warmer so that will be good for a change and lets hope the wind stop... life is still good on the raod..

RABBIT FEST

yesterday we met up with lar and mem for a couple of days here in breaux beidge, la.....last night we went out to dinner at a local cajun place lar had a platter full of crawfish wich took him a couple of hrs to eat but that was ok cause the restaurant had a band that was playing zedyco.cajun music..some of the locals got up to danced and they can dance young and old..a different beat from what we are used to listening too..toe tapping music and watching them dance was entertainimg.. today sat we started off by going to a flea market and it was noit the kind we are use to going to...lots of cell phone covers-junk-lots of junk--no real deals and there sure wsan't much we even wanted.. so back to the rig we came for a wee bit of lunch before heading over to the rabbit fest that was taking place in the campground...they were cooking vension and rabbit which we were able to taste some of each...we asked it there was any prize to the winners NO just bragging rights.....most everyone under over the age of 21 had a beer in their hands some it appears that they have had several beers...most everyone camps even if they live a mile away cause they know that they are going to drink and sure don't want to get a ticket.... are neighbors campers cooked last night and we got a lesson on making gumbo and red sauce with fish...you just put stuff in a pot of stir it for 3 or more hrs...drink beer and stir the pot..a redneck custon...then time for bon fires and not your little bon fire big enough to keep us warm 4 rigs down from the fire... we now can add to our bucket list that we have attended a rabbit fest.. next month if we hang around that long we can go to the beef tongue cook-off...i think we will pass that one up...