Year End Update (more)

I finally had a chance to create a video of our trip to see Drew and Jenny at Thanksgiving. It is loaded in the previous post. We all had a great time at Drew and Jenny's lake home. Brett and Julie joined us for the week and Jenny's mom and husband Robert joined us for a few days - coming off the Appalachian Trial where they had been hiking since February!

Susan did well with all the traveling and we managed the airports with no problems.

As many of you already know, December brought some changes - Susan fell down our stairs trying to get to the bathroom. She broke a tooth, got a compression fracture in the 12th thoracic vertebrae, and had some bruises. A trip to the ER ended in a stay in the hospital. Then the docs and nurses determined that she needed some concentrated therapy and constant care. We were able to get in to the Life Care Center of Colorado Springs where she is getting physical therapy each day as well as some occupational therapy and full time care.

As of the end of the year, she is doing well, gaining strength and balance and getting good reports from her therapists. It is still slow going and she'll probably be there through January, but progress is good.

Since this is supposedly a "camping blog" I should say that we are planning for a fairly normal camping season next summer. We already have reservations at Cheyenne Mtn SP at the beginning of May, a Trailmanor Owners group trip in May, a trip planned to Mt. Rushmore and the Black Hills over Memorial Day, and a trip to Mueller SP at the end of June. We have more planned and will be making reservations as they open up.

Year end update

Final camping trips

Well, Susan has been getting around a bit better lately so we decide to take in the last 2 camp outs of the year. We went to Golden Gate Canyon the last weekend of September and had a good time.

To our surprise the aspens were turning a little later than usual and we saw some good color. We also had a nice visit with my cousin's son and family - on their way to Breckenridge. Alas, no pictures of them! :-(

The next weekend we went to Riverview RV Park in Loveland for the final Mile High Trailblazers Rally of the year. A trip to Estes Park and RMNP on Saturday netted some wildlife photo opportunities.

Some bighorn sheep in the Big Thompson Canyon.

A sleepy buck (13 points) lounging on the outskirts of Estes Park.

So, camping season is over but we are already making plans for next year (reservations require 6 months advance planning!) We hope to go to Mt Rushmore and maybe some locations we have not been before.

Grandkid pictures from N. GA and N.C.

No Yellowstone this year! :-(

I had hoped to be writing a trip report for a camping trip to Yellowstone by this time. But Susan's health deteriorated the last couple of months and we had to cancel the trip. She was so weak a few weeks ago that I literally had to help her get out of a chair and walk her to the bathroom. The main culprit was the side effects of 7 weeks of radiation and chemo, and extended use of steroids. All that is behind her now so she is much better now and gaining strength each day. We are hopeful that she'll be ready for a short camping trip to Golden Gate Canyon State Park in a couple of weeks.

Happy Anniversary to my bride of 42 years!

On Tuesday August 10 Susan and I will celebrate 42 years of marriage. I put together a little video of pictures over the years with family and friends and I was struck by the consistency of Susan's bright eyes and beautiful smile. I love you dear. Hope you (and everyone else) enjoy this quick view of the last 42 years.

Grand kid pictures

What would a blog be without pictures - and for any grandparent, pictures of the grandkids wins hands down. This is Sam - taken in May this year.

Here's a picture of Lucy from this summer.

And finally, here is Lauren at 10 months - in July this year.