Footloose and Fabulous

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Footloose and Fabulous We haven’t been there yet but it’s still on our list. Explorers at heart, nomads by choice. ✈️ Adventures await! 🌎

Look at this SOB.... .  Since 2002, February 1st has been designated 'Spunky Old Broad' Day.  This special holiday urges...
01/02/2025

Look at this SOB.... .

Since 2002, February 1st has been designated 'Spunky Old Broad' Day. This special holiday urges women aged 50 and over to fully embrace the beauty of aging, revel in their authentic selves by living regret-free lives to the fullest.

Despite a few aches and pains that haven't always been there, I ABSOLUTELY love this stage of life!

I'll be 63 in a couple of weeks. I've still got a whole lot to live for. It's not too late to conquer new challenges, go on an adventure, or try a new skill. It's my life. I call the shots.

Fellow SOBS, we need to learn to live in the moment without regrets. So what if we've made tons of mistakes, that's proof we're human. Mistakes ultimately become experiences that mold us to be better. Forgive yourself and move on.

If you're a SOB drop your favorite picture in the comments below 👇 for inspiration and celebration. Let me see those pictures!! 📸

This post is for the all parents, grandparents, and teachers in the group. 👴👨‍👩‍👧‍👦👵The one pre-kindergarten skill that ...
29/01/2025

This post is for the all parents, grandparents, and teachers in the group. 👴👨‍👩‍👧‍👦👵

The one pre-kindergarten skill that matters above all others, because it is the prime predictor of school success or failure, is the size of a child’s vocabulary upon entering school. Yes, the child goes to school to learn new words, but the words he or she already knows determine how much of what the teacher says will be understood. Since most instruction for the first four years of school is oral, the child who has the largest vocabulary will understand the most.

I spent 25 years working as a teacher and a principal. Teaching vocabulary was one of my favorite things to do as an educator. Even today, I love learning new words. I recently picked up some acorns and their "hats" and it made me wonder what the real word for the hat is. The correct terminology is a cupule. (See comments for the correct pronunciation)

Good vocabularies are not built overnight, nor are they built primarily of “big words.” We can start with common words like “variety” or “dull” and build from there. Children need to hear the words often and in a meaningful context.

Imagine if people who keep using the word “awesome” in their daily speech had been exposed to other vocabulary words when they were younger. Words like splendid, exciting, enchanting, riveting, mesmerizing, breathtaking, stunning, miraculous, and astounding.

If you're looking for a great resource to learn more ways to expand your child/grandchild's vocabularies, The Read Aloud Handbook by Jim Trelease is a great book.

We have lived and traveled in our 25' Flying Cloud for 6 years.  A few months ago we noticed our awning had begun to lea...
28/01/2025

We have lived and traveled in our 25' Flying Cloud for 6 years. A few months ago we noticed our awning had begun to leak. We decided to apply 303 Fabric Guard. Wow!!!! What a difference it has made! It was super easy to apply with a paint roller. I'll post a couple of videos in the comments for more information.

After much deliberation, we finally decided on our destination for this year's international travel.  We bought one way ...
25/01/2025

After much deliberation, we finally decided on our destination for this year's international travel. We bought one way tickets to Vienna, Austria with the intention of no schedules and no plans. The only thing we have booked is our first Airbnb in Vienna for ten days. After that we'll decide if we want to move over to Salzburg or Innsbruck or maybe cross the border to Munich for a few days. Switzerland also sounds very appealing. As Dr. Seuss said, "Oh the places you'll go!" The goal is to take our time, soak up the local culture, and see things we've yet to see.

When we first retired six years ago, Keith gave us the tag line . This catchphrase will definitely define this trip.

Feel free to share all your suggestions and recommendations for things to see and do in this part of Europe.

As much as we love our Airstream,  we were disappointed that it didn't come with a smart TV.  After six years of full-ti...
24/01/2025

As much as we love our Airstream, we were disappointed that it didn't come with a smart TV. After six years of full-time travel in our Airstream, we finally decided to replace the factory TV with a smart TV.

The wall where the TV sits is only big enough for a 27" TV. That is not a common or popular size. But we were lucky to find an LG TV at Best Buy when we were camping in Little Rock, Arkansas a couple of months ago.

My handyman, Keith, easily removed the old TV and installed the new one in no time at all. Now we can finally watch more than just the few local channels that we were lucky to get in the areas we travel through.

Since getting the upgrade, we've enjoyed watching Suits, Yellowstone, and we're starting season five (of six) of This is Us.

What else should we add to our "must see" list? 📺

22/01/2025

Keith wants to thank everyone for the well wishes on his b-day. We got a chuckle out of the way Artificial Intelligence summarized the comments you all left on our page. 🥳 Birthdays are always better with family and friends!!! ♡♡♡

According to Meta AI, "Commenters wish Keith a happy birthday, admiring his charming personality and physique. A commenter humorously expressed surprise at Keith's rugged appearance while another warmly regards him as a brother figure. Overall, the comments celebrate Keith's special day with affection and playful banter."

Video credit - Barbara Eliana Gatta

Have you ever noticed how some people can light up a room as soon as they enter?  Keith is one of those people!  His smi...
21/01/2025

Have you ever noticed how some people can light up a room as soon as they enter? Keith is one of those people! His smile, laugh, and big personality are unmatched. Happy birthday to my handsome husband, best friend, and favorite travel buddy. 🥳

20/01/2025

The Northern Mockingbird is one of the most iconic birds of the South. It is probably the bird that people see the most as they travel around in their everyday lives. It’s also the state bird of five states, one of which is Texas.

It’s most famous of course because it’s a very vocal bird. They imitate the songs of at least 50 or 60 other species of birds and they even mimic car horns and car alarms. But probably the reason why we see them most often is that they’re extremely aggressive. They attack almost anything they view as a threat including cats, crows, hawks and even people. In fact, they really seem to take a particular dislike to some people; they attack them over and over again and seemingly ignore other people.

But not this guy. He thinks we are his best friends. We feed him every time he shows up.

Most "snowbirds", including us, come to south Texas to escape the cold winters up north.  We have an added incentive for...
19/01/2025

Most "snowbirds", including us, come to south Texas to escape the cold winters up north. We have an added incentive for our three month stay each year. My parents live 19 miles from the resort where we enjoy staying. So that means we get lots of home cooking!

Yesterday, we enjoyed a fun afternoon with my parents, my sister Barbara,and her boyfriend, Ray.

There is nothing like home cooking. Especially when it's your mom and/or dad cooking. And when it comes to steaks, my dad cooks THE best steak!!! 🥩

Keith and I added the baked potatoes while Barbara added her world famous mango margaritas. 🍹 Then to top it all off, Mom made a delicious coconut pie. 🥧

Meet my new friend Vic Mastis.  She and her husband Rocky are from the Branson, Missouri area.  Like us, they spend thre...
16/01/2025

Meet my new friend Vic Mastis. She and her husband Rocky are from the Branson, Missouri area. Like us, they spend three months at Victoria Palms in Donna, TX every winter.

Vic is a passionate and talented artist and has found a way to create her art while she is on the road. The back third of their Newmar Canyon Star motorhome is a "toybox" making it a perfect studio on wheels. Vic has lots of storage for her pastels, artwork, and other equipment/supplies she needs.

Having a hobby is no reason to shy away from camping or even full-time RVing. There are so many different ways to camp - from a simple tent to big and fancy RVs. There's something out there for everyone.

Swip through the pics to see Vics gorgeous artwork.

12/01/2025

Friendships are an important part of well-being and healthy aging. They help create feelings of connectedness and offer a valuable support system and social network. They can also help people live healthier lives.

Victoria Palms in the Rio Grand Valley of Texas is the closest thing we have to a "home base". Since selling our house and everything in it six years ago, we have come to Victoria Palms for three months every winter. We've met the nicest people who, like us, have chosen to spend the colder months in South Texas.

We've grown quite fond of our neighbors and look forward to seeing them each year.

We were honored to be invited to Roger's birthday party. Roger lives in Canada and we've enjoyed chatting with Roger about life and politics in Canada. Roger is an incredible saxophone player and graces us with Auld Lang Syne every New Year's Eve.

I hope I look as great as Roger does when I turn 80!

Living the nomadic life in our Airstream is pretty darn awesome!  But there are a few drawbacks.  The biggest struggle i...
10/01/2025

Living the nomadic life in our Airstream is pretty darn awesome! But there are a few drawbacks. The biggest struggle is working through the logistics to spend good, quality time with our grandsons. You can imagine my excitement when my daughter-in-law, Kelsey, asked if I wanted to meet them in Florida for a trip to Disney World.

Admittedly, I'm not a big fan of amusement parks, but I couldn't pass up the opportunity to visit the "happiest place on earth" with the two cutest boys I know. 💙 💙

Luckily for me, Kelsey is a frequent visitor to Disney. She made my first visit easy-peasy. I didn't have to spend time planning or researching where to go or what to see. And believe me, it can be complicated and overwhelming for first timers like me.

For starters, Kelsey purchased my ticket ($175) in advance through the Disney App. We were able to avoid paying the $35 parking fee because Kelsey has a season pass. After parking we walked about a mile to the ticket turnstiles. We waited in a short line then to show our tickets then we were required to put our finger on a fingerprint reader. (not sure why we had to do that)

Unbeknownst to me, Magic Kingdom is on an island so we boarded a ferry for the short ride. After disembarking, Kelsey checked the app to see how long the lines were for the rides that the boys wanted to ride. We made a beeline to Buzz Lightyear's Space Ranger Spin. We waited in line for approximately 25 minutes to hop on a moving cart to defeat Zurg.

After riding the spinning tea cup, flying Dumbo, and a few others we made a quick stop at the gift shop, we found our way to the monorail for our exit off the island. We opted to take the tram back to the parking lot rather than walking. All in all, we all had a great day!

Have you visited Disney World? What was your experience like?

Decisions, decisions, decisions!Some days I love planning our travels and other days it can be exhausting.  It involves ...
02/01/2025

Decisions, decisions, decisions!

Some days I love planning our travels and other days it can be exhausting. It involves a lot of research, decision-making, coordinating logistics, managing budgets, and considering various factors like travel dates, destinations, accommodation, activities, and transportation.

This year we are planning to take a month or two to travel to a faraway place. Maybe Argentina, or Japan, or Austria? There's so much we've yet to see! 🌎

After our international travels, we're thinking we'll take the Airstream toward the west coast and the mountains. Who knows where we'll end up this year?

01/01/2025

A new year is like a blank book. It has 12 chapters and 365 pages and you are the author. Our wish for you is that you write the most beautiful story possible for yourself! Cheers to the next best seller. 🥂

31/12/2024

Reading is a lot like traveling . With each turn of the page, I'm transported thousands of miles away to another place and time, surrounded by people I've yet to meet.

One of my favorite things about being 'Footloose and Fabulous' is being able to indulge one of my favorite pastimes.

This year, my books have allowed me to travel back in time to experience what it was like to be thrust into the lion's den in ancient Rome. (Echo in the Darkness) I spent some time in prison contemplating organ donation for prisoners who sit on death row. I was a young child forced into an orphanage and subjected to horrible medical experiments when my parents died. (Orphan #8) I cried and struggled with Granger Smith as he found the strength to continue living after his son drowned in the backyard swimming pool. (Like a River) I also got to travel to the beautiful Galapagos Islands during the initial Covid outbreak. (Wish You Were Here)

I finished the year 6️⃣8️⃣ books richer. I can't wait to see where my books take me next year.

2024 is coming to a close.  Let's celebrate the good! ✨️
30/12/2024

2024 is coming to a close. Let's celebrate the good! ✨️

28/12/2024

Good morning everybody!! Have a great day. 🙂

During our time in Nova Scota this past summer, we stayed at a campground near Yarmouth.  When we checked in at the offi...
27/12/2024

During our time in Nova Scota this past summer, we stayed at a campground near Yarmouth. When we checked in at the office, the lady gave us a couple of clear trash bags to use. She explained that all trash bags had to be clear to ensure everyone followed the requirements for recycling.

I'm all for recycling, but this seemed kind of strange to me. I'm not accustomed to being told what color my trash bags have to be. What are your thoughts??? ♻️

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