Our Year

When we first posted our Lemonade from Lemons web-site, it was to simply let loved ones know that we were OK after Hurricane Katrina, the continuing saga down on the Gulf Coast (even to this day), and that after 10 months in the FEMA trailer, it was time to move on. We began new lives as full-time RVers.

To us, this new lifestyle was not entirely "new," since there are many similarities between living on a boat (9 years) and living in an RV. We are as mobile as ever, and we still don't know how to explain ourselves to people who innocently ask the simple question, "Where are you from?"

We've lived in thirteen* cities in the 29 years we've been married, and now that we're actually living ON the road now, that number is likely to multiply at least two-fold in the next few years. It is true that a rolling stone gathers no moss, or roots, for that matter. But we try our best, especially when an extended stay in any one place lasts for more than a couple of weeks. (Pun aside, I actually had my first garden in years this past summer! I grew basil, parsley, and nasturtium in a galvanized trough and learned about cooking with herbs at the same time.)

We spent the majority of 2007 workamping at a national wildlife refuge, Crab Orchard, which lies between the two southern Illinois cities of Carbondale and Marion. That was a central location for us, nearly the same distance from St. Louis (Maria's family) and our daughter and her family in Hopkinsville, Kentucky. Previous blogs indicated how very pleasantly surprised we were to discover this part of Illinois, as it is very lush, and natural, and unspoiled. Little did we expect that our chosen summer location would be so instrumental in what was to be a summer of dealing with both of our moms.

Life goes on. We seem to keep having adventures in spite of trying to settle down, and so the Lemonade from Lemons web-site will continue as long as we do.

The web-site has been overhauled in an attempt to streamline and organize previous postings (and make it all make sense, hopefully.) Roy and Dale sang, "Happy trails to you, until we meet again." All things considered, the odds of that happening are indeed good!

* (Chronologically): St. Louis, MO; Key West, FL; Dothan and Newton, AL; Pensacola and Gulf Breeze, FL; Rancho Bernardo and San Diego, CA; Port Aransas, TX; Washington, DC; North Palm Beach, FL and Jacksonville, FL; Bay St. Louis, MS

Maria & Dave Russell