Tuesday, November 23, 2010

We're Running Away!!!

We're finally running away!!!

For years now, Lenny and I have dreamed and planned of travelling in a motorhome and enjoying our "golden years". That time is now. I lost my job in July and have not been able to find any work. Our beloved govenor started changing the rules for government employees which would have a severe impact on Lenny's retirement if he decided to wait until he became 55, so in a few short weeks we will be on the road following a perpetual spring. When it gets too cold, we will drive south...when it gets too hot, we will head north. Thankfully, as things stand, his pension will cover our expenses with enough to put some in the savings each month so we only have to work, when and if we want. When I think about it, we are both way to young to never work again. Lenny will be 52 this Sunday and I am still in my mid-fourty's. While we will miss our family and friends, we intend to keep in touch thru our blog, phone calls and e-mail. This new chapter in our lives is exciting and scarey at the same time. Exciting that we will be meeting new people and experiencing local cultures throughout this country and scarey in the fact that we will be together 24/7 365 days a year! Twenty-four years ago we started our journey together and because our wedding party was so large, we rented a motorhome to transport us from house to church to pictures to reception. I wonder if that was an omen of things to come. We are looking forward to renewing old friendships and forming new friendships during our travels. If you want to meet up with us along the way, just send me an email at jmthomas29@gmail.com and we'll let you know when we plan on being in your area. This coming year is taking us from NJ south to FL where we plan on staying for the winter. Then it's up to GA for a motorhome rally, then off to Alabama, Mississippi and New Orleans. Sometime in April we will start to meander our way north to TN, then visit friends in NC. The end of May brings us to Vermont for a meeting and June will have us celebrating 25 years of marriage. For that we will be staying closer to family for a month. Then in July, it's back up to VT for a motorhome rally. In August, we will be in WI, then further west to see Mt. Rushmore and Yellowstone Park. In Sept, there is another motorhome rally we want to attend in Ohio and in Nov., a get together in Branson, MO, so as you can see, we won't be "ideling" in any one state. While all our plans are set in Jell-o, these are some of the events we really want to get to this coming year. We won't be posting too many more blogs before then, but once we are on the road, I plan on updating here a couple times a week, if not daily. Thanks for coming along on The Thomas' Trails...until next time

Jan & Len

Thursday, November 4, 2010

Northeast Coaches for Christ 2010 Autumn Rally


Hickories Park Campground

It was voted the 2009 "coolest small town of America" but this weekend was down right COLD!!! Brrrrrrr! Turn up the heat, get out your woolies cold. The start of the weekend was rainy as well, which made the cold go right through your bones. Now, I ask you, for those of you who RV and have gone to a rally, what would a weekend rally be with no rain? Right? Enjoyable. Well, we made due with the weather God gave us and it turned out great. Northeast Coaches for Christ is a small group of Christian campers who usually meet at larger rallies and I thought it would be nice for us to all meet for a weekend on our own. Len and I had missed the area rally in July as well as a rally Labor Day weekend where we meet. Most of the members are in New York state, so that is why we went there. Hickories Park is a beautiful city run park with a campground and we were parked behind a bandshell off by ourselves. The bandshell was great, it provided a shelter from the wind on Saturday. Friday night was cold and rainy, so another couple and ourselves went to the Blue Dolphin Diner a few miles away. Ed and Lori are very familiar with the area, so we went with them. It's great to get together in smaller groups where you can get to know people better. Saturday morning brought sunshine but it was still cold. We had a pancake breakfast planned which was delicious. There was pancakes, sausage, coffee, orange juice. Thanks to Lenny's cooking. It was alot of fun sitting around talking with all the others there. After breakfast we enjoyed some singing snd a short devotional and communion. We sat around, ate some more (homemade chili, yum) and talked until we had a brief business meeting that afternoon followed by a potlock dinner. One thing about Christians and campers...we love to eat. We had hamburgers, cooked to order...thanks Ed, we had baked beans, macaroni and cheese, zucchini and tomato casserole,  pickled cucumbers, and homemade apple cake for dessert. I'm sure I've left out some of the fare, but it was all so good. It had been a long day and was getting colder once the sun had set, so we all retreated to our warm campers for the evening.


Lenny cooking away
Sunday morning we had some great donuts, fresh fruit, coffee, juice, etc. Then we sat around and shared what God has done in our lives. Soon it was time to pack up and head home again. What a truly blessed weekend we had. I can't wait until the spring to get together again as a group.

Thanks for travelling along with us on...The Thomas' Trails. Until next time...