DOUBLE JOINTED

When we left Red Bay,AL we felt we were ready to end our season of motorhome travel (about 5000 miles since we left in April) and get back into a less hectic routine. We planned to spend a few days visiting our daughter, Kristen, son-in-law, Harold,  and our 4 grandchildren - Kenneth, Kiley, Kenzie and Khloe (notice anything unusual about this family......?).

We arrived in Green Cove Springs, FL, south of Jacksonville, in time to see our grandson, Kenneth, play a varsity baseball game and enjoyed it thoroughly.  All of the family attended Kenneth's induction into the National Honor Society and Beta Club at Clay High School followed by a family celebration at Longhorn's.

Our Grandson - Kenneth Burke
Clay High School - Induction into National Honor Society
Green Cove Springs, FL - 2015

Kristen, Lauren (youngest daughter who lives in Suwanee, GA), and I had scheduled a Girls' Weekend which was to take place when we returned from our travels.  So on Friday afternoon they both left their jobs a little early and we met in Hilton Head Island for a Sonesta Hotel Spa Weekend for them....I have a spa weekend all the time and chose to read my book, if there was to be any free time, and there wasn't!

Harbour Town Lighthouse
Hilton Head Island, SC  - 2015

HHI - 2015

We had so barrels of fun.  Kristen and Lauren are both very gifted healers - Doctors of Chiropractic....thus the name of this blog.   Lauren's family practice is in Suwanee, GA,  and Kristen's family practice is in Fleming Island, FL, near Orange Park.

Shopping Around HHI - 2015
Dr. Kristen and Dr. Lauren

Doesn't this look like a Vertebrae Mirror?
Two Chiropractors looking in the Chiropractic Mirror...
HHI - 2015

Kristen also owns 2 consignment and upscale furniture/accessory stores called "Junque In The Trunk" in Fleming Island and Flagler Beach.  So .... guess what we did while we were in Hilton Head.

Shop Til Ya Drop at HHI - 2015

Junque In The Trunk
Fleming Island and Flagler Beach, FL

We shopped and shopped all over that part of South Carolina for bargains and buys.  We could have filled a box truck but decided at the last minute to take Kristen's car which was stuffed from top to bottom when we departed on Sunday afternoon.

Dinner at Frankie Bones Restaurant
Girls' Weekend - HHI - 2015

Our getting away for the weekend was a great idea and we hope to do it again next year.  A Nor'easter did not deter us a single bit.  We saw about 5 weddings taking place in the hotel in 2 nights and a beautiful full moon at no extra charge.

Full Moon in Hilton Head Island, SC

RV and I departed Green Cove Springs in our motorhome on Monday morning and travelled to our winter destination, Florida Grande Motor Coach Resort in Webster, FL.  In a few weeks the word  "snowbirds" will have a very positive meaning in Webster. 

PAPPA- NO MORE- DEAUX (as in $$)

After our blog about the one year anniversary of Lauren's (our daughter) business, Suwanee Spine and Wellness Center, Suwanee, GA, we made preparations to celebrate her birthday on Saturday, September 14, 2013. Birthdays are special in our family - our celebrations usually evolve into "birth-months". Celebrating doesn't have to be a one-day thing.  Rule number two... if there is more than one person's birthday in a month, it's always fun.

One of Dr. Lauren's first birthday parties

 After the Anniversary celebration Lauren's office manager, Lisa, approached us and said "Friday morning we are going to have a small celebration of Dr. Lauren's birthday.  If you can, we'd love for you to be here."  We should have known from past experience with our other chiropractic daughter's (Kristen) office, a birthday isn't something patients take lightly.  At the end of the day, we couldn't decide which celebration was more festive - the one year business anniversary or the birthday celebration for Dr. Lauren.  In just one year Lauren has so many fantastic patients that took time out of their busy schedules to drop by, call, send cards and gifts, and just say happy birthday.

Happy Birthday, Dr. Lauren!

Happy Birthday To You!

On Saturday Lauren chose to celebrate her birthday at Pappadeaux Seafood Kitchen, a cajun and seafood kitchen in Norcross, GA, for their seafood buffet brunch.

Pappadeaux Seafood Kitchen, Norcross, GA

Pappadeaux Seafood Buffet

Pappadeaux Seafood Kitchen

That was fine with us because we also enjoy their Louisiana seafood brunch on Saturdays.  After the brunch we headed back to our coach so RV and Chris could watch the Alabama-Texas A&M game while Lauren and I headed out for some serious Atlanta shopping.  It was a productive day and RV and I were glad we could say an early goodnight to Chris and Lauren while they continued their birthday festivities elsewhere!

Birthday Celebration - September 2013

Chris, employed by the Atlanta Falcons NFL football team, got tickets for Lauren and I to see the Atlanta Falcons play the St. Louis Rams at 1:00 pm. at the Georgia Dome on Sunday afternoon, September 15.  RV opted to stay at the coach to watch the game on HDTV.

Atlanta Falcons vs. St. Louis Rams - 2013

 Early on Sunday morning, Lauren and I let Chris off at the Georgia Dome, and she and I just happened upon her favorite breakfast place, West Egg, and enjoyed the best Eggs Benedict ever, and also shared one slice of banana bread french toast with maple syrup (Oh my!)  Afterwards, we returned to the Dome to the NFL Experience where we had about the best "people watching" experience ever!  I think that was the end of the birthday experience as well.  We are worn out.  I'm double worn out....I'm a senior.

We had fun and I'd do it all over again, except for the part about being stuck in the elevator after the game.  Perhaps I'll write about that later.  

DREAMS COME TRUE

We left Red Bay, Alabama early Saturday morning, September 7, and drove to Cumming, Georgia, where we will be staying at Twin Lakes RV Campground.  Our new campground is about 16 miles from our daughter, Lauren, and son in law, Chris, and we will assist as they celebrate the first year of her successful chiropractic practice in Suwanee, GA, Suwanee Spine and Wellness Center. 

This carries a lot of meaning to Dr. Millman

Getting ready to celebrate 1 year!

Happy 1 year, Suwanee Spine!

  My, my how time flies!  Many of you will remember one year ago we were in Atlanta for about a month to help Chris and Lauren get ready to open her chiropractic office.  We usually stay at Bald Ridge Corps Of Engineers (COE) Campground on beautiful Lake Lanier for 2 weeks, and then we move over to another of our favorites - Old Federal COE Campground in Flowery Branch, GA (also on Lake Lanier), for the next two weeks.  If you aren't familiar with federally-owned campgrounds, your visit may not be longer than 14 days (probably to keep people from setting up a residence in these beautiful facilities).  These COE campgrounds in Atlanta were built by the CCC and we consider them to be special, and look forward to returning every year to the northeast Atlanta area.  Unfortunately, these and other federal campgrounds are now closed after Labor Day as a result of federal budget cuts.

We were delighted to be invited to the Suwanee Spine and Wellness Center celebration as "guests" this time.  No getting up on scaffolding to paint murals (although there is some more painting to do I'm told).  No more contractors, permits, painting, moving heavy furniture, hanging pictures, or decorating the office.  After we left last year, Chris and Lauren continued to deal with loads of preparations (24/7), while we rolled on down the road to our next destination.   

This mural used to be a "baby changer" in the restroom!

Mural painted in the office of Suwanee Spine and Wellness

This has been an intense year for them filled with lots and lots of blood, sweat and tears, and we are so happy to celebrate this first year milestone with them.  They have been blessed with a wonderful staff and team, and it looks like all those years of school and preparation has finally paid off.  We're already looking forward to the second anniversary next September!

The Front Entrance is a very "Welcome" Site

Consultation Room

X-ray room

 Dr. Lauren went out of her way to make the office look very festive for her patients who came in today.  There was even a trivia contest.

Suwanee Spine and Wellness Center

Dr. Millman continues to decorate

 

Trivia Contest Questions

Coach Mike Smith - Head Coach - Atlanta Falcons

The catering, by Big Easy Catering in Atlanta, was healthy and delicious.  Every patient was  presented a gift from Suwanee Spine.

Catering by Big Easy Catering - Atlanta

Have you ever heard of the Elf On The Shelf?  Well, this is Lily, who is almost like the Elf on the Shelf.  You never know where she's going to show up.  Yes, she does resemble Barbie in a weird kind of way.   But yesterday she was in Dr. Millman's office to say "Congratulations!  Let's have another celebration next year!"   By the way, she has perfect posture thanks to Dr. Millman and the Suwanee Spine and Wellness Center.  In our family of chiropractic daughters, gifts are often centered around skeletons... how appropriate! 

Lily on the Shelf

 

DAY 213

Note:  Time passes so fast that sometimes good intentions about posting to our blog have to be put on the back burner until later.  Upon returning to Florida Grande in November we immediately left and visited with both daughters and families and enjoyed a wonderful Thanksgiving in Suwanee, GA.  Of course we were interested in how Lauren's new chiropractic office, Suwanee Spine and Wellness, is doing - it's better than she ever anticipated.  And if you are curious as to how "Junque In The Trunk" in Fleming Island is doing, it is the talk of the town, to put it mildly.  We left our coach in FL and drove the car to Atlanta, and while we were very comfortable staying with Lauren and Chris, we were extremely happy to get back to our house on wheels. So leading up to all this..........

This is Day 213, kind of the end of this year's journey, since we left Florida Grande in Webster, FL on April 1, 2012, and it has been an amazing journey.  We had many good times, extremely sad times, glad times and memorable times.  We enjoyed meeting new friends, visiting with old friends and family, and going down roads we had never traveled before.  It was fun getting lost, being found, and laughing til our sides hurt.  We celebrated our five year anniversary in October, 2012 as fulltimers, and if the next five years are as interesting as the last five, and we continue to have our health, we will consider ourselves very blessed. After our last blog post, we traveled to Red Bay, Alabama, for several more improvements on the coach (which have been added under the tab called "Coach Upgrades" above). At Red Bay we enjoyed seeing friends like Wayne and Kathy Page, also having work done to their coach.  Wayne had to be life-flighted to Florence, AL after he had a heart attack.  It was fortunate for him that Florence has one of the best cardiac hospitals in the Southeast. Kathy relocated the coach to McFarland Park in Florence, and after Wayne was released from the hospital, he was able to recuperate comfortably in their coach on the banks of the beautiful Tennessee River near the Wilson Dam.  He is doing fine and we feel sure they are travelling down the road like rock stars, as we speak. Tiffin Service Center - Red Bay, AL Tiffin Service Center - Red Bay, AL  We enjoy returning to Florida as Fall approaches by spending time at the "Redneck Riviera" near Destin and Santa Rosa Beach, FL. Another day is done.... Santa Rosa Beach, FL We stayed at Topsail Hill Preserve State Park for  2 weeks and enjoyed one weekend where Harold, Kristen, our 4 grandchildren, and our good friend, Savannah Benton, visited us to go to the monstrous community yard sale held in the Amphitheatre in Seaside, Florida.   Besides enjoying seeing our family, we also had many good times with friends from Florida Grande, Fred and Evie Wolf and David and Diane Drinkwater. Topsail Hill Preserve State Park Topsail Hill Preserve State Park US Highway 98 may be one of the most beautiful highways in Florida.  Much of the time you are driving parallel to the scenic Gulf of Mexico and you can visualize what old Florida is like.  After passing Apalachicola,  we decided we would take a day trip to St. George Island.  We stayed in Carrabelle Beach and drove our car over to St. George Island after we bought oysters in Eastpoint.  A very long bridge (4.5 miles long - 3rd longest bridge in FL) connects beautiful and environmentally sensitive St. George Island to the mainland.  After checking out the island, the campground facilities and the beach, we've decided to stay on St. George Island next year. U.S. Highway 98 - Carrabelle, Florida In closing, after arriving back in Green Cove Springs, we helped as part-timers on an "as-needed" basis at Junque In The Trunk, Harold and Kristen's new up-scale furniture store in Fleming Island, Fl..  We plan our return every Halloween to see our grandchildren in their costumes (and help them eat their candy).   Kristen and I went to the annual FL/GA Football Game. We probably wouldn't have gone if my brother, Jesse, hadn't gotten tickets for Kristen and I in the Terrace Suites - definitely a great way to see the game!  It wasn't a good day for the Gators, but we definitely enjoyed ourselves. Junque In The Trunk - Fleming Island, FL