hey everybody, it's bRandy finally contributing. i'm glad michelle has been keeping you all up on our travels and adventures. She's been pretty thorough in her stories--I don't have much to add except that she is being humble about how awesome she has been at keeping Bluequisha lookin' fly on the inside--she's had a few makeovers already, all courtesy of Michelle and she just keeps getting better and better.

we did ok back at that coffee shop selling jewelry the day of the farmer's market, but the farmer's market itself was by far the most exciting part of the day. michelle made us a salad for lunch with our new goodies. for those of you who know me well, brace yourself, make sure you're sitting down, or something...the salad consisted of Chinese spinach, tomatoes, and cucumbers and some seasoning...that's it...nothing else...no salad dressing, no croutons, cheese, or anything else...just the juice from the veggies. And i ATE IT! lol and...i LIKED IT. We've been eating way healthier and being very active and that feels great to us both.

i responded to an ad on craig's list from a woman needing help moving things from her house into her yard for a yard sale the next day. i offered her a choice to either pay the amount i was asking, or she could pay me less if she'd let us set up our jewelry table at her yard sale. we decided on the latter, and we're glad we did. this is how we met the wonderfully generous Tosha. After spending a couple of hours yard-sellin' and talking, Tosha offered to let us stay parked in her driveway and use her shower and kitchen since we'd be back there the next day for more selling. This put a smile on Michelle's face the size of Texas :) Not only did we not have to worry about anyone bothering us when we're parked at the lakes, parks, etc (even though we've been fortunate enough to be bother-free so far), but she was going to get her first shower in longer than she probably wants me to share, lol. After spending more time with us during the day, Tosha turned that invitation into an offer to continue to stick around as long as we are here. We've still been sleeping in the van, and Tosha has been kind enough to let us cook our meals in her kitchen, use her shower/bathroom, and has introducing us to Season 1 of True Blood. Michelle and I had each seen a couple of episodes before, but they were random and far between. We are now officially hooked. Tosha is another example of what this journey has to offer--making new friends, and seeing just how generous and kind people can be. We're having fun hanging out with her and her 2 cats, MiMi and Mosbey (again, those who know me, I know this is shocking too). They're cool cats and my allergies have only been mildly affected.

We've checked out some really cool places. Minnehaha Falls is definitely near the top of my list. I know Michelle already wrote about this place, but we went back and went hiking further down the trails. We went all the way to the very end. Along the way we came across a group of kids dressed in medieval costumes with homemade swords and shields. Turns out they were filming a movie out there in the forest, and one of the kids (probably 11 or 12 years old) was the direction. He was serious business too. So cool. We stopped and ate lunch when we came across a fire pit surrounded by benches. The trail had been pretty rugged and off the beaten path so this came out of nowhere. The lunch gave us the fuel to keep hiking and we're so glad we did. The trail ended where the falls and creek lead into the Mississippi. There was a sandy beach and people fishing. Just as we wondered where the sand came from, we noticed a sandstone cavern--I was really intrigued by this...we both were. I love caves or anything resembling them. We sat inside and even collected some of the sand right off the cavern walls. At the beach itself we met a very interesting character named Floyd. I'll let Michelle have the pleasure of telling that part of the story...she is MOST entertained by it. Here's the spoiler...he was about 70 years old, no bottom teeth, and flirting with me hardcore. lol WOW!!!

We are heading back to Texas in a few days...missing the kiddos and wanting to see them off to school (the youngest 2 are starting their junior and senior years of high school on tuesday). However, i have to admit that the temperatures i've been hearing about have me scared to death--born and raised in texas but now that i've been away and in this much better weather (had to wear long sleeves to sleep last night), will i even be able to breathe in 102 degree weather with 98% humidity?? ugh...do I even wanna try??? lol Before we go though, I answered another Craig's List ad, this time looking for folks to help run the bounce-houses and carnival games at a corporate event on Saturday. I signed both Michelle and I up for a day of fun and a chance to make some cash at the same time. I can't stress enough how much I'm loving the different things we can do and see along our journey. We're going to work at a freakin' carnival...not forever, just for a day....but now we'll always be able to say we did...lol...i love it. I can see myself now, when Michelle and I are old and grey and rockin' on our porch..."baby, you remember that time we ran away to work in the circus??" lol.

Making memories...it's a beautiful thing.
-B