Newsletter

Well, we should probably start with the newest member of the family. Last winter we talked about getting a cat, but never seriously looked. Then, in April, a big black cat kept appearing on our cameras at all hours and eventually came right onto our deck. He was large, super friendly, and had an incredibly soft coat. He wore a Seresto collar but no ID tags, so we assumed he had a home. The next day, he came back again, so we fed him some tuna. When we went inside for the night, he wanted to come in with us. After exploring the house for a few hours, he asked to go back out, but overnight he returned and slept on our deck. Realizing he probably needed to go to the bathroom but couldn’t find a litter box, we decided to buy some supplies and have him scanned. He did not have a chip. We named him Binx after the cat in Hocus Pocus, he is just the sweetest cat and a wonderful addition to our family.

Well, Cozy is still a little leery of him and jealous of any time we spend petting and loving him up. But she is getting better with him. They aren’t sleeping in the same sunbeam yet or anything, but Cozy isn’t always trying to chase him away from us all of the time anymore… not all of the time. So it isn’t perfect yet, but we are making progress. We’re optimistic because Cozy has twice tried to roll her ball to him, very cute. Otherwise, she is doing well, her health is great and she still loves playing ball. You know the dog in the Eddie Murphy movie Dr Doolittle that is jumping up and down until he throws the ball, that’s Chosette.

Over the summer we visited lots of local farms for fruit, produce, and treats, something we’ve always enjoyed and now have even more access to. Our health has been improving too. In the past several years, Lisa has lost over 100 pounds and Jonathan over 200! We both still have more to lose, but the progress has helped us get off insulin and manage our diabetes with diet and medication.

After renting an RV last year, we decided to buy a camper—a Rockwood Roo 23IKSS with two slideouts and two flip-down bunks, which effectively gives the cat and dog their own "rooms". It has plenty of room for us when open and is compact enough for pretty easy travel. We also bought a used cap for the truck to store gear. We took a couple of short trips to lake-area campgrounds while scouting long-term seasonal spots, and plan to explore more next year.

In early fall, we took a long trip to Oklahoma, stopping first in Pigeon Forge and Dollywood. We spent two days at Dollywood’s Harvest Festival, enjoying the fall décor, artisan shops, music, and especially the Great Pumpkin LumiNights. The thousands of carved and glowing pumpkins were the highlight.

The next day, we visited the Titanic Museum and the Hollywood Wax Museum—moving history on one side of the road and lighthearted fun on the other. We also visited Rainforest Adventures Discovery Zoo, where the reptiles and tiny primates were great, and Jonathan surprised Lisa with a sloth-feeding experience.

A day at The Island at Pigeon Forge gave us scenic views from the Great Smoky Mountain Wheel, dinosaur-themed fun on the Jurassic Adventure walk, and a great time at the fountain show. We browsed shops, sampled treats, and grabbed dinner and drinks. It offered a perfect mix of rides, food, and entertainment.

Finally, we reached Oklahoma and stayed at Pleasant Valley Farms outside Tulsa through Harvest Hosts. The sites were great, though the dirt road was bumpy. We spent time with Jonathan’s cousin Johnny and his wife Danielle, and with Auntie Helen and Uncle John. Some of the clan were traveling, but it was still a great visit. Auntie Helen had found many old family photos, including one of Jonathan’s mother in her nursing uniform holding a little girl. Jonathan had never seen it before, so it was a very special present for him.

After Oklahoma our original plan was to go to the Atlanta Aquarium as we have both always wanted to see the giant Ocean Voyager tank that we’ve seen on TV. But, we changed plans and went to Memphis to see Graceland. Stepping onto the grounds of Graceland felt like walking into a piece of living history. It was a fascinating glimpse into the life of Elvis. Across the street was the massive Elvis Presley entertainment complex with all sorts of exhibits. Also outside the complex was Elvis’s incredible collection of cars, his motorcycles, and his two custom jets, including the "Lisa Marie" with its gold-plated seatbelts and gold-flecked sinks.

We also drove past Sun Records, where Elvis recorded his first song. We also realized that we were going to be driving through Tupelo Mississippi, where Elvis's childhood home is located. Visiting the Elvis Presley Birthplace and Museum was wild after being in Memphis. His childhood home was a two-room shotgun shack, which his father Vernon, his grandfather, and his uncle built for just $180. There are only two rooms, a bedroom (where he was born) and a kitchen. It really was like walking into a time capsule of Depression-era Mississippi. The area around the house is a beautiful, reflective park that includes the actual church building the Presley family attended (which was moved to the park). We met the man who wrote most of the history displays; his mother had been friends with Elvis’s mom. The whole Elvis portion of the trip became unexpectedly meaningful. Both of our mothers would have loved it, and Lisa especially remembered sharing Elvis music with hers. 

Well, that seems like a pretty good summary of our year. If you want to see more updates about us you can visit our family’s blog. We still have our health problems, especially Jonathan, but we had a good year and are hoping for many more. Hope Your Holiday and New Year are wonderful. Hugs from Lisa, Jonathan, Chosette, and Binx.