Grayling, Michigan...Good friends, good times, cool cars and "breaking-in" the engine...

It was a spur of the moment decision. We decided that going to visit with Roger and Beverly (and we hoped Marjie and Paul)...would be a good chance to put some more miles on the engine of our new truck...you know, to get it ready to pull our new fifth-wheel toy-hauler. We'll be bringing it home the end of September after visiting West Virginia for the Road-Kill Festival.

Old 27 Car Show in downtown Grayling, Michigan - August 27,28,29, 2010

William and Roger checking out the cool cars.







(William in the background)...Roger, Beverly and Paul (getting me back with his camera) standing between Paul's GTO and Roger's red Corvette.

Paul's and Marjie's GTO.



Roger's Corvette













Roger



Hmmm...if this place could talk!? No, we didn't stay at this old hotel. Actually, it doesn't even look like it's still open for business.

We were treated to the wonderful hospitality of Beverly and Roger at their beautiful home in the woods of the Grayling area near the Au Sable River. Don't you just love it when you can really feel comfortable and just be yourself with friends? We even all hung out in our pj's one night watching a funny movie and munching popcorn. Very pleasant and relaxed.




An example of some of the local architecture of downtown Grayling

Beverly posing with a random car at the "Old 27" Car Show in Grayling, Michigan

Roger

Roger and Beverly ready for the sock-hop at the local Eagles Club

Roger and Beverly winding down at the end of a long day enjoying a campfire at their home in the woods (that's their toy-hauler in the background, Beverly even rides her own motorcycle) with a "nightcap" (or two), roasting marshmallows, laughing and telling jokes and scary stories. We never get too old for that, now do we?

Haven't been "myself" for a while...

Just a few things off the top of my head...

Sheesh! With all good intentions, I meant to post regular blogs (really, I did), ...at least once a week, ...but it seems to have gotten away from me (for the time being), or, should I say, life kind of got in the way? I guess we all handle things differently. I have a very bad habit of occasionally "clamming up" and becoming a hermit for a while (don't want to talk to anyone, or see anyone (except William and my children), or go anywhere or do anything)...not necessarily a good thing, I know.

After doing some research, I am now absolutely convinced that these bouts of depression that I seem to suffer from are not just caused by stress. It is just one of the very unfortunate (and very real) symptoms of Hypothyroidism. I started to notice something was wrong a few years ago, but I thought it was just from the stresses of my life and working long hours, sometimes double and triple shifts, but I was starting to put weight on (a lot of weight), even though I ate like a bird, and I was tired ALL the time, my hair was becoming much thinner and I was getting very uncomfortable aches and pains that I thought were just from being on my feet all the time (some were, some weren't).

Last fall, before we travelled to Texas, I begged my then doctor to please prescribe thyroid medicine for me. She kept telling me that my numbers were in the "normal range". I was willing to try just about anything, so I could feel better. I was feeling so bad, that I had to stop working...I simply could not physically do my work anymore. She said ok, and prescribed Levothyroxin. It is supposed to start "working" within four to six weeks, but after about six months of feeling even worse, I stopped taking it, and decided to see another doctor when we came back home this past April.

Well, I did visit another doctor in April, who first tried to tell me it was all "in my head" (what a jerk), but I insisted on thyroid tests, and the numbers were now way into the "abnormal range". VOILA! (I told you so!)...I'm not happy about that, but at least I know for sure now.

Besides, both of my parents have thyroid problems and have to take medication for it. My Mom had to have half of her thyroid removed, and my Dad's cancer started in his thyroid and he had to have it completely removed. (The cancer is now throughout his whole body and just since April, he has had to have the bones in three of his limbs replaced with steel rods, because the cancer is causing his bones to disintigrate like cigarette ash. He has an amazing, inspirational will to live! He'll be 80 in December, but keeps telling everyone that he has too many things to do and that he isn't going anywhere until he's 115 years old. He still tells all his corny jokes, too! He loves to make people laugh.)

Anyway, this doctor I went to see, prescribed exactly the same medicine, even after I strongly suggested that I wanted to try something different, or at least a different dosage, but she said to try it again and come back to see her in three months (yeah, right....NOT!)

I did go ahead and try the Levothyroxin again for a few months, with exactly the same disappointing results (not to mention, I've been too tired and miserable to enjoy much of this summer...and poor William has been absolutely wonderful to me through all this).

Well, I started doing some more research and came across a wonderful and very informative website called http://StopTheThyroidMadness.com, and just recently, another one called http://www.EarthClinic.com (not just for thyroid problems, but for all kinds of health issues!) Do yourself a favor and check out both of them.

I am now taking a raw thyroid supplement that I found on http://amazon.com/ and some other supplements that I found on http://swansonsvitamins.com/ and guess what? I'm finally starting to feel just a little bit better, a little bit at a time.

Also, recently I started trying to avoid Flouride (a poison!) as much as possible now. I only drink and cook with 100% pure Spring water (read the labels when you shop!), NO tap water (most has Flouride in it and causes all kinds of illnesses)! I'm hoping that this informatiom will help other people (women AND men). Don't just take for granted everything that your doctor tells you. Do a little research on your own, and you might be surprised and be able to help yourself (unless you're one of the lucky FEW who has a GREAT doctor).

Hahahaha! I just re-read this and ...well... I guess that I'm blaming my thyroid for not keeping up with this blog the way I had originally planned, but, it is what it is.

Oh, and by the way, I HAVE been reading other's blogs, some very regularly, but, I've been terrible about leaving comments lately, so, I apologize for that, and will try to get back to leaving more comments in the future.

- Mary Ann

Getting EXCITED! New RV and running boards for the new truck...

A lot going on lately. Will update later. Meanwhile...

...we drove the loaner car that the Chevrolet dealership gave us to use, a very nice Impala, and went to Cincinnati to see our new RV at Holman Motors. Nice people there. Very good online reviews about Holman...AND about Keystone. Holman is a family business in operation since 1945. We recommend checking them out if you are looking for a new (or used) RV.

The running boards for the Silverado finally came in to the Chevy dealership. We dropped off their loaner and picked up our new truck. Next week, going get it undercoated, clear-coated, Rhino bedliner, window tint, rain-guards....and then put some miles on by visiting a few friends in northern Michigan, and then friends and family in West Virginia. That should break in the engine and we'll get ready to roll in the new Fuzion this winter. We're SO excited!

Lots more pics to come when we get it all set up:
Fuzion 360 Fifth Wheel Toy Hauler w/Rear 8' Garage Door to 10' Cargo Area, Side Entry in Cargo, 48"x74" Loft, 1/2 Bath, Door to Living Area w/Hide-A-Bed Sofa/Dinette Slide, 32" LCD TV/Fireplace, Pantry, Refridgerator, 3 Burner Range, Double Kitchen Sink, Step-Up to Side-Aisle Bathroom w/Angle Shower, Toilet & Sink, Bedroom w/ Slideout Queen Bed, Chest w/LCD TV, Wardrobe w/Sliding Doors, Additional Wardrobe, 20' Awning...and much more!





2011 Keystone Fuzion 360 Fifth-Wheel Toy-Hauler


YEP, that's a "fireplace"! :-)

Corian countertops:
Length: 39'6"
Width: 8'6"
Height: 13'4"
Hitch Weight: 2,900 lbs
Dry Weight: 13,200 lbs
Cargo Weight: 4,800 lbs
Fresh Water Capacity: 112 gals
Grey Water Capacity: 86 gals
Black Water Capacity: 86 gals
Furnace BTU: 35,000
Sleeps: 10
Generator: Onan 5500
Tire Size: 235/80R16E
Slides 2
Interior Color: Sahara



2011 Chevy Silverado 2500HD
Duramax 6.6L Turbo-Diesel V8,
Allison six-speed transmission,
4x4, Crew-cab, standard-bed (6'6"),
397 horsepower,
765 lb.-ft. of torque,
17,800 lbs. of maximum towing,
11% improvement in highway fuel economy,
36-gallon tank (up to 680 hwy miles on a single tank),
Duramax runs cleaner
with a 60% reduction in NOx emissions,
B20 Biodiesel compatible,
(color: Taupe Gray Metallic)