This entire time I’ve been thinking about where my home was. At first it was California, then Wisconsin. But in truth, home isn’t necessarily where you sleep at night. It’s where you feel like yourself. Where you’re most comfortable. Where you don’t have to pretend, where you can just be you.
Elizabeth Eulberg, Better Off Friends
October 30th, 2021
It’s a bone-chilling, rainy day in Oak Grove, Arkansas (pop. 395), and I’m writing from “our pad” at the lake (RV pad, Table Rock Lake.) We’ve been looking for a home-base for a while, and last month Dave and I bought a lot in an RV resort community in northwest Arkansas, just south of the Arkansas/Missouri state line. Even though it’s close to Branson, MO as-the-crow-flies, windy country roads make it a 40-minute drive. It’s rural (loose cows on the road is common), and peaceful, quiet, and safe.
At home on our pad 
We can be here as much as we’d like and when we’re not, our lot can be rented. The office takes care of everything, from booking to disbursements, and judging from what we’ve seen in the short time we’ve been here, this place gets a fair amount of business in spite of its out-of-the-way location. Or maybe because of it.
The couple who sold us the lot were moving to Las Vegas, so they included everything in the purchase price: outdoor furniture, patio umbrellas, a couple of monster grills, even their golf cart. Dave’s not had his scooter for several months now, so he likes having wheels again. Having only just arrived a couple of weeks ago, we haven’t had the chance to experience the “resort” part of the place, but there are a couple of swimming pools and jacuzzis, tennis courts, a pickleball court, a 9-hole golf course, two dog parks, a clubhouse and, of course, the lake.
Table Rock Lake, which we learned while working at the Visitors Center this summer, has nearly 800 miles of shoreline, with lots of “fingers.” Where we’re at is at the southeastern-most part of the lake and very calm, compared to just north of here, where the Visitors Center and dam are located. The state park marina is also there, and the lake activity can be crazy. We didn’t get our kayaks out once this summer. Here, I know we will.
Our intention (I stopped saying “the plan” because so many have been changed in the past 18 months) is to be here at least six months out of the year. We’ll still go to Texas this winter and volunteer at the dam Visitors Center again next year (assuming it ever opens again), so that takes care of the other six.
RVing with pups presents its own share of concerns, one of which is finding good veterinary care wherever we happen to be. Biscuit, our 13-year-old pup, had a massive lump growing behind her right shoulder. Originally we were going to wait until we got to Bandera to have it removed because her vet is there, but it got to the point where it was so big that it (we) couldn’t wait any longer.
The veterinary clinic in Green Forest, AR(kansas), St. Francis, came highly recommended and now I know why. Biscuit’s surgery was Tuesday, and within 24 hours, she was close to being back to her old self and every day she just gets better. God bless veterinarians everywhere; they are a special breed, for sure.
I’ve been looking for a hotel, motel, or condo for my brother and sister-in-law, who’d like to visit. One day I saw a billboard advertising a development called Morningside. It read, “Stay a night…a week…a lifetime!” and since it was less than 10 miles from where we are, it was worth investigating.
Remember Jim and Tammy Faye Bakker? Remember the 700 Club? Well, he’s now with Lori and the PTL Club is alive and well at Morningside in Blue Eye, Missouri (pop. 30). Praise the Lord!!
We went there last week to inquire about the nightly rentals and happened to walk in on a live taping of the Jim Bakker Show. The thought occurred to me that it might be hilarious to rent a condo there for my brother and not tell him anything about it 😈, but I like my sister-in-law much too much to do that. We’ll keep looking.
That’s about all from this end. Happy Halloween everyone. Be safe and stay well. ☮️♥️and great big hugs 🤗- Maria
Another wonderful break from our mundane to your calm and serene view of things!! Thanks so much for sharing!!!
During our traveling years we had to visit lots of vets around this country and Canada, (only needed vet papers for departure from Mex into the US – no treatment) and were nearly always pleased with the care and concern Ninfa received.
I inadvertently kept contact info for nearly every one of them, and it paid off when I had to fill our ‘adoption’ papers for our current pup, Molly. It seems the shelter wanted to know why my previous dog had died (she was 16, was blind and had dementia) and what kind of vet care she’d had during her life. It took me 3 pages to list vet names, addresses, phone numbers and reasons for the visits. That seemed to satisfy the local shelter and they seemed happy to trust us with little Molly, then 4 months and 4 pounds. . .
You should write a book, Ann, and I mean that sincerely. You’ve had quite a life-adventure, too, and in the process picked up a gazillion travel tips that are golden nuggets of info for the rest of us who live ‘alternatively.’ Thanks again so much for reading my post!😃