Yet again....It's been a while.

We are going to get back into blogging. To bring you up to speed.

Our truck: 2014 3500HD Silverado, 4X4, DRW, LOADED! We love it!
Hitch: Trailer Saver TS3 Air Ride (Air Suspension hitch). We love it!
Rig: 2007 Heartland Landmark Monticello. We love it!

Our plans are to move out of military housing on 25 September and live full-time in our FW until I retire in 2017. So this blog will chronicle our move into the rig, living in the rig until we finally get on the road FULLTIME on 19 May 2017.

We also will add our amazing adventures here in Maryland / Virginia / Delaware / Pennsylvania / New Jersey -- and maybe West Virginia and New York. We are going to hit every National Park in these states while we are here and hike, bike, and kayak as much as we can in all these areas. We will probably do this using a tent as it won't be very easy to take the rig out every weekend - while I'd love to do that, we'll save that for those times when we're gone for 5+ days at a time.

Our rig is still "winterized" -- yes = not fun yet. We have an appointment with an RV service center for 27 June. They will de-winterize, and check/service every component of the rig. After that we will take it out to only the Family Camp in Ft. Meade until we take it to the RV-Dreams Fall Rally in September.

So....stay tuned - lots of exciting and amazing stuff happening in our life.

Been a while - again.....

I noticed by looking at Dee's "My Blog List" that it has been 7 MONTHS since I last updated this blog. Maria and I have been busy at work. Maria at her job at the Child Development Center and me going out/back onboard mighty USS BLUE RIDGE! Maria and I have an update to our Full-Timing date - 1 September 2017. That will be 30 years and 27 days active duty U.S. Naval service for me. It also represents my FULL-RETIREMENT from active duty. So the checklist has started for our must-do's: (1) Buy the Fifth Wheel: Thor Redwood 36RE (http://www.suttonrv.com/2013-redwood-residential-vehicles-redwood-36re-new-fifth-wheel-or-i596776). (2) Buy the Truck: Silverado 3500HD LTZ, DRW, 4X4 (http://www.vernonautogroup.com/web/new/Chevrolet-Silverado-3500HD-DRW-2013-Vernon-Texas/1210842/?condition_id=10425). (3) Get rid of all our STUFF! One good thing about not going FT until 2017 is we will have plenty of time to get rid of all our "stuff" and live in our RV for 4-years prior to FTing. Maria and I are glad we decided to sell our house prior to moving to Japan - wise decision on many levels. We still have so much stuff that one would only keep if they had a stix/brix and we need to go through all that, but, we are 100% dedicated to have everything all in one-sock and prepared to throw off the bowlines and get underway in 2017! Next assignment: I'm waiting on my Detailer (Placement Officer) to complete my orders for my next assignment; once that is done, I will put the truck and fifth wheel on order. That may take a few more months before it's completed. Safe travels!

Rest Easy......I've Got the Watch!

I said good bye to Maria early this morning and the USS BLUE RIDGE set sail on yet another Patrol of the U.S. SEVENTH Fleet Area of Responsibility (AOR). We will hit some very cool foreign ports and a few I haven't been to.

I won't be home for many weeks and both of us are growing tired of the separation - but Service to Country and the Needs of the Navy are what it's about right now. Well...until my retirement NEXT APRIL! 361 DAYS LEFT!

Maria will stay busy by working, volunteering in the military community and her EXTREME couponing habit! YES --- she saves us HUNDREDS of dollars a month. I'm at awe how she does it. She has her method and it's amazing!

So my friends and family.....Rest Easy, I've Got the Watch tonight.

Back in the Blogging Game!!!

Back! I've talked with some of you in emails, Facebook or chat; so everyone knows the plan. Fulltime RV next April and change our course on "service to country" by Fulltime Volunteering within the National Park Service, Corps of Engineers, State and County Parks and maybe Bureau of Land Management and Fish and Wildlife Agency.

I've served 25 years as an Active Duty Sailor and Maria has served as a spouse (the ABSOLUTE HARDEST job in the Navy!!) and served as a Early Childhood Development Teacher for military children for the last 17 years!

We have served to protect this great country and now we want to serve in a different way. Another adventure to conquer!!

We are very excited about this and hope you all will enjoy following our mission to serve and travels.

For all those FULLTIMERS on the road now.....save us some tar!

364 days left!!

OK...OK....Yes - It's been a very long time....

Well...I don't want to write a novel here...but a lot to catch up on. So let's see:

As of last night - I'm on FACEBOOK! Never thought I'd do that -- but I have this strong desire to catch up with friends I haven't seen/chatted with for freakin ages! I've already met up 4 of them! WOW...that fast...REALLY?!

I have orders to the USS BLUE RIDGE (Japan) with a stop at the Senior Enlisted Academy in Newport, RI. So as I'm driving cross-country....I'll stop by and see these friends that I haven't seen in ages! This will be fun!

I will chronicle my day while I'm driving cross-country -- and posting pics - so stay tuned for that. My trip starts 10 July!

Maria and the boys are doing good! All is well in the Borba household.

We're going to be taking the motorhome out soon -- so stay tuned for some pics on that.

Well...that should do it for now...LOL!

Take care!

Not Deploying - Renewing RV Blog

As I wrote on my "SailorPlayingSoldier" blog, I am not deploying. So I need to get back into the groove of our RVing lifestyle (for now just weekend trips).

I need to do some maintenance on my RV and will probably start this next week. I will be taking a few days of leave to get some work done and that is on the top of my list.

Maria and I want to take the RV out by the end of September - probably a 3-day trip to Morro Bay.

I will start the last leg of my BS degree next semester - I have 7 classes left to completion. But I won't indulge in school like I have this last year because I really believe that had something to do with my out of control BP - and I do not want to go down that road again.

I'll try to get into the RVDreams Chat Room more, and I will keep up with my favorite blogs.

Be safe.

A New Blog for my Deployment!

Friends, Family, and Shipmates: I've started a blog to chronicle my adventures on this upcoming IA deployment to Afghanistan, refer to: http://www.sailorplayingsoldierinafghan.blogspot.com

I really hope you enjoy this blog. I will update everyday until I start my training. After that it will be sporadic as internet capability can be grueling in a training environment and of course, in "theater" (Afghanistan).

I will update this blog from time to time. But we will not be doing anymore RV trips until I return next May/June (yes 2010)! So this blog will be used to chronicle what is going on with my family. So I know that's TWO blogs - but I think you can muster up enough time to read them as this one won't be everyday...more like maybe a week or month. Basically, when I have something grand to announce.

Be safe!

Steve