Just what the Dr. ordered

MAUMELLE PARK COE

Little Rock, AR 72223

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RV LIFE:
We originally did not plan to head West to Little Rock. We were so cold and miserable in W. Memphis, AR, that we planned to head straight South, just North of New Orleans in hopes of meeting up with warmer weather. But it's been so unseasonably cold throughout the US.
An A&B volunteer, Stephanie, whom I've communicated with via email invited me to her town of Little Rock. She really enjoys meeting fellow Dog Rescue people. So what the heck. We have no set plans...sure lets go to Little Rock.

I was really getting quite down in my mood, with the terrible weather, the depressed area of W. Memphis, and the too tight and crowded city of Memphis to enjoy. I enjoyed looking out over the Mississippi River, but our site was in the middle of nothing.

Onward to a Corps of Engineer Park in Little Rock, AR.
I love this place!!! We were going to stay for 5 days, then looked at the reviews and decided to stay a week. Upon arrival and set up we decided to stay for 2 weeks. COE parks are great! This is just what I needed!

Even though there are no leaves on the trees, there are so many trees that you still get a sense of coziness.

We still have mice in our RV and but oh the horrors, we actually had a couple of children in the RV for a couple of hours.
Thank goodness they are easier to get rid of than mice. Ok, I'm sorry, I was just on a roll. Strike that last statement. Stephanie's 6 & 8 yr old children were pleasantly well behaved. They sat in my rocker/recliner squeezed in together. It was very cute. Stephanie's son, Connor, gave us a great compliment. He said "this is just like a house, only smaller". For them to sit there for 2 hours while Mom & I talked was very impressive. Near the end, they got wiggly and wanted to go to the playground. By then the visit was over anyway. Poor Devin is scared of kids. He hid in the bedroom the whole time.
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PRODUCT REVIEW:
Digital Toys: Kindle Fire $159.00 vs I-pad Mini $329.00
I have had a Kindle Fire for over a year. I wanted an I-pad when they first came out, but felt they were too large. I wanted something to slip into my pocketbook. I waited and waited and no smaller version was announced, so I gave in and bought the Fire.
Now the I-pad Mini has come out. Hmmm. Do I purchase it? I have used my Fire very little. I don't feel it is a very user friendly tablet. I mainly wanted the Fire for some handy internet browsing, cool apps, checking email, reading, note keeping.  I'm sure the Fire will do that...in a round about way. So after a year of not using the Fire, I started researching if there was a way to download iOs (Apple) apps onto an Android (Fire) device. Sure enough, there is. I asked Hubby if he could "root" my Fire.
Rooting = Altering the software of a device to release it from certain restrictions imposed by the original manufacturer, giving the owner fuller control/capabilities. Synonym: jailbreak, which for me was to be able to download Apple apps on my Fire.
If you have a Fire and want to root it, here is a link from PC WORLD and lots of how to videos on YOU TUBE.
Scott did this but didn't finish the process, so I wasn't sure that it was working. So off I go to purchase the I-pad Mini. While I was shopping Scott completed the rooting correctly and by the time I got back with my new $329.00 I-pad Mini, Scott had the Fire screen looking and working like an I-pad. Oh well, the Fire is my gift to Scott. First time I have given him one of my "discarded" computer items for an "upgrade". Most of my desk top computers were built from Scott's old parts after he upgraded.
The iOS apps & I-phone have become so popular, that the user's ease have been greatly developed. I'm already familiar with I-Tunes from using my I-pod for audiobooks, and the RV Checklist app. So the transition to a larger, easier to read and navigate (bigger touch area) was easy. I have already used my I-Pad Mini more in 2 weeks than I've used the Fire in a year!
The I-Pad Mini is also lighter, so easier on my shoulder while carrying in my pocketbook.
For me, this was a great purchase.  And for Scott, he's very happy with his after root Fire.
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