The Christmas Countdown

Hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving. We were here at the Orlando Thousand Trails park and had our own little ham dinner. It was great, but I did miss the leftover turkey. Maybe for Christmas?

We have a trio of birds enjoying the park as well. I'm not much of a bird watcher, but I tried to look these guys up on the net. If anyone can identify them, I would love an email from you. They are big and pretty loud when they get separated.

Since I got my iPod Touch, I get lost in the iTunes store or with my ear buds attached so I'm not getting back to the blog as often as I should. These things are absolutely amazing to me. The technology that it must take to make them (and lots of other tools, GPS, Cell Phones, computers...)! There is so much you can get free at the iTunes store - from games to music to videos. I've even been hooked on some podcasts. Information overload maybe.

If you need a little more humor in your life, take a look at Casper and her new boots! She puts with it pretty good. We've had problems with fire ants even though we try to watch her closely. The boots protect her from them and they help when it is wet out there. In any event, she's pretty funny.

Enjoy the season - Merry Christmas

The Land of the Mouse!

We're in Orlando, FL where the mouse is king, queen, and more. We are at the Thousand Trails park which puts us pretty close to the Magic Kingdom. We hear the fireworks going off every night and fight the traffic when we head up to town.

I realized I hadn't updated the site for over a month. Time just seems to get away from me. We've been here almost three weeks and will be moving over to Thousand Trails Peace River park. It is nearer Tampa, but only about a 60 mile drive for us from one to the other. Our plan is to do just that through the winter. Summer '09 is still open. The Pacific Northwest is calling but it is a long drive. Good thing we have lots of time to ponder.

The TT Orlando is a big park, and we've enjoyed being here. However our electric power and water went out about 1:00 am and we just got it back about 9:30 pm. Apparently the park has experienced similar problems in the recent past. Hopefully it is repaired to last this time.

John got his birthday present, and I got my Christmas present early. We got the new iPod touch. It is about the same as the iPhone without the phone. It does have a built-in Wi-Fi.

We've been trying to learn how to operate them. Probably need to hire a 10 year old to teach us. Have to admit, they are some kind of fun. However it has taken up time I usually spend on other things like keeping up the blog...

The weather here is wonderful now. Cold enough at night that we don't need the air conditioner and warm enough in the day to sit outside under the awning or hit the pools and or hot tub. It's a tough life but someone has to do it.

b

Pensacola Fl in the Fall

Officially it may be Fall, but someone forgot to tell Mother Nature about it here in Fla. Although weather has been better than I remember Summer in Pensacola. We arrived about 10 days ago. We both had some doctor appointments. Thought we would be in and out in a week, but then VA changed one of John's appointments. Decided to stay most of the month. John said he thought it might be a little cooler here than in Orlando.

VA got moved into its new facility. It is absolutely fantastic, especially compared to the previous facilities. All of the offices/treatment areas are in one building. Many of the procedures and tests that required vets to go to Biloxi are now performed here in Pensacola.

You know how you keep hearing how bad those burgers and fries are for you? We saw just how bad while we were parked next to McD's. Makes you think, eh?



We can tell is really Fall if we look at the television listings. The new season is starting up this week. One network calls it "National Stay at Home Week." I hope you all catch your favorites and maybe even find a few new favs. I'll be there for NCIS and ER among others. Thank goodness for DVRs or I'd never be able to watch them all.

There are a few Pro Bass Fishermen staying in the RV park with us. It's an interesting way to earn a living. They head out every morning with their boats and come back in late afternoon. Then they spend a good half hour cleaning and polishing the boats and motors. Talk about loving what you do!

Speaking of enjoying - I'm off to finish up dinner. Nice juicy BBQ ribs - Come on over and enjoy!

Decatur IN Waiting for Sick Motor Home

We got into Decatur Monday evening and found their complimentary parking with electrical hook ups.  There were about 20 motor homes in the lot.  Decatur hosts about 5 or 6 Fleetwood facilities.  I'm glad our Owner Services operator gave us the address for the shop.  They start work about 6:00 am so it was a short night.  We waited until about 9:00 am to make sure they didn't need anything else from us before we went for breakfast.  The service writer said they may get it out by early afternoon on Wednesday.  

Went to Richard's Restaurant for breakfast.  Good food and cheap.  The most expensive item on the breakfast menu was $5.50.  We had 2 pancakes, 3 bacon strips, and an egg for $3.99.  We sat next to a couple we had seen in the waiting room at Fleetwood.  He raved about their rhubarb pie, even had a piece after his oatmeal.  I'm definitely getting some of that before we leave.

Baymont Inn offers a discount for Fleetwood customers.  Micro and refrigerator/freezer, coffee pot in room.  Also wi-fi in room.  Nice and clean, but I still prefer my MH.

We've been watching the hurricane predictions since we are headed for Pensacola on Sunday.  It looks like the storms are lined up with at least 3 more out there.  I am so glad for the folks in New Orleans.  After Katrina, they should have a pass for several years at least.  The news on ABC showed a pizza delivery guy delivering a pizza during a tornado.  The tornado was obviously very close but he said it was parallelling him.  Hope he got a good tip on that one.

I'm trying out the new Google Chrome web browser.  So far I really like it.  The home page shows several windows with your last few searches and/or opening pages.  Definitely seems faster than ever Firefox.  Wish I had invested in Google a long time ago!

Time to head for dinner.  

Labor Day in Wilmington Ohio

Still at Thousand Trails in Wilmington for one more night. Tomorrow we head over to Decatur IN for the repair to the MH's frame/body problem. This has really been a stressful situation, but I think I've finally got my head on straight about it. We tried to get Fleetwood to stand behind it, which they refused. Then we talked to our Good Sam CSR folks. They don't cover anything frame or body. So it looks like we will be footing the bill. Not what I wanted to hear.

Saturday took us to Cincinnati for dinner with Dave & Jessica. Dave is a pretty good cook. I say that on a regular basis, but last night was outstanding. T-bone steaks and baked Yukon Gold potatoes. Perfect seasoning on the steaks. I added a Key Lime pie for desert. Yum Yum

We played Rummikub after dinner. It has been a very long time since I played, and we had a real good time. They kept us overnight so we got to have breakfast with them this morning.

Louie the dog is growing fast. He has no (and I mean NO) tail so he wags his whole back end when he's happy. He already weighs 36 pounds and Cowardly Casper is only about 11 pounds. He wants to play and she just doesn't get it

Our copy of the August issue of Trail Blazer, the Thousand Trails magazine, caught up with us. You may remember the bird eggs in a nest on the hose roll on the back of the MH from spring. I sent a picture in and it was published in the August issue.

Stopped by Petsmart around the corner from Dave's for Casper's food and treats. Blue Buffalo pet foods had a demonstrator so we got to talk with her about how much Casper loves Blue and much better she is doing on their food. Always nice to be able to pass along some compliments. They actually use chickens and lambs instead of feathers and hoofs.

I am praying for the folks in Hurricane Gustav's path. We experienced Dennis while we were in Pensacola. It wasn't any fun and Dennis was a much milder one. Obviously I don't compare what we had to Katrina or Gustav, but it certainly makes me much more aware of what they are going through. At least people are leaving New Orleans ahead of the storm this time.

We watched McCain's announce his choice for VP. No politics here, but this election is definitely going to be an historical event. Either way it goes, we'll have either a woman VP or an African American President for the first time in history. And to think we can all be a part of it. Vote for either party or candidate, but vote. Just think you can tell your kids and grandkids that you voted for the first (which ever) to win.

We won't be able to stay in the MH once work begins. It will depend on what kind of internet connection we end up in a motel if I can post again soon. In the mean time, I hope everyone has a great Labor Day.

Back to Wilmington!!!!

Quite unexpectedly we are back at Wilmington Thousand Trails. It has been a week full of tension, surprises, and long waits. Our original plan was to go by the Cummins facility to get our generator repaired. There was a stud or bracket (I'm so mechanical) on the back of it that was broken. We anticipated one night in their lot and then on to Indian Lakes, IN Thousand Trails. We've also been having intermittent 12 volt problems for years.

The great crew at Cummins chased down the 12 volt problem to a "short to ground on the positive line," but couldn't find where the wire was damaged and/or broken. They had to lift the MH up on their mega lift and then drop the generator out to fix it. As they tried to chase the short, they found a catastrophic problem. There are four brackets on the MH that hold the body above the frame. All the wires, air lines, etc. run along in the space between the frame and body.

One of the two rear brackets was totally missing, the other was greatly bent. The front two have started to bend as well. The wires and lines are on the side where the bracket is missing so the body is rubbing on the frame with the wires between the two. Hence the intermittent 12 volt problems.

Cummins didn't have the expertise or equipment to fix us. They called Fleetwood and after lots of back and forth, Fleetwood agreed that we need to take it back to the factory for the repairs. It seems they are backed up SEVEN weeks. So now the story is that they are trying to find a time to fit us in. I think the factory is in Decatur, which is closer to Wilmington than Indian Lakes. The folks here at Wilmington TT has been so helpful with our little emergency.

And, I can't say enough good things about the Cummins staff. Mike, our service manager and Michelle, the Admin Assistant, really went the extra mile. Even after we had paid and thought we were ready to leave, they continued to work for us. Fleetwood needed a statement and some pictures so someone had to crawl under the motor home with a camera, etc. and then email them to Fleetwood Owner Services.

Hopefully Fleetwood can fix our frame problem and our front air conditioner. Sure is hot without both air conditioners.

One thing about being a Full Time RV'er with an aging motor home, it is never boring.
So onto brighter skies: I have been reading a mystery series. So far six books have been published. I was amazed to find that five of them are available in Amazon's Kindle bookstore while Number 5 was only available in hard or paper back editions. I began a campaign to get the 5th one on Kindle. I wrote the author, Julia Spencer-Fleming and the publisher asking them to release the book for Kindle. Mission accomplished. All Mortal Flesh is now available in the Kindle store.

It's been a long time since I have been wrapped up in a series. I highly recommend the Clare Fergusson/Russ Van Alstyne series. Each of the books will stand up on their own, but each subsequent book builds on the previous ones. Clare is an single Episcopalian Priest new into the northern New York town. She meets Russ, the city's married Police Chief. There is a romance building and along the way, the two of them manage to solve several murders. I just hope that Julia Spencer-Fleming will hurry up with the next edition.

With that, I'll sign off for now and go read book #5. Enjoy until we meet again.

A Quick Note

I only have time for a quick note this morning. We are moving today (and the next few days). Wilmington OH Thousand Trails has been good, but Indian Lakes TT will be closer to visit with Dave and family. Today's plan is to move from here into Cincinnati to the Onan Service Center. Seems that someone worked on the generator and broke a stud on the back where the battery connects to the generator. Their fix was to attach the wires with a 4" Vise Grips. They were all rusty when we found the problem in El Paso.

Onan doesn't take appointments so we don't know if they will get us done today or tomorrow. Then out to Indian Lakes. (Oh, we are also going to get propane and diesel on the way.)

Thursday we go to an RV Repair across the street from Indian Lakes to get the refrigerator and front air conditioner fixed. The motor in the air conditioner went out and the fridge won't work on gas, but works fine on AC.

We finally found John's chair at a flea market here so we'll be back over here on Friday to get it put into the motor home.

Then back into Indian Lakes for the duration. We'll leave here on Sept 5 headed south. With the news of Hurricane Faye, I'm not in a big hurry to get there, but we'll be stopping in Huntsville to visit with John's sister and family.

John's ready to pull the internet satellite down so must close. Hope everyone has a great day.

Back In Ohio!

We're back at the Wilmington, OH Thousand Trails for a couple weeks then over to the Thousand Trails at Indian Lakes, IN near Batesville - yep, they make caskets there. Last time we were there, we tried to arrange a tour at the Batesville Casket Co but they only allow tours for licensed mortuary workers. Apparently they have lots of trade secrets.

Dave, Jessica and Lindsey came out last Friday for the afternoon. We took advantage of the pool and hot tub before having hamburgers on the grill. I hadn't been in water deeper than a bathtub in a very long time. I'd forgotten how pleasant it is. John said we need to do it again.

Picked up mail and our new backgammon game Monday night at Dave's. We played off and on all afternoon yesterday. I didn't win a single game! Just totally unacceptable! John just kept rolling those double sixes and double fives. It's been so long since I played. Maybe I'll get better luck today.

I'm collecting on my Mother's Day present on Friday. We're going to see the Cincinnati Reds baseball game. I've never been to a major league baseball game and I'm soooo excited. Jessica even managed to get us some great tickets through a friend.

The weather here has been wonderful the last few days. Cooler and low humidity - a very welcome change. We even played backgammon under the awning yesterday until it got too cool and dark to continue.

I was reading my "newspaper" this morning. I have discovered the Google Reader. I set up several RSS feeds so I get my news every morning - along with my five favorite funnies. Free and easy to initiate and read.

Found a story about Fair Food (and it was on Good Morning America). Deep fried Snowballs - remember those marshmellow and coconut covered chocolate cakes. Now imagine them dipped in a pancake type batter and deep fried. It does sound more appetizing than chocolate coated bacon strips! Of course Corney Dogs were invented at the Texas State Fair (where else?), and they have become a staple not only at fairs and carnivals but on many tables and restaurant menus. I even buy the frozen ones a couple times a year.

My "Shame On You" story for today was to see that the airlines are charging our soldiers the extra fees on checked luggage. These brave folks are going to WAR for sake of freedom. They will be in a strange land for many, many months. And the airlines can't give them a break on their luggage. The whole idea of extra charges on reasonable size/weight checked bags is ludicrous to me in the first place, but to put the burden on the very people serving our country..... In my personal opinion (which apparently isn't worth much), the airlines should be giving active military personnel deep discounts on fares and free luggage fees.

Finally for today - Gas/diesel prices are coming down a bit. What a welcome sign!

Have a blessed day - Peace b

Forest Lake North Carolina

Latest stop is the Thousand Trails Preserve in Advance, North Carolina. For the geographically challenged (especially me), Advance is between Winston-Salem and Mount Airy. Mount Airy is the town on which the old Andy Griffith Shows were based on. Floyd's Barber Shop is still there along with the Snappy Lunch. We saw Andy's police cruiser around town. And Opie now has a Candy Store.

We've been staying busy with sightseeing and I just haven't managed to get the blog updated. We also had some major problems with our Hughes Net set up. I'm really proud of John. He finally got the troubleshooting done and got us back on the air.

Forest Lake is one of the nicest Thousand Trails we have been to. Large adult and family lodges, separate swimming pools, good food service along with a well stocked country store. The sites are a bit of a challenge for the longer rigs since there isn't a flat piece of land in this whole area.

TT presented a terrific concert tonight. Shamrocks in the Wind is a delightful duo entertaining with "Authentic Celtic Ballads." I will definitely be looking out for more opportunities to see and hear them. I checked their schedule and we should meet up in Orlando a couple times in January/February. Real Irish Drinking Songs mixed with American Folk Music. If you ever get an opportunity to catch their show, DO IT!

Monday will take us away from North Carolina on our way to Cincinnati. I think Dave and Jessica have plans including taking mom to her first major league baseball game. We'll be there through Labor Day before heading south.

It's been a lot of fun up this eastern part of the country but it has really been hot and humid. I miss the Pacific Northwest in the summer. What with diesel prices so high, we elected not to make the cross country run this year.

We found the farmer's market here and I bought a big basket of peaches. The car and the motor home had a wonderful smell for a few days. We're about to the end of them and I'm not ready. May have to get some more before we leave. Didn't do as well with the watermelon we bought. It was overripe and starting to get a bit mushy. It's so hard for us to pick them. I remember my dad buying watermelons. The market would always "plug" them before we selected the one. It made it a little easier to know how good it is before you pay and get your mouth all set....

Ya'll have fun in August before school picks up again.

Williamsburg VA

Where has my time gone? It's been almost a month since I said hello. We spent about a week in DC at Cherry Hill Park (actually in Maryland). We did a couple tours and did a little shopping. It wasn't our first visit to the Capitol but was the first summer visit. We had heard about Cherry Hill and were a little disappointed. Our space small for the motor home and wasn't better than most of our Thousand Trails parks. Their big advantage is location, location, location, as they say. I must say, though, that service was great and they handle a lot of people.

A bus stop is in the park, and the Gray Line Tours have courtesy pick ups at the park. A Metro station is very close.

Next stop: Chesapeake Bay Thousand Trails Preserve in Gloucester, VA. First time in the area and it's almost overwhelming. Of course the #1 attraction is Colonial Williamsburg. The US Park Service operates 3 sites along the Colonial Parkway: Historic Yorktown, Colonial Williamsburg, and Historic Jamestown. A free bus runs the course of the Parkway so you can park once. We haven't actually made it into Colonial Williamsburg, but did checkout Jamestown and Yorktown.

Located in Colonial Williamsburg is the Kimball Theater. Dean Shostak performs his crystal concert there several times during the week. He is one of the very few people in the world to play Benjamin Franklin's Glass Armonica, the Japanese Glass Violin, the Crystal English Handbells, the French Cristal Baschet and the 1823 American Grand Harmonicon. We are going to see it on Monday. You can get more info at the Colonial Williamsburg and/or Crystal Conserts web pages.

So far, I've discovered a new favorite food. Rita's Ices is fantastic! They serve soft serve ice cream, but the big call for me is the Ice. It's a smooth slurry of fruit and other stuff. Think ICEE with real fruit. The mango is unbelievable. What a treat on a hot day (and they're all hot around here in summer).

We still have about a week here. The heat and humidity is taking a toll on us so we are taking it slow and easy.

We are headed to Forest Lake, NC Thousand Trails. If you know of any "must sees" around Winston Salem NC, be sure to email me (bjn@escapees.com).


Back soon(er) next time!

Hershey's Chocolate World

So we finally made it to Hershey's Chocolate World this week. If you go and if you want to know more about Mr. Hershey and the company, be sure to take the Hershey Trolley Works. Although it requires paying a fee, I thought we got our money's worth. You board an air-conditioned trolley along with an "Engineer, Conductor, and Conductor's Assistant" all dressed in period clothes. The jokes are corny and there is singing involved, but our guides were knowledgeable and entertaining. The tour lasted about 45 minutes around the general area of the factory, Milton Hershey School, and the home place.

Mr. and Mrs. Hershey truly gave back to their community and country. From giving homes to orphaned boys (later to include girls), jobs to the community during the great depression, and supporting our troops in times of war, you will find the Hershey imprint.

We also took a ride on the Chocolate Works attraction. This trip may be more suited to children, but was still fun for us. We learned more about Chocolate (can anyone ever really get enough chocolate?) from plantations to cows. Additionally this is a FREE trip.

Of course the visit included a trip through the "Market Place." Any and everything Hershey is up for sale. The market included clothing, key rings, etc., and lots of CHOCOLATE! The prices were no bargain but we did see several candies and syrups we hadn't seen in the grocery store. One that surpised me was the Twizzlers. Yes, I had seen the licorice, strawberry and cherry, but never Chocolate Twizzlers. Really different taste sensation.

Beyond the trinkets and candies, the Market included an Ice Cream Shop, Chicken Basket and Pizza Shops, and a couple bakeries. Something for every taste - from plain chocolate chip cookies to elegant French pastries and truffles.

I am certainly no fan of roller coaster rides, but can appreciate the wow factor as a spectator. The picture is of the newest Hershey Park ride. It is called 97 Degrees for the angle of decent. It looked like way too much fun. The park also boasts dueling coasters and water soaking coasters.


You can never have too much chocolate, right? So yesterday was a trip to the Wilbur Chocolate Company in Lititz, PA. Wilbur is most know for his "Wilbur Buds," similar to Kisses without the wrapper. The location was advertised as Museum & Factory Store. The museum was small but interesting. From the expected candy molds, old labels, and equipment, to a video presentation on a big screen showing the cacao tree to the finished product. I think I really learned more about chocolate production from this video than from the animated ride at Hershey Chocolate World. This was also a free attraction.

For fear of sounding too much like a travel agent, I'll leave off here. If you are visiting the Hershey PA locale, don't forget to check out the surrounding towns.

b

Smell The Chocolate??

They say you can smell chocolate all over Hershey PA. I guess my nose isn't up to it or maybe they have already moved to Mexico? However, the kisses still line the streets and the amusement park sure looks full.

We haven't made it to the museum or to Chocolate Town, but it is definitely on our agenda this week. Yesterday took us to West Chester PA, the home of Q-V-C. We paid our $7.50 to take the studio tour. I thought it was very interesting. It is a huge operation (obviously) with over 2300 employees in one location. We learned that the best sales day took in over $80 Million and of that $65 million was in Dell Computer sales (the Today's Special Value that day). We also learned that they plan to broadcast from China during the Olympics.

I do have to admit I was a little disappointed in the Studio Store. I expected to see a much larger display of products available to buy on the spot. I think the Outlet Store in Lancaster had more products. Of course they were returns, demo units, and low quantity items. In any event, I'm glad I went.

Another fine Hershey institution is the Milton Hershey School. The school offers pre-K through high school education to Pennsylvania children. The students live in group houses with house parents and several other students. As I understood it, the education and living expenses are paid. The Hershey wealth is evident in many places throughout the city. Many people benefit from the various organizations and corporations.

The weather has been erratic at best. We arrived with temps in the 95-100 range and so humid you can taste the moisture in the air. Then we started getting some thunderstorms which helped to cool things down. Today we haven't had our air conditioning on at all. Gave me a chance to catch up on laundry. Given a choice, I'll definitely take cool.

As you follow us around, be sure to email us destinations in the area. We'll try to check them out and post information on our blog.

John's brother lives near Hershey so we got an opportunity to visit with him and his wife. We enjoyed catching up on all the news. Niece Sara is a recruiter at a North Carolina University and Nephew Adam is about done with his degree in Pittsburgh. That's another good thing about the full-time RV life - you can go visit friends and relatives and still have your house with you.

You all enjoy the rest of the week. See you next time.

b

Enjoy Your Hot Chocolate

Here I go again. The following essay was in the latest edition of the Cook'n Newsletter. Just when we think we've got it all....

ENJOY YOUR HOT CHOCOLATE

A group of graduates, well established in their careers, were talking at a reunion and decided to go visit their old university professor, now retired. During their visit, the conversation turned to complaints about stress in their work and lives.

Offering his guests hot chocolate, the professor went into the kitchen and returned with a large pot of hot chocolate and an assortment of cups - porcelain, glass, crystal, some plain looking, some expensive, some exquisite - telling them to help themselves to the hot chocolate.

When they all had a cup of hot chocolate in hand, the professor said: 'Notice that all the nice looking, expensive cups were taken, leaving behind the plain and cheap ones. While it is normal for you to want only the best for yourselves, that is the source of your problems and stress.

The cup that you're drinking from adds nothing to the quality of the hot chocolate. In most cases it is just more expensive and in some cases even hides what we drink.

What all of you really wanted was hot chocolate, not the cup; but you consciously went for the best cups... And then you began eying each other's cup.

Now consider this: Life is the hot chocolate: your job, money and position in society are the cups. They are just tools to hold and contain life. The cup you have does not define, nor change the quality of life you have.

Sometimes, by concentrating only on the cup, we fail to enjoy the hot chocolate God has provided us. God makes the hot chocolate, man chooses the cups. The happiest people don't have the best of everything. They just make the best of everything that they have.

Live simply.

Love generously.

Care deeply.

Speak kindly.

And Enjoy your hot chocolate.

What else can I add?

B

Introducing Mr & Mrs David Nelson

It's official - I'm a mother-in-law and a step-grandmother! We have truly been blessed.

It was a perfect day for a perfect wedding. It was as if nothing could go wrong. Isn't that the way weddings are supposed to be?

Of course, it's not just two people joining their lives into one. It is also each one's family and friends that will also be joined. We were delighted to meet our "in-laws." Jessica has a large extended family. Two of her grandmothers were able to attend, along with lots of uncles, aunts, and cousins. As an added bonus, we had the opportunity to visit with John's nephew and his new bride. Tom and Jessica are a great match and they have so much in common with Dave and Jessica. I'm sure they will be visiting often. And we all had a great time after the wedding.

And now, Jessica and Dave are off on their honeymoon. They are cruising the Gulf of Mexico for five nights before returning to a beautiful home. We are wishing them a long, loving marriage (with lots of kids???).

It's All Coming Together!

We are on the final week's countdown for the wedding next Sunday. As usual, the closer it gets, the more worries. All the same, all weddings seem to work out just fine.

We had another goose-drowner rain last night. We are all focusing on the weekend forecast which is for warm and dry.

The Cuellar workforce has taken control of the house preparations and moving arrangement. I think everything is coming along with time to spare.

So for now, please keep thinking peace, calm, and dry weather.

Where's Noah When You Need Him?

Rain has continued here in Batesville IN. Last night's rain was hard and heavy at times. Today is overcast with rain in and out. However, in light of the morning news' reports of tornadoes, hail and heavy rain makes me glad we were not there. I really feel for people affected by all the storms worldwide.

John decided to get out his lathe yesterday. At the time it as sunny. He hadn't had it out on the picnic table for 15 minutes before the rains came back. I hope he gets a chance to work on it soon. He always enjoys it so much.

He went out to make sure the tarp was over the lathe and checking the outside of the motor home. Remember that bird's nest in the last post? We have eggs!!! The nest has been "redecorated" and occupied. I'm so glad we don't have to move for a while. I don't know how long it takes for the eggs to hatch, but I'm looking forward to watching the nest. Since I'm not a birdy personn, I don't know what type of bird we have. It does seem to be opportunistic to take over someone's abandoned nest.

David & Jessica brought Lindsey out for dinner last night. We had a nice visit and some pretty tasty food. I am loving getting to know our new family members. They are taking us to a Reds baseball game next week. Seeing a major league baseball game has been on my list for years. Even when we lived near Dallas TX, I didn't get to a game so this will be my first. Can't wait!

May Day 2008

Welcome to a new month - hopefully one that will see great weather wherever we are!

We made it into Indian Lakes Thousand Trails Park in Batesville, IN yesterday afternoon. Since we are going to be here three weeks, we did the whole enchilada setup - screens, mat, chairs, tables, etc. Finally finished that up this afternoon.

The wind is really whipping around here. John took this picture of our flag beside the motor home. You can see that it is straight out (but not always in the same direction). I found this flag at the Western Gypsy Gathering 2008 in Casa Grande, AZ. It has the MIA/POW emblem on one side of the eagle and the US Flag on the other. The eagle has a banner in his talons "All Gave Some - Some Gave All.

John found this birds' nest when he got the ladder off the back of the rig. The hoses you see were coiled behind the ladder on the rooftop ladder. I'll bet that was one confused bird when she came home to no home! They had tried to build a nest in our dryer vent (from the outside). One of our neighbors came over and told us what was going on. John got most of the twigs and grass out. Next time I did laundry, I checked the vent filter. It had a bunch of twigs and grass in it.

We were sitting in the living room the other day. I looked out to see a pair of birds doing their mating dance. Two steps to the left and then two to the right. A couple bounces forward and then back. All in precision movements. Amazing.

One more bird story - on our stop at Costco in Memphis we saw a little bird and baby bird. I think they were chickadees - the ones that have a black and white pattern. Mom would fly off and try to get Casper's attention with the broken wing trick. It was so amazing to see this little baby that looked just like mom, only smaller.

During our stop in Jackson, John missed seeing Mike at the Post Office because Mike was in Norman at a school. They did talk, though, on the phone. We learned that Mike's daughter had been killed in an accident just a few weeks ago. From what we heard, she hadn't been driving long and over-reacted to a slip or skid. Our hearts go out to Mike and his family. It has often been said that no parent should have to bury their child. We can only imagine their grief. We'll pray for them and hope you will, too.

David, Jessica and Lindsey are due out to visit tonight. Since I am such a wonderful housekeeper, I have nothing better to do than write on my blog (if you believe this.....). At least I can get the dishes put away and the floors vacuumed. There's really no point in dusting as long as this wind is whipping around. So that leaves me time to frost a cake for dessert.

Happy Spring - Rejoice and be glad in it!

From Livingston TX to Jackson TN

With one night at the TA Truck Stop in Prescott, Ark, we arrived at Whispering Pines RV Park about 6 pm today. We are parked in the space next to the space we occupied while we lived here. Doesn't look like much has changed, but Terry has installed Wi-Fi! We decided not to set up our Hughes Net since we only plan to stay a couple or three nights.

We stopped in Memphis at Costco. I was needing my Costco fix since we had been in Livingston for two weeks. Ran across a utility trailer made by Lifetime, the same company that makes those white plastic tables and chairs that are popping up everywhere. The neat part was that the center (long ways) has a break in it so you can fold it up for storage. It had a metal floor and two wheels. Someone is always making better mouse traps.

On the way from Memphis to Jackson on I-40, there was evidence of the latest weather violence. Some good size trees along the road were snapped like matchsticks. All across Tennessee and some of Arkansas were field standing in water. The rivers were out of their banks. While we were in Little Rock, we made a quick (???) stop at Camping World. I was talking with a lady from the area. She said she had parked her 5th Wheel in her front yard last fall. Now she can't get it out of the mud. This full-timing life is great. If we find ourselves in unpleasant weather, we just hitch up and move on!

Back at Memphis Costco, we met a nice couple in the food court (of course, we had to have our ice cream if we were at Costco). We enjoyed visiting with them. They told us they are considering adopting RV'ing full time. We did our best to encourage them. There's always room for one more out here.

Finally got the pictures out of the camera. Now that we have instant gratification with digital imaging, I still can't keep current. I had snapped one at the Pensacola motel that didn't allow pets. You'll notice the rawhide bone on top of the air conditioner!

I don't explain them - just report what I see.

When we were at Medina Lake TT a couple weeks ago, we were overrun with deer. I had never seen a white deer before. I managed to get one half-way decent shot with the camera.



It's off to bed time for me. I wonder what is around the bend and over the next hill? (If you are a Charles Kuralt fan, you'll understand.)

Escapees Livingston TX

It took us several years to make it, but make it we did. Escapees (SKPs for short) has held a special place in our hearts. It feels like home! We are parked under some wonderful old trees and we're protected somewhat from the winds as well.

Back when we lived in Jackson, TN, we met a delightful couple. They were visiting their daughter in Jackson and had their motor home parked at the same RV park as us. A few years ago they were close enough to us in Florida for a little visit. As you might have guessed, they are here at Rainbow's End - just a few spaces down the road.

We met Laurel & Hardy right after we moved in. Casper was even half way hospitable. Laurel & Hardy are a matched pair of schnoodles. Cute as buttons. We met another SKP and his little red doxie. She had surgery on her back but seems to be doing quite well.

It makes me think about the days of school age David - we met and became friends with so many people because of the commonality of school and church. Since we hit the road, it's harder to visit regularly with friends and family. And it makes it harder to make good friends because we move along. But when you are an SKP, you ARE part of a family - complete with welcoming hugs, and reunions everywhere we park.

Thank goodness for computers, blogs, email and cell phones that make this life style so much easier. Come on out and see part of this wonderful country with us.

Texas Hill Country

We are still in Lakehills near Kerrville/San Antonio. Today we took a little drive into Bandera. It is about 10 or 15 miles but the roads are pretty curvy. Went through Pipe Creek and it was pretty dead for a Saturday afternoon.

Bandera claims to be the "Cowboy Capital of the World" due to the fact that many professional rodeo cowboys (and bull riders, I expect) hail from Bandera. The short main street sports several restaurants, cantinas, and a hotel. The Old Town Square Historic Hotel (http://dot-banderasquare.com-1287615.namezero.com/index.html) has been "totally remodeled" according to the brochure. The remodel included new plumbing fixtures, beds and other custom furniture, lighting, etc. Each room is named and each is an historic story, i.e., John Wayne Room, Pancho Villa Room, and the 8 Seconds Room. Before you go jumping to conclusions, the time a rider has to stay on the horse or bull for a score is 8 seconds.

We didn't take a look at the rooms, but the exterior is quite a sight. We decided to check out the restaurant for a late lunch. It had a fair number of customers for the time of day. We chose the outside seating so we could watch the bikers and other traffic as we ate. The restaurant proclaims "Bubbaque Served and Spoken Here." However we elected the overstuffed enchiladas and home make onion rings to start with.

The iced tea was very good, served with lime slice, and the onion rings were excellent. Unfortunately our meal was served quickly after the onion rings, so we didn't get to savor them for fear our Mexican food would chill. I was a bit disappointed in the enchiladas and all the cheese made the plate quite greasy. Overall, though, it was a pleasant afternoon dining experience.

In the next block was a dance hall and another cantina. It looked like most of the crowd were motor cycle riders taking a break from their Saturday outing. Lots of music and long neck beer bottles could be heard and seen from the street.

As we made our way down the street after lunch, we spied a man on horseback, which isn't too unusual in Bandera. However, his companion was riding a longhorn steer bareback. The steer had a bit and reins and was enjoying being the center of several photographers. (Yeah, I forgot to grab the camera again.) A little further down the main drag we noticed a saddled horse waiting patiently in one of the parallel parking spaces.

Bandera has a history of producing much of early Texas' milled goods. From clothes to flour to wood, the eight mills in operation in the 1870's provided food, shelter and clothing to many Texans. The old jail was still being used, but for a water district office.

Bandera certainly cannot compare with the likes of Fredicksburg, but it is definitely worth a stop if you are in the Texas Hill Country.

As you may have guessed, I didn't make a flight to Cincinnati. The five flights that would have put me there in time for the party were way oversold. We'll just have to wait a little longer to meet the new in-laws.

Keep checking back on us. I'll try to get more travel information, personal opinions and yes, pictures up here soon.

Pipe Creek, Texas

At last, in Pipe Creek at Thousand Trails. We were both chomping for a restful break. We'd had RV and Towed problems in El Paso which cut our travel time short for our reservation here. On top of that was the weather the last few days in El Paso. A spring wind storm hit. They weren't kidding when they said to expect gusts up to 70 mph. I had about gotten all the sand out of the place from being in Arizona and have to start over. John had put up our tv and internet satallite dishes. He uses "The Claw" to keep it steady and secure. They held just great - we had Dish Network and Hughes Net all the way through the storms. You can get the Claw at some Harbor Freight stores if you're interested.

I think we'll find our recuperation here. It's a beautiful park with herds of deer (will eat out of your hand), birds of all kinds, squirrels (and squirrelly people), and other wildlife. The weather has been wonderful and we have enjoyed reading, visiting and catching up on some computer work. Read that "Tax Time." I'm passing along this little tidbit. It was credited to Elliot Spitzer in my email.

Tax Rebate

President George Bush said each one of us would get a $600.00 tax rebate. It was previously slated to be $800.00, but they dropped it to a $600.00 tax rebate
because of various budget problems.

Now, if we spend that money at Wal-Mart, all the money will go to China,

If we spend it on computers, most of the money will go to Korea or India.

If we spend it on gasoline it will all go to the Arabs .....
And none of these scenarios will help the American economy.

We need to keep that money here in America .....so the only way to keep that money here at home is to drink beer, gamble, or spend it on prostitution.

Currently it seems that these are the only businesses still left in the U.S.


Sad and a little scary, eh?

Our trip over was one of the most enjoyable drives I had made in a long time. Much of the road from Benson AZ was flat, smooth, wide open highway with no winds. There was a full moon so we drove until about midnight. Then we hit the hill country so it was daytime only driving. We saw wild hogs eating at the side of the road, deer and skunks along the way.

Fuel prices are definitely changing the way a lot of RVers travel. Some we have talked with are Snow Birding closer to home (Florida for the Easterners, Arizona for Western folks, etc.). Others have decided just to bite the bullet. They took up this lifestyle to travel and enjoy it and that's just what they intend to do! Our choice has been to stay longer in one place before moving on, and to drive a little slower between destinations. We boondock a little to offset fuel costs.

During our winter in Southern California and Arizona, we've talked with RV Resort managers and they have all reported a little less business this year. We noticed several new park models going into some of the parks. Their owners said it was cheaper and easier to have two places and not be pulling a house from one to the other.

I suppose what I am trying to say is that everyone is feeling a little pinch, and some more than others, but we all want to continue our lifestyle as best we can. I've found some really good hints on the Escapees Discussion forum. Nick Russell's Gypsy Journal paper and blog have a lot of ideas and places to see that don't cost an arm and a leg to visit.

I just read my latest Gypsy Journal. Don't you just love to read someone else's opinion when it matches your own? There was a great article about RVers with pets. Nick really hit the nail right on the head! A reader had written that she had a 70 pound hyper but lovable dog. She was having trouble understanding why they had been asked to leave 3 different RV parks because of the dog. Now this dog's latest was to go bounding into a neighbor's RV spot. Scared the neighbor back into his rig and soon management was asking dog and owners to leave. This is absolutely why some RV parks are refusing to allow dogs in the park.

While we were at the RV Show in Quartzite, I was walking our little 10 pound Schnauzer on her leash. I had stopped to talk to someone and the next thing I knew, Casper was trying to climb my leg to get away from an overly friendly Shar-Pei. We have had many Shar-Pei and I love them dearly. But they are big and strong and this one's owner had no control even though it was on a leash. When I said he needed to control his dog, his reply was that he was trying.

When you own a dog or drive a big rig or have any other "liability" in your life, you MUST take responsibility for the results. Why in the world anyone would allow any animal out of the RV without a leash is beyond me. Not only is it an issue with neighbors, but most places we have stayed have wild animals around, or vehicles driving through the park, etc.

And who wants to step into a nice "steamer pie" left by some uncaring dog owner? If people would take care of their pets, more places would welcome them.

Well, I'm headed to Cincinnati again on Friday. Another chance to get to know Jessica's family. It's got to be a great group when the invitation says come hungry! The wedding is sneaking up on us. You all keep sending all the good wishes and calm nerves as the plans start to come together. We appreciate it.


Safe travels & see you down the road!

An Easter Gift--Don't Leave It On The Desk

I get a weekly newsletter from Cook'n Club. I look forward to each issue because there's always some good recipes, funny stories and meal plans. This week's newsletter had the following story. I was so touched by it I just have to post it here. All the credit goes to Cook'n.

The story is a little long, and you will probably guess the outcome, but I hope you will take the time to read the whole thing. After more than 2000 years, this gift just keeps on giving. Happy Easter everyone!

Don't Leave It On The Desk

There was a certain Professor of Religion named Dr. Christianson, a studious man who taught at a small college in the western United States. Dr. Christianson taught the required survey course in Christianity at this particular institution. Every student was required to take this course their freshman year, regardless of his or her major. Although Dr. Christianson tried hard to communicate the essence of the gospel in his class, he found that most of his students looked upon the course as nothing but required drudgery. Despite his best efforts, most students refused to take Christianity seriously.

This year, Dr. Christianson had a special student named Steve. Steve was only a freshman, but was studying with the intent of going onto seminary for the ministry. Steve was popular, he was well liked, and he was an imposing physical specimen. He was now the starting center on the school football team, and was the best student in the professor's class.

One day, Dr. Christianson asked Steve to stay after class so he could talk with him. "How many push-ups can you do?" Steve said, "I do about 200 every night." "200? That's pretty good, Steve," Dr. Christianson said. "Do you think you could do 300?"

Steve replied, "I don't know.... I've never done 300 at a time." "Do you think you could?" again asked Dr. Christianson. "Well, I can try," said Steve.

"Can you do 300 in sets of 10? I have a class project in mind and I need you to do about 300 push-ups in sets of ten for this to work. Can you do it? I need you to tell me you can do it," said the professor. Steve said, "Well... I think I can...yeah, I can do it."

Dr. Christianson said, "Good! I need you to do this on Friday. Let me explain what I have in mind."

Friday came and Steve got to class early and sat in the front of the room. When class started, the professor pulled out a big box of donuts. No, these weren't the normal kinds of donuts, they were the extra fancy BIG kind, with cream centers and frosting swirls. Everyone was pretty excited it was Friday, the last class of the day, and they were going to get an early start on the weekend with a party in Dr. Christianson's class. Dr. Christianson went to the first girl in the first row and asked, "Cynthia, do you want to have one of these donuts?" Cynthia said, "Yes."

Dr. Christianson then turned to Steve and asked, "Steve, would you do ten push-ups so that Cynthia can have a donut?"

"Sure!" Steve jumped down from his desk to do a quick ten. Then Steve again sat in his desk. Dr. Christianson put a donut on Cynthia's desk.

Dr. Christianson then went to Joe, the next person, and asked, "Joe, do you want a donut?"

Joe said, "Yes." Dr. Christianson asked, "Steve would you do ten push-ups so Joe can have a donut?"

Steve did ten push-ups, Joe got a donut. And so it went, down the first aisle, Steve did ten push-ups for every person before they got their donut. Walking down the second aisle, Dr. Christianson came to Scott. Scott was on the basketball team, and in as good condition as Steve. He was very popular and never lacking for female companionship.

When the professor asked, "Scott do you want a donut?" Scott's reply was, "Well, can I do my own push-ups?" Dr. Christianson said, "No, Steve has to do them."

Then Scott said, "Well, I don't want one then." Dr. Christianson shrugged and then turned to Steve and asked, "Steve, would you do ten push-ups so Scott can have a donut he doesn't want?"

With perfect obedience Steve started to do ten push-ups. Scott said, "HEY! I said I didn't want one!"

Dr. Christianson said, "Look! This is my classroom, my class, my desks, and these are my donuts. Just leave it on the desk if you don't want it." And he put a donut on Scott's desk.

Now by this time, Steve had begun to slow down a little. He just stayed on the floor between sets because it took too much effort to be getting up and down. You could start to see a little perspiration coming out around his brow.

Dr. Christianson started down the third row. Now the students were beginning to get a little angry. Dr. Christianson asked Jenny, "Jenny, do you want a donut?" Sternly, Jenny said, "No."

Then Dr. Christianson asked Steve, "Steve, would you do ten more push-ups so Jenny can have a donut that she doesn't want?" Steve did ten. Jenny got a donut. By now, a growing sense of uneasiness filled the room. The students were beginning to say, "No!" and there were all these uneaten donuts on the desks. Steve also had to really put forth a lot of extra effort to get these push-ups done for each donut. There began to be a small pool of sweat on the floor beneath his face, his arms and brow were beginning to get red because of the physical effort involved.

Dr. Christianson asked Robert, who was the most vocal unbeliever in the class, to watch Steve do each push up to make sure he did the full ten push-ups in a set because he couldn't bear to watch all of Steve's work for all of those uneaten donuts. He sent Robert over to where Steve was so Robert could count the set and watch Steve closely.

Dr. Christianson started down the fourth row. During his class, however, some students from other classes had wandered in and sat down on the steps along the radiators that ran down the sides of the room. When the professor realized this, he did a quick count and saw that now there were 34 students in the room. He started to worry if Steve would be able to make it.

Dr. Christianson went on to the next person and the next and the next. Near the end of that row, Steve was really having a rough time. He was taking a lot more time to complete each set. Steve asked Dr. Christianson, "Do I have to make my nose touch on each one?"

Dr. Christianson thought for a moment, "Well, they're your push-ups. You are in charge now. You can do them any way that you want." And Dr. Christianson went on.

A few moments later, Jason, a recent transfer student, came to the room and was about to come in when all the students yelled in one voice, "NO! Don't come in! Stay out!"

Jason didn't know what was going on. Steve picked up his head and said, "No, let him come."

Professor Christianson said, "You realize that if Jason comes in you will have to do ten push-ups for him?" Steve said, "Yes, let him come in. Give him a donut."

Dr. Christianson said, "Okay, Steve, I'll let you get Jason's out of the way right now. Jason, do you want a donut?"

Jason, new to the room, hardly knew what was going on. "Yes," he said, "give me a donut."

"Steve, will you do ten push-ups so that Jason can have a donut?" Steve did ten push-ups very slowly and with great effort. Jason, bewildered, was handed a donut and sat down. Dr Christianson finished the fourth row, and then started on those visitors seated by the heaters. Steve's arms were now shaking with each push-up in a struggle to lift himself against the force of gravity. By this time sweat was profusely dropping off of his face, there was no sound except his heavy breathing; there was not a dry eye in the room. The very last two students in the room were two young women, both cheerleaders, and very popular. Dr. Christianson went to Linda, the second to last, and asked, "Linda, do you want a doughnut?" Linda said, very sadly, "No, thank you."

Professor Christianson quietly asked, "Steve, would you do ten push-ups so that Linda can have a donut she doesn't want?"

Grunting from the effort, Steve did ten very slow push-ups for Linda. Then Dr. Christianson turned to the last girl, Susan. "Susan, do you want a donut?"

Susan, with tears flowing down her face, began to cry. "Dr. Christianson, why can't I help him?"

Dr Christianson, with tears of his own, said, "No, Steve has to do it alone; I have given him this task and he is in charge of seeing that everyone has an opportunity for a donut whether they want it or not. When I decided to have a party this last day of class, I looked at my grade book. Steve here is the only student with a perfect grade. Everyone else has failed a test, skipped class, or offered me inferior work. Steve told me that in football practice, when a player messes up he must do push-ups. I told Steve that none of you could come to my party unless he paid the price by doing your push-ups. He and I made a deal for your sakes."

"Steve, would you do ten push-ups so Susan can have a donut?" As Steve very slowly finished his last push-up, with the understanding that he had accomplished all that was required of him, having done 350 push-ups, his arms buckled beneath him and he fell to the floor.

Dr. Christianson turned to the room and said, "And so it was, that our Savior, Jesus Christ, on the cross, plead to the Father, 'Into thy hands I commend my spirit. With the understanding that He had done everything that was required of Him, He yielded up His life. And like some of those in this room, many of us leave the gift on the desk, uneaten. Two students helped Steve up off the floor and to a seat, physically exhausted, but wearing a thin smile.

"Well done, good and faithful servant," said the professor, adding, "Not all sermons are preached in words."

Turning to his class, the professor said, "My wish is that you might understand and fully comprehend all the riches of grace and mercy that have been given to you through the sacrifice of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. He spared not only His Begotten Son, but gave Him up for us all, for the whole Church, now and forever. Whether or not we choose to accept His gift to us, the price has been paid."

"Wouldn't you be foolish and ungrateful to leave it lying on the table."

Pensacola FL and Cincinnati OH

We took a little airplane ride out to Pensacola about 3 weeks ago. John had some VA appointments, and we had a little business to take care of.

It was cooler than we had been in Arizona. David graciously provided us a car to drive and a house to stay in. The house was pretty bare - Bed, Yard Chair, Refrigerator and Microwave. It was all we really needed. Sure wouldn't mind not having the option if they could sell or rent the house. Know anyone looking for a water side 4 br house with a great pool in Milton Fl? I'll bet they will make you a great deal - probably would even pay a finder's fee!

Then we took another little ride up to Cincinnati OH. Yes, we were asking ourselves why we left Arizona for Ohio in February. We probably wouldn't have made the trip except it was for an engagement party for David and Jessica. Now, we fly on Dave's nickel since he works for ASA. The downside is that we can easily get bumped off a flight if they have a paying customer. And bumped we were. The party was on Saturday evening and we had planned to arrive on Friday. The weather had changed a lot of flights around so we ended up bumped on Friday. Got a flight from Atlanta to Orlando then to Cincinnati and didn't get in until about 10 pm on Saturday.

Obviously we missed the party. So Mary Ann (Jessica's grandmother), just had another one on Sunday evening. Great food and so glad to meet some of our new in-laws. We couldn't ask for nicer folks and look forward to getting to know them better.

I picked up a cold during the Pensacola visit and took it to Cincinnati with me. I just hope I didn't pass it on to everyone there. Dave and Jessica ended up taking me to a walk-in clinic one night. Antibiotics are great things, but this bug was tough. I'm still fighting the sore throat and sinus stuff after 2 weeks.

We really got the top notch tour. There was some snow, but it wasn't bad. We were treated to a couple of good ice cream stores, a trip to Jungle Jim's store http://www.junglejims.com, dinners, and some sight-seeing.

Jungle Jim's started out as a fruit and vegetable stand and has been growing ever since. It is huge! If there is a food item, they probably have it. And everyone HAS to check out the Jungle Johns! I won't spoil the story...just check it out.

Graeter's Ice Cream was a unique treat. Fantastic ice cream and candies. Best semi-sweet chocolate sauce ever.

United Dairy Farmers stores dot the Cincinnati landscape. It was a neighborhood convenience store with an ice cream store inside.

We went to the Bier House restaurant for dinner one night. Gigantic portions of unusual food. I had a Chicken Pecan dinner. It was the double chicken breast seasoned and grilled with a pecan pralines sauce. Never had anything like it, but it was excellent. We made arrangements to have a dinner there on the Wedding Eve.

We stayed in Dave's new house. The house has tremendous potential, but Dave & Jessica will have a bit of work to do remodeling. The wedding will be in the back yard so they have a tight timetable. We got away before the big snow storm last week.

Caught a flight direct into Phoenix and picked up the car. We'd left the motor home at the Pinal County Fair Grounds while we were gone. Nice people there. We'd planned a week at the Fiesta Grande RV Resort in Casa Grande to get ourselves ready to travel. Laundry and cleaning all the dirt out of the house. The Southwest is famous for its dust storms and we were privileged to enjoy one in Casa Grande. Finally got most of it out of the house before we left. Got to El Paso and got another dose. Winds have been at the 40-50 mph range and gusts up to 70 mph. If we weren't sitting here waiting for repairs, we would be sitting somewhere else waiting for the winds to end. Especially since it would be a head wind. Talk about mileage in the tank.

It's off to bed time here. Hope everyone is having a great week. Easter is coming soon.

Camping World El Paso, TX

It has definitely been a while since I added a post, but we've been out of town, broke down, and wind blown all over El Paso, TX!

Most currently we are in the Camping World RV Park in El Paso, Texas. We left Casa Grande on Tuesday, spent a night in Benson, AZ and started out for San Antonio area on Wednesday. We took a little break and I tried to turn on the water pump - no go. Then we found we didn't have ANY 12 volt power.

This happened to us a couple years ago. We took it into a large RV dealer in Junction City, Oregon for repairs. They fixed it but couldn't really tell us how or why it happened in the first place. We also needed new house batteries so we thought this latest failure might be related to the old batteries (no such luck). But at least we have replaced the house batteries.

Not to interrupt the story, but John priced batteries all over the place and was coming up with prices like $125 - $150. We stopped into the El Paso Sam's. They were $61.48. Of course there was sales tax, a $2.00 "battery fee", and the core charge (which we got back when we returned the old batteries). Such a huge difference. We haven't had a Sam's membership in several years but the $40 membership fee paid for itself right off the bat.

Back to our tale. The 12 volt was still lost after the battery replacements. We had been seeing some signs for Camping World at Exit 2 just over the New Mexico - Texas border. We pulled in late (after dark). The security guard parked us first in line for service the next morning. We slept in the RV without 12 volt but the inverter worked.

Next morning, we checked in with the Service Dept. They said they would get us a diagnosis within 30 minutes and invited us to the "Cantina" for coffee and muffins. True to their word, they said we had a problem with the wiring and they were chasing it. We spent the day in the show rooms and Cantina. The culprit was the house disconnect switch panel. It had burned up. I guess we were lucky not to have a fire.

They got the part ordered to be in on Monday. In the meantime, we were parked in the service yard with full hookups until they have us fixed.

Now we aren't done with this process yet, but I have to say that it has been a great experience with this Camping World location. Courtesy, free full hook ups, free coffee, etc and, get this, a free lunch. Yep, they gave us tickets for lunch in the Cantina. Homemade enchiladas, pintos, rice, the best salsa I've had in a long time, cookies. They have a lunch every day except Sunday.

The staff seems to be really glad to be here and they really seem to know what they are talking about. If you need service in the El Paso, Texas area, I can really recommend Camping World. Exit #2 on I-10 in Anthony, TX (suburb of El Paso).

Second Annual Gypsy Gathering

This is the first Gypsy Gathering for us. It has been a great rally already and we still have one more day to go! If you aren't familiar with the Gypsy Journal, check it out. Nick Russell and his lady, Miss Terry, publish a bi-monthly newspaper. It has a section for their current travels, great places to see that aren't always in the tourist books, a few recipes geared to the RV community.

This Gathering is in Casa Grande, AZ, at the Pinal County Fair Grounds. There are more than 250 rigs here. We've met so many neat people. We've learned about all manner of things RV in the various seminars. We even had some good food and wine tonight (Pizza from the Journal and wine from the Final Exit folks). I haven't counted the vendors, but there are a good many and they represent a wide variety of products and services NEEDED by all RV'ers (if you don't think they are necessities, just ask the vendor!).

Tonight's evening was the Second Annual Cactus Queen Contest. My sides are still hurting from laughing so much. Several gentlemen volunteers put on the wigs, dresses (& swimsuit) and make up to spoof any beauty contest you care to pick. These guys paraded in front of all us spectators (read cowards) and seemed to have as much fun as the audience. There was an opportunity to make a donation to Escapees C.A.R.E. facility. That is another great story that will have to wait for another installment.

Unfortunately I couldn't attend all the seminars. Something about two seminars at the same time and my clone machine was down. Besides it left poor old John in the Pre-Paid Legal & Identity Theft Shield booth all by himself!

I did manage to attend the seminar presented by the GEEKS ON TOUR called Every RVer Needs a Blog. I got some new ideas and learned how to put ads and links on the site.

Now pay attention here: The way these ads work is that I get some itsy-bitsy money every time someone hits on the ad from my blog. YOUR RESPONSIBILITY is to keep hitting those ads. We'll be rich in no time flat! ;-)))))

So far, no pictures. Just been too busy. But I promise to get out there tomorrow and get a few shots suitable for web publishing. Let me tell you, the pictures from the Cactus Queen contest might not have passed the total G Rating!

So now I have to find my way to bed - it's been tough getting up at 7:00 AM (Yes, Virginia, there really is a 7 AM). Nick said that he managed to be up in time to see his first (and probably last) sunrise. I'm with him when he added that sunsets are just as beautiful - only in the other direction. I digress..

Oh, and by the way our weather has been absolutely gorgeous! Sunshine and 70's with nice crisp evenings - makes for good sleeping weather. I really feel for you guys with the snow and ice.

Nick & Miss Terry will have an Eastern Gypsy Gathering this year & we are sure hoping we will be there! If you are an RV'er, consider joining us there.

February So Soon??

Wow! Time has really buzzed by. We are in Casa Grande, Arizona in a beautiful RV Park, Fiesta Grande RV. We have about another week here before we move over to the Pinal County Fairgrounds for the Second Annual Western Gypsy Gathering. If you are in the area, check out the gathering. Nick Russell and his crew have really put together a fine schedule. We'll have the Pre-Paid Legal booth. I think John may be on his own a lot after I saw all the great classes. The Geeks on Tour folks have a seminar on Blogging so maybe I'll learn some new tricks.

Of course, this is Super Bowl Sunday. The bowl is being held about 50 miles over in Phoenix. Good Morning America had some statistic this morning. The only one I remember is that Super Bowl Sunday has officially taken place over Thanksgiving for total calories consumed in one day! Must be all that beer and cheese dip?

And then there are those of us who watch just to see what the commercials are and to see if there will be another "wardrobe malfunction" this year. I'm not a big football fan, but I'm hearing this may be a real game-not a runaway. May the best team win!

We are flying back to Florida for some doctor appointments after the gathering. Then up to Cincinnati to celebrate Dave & Jessica's engagement. After that I think we have had about enough fun in Arizona. Time to head the motor home east. Guess we'll head across I-10 and maybe miss the ice and snows. Hope to stop in Livingston TX at the Escapees home. Then on to San Antonio area for a few weeks.

Here's wishing you a wonderful day- enjoy the game!

Tow Dolly Blues Solved

If you read my last post, you know how we loaded the Monte Carlo on the dolly last time we moved. Let's just say, it wasn't pretty! So we've solved that problem (maybe created other problems?).

We traded the Monte Carlo for a Saturn Vue. We can now tow 4-down and not deal with dolly any more. In addition we are able to install a medical scooter lift so I can go running around without help. And, with this color, I should be able to pick it out in a parking lot! I understand several things changed for the 2008 Vue, but I can tell you it's a great ride. If you are considering a new vehicle, you really might want to look at a Vue. By the way, we learned that most vehicle manufacturers offer some discount/rebate if you are disabled and install adaptive equipment on the new vehicle. Be sure to check it out.

We are still in Apache Junction, AZ (for another 10 days or so). Our next stop is about 10 miles down the road in Mesa for a week. Hate these long drives!

We are working our way to Casa Grande for the Western Gypsy Gathering (February 10-16, 2008. It looks like Nick has a great lineup of speakers and entertainment. If you haven't made plans to attend, check it out at www.gypsyjournal.net and if you don't subscribe to the Gypsy Journal, you can subscribe at the web site as well. Nick has a real way with words and his newsletter is always packed with places to go and things to see and not just the well-known places. He and Miss Terry ferret out the off-the-beaten-path and the unusual places. I read the Journal from front to back as soon as it comes in. Oh, and Miss Terry has some great recipes to share. We will be there as vendors and as participants so stop in and say Howdy. I'll have some chainmaille for sale if you are interested. Our "booth" will be outside our motor home in the commercial area. Just look for the PRE-PAID LEGAL and IDENTITY THEFT PROTECTION banners.

The weather here has been really great. I understand why so many people choose to winter in Arizona. This snap shot is just at the back of our motor home. We have picked several of the pink grapefruit and they are delish! The oranges, lemons, tangerines, limes, etc. are every where. I bought a 4 lb bag of naval oranges for $1 yesterday. With all the cold weather in Florida, California fruit may be a big seller this year.

We are headed out for some sightseeing tomorrow so look for new posts and pictures next week. I appreciate ya'll taking time to read my blog. I hope it brings a smile (and maybe a little jealously for our fine weather). I'll be back soon.....

Tow Dolly Blues

OOPS!!!!!! I guess it was bound to happen sooner or later, but it could have been much MUCH later. As you can see in the pictures, I didn't stop quite soon enough when loading the car onto the dolly.

And to top it off, I could not get out of the car. The fender of the dolly was next to the car doors. John went back into the motor home and brought me a book and coffee while we waited for Good Sam Emergency Road Service to come to our rescue. Not to give a commercial, but I'll always manage to pay my annual fee for GS ERS. Those guys have saved my bacon more than once!

We have been laughing about it, but I can assure you, we weren't laughing at the time. As far as we can tell, there was no collateral damage. A Monte Carlo is a front wheel drive so when the front tires were hanging out in space, there was no way to move the car. And John didn't have his Wheaties for breakfast...

The service guy put a floor jack under the front of the car and lifted it clear of the dolly. John drove the motor home forward until the wheels were over the right spot on the dolly. Once the jack was released and removed, the car was ready for tiedown on the dolly. I think the service guy didn't want to let us try to load it a second time while we were in his call area.

I'll bet he has had fun telling about the silly old woman that couldn't tell when to stop!

Yet another reason NOT TO USE A TOW DOLLY; TOW 4 DOWN!

Here's wishing you and yours and bright and prosperous new year. May you have full pockets, a warm bed, good food & good friends. Remember to laugh at least once a day! It burns calories and extends your life.