Should Auld Acquaintance Be Forgot

What can I say.  Another year, another year older.  Why is it that each year seems to get shorter?  Twenty-eleven flew past faster than twenty-ten which flew past faster than twenty-oh-nine which flew past faster than twenty-oh-eight, etc..  At this pace it won’t be long before we start celebrating back to back New Year’s Eves.

In any event, it’s time to say good bye to one year and welcome in the next.  We don’t really celebrate the event any longer, we got tired of waking up on the first day of the new year wondering who we were or what embarrassing thing we did the night before.  Also, it was a drag spending the first day of the new year being sick with self induced illnesses.

So now we just gather around with a few friends, have some appetizers, a little wine, a dinner, say “fare thee well” to the old year at around nine o’clock, turn the page on the calendar, and hit the hay.  When the sun rises we wake up alert and feeling great – a much nicer start to the new year.

Twenty eleven was a good year for us.  We began the year here at Rainbow Plantation enjoying the fine fellowship of our RVing family and our church family in the Summerdale area.  We hit the road in April spending time with our grand children in Tennessee and then making our way to Maine.  Our stay in Maine lasted three months this year with the first week in Topsham repairing our landing gear. 

Then we spent six weeks workamping at Wild Duck Campground where we got to worship with our old church family in Freeport.  After that stint, we moved back to the Fairgrounds in Topsham where Randy and Terry joined Mike and Peggy and us for a week of frolicking along the coast line while the six of us attempted to eat all of Maine’s seafood.

Next it was onto Belfast where we spent another four weeks with my brother Mike and his wife Shauna.  Marc and Amie joined us for a family vacation where we continued frolicking along Maine’s rugged coast.  Then it was onto Virginia with stops in New Hampshire for a grand kid fix, Connecticut for a visit with my aunt and cousins, and Pennsylvania to visit with Randy and Terry.

Mary and Joel have a nice place in Alexandria, Virginia where we joined them for a couple of outings – one to old Alexandria and the other to the Mall in Washington, D.C..  From there we turned northwest to spend a month in Michigan where we visited with Judy’s sister in Holly, her brother in the Petoskey area, and Ray and Pat in Mecosta.  Our oldest son lives in Grand Rapids so we had several visits with him as well.

We returned to the Plantation by way of Tennessee (for another grand child fix) at the end August for some doctor’s appointments.  Then the idea of workamping at Amazon.com was hatched so we pulled up stakes and headed to beautiful downtown Campbellsville, Kentucky in early November.  We finished the year by spending Christmas with our children and grand children in Murfreesboro, Tennessee before making our way home to Rainbow Plantation to usher in the New Year.

We wish you all a very -

 

Happy New Year

What’s That I Hear?

We’re beginning to pick up right where we left off eight weeks ago.  Yesterday Jim, Ellie, Randy, Terry, Judy, and I headed for Big Daddy’s for lunch.  To our surprise, Big Daddy’s is closed for maintenance/renovations and will not be opened again until January 3rd.  Oh, oh!!  What now? 

There is a restaurant that we’ve been meaning to try, and have been told that it was good, but we had just not gotten there yet.  So, we made a bee line to Kraver’s (well, a bee line with a left and a right turn in it).  It was a good little drive and Jim thought that we were going to have to stop for lunch along the way.  But the food was good; it’s not Big Daddy’s, however, it will certainly do in a pinch.

Other than that excursion, house cleaning was the order of the day.  The poor house looks like the Poor House.  We’ve been slack in our household chores over the past few weeks.  Why, while we were w*rking there was a four day period that the bed never got made.  That’s almost the unpardonable sin in the eyes of my bride.  Anyway, the house got a good sweeping and vacuuming, but the more we cleaned the more we found that needs to be cleaned.  This is gonna take some time folks.

The weather around the Gulf has been fantastic.  Blue skies with the sun shining and temps in the sixties – heading for seventies today and tomorrow.  Just the way we like our winter weather – over medium.  Today I start washing the rig but, what’s that I hear?  Do I hear the beach calling?  I think I might!!!  Go ahead, twist my arm.  With Nook and lawn chairs in hand, what could be better?  Oh yes, need some iced tea as well.

Take Care Until Next Time  - - - - - - - - -

A Little Nostalgia

Settling in was agenda item number one.  Relaxing was agenda item number two.  Both items got crossed off the list.  Pat was able to repair the furnace, the problem was several bad connector issues on the board.  A little cleaning and a little Vaseline took care of the problem.  The clothesline was attached to the back of the coach, a load of clothes was washed, a little more leveling was accomplished, the tripod was attached to the coach hitch, and a quick trip to Wally World rounded out the settling in portion of the day.  Lunch, a quick katt nap, recliner time, and reading rounded out the relaxing portion of the agenda.  Mission accomplish!!!

Judy has been talking about knitting some socks.  She saw a knitting accessory that she’s thinking of getting to make knitted socks on.  Knitted socks brought back many memories to my mind.  Our mom used to knit us wool socks for the winter back when Darry and Mickey were just boys.

Back in the mid fifties it was not uncommon to have feet (not inches) of snow on the ground for Thanksgiving.  You know, “Over the river and through the woods . . . . . the horse knows the way to carry the sleigh” type of thing (that was a Thanksgiving time song for us when we were kids).  Anyhow, come September you’d find mom knitting away while the family was gathered around the television set in the evening watching Ed Sullivan, or Gunsmoke, or Sky King, or Sea Hunt, or Rawhide, or Perry Mason, or whatever; you get the picture – a pure Happy Days scene.  Mom would knit us boys a half dozen grey wool socks with red tops to wear inside our olive green “gum rubber” boots.  Plus, she knitted us several pairs of spruce green mittens as well.

Now let’s take a minute here to describe the wardrobe of the typical 6 to 12 year old living in Belfast, Maine during the winter of nineteen hundred and fifty-five.  First, after rolling out of bed with your feet hitting the ice cold floor, you’d grab your socks.  These were your regular everyday socks.  Next, after you stripped away your PJs, you’d slip on your underwear, jockey shorts and your short sleeved tee shirt.  Then came the “long handles” or “long Johns”; i.e. long underwear – long pants and long sleeved shirt.  You’d grab your spruce green wool pants and a nice flannel or wool shirt to round out the ensemble.

Breakfast was followed by preparations for going outside to play in the “door yard” (a Maine term meaning the yard just outside the back door where play would be conducted).  The preparations would consist of the aforementioned grey wool socks with the red tops and the olive green gum rubber boots.  Then came the winter parka with a hood and the fake fur around the facial opening and the spruce green mittens.  Finally a knitted wool scarf (made by the loving hands of grandma) was wrapped around our necks leaving nothing but our eyes bugging out.  By then, we were totally unable to move so mom would carry us outside and place us in a snow bank that had accumulated in the “door yard” overnight.  “You kids stay in the door yard and play, ye ‘ear?”  After a couple of hours she’d come back out and carry us back inside to begin the shedding process.

We can’t stop here, because there is more nostalgia to this little picture.  Once back inside, Darry and Mickey had a clever little boot jack that would assist in taking the olive green gum rubber boots off of our feet.  This was a neat little device in which you’d place the heal of your boot into the opened end while standing on the other end with your other foot and just pull your foot out of the boot.  Slick as a whistle.

Olive green gum rubber boots did not breath thereby causing one’s feet to sweat a great deal so another device that was needed in the 1955 home was the “boot tree”.  The “boot tree” was a rack that would hold several pairs of olive green gum rubber boots upside-down so that they could be placed over a heat register to dry out during the night.  The knitted wool grey socks with red tops and knitted wool spruce green mittens would be laid out on top of the boots to dry as well.  Both of these items (the boot jack and the boot tree) were fabricated by dad in his wood shed (we have some not so fond memories of that wood shed, but we won’t go into that here).

One last thing about the mittens.  The mittens came in two varieties, with or without a string attached.  Younger kid’s mittens had a string that attached the two mittens.  That would keep the child from losing one or both of his/her mittens.  You’d take one of the mittens and fish it up one sleeve of the parka and out the other sleeve thereby keeping the mittens intact with the parka.  Now this was really cool ‘cause you could talk into your left hand and listen with your right hand.  Or, if you saw a kid with stringed mittens, you could pull his right mitten and he’d hit himself in the face with his left hand.  Aah the fifties, ya gotta love it. 

Well, there ya have it.  A little nostalgia from a retired baby boomer about winter life in Maine during the mid twentieth century.  And, Judy’s “fixinto” to knit some socks.  We’ll keep ya posted.

Oh, by the way.  Here’s a picture of nap time from yesterday afternoon.  Note the stylish head warmer.  This conjures up another fond memory from the fifties which was the Davy Crockett coon skin cap, but we’ll save that for another time.  

Take Care Until Next Time  - - - - - - -

Home Again, Home Again, Jiggity Jig

It was an uneventful trip home, just the way we like it.  It took us eight and a half hours to make the trip, that’s including stops.  It generally takes us fifteen to twenty minutes less time to make it south – must be because it’s down hill .  We were home by 3:30 receiving an East Traveler Street welcome home by our neighbors – that’s always a nice touch, makes you feel loved.

Randy and Terry took pity on us tired vagabonds and fed us a wonderful Italian meal – it was yummy and good that we didn’t have to cook.  We most likely would have just had a Fluffernutter sandwich or something like that.  Spending time with Randy and Terry was a perfect ending to a nice uneventful travel day.

Today we’ll be getting settled in.  Already made arrangements with Pat to come and tune (fix) the furnace.  He’ll be here this morning.  That means that I’ll have to pull out the stairs, that I just reworked, in order to get access to the furnace.

Other than that, it’s relax, relax, relax that’s what’s on our radar screen.  We’ve got some reading to catch up on and we have some recliner time built up to use.  We think that we’ll contact Randy and Terry and Jim and Ellie to see if they’d be interested in going to Big Daddy’s for lunch.  Big Daddy’s has a wonderful Philly sandwich that’s calling my name.

Take Care Until Next Time  - - - - - - - -

Then There Were Seven

Okay, so here’s the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth, so help me!!  The Bible tells us not to swear by God so I’m not going to, but I’m “fixinto” to tell you the “rest of the story”.

Miss Judy and I retired for the night at seven PM on Christmas Day.  After our w*rking gig, getting ready for Christmas, and spending eight hours with our Grand Kids for Christmas (keep in mind that they were very, very good, but wound up none the less) we were “done in”.  Because of our early retirement, we were up at 0530 yesterday morning – our bodies have not adjusted to the Central Time Zone or the none w*rking environment so that’s not exactly sleeping in, ya know?

So why the late post yesterday morning.  Well the following paragraphs appeared in yesterday’s blog right after the paragraph about our Christmas dinner and just before the paragraph about wrapping up 2011 - - - -

“Now, the highlight of the day was the video that Matt and Jackie made.  It had a Catia, a Kalina, and a Radek section and ended with the “Parents vs. Kids War” which was a preview of coming attractions – coming in August of 2012 will be child number four.     

Like arrows in the hands of a warrior
   are children born in one’s youth.
Blessed is the man
   whose quiver is full of them.  PSA 127.4-5

So this will be Grand Child number seven.  And to think, that Darrell and Judy’s job is to spoil all these smiling little faces.  Tough job, but someone has to do it!!  It’s a good thing that we’re still young enough to be up to the task.”

When the editor, Miss Judy, reviewed the blog for errors, typos, and false information (not that I’d ever include any of that), she informed me that we couldn’t publish on the chance that Grandpa Mike and Grandma Sheila hadn’t seen Matt and Jackie’s video yet (Sheila is a blog follower).  So, we held off for awhile trying to determine if they had seen the video or not.  Being that we couldn’t confirm that that event had taken place, we deleted the above paragraphs and published late claiming that we had slept in (the editor missed that little piece of misinformation – I just love it when I can slip one past the editor).  So there you have it – “the rest of the story”.

Yesterday turned out to be another shopping day, this time for Catia’s seventh birthday which is on Friday.  We were successful with “one stop shopping” at Kohl’s.  After “bagging” the perfect birthday gifts, we did a drive by of an senior condominium complex.  It’s not officially a 55+ community, however, most of the residents all have gray hair.  It’s a nice quiet little neighborhood, but we’ve not decided whether Murfreesboro has the “It Factor” or not.

After that, we stopped by the kids house to say good bye to them and the Grand Kids, went to Demo’s for Lupper, fueled up the truck, came home and packed away all the Christmas decorations, and hooked the RV up to the truck for an early get away this morning.  We plan on driving straight through and want to be “home” before dark.

So, tomorrow we’ll be coming to you from Rainbow Plantation in Summerdale, Alabama – Yay!  We’ll be joining Randy and Terry for a travel day meal this evening and then begin settling in for a long winter’s nap.

Take Care Until Next Time  - - - - - - -

Lazy, Lazy Daze

I’m going to lie to you and tell you we were lazy this morning that’s why a late post, but I will tell you the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth tomorrow – so stay tuned.

‘Twas a wonderful day.  We arrived at Matt and Jackie’s at seven o’clock sharp just to be met at the door by two wide eyed little girls.  “Grandma, Grandpa, where were you?”  “Santa’s been here!!!”  “We’re ready to open presents.”  “Did Santa bring you any?”  “Nah, Grandma’s been naughty this year.”

Well, you can only imagine the excitement.  We took pictures, but they were all just a blur – it’s hard to get a seven year old, a three year old, and an eighteen month old to pose when they are filled with sugar and excitement and opening presents.  Matt did well to contain them and they took turns opening gifts.  It took about two hours to “have the tree” and, believe me, the tree was had.

 

Then it was onto breakfast followed by “some assembly required” time.  “Grandpa, can you open this for me?”  I can personally tell you that some toy manufacturers do not want any toys escaping from their packages.  My goodness, after using a hammer, chisel, pliers, and a hack saw, Matt and I were able to get most of the toys free (the ones we couldn’t will just have to go back to the store and most likely never be missed). 

Radek was so awestruck that he didn’t know what to play with first.  He would go from one thing to another without even taking time to play with anything.  Kalina wasn’t much better.  She’d hoard her “stuff” and try to play with Radek’s.  Catia, being a refined seven year old, just knew that Tangled needed to get Untangled so she started with baby Repunzel. 

Jackie made a wonderful pot roast dinner while Judy had made a Jell-o fruit salad along with an apple pie and a pumpkin pie.  We had Christmas candy, fudge, mincemeat cookies, sugar cookies, and mixed nuts to nibble on throughout the day. 

We hope that all of you had a wonderful Christmas day as well.  Now it’s onto New Year’s – unbelievable, we’re heading for twenty twelve and here I am still looking forward to Y2K.

Take Care Until Next Time  - - - - - - - - -

A Christmas Wish

Merry Christmas To All!

 

“Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.” Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, “Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.”  Luke 2:11-14 NIV

Later this afternoon we will join together with Matt, Jackie, Catia, Kalina, and Radek for our traditional Christmas Eve Pizza.  Then we’ll attend Christmas Eve services at the World Outreach Church.  Early Christmas morning will find us gathered around the Christmas Tree enjoying the excitement of three little Grand Children.  Children are a blessing from the Lord but Grand Children are the rewards of having survived parenthood.

In the midst of all the festivities, we’ll take time to reflect on God’s Greatest Gift to all mankind.  We are thankful for all of you, our RVing family.  Since we are taking tomorrow off from blogging, we will take this opportunity to wish you a very blessed Christmas.

In His Love,

Darrell, Judy, Katie, and Alex

The Day Before The Day Before Christmas

All the Christmas gifts have been purchased, wrapped, shipped, and are where they are supposed to be.  Today Miss Judy wants to go shopping for a new pair of dress up casual slacks.  What better time to do that then the day before the day before Christmas.  We’ll head on over to the J. C. Penney store in the mall at Mt. Juliet.  While over that way, we’ll stop by our bank to drop off a boat load of money (yeah, right) that we accumulated from the Amazon Fulfillment and Spa Center in beautiful downtown Campbellsville.

Then what’s on the agenda for the rest of the day?  Who knows!!  Most likely getting all the goodies together for Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, a few household chores, some relaxing, and some reading in our Nooks.

Last night we baby sat for our three adorable Grand Kids while their parents went out to dinner and did some final Christmas Shopping.  They are such good little kids, can’t imagine why Katie and Alex have a hissy fit whenever they visit.  Radek is the youngest with two older sisters – he’s very, very good at being a younger brother.  He doesn’t take any guff from either of his sisters; actually, if there is any guff to be handed out, he’ll be the one handing it out.  But they were very good for G-pa and G-ma – we (G-ma) only had to referee a half dozen fights .  Nah, not our Grand Kids; really, they were very good.

The past two years when we’ve been here for Christmas the temperatures have dipped below freezing.  Not so this year with the lows in the forties and the highs in the 50’s / low 60’s.  No complaints with that, however, it did rain all day yesterday, but that worked out just fine for us.  Katie and Alex were just plain ecstatic to have Mom and Dad at home all day.  Alex enjoyed helping with the Christmas present wrapping marathon (I’m not so sure how much enjoyment mom got out of it).

We’re slowly getting acclimated to Central Time once again.  It’s nice to sleep in in the morning and stay up a little later at night – heck we didn’t go to bed until after ten o’clock last night and slept through until six this morning.  It was nice to wake up naturally with Alex prancing up and down across our bodies rather than an alarm clock scaring the daylights into us.

Well, as you can tell, we’re just hanging out waiting for Ol’ Saint Nick to make his rounds so we can celebrate Jesus’ birth with our family – two more sleeps!!  Again, in all of our busyness, let’s take time to reflect on the real reason for the season.  The best gift of all has already been given, heaven has been secured, the Devil has been defeated, and a new earth is being established.  We’ve read the last chapter of the Bible and Jesus wins!!!

Take Care Until Next Time  - - - - - - -

‘Tis The Season To Be Jolly

While w*rking at the Amazon Fulfillment and Spa Center in beautiful downtown Campbellsville, we acquired fifty dollars worth of gift cards for Kroger’s so yesterday we did our Christmas holiday food shopping.  We like Kroger’s even though it’s a little more pricey than Wally World.  They have quality meats and produce and their “Select Private” brand ice cream isn’t bad either.

Anywhoo, today is a marathon prepare for Christmas day.  There’s fudge to make, mince meat cookies to make, banana bread to make, and Christmas gifts to wrap.  The weather dudes are babbling about a 100% chance of heavy rain today so we gathered all the needed “stuff” into the house yesterday so we can just stay in our PJs and play inside all day long.  Now I’ll help, but most likely will be told that my best help will be to keep out from under foot and to keep Alex occupied (he just loves to “help” Momma with her projects).

All the gifts for the Kids and Grand Kids afar have been wrapped and shipped, but what remains are the gifts for the Murfreesboro brood.  So Santa’s little elves (or maybe I should say Elf Judy) will finish up the task, load the sleigh, and set it underway for the Christmas Tree.

It’s been very quiet here at Cedars of Lebanon State Park.  There are only five RVs in the entire park.  We have no neighbors nearby and the katts just love sitting on the back of the sofa watching the squirrels and crows as they do what ever it is that they do.  Both of them have been extremely loving, wanting to be held and petted.  They really, really, really like having Dad and Mom around the house.  They’re are no longer antsy, but nice and relaxed.

Well, ho, ho, ho!!  ‘Tis the season to be jolly and we’re looking forward to a laid back jolly day.

Take Care Until Next Time  - - - - - - - 

It’s All About Grand Kids

Wow, are we out of sync with the “real” time.  After leaving beautiful downtown Campbellsville it was only a matter of a few miles before we crossed back into Central Time.  That means that we gained an hour but it gets darker a whole hour earlier here in Lebanon, Tennessee than we are used to.  Plus, with the hours we were keeping (in bed by eight and up at four), we’re all messed up.  Add to that a w*rk week that ran from Friday to Monday we don’t even know what day it is.  Good thing we have a day clock to straighten us out.

The final act of hitching up and pulling out is to put in the slides.  The bedroom slide came in, the entertainment center slide came in, but the main slide wouldn’t budget.  “Oh Shucks!!!!”  (or something like that)  I told my bride to try it again and I’d push on it a little to see if that would get things started – nothing.  As a last effort I shut the hydraulic valves off to the other two slides and told Judy to push the button to extend the main slide.  She did that and the slide moved outward about a half inch.  Then I told her to go ahead and see if it would come in.  It worked, in came the slide.  “Phew!!”  What a relief.

It took us about two hours and forty-five minutes to make the trip and the rain held off until we got positioned in our site.  I used the bottle jacks to raise up the front of the RV to level, dropped the leveling leg extenders, and lowered the rig onto the leveling legs.  Then I released the air from the air bags on the truck which lowered the truck bed low enough to drive out from under the rig.  It really wasn’t as much work as I had envisioned and buying a second bottle jack proved to be a good idea.

The Katts are happy to have their Dad and Mom back.  They seem so much more relaxed here in Cedars of Lebanon than at Heartland’s Gravel Pit, Parking Lot, and RV Resort.  We were packed in so close that they were feeling a little claustrophobic.  Cedars of Lebanon provides spacious sites with trees, something  you take for granted until you live with walking space only between rigs.  So we now have a couple of Happy Little Campers once again.

So we are here for a week and we began our stay by spending a little time with the Grand Kids last evening.  Catia was in my lap almost before my butt hit the chair.  Kalina was still napping so Grandma had to go get her up.  “Read to me, grandma.”  Radek was a little offish until we got settled in then he crawled up next to Grandma so she could play.  Yep, it’s all about Grand Kids!!!!  This is an exciting time of the year to spend with Grand Children and we’re looking forward to seeing them around the tree on Christmas morning.

Take Care Until Next Time  - - - - - - -

Southward Bound

Aah, the sweet smell of freedom.  It’s “on the road again, we just can’t wait to get on the road again”.  The Wandering America express will be heading southward bound this very morning.  But, it was sort of hard to say good bye to Thurman and Phyllis as well as all the good new friends that we’ve made at the Amazon Fulfillment and Spa Center here in beautiful downtown Campbellsville.  But, we’re sure we’ll be seeing them again as we all continue to roam about the county in this RV lifestyle.

Now another new chapter is beginning.  In 2012 I will turn Medicare, in 2013 my young bride will turn Social Security.  One or two more workamping stints and our finances should (emphasis on the word should) be pretty well set.  So, we are now turning our thoughts to life at Rainbow Plantation and future travels. 

But not so fast Maverick, first we have to do some maintenance to the rig once we get “home”.  The leveling jacks need to be overhauled, the furnace has decided to quit working so it will need repair, and the toilet has quit holding water which means a gasket change out.  I’m sure some other things will crop up, but these are all minor and part of home ownership whether it sets on wheels or concrete.  “Stuff Happens!”

Anyhow, it’s farewell to Heartland Gravel Pit-Parking Lot-RV Resort, the Amazon Fulfillment and Spa Center, Beautiful Downtown Campbellsville, and it’s onto Murfreesboro with a Grand kid fix on the horizon.  Before the sun sets today we’ll be hugging our grand babies.  So, let’s “head ‘em up, roll ‘em out!”

“Happy days are here again
The skies above are clear again
So let's sing a song of cheer again
Happy days are here again”

Take Care Until Next Time  - - - - - - - - 

Retirement Day, Again

We officially retired the alarm clock.  No more chirping at us in the wee hours of the mornings.  Come four thirty this afternoon and we’ll be retired junior citizens once again (senior citizens are those older than we are).  One more sleep, grandkids, and we’ll be there to see your smiling faces.

Extra!!  Extra!! Read all about it.  Miss Judy makes good.  Yep folks, my bride did good.  She beat out the “Big Boys” in bin counting and got her picture placed on a poster in the ICQA area as well as plastered on all the TV monitors throughout the entire Amazon Fulfillment and Spa Center.  My wife’s a star, so be sure to get her autograph as soon as you see her because, as of today, she retires her light saber (high tech scanner) to replace it with an apron and a wooden spoon (yeah right).  Most likely she will trade it for a few beads and some quilting fabric.

Now, let us set the record straight.  Amazon is a good employer.  They take care of their employees.  Their training for the job is good.  Most of the managers are helpful and friendly.  They have stretches twice a day.  They provide bottled water throughout the facility.  They hand out incentives to the employees (we got three five dollar gift cards to Kroger’s and one five dollar gift card to Gatti’s Pizza).  They provide free gloves and knee pads for the job and the pay is higher than most entry level jobs. 

The w*rk is physical, there’s no doubt about it, but Amazon tries to make it as enjoyable as they possibly can.  It’s a warehouse J-O-B; there’s no two ways about it – it is just plain brute force w*rk.  We’re tired, but we made a decent amount of money in a short period of time.  So that’s the last that we are going to say about it in this blog.  Now it’s onto new adventures – I can hear the sigh of relief rising up in cyber space.

This afternoon a whole bunch of us (about 16 in all) are going to descend on Colton’s Steak House and Grill for a farewell dinner.  This a a Logan Steak House or a Texas Roadhouse type of place where you can eat peanuts and throw peanut shells on the floor.  It will be good to gather together with Thurman and Phyllis and our newly made friends one last time before hitting the road.  We’ll miss Thurman and Phyllis; they are real down to earth good people and great friends. 

Now it’s time for us to get ready for our last day of w*rk and retirement party.  So, See Ya Down The Road!!!

Take Care Until Next Time  - - - - - - -   

Just Doing It, Doing It

Not much to report this morning.  We’re still doing it, doing it.  We’d hoped that it would have gotten easier by now, but it hasn’t.  Advil has become our new BFF, we now buy it in the giant gallon jug economy size.  The good news is that we can see the light at the end of the tunnel and, no, it’s not a train.  I don’t think there are any trains left in beautiful downtown Campbellsville anymore.

Jeff and Marsha came over for a visit last night.  Jeff wanted to see some of the customization that we’ve done to our coach.  They are thinking about upgrading to a slightly larger unit.  After a few brandies and some lively conversation, they headed home and our thoughts turned toward beddy bye time.  They are the couple that will be workamping just a few miles down the road from us this coming summer.

Well, it’s time to go splash some water on this old worn out bod, stuff a little breakfast into the gullet, and head off to the salt mines once again.  Tomorrow, tomorrow, the end will come tomorrow, you can bet your bottom dollar, tomorrow. . . . .

Take Care Until Next Time  - - - - - - -

More Katt Tales

Hi, Alex here.  I did everything I could think of to keep momma home yesterday.  I sat in her lap, I purred, I cuddled, I meowed, I followed her everywhere she went, I even bathed, but she still left with dad to go to the four letter word place – w*rk.  She did promise me that she will spend more time with me after this coming Monday.  I think we’re “fixinto” travel again, what can I say.  I don’t really like traveling but to be with momma, I’ll take it.

Hopefully mom and dad won’t bring them little people home with them again once we get to Tennessee.  You never can predict just what they’ll do next.  Katie and I have to watch them like hawks.  They’re quick too!!  They can be sitting on the floor playing and the next thing you know, they’re in your face.  Katie hissed at them and that made them cry (I got a big charge out of that – wished I’d have thought of it first).  This is our castle and we have to protect it.

Now, talking about four letter words.  Mom said that when they left that four letter word place where they go everyday, they saw another four letter word event – sn*w.  That stuff is cold on our tender pussy feet and we don’t want anything to do with it.  So, it’s time to pull up anchor and make waves toward the southland.

Katie and I can’t wait to get back to the Plantation.  There’s a routine there and things are “boring, boring, boring”.  Just the way us katts like things.  We are not Obama supporters, it’s NOT time for change.  By the way, dad says ever since Obama got into office that’s all he has left in his pockets – change!  Anyway, we like the same old, same old.  And we want our attention when we want our attention.  We’re not praying for patience because we’re katts, ya know?  And we don’t need patience.  Dawgs have masters, katts have staff.  And we want our staff at home.

So, after the Christmas celebrations in Tennessee, mom and dad are taking us home - 

We’ll be home after Christmas
You can plan on us
Please have NO snow but mistletoe
And dinners at the clubhouse.

The day after the day after Christmas
You’ll find us where the road home gleams
We'll be home after Christmas
With many cheers, it seems.

Yes, we'll be home after Christmas
With many, many cheers, it seems.

Be good now and don’t plague the katts!  (Dad’s grandma used to say that, “Don’t you be plaguing that katt!”  We think it is very appropriate.)

Alex

The Last Leg

Today we start the last leg of our Amazon Adventure at the Amazon Fulfillment and Spa Center.  Four more days and it’s “On the road again”.  After 40 more hours of tummy tucks, step aerobics, Zumba, and yoga and we’ll be “fit as a fiddle!”  Well, maybe a little out of tune fiddle, but a fiddle none the less.  This as been an adventure that, in about ten years from now, we’ll be able to laugh about (that’s how long it will take for our bodies to stop hurting).

We’ve been asked if we’d do it again.  Judy, without hesitation or reservation, says emphatically – NO!!!  I still say that if we had a serious need, then maybe.  It is a fast way to make some good money.  However, we’re hoping that we don’t spend all that good money on doctors trying to recuperate from the experience.

I’ve done harder w*rk in my life, it’s just that it was when I wore a younger man’s clothes.  There was the summer job at Ralston-Purina where I unloaded 800 one hundred pound bags of grain a day off of box cars and stacked them in the warehouse.  By the end of the summer I could carry two of them 100 pound grain bags (yes, with grain still in them) on my the shoulders of my 135 pound body – it was all in the balance.  But, today I’m tired of looking at my underside while counting “stuff” from the “A” bins. 

I don’t know when it started happening, but while I was sitting on the floor counting items I realized that I was scratching behind my ear with my right foot.  Hopefully, I won’t find myself sitting in the middle of the road, licking myself, and get hit by a car.  Or waiting behind a bush for the Mailman to come.  Or chasing cars down East Traveler Street.  Yep, it’s a dawg’s life alright.  “Do we have any more milk bones?”

All in all, it hasn’t been a bad experience, but it’s hasn’t been a good one either.  The best part, as always, is the people you meet and the friends you make.  We’ve enjoyed the time we’ve spent with Thurman and Phyllis Moore and have been truly blessed in meeting Scott and Valerie Anderson and Jeff and Marsha Anderson (Scott and Jeff are brothers).  What great people and we hope to see all of them again somewhere down the road.  Jeff and Marsha will be w*rkamping at Mackinaw Mill Creek in Michigan, a campground just down the road from where we will be.  So we’ll be sure to spend some time with them this coming summer.

Along the way, we got to meet Al and Karen Phillips who had contacted us before we even arrived at Green River Lake State Park.  They are a young couple from Long Island and are w*rkamping the their way around this great country of ours with their two dawgs.  We hope to meet up with them again and be able to get to know them better.

We finally got to meet Billy and Brenda Mims on Wednesday.  Sure wished we could have gotten our schedules together so we could have spent more time with them.  They are wonderful people and we just know that it would be a blast to “hang out” with them.  Being from Alabama, it’s a good possibility that our paths will cross again – we sure hope so.

It’s time to count the bins, so -

Take Care Until Next Time  - - - - - - -

The Galilean Home

The Galilean Home is located on a mountain top about 12 miles south of Liberty, Kentucky.  The Home was founded by Jerry and Sandy Tucker, a Mennonite couple who had relocated to Kentucky from Michigan.  Here’s an excerpt from the Galilean Home Shepherd, the Home’s newsletter.

“After several unsuccessful years of trying to start their own family the couple was able to adopt a three and a half month old boy with medical problems who had been given up by his teenaged mother.  They have been unable to say no since.  ‘I don’t thing God gave me time to think about it.  We took every child God sent us.’ says Sandy, more commonly referred to as mom.  ‘One person’s pain is another person’s joy.  I get joy out of it.’  Over 800 children, including 500 newborns have been rescued from their fate by the compassionate and caring hearts of Sandy and Jerry Tucker who founded the Galilean Home Ministries, Inc. in 1984, nine years after it was first envisioned.”

In 1992 the couple opened a Christian bookstore in downtown Liberty.  It wasn’t actually a success so they added several tables and began serving soup and sandwiches and in 1995 the Bread Of Life Café was born.  “Opportunity opened the door in July of 2001 to move out of downtown to the main highway 127, five miles south of Liberty.  The Bread Of Life Café is now a 150 seat destination restaurant where tours and church groups enjoy a down home buffet, famous homemade rolls, baked goods, and southern hospitality.” 

Yesterday afternoon Scott, Valerie, Jeff, Marsha, Thurman, Phyllis, Judy, and I made a 30 mile trek to the Bread Of Life Café and we can attest to all of the above claims, especially the southern hospitality part.  The Café is run by the “family”, that is the teenage and adult children of the Galilean Home, with the proceeds going toward the Home’s operation.  They even offered us “seniors” a 10% discount.

Liberty is surrounded by hills and valleys and I’d bet that it would be extremely beautiful during the summer and fall.  The trees were mostly barren and the day was overcast which somewhat diluted the beauty during this winter’s day.  But, we enjoyed the drive about the area.

Other than that, we did our bi-weekly grocery shopping, made a quick trip to the Taste of Home store for some more soup starter, and had one of our propane tanks filled.  Today is a rainy day so we are going to stay inside this morning to do some household chores and read.  This afternoon we are going to visit some Amish shops in Lebanon, Kentucky with Thurman and Phyllis.

We received an email from Amazon HR stating that the “I Shift”, which is our shift, will be done w*rk on the 19th.  That means that we’ll be on the road heading south on Tuesday.  Four more days of w*rk and then we’ll be retired souls once again.  That is until mid June when we start w*rking at Hearthside Luxury Motorcoach Resort in Michigan.  As you all well know, after spending Christmas with our kids/grandkids in Tennessee, we’ll be making tracks to Summerdale, Alabama and Rainbow Plantation.  Home again, home again.

Take Care Until Next Time  - - - - - - -

No Ups Or Downs Here!!

Sadly, it’s a no go!!  The leveling jacks did not have any broken parts, however, something is misaligned somewhere.  I did a “field strip” of the left jack (the one with the drive motor and transmission) and there was no visible damage, but there is way too much play in the motor mounting.  Both jacks go up and down freely with no weight on them, but once reassembled with the RV weight on them the same problem exists – no ups or downs.

So, I will have to manually raise and lower the rig using our hydraulic jack.  It will be slow and tedious, but I will only have to do it to connect up here in beautiful downtown Campbellsville and then to disconnect and reconnect again at Cedars of Lebanon State Park.  Once we’re back in ‘Bama, we’ll just set the trailer up on cement blocks and park a couple of junk cars out front .  Anyway, then I can pull the leg apart and do a complete overhaul, maybe even a redesign.  All I want for Christmas is an HWH leveling system.

While reassembling the jacks, I dropped a screw and where it went I know not.  Of course, I didn’t have any replacements in my maintenance box, so off to the hardware store I went.  When I was inside the “box” I had the “wear-with-all” to check and see if I had all the parts needed to fix the stairs.  I didn’t, so those got added to the list along with replacement florescent lights.  So, by day’s end, all of my maintenance chores were completed even though the jacks still “ain’t” w*rking.

Judy was a good little girl and got her w*rk done as well so by one o’clock it was nap time (when you get up and start your day in the middle of the night then a nap gets added to the afternoon agenda).  After our nap, I finished working on the stairs.  With our sore joints, I’m beginning to think we might need to install an escalator along with the HWH leveling system.  I’m sure that we’d get a “rise” out of that (sorry, again, I just couldn’t resist the pun).

Okay, just a little katt news.  Both katts were happy to have us around all day.  Judy never did go outside the house and Alex managed to follow her everywhere she went.  Katie laid on the sofa smiling while keeping an eye on both of us.  Little do they know that some grooming is headed their way on Thursday.  I’m sure battle lines will be drawn, but dad always wins.  Their claws are just like needles and need to be trimmed.  Whenever they walk through the house they look like Pig Pen in the Peanuts cartoon strip with fur trailing out behind them, so a good brushing is in order.  Now don’t you go telling them, I want to sneak up on them and do the deed quickly before they know what hit ‘em.

We “stood” in bed until 0545 hours this morning.  Later today we’ll do the Wally World thing. This afternoon we’re going on a luncheon with our fellow fulltime RVing and Amazon Fulfillment and Spa Center co-w*rkers.  At least there’s life after w*rk!!!  We may not be as good as we once were, but we’re still as good once as we ever were!!!!!! 

Be sure to hang in there, take care, and thank God for this beautiful world that He created for us to live in.  And thank God for His Son, Jesus, who’s the reason for this season.  Through Him is eternal life for all who believe in Him and follow Him.

Until Next Time - - - - -

A Day (Or Three) Off :)

It’s totally inconceivable.  Here we get a day to sleep in and what does “Little Girl” do?  She gets up at three o’clock, makes coffee, and starts reading in her Nook.  Inconceivable!!!  Sometimes I wonder what makes that girl tick.  Not me – uh, uh!!  I just rolled over, went back to sleep, and didn’t get up until the more reasonable hour of 5 AM.

We had around twenty people show up last night at Gatti’s Pizza.  What a fun evening.  Besides pizza, Gatti’s has a very nice salad bar, spaghetti or noodles with a selection of two different sauces, potato wedges, and a soup of the day.  They have a great selection of pizzas ranging from thin crust to thick crust with different toppings and sauces.  It’s $13.75 per couple and that includes drinks.  Quite reasonable.

Well, this is it.  We get three days off and, boy, are we ready for that.  Just one more week of w*rk until retirement.  I think we’ll be snowbirds this year and head south for the winter.  We haven’t quite decided where we’ll go, but we just want to be bored for awhile – hey, wait a minute, maybe we can go to Summerdale, Alabama.  We understand there’s an Escapee park there where there’s a boring routine that takes place all winter long.  Yeah, I think we just might give it a try.  And maybe we’ll get to meet some nice boing people, just like us, there.  Never can tell, they might even be friendly.

This weekend will be like a bus man’s holiday.  We may get time off from w*rk, but we have a “Ta Do List” longer than my arm to get rid of.  First and foremost is that dag gone leveling leg.  Hopefully, once I get it removed it will be an easy fix – what are the chances of that?  About the same as a one for one swap out of a microwave/convection oven.  In any event, by the end of the day I hope to have a “leg up” on it (couldn’t resist the pun).

Then there’s the stairs leading to the bathroom area.  For some reason the screws have stripped and the stairs are pulling away from the wall.  This will be an easy fix and I have all the needed “stuff” for this repair.  Next will be a trip to Lowes to procure florescent lights for over the sink.  They are slowly giving up the ghost and beginning to flicker.  Finally, the katts need their nails trimmed and to be brushed.  Katie hates this and Alex tolerates it.

Judy has laundry to do, bills to pay, and some household chores that she wants to finish.  Then there’s the bi-weekly shopping trip to Wally World to replenish the larder.  But, it won’t be all w*rk and no play.  On Wednesday afternoon a “bunch” of us are going to the little town of Liberty for a luncheon at a place that donates all proceeds to a children’s home.  We’ve been told that they have good food and it’s a great cause to support.

In any event, we’ll take it real slow and easy over the next three days so we won’t be too tired for w*rk on Monday-Friday – wouldn’t want that to happen, would we now?  Well, that’s enough rambling for today.

Take Care Until Next Time  - - - - - - -  

It’s A Pizza Break

It’s Friday-Monday and a bunch of us are going to gather at Gatti’s Pizza Buffet after w*rk for some pizza and a few beers (that’s root beer – Taylor county is a dry county).  That’s always fun.  I remember when we were w*rking real J-O-Bs when a bunch of us would get together for a Thank God It’s Friday mini party after w*rk.  I guess that’s part of the America tradition.  You like to go to a place where everybody knows your name.

Tomorrow is going to be the only good day out of our three day weekend.  Rain is predicted for Wed and Thu, so that means I had better make hay while the sun shines on Tue with that leveling jack.  Hopefully it will just be a repair job and not require any parts.  Beautiful downtown Campbellsville is not overrun with RV parts stores so parts availability could be an issue.  We shall see what we shall see and it will be what it will be.  Or as Judy says, it is what it is.

Okay, we need to go wash behind our ears, have a little breakfast, and make some nice chicken sandwiches for lunch.  Then it’s on to first break (followed by lunch, followed by second break, and then TGIF Pizza).  See you at Gatti’s at 4:30 – yes, of course you’re invited.  The more the merrier.

Take Care Until Next Time  - - - - - - - -

Tired? I Guess We Were Tired!!!

We have to admit that yesterday was the hardest day yet to get out of bed and go to w*rk.  Neither one of us wanted to leave the house.  Leave the house, heck, we didn’t want to leave the bed!!!  We literally took ourselves by the scruff of the neck and dragged ourselves down the hill, across the street, and into the salt mine.  We made it to the end and now have only six more days left.  Oh man, that’s 60 hours of w*rk.

Needless to say, we are looking forward to being part of the tail light parade departing beautiful downtown Campbellsville.  Two and half to three hours after departure we’ll arrive at Cedars of Lebanon State Park where we will sit and lick our wounds for a few days and then celebrate Christmas with the grand kids.  Seeing their smiling faces is what keeps us motivated and going.

This morning we’re feeling much more rested.  Why shouldn’t we?  We went to bed before seven o’clock last night.  We watched a little TV from bed, but very little, before dozing off.  I guess our bodies needed it.  Anyhow, as you can tell there’s nothing really new with us.  W*rk a lot, eat a little, sleep a lot, but that cycle will soon be broken.

Take Care Until Next Time  - - - - - - -

Yep . . . . .

Yep, we’re up.  Yep, we’re still alive.  Yep, it’s really, really early.  Yep, it’s cold outside.  Yep, we dread another 10 hour w*rk day.  Yep, that’s a long, long day.  Yep, there’ll only be six days left after today.  Yep, we’re hanging in there.  Yep, we’ll make it.  Yep, the sun will be out tomorrow and then there’ll be freedom once again.  Yep, then there will be joy throughout the land and we’ll live happily ever after.  Yep, Norm, we’re ready to live a boring, boring, boring life at Rainbow Plantation.

Yep, Take Care Until Next Time  - - - - - - - 

Engineers And Brackets

Finally the sun made its appearance.  Here is the sun rising over the Amazon Fulfillment and Spa Center here in beautiful downtown Campbellsville as seen from our livingroom window.  Amazon is that big white thing just under the sun. 

It was brrrrr cold outside and the truck was covered with frost from head to toe.  When we leave here, we plan to drive far enough south that when we hold up the ice scrapper the natives say, “What’s that?”  Then we’ll back the rig in and hook ‘er up for the rest of winter.

We left the Heartland Gravel Pit, Parking Lot, and RV Resort at nine hundred hours.  Thurman and Phyllis joined us for our trip to E-town, but first we made a stop at the Post Office so Judy could ship the Christmas gifts that she and Alex wrapped up yesterday.  Then the four us made a pit stop for a nice greasy spoon breakfast.

Along with picking up the microwave/convection oven, we made stops at Goodwill, Uniquely Yours Quilt Shop, and McDonald’s for a buck soft drink.  Judy got a whiff of some new quilting fabric and picked up a couple of items whether they were needed or not.  It was great weather, with great company, and a great little trip.

So,  Jeopardy answer, “Not a snowball’s chance in extremely hot places!!!”  “What’s, what are the chances of a one for one swap out for the new microwave/convection oven, Alex?”  I have to ask, “What is it with engineers and brackets?”  “Is it job security or what?”

When I was in manufacturing, if there was a design hold up it was due to some bracket change.  I’d go to Engineering and say, “We’ve got 2 million, 943 thousand, 213 brackets in our data base and the supply chain is drowning in brackets, can’t you use one of those?”  “Nope, won’t work, need a new one!”

Well, wouldn’t you know it, the new microwave/convection oven “needed a new one” along with a different hole pattern in bottom of the cabinet.  That still wouldn’t have been so bad except the template “they” provided for locating the holes in the cabinet had them a half inch off location.  After taking measurements of the microwave/convection oven and elongating the holes I had to use washers to keep the screw heads from pulling through the cabinet bottom.  Anyway, the microwave/convection oven is installed along with it’s “new bracket” so now we can heat up a cup of water again.  Now onto those danged leveling jacks.

Today is Monday-Friday, so it’s back to the salt mines for another illustrious week of w*rk – eight more w*rk days to go counting today.  At least we are down to single digits, now if only our bodies will hold out we’ll be rich – well, richer anyway.  So it’s, Hi Ho, Hi Ho - - -

Take Care Until Next Time  - - - - - - - - -

How Long Can You Tread Water?

By 10:00 AM the four of us were on the road heading just plain north for the gravel pit rendezvous.  Here are some photos to give you some prospective of the flooding river/lake.  As you can tell, it was an overcast, cold, damp, penetrating day.  A stay inside, PJ day if we ever saw one.

The first picture is looking out the rear window of our slide out; that area was all field when we arrived at the State Park.  The next picture is looking out of our door across Thurman and Phyllis’ rig; quickly becoming waterfront property.

 

This is the site just the other side of Thurman and Phyllis’ site.  It really is waterfront property; you could step out the door and go swimming.  And the last picture is the lake forming behind our rig; you can see the parking lot on the other side beginning to flood.

 

So, we traded this - -

For this - -

In order to avoid this - -

The bad part of making the trip from the State Park to the Gravel Pit was that there wasn’t anyone willing to prepare a travel day meal for us.  So we dined on toasted cheese sandwiches and hot chocolate.  Fine dining at its very best.

After getting the coach lifted up to drive the truck out from underneath, the leveling jacks broke again.  We got the truck out, but couldn’t lower the front of the rig to level it.  Fortunately we are not too far out of level, but now I have a job to look forward to next weekend.  Hope it warms up or, at least, isn’t raining.  We’ll repair the leveling system again, but when we get back to the plantation we’ll totally rebuild the entire system – there’s gotta be a better way.  Another six weeks at the Amazon Fulfillment and Spa Center and we could earn enough money to install a brand spanking new leveling system, just like the big boys (motorhomes) have.  “How about it Judy?”  “I didn’t think so!!!”

Alex and Judy have finished wrapping all the Christmas gifts for Brian, Marc’s family, and Mary/Joel.  They are all ready to go to the Post Office this morning.  Good job, you two.  Judy couldn’t have done it all by herself so it was good that she had her little elf to lend a helping paw as needed, or not needed.  I should have videoed the event – it would have been a hit on You Tube.

 

Well now.  Today it’s off to E-town to get the microwave/convection oven that we were going to pick up yesterday.  Thurman and Phyllis are going to ride along with us.  We’ve really enjoyed having them along with us during this journey through the Amazon.  We’re going to miss them once we part company in a couple more weeks.  What a great couple; they’re fulltime RVers, why wouldn’t they be? 

Take Care Until Next Time  - - - - - - - -

How High’s The Water Mama?

The Green River Lake is a reservoir and the level is controlled by a Corps of Engineers dam.  Over the past few weeks we’ve gotten more than our fair share of rain plus north of us “they” have gotten even more rain which means that the tributaries that feed the Green River are working overtime.  All of which results in the Green River Lake State Park being on the verge of flooding.  When we returned home from w*rk on Monday-Friday, we had a letter from the park office advising us that we may have to move to higher ground (as in another campground); they’re not sure yet, but we may have to if the water continues to rise.

Well, being the conscience folks that we are, and not wanting to get a point for missing a day of w*rk , we decided to move rather than tread water.  As it turned out the Heartland Gravel Pit, Parking Lot, and RV Resort had four open sites – one for Scott and Valerie, one for Jeff and Marsha, one for Thurman and Phyllis and one for Darrell, Judy, Katie, and Alex.  So, it will be “Wagons Ho!!” as we all caravan five miles north of here later today to rendezvous at the gravel pit.  Rendezvousing at a gravel pit reminds me of high school days only a case of beer was involved, but that’s another story.

Miss Judy is ecstatic.  She will have a full hookup 50 amp site high on a hill where she will be able to stand in the shower until the hot water runs out, wash clothes in her own washer-dryer, have a couple more television stations to watch, as well as have a good internet connection (hopefully).  Wow, all the comforts of home – no more ruffin’ it.  We might even have to extend our stay here at the Amazon Fulfillment and Spa Center in beautiful downtown Campbellsville (yeah, right!!).

Other than that exciting news, Judy attempted to wrap Christmas gifts yesterday afternoon while Alex lent her a paw, especially with the ribbon part (need all the help you can get with that).  I’m not sure if he’s a help or a hindrance, but for some reason he got “the look” and was promptly deposited into my lap for containment.  “I don’t think your help is appreciated, Alex.  You’d better keep your paws to yourself.”

I pulled the old microwave/convection oven out so we can take it with us to Home Depot tomorrow (they will dispose of it for us).  Hopefully the new one will be a “one for one swap” – what do you suppose the chances for that are?  We’ll see.  The one we had was an Amana and the one we are replacing it with is a Maytag; same manufacturer, same unit, you know, like Buick and Pontiac.  Hopefully the parts are interchangeable.  My buddy, William, and I once put a 1955 Packard automatic transmission into a 1953 Packard that had a standard transmission with the same bolting pattern and everything (a six pack of beer was involved here).  That’s what I’m looking for; a 2006 Amana and a 2011 Maytag having the same bolting pattern (and, maybe, a couple of beers).

Well, we need to go and pack our bags, hook up the mule, circle the wagons, and put some pavement under our wheels.  See you tomorrow from beautiful downtown Campbellsville – yep, we’ll be townies from now on.  Right across the street from our J-O-B in beautiful downtown Campbellsville, how convenient is that???

Take Care Until Next Time  - - - - - - -

The Great Escape

Our microwave/convention oven is in at the Home Depot store in Elizabethtown (E-town) so tomorrow has been designated as pick up day.  Judy asked if there are any quilting shops in E-town to which I stated that I had no idea.  She is exhibiting quilting withdrawal symptoms and is in need of that new fabric smell from a quilting store.  She was beginning to miss all her friends at Rainbow Plantation, but we got an email from Norm that set her heart at ease.

^{Its sort of boring here with the same old stuff going on and on and on.....}

^{Larry's delicious meals, group outings to Big Daddy's, Road Kill, movie nights, dozens of crafts, quilting group making over 200 baby blankets and over 250 baby hats, ice cream followed by a dance band, deck the halls (clubhouse) for Christmas, bus trip to Bellingrath Gardens, more eating out groups, kite flying, etc.....}

^{Just the same old stuff with temperatures in the 70s during the day and 60s at night.}

^{Boring, boring, boring...}

^{Be glad you're not here.}

^Norm

Man, are we ever glad that we don’t have to put up with all that mundane monotony going on at RP.  Everyday is an adventure here in beautiful downtown “Camp Bellsville” and the Amazon Spa Center.  We get to count new bins everyday.  Kneel down, bend over, step up – and they mix up the routine, never the same exercise routine day after day.  Also, we get to play with a high tech scanner, almost as good as the Star Wars light sabers.  And we get our own cart to push around as well (just as soon as we look all over hell’s half acre to find one).  Furthermore, we get to walk all over the place and see new scenery, not the same old houses on East / West Indigo or Sienna in the Plantation.  Yep, we are indeed the lucky ones to have escaped all that redundancy.

But all good things have to come to an end.  Today we have to take three whole days off from all that fun.  Why, we don’t know what we’re going to do with ourselves.  I guess we’ll just have to sit here, with one arm as long as the other, looking at each other’s pointed little heads.  Dang, don’t ya just hate it when that happens.

Take Care Until Next Time  - - - - - - -

Rainy Days And Mondays . . .

Today is both, but it’s our Friday .  TGIF!!!!!  More to come tomorrow.

Take Care ‘Til Then - - - - -

We’re All Hanging In There

Well, it’s been back to w*rk now for the past couple of days.  We’ve finally hit the half way mark and now only have ten 10 hour shift days left to go (maybe 11 if we have to stay and w*rk on the 23rd).  We’ve managed to get into the groove, but we’re not saying that it’s not tiring.    

Anyway, we are becoming quite the contortionists with all the positions that we need to get into to count bins.  A good thing about this flexibility program is that should we ever encounter a nuclear war, we are now limber enough to bend over with our heads between our legs and kiss our hinnies good bye.  Also, I can scratch the back of my head using my foot which comes in extremely handy when both hands are busy.

The weather has been mild – emphasis on the word “has”.  The old weather dudes are calling for “more seasonable” weather conditions in the next few days which means colder temperatures with the possibility of sn*w showers – yuck.  Here’s hoping that we get some good weather for our days off beginning Tuesday.

By the way, Katie and Alex are hanging in there.  They’re not thrilled about our long absences, but are figuring out the routine.  Alex saves his energy so he can act up once we get home.  He loves to get up in the recliner next to his mom and beg for her attention.  Katie gives us the cold shoulder for awhile and then comes around for her attention.  At least they don’t think they’re orphan katts anymore.

So, I guess what can be said is that we’re all hanging in there.  Can’t wait for Christmas break, though, bringing forth our former freedoms.  “The sun’ll come out tomorrow, bet your bottom dollar . . . . !”

Take Care Until Next Time  - - - - - - - - -

Out Of Humble Beginnings

We got a not so early start on Thursday heading for Hodgenville, Kentucky, the birthplace of our 16th President of the United States – Abraham Lincoln.  From Campbellsville it’s a 50 minute drive through the country with beautiful pastoral scenes along the way.  Hodgenville is small rural town in Kentucky not awfully far from Elizabethtown (Etown to the locals) and/or the I-65 corridor.

The National Park Service oversees both the Abraham Lincoln Birthplace in Hodgenville and his early boyhood home which is 9 miles away in Knob Creek.  And, as with most NPS sites, there is an introductory movie which is always well done and informative.

The glass etching and the bronze statues of the family are located in the visitor’s center.   The statue is of Abraham’s mother and father, Nancy and Thomas along with Little Abe and older sister Sarah.  He had a younger brother, Thomas, who died as an infant.

 

The memorial is built on the site of the old homestead and a replica of the log home is housed inside.  The cabin was built along side of a spring that still runs today.  Due to a land dispute, the Lincoln’s were forced leave their home and move to Knob Creek which is north of Hodgenville.

 

Hodgenville has erected statues of Abraham one of which is from his boyhood.

 

Six miles north of Hodgenville is the site of his boyhood home where his family lived until he was eight years old.  Due to another land dispute, the family was forced to move again – this time they moved to Indiana.  The site at Knob Creek has remained undeveloped since the time the Lincoln’s lived there.  You can still see the fields where Abraham and Sarah played and worked in the family gardens.

We’re not going to include any detailed history here.  You can find everything you want to know just by “Googling” Abraham Lincoln. 

After all that site seeing, “Feed Me” showed up.  So we made a beeline back to beautiful downtown Campbellsville to the Happy Days Diner where you can order a dinner named after your favorite Happy Days character.  Judy had a Fonz burger and I had a Mr. C’s special burger.  The food was yummy and the ambiance was great.

Take Care Until Next Time  - - - - - - - - -

Running A Little Behind

And, no, I’m not referring to my behind, that ain’t little and I ain’t running.  Yesterday was a fun filled day and we had a great outing, but didn’t get the photos edited or the blog written in time to meet the publishing deadline.  So, with some luck we’ll get our trip to Lincoln’s Birthplace posted tomorrow.

In the meantime, here are some photos from our drive with Thurman and Phyllis the other night through the “Christmas in the Park” light displays.  It’s difficult to get good night pictures from a moving vehicle, but it was too cold to keep stopping and getting out each time so we’ll just have to live with the blur. 

  

We sure are glad that we had the three days off, it took two days for us to recuperate and catch up on the household chores.  However, we did manage to have a little fun each day.  Now we’re about ready to knock off four more days of this w*rking ordeal.  But, we are thankful for this six week opportunity to make the money that will allow us to keep on living our fulltime RVing lifestyle.  And, we are already making plans for another outing for next “weekend”.  It’s all good!!!!

Take Care Until Next Time  - - - - - - - -

Recovery? Almost!

It only took two days for our bodies to begin to feel good again.  What can we say?  We are out of shape and this physical work is kicking our asses.  Judy has a big toe that has turned purple under the toenail, she has pain shooting up and down her left leg, and the little toe and the side of her right foot have gone numb.  Darrell has lots of pain in both his knees and in his left shoulder as well as a sharp pain at the base of his neck all of which makes it hard to fall asleep at night.  Yep, this job maybe suited for teenagers, but it’s certainly rough on us keenagers.  It will either kill us or cure us – here’s hoping for the latter.

Anywhoo, we hit Wally World yesterday morning to augment our grocery supply, got a Christmas package ready for shipping to our son in Michigan, took a short nap, and read a little.  While at Uncle Wally’s we picked up an inexpensive speaker system with a subwoofer for my computer so we could have decent sounds while listening to Pandora Radio.  We’re “streaming” on TengoInternet while here at Green River Lake State Park, but it will only use 15MBs per hour to listen when using our Verizon modem.  Even if we have to pay an additional $10 per month, it’s nice to be able to listen to our favorites on commercial free radio – we like 60’s or lite 70’s music streams.

Last evening we joined Thurman and Phyllis for a real fine meal.  Phyllis loves to cook and we love to eat, so it makes a rather nice arrangement.  After dinner the four of us took a jaunt into beautiful downtown Campbellsville to see the Christmas light display in one of the city parks.  They were real purdy, but sn*w is needed to make it feel like Christmas seasons of days gone by.  We just may get some before we pull up anchor and haul assets; the temperatures are already dropping into the high twenties during the nights.

We took a bunch of pictures of the lights to share with you, but wouldn’t you know it?  After returning to Thurman and Phyllis’ for dessert, I left the camera at their house.  So I’ll just have to retrieve it later today and post the pictures tomorrow along with today’s outing.  Today the four of us are heading to Hodgenville, Kentucky to visit the Abraham Lincoln Birthplace National Park.  Hopefully we’ll have something interesting to share with you tomorrow.

Take Care Until Next Time  - - - - - - - -