Keeping up with visitors.

Cullman,  AL

A fun part of living here (aside from Len playing on his new tractor) is having guests.  And this past week has been a great one.

A review:

October 17:    We took our Open Range fifthwheel to Madison RV near Huntsville.  The plan was for them to install a new roof as they damaged the original roof when they were working on the rig back in the Spring.  Then Highland Ridge was to pick up the unit on November 20, take it to their plant in Indiana and do the myriad repairs that are covered under the warranty.  We then would have to go to north Indiana around December 20 to inspect their work and bring it home.  Not looking forward to driving to Indiana that time of the year.

However, Madison RV called this week to let us know that Highland Ridge was on the way to get the rig and that the roof repairs would be done after HR does their work.  We are hoping Madison realized the extent of the problems with the rig and, like us, are hoping that  HR junks it.  If so, they won't have to put out the $5,000 for a new roof. 

October 20:  Son Lennies birthday party at his house.

October 21:  Lennie and Lois came to dinner at our house after church.

October 24:  We drove to Huntsville (65 miles each way) to see the faith based movie Revive Us 2.

October 25:  Our friends from NJ Carole and Dan were RVing their way back from Arizona to NJ and came for a visit.  Proud that we introduced this fine couple over 20 years ago.

October 26:   We took Carole and Dan to Ava Maria Grotto and Clarkson Covered Bridge here in Cullman.  They took us to lunch.  Later in the day we welcomed Adam and Helena who are on their longest RV trip.  They are also friends from NJ and plan to start full time RVing next summer.

Dinner time with Carole, Dan, Helena and Adam

October 27:    Dan and Carole left with hugs and well wishes.    Helena and Adam wanted to see Ava Marie Grotto and since we have been there many times, including the day before, we handed them the keys to our truck.    Dan and Caroles rv site was not empty for long.

Later in the day arrived Jerry and Carol who are full timers traveling between Manchester TN where they work camped for the last several months  to Rockport, TX where Jerry is starting a new business of being Mr. Fixit.  They are from the Corpus Christi area. Jerry is a blogger, like me.  We caught up with them a few years back when we were in Rockport also.  Nice to see them again.

Dinner time with Helena, Adam, Jerry and Carol:

October 28:   Well here we are.  Just the two of us.  This morning Jerry and Carol joined us for bagels and goodbyes.    A short time later Helena and Adam came in to say so long.  RV sites looking empty.

We had planned on getting back to the tractor and yard work.  However, its 40 and a cold rain.  A good reason to just stay in the house and chill.   Wait....if we wanted to chill we would be outside.  Stay in the house and rest.  Yea, that's it.

Until next time.

His New Toy

Cullman,  AL


Oh yes.  Leonard is a happy man.  We have done a LOT of work on our 4 acres since moving in early January.   A lot of heavy work.  But there comes a time when we needed help.  Help in the form of  Big Equipment.  And something fun to operate.

We checked out a couple of used tractors.  Prices of were ok.  The tractors weren't.    So we stopped at a local Mahindra dealer.   We needed a tractor with a front end loader, pallet lift attachment and a heavy duty bush hog.  The salesman worked up a cost.  We would think about it a while.

Then we got the call regarding the passing of my brother and we took the sad journey to NJ.  While there we stopped at another Mahindra dealer.   They gave us the cost of just the tractor with front end loader.   It was $40.00 more than what we were quoted in Alabama that included the bush hog and the pallet lift.  Our minds were then made up.  We placed the order.  I wrote the check.

This was delivered on Tuesday.

After a few instructions Len was off and running.

Bush hogging the future pond area.

We have 15 large cedar trees we want removed, all planted close others.  Six of them block our view of the road.  Four are between the house and the pond area and block the view of two beautiful cypress trees and 5 are lined up in the side yard for no reason we can discern.  All these trees have metal fence posts which were put there when they were planted many years ago.   The trees have grown around the posts making cutting them down difficult.   There are several more cedars in the yard but are just fine where they are.

This is the one Len pushed and dropped with the tractor.

We've cut it up and moved the debris to one of two large burn piles we have in the pond area.

Yesterday he removed some small brush from the creek area that runs along one side of the property   Then he started at the back.  The growth is so think we've never been able to get to our back property line.  He bushed hogged a few paths thru but we still are not to the back.  But he did clear one large area and made ANOTHER burn pile.  The previous owners must not have known what to do with an old mattress and box spring that we found laying in an overgrown area.  We know what to do with it.  A match and diesel fuel.

How we wish my brother could have come for a visit.  He would have enjoyed that operating front end loader, etc.  and the peaceful surroundings.

Who knows these people?

Yep..... you RVing friends.  That is Linda and Howard Payne from www.rv-dreams.com   Linda and Howard were camping nearby for a few days.  I've been following their blog since around 2007 but we've never met in person.   This was an opportunity not to be missed.  We enjoyed some time at the house getting to know each other then went to Logans for a great meal.   Welcome back anytime you two!

WARNING WARNING WARNING...... Ugly feet picture to follow.  If queasy stop reading and do not scroll down any further.


Last chance. 




 When we were in the northeast last week for Norm's funeral we spent a night at daughter Amy's and family house in Maryland.   Eight year old Abby is a girlie girl.  She asked to give me a pedicure.  What do you think?  Might be pretty polish but some ugly feet.  I warned you.

Until next time.

Completely unexpected

Cullman,  AL


Last Monday I received a phone call that I never thought I would get or ever wanted to get.  My nephew JR (brothers son) called from New Jersey to tell me my brother, Norman, had passed in his sleep.

Norman just turned 67 two weeks ago.  This was completely unexpected and a shock to us all.

Within hours of getting the call, we were packed and headed north.  I have two nephews (my sisters sons) who live in Wytheville, VA.  When we travel north without towing a rig, we stay at my nephew Jason's house.  From our home in Alabama to Jason and Kelly's it is 405 miles.  Then it is 420 miles to where we stay in NJ.    When we were much younger we would travel that distance straight through but with age and blood clots in Leonard's legs it is no longer feasible.

We arrived in Upper Deerfield NJ at our friends Shirley and Lyn around 4 pm on Tuesday.  From there we drove about 22 miles to my sisters, had dinner, and then to my brothers house where family and friends had gathered.

The viewing was Friday with burial on Saturday.   I was so pleased at the large crowd of people who came to pay their respects.   Norm was a member of a volunteer fire company, a Mason and a member to Tall Cedars.   There was a Masonic ceremony Friday.  We were told this was the largest attendance at a viewing of this group of Masons.  Norm also was a longtime member of the local United Methodist Church.   The three of us grew up across the street from this church.  They have a fund raiser breakfast once a month.  Norm was the Omelet Station Man.    He was also a member of two antique car clubs.   In several of these organizations he held various offices including president.

Norm had a full weekend prior to his death early Monday.  Saturday he was at his omelet station.  On Sunday he helped his grandson move and played with his only great-grandchild.  On Saturday night he was out with a dear friend.  Never a hint of any health issue.

Norm, his friend Donna and our sister Debbie in June 2017

All dressed up for his Grandsons wedding two years ago.

Norm, me and Debbie at my daughter Terri's between Thanksgiving and Christmas 2015

At his house.   Norm and Len with three of Norms grandchildren.

The family is still processing this.  We take comfort in that it appears his passing was without pain.  We take comfort in each other.  We take comfort in the love and respect he had from so many people.

Norm and I stayed in contact when Len and I traveled fulltime.  We would never go more than a few weeks without reaching out to the other.   We hoped there would come a time soon when he would visit us here in Alabama.

Everyone said that Norm would never turn down a chance of assist someone.   In 2014 when I had a stroke in Alaska he volunteered to come to Alaska and help Leonard drive back to the northeast.  He did just that.   He was just like that..... always doing what he could to help others.  I am proud that I was the sister of Norman Richard Fowler, Sr.

More digging and our mini rv park

Cullman, AL

As we continue to work in our yard now that the weather is cooler, we finally removed some debris that has been annoying.    In the front yard there were cinder blocks and what we thought was one rock sticking partially out of the ground.  We have no idea what the purpose is or was.

These were just a very few of the many cinder blocks dispersed around the property.   However, most of the blocks were not buried.  We gave those blocks on Lennie and Lois who built a rather large fire pit at their house.  If I remember correctly it is 8x8 and two blocks high.  They only had to purchase 3 blocks to complete it.  Glad they made use of them and they are out of our yard.

To get back to the latest cinder block saga: the ones sticking out of the ground and making mowing more of a hassle.  I noticed a few days ago that a rock was now somewhat movable.  So Leonard to the shovel.

Cinder blocks and rocks he removed.

AND a rather large piece of concrete.   What the heck????  What was that for.

Does anyone have any idea why these would be partially buried in a yard.  We don't.  The hole was been filled in and grass will grow.  No more scraping these blocks with the mower.

As our readers know, one of our first projects in the beginning of the year was putting in two RV sites where a double wide trailer once stood.   We keep our rig in the 50 amp/ water site.  We then have a full hook up 50 amp site for friends traveling through or visiting.   Earlier in the year our friends Carol and Jerry spent a night there.  We had one load of stone placed in the sites.  After their visit we realized we needed a 2nd load.  Done.

On Wednesday our friends Lauren and George Owen paid a visit.
            owensontheroad.blogspot.com 

Our little RV park:

I know.  I know.  Can't see much from the front porch.  Guess I was too lazy to walk out and take a better picture.   All that watching Len dig out rocks, you know.

We met Lori and George back in 2011 while in Pennsylvania.  They were just planning their fulltime adventure.   They had a Montana fifth wheel but recently purchased a Vilano.  What a beautiful classy RV!  The manufacturer is right over the Alabama/Mississippi line about 110 miles hours from here.  Since they were coming from Texas headed to Pennsylvania via a stop in Mississippi for some minor warranty work, we got some time to visit.

Here is Lori and George:

What a great time we had.   Yesterday we went into town to check out the Cullman Oktober Fest.

Yesterday it was mostly the Farmers Market where we got some jam, bread and lots of veggies.  Most of the activities start today and go through the weekend.  Oh, it was also Senior Day with a luncheon and bingo.  Since all 4 of us are much too young to even be considered seniors, we did not participate.  Instead George and Lori treated us to lunch at Ruby Tuesday.

All good things come to an end.  This morning our friends pulled out headed to see family in Pennsylvania.  Come again, George and Lori.

Remember friends, if you are traveling I-65 between Birmingham and Huntsville we are here with either a guest room or RV site!

Until next time......

I could do this job!

Cullman, AL


Okay... so we had lots of trees taken down last week.    Then we were left with lots of stumps all over the property.   Six of them were out along the road.   Those trees were taken down before we moved in.  There was a double wide trailer sitting behind them.   For the trailer to be removed, the trees were cut down, leaving stumps.  Hated mowing around them.

We had two dead trees fall and three more dead ones we had taken down.  All leaving stumps.  In addition there were more stumps the previous owner left in the yard and were a nuisance when mowing.

The tree removal folks gave us a number to call of a stump grinding service.  He came yesterday to check out what we needed and ended up doing it on the spot.

By my count he removed 13 medium size stumps and one huge one.

It took all of 45 minutes!

He works by remote control.    His stump grinder looks like a puppy following him around the yard.

Working on the biggest stump

It's gone!  Just dirt and wood chips to rake out.  Then plant grass.

Another hole minus the stump.

He loads and unloads the grinder on the trailer by remote control too.   Yea, I could do this job.  That's IF I wanted to work.

Time it took?    Less than one hour.     Cost?  $200.00.    We are pleased.

Until next time......