The last few days.

Chestnut Lake TT Campground
Port Republic, NJ

We arrived at this campground one week ago today.  We leave next Wednesday.   My feelings about the campground.....they have obviously done  some recent improvements such as a new pool and entry gate.  However, the sites are quite small.  (Although we've been in smaller ones).  This is us on the left, my sister's unit on the right.

These families are all over the place.

It seems we've been on the road most days.   This area of NJ is about an hour and a half drive from where we park at our friends farm.   It took us a great part of the day last Wednesday to get set up as my sisters truck is down and after towing our rig here, returned and got hers.  I can't remember what we did on Thursday. Come to think of it, I think Leonard took the truck to the shop for an alignment.    On Friday we had dermatologist appointments over an hour away.  Took up a lot of the day.


On Saturday afternoon we drove over 2 hours to meet the daughter and son-in-law to get our granddaughters.     We had a bit of excitement after picking the girls up.  We were on the Atlantic City Expressway when we saw a mini-van pulled over and someone standing on the side of the road waving his shirt to warn people to slow down and move over.  We saw their vehicle was on fire.  Leonard pulled over and got the fire extinguisher we keep on the truck.

He used the entire extinguisher and put the flames out but it was so hot, it flamed again.  There was no stopping it.

He called 911.   The State Police arrived shortly and pulled into the open lanes to block traffic as there were explosions and debris flying across the road.   It must have been 10-15 minutes before fire trucks arrived.

All passengers and their pet dog were out when we got to the scene.  They had even pulled out their luggage and lawn chairs.  

On Sunday it was mostly time at the pool and doing a bit of grocery shopping.   A couple who used to belong to the same Good Sam Club as us now have a seasonable site here at Chestnut Neck.  Billie and Joe stopped to say hello and we invited them to stay for dinner.

 On Monday it was the pool again and a visit to nearby Historic Smithville Village.  We apparently got there too early as most shops and attractions were not open.

We thought we found a way to keep them corralled.  But as there was only one of these, the other one still could run loose.  Will have to come up with a better plan.

Yesterday was a really long day.  It rained heavy all night and was still dreary in the AM.  So no pool time.   We instead went to Batsto Village.  We always enjoy our time there just walking along and looking at the old buildings.  The girls especially like the nature center.  Leonard showed them a site where their parents worked on an archaeological dig before the girls were born.

By this time it was stopping for lunch at one of our favorites places ....Peters Diner in Williamstown.  Then another hour and a half to where we met up with their father.  There were a few tears by Abby but we assured them they would be returning in a few weeks to spend more time camping with us.

We have a friend who lives only about 12 miles from where we were taking the girls.  I contacted Karol and asked if she would be home then we would stop by.  She had prepared chicken salad and grilled veggies for dinner.  After a delightful visit we set out for the over two hour drive back to the campground.   An exhausting day indeed!

Now later today we see our cardiologist.   Both of us feeling fit, just our annual checkups.

Until next time.....

Celebrations and RV changes

Mooch Camping
Upper Deerfield Twp, NJ

Well here we are for a few more days, mooching off our friends Lyn and Shirley Mooneyham.  We arrived last Wednesday and will be leaving this Wednesday.

 1st Celebration:

June 10 was the 7th birthday of our granddaughter Abby:

Every little girl likes Ana and her friends from Frozen.   Abby with Ana and her big sister Charlotte:

Abby got to select where to go for dinner.   INDIAN FOOD.   She loves the pitas and creamed spinach.   Also hummus and other Indian delights.  These girls like not only Indian food, but Japanese, Vietnamese and Peruvian.   They know the names of dishes I'd never even heard of (or ate).

2nd celebration:    Wedding

Yesterday daughter Terri was Maidren of Honor at her HS friend Debbie's wedding.   Terri and the groom Bill

Once more I goofed.  I don't have a single good picture of Debbie the bride.  Here's is the best I took.

A good time was had.  Even got in a few Country Line dances and two-steps.   Len and me:

RV changes.  

We love our new Open Range.  I like the color brown...... but this was TOO much.  Brown, nothing but brown.   Brown furniture.  Brown cabinets.  Brown bedspread and curtain.  Brown floors.  Brown carpeting.  So last week Terri and I did a bit of shopping.

Living room before:

After:

Kitchen before

After:

I have 4 pillows that are cream and brown.  My friend Karen, a seamstress will be stopping by in a couple of days to see what she can do to change them out and give us more color.

What that's about it for today.   Until next time......

I do have favorites

Hershey Preserve TT Campground
Lebanon, PA

We are on the downside of our time here at this popular Thousand Trails Park, leaving next Wednesday.  

 Yesterday we got to spend time with one old friend and two newer ones.  When we lived in NJ we were friends with a couple who attended our little church.   Then a few years ago Diane and Russ moved to Florida.   Diane and I have remained in touch.  We visited them in Florida last summer.  This week Diane came up for her grandsons graduation.  Her family lives but 20 miles from where we are camped.  We picked up Diane, bought her back here for a visit and then we went to lunch.

Then last night we met our new friends Darlene and Jim for dinner.  We met this nice couple when in the area last fall.   They plan to eventually fulltime RV.  They are also camped at this park now.  And to our delight we find they will be at a campground near Cape May, NJ the same time as us in July.

 Visiting with friends, eating out twice in one day..... how good does it get.  

People have asked us what is our favorite areas of the country.   I do have a few:

Michigan......we fell in love last fall.  Michigan has more lighthouses than any other state.

The beauty of Mackinaw Island is breathtaking:

Wild Mustangs at Theodore Roosevelt National Park in North Dakota:

Tenkiller Lake area of Oklahoma.  We just won't return during tornado season.

The mountains of North Carolina

The Prince William Sound off Valdez, Alaska, a treasure trove of wildlife.

Lancaster and Lebanon counties of Pennsylvania.  So neat and tidy.  Well kept lawns.  Old stone houses and rolling hills.

These are a few of my favorites.  What are yours?

What have we come to......

Hershey Preserve Thousand Trials
Lebanon,  PA

We left TN on Tuesday and drove a little over 400 miles where we over-nighted at the West Virginia Welcome Center.   On Wednesday we did the remaining 150 miles to spend two weeks at this TT park.

After getting settled we drove down to Maryland to visit a bit with daughter Amy, SIL Scott and granddaughters Charlotte and Abby.   Last night we went to daughter Terri and SIL Steve's house to visit.  (And do a load of laundry).   We like this park as it is only 7 miles from Terri's house.

Like most folks today, I spend time surfing the Internet.  The Internet has reconnected me to people I have lost track with over the years and gave me opportunities to meet many that I would have never have met except for being on-line.  All this said, I am saddened to read so much rudeness and inappropriate conduct being tossed around.   And mis-information.

On one RV site I read where the original poster was told when entering Canada everyone is checked and they MUST have $1,000. on them.  If not, they can not enter the country.  Really?  People believe this?

Then I read where several people were re-posting that  Betty White died on the day after she turned 94 because she was out partying with young men.  When asked about it, she had said that if she died tomorrow she would have gone out happy.  A simple Internet search tells me....Betty White is alive. Wish people would check things out before re-posting.

Another one... the store Target will no longer sell American Flags.   Not true.

Oh, and the US banned smoking in cars effective some time in March.  This happened LAST YEAR in England.  There are some state and local ordinances banning smoking in cars, no Federal.  Check it out before posting.

One I really love...... on FB coupons keep popping up for free stuff from restaurants and grocery stores.  If everyone used these coupons, the store or restaurant would be in serious financial trouble.  Oh, and Mark Z is NOT going to share his fortunes with you.

I follow a lot of RV related sites.  Someone will post their thoughts of golf carts, who is REALLY a fulltimer, kids, dogs yelping, etc and just watch the snarky, nasty comments to follow.  And please don't give an opinion of which truck, RV, Motorhome you prefer.

I read articles related to politics.   Then I read the comments.  The name calling, insults and hateful comments are disgraceful and ugly.   People can disagree on issues, but thoughtful discussion is better than hate spewed rhetoric.  Few of these people that post ugly comments would say the same thing face to face.

A few weeks ago I read about a young girl who died at her schools field day.  The picture of her was a head shot.  She looked to have a full face.   The comments that followed were shocking.  People talking about her being over-weight and her parents got what they deserved by letting her get fat.  I prayed her parents never saw these comments.   This is not uncommon.  People  jumping to judge others in the most vile way.

And the latest..... the gorilla or the child.  Need I say more?

What have we come to......

Beans, beans the musical.......

Heiskell, TN

Yesterday being a beautiful day, we took a 53 mile drive toward the Smokies

to the town of Dandridge.    Part of the drive was narrow, winding roads with water on both sides.

Our destination was the small community of Chestnut Hill, the home of Bush Beans.

On one side of the narrow road is the manufacturing plant.

 On the other, the visitors center

Len admiring a Bush Beans Ford

Walking into the visitors center is the gift shop

All varieties of Bush beans are sold here plus lots of other good stuff.   We like their beans, especially the grilling label.  The cost of the beans in the gift shop was lower than I pay even at Walmart.  If we had a house, I would have loaded up.  But knowing I have two cans back in the RV, I decided I really didn't have a need.

Every half hour a 20 minute video is shown telling the history of Bush Beans.  The Bush family purchased land in 1904 to start a different business but were approached to be a canning facility. This is the 4th generator of Bush family canners.  For most of their history they had an assortment of products.  Tomatoes, asparagus, kraut, green beans, etc.  Having not read everything in the museum I don't know when the decided it was just beans.

After the video we strolled through their little museum.

Now they process over 1,000 cans of beans a minute.  Their beans are grown in North Dakota and Michigan.   And processed by the secret recipe.   Duke isn't even telling.

Len getting his weight in beans.  Me? no thanks.  I don't like what the scale says in pounds and I prefer not to see it in beans.

I would say I will get weighed when pigs fly..... but.....

Everyone is invited to get a free picture taken with Duke.

They also have a cafe.   I would have liked to have eaten there, but it was relatively early and we really were not hungry.   Later on the drive back to the campground we stopped at Outback.  That was okay, but I kind of wish we had gone into the cafe and had their pinto bean pie.

Until next time......

Footwear

Heiskell, TN


We had a mighty fine time back in Alabama.  Got to spend some time with our son Lennie, his wife Lois and the kids Maddie and Jordan.

Also had quality time with our NOMADS friends Linda and Gary Williams.   Crawfish creole:

We pulled out of Hidden Cove TT park in Arley, Al on Monday the 16th and drove the easy 280 miles to

here in Heiskell, TN.   We have stayed at this park a couple of other times.  The first time we met sweet Judy Hughes from Baton Rouge.  The second time we knew she was here again and surprised her when we pulled up in the site next door where she was parked.  She is currently in TN but on the other side of this wide state.

One of the first things we did when arriving was make an appointment at Tennessee RV in Knoxville, an Open Range dealer.   Many people with this model have had trouble with the inverter controller.  It only sends power to one of the batteries.  Because of this, the refrigerator/freezer does not operate when not on shore power.   Although they are very busy with folks getting ready for the first summer holiday, they agreed to see us on Wednesday.   Yup, that was the problem.  They are ordering a new controller and will install it on the 31st.   Very accommodating.  That is when we leave this park headed to Pennsylvania.  Our travel route takes us past their dealership.   We have found Open Range customer service superb.   Few companies offer a two year warranty of which Highland Ridge who makes the Open Range line is one.  Most give just a one year warranty.   So far we LOVE this unit.

When going to Tennessee RV Len saw signs about a boot outlet in nearby Sevierville offering two free pair with the purchase of one.  This morning he said "let's go for a ride".  I should have known.

He fell in love with the top pair.   $400.00!!!!!!.     Okay of course you pay for the most expensive.  Then he liked the next pair.   $200.00.     I needed work boots so here they are.  Harley Davidson model.  $189.00.    Three pairs for $400.00.   But we get back here and I ask....How Stupid are we????  He could have gotten another $400.00 pair and have two pair of $400.00 boots instead of one $400.00 and one $200.00.   I left my brain back in Alabama.  Are they that good and worth the price? Who knows.  But the man is happy.  And I Really needed work boots.

Until next time....

Hidden Cove and beyond

Hidden Cove TT Campground
Arley, AL

Following church in Vinton, LA on Sunday we headed northeast a bit for the 450+ mile ride to this campground.    As we no longer care to travel more than 300 miles a day, we over-nighted at a rest area on I59 near Hattiesburg, MS.   We found this rest area to be quiet, well lit and minimal highway noise.

We had spent just a few days at this campground back in January on our way west.  We choose this campground for two reasons.   It is in our Thousand Trails membership ($425 a year for 2 Zones) so we pay just $3.00 a night.  It is also relatively close to our son and family in Cullman, AL.  I guess we can call about 40 miles relatively close.  It is an easy drive.

This campground has just 63 sites, many of which are under yearly rental.  But it has a lot to offer.  Clubhouse, Pool (not open yet) fishing, clean and inexpensive laundry and really nice Managers.

Our site:

We are directly across from the playground

And the mini golf course

And a short walk down to a finger of huge Smith Lake.  We say we have lake front view.  Yup, can see the lake if we stretch our neck and look through the trees.

Won't you love living here?

Another great unexpected pleasure......I was sitting at the computer Tuesday afternoon and saw an RV drive by.  On the car was a NOMADS sign.   Len and I were curious if we knew them.  So walked right down to where they were parked.  Yup!  Gary and Linda Williams!  We've worked with them way back in 2010 and have spent time with them while attending annual NOMADS meetings.

Thursday night we watched Grandson Jordan play T Ball

And I received this gift from daughter Terri, her hubby Steve and their dog Cane.  Never thought about carrying a vase in the RV.  All I have are stored away in one of our two utility trailers.  This lovely receptacle was given by Lennie to his Dad many years ago.  Came in handy.

Tomorrow is Mothers Day.  Lennie, Lois, Jordan and Maddie will be coming here to the park.  Joining us for Lennie's lucious burgers and other goodies will be our friends Gary and Linda.  Going to be a great day.

In an hour we go to the ice cream social here at Hidden Cove.  Alrighty then......

Until next time.