Slow Day and Louise Update

Apex, NC
40 deg. clear, no wind.
Forecast today = high temp. 70 deg. clear, N winds @ 5 mph.

Kind of a slow day around here yesterday. It was a pretty day, but it was cool and windy, so Jim and Linda didn't go out much. Today, I think Jim is going to go out and clean up the patio mat that he put out to keep from tracking a lot of dirt inside of me. You see, when we had all of that heavy rain the last few days, it washed a bunch of debris on top of it. Being that it's vinyl, he'll probably be able to just sweep it off, but he may have to get out the water hose.

Mike and Gina are going to be busy with family things today, so Jim and Linda won't be going over there. So, they're planning on going out to go out to eat today. I'm not sure if they'll go for lunch or dinner, but I'm quite sure they will go to a Perkins Restaurant.

OK, Now I can hear you asking, "How does he know that they will be going to a Perkins Restaurant?" Well, there is a coupon from Perkins laying on the computer table, and I heard them talking about going there last night.

See, I pay attention.

Jim called Roland last night, and found out that Louise is doing a little better. In fact, in a few days, she is going to be transferred from the hospital to a long term recovery/rehab center. Now, this is not the same rehab center that she was in before. That was a short term center, and this one is for long term. Being that she had so many injuries, this is probably where she should have been in the first place.

Anyway, she will be on IV antibiotics for about a month, and then on oral antibiotics for at least another year to be sure the staph infection is gone. And then, at the same time, she will also be in intensive therapy for about the next 2 months.

Did you know that when angered, the ears of a Tazmanian devil turns a pinkish-red?

So glad you're doing better, Louise.

Photo and Heavy Rain

Apex, NC
51 deg. mostly cloudy, W. wind @ 10 mph Forecast today = high temp. 65 deg., mostly sunny, NW wind @ 10 to 20 mph.

Jim finally got everyone together to take this photo of Mike, Brenna, (in pink), Savanna, (in blue), Gina, and baby Dillon. As you can see, the two girls have a lot of trouble posing for photos right now. :-)

It rained most of the day yesterday, with a short break in the afternoon, so Jim and Linda didn't do much before heading to Mike's about 4:00. After a very nice dinner, good conversation, and the "photo session", they started back here to the CG. I say started because it took them a little longer than usual. You see, as soon as they left Mike's, it started to rain. Now, this was not a normal shower, it poured! CLT told me that Jim had to slow him way down because it was raining so hard that he couldn't see the road, even with the wipers on high! Also, some of the roads were virtually under water, and CLT was afraid that he would lose his grip on the road if they went too fast.

Now this brings up another subject that I get on my soap box about. It's the driver that refuses to slow down even though everyone else is crawling along, trying to be safe. I don't know if these people think that they are better drivers than everyone else on the road, or if they think their vehicles are able to do things that none of the others can do, or if they're just plain stupid!

I think it might be the last thing.

Anyway, CLT, Jim and Linda made the trip back here without incident, and in fact, buy the time they arrived, it had almost quit raining.

I think that today, Jim is going to call Roland again, to find out how Louise is doing. If there's any news, I'll post it here tomorrow.

Did you know that at McDonald's in New Zealand, they serve apricot pies instead of cherry ones?

Rain, Rain, Go Away, and Benifits of Full-timing

Apex, NC
63 deg. rain, no wind.
Forecast today = high temp. 72 deg. 80% chance of showers & t-storms, SW wind @ 10 to 15 mph with gusts to 25 mph.

It rained most of the day yesterday, it rained all night, and it's supposed to rain all day today. Then, they're talking about temperatures dropping down to the low 40's!! Brrrrr!! Of course some of you that are reading this that are waaaaay up North are chuckling, but to us, 41 deg. in the last week in April is cold! At least we're not having snow, (sorry about that 4 letter word), like they are having up in ND, MN, and WI.

How about that NASCAR race in Talladega yesterday! Pretty good race, but I don't think Jim was too happy about the outcome. He says that he doesn't think Kyle Bush could have held onto the lead if the yellow flag had not come out on the last lap.

Jim and Linda didn't see Mike and his family yesterday. They had other things that they needed to do, so Jim and Linda just hung around here with me. You know what? That's another thing that's nice about this full-timing lifestyle. While Mike and his family are busy with other things, Jim and Linda are "at home", and perfectly comfortable here at the campground. Then, when they're not busy, Jim and Linda can go visit them again. The same thing will happen in just over a week from now when we are at Joe and Nancy's house in Virgina Beach. Even though we will be parked in their driveway, they can still continue their normal daily routine, and when they're not busy, Jim and Linda will simply go into the house and visit with them.

Pretty neat, don't you think?

In yesterday's post I told you that the longest recorded flight of a chicken was 13 seconds.
Did you know that the Wright Brother's first airplane flight was only 12 seconds?

Our prayers are with you, Louise.

Fun Day

Apex, NC

63 deg. mostly cloudy, no wind

Forecast today = High temp. 74 deg. mostly cloudy with a 70% chance of rain, light S. winds.

Yesterday was a fun day. Dillon, (the baby), was real fussy, so Gina stayed home with him, but Mike brought Brenna and Savanna out here to see me. They sure have grown since I last saw them about 6 months ago. Anyway, they got here about 4:00 and soon after, they were all around the campfire roasting hot dogs and brats.

After they finished eating, Jim tried to get some photos of the girls, but right now, they are going through a "camera shy" stage, and every time Jim got the camera our, they hid someplace. Oh well, Jim wanted a family photo anyway, so he'll try to get one this next week.

The weatherman had forecast a chance of rain yesterday but while they were here, it was nice and sunny most if the time. After they left, and Jim was putting some things away, it started to rain, and in fact, we had a pretty heavy shower about 20 minutes after they were gone.

Some days things just work out.

This park gets quite busy on weekends, but being that the sites are surrounded by trees, they are quite deep, and you're back away from the road, you really don't notice the other campers very much.

And then when the weekend is over, I almost have the whole place to myself! :-)

Did you know that the longest recorded flight of a chicken is 13 seconds?

Get well, Louise.

Not Good News and Company Coming

Apex, NC
60 deg. mostly cloudy, no wind.
Forecast today = High temp. 83 deg. mostly cloudy, 30% chance of showers and t-storms this afternoon, SW winds @ 1 to 10 mph.

Jim called Roland yesterday and the news was not good. Since we left there, Louise has acquired a Staph infection in her hip, and has had 2 surgeries to remove infected tissue. She is now on very heavy antibiotics and is not doing too well. Roland is very discouraged, (which anyone can understand), and of course, very worried.

All of us thought that Louise was on the road to recovery, but now she has had to take a big detour. We are all hoping and praying that she will get back on that recovery road real soon.

Yesterday afternoon, Jim and Linda went back to Mike's. Again they had a very nice meal and enjoyed being with Mike and his family. They got back here to the CG about 7:30.

Today, if the weather holds, Mike and his family are coming out here to see me. The girls have a birthday party to go to, so they won't be able to come our her until about 4:00. Then the plan is to roast hot dogs and marshmallows over a campfire. Sounds like fun!

Oh, Jim took this photo of Mike's house, with his new camera, while he was there yesterday. I'm hoping that he'll take some photos of Mike and his family when they come out here today. If he does, I'll be sure to post them here on the blog.

I have to go now. I need to get ready for my company this afternoon.

Did you know that 7% of the entire Irish barley crop goes to the production of Guinness beer?

Our thoughts and prayers are with you Louise.

Photos and My Engine

Apex, NC
57 deg. mostly cloudy, no wind
Forecast today = High temp. 83 deg. clearing this morning, S. winds @ 5 mph.

I might have know it. Yesterday, Jim was going around taking pictures of everything. I know he's trying to figure out how to use that new digital camera, but I sure hope he learns pretty soon. I'm getting tired of always trying to look my best, in case the next shot is of me. For instance, yesterday afternoon, he really caught me off guard. Before I knew what was happening, he opened my engine compartment door and took photos of my engine!! Now, I didn't have time to check if my belts were all aligned or not, and I'm sure there is a lot of dust and dirt back there that should have been cleaned off before he started taking pictures!

I sure hope those photos don't get on the Internet. They could ruin my reputation!

For lunch yesterday, Jim took Linda to a Chili's Restaurant. She really likes to get one of their soups and have a salad with it. Jim on the other hand, had a grilled chicken sandwich that he said was real tasty. They weren't gone very long, and before I knew it, Jim was back here playing with that camera again. (That's when he took the photos of my engine!!)

Later in the afternoon, Jim got out his bicycle and rode it around in the park a little. It's been quite a while since he rode it and it's pretty hilly here, so when he got back, he said that his legs were tired.

Good! Maybe then he won't be running around taking pictures of my engine!

We haven't heard anything from Roland lately. Jim and Linda were talking about it last night and decided that they would call him today, to see how he and Louise are doing.

Did you know that other than humans, black lemurs are the only primates that may have blue eyes?

I can't believe he took photos of my engine! What next, my transmission or my holding tanks?

Internet Connections and Digital Cameras

Apex, NC
57 deg. clear, little breeze
Forecast today= High temp. 79 deg. clear, NE winds @ 5 mph.

Don't really know what happened this morning. Tried to get on the Internet, and couldn't connect with this air card. I had a good signal, but it just wouldn't connect. It finally connected, so now I'm hoping this connection holds until I get this entry posted.

Don't tell anyone, but Jim is a big "Copy Cat"! He's been looking at new digital cameras, (because his old Soney is about 8 years old), and so the other day, when he was at Mike's, he asked Mike if he had any experience with the new cameras on the market. Well, Mike had just bought one, and he got it out to show Jim. Jim checked it out, and asked Mike a bunch of questions about it. I guess he really liked what he saw, because yesterday, he went to Circuit City and bought one just like it.

OK, Mike's is black and Jim's is silver, but other than that they're the same.

Now I can hear you asking, "OK so what kind of camera did he buy?' Well, it's a Cannon SD750. It's a little bitty thing and only measures 3.61" x 2.24" x 0.77", and only weighs about 4.6 oz. Now that's small! Anyway, this thing is loaded with all features that Jim wanted, and on top of that, it even takes movies! Now if he can just learn to operate it. :-)

After Jim bought the camera, he and Linda went to Walgreen's and then the Harris Teeter grocery store. I didn't think they were ever going to get done carrying bags into me. I think they bought the stores out again.

They didn't go to Mike's yesterday nor will they go today. Mike and his family have things that they needed to do yesterday and today, so Friday, Jim and Linda will go back over there to see them again. Then on Saturday, I think they're coming out here to see me! I can hardly wait!!

Hey! How about Danica Patrick! She's on all the morning shows on TV. Way to go!! Maybe the Indy 500 this year?

Did you know that Des Moines has the highest per capita Jello consumption in the U.S.?

Resorts

Apex, NC
59 deg. overcast, no wind
Forecast today = High temp. 74 deg. mostly cloudy, 20% chance of showers, NW winds @ 10 to 15 MPH.

Resorts! I'm trying to figure out why some RV parks and campgrounds call themselves "resorts" and others don't. To me, a "resort" is a place where they have all kinds of activities and facilities. They should have pools, large recreation buildings, beautiful landscaping, maybe a fountain or two, paved roads, and maybe even sidewalks. I guess when I think of "resorts", I think luxury.

Why then, does a park call themselves a resort when they have none of the above? We have stayed at places that are called resorts, where the only thing good about it is that it has full hook-up sites. There are no pools, or anything else that resembles a "resort".

The only thing I can figure, is that when a Campground or RV Park calls themselves a "resort", it gives them the right to charge anywhere from $10 to $20 more per night, regardless of the facilities that they have.

I wonder if I had Jim make a sign to hang outside of my entry door that said, "Welcome to Myrddin's Resort", I could charge people $5 or $10 to enter and use my luxury facilities? I could use the extra money to buy some more of that #2 diesel fuel. :-)

OK, enough about resorts.

Not much happened around here yesterday. About 4:00 Jim and Linda took CLT and went back to Mike's to visit some more. They had another great meal and more good conversation, and then sbout 7:30 they rolled back into the campground. They then watched some TV and went to bed after the 11:00 news.

Did you know that the Boston University Bridge, (on Commonwealth Ave., Boston, MA), is the only place in the world where a boat can sail under a train, driving under a car, driving under and airplane?

Jordan Lake and Family

Apex, NC.
57 deg. rain, no wind.
Forecast today = High temp. 65 deg. cloudy, 50% chance of rain NE winds @ 10 to 15 mph.

We left Concord NC at about 10:00 and took Rts 29 and 601 to Rt 49. 49 took us up to Asheboro, where we turned East on US 64, and followed it here to Apex, and the Jordan Lake SRA. we arrived about 12:10 PM, so it was a short traveling day covering 110 miles, with good roads and decent weather.

Now, some of you are probably asking, "Why did they stop so early at a State Recreation Area near Apex, SC"? Well, Jim and Linda's son Mike, and his family live in Apex, and we're here to see them. We'll be here for 2 weeks.

Over the years, this has turned out to be one of our favorite parks. If you're lucky, you can get a site overlooking the lake, but this time, all of those sites were full, or were reserved for next weekend. It doesn't really matter though, most of the sites are really nice, with level parking areas and large gravel areas with picnic tables, fire rings, and poles to hang a lantern on. The sites are far apart with natural woods in between, and there is very little noise, (except for birds and other wildlife).

Aaaahh, peace and quiet. A very nice change from the commercial parks that we have been staying at lately.

Anyway, about 4:30 Jim and Linda took CLT and drove over to Mike's, (which is about a 15 minute drive from here), had a very nice dinner, and visited with Mike, Gina. Brenna, Savanna, and baby Dillon, until a little after 7:00. When they came back here, they were talking about how much the girls and baby Dillon have grown. We were here last fall, right after Dillon was born, and they were amazed how much all of the kids have changed in 6 months.

I can't wait to see them. Maybe they'll come out here to see me this weekend.

Did you know that Maine is the only state that borders on only one other state?

We haven't forgotten about you, Louise.

GA to NC

Concord, NC.
51 deg. overcast, no wind.
Forecast today = High temp. 70 deg. mostly cloudy, chance of showers this afternoon, winds N. @ 5 to 10 MPH.

We left Norcross just a little before 10:00 yesterday morning, got back on I-85 and headed NE towards South Carolina. When we got up to exit 160, Jim pulled me into a Flying J Truck Stop to get me a much needed drink of #2 diesel. Now, I didn't get a very big drink of diesel, because Jim had checked on the Internet, and found out that diesel was 10 cents a gallon cheaper in South Carolina than in Georgia. So, he just gave me enough to get us to the Northern part of SC where we would fill me up before heading into North Carolina, where the fuel prices were even higher than Georgia. (Did you follow that?) After fueling me, he and Linda decided that they needed some food too, so they parked me in the RV parking area, and went inside and had breakfast. When they finished, we continued NE up into South Carolina.

Now, the plan was to stop for the night at a Campground near Gaffney, SC., but when we pulled off at the exit for the CG, we did not see the signs for the CG, and ended up in a store parking lot where Jim tried to call the campground for directions. He tried 2 different numbers, but didn't get an answer on either one. Now, being that we hardly ever make reservations, Jim usually has a back-up plan. Well, this backup was another hour up the road in Concord, NC.

If you remember, I still needed to get some more fuel before we left SC, so after getting back on I-85 we continued NE a few miles to Blacksburg, where we pulled into another Flying J and filled my tank completely up. Wow! Two drinks of diesel in one day!. I can't remember when that last happened! After the fuel stop, we got back on I-85 and followed it through Charlotte and to the Fleetwood RV Camping Resort here in Concord.

We have been to this park before. We visited Roland and Louise a few years ago when they were here. They have both worked at this park from time to time. It's right next to the Charlotte Motor Speedway, and gets completely full when they have races there. It's nothing special, but we knew it would be a good place to stop for the night. We pulled in here about 3:30, (a long day for us), and traveled 238 miles.

One good thing about coming this far yesterday, is that we won't have to deal with the Charlotte traffic this morning.

Did you know that the hundred billionth crayon made by Crayola was Perriwinkle Blue?

The Varsity and Saying Good-bye

Norcross, GA
51 deg. clear, calm winds.
Forecast today = High temp. 74 deg, mostly sunny, NW winds @ 5 to 10 MPH.

About 3:30 yesterday afternoon, Jim and Linda headed over to the Emory Rehab/Therapy Center to see Louise and Roland for the last time before leaving here. CLT said that the traffic was lighter than any other time that he had gone over there.

Soon after they got there, Jim and Roland went to a place in down-town Atlanta, called the Varsity, to get some hot dogs and hamburgers. Now, from what I can understand, if you're from the Atlanta area, the Varsity is right up on top of the list of "places to be". I heard Jim talking about it, and he said that it was a huge place, with hundreds of people ordering and eating these famous hot dogs. He said that they are open 24 hours a day and sell thousands of hot dogs every day.

Anyway, they brought the food back to the rehab center, and Roland, Louise, Linda, and Jim, had a very nice meal together.

About 7:00 Louise started getting very tired, so Jim and Linda said their good bye's and headed back here to the park. Again, it was a sad time. We probably won't see Roland and Louise again for almost a year.

Louise has a very bumpy road ahead of her. She is in a lot of pain, and when the bones in her left leg and hip heal enough, she will have to endure a very lot of therapy on that leg. It's any one's guess if they will be able to continue to full-time, or for that matter, RV much at all. Only time will tell. Louise is strong, and she has great faith, so if it can be done, we're confident she will have a successful recovery.

We love you, Louise. Keep the faith.

Did you know that almonds are members of the peach family?

Driving RVs, The Car Mechanic and Big Herb

Norcross, GA
58 deg. rain, no wind.
Forecast today = High temp. 68 deg. becoming partly cloudy this afternoon, W. winds @ 5 to 15 MPH.

I know that everyone has to learn sometime, but some people should not be driving large RVs. Case in point. Yesterday afternoon, this nice looking (about 38 foot), RV, that was towing a trailer with a car on it, pulled into the site just to my left. Now, this would have been fine except the driver pulled into the site on an angle with the front of the MH not more than 3 feet from my side. If he would have stayed there, and put out his slide-out, the slide would have been about a foot from me. I really thought he was going to stay, because he got out and looked like he was going to start hooking up his utilities.

I think Jim was just about ready to go out and say something to the driver, when all of a sudden, he decided to get back in the MH, start the engine and roar out of the site. Whew! I sure was glad he left!

Now, this still isn't over. The guy pulled the MH into a site 2 spaces down from me, and that's when the fun began. First, he couldn't decide how far forward or back he should be, and he was roaring back and forth in the site and not paying any attention to his wife, who was trying to direct him. Then he got out wooden blocks and proceeded to try to level the MH by driving up on the blocks. At this time I thought, "maybe his levelers are broken". Nope. After he finally got the MH up on the blocks, after driving over them five or six times, he proceeded to put down the leveling jacks!! Now I know I'm not the smartest MH in the park, but what is the purpose of leveling jacks? To level!!! No blocks needed!!

Now, like I said at the beginning, everyone has to learn, but this guy needs some lessons soon! If he doesn't get help, he's going to wreck something or hurt someone.

Yesterday morning Jim went with Roland to the car dealer to find out what was squeaking on the front of his car. The mechanic decided that it was strut mounts, and they would have to order the parts, so Roland will have to take the car back later for repairs. Then Roland and Jim went to the storage lot where Big Herb, (Roland's MH), is parked. I'm glad I wasn't there to see him. He's parked back against a hill, in between a boat and another RV, and hooked up to a skinny little electric cord that is keeping his batteries charged. And, the worst part is, he has no idea how long he is going to have to stay there, and when he does get out, if he will ever be on the road much again.

Jim and Linda didn't go to the rehab center yesterday. Some other friends of Roland and Louise were in the area, and were going to be there, so being that the visiting hours are quite short, and the room is kind of small, Jim and Linda decided to wait until today, and then spend a longer time visiting with Louise. (Visiting hours are longer on the weekends.)

Today is our last day here in the Atlanta area. Jim and Linda are hoping that they were able to be of some comfort to Roland and Louise while we were here. It seemed like they were.

Did you know that the infinity sign is called a lemniscate?

Hang in there, Louise.

Rehab, Auto Repairs, and Traffic

Norcross, GA
45 deg. clear, no wind.
Forecast today = high temp. 77 deg. mostly sunny, S wind @ 5 to 15 MPH.

Roland and Louise had a meeting with Louise's doctor yesterday morning. They both had a lot of concerns and questions about Louise's therapy/rehab, and is sounds like most of them were addressed. When Roland came out here to the park, just a little before noon, he seemed to be more at ease with Louise's treatment.

Roland left here about 3:30 to go back to the hospital rehab center, and then about 6:00 Jim and Linda took CLT and headed over there too.

Today, Roland is going to stop by here to pick up Jim and then they will head up to the North side of Atlanta where Roland bought his Saturn. I think I was telling you about the squeak in the front suspension, well, Roland made an appointment to have it checked out this morning. After that, they will go to where Big Herb, (Roland's Winnebago Journey MH), is parked and get pick up some clothes and stuff. Then they will stop by Roland's sister's house to pick up mail, do a little shopping, and then head back here.

Sounds like a full day to me.

Last night after returning from the rehab center, CLT was telling me about the horrific traffic that he has been dealing with here in the Atlanta area. He said that it wasn't usual to have traffic blocked up for miles on the expressways and blocks and blocks on the side streets. What brought the discussion up was an incident that happened on the way to the hospital. He said that he was driving along in the right lane, minding his own business, when this car from 2 lanes over came across in front of him to get onto an exit ramp. He said that Jim had to slam on his brakes to stop from broadsiding the car. Boy, I'm sure glad that wasn't me out there. Jim never would have gotten me slowed down in time. CLT says that he sure won't miss the traffic when we leave here.

Did you know that the dollar symbol ($) is a U combined with an S (U.S.)?

Get well, Louise.

Speed Bumps Revisited and Louise

Norcross, GA
44 deg. clear, calm winds.
Forecast today = High temp. 74 deg, sunny, SW winds @ 5 to 10 MPH.

Did you ever wonder who designed speed bumps? Is there a standard height/width that they should be? I know I've talked about them before, but they're different in this park. Here, we have all different kinds of speed bumps. As you are coming into the park, there are 2 small ones,(about 3 inches tall and 6 inches wide), located about 3 feet apart. If you hit these too fast, they will definitely rattle your dishes. As you continue on, there is one that is about 4 inches tall, but is almost 3 feet wide. (Kind of like a big hump in the road). Farther into the park, there is another about 4 inches tall, but only about a foot wide. In fact there are a couple like that in the park. But, on the road behind me, there is one that will check every part of your suspension. This thing is about 6 or 8 inches tall, and only about a foot wide. From the scrape marks on it, you can see where many vehicles have drug as they crossed it.

Why can't speed bumps be standardized so us RVs know what to expect? Is it necessary to have them so high that we drag as we cross them? And, who designed these things anyway? These are just a few of the questions that I will probably never find answers for.

Roland came to see me again yesterday. He and Jim went to the store to pick up a few things, and then they sat outside and talked for quite awhile. He's really concerned about Louise. She's having a lot of trouble with the rehab thing. She is in a lot of pain, and her muscles have become very weak from being in bed for over a month now. It's going to be a long hard struggle for her.

Jim and Linda went to see her last night, and their hearts go out to her. It's hard to see a good friend in so much discomfort and not be able to help.

Did you know that when a coffee seed is planted, it takes five years to yield it's first consumable fruit?

Hang in there Louise. Everyone is praying for a speedy recovery for you.

SUVs, Visiting Louise and the "Illinois Bunch"

Norcross, GA
36 deg. clear, no wind.
Forecast today = High temp. 70 deg. sunny, SW winds @ 5 to 10 MPH.

About 10:00 yesterday morning, Roland came out here to the park to see me. While he was here, he and Jim fooled around with his new SUV a little. (Actually it's a 2005 model). It's a Saturn VUE, it's silver in color, and it seemed pretty nice. It does have a squeak somewhere in it's front end though, and that's what Roland and Jim were trying to find. Anyway, like I said, it does seem like a nice vehicle, but I'm sure going to miss BJ (Blue Jeep). As you know, he was totaled in the accident that injured Roland and Louise.

After a little while, Roland and Jim took the SUV and went over to the Publix store so Roland could pick up a few things for Louise. Then when they came back, everyone had lunch and then visited for awhile. About 1:30 or so, Roland decided to head back to an apartment that he is staying at, before going back to the Rehab/Therapy Center.

About 6:00 Jim and Linda took CLT (Cute Little Truck), and headed to the Rehab Center to see Louise. They said that she seemed to be doing OK, but was in a lot of pain. They have had her up and putting weight on her right leg already. None on the left leg though, as that is the one that had a lot of broken bones. After about an hour, Jim and Linda came back here and watched TV until bedtime.

Oh, Jim got an e-mail from Dave yesterday. He's one of the "Illinois Bunch" that we visited down in Thonotosassa this winter. Well, if you've been following this blog, you'll probably remember that Gordy had some trouble with his legs and ended up in the hospital, while we were down there. Anyway, Dave said that Gordy is doing pretty well and is also doing therapy. He can now navigate the stairs in his house and doesn't have to use a walker all of the time. That's great!

Dave also said that this last Sunday, they had, (sorry about this four-letter word), "snow" up there in Illinois. He said that it didn't accumulate on the ground, but they had it none the less. I'm sure glad I'm not up there yet. These cold temperatures we are having down here in GA are enough for me!

Today, I think Roland is coming back out here to the park again. He really doesn't have much to do during the day, while Louise is in therapy, so Jim and Linda invited him to spend some time out here. He needs to be with someone or doing something right now, to keep his mind off of things.

You're welcome here any time, Roland.

Dave also sent along a little bit of information I thought you might find interesting.

Did you know that the man who founded the Enterprise Car Rental Co. was a WWII naval pilot and flew off of the USS Enterprise, and thus named his company in honor of the carrier?

Louise, keep up the good work.

Gordy, glad to hear you're doing better.

Weather, Taxes and Change of Plans

Norcross, GA
37 deg. clear, light East winds.
Forecast today = High temp. 58 deg. mostly sunny, N. Winds @ 5 to 15 MPH.

Have you got those taxes done and in the mail?

Yesterday was a cold, nasty day. It never did get above 50 deg., it was breezy, and then it started to rain. I know I shouldn't complain, but for an RV that has only seen a couple of days like that this whole last winter, It felt really cold.

Jim and Linda didn't go to the hospital to see Louise and Roland yesterday. Why not, you ask? Well, right after lunch, Louise was scheduled to be moved to a rehab/therapy center. That move didn't start until sometime after 2 PM. By the time they moved her, it was getting pretty late, and Louise was very tired. Everyone seemed to agree that it was probably best to just wait until today.

So, Jim and Linda decided to go get a few groceries. Well, Mable, (the little woman in the GPS unit), found a Publix grocery for Jim and Linda, (yes, she has a search feature where Jim can search for stores, restaurants, gas stations, and a whole bunch of other stuff, in the area), and directed them to it, by the best route. They didn't need a whole lot of groceries, so they were only gone for a short time. When they got back they said that Mable "did good".

Today, Roland is going to come here to the Park. You see, Louise is going to be doing rehab/therapy most of the day, so Roland really won't be able to spend much time with her. So, why not come and see me?? Of course he'll probably want to visit with Jim and Linda too.

I don't know if Jim and Linda will go to the rehab center today or not. I would imagine that these first few days of doing rehab/therapy will be pretty hard for Louise. We'll have to see how she feels.

Did you know that Ulysses S. Grant's middle name was Simpson?

We're thinking about you, Louise.

Finally seeing Roland and Louise

Norcross, GA
38 deg. mostly cloudy, no wind.
Forecast today = High temp. 52 deg. mostly cloudy, 40% chance of rain, NW winds @ 5 to 15 MPH.

38 deg.!!! What's going on here? It's not supposed to be this cold in Georgia, in April!!!

We left the Twin Oaks RV PK a little after 10:00 and continued N. on I-75. We took the I-475 cut-off to by-pass Macon and then, when we got up close to Atlanta, we took I-675 and I-285 to get up to I-85 where we turned NE and followed it a few miles up here to Norcross and the Jones RV Park. It was about 12:30 when we pulled up to the office, and we had traveled 131 miles.

There road was good with fairly heavy traffic, and there were only a few short sections of construction zone, but the big thing was the wind. 25 to 35 MPH winds with higher gusts, hitting me right from the side. Now, I'm a big heavy coach, but those winds did move me around quite a bit.

The office here at Jones RV Park is closed on Sundays, so Jim picked up a registration form and a map of the CG and we headed out to find the "perfect" site. Well, I don't consider any of the sites here "perfect", but Jim did find me a nice wide site, with a tree to my right, so that no other RV can park too close to me. It'll be fine for a week., although I would like a little grass instead of this gravel.

After Jim and Linda got me settled in, Jim called Roland and he gave Jim directions to Emory Hospital. After a little while, they took CLT and Mable, and headed to Atlanta. Well, everything went fine, and CLT told me that Mable was very helpful directing him to the hospital. In fact it only took about 1/2 hour to get there.

Once at the Hospital, Jim and Linda had to walk a long ways to get to the elevators that took them up to the 7th floor. Linda said that she was glad that it wasn't any farther. Anyway, they got to the 7th floor, and while they were trying to find out which wing to go to, Roland came walking up. After hugs and handshakes, Roland took them in to see Louise.

From what I can gather, Louise is doing pretty well. She has quite a bit of pain, but seems to be in good spirits, and was really happy to see Jim and Linda.

When Jim and Linda get together with Roland and Louise, it has become kind of a "tradition" to have pizza for dinner. Well, Louise felt like she could eat some, so Jim and Roland went to a local pizza place and picked one up and brought it back to the room. Louise ate quit a bit, and Roland said that it was the most she had eaten since she had been in the hospital.

Some things just taste better when you have good friends with you. :-)

After a while, Louise started getting tired, and she still was going to have some therapy, so Jim and Linda came back here and spent the rest of the evening with me and watched TV.

Jim and Linda said that it was sure good to see Roland and Louise again. It's just too bad that it has to be under these circumstances.

Did you know that no word in the English language rhymes with month?

Get well, Louise.

Brrrr!

Elko, GA
44 deg. clear, no wind.
Forecast today = High temp. 68 deg. mostly sunny, NW winds @ 15 to 20 mph.

Brrrr! My oil must be getting thin from being down in Florida. I don't think 44 deg. used to feel this cold!

We left White springs yesterday morning a little after 10:00, and headed North on I-75. We crossed into Georgia and followed 75 up here to Elko, GA, (which is just a little South of Perry), and the Twin Oaks RV Park. When we got here, it was a little after 1:00 and we had driven 159 miles. Along the way, we stopped in a rest area so that Jim and Linda could eat lunch. While we were stopped, Jim did a walk-around of me and checked my tire temperatures with his new infrared thermometer. He said it worked pretty well, and all the temps were within a few degrees of one another.

The traffic was quite heavy on I-75, and there is a lot of highway construction in GA, so it wasn't a very easy driving day. Then, to make it real interesting, we had some rain and strong winds, as a cold front came through the area.

The Twin Oaks RV Park seems to be a very nice park. Most of their sites are pull-thru and they have both shady and open areas. It's very well maintained, and the lady in the office was very friendly and helpful. This is also a Passport America park, so again, I'm staying here for 1/2 price. If we come back through this area again some day, we'll stop here again.

Jim called Roland last night, and it sounds like Louise is doing a little better. They haven't moved her yet, but probably will the first part of next week. Jim told Roland where we were, and come to find out, they have stayed at this park too. Jim also told Roland that he had made reservations at an RV park in Norcross, GA., (which is just NE of Atlanta). Roland said that after we got there and got settled in, Jim should give him a call, and he would give Jim directions to the hospital.

Did any of you watch Jimmy Johnson win the NASCAR race in Phoenix last night?

Did you know that Ralph Lauren's original name was Rahph Lifshitz?

Jim and Linda will see you today, Louise.

Itchy Tire Condition Cured

White Springs, FL
66 deg. clear, no wind.
Forecast today = High temp. 83 deg. party cloudy with a 30% chance of t-storms this afternoon, breezy with SW winds @ 15 to 20 MPH.

Aaaaaah!!! Finally got rid of my itchy tire condition!

We left Orange City just before 10:00 and headed North on US 17. When we got up to Palatka, we turned off on Rt 100, took it up to Lake City, hopped on I-75 and followed it a few miles North to White Springs, where we pulled into Lee's Country Campground, at about 1:30. A total of 158 miles.

Lee's Country Campround is a nice, clean, well maintained park with very friendly folks running it. We've stayed here before, and we've always received a very warm welcome. They don't have a pool or any of that other stuff, but for an overnight stay, who cares? Oh, it's also a Passport America park, so I get to stay here for 1/2 price.

The trip here was good, with good roads and not a real lot of traffic. We did have a few people that didn't seem to mind holding up traffic though. At one point, there was about 20 cars and trucks behind this one driver that insisted on going about 15 MPH below the speed limit. Now, I don't care if someone wants to go slow, but it sure would be nice if they would pull over and let the traffic pass every once in awhile.

The worst thing about someone going slow is that there is always that one driver that just can't wait, and he tries to pass everyone when he really shouldn't. It happened yesterday. This driver in a SUV came around us, and a few other cars, and almost didn't get back into our lane in time. Jim says that they're in a hurry to get to a hospital.

Speaking of hospitals, I wonder how Louise is doing? Either today or tomorrow, she was scheduled to be moved to a different location for therapy.

Did you know that a dragonfly has a lifespan of only 24 hours?

Good luck, Louise

Saying Good-bye and Getting Ready

Orange City, FL
58 deg. clear, no wind.
Forecast today = High temp. 87 deg. mostly sunny, SE winds @ 5 to 10 MPH.

OK, lets go! I'm ready!!! What's the holdup here? So what if it is still dark outside? I've got lights! What? We probably won't be leaving until about 10:00? Bummer!!!!

Well, If we're not leaving until the day is half gone, I guess I have time to tell you what happened around here yesterday. First of all, Jim sprayed some more of that stinky stuff on my awning. He said that the directions on the can said that 2 coats were necessary. Phew! I'm glad that's done.

What? He needs to do my window awnings sometime in the near future? Oh joyous occasion!

About 11:30 Laura stopped by, picked up Linda, and took her over to the Mall in Sanford. They ate lunch at a Bennigan's Restaurant, and then went shopping for a few clothes for Linda. They found a pair of Jeans and a couple of tops that she liked. After they came back here, Laura stayed and visited for a couple of hours. That was nice.

Then it was time for her to go home. Saying good-bye is always hard because it's usually almost a year between visits. Although this year, we'll be back down here for Anna's wedding in August, so it won't be as long as usual.

After Laura left, Jim went out and drained my holding tanks and put away the sewer hose. Then he rolled up all my awnings, checked my tire pressures, and checked out my generator.

This morning, about all that's left to do is unhook the water hose and TV cable. Oh my itchy tires, I don't know why I have to wait until 10:00 to leave!

Did you know that Hacky-sack was invented in Turkey?

Thinking about you, Louise.

Stinky Stuff and Starting To Get Ready

Orange City, FL
58 deg. clear, no wind.
Forecast today = High temp. 83 deg. partly cloudy, E. winds @ 5 to 10 MPH.

Phew! What a smell! Yesterday morning, Jim rolled out my nice clean awning and started spraying it with cans of some stinky stuff called Scotchguard. He says that it will stop the water from leaking through the fabric when it rains. You see, my awning is made of a canvas type material that had a waterproof treatment applied at the factory. But, through the years, I guess it has worn off. Well this super heavy duty Scotchguard stuff is supposed to replace that treatment. We'll see.

About 11:30 Ashley stopped by and visited for a couple of hours. This was the first time she had been out here to the park to see me, since we got back here. Sure was nice to see her again.

After Ashley left, Jim and Linda hopped into CLT and went to the local Win-Dixie to get some groceries. Now, they won't have to worry about finding a place to shop while we're in Atlanta.

About 8:30 PM, Laura called and asked Jim and Linda if they would like to meet her at the Perkins Restaurant. She had just gotten home from work, was hungry, and decided she didn't want to make something to eat at home. So, again Jim and Linda left me alone here in the park, and headed over to meet her. They were gone for about an hour and a half.

When they came back, they watched a little TV, and then went to bed.

Today, is our last day here at Orange City. Like usual, it will hard saying good-by to Laura and her family, but of course, Jim and Linda are looking forward to finally getting up to Atlanta to see Roland and Louise. As for me, I can't wait to get some pavement moving under me, and getting rid of this itchy tire condition.

Did you know that there is no such thing as naturally blue food, even blueberries are purple.

Get well, Louise.

Awnings and Successful Surgery

Orange City, FL
66 deg. foggy, no wind.
Forecast today = High temp 81 deg. partly sunny this afternoon, NE winds @ 10 to 15 MPH.

Yesterday morning, Jim decided it was time to really scrub my main awning. It was getting really scudsy looking and I think there was even some of that dreaded mold growing along the back edge. Anyway, he got out his ladder, bucket, soap, bleach, water hose, and long handled brush and went to work. After scrubbing both the top and bottom of the awning, I'm proud to say, that it looks pretty darned good. Now, if the muscles in Jim's back and shoulders stop aching, everything will be fine.

Laura stopped by for awhile yesterday afternoon. It was sure good to see her again. I'll miss her when we leave here Friday.

Jim and Linda went to the Pier 16 Restaurant for dinner last night. They hadn't been there since we've been back here, and wanted to be sure to go one last time before we leave. It's one of their favorite Seafood Restaurants.

When they got back here, Jim called Roland to find out how Louise's surgery went. Well, she was still in recovery, but Roland had just talked to the surgeon, and had received some good news.

The surgeon said that everything went very well, the right knee was not nearly as damaged as the left one, and he expected that she could start some therapy on it in the next few days. (It will still be 3 or 4 more weeks before therapy is started on the left knee.) Roland was very "up", and was very glad to hear that we will be getting there this Sunday.

OK! Now I can hear you saying, "Now wait a minute, I thought they were going to get there on Saturday!" Well, as I think I have mentioned before, all of our plans are written in pencil, and Jim has a big eraser, that he uses often. He got looking at distances and campgrounds along the way, and decided that there was really no need for us to hurry. In fact, after talking to Roland, it's probably better that we get there on Sunday. Roland said that either Friday or Saturday, they were planning on moving Louise to a therapy section of the hospital or maybe even moving her to a special therapy center, which is a few blocks from the hospital.

Today, I think Ashley is going to stop by for a while, and Jim and Linda are planning on going to the grocery store this afternoon. Time to stock up before our move to Atlanta.

Did you know that a flea expert is called a pullicologist?

Sure glad that the surgery went well, Louise.

Water and Conserving

Orange City, FL.
65 deg. cloudy, NE winds @ 4 MPH
Forecast today = High temp. 79 deg. becoming mostly sunny, NE winds @ 10 to 15 MPH

In many parts of the country, drinking water is becoming more and more scarce. Well, they had a news story on TV this morning about how a local government in the area, is thinking about giving homeowners a tax break, if they can get their water consumption down to less than 100 gallons per person, per day. 100 gallons per person, per day??? Jim and Linda usually don't use 100 gallons a week! How do you know this, you ask? Well, depending on where we are, and the quality of the water, many times Jim and Linda will just use the water out of my fresh water tank, rather than hooking up to the local water source. Well, my tank holds 100 gallons, and it's not unusual to be able to go more than a week before Jim has to refill it. In fact, if they really conserve, they have been able to go 2 weeks on the 100 gallons.

Why do I bring this up, you ask? Well, a lot of people that see me, only see a big fuel guzzling vehicle. Well, I may use quite a bit of fuel when I am going down the road, but I am very efficient in other areas. Lets take electricity for instance. When we are at a park where they charge separately for it, the cost averages $2 a day. The electricity is used for Air Conditioning or heating, as required, heating water, and lighting. I'll bet that a people in a stix & brix house use a lot more than that. OK so now your saying, "I'll bet they use lots of propane." Nope, I only used about 25 gallons total, for all of last year! For additional heat, (when it gets really cold) I have a diesel fired furnace. It's hard to tell exactly how much fuel it used this last heating season, but I know for sure, that it was less than 30 gallons.

Not too shabby.

So now, when you see an RV going down the road, remember, it's very energy efficient, and it is using much less of our natural resources than you might have thought.

Today, Louise is scheduled to have surgery on her right knee. Jim is planning to call Roland this evening to see how it went, so I'll give you an update tomorrow. I sure hope everything goes well.

Oh, I almost forgot. Laura called Jim and Linda yesterday and asked if they would like to meet her and Lindsy at the Cracker Barrel, in Sanford, for dinner. Well of course they said "sure", and so about 5:30 they left here, drove over there, and had a very nice meal with them.

Did you now that when dry ice is manufactured it has a temperature of -109.7 degrees?

A special prayer for you today, Louise.

Itchy Tires, Weather, and Traffic

Orange City, FL.
65 deg. mostly cloudy, no wind.
Forecast today = High temp. 82 deg. mostly cloudy, 2% chance of rain, NE winds @ 10 to 15 MPH.

Arrrrg!! My tires are itching so bad, I can hardly stand it!!! This happen sometimes when I know I'll be traveling soon. It also happens more after I've been sitting a lot during the winter months! At any rate, I need to get moving soooon!

Yesterday Jim and Linda took CLT and met Ashley, for lunch, at the Bob Evans Restaurant. When they came back, they both said that they really enjoyed the time with her. I hope she can come out here to see me before we leave.

Did any of you watch Carl Edwards win the NASCAR race yesterday? And, how about that qualifying crash of the #00 car,on Friday! Michael McDowell sure was lucky.

We had a lot of rain here yesterday afternoon and evening. I guess they need the rain here, but it's been raining more this year than is normal. Most years, there is very little rain in March and April, and then in May, their "rainy season" starts. Oh well, I guess it all evens out in the end.

I wonder what kind of weather we'll be having when we get up to Atlanta? They've had a few severe storms go through there lately.

Aaaaaagggg!! That garbage truck just started crashing and banging the dumpster again!!! Sorry about that. As you probably know by now, those things aggravate me when they come into the park this early.

Anyway, getting back to the Atlanta weather, I hope it will be decent by this weekend because we'll be leaving here Friday, and heading up that way. We'll stop about 1/2 way up there, (probably around Vasdosta, GA), and then get to Atlanta sometime on Saturday. I'm not looking forward to the Atlanta traffic, but I know that Jim and Linda really want to get up there to see Roland and Louise, so I'll deal with it.

Speaking of Atlanta traffic, I don't think Jim is looking forward to it either. He said that years ago, the closest he ever came to wrecking his 18 wheeler, was in Atlanta. From what I can gather, he was heading for Stone Mountain with a load of building materials. The traffic was heavy but moving along well. This guy in a car, in front of him, started to take an off-ramp, decided he was taking the wrong one, came back out on the road and stopped, right in front of him!! Well, Jim didn't hit him, but after he locked up those 18 wheels and got those 36 tons stopped, he was only about 6 inches from the guys back bumper!! And, amazingly, everyone behind Jim got stopped too, without hitting anyone.

You know, I can relate to that. I have had some people in cars do some very stupid things near me. One of my favorites is when a car is merging onto the freeway, doesn't get going, and makes me slow way down. Or, maybe the guy who pulls out in front of me and seems to think that I can stop as fast as he can.

Did you know that the Phillips-head screwdriver was invented by a guy out in Oregon?

Get well, Louise.

News from Atlanta

Orange City, FL.
62 deg. overcast, no wind.
Forecast today = High temp. 82 deg. mostly cloudy, 60% chance of heavy rain and t-storms.

Jim called Roland yesterday afternoon, and it sounds like Louise is doing a little better. Roland said that earlier in the day, they had put her into a reclining wheel chair and were trying to get her to move herself around a little. There have been some change of plans again. Now, Louise is scheduled for surgery on her right knee and leg on Tuesday. When Jim talked to Roland, he was at his sister's house and was going to go looking for a different vehicle for Big Herb to tow. He said that he had been looking at a Saturns.

Yesterday afternoon, Jim and Linda took CLT and went to CVS, where they picked up some over-the-counter stuff and milk, cookies, and beer. Isn't it amazing what they sell in Drug Stores now? They're selling a little of everything there. I wonder if one of these days they'll be adding a lumber department, so you can buy a 2X4 or piece of plywood while you are getting your prescriptions filled?

When they came back, CLT was telling me about some people that had one of the streets here in the park blocked off. One person had a golf cart, and the other a car, and they had parked right on the street, they were out of their vehicles, and were just standing there talking. When CLT pulled up, the people acted like they didn't even see him. He had to drive off into the grass to get around them. I'm sure the park owners really don't want vehicles driving through the grass. Some people are very inconsiderate.

Oh, I almost forgot. Ashley called yesterday, and wanted to know if Linda and Jim would like to meet here someplace for lunch today. She said that she would call back today and then they could decide where and when they would go.

Are you ready to Boogity, Boogity, Boogity in Texas today?

Did you know that the silhouette on the NBA logo is Jerry West?

Still thinking about you, Louise.

Lunch, Wedding and Travel

Orange City, FL
71 deg. clear, S. wind @ 2 MPH
Forecast today = High temp. 85 deg. 40% chance of t-storms this afternoon, S. winds @ 10 to 15 MPH.

Laura called yesterday morning and asked if Jim and Linda would like to go to lunch someplace. Jim wanted to watch some NASCAR stuff on TV, so Laura came and picked up Linda and the two of them went to a little restaurant in Deland. Then, they drove over to Daytona Beach, so Laura could show Linda where they were considering having Anna's wedding reception in August. Linda said the place was really nice.

I can't remember if I mentioned Anna's wedding on this blog or not. Well, anyway, Anna is getting married on the 16th of August, and it is my job to get Linda and Jim back down here for the wedding. Actually, I will need to get them down here almost a week before the wedding, so Linda can go to her doctor on the 10th. Now, this is not going to be as easy as it sounds.

First of all, we'll be up at the Wisconsin Dells, WI, from July 25th through the 30th, for the Potts family Reunion. From the Wisconsin Dells to Orange City is is about 1400 miles. Now, being that Jim and Linda only like to travel about 150 miles a day, that means that the earliest we would get back down here would be on the 9th. OK, so now you're asking, "What's the problem?" Well, Jim and Linda always like to have a few extra days scheduled into their travel plans to allow for bad weather or other unforeseen circumstances. Oh well, we'll work it out.

The garbage truck just came back into the park!

I don't know what's happening today. I don't think either Jim or Linda have anything planned. I guess I'll just sit here, trying to ignore my itchy tires, and watch the other RVs come and go.

Did you know that every 2000 frowns creates one wrinkle?

Roland and Louise, we're thinking about you.

Storms and Computer work

Orange City, FL.
65 deg. clear, no wind
Forecast today = High temp. 88 deg. S. winds @ 10 to 15 MPH., 20% chance of t-storms this afternoon.


Had some nasty weather go through there again last night. Up in Deland, (which is just a few miles North of here), they had real heavy rain and strong winds that brought down some trees and power lines. At least one tree fell on a house a did a lot of damage. Here at the park, we had some rain, and some wind, but nothing severe.

One other thing about the weather. Yesterday afternoon, the temperature here at the park reached 92 deg! Now, that's not official, but my thermometers are pretty accurate, and this was on the shady side of me. Today with the forecast high of 88 deg., I would imagine that it will be well over 90 again. This is very unusual for Florida at this time of year.

Other than the weather, nothing much happened around here. Jim worked on getting the Campgrounds, RV Maintenance, RV Fuel, and Toad Fuel categories updated on the RVer's Notebook computer program that he has. With that program, he can keep track of all the expenses for me and CLT, plus it shows all the CGs that we have been to, with photos, and all the info about the park. It's pretty neat.

While Jim was doing that, Linda was watching the Food Network on TV, doing some embroidery, and updating the Recipe database that she has on the computer.

Did you know that there are 336 dimples on a regulation golf ball?

Get well, Louise!!

Movie and Shopping

Orange City, FL
68 deg. overcast, calm winds.
Forecast today = High temp. 83 deg. Partly sunny this morning, then becoming cloudy with a 40% chance of T-storms this afternoon. SE winds @ 5 to 10 MPH.

Yesterday afternoon, Laura stopped by and picked up Linda. They went down to Altamont and saw a movie called "The Other Boleyn Girl". Laura had been wanting to see it for quite some time, and it sounds like she and Linda really enjoyed themselves.

While they were gone, Jim took CLT and went shopping. First stop was Home Depot for a strainer screen for my kitchen sink drain. Jim's hoping that the fine screen will stop some of the blockage problem that I have with that drain. Then he went to Office Depot and picked up some SD memory cards, (they were on sale with $5 off), to use with the laptop computer and the electronic picture frame. After that, he made a quick stop at Arby's to pick up a couple of roast beef sandwiches for him and Linda to have for dinner, and the final stop was at Auto Zone to buy a infrared digital thermometer.

Ok, I know. You're asking, "What is a infrared digital thermometer, and what is it used for?" Well, an infrared thermometer reads surface temperatures instantly, and the digital part, means that it has a digital readout, and this one can read temperatures from -27 deg. to +428 deg. What is it used for? One thing that Jim is going to use it for is to measure my tire temperatures when we stop at a rest area after traveling down the road. You see, if one tire is hotter than the others, that means it is probably low on air and it is getting hot from flexing too much. It also can be used to instantly read my refrigerator's temperature, it can be used to check out AC or furnace temps., and can also be used to just check the temperature of items in a room, thus giving the room temp. You can also take the reading of the sidewalk temp., to see if it really is hot enough to fry and egg! :-)

By the time Linda got home, (about 4:00), Jim wasn't feeling too well. He said that his stomach felt upset. So when it was time to eat, Linda heated one of the Arby's sandwiches for her, and then about 8:00, after Jim felt better, she heated the other one up for him. I don't know why he didn't feel well, but he seems to be OK today.

Did you know that a group of frogs is called an army?

Roland and Louise, we're still praying for you.

Soap Box, Louise, and Grills

Orange City, FL.
60 deg. clear, calm winds.
Forecast today = High temp. 85 deg. E. winds @ 5 to 10 MPH. 4o% chance of T-storms this afternoon.

5:45 this morning. Yep, that's when the garbage truck started crashing and banging the dumpster! If you've been reading this blog very long, you know how I feel about them roaring through the park and making all kinds of noise at very early hours. There has to be some way they could change their schedule so that they would come into CGs sometime later in the day!

We got some encouraging news from Roland last night. Yesterday, Louise had surgery on her left knee/leg. The surgery lasted 6 1/2 hours, but the doctors got everything put back together, and the surgeon said that he is very optimistic about her chances of being able to walk on it again. Both Jim and Linda said that you could hear the relief in Roland's voice as he talked about it.

For dinner yesterday, Linda made a rice dish and asparagus on my stove, while Jim cooked a steak on the charcoal grill. I didn't know if he was going to get it done or not, because there was a T-storm headed our way, but he finished it just in time.

OK, I can hear you asking, "He uses a charcoal grill? Why not a gas grill?" Well, this is what Jim says. He has had both charcoal and gas grills, and he believes that the gas grill just doesn't give the food the flavor that the charcoal one does. Now you're saying, "But a charcoal grill is so messy and it takes forever to cook something on it." Well, he says that he's willing to deal with the ashes, charcoal, and lighter fluid to get the taste, and I'm here to tell you, that in 1/2 hour, Jim can get the grill out of the back of CLT, start the fire and get a thick steak or hamburgers cooked to perfection! I've seen him do it many times.

All of this talk about grills, reminds me of just how many different ways there are of camping, or RVing, for that matter. Everyone has a different way of doing things, and that's the way it should be. There is not a "right" way of doing something. What works for Jim and Linda may be completely wrong for someone else.

Aahhh, what a great lifestyle!!

Did you know that Bingo is the name of the dog on the Cracker Jack box?

Get well, Louise.

TVs

Orange City, FL.
62 deg. clear, calm winds.
Forecast today = High temp. 83 deg. partly cloudy, 20% chance of rain, SE winds @ 10 to 15 MPH

Just learned that Jim and Linda are making some big travel plans. Next winter they are planning on going to Hawaii, and they are going to load me on a boat and take me along!!!

April Fool!!!!

Have you ever had a day that you were dreading because of some projects that needed to be done? Maybe the things you need to do are difficult or you think that it may involve a lot of work? Well, Jim had one of those days yesterday.

As I told you yesterday, Jim and Linda were planning on going to some stores and were going to try to find a new TV for me. Jim was already upset that he needed to do anything with the TVs because "someone" decided that my old TVs were not good enough, and was forcing him to "upgrade". And, he was dreading taking my cabinets apart and trying to fit new TVs into the spaces.

Well, they left here right after lunch and went to the nearest Wally World, where they found a TV that looked like it would fit. Only one problem, the store was out of stock! Linda found someone to check the store's stock. After checking, the man said that he didn't have any, but the store in Deltona had one left, and they would hold it for them, for 1 hour. Jim and Linda headed to the other store, and sure enough, they had just one left, and after careful measuring, it was determined that, indeed, it would fit. Also, Jim and Linda found another small TV that had the right measurements to replace the one in my bedroom. They ended up buying both TVs.

OK, so now it was time to come back here to the park, try to figure out how get the cabinets apart, trial fit the TVs in the space, clean the space, hook up all the wires, try the TVs to make sure they work, install the them, and then put the cabinets back together.

Believe it or not, everything went supper smooth, there were no problems, and by 5:00 both TVs were installed and working!! Some days everything goes right!

I don't know what is happening today. Maybe Jim and Linda will just hang out and watch my 2 new TVs. :-)

You better go out and check your vehicle's tires. One of them is flat!!

April fool!!! I like this April fool thing. ;-))

Did you know that the A&W of root beer fame stands for Allen and Wright?

Roland and Louise, we're thinking about you.