Bon Voyage, Tally Ho, Blast off, On our way....

The good news is that we have WiFi at this campground tonight, the bad news is that it won't let me post pictures on blogger. May this semi- descriptive narrative bring colorful images to your mind's eye.

We departed eastern Pa around 9:30 this morning. We had a great send off with Andy, Mason and Becca wanting to come along. ( Becca is spending the summer with Jon and Marybeth as a helper during the move and unknown work schedules. )

Our drive of almost 300 miles was pretty uneventful. Pennsylvania, along I 80 is mostly rolling hills and quite scenic. Weather was picture perfect for most of the day with a shower later. We found a very lovely KOA on the Pa/Ohio border. Spacious sites, many amenities and not too busy. We definitely noticed a diminishing of fellow RV'ers on the road today. There were none at the rest stops and just an occasional sighting along the interstate. We called ahead to see if we needed a reservation here and she said no....unusual for a Friday night near Pittsburg I think. I noticed in our journal of past trips, that on our first outing in Nov. '06, we paid $2.15 /gal and today it was $3.99.

Tomorrow we head for Cincinnati, about the same distance , to meet with Paul's cousin.

We have discovered an odor about the coach and cannot figure out the source. Initially, I thought it was a gas leak, but turning off the gas did not diminish the foul

odor. It is not from the black or gray tanks. It seems to be near the engine compartment or around the front Rt wheels and slide. I have crawled under and around (no easy task at this age) and searched with a flashlight for signs of something. Paul seems to think it is a dead creature , which is very logical considering there are many places for a mouse to crawl into. I'm hoping it will dissipate easily without further worry over the next couple of days. I don't think Febreze will do the trick.

In order to stay on schedule, we had to forgo Andy's pre-school graduation??? this evening. They are to wear cap and gowns and I can almost 100% guarantee that he won't wear it. He wouldn't wear his Halloween costume to a school party last Oct. and has very definite ideas about what he will and will not do. I'm sure Jon will have many pictures of the occasion to prove me wrong.

It's a sad day with the loss of Tim Russert. His journalistic integrity will be missed, especially this election year.

Preparations are under way

Arriving here, I was inducted into the official "Cars " fanclub, complete with tattooes.

The RV looked in great shape and inviting altho I always am surprised at how BIG it actually is. A major portion of my sensibilities frequently tells me that we should be leaving a smaller footprint as we pass thru this world and by driving this behemoth, we are not being user friendly. It has given us opportunities that we might not have had , given Paul's earlier limitations. I guess anything can be rationalized. But we will thoroughly enjoy these days and wonder if they might be more limited as we go into the great gas price unknown. When P started budgeting for this trip, he figured $3.50/gal and is now calculating for $5/.

Crawling around and under the machine left some of those joints and muscles pretty sore. Is there a masseuse in the house?

Andy spent the night with me in the big bed. He is not the easiest person to sleep with as he tossed and turned and kept to the middle of the bed. And yes, those are RED sheets.... and why not I ask???
Jon and MB will be moving the end of the month and are planning a garage sale .....this just looks too painful to even contemplate.

P S. The comments section on this blog has now been enabled.......I didn't realize it was not available. Opinions welcome providing you are nice.......

On the road again......

We're getting ready for another foray across the states in the Moving Roadblock. It's been too long since we've loaded it up and headed out. Times have certainly changed since our trip last fall. Who would have thought that we would up and move, buying and selling in record time , and find ourselves living in a RETIREMENT COMMUNITY !!!! Who would have thought? Ain't life an adventure with twists and turns and unknown possibilities.? But , I digress..............

Tomorrow, we fly up to Pa and bail out the Roadblock from storage. We'll tidy it up, gas it up (no small feat these days) and on Friday, we will head West.

First stop will be to visit cousin Betty and Joan in Cincinnati, then on to Kelsey Lake in Michigan to spend time with the Holtans (class of 61), then up to Northern Wisconsin to enjoy a long overdue visit with P's brother Lew and Marlyce (I'm sure the pictures from this region will be spectacular) and then over to Lake Sally in Minnesota to reminisce with the Hatlie's (class of 61) and assorted JHS alumni spending their summers there. Finally, we'll head down to Denver and find a safe place to store the motorhome for the remainder of the summer.

At the end of June, we will help Aunt Romayne move from Colorado Springs down here to Florida. At 96 1/2 she is spry and witty and anxious for new adventures. It will be great having her near.

Altho we look forward to getting on the open road, it is hard to leave here, even for a few weeks. We are getting used to being on the go and having a plethora (don't you just love that word) of choices each day,......golf, pickle ball, swimming, exploring , time with new friends or just plain loafing. We find that we are not alone in feeling this reluctance to leave. One couple went on a cruise and said it was a waste of money as they felt like they "went on a vacation from their vacation".

The new golf clubs have improved my game I"m happy to report.....not that I'd ever admit it if they didn't. We've been playing between 7 and 8 in the morning and it is usually pretty humid and uncomfortable but not hot. And then we go out for more casual play around 7 in the evening when there is a nice breeze and comfortable temperatures. However, there are hazards to trying to play at that time of day as we found out when Freida was ready to tee off.

Stay tuned and join us on our trip. Lots of pictures promised.

Life is good....

Yes, those are bright shiny NEW clubs on that cart. All dressed up in a fancy bag with matching club covers. I was able to try out some new clubs for 3 days from the Golf Academy. The depressing nature of my golf game got a big lift from using hybrids . When I returned them, the well informed employee discouraged me from my interest in those particular clubs and steered me to a less expensive option. I was able to try them out in the teaching bay (like hitting them out of a garage) and I liked them so brought them home. I still can't hit very well with the driver and much prefer my old putter, but the Sand wedge is a miracle instrument. I'm no longer intimidated by that fluffy white stuff........welll, maybe just a little.

The other day we joined friends for a trip to a course about 15 min from here. We actually paid to play golf.....something we don't have to do here . (unless we play the championship courses). This place was the most beautiful course I have ever seen. It would have been great just to walk and not even play. It was exquisite.
There were waterfalls and fountains and bridges and beautiful magnolias and oaks dripping in spanish moss.

Many of the palm trees had either impatiens or ferns or both covering the trunks.

A few days ago, we had dinner at our neighbors Frieda and John Scott's. They have a large lanai with a pool AND a putting green. Here is Frieda trying her best at the chipping contest. Roger and Sue Johnson , who live next door, also joined us. Frieda, Sue and I all take pickle ball lessons together.

John, the gracious host, managed to miss the table and dumped his food all over his feet. We were all happy that he did it and not us. At times like this, you really need a dog, or a neighbor with a dog. None of us fit that catagory so John had to clean it up

And I saved the best for last.........................#2 in the "CARS" series. Mater is a tow truck in the movie.

The boys know all the characters well and I suspect that with all the moving boxes, the series will continue.

Addendum: We kept reminding ourselves that we had to be outside at 5 pm to watch the shuttle blast off into space. Well, we almost missed it but we managed to dash out back just as it was breaking thru a cloud along the horizon and moving VERY fast, arching upward. Initally, it appeared as a brilliant red bullet, probably a reflection of the sun and not the huge rockets, followed by a large contrail. As it rose rapidly, it gleamed white and quickly became smaller and smaller until only the contrail was visible. We don't hear any sound associated with it. It was magnificent. In my earlier thoughts, I planned on having the camera ready, but of course, I didn't and therefore there are NO pictures.......next time, I promise.

SCORE !!!!!

Alex went to a weekend tournament in Steamboat Springs and playing a different postion, midfield, he finessed this score. Notice the whack across the legs by a defensive player. Wish we could have been there. We're hoping he can make another golf trip down here soon. Miss you Alex.

BC

Just what did we do with all of that time ??? BC, before computers, that is. !!!! Were our houses cleaner? Did we engage in quality time with others? Did we shop more? Did we read more? Did we watch more stimulating TV? If someone has any idea, please let me know because I don't remember.

I admit that I am addicted. I have been since Day 1. Back when we first had a computer that I understood and could operate.( It was around the time of the Eastern Airlines debacle and we were in the midst of it. ) One of the forms of communicating and obtaining all those improbably rumors came via the old TI or what ever brand it was. We gradually upgraded and became more literate. It certainly helped that we had genius children who understood this new frontier. The progression continued rapidly with the latest and the best crossing our doorstep. And with Michael being a part of the Microsoft machine, we now have access to our own NERD who speaks English and does not live in India and is willing to make housecalls. Currently, we REQUIRE 2 laptops to keep us happy and connected.

Who knows where this will all lead. I would like to come back in 100 years just to see what technology has accomplished. (If there is a next 100 yrs, considering the state of the economy, the environment and our pitiful Congress......but I digress.

Had a bit of a health scare recently. Don't you love it when the Dr is deep into an exam and says "Whoa....what is this? " Well, it got my attention and prompted more advanced tests, several days of severe angst, a mental settling of affairs and an appreciation of all that I have. Fortunately, the young ultrasonographer broke all the rules and declared me fit as he saw it........and the final report confirmed his opinion. Thank you Dave for saving me many more days of terror. At this age, I think mentally, we are all bracing ourselves for that large hammer hanging over our head to give us a gentle knock now and then. I think I am prepared for my imagined scenarios but this one caught me off guard. I am sometimes too acutely aware of my body and how it behaves. This time I had NO symptoms and so was pretty blindsided by the thought that cells might be running amok. So, I will look at my world with a fresh view and be thankful.

Take one large box, add two boys and stir in red paint..

Do I hear a collective ahhhhhhhhhhhhh

Currently we are in the midst of one of Florida's other seasons........LOVEBUG SEASON. ...... 4-5 weeks of pesky black bugs flying about in tandem. Also called kissybugs, honeymoon fly, telephone fly and 2 headed bug, these annoyances don't bite or actually do anything but they are rather unsettlingwhen they are in your hair and on your body. I was at my 2nd pickle ball lesson (most people only need one !!) and they were everywhere. Apparently they can cause permanent marks on the car's finish. The recommend applying PAM or vaseline to the car in order to clean them off easier. Maybe I just won't drive fast for awhile.

Stuff you don't need to remember......

Florida and other parts of the Southeast are in the midst of a severe drought. Now, I can't blame the rain gods for the above plants condition ....it sits in my house and I have totally neglected it. Actually, it just needs repotting so it has better water retention soil. We are allowed to have the sprinklers on one day a week, after dark, and use non-potable water. (We have two water lines into the house for this purpose). But we are allowed to water extra if there is new landscaping or we hand water. One of our neighbors has a jungle for a yard and thick green grass , because he hand waters constantly. There outa be a law. But I suspect that his water bill is significant.
Aren't these lovely??? Even if they aren't tulips. And I bought them myself. The family knows I would prefer no gifts on Mother's Day but we went to Walmart on Monday and they had an abundance of left over bouquets for the paltry sum of $2.50 so how could I resist? As of today, Thurs, they are still doing well.
The buffalo seem to like their habitat and have produced bunches of baby buffalo. Initially, the mamas kept them away from prying eyes but now they are out in the open. Very cute. Alas, the Developer has announced that because of 3 "human incidences" and the potential liablity, all of the herds are being moved to "the North 40" whereever that is. The internet is full of comments this morning....everything from chastising people for feeding them and getting too close (yes, we are guilty) to putting up a double fence and even suggesting a moat with alligators. Others fear that this is just a way for the Developer to open up large areas of land for further building of commercial areas. They have announced that there will be a "spectacular" nature preserve built in the newer developments south of here.....maybe with buffalo?

The days are just too busy and I am accomplishing nada with the house. Today I am giving up my Art Studio to CLEAN !!! How sacrificial is that??? The new drapes are up (pictures to follow when the dust bunnies are gone) and they are OK, but the floors and walls are still bare. Just seems like there are other priorities in life.....like golf, and a good book, and a dip in the pool. Weather is still quite spectacular but a good soaking rain would be welcome.

If it's Wednesday, this must be Pennsylvania....

We left Colorado a day or two early and hopped on an almost empty plane to Newark. Now , we had no intention of doing this until later in the month or next month, but the RV needed some attention after the long winter in storage. and we fly when the seats are available. We managed to swap cars with Jon as he came to the airport for a trip and arrived in Pa before dark. I must say that it is a pretty time of year up here, dogwood, lilac, tulips and a variety of trees all in bloom.

Today is hectic with MaryBeth and Jon working, Mason and I at home and Paul tending to the RV and seeing his Dr for one last time. ( Patti, I apologize if I didn't make it to the shop to see you.......I really tried. )

Tomorrow we will head over to Newtown to see MaryBeth and Jon's new house as they are having the inspection done. They will move the end of June. Jon will drop us off at the airport and we will catch a late flight back to Florida.

Jon stitched this picture together so it is rather scrunched looking. The house is obviously new, in a nice development in Newtown, actually in the Sandy Hook section. It is on 3 acres.

Nicholas is in the midst of finals at The Colorado School of Mines in Golden but managed a few hours off to meet us for dinner. Becca looks none the worse for wear after a fun night at the prom. Prior to leaving, she was complaining about her shoes and admitted that she went barefoot for most of the evening. I doubt she was alone.

Lizzie and Roxie have both changed since our December visit. It is hard to see her grow up so quickly. She is getting very tall and makes quite a fashion statement.(Lizzie that is, altho Roxie has been know to wear some chic sweaters and collars.)

Becca's Big Day

Just writing about the events of the day leaves me overwhelmed and full of emotion. So grab a cup and sit back and enjoy the views. We began our first full day in Colorado at the first of two Lacrosse games. Alex is #24 and identifiable by his height and red shoes. I love watching this game, with all its fast pace, flying sticks and rough and tumble action. It's the only sport I know where you can poke, whack and attack the other player with a long stick and it's all legal. Alex is very good but by the 2nd game, the entire team was running out of steam.

Meanwhile, Lizzie practices her twirling with the wide open spaces
and Michael is the team photographer. Said he took over 350 pictures of the two games.
But the day belonged to our Beautiful Becca. We were thrilled to be able to witness the preparation and excitement. Having 3 boys, we definitely missed the making of a beauty.

Rebecca Anne Miller, age 16
Here's Mom giving a final inspection

And granddad giving a big hug


Becca went with this group, 7 beautiful young ladies, and 3 handsome guys. They had a huge limo, dinner at an italian restaurant, the prom and then a huge after prom party. We can't wait to hear the details.

We ended the long happy day with a cheesecake to celebrate Michael's 44th birthday. I tried to make him 45 for a minute but was promptly corrected. You'd think I'd know for sure.....I remember every detail of that day. Stay tuned, more news and pictures soon.