Thursday, September 28, 2012

Thursday was an expensive day.  Back to Strickland Tire about 9am for four new Toyo tires for the Jeep – $860.  Back at the motorhome, we closed everything up so we could take it to Bay Diesel for an 11:30am chassis lube and oil and filter change.  There goes another $255, but we should be good for our return to FL and winter headed west followed by a return east for the summer.  Lunch was a $5 footlong at Subway.

After returning to the Allegro Campground, Marilyn and I washed the motorhome (yes Dennis, we did it together).  We even polished  the wheel covers.  After resting a few minutes, I walked in to see if Billy had a time for our Express Bay Service.  He said we were #3 in line for service.  Bea and Bennit had invited us for a chicken dinner.  It was delicious, and their windshield no longer had a booboo.

We had no call in the morning so I went back in about 11:30.  Billy said we surely would be called in the afternoon.  No such luck, when I asked again at 2pm we were still 2nd in line.  We do not even have a time yet for Monday morning.

About 5:30pm while Marilyn and I were having a cocktail, we received a call from Brenda and Dave Neil asking where we were located.  They had seen our rig on site 53, and informed us they were on site 41.  So they brought over their chairs – we got ours out, and enjoyed a great social hour.  Brenda suggested we might get together tomorrow for lunch at the Rattlesnake Saloon.  We are looking forward to lunch tomorrow.

Tuesday, September 26, 2012

Sunday was a nice driving day.  After leaving Springfield, MO, we continued south on US 65 to 63 and then east through Mississippi, reaching Red Bay, AL at 4:20pm.  We were surprised that we did not have to go to a boondock site – we got water and electric.

Monday, we walked around some.  Around 2:30pm, I walked over to the campground office to see if they had a full hookup site available.  They did, so we moved to site #53 around 3pm. 

On Tuesday, Norris finally came by about 2pm to go over our list of items to repair.  He said it could be four or five days before we got in to the express service – could be Monday or Tuesday.  We had called Verizon earlier to give our daughter a $20 hotspot so she could do her on-line school without going to MacDonald's for internet service.  Verizon asked if there was anything else they could do for us, so we asked if they could check on when my iPhone would be delivered.  They said it would be delivered today, and it was by 4pm.  I am now back on telephone and data on the phone.  As we were walking around, we found Bea and Bennett’s rig, so we stopped in for a visit.

Wednesday after our walks, I stopped in to talk to Billy (Jimmy’s replacement) to see if we could get the chassis and engine serviced at Bay Diesel on Thursday- we got an appointment for Thursday at 11:30.  After lunch, we drove to Fulton, MS to visit Wal-Mart.  When we left, the tire pressure gauge in the Jeep said it only had 23 pounds of air, so I pumped it back up.  Ten miles later it was down another 7 pounds, so I pumped it back up.  We stopped at Strickland Tire, and he tried to plug the tire, but it did not work since it was almost on the side wall.  He has ordered 4 new Toyo tires that will be installed for about 200 each.  We still need a front end alignment to prevent them from doing it again.  We will get new tires tomorrow, after we get the motorhome serviced at Bay Diesel.

Bea and Bennett came over before dinner for nice conversation.

Hugs,  Type at you later.

Saturday, September 22, 2012

The last time I wrote was Friday morning, the 14th.  We were just joining the staff of for the Escapade (Escapees RV Club’s national RV rally).  Now the Escapade is over; we have left the grounds, and are in West Plains, MO.

The rally was one of the best.  We had 574 RV’s, and 1,011 people.  It was relatively small for a national rv rally, but we had a wonderful time.  Our volunteer job was to assist the Escapees Chapter Directors in setting up what we call “The Row”.  This year The Row consisted of Escapees Chapters, Co-op’s and Certified BOF’s booths located in one of the buildings on the Missouri State Fair Grounds in Sedalia, MO. Here are some pictures taken during the setting up, including Denny Orr telling people what to do. And others trying to put their booths together.

We practiced our Parade of Banners in front of the stage.    And then we took a group picture.    We also had dinner together. 

Once the attendee’s showed up on Sunday, the week flew past.  We did get to tour the “Market Area” a couple of times which resulted in Marilyn getting a new Samsung Galaxy Stellar smart phone.  I attended a couple of seminars.  Then Marilyn and I were each on a couple of full-time rving panels.

Wednesday Dennis and Carol Hill surprised everyone by driving from California in two and a half days.  It was wonderful to see them again.  We had had such a wonderful time traveling to Alaska with them last summer.

Thursday afternoon, Bryan Rose updated the software in his iPhone.  Not to be outdone, I attempted to upgrade the software in my iPhone.  Unfortunately, the installation failed.  Then the restore function also failed.  We took the phone to a Verizon Franchisee last night, as well as talking to Customer No-Service to no avail. 

This morning we said goodbye to our Escapade friends, and headed south.  We stopped at a Verizon Company Store in Springfield, MO.  They were unable to resurrect my iPhone either.  But even though my iPhone is emulating a paper weight, they had a solution.  A new iPhone 4s will be shipped to me in care of the Allegro Campground in Red Bay, AL.  So I will only be without a phone for about a week.

Hugs, and I will type at you later.

Friday, September 14, 2012

After saying goodbye to Beverly on Monday morning early (6:15am), we got ready to leave Sam’s Club to head west for our national Escapees rally in Sedalia, MO.  Monday night we spent at Timber Trails Campground in Mulberry Grove, IL, and Tuesday night we spent at a Passport America campground in Steedman, MO.  Next stop on Wednesday, we arrived in Sedalia’s Wal-Mart parking lot for the night.  It was like old home week with Bryan & Jane Rose, Carlin & Paula Serra, and one of the Loosey Goosey Last Frontier Gang that we went to Alaska with – Garry & Mary Olson.  We also made some new friends.

Thursday morning about 9am, we drove the couple of miles to the Fairgrounds.  After parking, setting up the motorhome, and greeting friends.  We went to work with Row Chairpersons and helped re-arrange tables.  In the afternoon, we attended our first staff meeting followed by a happy-hour.

That’s it for now.  Type at you later.

Monday, September 10, 2010

I last wrote on September 1, so we have 10 days to catch up on.  On the 1st, we were still at my sister Ann’s home in Oswego, NY.  In the afternoon, my sister Loretta, her son Michael, his wife Jennifer, and their two cute little girls Tara and Bella came down from Rochester, NY for a visit.  We did a potluck dinner with KFC chicken etc. 

Loretta brought some old albums and other pictures from our youth and some of our ancestors.  We spent the afternoon trying to put names on the faces.  One of the pictures was in a sleeve labeled Templeton Family (our grandmother on our father’s side was a Templeton), and was etched on glass.  Since then, I have scanned the etched glass into my computer, and with Picasa, was able to make the faces visible.  I love looking at old pictures even if I do not know who they are.

On Labor Day the 3rd, we drove the MLFPhaeton to North Tonawanda to visit Larry and Carolyn Jarvis.  We stayed until Friday, the Friday morning the 7th.  During the week, Larry had carpel tunnel surgery and was healing well by the time we left.  Carolyn had acquired a netbook, her first computer, so I helped her find a few things.

On Friday, the 7th, we drove to Mansfield, OH where we spent the night at WalMart.

Then on Saturday, the 8th, we drove to Dayton, OH where we spent the 8th and 9th in the Sam’s Club parking lot.  Of course, our daughter, Beverly, came over to join us.  Late in the afternoon, Allan Buxton, joined us, and we all went out for Mexican dinners.  Allan brought along his Kindle Fire so I could play with it.  I liked it, and, at this point, plan to have Marilyn give me a 7inch Kindle Fire HD for my birthday in October.  The new Kindle Fire HD will certainly do all I want in a tablet (Marilyn will inherit the Kindle she gave me for Christmas 2010).  Sam’s, like WalMart, is an expensive place to spend the night in an RV, we made two trips to buy stuff for our daughter as well as some for us.

Monday, the 10th.  Beverly spent the Sunday night with us, and since she had to get up early for work, we did too.  I set the alarm for 5:30am, which caused us to be on the road at 7:45am.  That was much too early, and we will try not to let it happen too often.  However, we had a great time with Bev, and got to wait until the morning to say goodbye for a while.  We are stopped for the night at Timber Trails Campground in Mulberry Grove, IL.  It sure is nice to have a full hookup 50amp site.

Since leaving Ann’s in Oswego, NY, we have driven over 850 miles.

Saturday, September 1, 2012

It was a family day.  Around 1:00pm, my sister Loretta drove in to visit with us at Ann and Garry’s, followed by her son Michael, his wife Jennifer, and their two girls Tara and Bella.   We did a Kentucky Fried Chicken potluck that was enjoyed by all.

Loretta brought old pictures from our younger days along with some of our grandparents.  So we spent a couple of hours after we ate going over the pictures and trying to identify the people/children in them.  While we were busy, Ann’s granddaughter, Jessica joined us.

I also got to take some family group pictures.  The first is Jennifer, Bella, Michael, Tara and Loretta.    In the second one, they were joined by myself, Marilyn, Ann, Jessica and Garry.    As the evening wore on, the girls became tired, especially Bella.    Jessica and Ann could not be left out of the picture taking. 

It was a great visit with family. 

Type at you later.

Friday, August 31, 2012

Actually I am writing this on Saturday morning because I was too lazy last night when we got home.  It was bed time (10:00pm). 

First thing yesterday morning, I washed the outside of the motorhome, while Marilyn cleaned the inside.  I even polished the wheels.  All of this so that it can rain (Isaac maybe) on Monday when we drive to Buffalo.

Last night, we went out to dinner to celebrate my brother-in-law’s (Garry) and his sister’s (Ginger) birthdays.  Ginger had made reservations at Tosonne’s, a wonderful Italian restaurant in Syracuse, for 6pm.  The first picture is (from left to right) Garry, my sister Ann, and Ginger.   

The second picture is of Ginger and her husband Bobby.

Dinner was absolutely delicious.  We had Italian Haddock, a pasta combination called Italian Platter, Veal Parmigian (sp) etc.  We even tried some delicious desserts:  cheese cake, chocolate cream pie…

When we  returned to Bobby & Ginger’s for some additional conversation, I got to  play with Ginger’s Kindle Fire.  I bookmarked my blog for her, and she told me about a ebook sight that may generate some good reading.  It is called “bookbub.com”.  They just require an email address to register, and will send emails with free or low cost ebooks.  I signed up for mysteries and thrillers, and for sci-fi books.  The email I received this morning said they would begin sending emails from my selections shortly.  I am looking forward to new book sources.  Thank you Ginger.

That’s all.  Type at you later.