Ahhh - that's more like it! We have now had several days in a row with lots of sunshine and it's starting to feel a bit more like spring. In fact - yesterday, Memorial Day, was approaching summer weather!! It was in the high 80s with mucho humidity! I liked the temp - not so much the humidity.
So let's see -- what's been happening around here? We started our Memorial Day weekend with a nice visit and cookout with the Patterson's here last Saturday. They were on their "days-off" from their work-camping gig down in Scarborough so they made the road trip all the way up here to Topsham and brought Judy's famous potato salad and we slow cooked some country style dry rub ribs. While the ribs were cooking we swapped stories and just generally enjoyed the company.
Sunday was spent prepping and seeding part of the back yard with grass where we had the trees removed last fall. With Peggy's help I got a few hundred square feet prepped with some additional topsoil and then spread the "Patchmaster" - combination seed, fertilizer, and mulch. Of course this had to be accomplished during breaks from watching the Indianapolis 500 and Coca Cola 600 auto races on TV. It has been many years since I have been able to watch the majority of both races. 1100 miles of left turns - and both races were pretty much decided on the final left turn. We still have a lot of work to do on the lawn - but at least we got a start.
Yesterday we started off Memorial Day with the traditional walk to Maine Street to watch the Memorial Day Parade. Stacy and Kaj drove down from Richmond and we walked together over to in front of their place of business - Downeast Credit Union / Downeast Insurance (had to get the plug in). We had front row seats to watch all the dignitaries, boy/girl scouts, old cars, and fire engines. A sunny day and a traditional small town parade - what a way to start Memorial Day!
After our return walk home Peggy and I decided that today we would start our vegetable garden. Anybody who knows either of us - knows that gardening is not our "thing." However, Peggy has decided that she wants to try growing vegetables in a raised garden in the backyard now that we can get a little more sun back there. Well - Mikee was not so sure that the raised garden was going to get built this spring - so we compromised and purchased a Topsy-Turvy tomato planter and a similar planter for growing peppers. Of course it's not that easy ... we also had to buy the tomato and pepper plants(seedlings), the potting soil, and the fertilizer. Then we had to figure out how to plant a tomato plant upside down! We managed to get the plants planted and the planters hung - so now we get to see if we can keep them alive long enough to have a salad!
After another shower to wash off the potting soil and sweat we finished our Memorial Day with a drive up to Richmond to join Stacy and Kaj for a cookout dinner. We grilled up some chicken and burgers, had a fun visit with Stacy, Kaj, and Tut, and checked out the newly repainted nursery for Little Girl Johansen before driving home after a busy day!
Life is Good - RV Life is Better - Life with Family and Friends is The Best
Tuesday, May 31, 2011
Thursday, May 26, 2011
Itchy ... and Pathetic! - Topsham, Maine
Yippee - another great looking sunny day here today! At least it is looking pretty good this morning.
Yesterday was beautiful all day and I took full advantage - spending most of the day on chores outside. Most of the chores were related to getting Winne back into storage and I was fixin' to complete that project today.
Did you ever get poison oak, ivy, or sumac? Well I have it now! It seems one of those geocaching expeditions we went on in Jerzee that involved tramping through the woods was a bad idea - especially in a short sleeved shirt and short pants. I started getting some raised itchy bumps several days ago - and it got a bunch worse earlier this week. Although I had pretty much self-diagnosed my ailment - I went to the Dr's office yesterday and had it confirmed. Yup - Contact Dermatitis they call it - and "you got it." They gave me a script for some steroid cream and sent me on my way. I suppose I just have to fight the symptoms for a week or so until my body takes care of it.
So ... besides being itchy - what else do we have planned for today? Peggy thinks a baby crib hunting expedition should be on our agenda. "What" I say - "hunt for cribs inside on a sunny day? That sounds like a rainy day exercise to me!" Then she offered me breakfast. Veggie & cheese omelet with a side of bacon, english muffin, and OJ! Yum-Yum. OK it looks like we are crib shopping after all!
She truly understands that my decision making is definitely connected to my taste buds! I'm so easy ... and pathetic!
Yesterday was beautiful all day and I took full advantage - spending most of the day on chores outside. Most of the chores were related to getting Winne back into storage and I was fixin' to complete that project today.
Did you ever get poison oak, ivy, or sumac? Well I have it now! It seems one of those geocaching expeditions we went on in Jerzee that involved tramping through the woods was a bad idea - especially in a short sleeved shirt and short pants. I started getting some raised itchy bumps several days ago - and it got a bunch worse earlier this week. Although I had pretty much self-diagnosed my ailment - I went to the Dr's office yesterday and had it confirmed. Yup - Contact Dermatitis they call it - and "you got it." They gave me a script for some steroid cream and sent me on my way. I suppose I just have to fight the symptoms for a week or so until my body takes care of it.
So ... besides being itchy - what else do we have planned for today? Peggy thinks a baby crib hunting expedition should be on our agenda. "What" I say - "hunt for cribs inside on a sunny day? That sounds like a rainy day exercise to me!" Then she offered me breakfast. Veggie & cheese omelet with a side of bacon, english muffin, and OJ! Yum-Yum. OK it looks like we are crib shopping after all!
She truly understands that my decision making is definitely connected to my taste buds! I'm so easy ... and pathetic!
Tuesday, May 24, 2011
Repairs, (Gettin') Ready, and a Reminder - Topsham, Maine
In spite of the mostly grey and damp weather we have had over the past few days we have managed to stay pretty busy. On Saturday the sun came out for just long enough that I snuck in the lawn mowing that was way overdue and today the sun was out long enough for me to replace the emissions related part on my truck so that the infamous "Check Engine Light" would go off and stay off. Since that didn't take too long - I even managed to disassemble and repair Stacy & Kaj's lawnmower engine. Ahh two engine related problems solved in one day - I do love it when stuff works the way it is supposed to! I only wish the truck repair part cost (about $100) was equal to the lawnmower repair part cost (about $1)!
Yesterday was also Winne's day to visit the local RV Repair Shop to have a recall repair done to the refrigerator. It seems the refrigerator manufacturer (Thetford - Norcold) has been recalling just about every RV refrigerator they have made in the last 10 or so years due to a potential for catching the RV on fire due to a malfunction in the refrigerator. The bad news is the repair doesn't really prevent the malfunction from occurring - but it just might prevent the refrigerator's LP gas supply from feeding a potential fire. I suppose that is an improvement - but I would have preferred the fix that prevented the malfunction in the first place!
Tomorrow I hope to get a few final cleaning chores done on the Winne and get her back in storage. Once again - she will only be in storage for a few weeks. In mid June another couple of our RVing buddies from the Plantation, Randy and Terry Guiler, plan on visiting us here in Vacationland. Rather than have them tow their fifth wheel all the way to Maine and then back to Pennsylvania - they will be staying in Winne during their visit over at the Topsham Fairgrounds and will have Darrell and Judy Patterson for neighbors. It ought to be a great time ... but I do have a few things to accomplish before their arrival.
Item number one is to get the Coffee Carafe replaced. It seems Terry feels the same way I do about Instant Coffee. We were unsuccessful in finding a replacement locally but I did find one on-line on Amazon.com ... and it should arrive tomorrow! So breath easier Terry and Randy - it's all under control!
Item number two is to warn the Topsham PD that the noise level at the fairgrounds may be abnormally high during the week the Guilers are visiting. It is pretty much impossible to keep Terry and Judy from giggling when they are around each other for very long and if Peggy is thrown into the mix - things are liable to get to the point where a few noise ordinances may have to be dealt with.
We hope all our readers and their loved ones are safe from all the tornado activity and flooding going on all over the country these last few days. Just remember - it's not smart to fool with mother nature - she will always win!
Yesterday was also Winne's day to visit the local RV Repair Shop to have a recall repair done to the refrigerator. It seems the refrigerator manufacturer (Thetford - Norcold) has been recalling just about every RV refrigerator they have made in the last 10 or so years due to a potential for catching the RV on fire due to a malfunction in the refrigerator. The bad news is the repair doesn't really prevent the malfunction from occurring - but it just might prevent the refrigerator's LP gas supply from feeding a potential fire. I suppose that is an improvement - but I would have preferred the fix that prevented the malfunction in the first place!
Tomorrow I hope to get a few final cleaning chores done on the Winne and get her back in storage. Once again - she will only be in storage for a few weeks. In mid June another couple of our RVing buddies from the Plantation, Randy and Terry Guiler, plan on visiting us here in Vacationland. Rather than have them tow their fifth wheel all the way to Maine and then back to Pennsylvania - they will be staying in Winne during their visit over at the Topsham Fairgrounds and will have Darrell and Judy Patterson for neighbors. It ought to be a great time ... but I do have a few things to accomplish before their arrival.
Item number one is to get the Coffee Carafe replaced. It seems Terry feels the same way I do about Instant Coffee. We were unsuccessful in finding a replacement locally but I did find one on-line on Amazon.com ... and it should arrive tomorrow! So breath easier Terry and Randy - it's all under control!
Item number two is to warn the Topsham PD that the noise level at the fairgrounds may be abnormally high during the week the Guilers are visiting. It is pretty much impossible to keep Terry and Judy from giggling when they are around each other for very long and if Peggy is thrown into the mix - things are liable to get to the point where a few noise ordinances may have to be dealt with.
We hope all our readers and their loved ones are safe from all the tornado activity and flooding going on all over the country these last few days. Just remember - it's not smart to fool with mother nature - she will always win!
Saturday, May 21, 2011
Looking For Sun in All the Wrong Places - Sebago Lake, Maine
So - whaddaya do on an overcast, damp, kinda misty day in Maine in the spring? I dunno - but we sure managed to stay busy yesterday!
After taking care of a few errands in the early morning we jumped in the Vue and headed south to Scarborough to see what Darrell and Judy were up to. We arrived around 11:00 AM, visited for a short while and then took a walking tour of their new temporary lodging accommodations at Wild Duck Campground. I must agree with Darrell that the campground is very nice, clean, easy to maneuver, and located in a very picturesque setting.
With our not-so-long walk complete - we decided it was time to "feed Mikee." You would think that we would search out the nearest Maine seafood eatery - nope - we drove right over to Famous Dave's BBQ where both couples ordered the "Q for Two." BBQ ribs, chicken, brisket, beans, and cornbread - Yum Yum!
Since Famous Dave's is right next to Cabela's we went on a walkabout. After contributing absolutely nothing to the Maine State economy - we left empty handed and continued our busy afternoon.
We had heard that the sun might come out in interior Maine - away from the coast. So we decided to drive west in search of the sun. We drove clear around Sebago Lake and although the mist and clouds did lift a bit in a few places - the sun was not to be found. We did find a place to stretch our legs at Sebago Lake State Park, Darrell had to point out something really important (can't remember what it was!),
and then we headed back home. But not before stopping at the local Dairy Corner for some soft serve ice cream!
So that's how we spent our afternoon - Searching for the Sun in All the Wrong Places!
After leaving D&J, their Katts, and a few Wild Ducks we drove home by way of Brunswick High School where Stacy was helping to coordinate the local "Relay for Life." Lots of folks out on a misty afternoon/evening and into the morning raising lots of money to help find a cure for cancer. Stacy has been helping out on this event for several years now and she even recruited her friend Kate to help this year. Good Job you two!
Well - that's about it. That's how you stay waay busy on a misty day in Maine in the spring.
After taking care of a few errands in the early morning we jumped in the Vue and headed south to Scarborough to see what Darrell and Judy were up to. We arrived around 11:00 AM, visited for a short while and then took a walking tour of their new temporary lodging accommodations at Wild Duck Campground. I must agree with Darrell that the campground is very nice, clean, easy to maneuver, and located in a very picturesque setting.
With our not-so-long walk complete - we decided it was time to "feed Mikee." You would think that we would search out the nearest Maine seafood eatery - nope - we drove right over to Famous Dave's BBQ where both couples ordered the "Q for Two." BBQ ribs, chicken, brisket, beans, and cornbread - Yum Yum!
Since Famous Dave's is right next to Cabela's we went on a walkabout. After contributing absolutely nothing to the Maine State economy - we left empty handed and continued our busy afternoon.
We had heard that the sun might come out in interior Maine - away from the coast. So we decided to drive west in search of the sun. We drove clear around Sebago Lake and although the mist and clouds did lift a bit in a few places - the sun was not to be found. We did find a place to stretch our legs at Sebago Lake State Park, Darrell had to point out something really important (can't remember what it was!),
and then we headed back home. But not before stopping at the local Dairy Corner for some soft serve ice cream!
So that's how we spent our afternoon - Searching for the Sun in All the Wrong Places!
After leaving D&J, their Katts, and a few Wild Ducks we drove home by way of Brunswick High School where Stacy was helping to coordinate the local "Relay for Life." Lots of folks out on a misty afternoon/evening and into the morning raising lots of money to help find a cure for cancer. Stacy has been helping out on this event for several years now and she even recruited her friend Kate to help this year. Good Job you two!
Well - that's about it. That's how you stay waay busy on a misty day in Maine in the spring.
Thursday, May 19, 2011
Good to be Home (Again) - Topsham, ME
We arrived home around 4:30 PM yesterday after a 10 hour driving day. We did run into some rain on-and-off during the day - and the driving was pretty on-and-off on the Garden State Parkway - but we made it home safe and relatively sound. Just tired!
Our last couple of days didn't go totally without incident. We managed to bounce the coffee maker carafe off Winne's kitchen floor one too many times and now we need to find a replacement. Not only that - but I got to experience instant coffee again! Yuk!! Our first stop yesterday was the first NJ Turnpike Service Plaza we came across. Burger King coffee may not be the best - but it sure beats instant!
Shortly after our coffee stop we ran into some heavy rain that only lasted a few miles - but when I turned off the windshield wipers - they didn't. So there we were ... driving own the road - with the wipers on - and no rain. Of course as soon as the next opportunity to pull over happened by - the wipers turned off and operated normally. Never a dull moment in the life of an RVer.
It looks like more rain is in the forecast for today! My lawn is in need of some serious mowing but it looks like it may have to wait a few more days. No worries - I have plenty of other chores to keep me busy. Time, once again, to get Winne ready for a little rest and then back to the homestead chores.
We plan on taking a trip down to Scarborough, ME tomorrow to see how our RVing buddies Darrell and Judy are making out. They have been work-camping down there for a few weeks now in the cool and damp coastal Maine weather so we'll have to see if, in fact, they have started to grow webbing between their toes. I'm sure we can find some mischief to get into - if we try hard enough.
Oh - and Happy Birthday to Jamie - the best little sister a guy ever had!
Our last couple of days didn't go totally without incident. We managed to bounce the coffee maker carafe off Winne's kitchen floor one too many times and now we need to find a replacement. Not only that - but I got to experience instant coffee again! Yuk!! Our first stop yesterday was the first NJ Turnpike Service Plaza we came across. Burger King coffee may not be the best - but it sure beats instant!
Shortly after our coffee stop we ran into some heavy rain that only lasted a few miles - but when I turned off the windshield wipers - they didn't. So there we were ... driving own the road - with the wipers on - and no rain. Of course as soon as the next opportunity to pull over happened by - the wipers turned off and operated normally. Never a dull moment in the life of an RVer.
It looks like more rain is in the forecast for today! My lawn is in need of some serious mowing but it looks like it may have to wait a few more days. No worries - I have plenty of other chores to keep me busy. Time, once again, to get Winne ready for a little rest and then back to the homestead chores.
We plan on taking a trip down to Scarborough, ME tomorrow to see how our RVing buddies Darrell and Judy are making out. They have been work-camping down there for a few weeks now in the cool and damp coastal Maine weather so we'll have to see if, in fact, they have started to grow webbing between their toes. I'm sure we can find some mischief to get into - if we try hard enough.
Oh - and Happy Birthday to Jamie - the best little sister a guy ever had!
Tuesday, May 17, 2011
More Fun In Jerzee - Clarksboro, NJ
We have had another couple more busy and fun days here in New Jersey. We all survived Dance Day on Sunday and Alyssa and Emily were fantastic dancers! After they completed both of their performances we celebrated with dinner at Applebee's!
Yesterday was Emily's birthday and she turned Seven! After she got home from school she got to open her gifts - but then had to hang out with Grandma and Grandpa until Alyssa got home from soccer practice before continuing on to her birthday dinner and cake! Hanging out with grandpa meant reading stories - and she is a pretty good reader for a first grader.
Grandpa helped out with birthday dinner by grilling the hot dogs and then we all got to sing "Happy Birthday" and eat birthday cake. Great finish to a fun day!
Earlier this week Peggy and I introduced Brian to geocaching. We found out there was a cache near their house and we used our Garmin Dakota 10 GPS receiver to locate it after a short walk. Brian - being the techno geek - found this fun and decided to download an "Ap" for his phone that basically allowed his phone to "act like" a GPS receiver and accomplish the same thing. We tried it out and it seems to work - not quite as accurate as a "real" GPS receiver - but it allowed us to re-"find" the previously found geocache. So today we plan on playing geocachers with the NJ gang after the girls get home from school. All this assumes that the on-and-off raindrops will allow us to get outside this afternoon! Who knows what trouble we can get ourselves in to!!
It looks like we will be heading home tomorrow. It has been a busy/fun trip but it's time to get back to Maine. We'll leave these NJ Evringhams to get back to their "normal" lives and we'll head back to Maine to try and figure out what "normal" is.
OK Maine - it's time for the rain to stop and the sun to come out - we're fixin' to be on our way!
Yesterday was Emily's birthday and she turned Seven! After she got home from school she got to open her gifts - but then had to hang out with Grandma and Grandpa until Alyssa got home from soccer practice before continuing on to her birthday dinner and cake! Hanging out with grandpa meant reading stories - and she is a pretty good reader for a first grader.
Grandpa helped out with birthday dinner by grilling the hot dogs and then we all got to sing "Happy Birthday" and eat birthday cake. Great finish to a fun day!
Earlier this week Peggy and I introduced Brian to geocaching. We found out there was a cache near their house and we used our Garmin Dakota 10 GPS receiver to locate it after a short walk. Brian - being the techno geek - found this fun and decided to download an "Ap" for his phone that basically allowed his phone to "act like" a GPS receiver and accomplish the same thing. We tried it out and it seems to work - not quite as accurate as a "real" GPS receiver - but it allowed us to re-"find" the previously found geocache. So today we plan on playing geocachers with the NJ gang after the girls get home from school. All this assumes that the on-and-off raindrops will allow us to get outside this afternoon! Who knows what trouble we can get ourselves in to!!
It looks like we will be heading home tomorrow. It has been a busy/fun trip but it's time to get back to Maine. We'll leave these NJ Evringhams to get back to their "normal" lives and we'll head back to Maine to try and figure out what "normal" is.
OK Maine - it's time for the rain to stop and the sun to come out - we're fixin' to be on our way!
Sunday, May 15, 2011
Dance Weekend - Day 1 - Sicklerville, NJ
We all survived Day #1 of Dance Weekend. For us - Saturday began with a drive over to the soccer field to watch Emily and the Panthers play a rousing early morning game. I believe it was a little to early for the Panthers as they were shutout in the scoring department - but Brian was Snack Dad - so the game ended well anyway! Meanwhile - back at Dance Central - Alyssa had donned her makeup and costume #1 to head over for dress rehearsal.
After Brian, Emily, Peggy, and I returned home from soccer - it was time for Dad and Brian to disassemble the lawnmower in an attempt to perform some governor/carburetor adjustments. It took several disassembly-reassembly procedures - but I think we finally got the machine to run without surging. Nothing better than an afternoon with Briggs and Stratton.
Somewhere between disassembly and reassembly Nicky and Alyssa returned from rehearsal number one. This was shortly followed by makeup and costuming for Emily and then they (Nicky, Alyssa, and Emily) took off for rehearsal number 2. About this time Brian had to head off to work leaving Peggy and I to fend for ourselves. While Peggy was fixin' to prepare dinner - I decided to take advantage of the quiet and do a light check on my eyeballs. Yep - they still won't let light in if I lay down on the couch and close my eyelids!
But before any serious napping could occur - everybody was home, the quiet was gone, dinner was ready, and so was Grandpa!
Yep - we survived Dance Weekend Day 1. But today is the real McCoy - no more practices - que the lights - it's time for the Big Show!
After Brian, Emily, Peggy, and I returned home from soccer - it was time for Dad and Brian to disassemble the lawnmower in an attempt to perform some governor/carburetor adjustments. It took several disassembly-reassembly procedures - but I think we finally got the machine to run without surging. Nothing better than an afternoon with Briggs and Stratton.
Somewhere between disassembly and reassembly Nicky and Alyssa returned from rehearsal number one. This was shortly followed by makeup and costuming for Emily and then they (Nicky, Alyssa, and Emily) took off for rehearsal number 2. About this time Brian had to head off to work leaving Peggy and I to fend for ourselves. While Peggy was fixin' to prepare dinner - I decided to take advantage of the quiet and do a light check on my eyeballs. Yep - they still won't let light in if I lay down on the couch and close my eyelids!
But before any serious napping could occur - everybody was home, the quiet was gone, dinner was ready, and so was Grandpa!
Yep - we survived Dance Weekend Day 1. But today is the real McCoy - no more practices - que the lights - it's time for the Big Show!
Friday, May 13, 2011
Dance Grandpa - Clarksboro, NJ
Now that Blogger (the Blog Hosting Site) has been returned to somewhat normal from its day of rest - I'll see if I can get ya'll caught up.
Peggy and I made the 475 mile trip from Topsham to Clarksboro, NJ yesterday with no mishaps. No breakdowns, no "Towed" Car trying to pass us episodes, no weather issues ... just another uneventful travel day - a looong travel day - but uneventful. After our long travel day we settled in here at our normal NJ camping facility - Timberlane Campground. The prices may be high but the facilities are decent and the location is pretty good for where we need to be. You may recall that when we were here in January we got 10 inches of snow and we had to spend an extra day digging out. Then on our return in February I got Winne stuck on a patch of ice in the fist site we were assigned. Thank goodness we had no such issues yesterday with temps right around 76 degrees and an otherwise lovely day.
Today we started out with a visit to the local Camping World that is just a bit south of us off I-295. I wanted to check out a few bike racks and purchase some new non-skid material for our steps. The bike racks we looked at were rear hitch mounted items that can be used while towing our car. I think either would do a nice job of carrying our bikes (nice hand-me-down mountain bikes from Eric and Jen) but I'm holding off on purchasing while I debate a few issues with myself. Item number one is the fact that our propane heater vents out the rear of our motorhome and would put an awful lot of heat right in the area where the bikes would be carried. Item #2 is the fact that we aren't real sure how much we are going to use these bikes. The idea sounds good - but sometimes a good idea can go bad after a few miles of using muscle groups that haven't been used in a while. Item #3 involves item #2 and the fact that these hitch mounted carriers are relatively expensive. I think we'll check out a cheaper alternative that will mount the bikes to the back of the Vue cargo door while we take a few bike rides to see how all this is going to work out.
The rest of our day was spent visiting with Brian, Nicky, Alyssa, and Emily - just generally goofing off and enjoying the day.
Tomorrow the 24 hour dance recital extravaganza begins. Hours of full make-up and in-costume dress rehearsals - a soccer game to fit in - some rest Saturday night and then 2 full blown performances on Sunday. I understand Nicki turns into "Dance Mom" around 1000 hours tomorrow and takes a breath again sometime late evening on Sunday.
I think I like the role of "Dance Grandpa" better. Just tell me when to be there and I'll enjoy the show!
Peggy and I made the 475 mile trip from Topsham to Clarksboro, NJ yesterday with no mishaps. No breakdowns, no "Towed" Car trying to pass us episodes, no weather issues ... just another uneventful travel day - a looong travel day - but uneventful. After our long travel day we settled in here at our normal NJ camping facility - Timberlane Campground. The prices may be high but the facilities are decent and the location is pretty good for where we need to be. You may recall that when we were here in January we got 10 inches of snow and we had to spend an extra day digging out. Then on our return in February I got Winne stuck on a patch of ice in the fist site we were assigned. Thank goodness we had no such issues yesterday with temps right around 76 degrees and an otherwise lovely day.
Today we started out with a visit to the local Camping World that is just a bit south of us off I-295. I wanted to check out a few bike racks and purchase some new non-skid material for our steps. The bike racks we looked at were rear hitch mounted items that can be used while towing our car. I think either would do a nice job of carrying our bikes (nice hand-me-down mountain bikes from Eric and Jen) but I'm holding off on purchasing while I debate a few issues with myself. Item number one is the fact that our propane heater vents out the rear of our motorhome and would put an awful lot of heat right in the area where the bikes would be carried. Item #2 is the fact that we aren't real sure how much we are going to use these bikes. The idea sounds good - but sometimes a good idea can go bad after a few miles of using muscle groups that haven't been used in a while. Item #3 involves item #2 and the fact that these hitch mounted carriers are relatively expensive. I think we'll check out a cheaper alternative that will mount the bikes to the back of the Vue cargo door while we take a few bike rides to see how all this is going to work out.
The rest of our day was spent visiting with Brian, Nicky, Alyssa, and Emily - just generally goofing off and enjoying the day.
Tomorrow the 24 hour dance recital extravaganza begins. Hours of full make-up and in-costume dress rehearsals - a soccer game to fit in - some rest Saturday night and then 2 full blown performances on Sunday. I understand Nicki turns into "Dance Mom" around 1000 hours tomorrow and takes a breath again sometime late evening on Sunday.
I think I like the role of "Dance Grandpa" better. Just tell me when to be there and I'll enjoy the show!
Wednesday, May 11, 2011
Off to Jerzee (Again) - Topsham, Maine
Since it was DIL Jen's birthday on Sunday - as well as being Mother's Day - Peggy and I met Eric, Jen and Stacy over in Auburn last night for dinner at Margarita's Mexican Grill to celebrate Mother's Day, Jen's birthday, and just because! Kaj wasn't able to join us as he was off in northern Maine on a business trip. We had a fun visit and a good meal. Margarita's isn't too bad for a Mexican food joint in Maine!
Well here we sit - ready to hit the road to New Jersey again in the morning. Since we just got home less than 4 weeks ago - we didn't have all that much to accomplish to get ready. I suppose we are getting good at this! At least this time the weather won't be a factor. Instead of looking at -9 degrees we're looking at temps in the 60s/70s. A large improvement in my book!
I did have to take care of a couple of minor maintenance issues - like a slow leak in one of the Vue's tires that turned out to be screw poked through the tread and replacement of the Winne's serpentine belt. The belt replacement was more of a "preventive" maintenance item. Winne's original belt failed at around 37,000 miles and the replacement belt had about 43,000 miles on it - so I figured I better take the spare belt I have been carrying with me and put it in service. I'd rather replace it in my driveway on a cool engine with all my tools at hand rather than on the side of some busy highway, on a hot engine - probably in the rain! As it turned out - it was a bit harder than I thought it would be - so I'm glad I did it now!
So we are pretty much ready to roll. We are planning on making the 500 mile trip tomorrow in one day - just like we did in January and again in February. We'll see how the day goes. If all goes smooth - we'll go all the way. If we're not in the mood - we'll stop for the night somewhere. At least that option is a little easier to do this time of year!
Back in motion again ... time for dance recitals and granddaughter Emily's birthday!
Well here we sit - ready to hit the road to New Jersey again in the morning. Since we just got home less than 4 weeks ago - we didn't have all that much to accomplish to get ready. I suppose we are getting good at this! At least this time the weather won't be a factor. Instead of looking at -9 degrees we're looking at temps in the 60s/70s. A large improvement in my book!
I did have to take care of a couple of minor maintenance issues - like a slow leak in one of the Vue's tires that turned out to be screw poked through the tread and replacement of the Winne's serpentine belt. The belt replacement was more of a "preventive" maintenance item. Winne's original belt failed at around 37,000 miles and the replacement belt had about 43,000 miles on it - so I figured I better take the spare belt I have been carrying with me and put it in service. I'd rather replace it in my driveway on a cool engine with all my tools at hand rather than on the side of some busy highway, on a hot engine - probably in the rain! As it turned out - it was a bit harder than I thought it would be - so I'm glad I did it now!
So we are pretty much ready to roll. We are planning on making the 500 mile trip tomorrow in one day - just like we did in January and again in February. We'll see how the day goes. If all goes smooth - we'll go all the way. If we're not in the mood - we'll stop for the night somewhere. At least that option is a little easier to do this time of year!
Back in motion again ... time for dance recitals and granddaughter Emily's birthday!
Sunday, May 8, 2011
Springtime in Maine - Topsham, ME
Since Darrell and Judy had Friday off from their work-camping jobs down in Scarborough - they made the trip up here to Topsham and we took off for the day. We started with a trip to Wiscasset - "The Prettiest Little Village in Maine" - or so they claim. Wiscasset is a nice little town about 25 miles north of here on Route 1 and used to be where I drove to work everyday for 25 years. They may not have a Nuclear Power Plant there any longer - but they still have the "Seabasket" - my all-time favorite place to get fried seafood! I actually prefer my seafood broiled or baked - but the fried shrimp, haddock, scallops, and clams at the Seabasket - along with their really yummy onion rings are worth the stop. The price sure has increased over the past several years - but the quality has remained the same!
After our lunch stop we cruised back to Topsham - taking the "long way home." We took a side trip through Phippsburg and then out to Fort Popham to watch the waves breaking, the seals swimming, and the seagulls soaring. All-in-all a fun afternoon with D&J.
Other than our outing with the Patterson's we have been catching up on spring chores around the house. Nothing too strenuous - just the normal stuff. I did manage to get the Chevelle out of storage yesterday and back home in the garage. Hopefully we can take a few cruises this summer - I think we have only put about 200 miles on her over the past few years.
I know it's hard to believe - but it's time to think about getting Winne out of storage and ready for a trip down to New Jersey. Granddaughters Alyssa and Emily are having their annual dance performances next weekend and Emily is having a birthday the following Monday. So Grandma and Grandpa need to get ready to roll again! Fortunately we shouldn't have a lot to pack - but to a large extent - it takes just as much effort to get ready for a 1,000 mile trip as it does for an 8,000 mile one.
Speaking of Grandpa and Grandma ... Stacy informed us last week that we should expect granddaughter number 3 in late September. So now the preparations can begin in earnest - with pink being color of choice.
Spring, summah weekend, bug season, fall ... regardless what name you use - it is definitely going to be an interesting few months ahead!
Wednesday, May 4, 2011
Safe, Warm, and Dry - Topsham, ME
I understand that this RV Park floods periodically and they will warn you about this potential on their Web Site. They tell you that the park will flood when the river level gets to about 31 feet at the Memphis Gage. It becomes pretty obvious when you stay at Tom Sawyer that it floods periodically as the laundry facilities are on the second floor of this building (very nice facilities I might add) ...
You will also notice that their main electrical distribution boxes are tens of feet off the ground.
I remember checking before we arrived there and the level was about 28 feet.
I mention all this because I noticed today that the folks in Memphis are worried about flooding as the Mississippi River is at 44 FEET and rising - expected to crest at about 48 feet (a new record) in about another week!
The Tom Sawyer RV Park Website has some photos of their park during one of their higher than "normal" floods. You can check them out here http://tomsawyersrvpark.com/photos.html. I expect that the river level when these were taken was about 40 feet.
Yikes!! - think about what another 8 feet would look like!!!!
Safe, warm, and dry in our stick house in Maine on a cool and rainy spring day doesn't look so bad now - does it!
Tuesday, May 3, 2011
Slaying Dragons - Topsham, ME
Usama bin Laden is dead. I guess I'm happy about that - he asked to be killed -- so we did. But I'm not as elated as many of those folks they show on TV. Now that he is gone and somewhat martyred -- someone else will replace him as the world's number one bad guy -- and we will need to go get him (or her) also. History does indeed have a way of repeating itself. The good news for us is that we have the best trained and equipped military in the world ... the bad news is we need them and their equipment more now than ever. Politicians will come and go and they will make good decisions and bad ones. But the US armed forces are what keeps this nation safe - we should never let down our guard.
Meanwhile - we all have lives to live!
The weather in Maine has been pretty darn nice the last several days and I have tried to take advantage of it by doing some outdoor projects. Our new house insurance company decided that the three steps leading from our upper deck to a lower deck were a hazard without a handrail and they really wanted me to install one (or face higher premiums or no coverage). When I designed and built that deck (replacing a previous deck I had also built) I removed the handrails that were there because I didn't think they were necessary and they uglied up the design! Well I guess the insurance company got to win and I installed a handrail on one side of the stairs over the past couple of days. It all came out looking OK I suppose. I better not catch anybody going down those stairs without using that new hand rail!!
It seems the insurance company also wants me to replace the main electrical service disconnect box . I guess they think circuit breakers are safer than the pennies I have screwed in under my fuses. Just kidding!!!! I have to be careful what I put in here ... my insurance agent reads this blog! Anyway ... we'll get that chore taken care of as soon as the electrician guy coordinates getting the power shut off with Central Maine Power Company. I guess they don't want to do the work with the lines still energized ... such wimps.
I suppose I better bring this post to an end and get busy - I know there are several dragons around here that needs slaying! Now where did I put my sword?
See ya ....
Meanwhile - we all have lives to live!
The weather in Maine has been pretty darn nice the last several days and I have tried to take advantage of it by doing some outdoor projects. Our new house insurance company decided that the three steps leading from our upper deck to a lower deck were a hazard without a handrail and they really wanted me to install one (or face higher premiums or no coverage). When I designed and built that deck (replacing a previous deck I had also built) I removed the handrails that were there because I didn't think they were necessary and they uglied up the design! Well I guess the insurance company got to win and I installed a handrail on one side of the stairs over the past couple of days. It all came out looking OK I suppose. I better not catch anybody going down those stairs without using that new hand rail!!
It seems the insurance company also wants me to replace the main electrical service disconnect box . I guess they think circuit breakers are safer than the pennies I have screwed in under my fuses. Just kidding!!!! I have to be careful what I put in here ... my insurance agent reads this blog! Anyway ... we'll get that chore taken care of as soon as the electrician guy coordinates getting the power shut off with Central Maine Power Company. I guess they don't want to do the work with the lines still energized ... such wimps.
I suppose I better bring this post to an end and get busy - I know there are several dragons around here that needs slaying! Now where did I put my sword?
See ya ....
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