Sunday, September 30, 2012

9/30/2012 Sunday, A Day of Rest, Right?

(Knoxville, TN)

We moved the last of our things over today.  The Cameo is empty of all things Quinn.

We have too much stuff.  Don’t get me wrong, I’m not complaining, we feel very fortunate to be able to make a statement that we have too much stuff, but at some point it just has to go!   We gave a good amount of clothes to the people here to take to a local ministry they support.  We also had a safe we carried with us.  It weighed quite a bit so we decided to leave it behind, well actually we gave it to one of the workers at the dealership.  The Mobile Suite has a built in safe and as soon as we scan documents onto  CD’s it will do nicely.

Bob familiarized himself with some of the rigs systems today and I emptied three more bags.
Other than that, we didn’t do much.  We are tired!  Physically tired and just plain tired of this move.

It’s suppose to rain all day tomorrow.  I’ll work on more bags then and Bob can get our movies organized.  Both good indoor activities.

Saturday, September 29, 2012

9/29/2012 It’s All Coming Together

(Knoxville. TN)

This morning we made a few more trips each and everything was moved.  FINALLY!

Now we had to make this new 5th wheel livable.

I started with the bathroom since that seemed the easiest and would be done in a short amount of time.  It would be an accomplishment and I needed one!

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There’s also another medicine cabinet with a mirrored door over the sink but there isn’t anything in there yet because I haven’t lined those shelves.

Next came the dishes and appliance garage.  When we are settled someplace for awhile I take the padding between the glass dishes and bowls out.

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The hardest thing to get organized was the pantry because there was so much in to begin with.  I only have so much flat surface on which to put stuff.

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It took awhile but I finally have everything put away in some kind of order.  At least I can see what I have.

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We’re learning something new about our place every hour it seems.  Here’s a picture of our refrigerator again.  See those decorative wood panels to the right of it?

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That’s exactly what I thought they were, decorative panels.  Uh-uh, not so.  Behind those panels are small shelves,,,my spice rack!  Who woulda thought?

We also had a switch on the wall that we couldn’t figure out what it did.  Several times we flipped it up and tried to figure out what changed.  Nothing.  Bob went outside while I flipped the switch in case it turned on a light out there.  Nope, nothing.  Over and over we did this for the past three days.  Finally, one the guys who works here came over to see if we needed anything and I asked him what it went to.  He flipped it, we looked around and couldn’t see anything different.  He then opened the door to the pantry and we saw the light….literally!  Here the pantry doors are so well fitting that the light didn’t show behind the closed doors. 
Mystery Solved!

I’ve cleared some things off the closet floor so I can step in again.  The pile of bags in the living room has dwindled considerably.  We’re getting there.  We’re not there yet, but we’re close closer.

We keep asking ourselves.  Where did all this stuff come from?

Friday, September 28, 2012

9/28/2012 Where Did All This Stuff Come From?

(Knoxville. TN)

Yesterday we managed to get our clothes moved over and not much else.  Today we hit the road running!

We started out putting things where we thought they would go and we were moving right along.  Bob got our “basement” moved over and put things away in an orderly fashion.  I was bringing over all the stuff in our drawers and putting things away in the new drawers and then I started on the kitchen.  Things were going great.  Until.  Until we realized just how much stuff we had and how little we had actually moved in the grand scheme of things.

So we just started moving stuff from the old place and putting it anywhere we could find a place in the new.  We just started making piles.

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Our walk-in closet is not a walk-in closet anymore!  In fact, by the end of the day we could only lean into the closet because there was no floor space left.

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Did we get everything moved?  No, not everything, almost, but not everything.  There just comes a time when you say enough!  Carrying stuff down three steps, walking the length of the RV from door to door and then up four steps, well, let’s just say we aren’t twenty anymore.

We ran out long enough to get something for dinner from Mickey D’s and then hightailed it back to our new home to spend our first night.

Needless to say we were asleep before our heads hit the pillows.

Thursday, September 27, 2012

9/27/2012 Our New Home!

(Knoxville, TN)

We left Bristol this morning around 9:30.  We had hoped to get on the road earlier but there was fog that was as thick as pea soup.

It finally lifted and we were on our way to Knoxville.  The last leg to travel to pick up our new home.  We’ve been looking forward to this day since we were six months in on owning the Cameo.

We found the dealership with no problem and were surprised it wasn’t bigger and closer to downtown Knoxville.  The dealership RVs For Less is situated on a major roadway on the outskirts of town. 

We were greeted warmly by all the staff and were quickly shown our new 5th wheel.  Remember now, we bought this sight unseen.  Of course we knew what we were getting because we had been to local dealers, we just hadn’t seen this one.

The door side of the 5th was hidden by trees and other RV’s so I couldn’t get that shot.

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Standing in the living room looking towards dining area and island.

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Entertainment center.  40”HDMI flat screen,  fireplace, storage.

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Storage and appliance garage.

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Another partial living room view.  To the left is a chair and small table.  We took the two recliners that came with this rig and put them in our old one.  We then brought “Bob’s chair” over and a small table.

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The pantry.

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A kitchen shot.  I love the hanging lights!

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The fridge,,,,huge!  Just huge!

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The bathroom.

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The Bedroom.  We have four slides on this 5th wheel and it makes the bedroom very roomy.  We also have a walk-in closet.

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To the left is a chest of drawers and mirror.  To the right a bar for hanging clothes and good sized shelves.  The extra two dining chairs are in there in this picture but they will stored elsewhere when we get set up and organized.

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So, there it is!  Our new wheel estate!

Wednesday, September 26, 2012

9/26/2012 Almost There…

(Bristol, Tennessee)

We thought maybe we would have made it to Knoxville today and we could have but we decided to pull into a campground even though we only had another hour or so to go.  We didn’t want to arrive tired, hungry and in need of showers.

We had a great drive today.  Not too warm, traffic was light and very little road construction.
I had some laundry to get caught up on and Bob had one more thing he wanted to take care of on this rig before we traded it.

So we got as far as Bristol and got set up.  We went in search of a Lowe’s and found once again what a small world this is.

When we reached Lowe’s, Bob went one direction and I went in another.  I gathered the things I wanted first and was standing near the check-out.  I struck up a conversation with the young check-out girl.  She was simply in awe of our lifestyle and asked where we were from originally.  When I told her Delaware she called to her co-worker, “Hey Brian, she’s from Delaware”   and explained that Brian had gone to Delaware not too long ago.  Bob finally arrived and we started our transaction.  Brian had come over and I guess he took notice that I handed my military ID for the discount.  Since Bob was carrying 8 foot lengths of trim he went on out to the truck.  Brian shared that he had family in New Castle and I told him that we were very familiar with New Castle.  He then went on to tell me that he had an uncle in the Army in Delaware and I asked his uncles name.  When he said Joe DiD…….., well you could have knocked me over with a feather!  We are friends with his uncle Joe!  Once again, what a small world we live in when you can go to Bristol, TN and meet a nephew of one of your friends.

Back at home, Bob made the repair he wanted to get done, I made us dinner, got the laundry done and we both crashed.

Tomorrow, Knoxville to pick up the new rig!

Tuesday, September 25, 2012

9/25/2012 On The Road Again…

(Rehoboth Beach, DE and south)

Today we’re leaving the Delaware State Seashore Park.  It’s time even though I wish we had even more time to spend here.  I hate to leave our friends.

Our neighbor Sue and I have been playing cards a lot lately and I’ve really gotten to know her and I like her a lot.  We’ve promised each other no tears when it comes time to say long.  (She blew that!)

So we got on the road around nine or so, maybe nine-thirty, I wasn’t really watching the clock. 

It didn’t take us too awful long before we crossed in Maryland. 

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It was smooth sailing until we ran into an accident on the beltway around Washington D. C..  That held us up as did the ever present road construction.

We got as far as Staunton, Virginia.  We were happy to see diesel prices around $3.79.  I thought the price was dropping rapidly but Bob explained it was because they paid less tax on their fuel than we did in Delaware.

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We spent the night in a KOA which we don’t like to do because they are so expensive.  We were pleasantly surprised that this wasn’t so bad.  We figured it was because they were about 8 miles from the Interstate and therefore couldn’t command the high prices like those that are just off the highway.

We had dinner in a Denny’s.  Bob actually had a breakfast meal and I had one of their new smashed meatball sandwiches.  It was quite good but a tad bit too much sauce for the type of roll they served it on.  The bread fell apart and I ended up eating it with a fork.

Not being used to driving/riding all day it didn’t take long to crawl into bed for the night.

Monday, September 24, 2012

9/24/2012 What a Summer It’s Been

What a great summer we’ve had!

We made great friends that will be in our lives for years to come.

Sue and Dave lived next door to us from the beginning of July on and we spent many an hour,  sitting and talking and laughing.  We’re already planning on where we can camp host together in two years!

Dawn worked in the booth and I introduced her early on when I told you all about her whittling.  We were so surprised to learn that we were so in tuned with one another that we could literally finish each others sentences.  Dawn is planning a trip to the Keys this winter to visit us.

I taught Sue and Dawn and camp host couple Sheila and Jim how to play Mexican Train so we spent many an afternoon and evening playing that.

We touched base with many of our friends (and family members) right in the beach area and we cherish each hour we spent with all of them.

This summer brought a special bond between my young cousin Melissa and I when we shared a para-sailing adventure.  Oh what a day that was!

This summer brought many enjoyable hours to Bob as he got to fish to his hearts content.  Golfing was also something he enjoyed very much this summer.

I was able to meet my 5th grade teacher again!  That was probably  the number one highlight of my summer.  Oh wait, maybe not.  Meeting my new great niece, Cassidy, definitely trumped the 5th grade teacher.  Sorry Len.  They weren’t the only ones I got to meet although I kinda knew of them already.   I met Tracy even though we’ve been friends for a couple of years now through emails and phone calls.  And I got to meet Mike V, frequent reader!  It’s been quite the summer!

It was one of the hottest summers on record and one of the driest.   But when it rained….it was like monsoon season!  I’ll always remember Jim, he was determined that no amount of rain was going to keep him from enjoying time in his chair out in his yard at the campsite.  When I first saw Jim I didn’t have my camera with me so I went home to get it hoping he wouldn’t have moved. 

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I enjoyed each and every hour I had with my parent’s.  It wasn’t enough but that crazy work schedule we started with really cut into our time.  Same with my BFF Elaine, didn’t get enough time with her but sure treasure those beach times we had.

We were lucky enough to be home so that we could witness the marriage of some very special friends.  We’ll see Diane and KK Christmas week in the Keys.

This summer brought some new frequent readers to the blog.  Welcome Lisa and Deanna!  They and their husbands are also interested in RV’ing so maybe we’ll even see them on the road.
I bet you are all glad I didn’t make your eyes bleed with sunset pictures.

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Yep, one great summer!  Wish it was May 1st and we could do it all over again.

Sunday, September 23, 2012

9/5–9/23/2012 Catching Up…

I hate when I do this!  I have every intention of writing daily or a least every other day and then ….and then, life happens.  Or, perhaps life is boring at times and there just isn’t anything to write about. Or, perhaps I just get lazy.  Yeah, throw some of that in there too.  So I’m not even going to try to play catch up on a daily basis.

Our time here is coming to a rapid close.  Our work at the marina was done as of the 8th of September.  Actually, make that the 7th because it rained all day on the 8th and we didn’t have to work.
Our last visit to my parents has come and gone and it was a crazy four days.  On the Wednesday we were there we went to the America’s Largest RV Show,,,or at least that’s how it was billed, in Hershey, Pennsylvania. 

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Actually, I thought the Tampa was much larger.  I guess there were a lot of RV’s packed in that lot though.

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We didn’t go there to buy one.  There was no need to do that because we have been negotiating for the past 6 or 7 weeks with five different RV dealerships up and down the eastern half of this country.  Yep, we bought a new 5th wheel and  yes, we just bought a new one two years ago this month.  So why are we buying a new one already?  Well, we are totally unhappy with the Carriage Cameo that we bought.  Every month, no exaggeration, every month something was breaking.  When you spend this much money on an RV you shouldn’t have to fix something every month.  It also doesn’t help that the Carriage company that built this piece of crap went out of business this past December.  Goodbye warranty!  We talked long and hard about this and we decided to bite the bullet and trade up and get Mobile Suites by Doubletree.  When we leave Delaware we’ll head towards Knoxville, Tennessee to pick up our new home.  To say that we are dreading moving everything we own from our present RV to the new one is an understatement.  But it has to be done.  We praying for nice weather, we’ve done this in the rain once and its no fun!

When we returned from the RV show I dropped Bob off at my parent’s and took off for the Elks Lodge where I’m a member.   I especially wanted to go this evening because my friend Judy is heading up a project that she learned about from this blog.  Last winter in Mission, Texas I was a part of a group that made mattresses for the homeless out of material and plastic bags.  She read the post and said, “I can do that!”  Has she ever!  This group has already made over twenty mattresses!

Bags of every color, unfolded, fluffed and then stuffed by these wonderful ladies for a wonderful cause.

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Judy (L) is just running with this project!  She’s also taking it to her church.

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Debbie used half a pool cue to push the bags all the way into the baffles.

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Karen made a connection with a local company that will provide the material for free.  I believe this company makes slipcovers and all the material they have left over on a bolt that isn’t enough for another job but big enough for a mattress or three is given.  They reduce unwanted inventory and this group has plenty of material, it’s a win-win for everyone, especially the homeless who are going to get beds!

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Hopefully, now that summer is over and more members are getting back to the lodge on a more regular basis, the group will even grow.

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Tuesday, September 4, 2012

9/4/12 Bethany Beach Jazz Funeral, Part 2

(Bethany Beach, DE)

I left the last post with me walking the boardwalk over the sand dune to the beach.
Sue and I joined many others on the beach and many watched from the boardwalk.  We were waiting for the lifeguards to come.

On this day, they take their last swim together.  Now, not all of the lifeguards are still here as college classes have started and they had to return home.  Still and all, quite a few are still here.

They came running down the boardwalk and onto the beach.

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They lined up on the beach and their accomplishments of the summer were announced to the crowd.  How many lost parents were returned to their children, how many rescues were made and that there was zero drowning's on their watch.  And we cheered.

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The lifeguard lieutenant then commanded an about face.

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Then we heard, Get Ready!,,,,Get Set!,,,,and we were all expecting to hear to GO! and instead we heard STRIP!

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And there they stood.  Check out those tan lines!

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They were finally commanded to GO!

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This last swim had to be bittersweet for this group of lifeguards.  They have lived together, trained together, worked together and played together all summer.  This is their last hurrah.

It didn’t take long for tighty whities to go flying through the air.

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Meanwhile, back on the boardwalk, the jazz funeral players are having a concert on the stage.

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Everyone sang along as they played songs everyone knew by heart.

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Sister Mary Catherine Summer did some serious dancin’!

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And he didn’t look too pleased by it.

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A lot of people asked just WHAT was in the casket.  My answer would be…..boobs!  You can see why I answered that way here.

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Actually, this is Sally Summer, she sells seashells,,, by the seashore.

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I asked the good Father why poor Sally’s boobs were so big since they were certainly disproportionate.  He assured me he knew nothing about seashell selling Sally Summer’s boobs.  I just didn’t believe him.

So there it is, the 2012 Bethany Beach Jazz Festival.  A good time was had by all.

My first jazz funeral….it won’t be my last!