9/6/2010 Labor Day-Unofficial Last Day of Summer

Hmmm….stabilizer is down and put away.

The slide is in….

No water or sewer hoses……

Truck backing up into place….

Closer yet……

Hitchin’ up…..

All hitched up and ready to go!

After some last minute hugs and handshakes this was our last view of the Delaware State Seashore Park, our home since the end of April.

The last look at the beach where I spent wonderful afternoons soaking up the sun with forever friends Cindy and Elaine. The jetty where Bob spent many an afternoon drowning bait.

We left this morning at 8:45. On the road again. YES!

We made some great friends this summer and we spent some wonderful weekends with our families and friends. Bob has actually gotten his fill of fishing, I didn’t think that was possible but he says yes. I’m actually tired of the beach and I never in a million years would have thought I’d utter those words,,,but I’ve had enough. Now that I think about it, I don’t think that we’re actually tired of these things but that we are ready for something different. The open road is calling to us and we need to hear the hum of the roadway under our tires. We need for our view out the window to be changing with each mile we travel. We need to GO. There’s new adventures out there and over the next few weeks some big changes are coming our way. We’re going to be meeting some people in the near future that we’ve talked with and shared with but we haven’t met in real life. Well, we haven’t met her and meeting him was maybe once years ago so for all intents and purposes we are meeting these people for the first time, but yet, they are already friends.

We are going places we’ve never been before which is exciting in itself for these nomads. Hopefully there will be some new experiences to take part in. At this point we just don’t know, its all new and strange and very much an adventure. We’re excited as all get out though.

The only thing I can say I’m sorry about is that I missed the funeral today. Today was the 25th Jazz Funeral in Bethany Beach. Thousands gather along the boardwalk as the funeral procession makes it slow march down from the north end of the boards. A casket which has a mannequin inside of it represents the Summer of 2010 and is led by Dixieland Jazz Bands. Party goers are dressed to the nines in mourning clothes and will weep and wail all the way down the boardwalk. Some will carry flowers or bouquets made of reeds and cattails and others will twirl oversized colorful umbrellas.

There are two distinct groups of mourners here. One is the summer beach house people, the weekenders and the daytrippers. The other group is the locals. Both are celebrating for two very different reasons. One is celebrating a great summer had by all and the other is celebrating getting their quiet little beach community back. One is saying farewell to summer,,,,and the other is saying farewell to TRAFFIC!

Once the procession reaches the bandstand the slow mournful music will stop and upbeat Dixieland Jazz will sound out. Before it gets too far into the party though the jazz bands will join together and play God Bless America and thousands will raise their voice in song. Yep, sorry, I missed that.

As we reached the Maryland state line I saw this car and snapped a picture because its meaningful to us. It has a Delaware license plate and a Philadelphia Eagles emblem in its window. To us, it means HOME.

Oh no, is this homesickness already????

We were in a rolling parking lot for most of the day, Here we are going over the Bay Bridge.

Lots of sailboats on the Bay today!

Lots of people enjoying this fine day at the beach too.

Lots of fishing going on too.

….and some very slow miles passing under our tires. We only got as far as Fredericktown in western Maryland today but that was a good thing actually. We stayed in Greenbrier State Park which is very close to the home of our RV’ing friends Ed & Audrey. This is the couple we met in Yellowstone two years ago and they came to visit us at the beach in July. We called as soon as we got settled and they brought dessert and fire wood. And beer, can’t forget the beer.

As soon as they arrived Ed and Bob got the fire started and we talked for hours! Its always fun with this couple and there was talk of a joint vacation next summer when they take a couple of weeks off. We’re hoping so!

So around ten we called it a night, bid them farewell, shared hugs and handshakes and promises of keeping in touch.

I don’t think they were out of the park and we were in bed and asleep. It was a long day, but an exciting one.