Geneva, N.Y., white springs winery

September 15, 2016.  Harvest host , free.  Today we drove 4 hrs to the finger lakes for some wine.  There are over 400 wineries in the area.  I picked the white springs winery because it also sells beer. The beer is Glass Factory beer.  During our drive we filled with diesel at $2.59/gallon. $150,  57.71 gallons. The Rv has 47129 miles on it.  During our trip we attempted 3 times to get our propane filled with  no success.   The gas stations that claimed they had it, were we're just exchange  tanks.   We attempted to get to a campground near Ithaca. That brought us into the city on roads that were ridiculous to  maneuver in the Rv. 

Wright's Farm, Gardiner, NY

Wright's farm, Gardiner, NY. Harvest host location free.   We were met by a friendly young woman. She escorted us up a Hill and into their Apple orchard.  We are all alone.  Gorgeous views. Purchased some fresh Apple cider donuts, cheese, eggs, jam and pie.  The owner showed us a place to walk this evening to observe the local skydivers.   He said bring a beer and relax. So we will comply!

Uncasville, CT, Mohegan Sun

September 12-13, 2016

We arrived at the casino turtle lot after leaving Buffumville Lake Park.  We finished our contract with the US Army Corp of Engineers.   Now, we are off to Florida for October 1, 2016.  We are going to take our time and enjoy our trip down south.  We will be seeing family and friends at the rv lot.  We are having pizza and relaxing.   

I love Ikea.

We  decided to refurnish our living area.   After feeling cramped, disorganized  and gloomy,  we decided to make some  changes.   We went to  Ikea for some ideas to replace our existing  leather couch.  We need a bed for when  we have  guests.    Our first  thought  was an air mattress.   During our visit to Ikea  we went to the couch /futon area.    We had a few choices.    We even  decided on one.    As we continued on our trek through  the  store I spied a kitchen  island.    I  thought we could  use it for  a  table,  counter.  We would  access  the  shelves below by cutting  openings in the divider below.     The possibilities  are  warming  up  now.    We continued out with  some ideas.   When we came upon  the daybed section.   I  saw a white daybed.    It has storage  below it.     .    We continued and left with our ideas.    We went home.   Came up  with  a  time plan,    we listed our old couch  on Craigslist and sold it in an hour.    We returned a week later and purchased our new furniture.     We came  home and started the  project.    We used gorilla wood glue as we assembled.   We started  with the island.    It wasn't too bad.    The daybed  was next.     We ordered our mattresses so we needed to  wait for them to come in.    But the difference  surely  lifted the mood in the Rv.    It's  bright  useful  and cleaner.   The next day was rearrange  storage of our stuff.    I moved into the drawers with linens.  Norm moved to  the  less accessible old linen area.     I  love it. This was definitely needed.

New rv decal

July 10, 2016  Today  we applied the new decal  to  the  back of the rv.   I had heard of  a place that makes decals  from  a  personal picture.   Ann,  another  camphost  had given  me  the idea.    I tried to use a picture Fort Desoto,  site  128  (our wedding  location), with  a  silhouette  of our recently deceased dog.    I was told by the online  place  that the picture  wasn't high enough quality.   So I had given  up.   One day  I stopped  at Camaro signs in Norwich,  CT.    Valerie,  a graphic  designer  there,  quickly  assisted me.  She obtained the picture from  Dropbox,  then edited and added a black  border.  The picture  was $128.    Ready  in two days.    I  removed the  old stickers,  and used buffers and rubbing compound  to remove  the Shiney ghosting left behind.    Our neighbors Martin and  Kathy,  assisted  to install  it.    Big thanks  to  Martin!   Anyway  it is done and we love it.

Natik, Massachusetts

Today  we bought a replacement  Subaru Crosstrek  because  I  blew up  the motor,  transmission and exhaust on the  previous one.    Note to  anyone!  When  you  are asked 3 times  if you  are  sure,  take the extra  time  and make sure!   I left the car in gear  and ruined it when  we towed it.   This ruined  our trip and  all the fun  we were having.     It added huge amounts  of  stress and cost us money.    Luckily,  our new insurance  company  covered the car.   The car was totalled with  $17000 in damages.    Now we have  a  model  year newer car.    I  can tell  you,  I  will  never  ever  leave  the  car in gear  again.    Costly  lesson learned.

MY BIG MISTAKE!

May 5th 2016, nice morning,  we are packing up to head to  North Carolina.  We are going to visit Alan Huff.   He is a new friend  we had met while  camphosting  at Fort Desoto Campground.    As far as a pack up  and  go,  it was one of the  smoothest  ever.   Norm pulled the Rv to  the main parking  lot.    I  followed  and pulled up behind  the  Rv in the Subaru .   Norm  pulled out the tow bars and hooked up  the  subaru.  I was inside  the  car, doing  final  checks.  Norm came over to  me and  said to put the key in accessory  mode,  shifter in neutral emergency  brake  off and lock the door.    I got out locked the door,  looked in through  the  window to confirm  the emergency  brake was down.    Then we got in the Rv and started driving.  THEN,  a short way  down the road,  Norm saw smoke billowing out from the car hood.   He pulled over,  there wasn't  much room.   I  half opened the step cover and  we ran back to the car.   (For future reference,  I  didn't  even  bring  the fire extinguisher).   The smoke was coming  from  the  engine  area.  Norm opened the  hood  and there was oil gushing  on the ground,  the dipstick had metal shavings in it.     This was BAD!   I  must have left the car in  gear.    Norm was screaming (not at me).     Norm checked to be sure it was in  neutral and  we drove to  a safer location.    I texted  Huff that we weren't  going to be coming.   We  were in shock and just drove,  in silence,  for a couple  of  hours.  We headed  east across Georgia.    I  started to  look  for  flights to Tampa,  there were none.    We  then looked  for rental cars.    We found  one in Augusta,  Georgia.    Hertz had a car.    Norm parked in  a lot down the  road.  We can no longer  back  up  the  Rv with the tow vehicle  on.  We can't take it off because  it doesn't  run.    I  called  our insurance  agent and explained what  happened.  She said the worst news,  that engines  aren't  covered.    We  are pretty  disgusted at this point.   I  walk down the  road,  rent the car,  return  to  norm  and the Rv.   I packed a bag.  I left for Florida.   Norm had to find  a  place to  go.   Augusta is hosting the Masters and there are no open rv sites for hours around.    Norm took the Rv and headed to  Columbia, SC.    During  the  ride the dog got sick  with the big D!  Norm  is just having  a  really  bad day.    He had to pull  over on the  side of the highway.    After cleaning  up,  he ended driving  at a Walmart in Columbia.     Meanwhile,  I  drove for 8 hrs and arrived at  Henrys house  at 11:30pm.    After a bad night of sleep.  I returned the  rental car,  picked up  my car,  had a coffee  with Henry and hit the road.    Norm  found a site at Barnyard RV Park campground  for the next two nights.  He filed an insurance  claim,  regardless  of  being  told it wasn't  covered.     An adjuster would  come see the  car in the next couple  of  days.      I returned to the Rv (home)   at 7pm.   Now we have a car and can get around  wherever we park.    Unfortunately,  I  will  not be able to  ride in the  Rv and our road time will  not be fun.    The next day the adjuster came.  He asked what happened,  took  pictures and said he would  write  his report.  Next we should  receive  a call from the claims  guy.    The report came in the evening.    $7000 so far.  There may be more as we cannot  tell  if the  transmission  is  ruined  also.    The report is three pages long,  the last page has disclaimers that say this paper is not a guarantee  of  payment.    We are hopefully just waiting to hear from  the  claims  guy.  We left a message  and sent and email.  No response  as of my writing  this.    I  went to  the local subaru  service  department.    The staff were so friendly.    The man there said the job would  be  about  a  week and a half.   But,  if other things  are wrong,  the adjuster  will  need to  come look  and approve more.     I  returned  and discussed this with  Norm.   He is  pretty  disgusted with  not knowing what to do,  without  the  authorization.    On a positive  note.  I have a friend  who lives locally.   I visited  with  her husband,  Tom and twins Jack and Sara. Tonight we are going to  visit with Keera and the whole  family.    We  are  just sitting  here now.   There are no campgrounds open in CT until  May.     So here we sit on  a Friday  afternoon with no answer and no idea what  we should  do.     

Buffimville Lake Park, US army Corp of engineers

We have successfully  bid on a contract  here  at Buffimville Lake Park.    We are  contracted  to  work  Sunday and Monday  8am to 8pm.  From may 20-sept11,  2016.  We collect  entrance  fees,  pick up  trash around  the  park,  and  check  the restrooms  hourly.     So far so good.  It's a pretty  park,  with nice Rangers,  volunteers and fellow  hosts.   

Beth Chmiel, my good friend loses her battle with cancer

May 28,  2016  . Beth  has been a friend  for over twenty years.  She has been  diagnosed  with  pancreatic cancer  in April  2015.  I wanted to  be close to  home  this summer  because  she wasn't  doing  well.    Since we arrived  in  April, there wasn't  much time to  squeeze in  alot.    She had us over for dinner,  we had some coffee  visits,  some hospital  visits and one last bingo  game at her house.    The last time  she was in the  hospital she was told there was nothing  else they  could  do for her.    She came  home  on Sunday,  may 22.  We,  her friends  and her husband  stayed with  her round  the  clock.   Until  she passed away.   May 28, 2016.   We will miss her.    

Buffimville Lake Park, Charlton Massachusetts

May 7, 2016 We were informed  we could  move to our summer  location  a week early.    We arrived at 8am.   Our new neighbors were there already.  Cathy  and  Martin, they are also  Fulltimer's.    We moved in to our sites without  event.    Our charge Ranger Jamie  met us and gave us keys.    Later on  the other new neighbors  moved in Rita and Ed, they are from  Waterford,  CT.