The Girls in My Life -

Here we have two of the girls in my life. Miss Lindsay on the left, my almost 8 year old granddaughter , and Toby -Aunt Toby- my lovely stepdaughter with the big smile. I thought I would use this blog to be a bit sentimental and look back at 2012  when we sold the house and moved to being "full-timers" living in our RV and traveling.
And travel we have, Vermont ( the bluegrass festival) Maine ( Moosehead Lake to Machias ) Virginia ( the beautiful blue ridge  mountains ) Tennessee, Alabama ( Natchez Trace, Huntsville and Red Bay) and then the Florida panhandle ( Destin, Fort Pickens, St George Island, Old  Town on the Swanee, Highland Hammock, the locks on Okeechobee) and finally Pioneer  Village where we will spend the next few months playing boce, bridge, going to Punta Gorda on music nights and eating and drinking .

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We also added a son-in -law when Allison and Charles married in May, Cory and I were able to attend and enjoy wonderful southern hospitality and food.

I am also pleased that my lovely grandaughter Araya has completed her first semester of college. Where have the years gone I am indeed fortunate. 

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has it really been a month !!

COON DOG CEMETARY IN RED BAY AL

Boy , have I been negligent . It has been a month since my last post and since that time we have been to :Sweetwater Tn , Decatur/Huntsville AL, Red Bay AL ,Tupelo MIss,(birthplace of Elvis),Muscle Shoals AL the birthplace of Helen Keller

After leaving Red Bay Al where the Tiffen RV factory and service center is located- more commonly known as the mother ship- we headed to Destin Fl and Henderson Beach State Park to camp.

we are now at Fort Pickens Federal Park on the National Seashore on Pensacola Beach FL .Sunday we leave for St George Island by Apalachicola Fl until the 20th.

We head for Old Town FL and the Swanee River for Thanksgiving and then to Okeechobee for 2 weeks at a Corp of Engineer Park on the Lake. Final destination for the winter is North Fort Myers.

One of the highlights of our trip to Red Bay was to get the carpet replaced with tile. I bought the tile before we left Ct, I cannot even begin to explain how happy I am with the tile. 3 dogs and 2 adults living full time in the RV and carpet ! i think not

Expensive but worth it. Next project is replacing the shades

Highlights so far, We stopped in Decatur so that we could visit the Science and Rocket Center in Huntsville AL What a place I was not expecting sooo much to see. The center is famous for holding space camp. The original rocket launching site is Redstone and is located on the Redstone Arsenal an army base which also contains NASA and where the space station payload is monitored. We got to see them actually talking to the astronauts on the space station. The military site employs 36,000 people with only about 1,000 military. Included in that number is 8 generals as this site is where the missile defense is located. The guide said that Huntsville has more PHDs per capita then any other city. It all has to do with propulsion etcetc. Way too much info for me.

Before this gets too lengthy we spent yesterday at the Naval Aviation Museum which was also very interesting. My goal is to be sure that we visit what each area has to offer hence the birthplace of Elvis in Topelo. very well done . And Helen Keller's birthplace outside of Muscle Shoals AL and of course the Coon Dog Cemetery. We have climbed over the remains of Fort Pickens, the only time it ever actually fired on ships was during the Civil War where the Fort was held by Union troops - HEY I am already for Jeopardy all this useful info

Till next time

the great state of Maine

This is just a pretty picture that I took on Campabello Island down by Quoddy Point lighthouse. Just experimenting and figured all these great Maine shots may be putting you all to sleep along with my harping about what a GREAT time we are having.  Besides I impress myself when I take a picture that is at all a bit "arty" instead of just a tree.

We left Maine and our good friends in Jonesport last Monday and drove back to Griswold Ct. We did have a good time and got to take in the sights such as the blackfly ball in Machias, stopped where this gentleman makes Maine Sea Salt for sale-  pretty labor intensive but he has all different flavors ( quite frankly they all tasted like salt to me ) we went to Campabello and drove the island and picked up some Cole Tea Bags for my friend who swears by them but cannot puurchase in the US . We drove around Lubec Maine and through Eastport. Mostly I liked sitting at our RV watching the 13 foot tide, smelling the sea air and decomposing seaweed and eating lobster and mussels literally right from the water. We have been friends with Bob and Patty for about 18 years so we understand each other which is necessary for a 12 day stay

So now back in CT and catching up with family, saw my lovely granddaughter who starts college at URI today. My boy Flee doing well with Cory, He needs a good grooming as he is a shedder but he looks good has put on weight and is relaxed. He has his own home where he is king and it is good for him . Just reminds me that having a dog is not solely about what may be good for us   , is it

ok as I end just one more picture of the RV and our spor looking towards Jonesport- I couldn't resist.

We will be returning to the road about the first of October- more to come

Arcadia and the isles off shore

We are getting ready to leave Trenton Maine to head for Jonesport and time spent with our friends. Trenton is on the border of Arcadia and just far enough from Bar Harbor to be manageable. We have spent time in the National Park and yesterday went to Deer Isle and Stonington Maine ( which is alot like Noank CT) We have had lobster and I made a killer mixed berry pie with blueberries, blackberries and raspberries.

We have met some interesting people - it still surprised me how many couples are full timers which means living in your RV full time - no stick house.  One couple has been doing this for 8 years which could be why they have matching bikes parked side by side in the same direction and chairs side by side in the same spot--you get the picture . I am not sure that is where I want to head . there are times when the "togetherness" is a bit grinding.

I have been having good memories of spending summers in Maine with my sisters at my grandparents summer home in Wells Maine.They had a large house with attached barn. Actually the barn was large with a work room, outhouse, and complete bar area in knotty pine. The floor was planks of wood where one or another of us were always losing something between the planks. Grandfather  was always so patient trying to salvage what we lost. I don't remember the house as well as the barn. That could well be because we were usually relegated to the barn area. After a long ride ( pre highways) to Maine in the unairconditioned station wagon with 3 girls and a carsick dog my parents were met at the door by the maternal grandparents with a stiff drink and we were told to stay outside . I can see that now as an adult and we always loved being outside and finding berries and playing in the garage- boy I remember that garage/barn !!

All in all I am enjoying this new life, it is relaxing and interesting . There is time to explore and relax and ride the silly retro-bike and walk the dogs. We will continue to follow the sun

Moosehead Lake and moose(s)

My first decent moose photo. We have been going to this spot in the early am and at dusk with no luck, Driving by today at about 1 pm , there she was. So I can check that off the bucket list. Now if I could find a loon,...

We are still in Greenville Maine, one of the bigger differences in being a full timer is that literally you have to be somewhere, so another few days here is not big thing. It is not quite like being on vacation and yet it is a continual vacation except you can't "party" daily.

Nemo and I have been walking in the morning , he is such a good pal. Deco's idea of walking is to be pulled along until we turn towards the RV and then he finds his legs. Poor Abbie is definitely aging and prefers sleeping to almost any other activity. I looked at some hiking paths for Nemo and I but most of them are 20 miles away with directions such as: at the fork drive 10 miles until left turn, don't take left stay right for 17 miles and then watch for side road, 3 miles  etc etc and on dirt. As Jim does not hike he would have to drive me 45 minutes and then sit in the car for another hour plus- maybe we will make out better at Arcadia

Tomorrow a boat ride around the lake- weather continues to be great.
I keep having flash backs on the many many summers I spent in Maine with my grandparents- one of the highlights was going to the dump to watch the seagulls and look for bears. Ahhh, life was simpler
Good night friends

Duck Whisperher - Moosehead Maine

Taming wild beasts- I was the duck "piper"
Moosehead Lake is beautiful and the weather has been to perfect. Y ou wake up to a clear blue sky and the temps are in the upper 70's.
Today we traveled west to Rockwell where they were completely redoing the road- I am talking DUST horrid I could feel grit in my teeth .
We went to see about the boat to Mt Kineo where you can walk around or hike but the number of smaller people ( aged 8 and under)and dogs getting on the small boat made me think better of that plan. My number one grievance this day is flexi-leads as they are used by people who have absolutely NO control on their dog and can not figure out the damn leash ! I do not bring my dogs out with flex-leads and my dogs can heel and sit. Saw two beautiful flat coated retrievers- on regular leashes and well trained then we had mom and dad ( with flipflops and a beer ) and a large dog who was wrapping the kids up in the flexi-lead while trying to jump and everyone. Gotta love it
Ok pet peeve for the day !! enough said
Tomorrow the quest to find a photographic moose continues- they say that  moose out number the residents 3 to 1, must be before tourists.
Take care my friends, more to come I am sure.

The magic of Vermont

An actual  working phone booth outside of Floyd's country store in Randolph Center VT.  Great little ( really little) country store where we bought cheese from the big wheel of cheddar and had them slice cob bacon for BLT's to go with the tomato I had purchased at the farmer's market. We had a beautiful campsite where you could sit and look at the rolling mountains. Made me realize what a great state vermont is- this time of year at least.
We then went to Essex Junction to a RV rally where we had specific goals, purchase 3 LED lights for the hall and bedroom ( at $47 each , ouch) but they are warrentied forever .Had a company come out and give me estimates for replacing the carpet and new shades. All in all we got what we wanted out of the rally and there was doggie agility going on so I was REALLLLLLY happy.
Today we are in Pine Forest Campground which is true to its name. It is in Springfield VT which is a disappointment after the beauty and simplicity of Randolph and Bethel and the valleys and hills . Kind of an nold mill town but we are 15 minutes away from NH, and the state package stores ( leaving nothing to chance)
We head to Mooselake Maine the end of the week.
Yes, still loving the life although I have to wonder why hubby has to occupy the exact space where I am headed- likeESP. I go for the sink, he has to get coffee, I head for the bedroom he is in the hallway , hmmmm is this a test ??
Looking forward to Maine where we will be for most of August.
keep well all
Lindsay, Nemo, Abbie, Deco and hubby Jim

Field Pickin'

No, field pickin" has nothing to do with blueberries it is about bluegrassers meeting at night, banjos, fiddlers, steel guiltars and base players all just "pickin"  Last night I saw a piano that someone had wheels on and hard brought it on his rv. Hard core

Average age is 60-70, so I guess we fit in. There are over 200 trailors, 5th wheels and RVs here and they have been here all week although the actual festival started yesterday - of course camping is free and dry ( no elec, water, sewer) in the 90 degree temps thank god for the generator.

We got the new satelite put on the bus in Hatfield on Tuesday, works great but expensive. Dogs seem to be adjusting, they love the AC as the heat does get to them
From here we head back over the mountain to Randolph Center and a beautiul park so that Jim can visit with friends in Bethel, we will drive up to Quiche . Still see lots of devestation from the Hurricane last year, it is really amazing to see how much was washed out.
So, it is the lazy life of a full timer, I think Jim is about bluegrassed out or at least he told me not to sign up for the next bluegrass festival . Oh well, he can watch NASCAR tomorrow on the tv.
Signing out

And the juorney begins

Are we ready yet ? We leave on Monday to begin our adventure. Our first stop in in Brandon VT, The Basinbluegrass Festival where we will rough camp in a field with all the other aging 'hippies' and listen to good music and most likely meet some interesting people.
From there we are heading to Quiche to visit friends and then to Essex Junction for a FMCA rally. Then on to  Moosehead Lake , Arcadia and finally to visit good friends in Jonesport Maine and attend the world famous Machias Blueblueberry Festival ( well, maybe not world famous )
Pictures to be included with the highs and lows of life in 40 feet.
The three dogs are ready to go . Flee is happy with my son, he enjoys being an only dog and looks relaxed and happy.
My promise is to keep this blog current.
Will be thinking of all my friends out there.
Jim and Lindsay