Near Dunn, NC
Cotton Fields/Festival, Dunn, NC
Cotton Bales near Dunn, NC
We went to the Cotton Festival. BBQ, Bluegrass and Gospel music.
Double click on picture to enlarge.
Fayetteville, NC
We arrived in Fayetteville, NC on Wednesday, October 8th about 4:00 p.m. We started training at 7:00 p.m. to observe a store closing. This is a nice park, we'll be busy. The weather has been in the high 70s and low 80s.
Goodbye Petoskey!
We left Petoskey Sunday, 10/05/08. It was sad in a way but exciting to be going to our new home in Fayetteville, NC. And then all I have to do is think about the white stuff that will soon be coming down in MI and that sums it up. Yes, it's best to be leaving MI. We'll arrive in NC on Wednesday.
Petoskey KOA
The entrance, the main building, kamping kitchen and the pool.
This award winning KOA has been our home since May. It's one of the best! We have had a fun summer and we look forward to workamping here next season.
Mackinaw City
5 Mile Span Mackinaw Bridge connects the lower and upper peninsulas of Michigan.
The bridge is open for walking on Labor Day, we walked it two times.
Mackinac Island Ferry Docks
Mackinaw Lighthouse
Double Click on Photo to increase size
Petoskey - Update
It's been very cool in Petoskey this May. We've had some early morning freezing temps, growers are worried about their fruit trees. Some lost asparagus plants to the frost. We've had a couple of days of rain but the sun is suppose to shine tomorrow and it might get up to 70 degrees.
Petoskey MI KOA
We met our co-workers yesterday in an orientation meeting. They've come from many different states. There will be 30 workampers here in season. We are going to start work today, we'll be in reservation/store. The park is very pretty and sounds like it's going to be very busy in the summer months. This area is one of the prettiest in MI. We're only 30 miles from Mackinaw City and the Mackinaw Bridge, ferry to Mackinaw Island. Hope to see some of our family and friends up here this summer. If you want to stay at the park, please let us know early, it fills up fast, especially in the summer months.
Michigan
We are happy to be back in Michigan. We spent some time with our families while in Saginaw and Midland. It was great fun to spend time with Betty's granddaughters. They grow up so quickly. Rachel will graduate from high school this year and she'll be going off to college in August. It was sure fun to watch her at her tennis games. She and her partner won all three games! Madison is 8 years old, and a soccer player, she too won the soccer game that we saw. She plays defense but made a goal, the coach was not happy about that and said she was a ball hog, she should pass the ball. But grandma was real excited that she made a goal! We arrived in Petoskey this afternoon.
On Our Way Back to Michigan
We left the Memphis area on Sunday. We're in the park where we worked this winter in Sikeston, MO. We leave tomorrow morning, will stop overnight in IN and then on to Hastings, MI on Wednesday. We'll visit and dance with some of our friends there. And Sweetie will make her annual visit to the vet. Then we'll go to Saginaw and spend time with our families before we go up north.
Memphis
The first picture is a statue of Elvis. The next one is Beale Street and the other is a trolley in downtown.
Mulates, New Orleans
Mulates is known for it's cajun food, music and dance. We had dinner there, it was delicious, and managed to do one dance, no not a cjun dance but a waltz. We watched some of the dancers, thought maybe we could figure out the step but we couldn't. Jerry asked one of the gentlemen what the step was that he and his partner were doing and the man said "oh, several steps put together, I make it up as I go". They were just visiting from TX and love to dance. This was in an old building and had a beautiful, seasoned, hardwood floor.
French Quarter New Orleans
I was so surprised to see this Ace Hardware store in the French Quarter. I imagine it was a very important part of the French Quarter during all of the renovating. The other picture was taken from Jackson Square.
Correction: This is a True Value hardware, not Ace, my mistake.
2 1/2 Years After Katrina
These were taken in Hancock county, MS. The first picture is what they used for a church, after Katrina. It appears as though the steeple is all that was left. If you look close, you can see a portable building behind the steeple that they must use for church service, until they rebuild. (you can double click on the pictures to make them bigger)
Fontainebleau State Park, Mandeville, LA
This park is on the north shore of Lake Ponchartrain. There is a 25 mile causeway between Mandeville, LA and New Orleans. It is the longest causeway in the U.S.
Mobile to Mandeville, LA
We arrived at this state park north of New Orleans today. On our way, we drove through Boloxi, MS and along the shore where Katrina hit. They are rebuilding and it will be beautiful when it's finished. I cannot even begin to imagine the devastation those poor people have experienced as the result of Katrina. It's great to see the progress that's been made.
Mobile AL
We’re in Mobile, AL. The weather has been perfect, 70s and sunny! We’re staying at Shady Acres Campground, a quiet park. We’ve been spending time with Jerry’s nephew and family. We had Easter dinner with two of his nephews and families. We had an Easter egg hunt, they found all of the 80 plastic eggs. Such fun! The weather is so beautiful here, we think we’ll stay a while longer. We've been looking forward to just relaxing and enjoying life.
We've enjoyed being here in Mobile and the best part has been spending time with Jerry's nephew and family. We visited downtown Mobile, had lunch at the Hurricane Brewery, we stopped in the gift shop in the museum and had an interesting chat with the lady who works there, a true southern lady. She said the human body exhibit (which is on now) is not good, don't waste your time. She did tell us about some interesting things to do and see. If you want to know the truth about an area, always talk to the locals. They truly know what's good and what's not so good and their usually willing to tell you.
We've enjoyed being here in Mobile and the best part has been spending time with Jerry's nephew and family. We visited downtown Mobile, had lunch at the Hurricane Brewery, we stopped in the gift shop in the museum and had an interesting chat with the lady who works there, a true southern lady. She said the human body exhibit (which is on now) is not good, don't waste your time. She did tell us about some interesting things to do and see. If you want to know the truth about an area, always talk to the locals. They truly know what's good and what's not so good and their usually willing to tell you.
Tom Sawyer RV Park - West Memphis, AR
We arrived at Tom Sawyer RV Park in West Memphis, AR on Thursday, March 6th. We almost had to postpone our trip because Jerry got sick during the night on Tuesday, but he felt well enough to make the drive. Our site is right on the mighty Mississippi river. Barges go up and down the river one after the other, and a tug now and then. There’s definitely no traffic noise here other than the sound of a barge or a tug. I got very sick on Thursday night. Jerry took me in to emergency on Friday evening. They gave me a shot and some meds and said I had a virus, not dehydrated yet. A bland diet was in order for the next couple of days. Four days later and I’m starting to feel normal. We had big plans while we were here but it’s almost time to leave and we’ve done nothing. Oh yes, Jerry did the laundry, it’s free in this park! We also enjoyed watching the river traffic. We’ll hope for more fun at the next stop.
On The Road Again
Yes, we’re on the road again, going to the Memphis, TN area for a few days. The home of Graceland and Elvis. I’m sure that’ll bring back some memories of the good ole days! The RV park is on the mighty Mississippi. We hope to get a site on the river, if it’s not over the banks. They say it floods in the Spring, hopefully not while we’re there.
Finished Our Second Workamper Job
We finished our second workamper job in Sikeston, MO the end of February. It was a great experience. We enjoyed the area, and the people we met here. We have two months to relax before our next assignment which is in Petoskey, MI for the summer.
Ice Storm in Sikeston, MO
The ice storm started on Monday, February 11th with rain and sleet. Schools were let out in the morning because the roads were getting slippery. It rained during the night and then more rain, freezing rain, sleet all day on Tuesday. Our power went out late afternoon and was out for five hours. The temps were in the 20s and in the teens at night. It was so slippery it was hard to walk. There was 3/8 of an inch of ice on the mailbox on Tuesday. These pictures were taken on Tuesday and Wednesday, when a little sun finally came out. Some people still don't have power today. They have opened up warming shelters for those without power.
Workamper-Sikeston, MO
Our second workamper position was in Sikeston, MO. We work five hours a day for two days and have two days off. Betty is in registration/office and Jerry in maintenance.
One of the perks of working in an RV park is meeting so many very interesting people. One couple had just purchased their first motorhome and was driving it back to CO. They were going to soon become fulltime RVers and convert their motorhome to run on vegetable oil.
This area hardly gets snow but we had a couple of inches last week. Schools closed and the snow was all gone the day after it snowed. We've had some bad rain/wind storms this winter. One time the fifth wheel started to rock and roll and we thought we had better leave and go to the building here in the park. Fortunately, we were okay and just a little damage in the park.
There is a restaurant here called Lambert's Cafe, home of the throwed rolls. Lots of food and delicious, big, hot rolls. If you're in the area be sure to visit it, you'll be glad that you did. Be sure to go real hungry because they give you huge portions and keep coming to the table offering you more food like fried okra, fried potatoes, and macaroni and tomatoes. The drinks are served in big mugs.
We found a couple of country dance groups in Cape Girardeau which is 28 miles away. We've gone to some of their dances. They were very nice and taught us some new dances and we taught them a couple. That's the nice thing about country dancers, they always make you feel at home.
One of the perks of working in an RV park is meeting so many very interesting people. One couple had just purchased their first motorhome and was driving it back to CO. They were going to soon become fulltime RVers and convert their motorhome to run on vegetable oil.
This area hardly gets snow but we had a couple of inches last week. Schools closed and the snow was all gone the day after it snowed. We've had some bad rain/wind storms this winter. One time the fifth wheel started to rock and roll and we thought we had better leave and go to the building here in the park. Fortunately, we were okay and just a little damage in the park.
There is a restaurant here called Lambert's Cafe, home of the throwed rolls. Lots of food and delicious, big, hot rolls. If you're in the area be sure to visit it, you'll be glad that you did. Be sure to go real hungry because they give you huge portions and keep coming to the table offering you more food like fried okra, fried potatoes, and macaroni and tomatoes. The drinks are served in big mugs.
We found a couple of country dance groups in Cape Girardeau which is 28 miles away. We've gone to some of their dances. They were very nice and taught us some new dances and we taught them a couple. That's the nice thing about country dancers, they always make you feel at home.
Our First RV
Our first RV was a 1994 Fleetwood Bounder motorhome. We really liked the motorhome. It was so convenient and comfortable. I could fix dinner at the same time Jerry was driving.
When we decided to go fulltime we wanted more room in the RV. We sold the Bounder and bought a 36ft fifth wheel with three slides. We have much more room and it is very livable. It was difficult to try to figure out what we needed to take with us and what we would never need to have. We found out that we brought some things that we will never use and we left some things behind that we wish we would have brought. But that's okay, this is an easy fix.
We've also learned that some of those things that seemed so important in our other life, don't even matter in this life.
When we decided to go fulltime we wanted more room in the RV. We sold the Bounder and bought a 36ft fifth wheel with three slides. We have much more room and it is very livable. It was difficult to try to figure out what we needed to take with us and what we would never need to have. We found out that we brought some things that we will never use and we left some things behind that we wish we would have brought. But that's okay, this is an easy fix.
We've also learned that some of those things that seemed so important in our other life, don't even matter in this life.
Full Time RVers/Workampers
We did it! Sold the house and became fulltime RVers. It sure was scary, but looking back, we wish we would have done it sooner. We don't even miss all of those things we saved for so many years.
We hit the road in May, 2007 and traveled for a while, then we stayed at a campground near Betty's son's so we could babysit our seven year old granddaughter and her brother for the summer months. She kept us very busy with her summer soccer camp and bible school and all of the fun things to do while camping. It was so nice to have this time with our families. Jerry also took on a part time job, delivering RVs from the factory to dealers throughout the US and Canada.
We started our first Workamper position the end of August, just before Labor Day weekend. This meant we had to learn fast and furiously so we were ready for the Labor Day rush. We worked at an RV resort in the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia. Betty in registration and camp store and Jerry in maintenance. This was a short two month commitment. Just long enough for us to decide that this was the life style for us.
We really enjoyed the area, the beautiful mountains, the Crooked Road (http://www.thecrookedroad.org/), bluegrass music, clogging and flatfootin' venues. Between the locals that we met and our new workamper friends, we really felt at home.
We hit the road in May, 2007 and traveled for a while, then we stayed at a campground near Betty's son's so we could babysit our seven year old granddaughter and her brother for the summer months. She kept us very busy with her summer soccer camp and bible school and all of the fun things to do while camping. It was so nice to have this time with our families. Jerry also took on a part time job, delivering RVs from the factory to dealers throughout the US and Canada.
We started our first Workamper position the end of August, just before Labor Day weekend. This meant we had to learn fast and furiously so we were ready for the Labor Day rush. We worked at an RV resort in the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia. Betty in registration and camp store and Jerry in maintenance. This was a short two month commitment. Just long enough for us to decide that this was the life style for us.
We really enjoyed the area, the beautiful mountains, the Crooked Road (http://www.thecrookedroad.org/), bluegrass music, clogging and flatfootin' venues. Between the locals that we met and our new workamper friends, we really felt at home.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
