Where did the summer go?

    Where did our summer go?    Sept. 14, 2005  We have left coastal New England, Beverly,  with it's cooling breeze off the ocean which allowed us to avoid the extreme heat and humidity that other regions suffer from at this time of year.  It was a high light summer with very dear friends, despite Bob's brief medical problems.  My only complaint is the condition of the New England roads.They are really awful, probably the worse in the country.  My other complaint, if you really want to know, is that we no longer can get on the Internet with our new phone.  This is a serious problem for me, which will have to be resolved before we leave Arizona next April.  So anyway, I writing this on the road, not knowing when I will get to post it in my journal.   It may be when we get to Arizona when we get a land line.   OH poor me!!   

"Cotton isn't king in the South anymore.
Kudzu is king!"

  As we are driving though Tenn., we begin to see Kudzu again.  we don't have kudzu in Massachusetts, I suppose because of the cold winters.  This leafy vine, if not controlled, will cover everything in its path, including trees, small buildings, and I believe, along with poet  James Dickey, who wrote a poem about Kudzu,  that if you leave a window open at night it will come inside.

  Georgia on My Mind

 Wed. Sept 21st.  

 We have been  here at Bald Ridge in Georgia for a week now.  This is one of our favorite stops, Lake Lanier,    One of the greatest thing about our nomadic lifestyle is that we are able to meet and spend time with good friends and that is what it is all about, don't you agree?  The weather has been perfect .   I took my last dip in the laketoday as tomorrow, we leave for Alabama.  

 Saturday Sept. 24th.  

 Rita's on my mind today  

 We are still in Pell City Al.  Waiting for Rita to get out of Texas.  This camping area is also a marina.  We have been here before and it's always interesting to see all the bass boats  coming and going.  Being Saturday, there are at least 100 trucks and boat trailers over in the adjoining field..  We have a water front site and can see all the action.   Here's a little story for you..  As most of you know, we are originally from Ma. In Ma. most people do not have shotguns.  We are city folk!!  Well this lovely motor home moves in at the site beside us early in the morning Friday.   Their tags told us they were from La.  The man disconnected the car, went back in the coach and drew all the blinds.  We figured he and whoever else was with him had traveled all night to evacuated from La.and had gone to sleep.  Anyway, about 5PM, he, his wife and the three kids  emerged from the coach and went out.   They also have a dog with them.  About an hour later two other cars show up with them with three guys, 2 women and three kids and 3 more large dogs.  Then the women  bring out fast food to the outside table and the men start unloading shotguns from one of the cars.  All in cases, we watch gun after gun being placed in the bottom of the motorhome.. Our initial thought was they were a terrorist group, disguised as normal people.  And then after we thought about it, we just realized that they must be hunters.  They also had bows with them.  Oh well, have a nice day. 

  Tuesday Sept. 27th 

We are now in Vicksburg, Miss. and have a phone line in the coach.  Yah, I can finally add an entry. Will add more tomorrow.

Hurricane Katrina

  As you may know or not know, we have been parked in my forever friend Carol's yard, in  between her house and one of her son's house and his family.  Without any legal process, we have been adopted by this family many years ago.  Through this union, we have gained  four more sons and their families, grandchildren, aunts , uncles and the concern and love of a large connected family.  All of her boys have been in the service and three of them are career men of the Air Force, Navy and the Army. 

   One of Carol's sons, Dan, and his family live in New Orleans, where he is stationed in the Navy.  Needless to say their home is gone with everything in it.  His two sons will be arriving in Boston Sunday to stay with Carol and his brother's family.   Together they will see that the boys are taken care of and continue their education. Dan has not seen his wife since he was evacuated before the storm hit.  She is a nurse and was not allowed to leave the hospital. Thursday a police officer took her down the road 40 miles, so that she could use her cell phone to call Dan and the boys.  It was a joy full  phone call to receive for them all.  For now they are all separated and doing the best that they can to get through this.

This is a time that we all must give as much as our hearts  and pocketbooks will allow.  Most of the folks there didn't have much to begin with.  One cannot imagine what these people are going through.  God bless them.

The Salvation Army National Headquarters

HAPPY DAYS ARE HERE AGAIN

This is me doing the happy dance.   Bob's angieogram proved him to be as fit as a fiddle and ready to diddle!  Can't beat that.   We have been blessed with so many  friends here that took care of us well.  We never can repay them for their kindness.   We love you all.

HOBO PIES

  I love week-ends here in Beverly.   Every Saturday and Sunday Bob, Mike (Carol's hubby) and Steven , Carol's son meet out under our awning for morning coffee.  After a while Carol joins then, then Sue comes out (Steven's wife) and then me.  We ladies are still in our pj's, but no one cares.  After a hour or more we all head off on our own to get choirs done.  We come together for church at four and then some type of community supper, tonight it's pizza.   We often have visitors or Gerrie drops by (Carol's aunt).  Saturday night is often a game night including the children.   Life is good.  

 Last night we had a fire in the outside fireplace and all sat around the fire.  We ended up making pies , often called hobo pies, over the fire and topping them off with whipped cream.  The kids loved them, so did the dads!  We had a choice of blueberry or raspberry.  Next.... bring on the samore's.  

 Bob has to be at the hospital Monday morning at 6:30AM.     Please keep him in your prayers.   Love to you all.        Dawn

Lobster Singing The Blues

Recently this blue beauty was trapped in Pigeon Cove by a lobsterman.  This type of dark blue-purplish lobsters tend to glow in the water or so the lobsterman say.   This one weighed about one pound.  I guess they cook up just about the same as their red cousins.

This and That

  We have friends, Pat & Bob, from Beverly that left here many years ago and settled in Lake Havasu, Arizona.   Lake Havasu is know for the having bought the London Bridge and reassembled it there.   Well, our friends have recently moved to Golden Valley, AZ which is further north near Laughlin, which is a gambling community.  In Mesa, AZ. where we winter, there is always a bus trip to Laughlin somewhere in the  Valley offering a special to the snow birds.  Getting back to Pat & Bob, they sent us some wonderful pictures of their new area and I thought you might like to see them too.  I also included a picture of Bob's fishing trip to N.H. last month.  What a catch!

  We played a new game last night called LCR.  There were 11 of us and it was a hoot.  It's a very simple dice game played with chips or money.  We played for money.. Now this game could be played all night with as little as $1.00 playing for pennies or a little more using nickels, and the more that play the better.  Anyone every play this?  

We are still in Massachusetts and Bob's neurologist wants him to see a surgeon and discuss having a coronary angiogram.  This sounds rather scary to us.  So now we wait for the appointment.   

 It was great seeing you Rosemary!  

Seafood Galore

    Fried clams, haddock, lobster and flounder, this about sums up what we have been up to.  We are just social butterflies!!   Renewing old friendships and visiting with relatives has kept us busy.  

 We are parked in my forever friend's back yard and beside her son and his family's home.  There is no where  in this world that we would be more welcome.  We are humbled by their love and concern. 

  Bob is doing well, but our Doctor want a few more tests done.

Last week we  went to our favorite "eat-in-the-rough" restaurant in Essex.  Vacationers to this area all seemed to make it here to Woodmans, which is a family run business for over 90 years.   Grandpa Woodman invented the fried clam and you can count on it still being delicious.  They have won many dining awards through the years as the best of almost everything, including onion rings.  The best  I've every had.  Woodmans is always on my list to visit whenever we are in the area.  They also do clambakes.  

No visit to Essex would be complete without a ride over to Gloucester.  Just the smell of Gloucester with its strong salt air breeze is very special to me. Gloucester is also America's oldest fishing port.  

Praise the Lord.  The Discovery team is home safely.

  I'm sorry it has been such a long time since my last entry.  Will try to do better. Love to all.