Hoover, AL: Moving Day (but not far)

Our first week in central Alabama has flown by.  We arrived on Dec. 23, Mike came in very early on Dec. 24, and Karen and her family arrived on Dec. 28. Carolyn and Sophie are due in late this evening.  David and Heather hope to be here on New Year's Eve.

Today we're moving to a friend's property, not far from Kathy's house.  With the departure and setup routines, as well as a stop to fill the propane tank, it will be a busy day for us after being stationary for the past week.

HOOVER, AL: More Family Fun Ahead!!

Our time in Louisville was wonderful with lots of visiting, much laughter and abundant delicious food! We shared time with Joel (Selene's brother) and Jan (his wife), Mary Kay (Selene's sister) and her daughter Colleen, Carolyn (Joel's daughter) and her daughter Sophie, Jean (Joel's daughter), Chris (Joel's son) and girlfriend Leslie and her children, Mary Kirk (Jan's mother),  Mary ( Hank's cousin) and her husband Jan, and Sister Marilyn (Hank's cousin). The days of our visit passed too quickly, and once again, it was time to head down the road.

This morning (Monday) we left Shepherdsville about 10:30, and stopped in Radcliff, Ky to have lunch with Leon, a ham radio friend (N4TFK) who we had never met in person. After a quick stop at Skagg's RV Country in Elizabethtown so that Hank could add some hydraulic fluid to leveling jacks system, we headed south on I-65 through Kentucky and Tennessee, stopped in north Birmingham, AL for fuel, and ended up at the Hoover RV Park south of Birmingham about 6 P.M.

We will be here until January 6th while we spend the holidays with our 5 children and 11 grandchildren, as well as many friends.  Every year, we look forward to this visit and the  decorations, music, games, food and frequent laughter.

SHEPHERDSVILLE, KY: Let the Christmas Fun Begin!!

After a cold night in northern Alabama (28 degrees), we left Northgate RV Park about 11 A.M.  CST. We stopped for fuel and to fix a sandwich at the Flying J in Franklin, Ky., and were right on track to make the 6 P.M.  EST dinner at the Redle Inn (Selene's brother's home).  However, a construction delay north of Horse Cave, KY meant 45 minutes of stopped and inching forward traffic for about 10 miles,  which put us behind schedule.

We pulled into Grandma's RV Camping about 5:45 P.M.  We stayed at this park last January. It has gravel sites with full hookups, concrete patios, free wi-fi and clean bath houses - nothing fancy, but just fine for our needs.  We quickly set up with just an electric hookup (possible freezing temperatures while we're here) and extended the slides.

It was great to finally get hugs from Joel & Jan (Selene's brother and sister-in-law), Mary Kay (Selene's sister) and Skeeter (Joel & Jan's neighbor).  Well, we didn't get a hug from Skeeter, but a warm hello anyway!. We enjoyed a delicious dinner and catching up on some of the family news and making plans for the days to come.

We'll be here until Monday, December 23rd.  Our Christmas holidays have officially begun!

ATHENS, AL; Overnight Stop and Visit

Yesterday (Tuesday) as we were starting our departure routine in Hoover, AL, we received a nice surprise.  A knock on the door let us know that Joe and Carolyn (Joe's Journey), who we met in April of 2011 at an RV Dreams rally, were also staying at the Hoover RV Park. They have been full-timers for 2 years, and we spent some time quickly getting caught up on what had happened since the rally.  We look forwaard to seeing them again down the road.

We left Hoover at 12:45 P.M. for the two hour drive north on I-65 to the Northgate RV Park.  We stayed at this park a few years back.  It's a very basic campground on a farm with good hookups, level sites and a very nice owner.  This location also gave us the chance to have a nice visit with David, Heather and Madison, who live nearby. We hope to see them again when we return to Alabama next week.

HOOVER, AL: Little House is Whole Again!

Well....until the next thing breaks! But that's the way it is in the RV world.

We last left you in our waiting room hoping for the made-to-order slide part to arrive on Friday as promised, which it did,  right on time.   Jay, the RV Connections slide specialist, started his work after lunch to replace the rail that had damaged rollers, then the welder replaced the panel that had been removed to provide access to the damaged slide rail.

Once the new slide rail was in place the whole mechanism had to be re-calibrated.  This is a lengthy process that basically programs a computer to control each of the 3 independent motorized rack and pinion rails.  These must be in sync at all times or the slide will twist and bind - which is definitely not good!.  No motor can be out of sync by more than one gear tooth at any time.  And they must position the slide perfectly in order to seat the seals that keep out the cold and wet when the slide is fully extended or retracted.  The process involves extending and retracting the slide room many times making minute adjustments each time.  Eventually Jay was convinced that all parts were working like they should and as the sun went down, the doctors announced that Little House was once again ready to roll down the highway.

This morning, after paying our small portion of the bill, which was very reasonable, and being very thankful for the extended warranty which covered well over $1000 of the cost, as well as the great service that we received from RV Connections,  we hooked our little HHR to the back of Little House, just as the predicted rain moved in.  But we didn't mind because we were on the road again!

Our trip to Hoover, AL via US 231 and I-65 took 6 hours including 30 minutes for a lunch and fuel stop. We went through various amounts of rain, but the sun was breaking through as we pulled into the Hoover RV Park, where we've stayed many times.  This is a self-service paved campground on a paved plateau above The Met Baseball Park with full hookups, free cable and wi-fi, garbage pickup, and frequent security patrols but no bath house, pool, laundry, club house, or camp store....which we don't need anyway.  Most of the time, there's also plenty of peace and quiet.  We'll be here for 3 nights.

PANAMA CITY, FL: A Treatment Plan Comes Together

This morning dawned gray, warm and muggy, but changed after a cold front blew through.  Tonight it's clear and crisp with temperatures in the 40's.

This morning, the RV doctors got in touch with the organ bank, but there were no matches available.  However they found that Power Gear can manufacture the replacement parts to order and arrangements were made to have one delivered to the RV hospital on Friday, with surgery scheduled immediately upon arrival. 

This afternoon, the extended warranty company even changed their mind on a needed inspection in exchange for some lesser labor charges by the dealership and a little more out of pocket from us on the part - with the bottom line being they will forego the delay of an inspection at a cost to us of about $75 - a bargain since waiting for an inspection would extend our hospital stay beyond the weekend.

If the procedure is successful and the implant is not rejected, we should be able to head back to Summerale on Saturday morning.

Tonight, things are looking a lot brighter.

Panama City, FL: Little House Surgery

The system that extends and retracts our big slide out room has been unable to move the slide since last Wednesday so we took our coach to an RV Doctor last Thursday.  They determined that the problem was with one of the 3 rails that the room slides on.  The slide out room would need to be surgically removed from the motor home in order to perform the required operation, but they did not have the required equipment to perform the operation and referred us to a larger hospital several hours distant (RV Connections near Panama City, FL).  We called ahead to make arrangements and were scheduled for admission that day and pre-op was scheduled for Friday morning with possible surgery later that day.

Friday came and after some additional diagnosis the RV Surgeons were hesitant regarding the recommended procedure as they had not removed a slide room as large as this in the past and were not sure they had heavy enough equipment to handle the procedure.  They decided that consultation with higher authorities would be required but were unable to conference with them on Friday afternoon.  As a result planning any surgery was delayed for the weekend, but they let us use a vacant space for weekend accommodations.

Today the morning started with more attempts to reach Fleetwood, the manufacturer of our motor home, and Power Gear of US Inc, the manufacturer of the slide out system.   It was eventually determined that problem lay deep in the bowels of the slide system, the inaccessible belly of the motor home,  and the established procedure was to temporarily remove the room to expose the area where the problem lay.  

The doctors at RV Connection were still uneasy with doing this with their limited equipment and brain stormed with us to find a less drastic process.  It was eventually decided that if the problem rear end of the slide could be supported externally, then removal of a weld would allow extraction of the suspect subsystem for examination and repair.
      

So late this afternoon the back of the slide got a crutch (above left picture) to remove the load from the support structure, and surgery began by removing the weld of some support structure thereby creating an opening where the suspect slide rail (right picture) could be extracted.   The slide rail is the black 5' long square channel leaning against the wall above.  There are 2 rollers at the top edge that hold the weight of the slide as it is extended and retracted.

Here is a close-up of the support rollers on the end of the slide rail.  The rail is steel, but the rollers appear to be made of heavy black plastic.  You can see in the picture that large chunks of the plastic rollers have broken off.



The good news is that tomorrow the doctor can attempt to identify a source of replacement parts and contact our extended warranty company for approval to order the parts and do the reconstructive surgery.

The bad news is that we have heard horror stories about the wait for replacement parts from this manufacturer.


I have always said that my plan was to not know where I would be 2 weeks from today.  Well 2 weeks ago I sure wasn't planning to be here.  But while we ARE here, this RV hospital provides us with 24 hour access to our motor home making it a comfortable waiting room, and we are enjoying the local cuisine.

PANAMA CITY, FL: A Waiting Game

Our day started early yesterday as we moved things inside, and out of, Little House in case the full wall slide had to be removed. RV Connections began the process of  diagnosing Little House's slide problem when they opened at 8 A.M.  This inovlved paperwork, a slide technician's evalutation, calls to Fleetwood (RV manufacturer..no help), calls to slide manufacturer (no reply), and more research by the technician.  At the end of the day, a plan was made for us to stay here over the weekend since the slide specialist wasn't working today (Saturday), and on Monday he'll remove part of the slide mechanism to access the possible problem point, and hopefully be able to repair or replace as needed. 

To pass our time out of the RV yesterday, we spent part of yesterday touring around Panama City, nearby beaches and woodlands.  Today and tomorrow, we'll just relax in the RV and try to be patient as we wait for more work to be done on Monday.  At least the weather here is warm!

PANAMA CITY, FL: Change of Plans

When we planned our stay at the Rainbow Plantation in Summerdale, AL, we intended our visit to be 13 days of relaxation, visiting with friends, some organized activities, and plenty  of time for Hank to play pool.  Yesterday's big slide problem changed those plans, at least for the time being.  After an evaluation this morning,  it was determined our slide problem was too big of a job for the local repair facility since the full wall slide has to be removed in order to find the solution. The suggestion was to go to the closest dealership  where the proper equipment and manpower would be available to  take care of the problem.  After a phone call to RV Connections in Panama City, we decided to follow that advice.  We arrived at the facility at 4:30 P.M. and were parked in a site with electric and water hookups so we'd be ready for work to start in the morning.  If the needed parts are on hand, they may have us ready to roll by the end of the day.  If parts need to be ordered, or warranty questions arise, we may be here a few days. 

We can live in the RV with the big slide closed, still accessing every feature except the second tv and the washer/dryer, but it's a not a comfortable way to live long-term.  We were lucky to find a dealer who could help us right away, and we hope to be back at Rainbow Plantation before too long.

SUMMERDALE, AL: One of Those Days!

The day started with dense fog all along the Florida panhandle, and our location in Quincy, FL was no exception.  We knew we had plenty of time to make the drive to Summerdale, AL with the time change, so we didn't plan to leave until about 10 A.M.  However, when we tried to pull the full wall slide in, there were some ominous noises and the back end  of the slide wouldn't move in.  We had a similar problem in October 2013, and can't move unless the slides are in, so a call to our Roadside Assistance plan sent a mobile tech to our aid.  After  one failed attempt, he was able to help get the slide in so we could travel.

We pulled away about 12:30 P.M. EST, stopped for lunch and fuel,  and arrived at Rainbow Plantation near Summerdale, AL around 4 P.M. CST.  Rainbow Plantation is an Escapees campground, with many full-time residents in homes and RV's on deeded lots, as well as space for transient campers. The sites are large with good hookups, and everyone is very friendly.  We stayed here last February and have friends who live here sll year, including one who loves to play pool as much as Hank does.  During the winter season, the facility's busiest time,  there are lots of organized activities, so there's plenty of things to do if you want to participate. Hank will chalk up his cue stick tonight!

We have an appointment at the local RV repair shop tomorrow morning to get a diagnosis on  Little House's slide problem.  We'll be staying here until Dec. 17 when we'll head toward Kentucky.

QUINCY, FL: Just an Overnight Stop

Our departure from Jacksonville was delayed about 30 minutes since our choice of roads to I-295 was blocked, but we still made it to Beaver Lake Campground, near Quincy, FL  about 20 miles west of Tallahassee by 4:30 P.M..  The location is just off of I-10 in a field with full hookups and very close parking, but it fills our needs for an overnight stop and we got a 50 % discount on the rate, cash only.  There are rest rooms and a laundry facility available as well as a gas station and convenient store on the edge of the property. 

Tomorrow we head further west to Summerdale, AL. 

JACKSONVILLE, FL: Time to Leave

It's been a great week of visiting with Karen and her family, celebrating Thanksgiving, and getting into the Christmas spirit.  I now have a Nexus 7 tablet thanks to a Walmart sale, and Karen was my tutor as she helped me get it set up and learn some of the ways to use it. 

Once again, it's time to move on to another destination.  Today, we hope to make it to Quincy, FL, just west of Tallahassee, for an overnight stop on our way to Summerdale in southern Alabama..

JACKSONVILLE, FL: Hanna Park

Wet weather was forecast for yesterday, so Hank emptied our tanks in the sunshine on Monday. Yesterday, it was raining lightly by the time we started the rest of the departure process at an early time for us.  We were all finished and running off the generator by 9:30.  Our checkout time was 11 A.M. and check-in time at Hanna Park, an hour away, wasn't until 1 P.M., so we weren't in any hurry to leave.  We pulled away about 10:45, and although it continued to rain for the whole drive, the I-95 traffic was not too bad.

We arrived at Hanna Park at noon and were allowed to check in early.  That's a good thing, because the site they assigned us was too unlevel for us to use, even with an automatic leveling system and boards for under the jacks We scouted some other sites, returned to the office where they gave us a list of the few unreserved possibilities for large RV's, and we did some more scouting, before deciding on a very level, long site that was available. After another trip to the office to update the staff, we moved to site 241 and were all hooked up by 3:30.
3 1/2 hours to get set up is very long, but at least the raiin had stopped and we were able to get an alternative site during a holiday week at a very busy campground.

We've stayed at Kathyrn Hanna Park several times in the past.

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 This large Jacksonville-owned park sits on the ocean next door to the Mayport Naval facility.  The large, wooded campground is on the inland side of the property and is just a small part of the recreational facilities available. Hookups are good, over-the-air tv reception gives us many stations and there's strong signals for our Verizon Jet Pack.  This is not a good park for satellite TV users because of the abundance of trees.

We are in this area to visit with Karen and family for the next week.  After arriving at the Steele residence and saying hello to  Karen and Samantha, we received a wonderful surprise - Kathy was also visiting Karen thanks to a few days of "me" time as a gift from her husband, John.   Sean was away on business and Montgomery was still at college. We enjoyed a delicious dinner as well as catching up on family news.

WOODBINE, GA: One More Day

While it's fun to move to different places, it's also very nice to stay in one place for awhile, enjoying our surroundings and each other's company.  Walkabout RV Park is not a resort or a glamorous park, but it's convenient to I-95, with good hookups, adequate free wi-fi (most of the time), and nice people running the place. Our camp site is directly across from a chicken coop, whose large, brightly colored occupants are given freedom every afternoon. It's nice to hear their gentle clucking (no rooster crowing) and watch their antics,  and fresh eggs are offered for sale. 

We went exploring one day to Brunswick, GA riding out to a couple of the Golden Isles, and visiting Fort Frederica. This fort's heyday was in the mid-1700's.  Selene enjoys reading historical fiction, and it was interesting to see some of the everyday items from that time in the visitor center.....brings a new life to the stories, that's for sure, as well as an appreciation of their lives in VERY small houses.
Lots of pictures here.....http://images.search.yahoo.com/search/images?_adv_prop=image&fr=moz35&va=Fort+Frederica%2C+gA

We have the National Park's Service Golden Age Pass - a bargain at $10 for lifetime free admittance at many federal and some state parks, monuments, historical sites, campgrounds, etc.  The visit to Fort Frederica was our first opportunity to use this pass.

The weather has been very nice most of the time since our arrival with some very warm days, some very cool nights and rain on the way for tomorrow,  when we'll be heading to Florida.  Luckily we only have an hour to drive so won't have to battle the traffic or weather for very long.

WOODBINE, GA:

We're enjoying our stay in Woodbine, GA, just relaxing and doing what we enjoy - keeping busy with our computers.  Monday night, we were invited to a short ribs dinner at Patti and Fred's.... ham radio friends we were camping with last week.....who live about 22 miles from here.  We had a very enjoyable evening visitng with them.

Yesterday afternoon, we went in search of a bank to get some paperwork notarized and stopped for dinner at Ship to Shore in Kingsland, Fl., which was recommended by the bank personnel.   The food was delicious, service was good, and prices were reasonable.  Today, we have to go to the post office and may do a little exploring in the area.

Mike has moved out of the house in NC, and it's in the hands of a realtor. Hank and Selene's mail is being sent to Debbie and Robert's home.....150 Creek St., Montevallo, AL 35115.  Our phone numbers and email addresses remain the same:

Hank     919-818-7455       hank@k4hm.net
Selene   919-818-2808        selene@k4hm.net
Mike     919-818-4233      dallas8605@gmail.com

We will be staying in Woodbine. GA until next Tuesday, when we'll move to Hanna Park, near Karen's house, for the Thanksgiving holidays.

WOODBINE, GA: Walkabout RV Park

Our stay at Little Ocmulgee State Park was very enjoyable as we visited with friends around evening campfires, and enjoyed meals together.

Today, it was time to make the 3 hour drive further south to Walkabout RV Park near Woodbine, GA. just off of I-95 near the Florida state line.  This is another membership/public campground and gives us a very inexpensive site rate with full hookups and free wi-fi as well as a flock of campground chickens. It's not a fancy place (gallery),  but very adequate for what we need as we make our way toward Florida.  Tonight  we walked on the boardwalk over the  marsh pictured at the top of the park's website and spent some time watching the water follow the outgoing tide.

We'll be here until November 26 and we'll do some exploring in the area, but mostly it will be a time to relax and enjoy life in Little House.

MCCRAE, GA: Little Ocmulgee State Park

Instead of leaving Briarcliffe RV Park on Sunday, we extended our stay until yesterday (Tuesday).  We pulled out about 10 A.M. to head further south, trying to beat the heavy winds expected for the area.  Our destination was Little Ocmulgee State Park near McCrae, GA south of I-16.  We wanted to meet up with some ham radio friends who were camping with their local club and had invited us to join them.  We kept Little House rolling all day and arrived at the park about 4:45 P.M., getting set up just as darkness fell.  This is a large park with a large lake, campground, golf course, cabins, and lodge with a restuarant.  Another couple invited us to join them for dinner at the lodge.  The food is reasonably priced and portions are large.

Today started with temperatures in the mid-thirties and windy conditions under clear skies - another beautiful fall day.  We explored a little of McCrae, what little there is to explore, and made a grocery stop.  This afternoon, the camping group invited us to happy hour around a campfire to share some hot soup and many other treats .  We stayed happy until about 6:30 when the temps dropped to the low forties and it was time to return to our warm RV's.  Tonight's low will be in the 20's so Hank unhooked our water hose to prevent freezing - we'll use the water in our fresh water tank.   Temperatures should be much warmer tomorrow.  We'll be at this location until Sunday.

NORTH MYRTLE BEACH, SC: Friday Morning Update

The weather this week has continued to be quite nice, although there was overnight rain on Wednesday

Briarcliffe RV Resort is located next to Barefoot Landing,  a shopping, dining, nightlife and attractions venue built around a lake on the Intercoastal Waterway.  There is a coded gate between the RV Park and Barefoot Landing for easy access, so we walked around about half of the property on Monday.

Tuesday, we went to a Wyndham Resort sales pitch and earned a $100 gift card and a free lunch for our time.  The  plan was interesting, but it was geared to those who like staying in resort hotels, but we prefer RV resort campgrounds.

Wednesday, we headed to WalMart to get two new rear tires for the HHR.

Thursday, we got up early and headed to the house to finish emptying it and complete a few other chores. The "For Sale" sign is in place.  Hank and Mike made multiple trips to the convenient/recycling center to dispose of many items.   3 pickups of other items were made.  Now the only things left in the house are Mike's, and he hopes to be out no later than next week.   The landscaper is coming on Saturday.  We all celebrated completing the final work by eating at our favorite Mexican restaurant.   The drive back to Little House seemed very long and we were glad to have the busy day behind us.

Today will probably be a day to relax and decide on our next stop when we leave here on Sunday. 

NORTH MYRTLE BEACH, SC; A Short Trip Today

After waves, handshakes and hugs, we left Huntington Beach State Park at 11:15 A.M. for the 29 mile drive to Briarcliffe RV Resort in North Myrtle Beach, SC.  This is a very large gated campground on the intracoastal waterway, with many permanent structures (park models) and many RV sites with lots of  amenities , including free cable tv.  It's a well-kept property, and the sites are very close together, but angled for easy access.  It's also a membership park and our rate is only $10 per night. Little House will be parked here for the next week.  We're on site 240.

MURRELLS INLET,SC: Last Day of the Gathering

After a rainy night, the weather improved as the day went on. Late morning, we went to the post office, looked over a campground north of here, did some sightseeing in ocean-side neighborhoods and had lunch at Red Robin before returning to Huntington Beach State Park.

The Carolina Clan started gathering mid-afternoon around the campfire.  With cooler weather moving in, the warmth of fire and friendship was very much appreciated.  Tonight's dinner was another hot dog roast with whatever else others wanted to contribute.  The evening continued with stories and laughter.

It's always hard when good times come to an end, but we look forward to seeing each other somewhere down the road.  Most of us are leaving this campground tomorrow.

Our plans for tomorrow have changed.  We're going 29 miles north to North Myrtle Beach to spend a week at Briarcliffe RV Resort.  We may want to make a day trip in the HHR back to the house at some point this week to tie up the remaining loose ends, so we decided to park Little House in this area for the next 7 days before heading further south .

MURRELLS INLET, SC: Thursday and Friday

 


The park has added some cute over=sized Adirondack chairs - a perfect spot for a group picture.







Thursday was another good day without special activities.  The group gathered around 5:30 PM for a shrimp boil.

We set up some Coleman stoves and big pots..

..and threw in ears of corn, chunks of potato,

sausage, and fresh shrimp that Howard picked up right off the boat!

 Everyone was getting their fill of this great feast!

Nothing was left but the 'bones'..

(Pictures courtesy of Laurie Owen)

They even made a shrimpless bowl for Selene and one other person.  We had leftover desserts from Wednesday's dinner.  Of course, another campfire gathering followed enjoying each other's company.



Saturday was a partly cloudy day with temperatures in the high 70's and higher humidity.  Late morning, we headed off to the post office and to get a few groceries, but also ate lunch at .Drunken Jack's.  Hank had Shrimp Creole and Catfish with salad bar, and Selene had a huge grilled chicken, ham, bacon and Provolone sandwich with steamed vegetables and salad bar.  Tonight the group had a pot luck with many delicious items, and the usual campfire.  Rain is expected overnight.

Yesterday, the carpet cleaner finished his work.  Today, the house cleaning crew took care of their work.  The landscaper was rained out today, but hopefully will come over the weekend.  The 'to-do' list is getting shorter!

MURRELLS INLET: Another Fine Day!

The perfect fall weather added to the enjoyment of the day.  We had another leisurely start to the day with sausage/egg English muffins for breakfast.  Mid-day brought a short nap.  Selene went walking with two others on the nature center boardwalk over some of the salt marsh at low tide, spending about 45 minutes watching the remaining water and surrounding area for birds and fish.  After returning to the campground, the ladies rested in the shade enjoying the quiet and nice breeze.

Several couples went  kayaking this afternoon.  After they returned, we had a pizza supper around the campfire and enjoyed the leftover desserts from last night.  That was followed by more conversation around an even larger campfire which lasted until late evening.




Today, the work at the house continued.  The removal of the broken patch of drive way concrete was completed and the area was smoothed over.  The carpet was cleaned in all of the carpeted rooms, except the bonus room, which will be done tomorrow after Mike moves his things back into his bedroom.  The man from the fairgrounds flea market returned to haul another load of "stuff" away with one more trip to come soon.  Only a couple of more jobs to be done and the house will be on the market. 

MURRELLS INLET, SC: Another Beautiful Day!

Today started under clear skies with a soft breeze and pleasant temperatures.  The morning passed doing chores and Selene made Dump Cake for this evening's dinner.  Hank again sorted through items and reorganized.  This afternoon, Selene spent two hours sitting on the beach with a few friends, watching the ocean, birds, other people and a fisherman. Only a few hardy soles were in the water as a cool breeze blew. It was a beautiful autumn afternoon.  However, winter is definitely on the way as we saw group after group of geese flying south.

Our friends gathered at 4:30 P.M. for a swap fest of items that people no longer needed.  Then we enjoyed a hot dog cookout over the campfire and many delicious desserts.  The evening brought another campfire as we shared stories and laughter.  It was a cool walk back to the RV under a star-filled sky with the sound of the surf in the background.

MURRELLS INLET, SC: A Busy Monday

Monday dawned cloudy, and there were a few raindrops during the day, but nothing heavy enough to drive people inside.

Our day started slowly, but then that's how most of our days will  start since neither of us likes to jump right into a day's activities.  Hank started going through a couple of boxes and drawers in the RV.  Eventually we headed out to get the car washed, and go to the post office and Food Lion. After returning, Hank continued to reorganize some of the outside bays.  Selene started chili in the crockpot, worked on laundry and  reorganized a few of the kitchen storage cabinets. 

Three more couples arrived mid-afternoon, which brought most of the us out to welcome them, then to make a quick plan for the evening.  Two of the guys left to get a load of firewood for our campfires, and eventually the rest of us returned to our RVs for dinner.  Last night we enjoyed campfire conversation under a star-filled sky where evening meals were planned and laughter prevailed until the cool evening air drove us inside about 11 P.M.

Murrells Inlet, SC: Carolina Clan Rally

After a very leisurely start to the day and a fond farewell to the owner and manager of the Dickens RV Park in Moncure, NC, we drove for 4 hours to Huntington Beach State Park in Murrells Inlet, SC. and set up on site 95, one of the few full hook-up sites in the park.  (See last year's post for more details)

 We are here for a week with the RV-Dreams Carolina Clan gathering - all participants have been to at least one RV-Dreams Educational Rally, and many are full-time RVers. This year there will be 11 rigs and 22 people present with most arriving today.  The main activity will be enjoying each other's company, although I'm sure some plans for semi-organized activities may develop.  We plan to just enjoy the beautiful surroundings, with the sounds of the ocean surf in the background as well as getting to know the others a little better.   This year, Howard and Linda Payne, who founded RV-Dreams, have surprised us all by attending. 

MONCURE, NC: The End of a Good Day

The past week has been a busy one as we continued to empty the house of its contents and determine the destination of those left.  Now all of that is done!!  Mike has generously agreed to be our project manager for the next couple of weeks, before he moves on to new quarters.  We had a setback when the carpet cleaner's truck was damaged in an accident, so the cleaning has been delayed to this week.  The driveway repair has been started with the job to be finished on Wednesday.  The plan is to have the "For Sale" sign out by next weekend if the last few jobs get done. 

We are off to SC tomorrow for a long-reserved week at Huntington Beach State Park.  Whether we return to the Raleigh area on Nov. 3 will be determined as the week, and the work progresses.  The realtor is ready to move forward as soon as the property is ready for visitors.

It's been 2 1/2 years since we made the decision to become full-time RVers. We've lived in the motor home for the past 16 months which has cemented our belief that this is the lifestyle we want.  This week,  we realized that we were shed of the the weight of all that "stuff" we no longer needed or wanted.  Oh, what a relief that is! (and it is without any plop plop fizz fizz)

MONCURE, NC; Back Again!

The 2 hour drive from Rural Hall, NC to Moncure, NC was a pleasant one under Carolina blue skies and  with temperatures we in the 60's.  After getting set up, we headed to the house to see what needed to be donel..  Mike had all of the carpeted rooms, except the bonus room, ready for the carpet cleaner.   We went to old Fuquay for dinner at El Dorado's, then back to the house to finish a few chores.

Tomorrow the landscaper will finish trimming the yard, the carpet cleaner will start his work, some more furniture will be picked up, and we'll take care of some other items.  We'll be in this area until next Sunday.

RURAL HALL, NC: Final Night

It was a dreary day with occasional rain, but by suppertime, the sun was breaking through.

There were a couple of activities we opted out of today - the dog show, for example. (Most RVers travel with one or more dogs).  We had another free lunch of hot dogs, chips, slaw and chili topping, and drinks.  We bought a couple of needed items in the dealer's store at a discount, and returned there for prize drawings. Our luck continued today......we won two camping chairs with a price of $50 each, and received a couple of sample items as well.

 Dinner was "chicken stew" although in reality it was more like chicken soup (shredded chicken in a flavorful white broth) with crackers and drinks.  This dinner was free for the CampIn attendees, and open to the public at $5 per head - all you could eat - with various cakes for dessert.  The repair bay building had been emptied and cleaned, and there was seating for about 400 people with a stage set up on one end.  Apparently, chicken stew events are big news around here, and this particular event goes back many years. They cooked over 400 gallons of stew and just about all of it was consumed or taken home.  The events' proceeds went to charity.  After dinner, there was a concert of mostly gospel music performed by about 25 different people, including the dealership owner.

All in all, it was well worth our time to attend the Chicken Stew Campin.  Yes, we drove a few miles out of our way to get here, but the prizes we won were worth about $170 and we had free camping Thursday to Sunday, one free lunch, three free dinners, and entertainment. Tomorrow morning there is a very early free pancake breakfast. We also met some interesting people.

On Sunday, we'll return to Moncure one more time.

RURAL HALL, NC: Busy Day

The CampIn schedule was full of activities today and the weather was sunny and cool. We didn't participate in the golf tournament and lunch, nor the pumpkin crafts.  We did walk around the premises looking at RV's and talking with others. Selene made Toll House bars and sandwiches for tonight's pot luck dinner.  There was a large variety of food and plenty for everyone.  There was a welcoming ceremony from the dealership owner.   After dinner, there was bingo with many RV-related prizes.  Hank won a large patio mat, and Selene won a first aid kit.

There will be more enjoyable times tomorrow.

RURAL HALL, NC: Second Night

Last night, we both went to sleep earlier than usual, so we were both up before 7 A.M. this morning.  We finally got ourselves moving around 9:30 and headed down the road to WalMart for some items, including groceries.  After returning to the RV and eating lunch, it was time for the first CampIn event - games in the rally room.  After some discussion, the 12 of us present decided on Bean Bag Baseball and the fun began.  We followed this exciting game by learning to play Corn Hole.  Meanwhile, doubles Ping Pong was going on.  After all of this activity, we walked back to the RV to rest up for dinner.

Tonight was Cruise-In night.  There was a DJ from a rock station, 8 or 9 antique restored cars, and dinner - free to the CampIn attendees and $5 for the public.  The menu included grilled hamburgers with trimmings, slaw, f bagged chips, Moon Pies, soft drinks and water.  We walked around the grounds after dinner looking at the cars, talking with other attendees, and looking at a couple of RV's ( after all, our site for this event is an RV dealership).  Then it was back to the RV for our evening relaxation.

Today was a cloudy day with occasional showers, but the weather should be much better tonorrow. About 50 RV's are expected for the CampIn.

STAUNTON, VA to RURAL HALL, NC: TIME TO MOVE ON

Yesterday (Tuesday) morning brought more dense fog to the mountains, but the rain was over.  Mid-morning, Selene was alerted to a potential serious computer problem and that occupied Hank for the next two hours as he investigated the source, and corrected the problem.  After lunch, we set out for the eastern end of the Blue Ridge Parkway under partly cloudy skies, and drove about 40 miles into the mountains, stopping at many overlooks.  We were able to help a fellow traveler who needed a battery jump.  The full fall colors are probably a week away, but there were many shades of yellow and tan, with a red or maroon burst of color here and there......all in all, it was a beautiful day for a ride in the hills. We returned to the RV for supper and relaxation.

Today (Wednesday) dawned sunny and cool......perfect fall weather!  It was time to head out for our next destination.  When we arrived at the Walnut Hills KOA, we were greeted by falling black walnuts.  As we left, the falling leaves were waving good-bye.  Tonight, after enjoying a trip via the curves and hills of southern Virginia and northern North Carolina, we're settled in at Bill Plemmons RV World in Rural Hall, NC for a Customer Appreciation CampIn.  We purchased our 23 foot travel trailer from this dealership in 2008.  There is free camping for this event starting tomorrow and ending on Sunday, free food and many activities.  We're in a gravel parking lot with 50 amp hookups, but no sewer or water (not a problem since we arrived with a full fresh water tank and an empty black and grey tank).

Tonight, we ate dinner at Chili's, courtesy of a gift card.

STAUNTON,VA; Ordinary Day

Yesterday (Monday) was a day to do just what each of us wanted to do in the RV.  It was still raining in the morning, but the sun actually made it's presence known by late afternoon.  Selene spent the day using her computer and doing laundry.  Hank worked on webmaster duties.  Before dinner, we ventured down to the campground office to see what tourist information they had and what was for sale (many campgrounds have a small store which sells anything from food and RV supplies to souvenirs, crafts and household needs).  Entertainment is always just outside the window courtesy of arriving/departing RV's, or watching the daily activities of our neighbors.  It was another good day.

STAUNTON, VA: We Decide to Stay Put

This day started just as yesterday did - foggy with drizzle, and conditions didn't change much all day.  We met up with Jan,  Rick, Vince and Lois (Jan's friend) for lunch at Plaza Azteca, a Mexican restaurant chain with many locations.  (Rick and Jan, thanks for the delicious meal!)  After a stop at Food Lion, we went back to the RV for computer use, naps, and now we're watching the Tiger/Red Sox game.

People often ask us what we do to fill our time as full-tme RVers.  We spend the time in our home on wheels doing the same sort of things people do in stationary houses - watch tv, read, use our computers, eat and sleep.  We have the added option of sight-seeing, socializing or attending events, depending on where we are.  We've decided to stay at this location (Walnut Hills KOA)  until Wednesday morning, when we'll move on to our next destination.  Hopefully, the weather will clear by Tuesday so we can get check out part of the Blue Ridge Parkway in this area.  The Skyline Drive is currently closed due to the government shutdown. 

STAUNTON, VA: A Wonderful Wedding

Yesterday (Saturday) the drizzly weather continued.  In the morning, we drove to Waynesboro, VA for a couple of errands, then returned the RV for lunch and to get ready to go to Libby's wedding.

The wedding and reception were held at the Hermitage Hills Farm, a beautiful location near the mountains.  The wedding was held in the barn area of the building, with the reception following in the adjoining banquet facility where we enjoyed a delicious buffet dinner which included salad, roast beef and turkey buns, chicken cordon bleu, jambalaya, and a variety of vegetables, followed by dancing and merriment in honor of the bride and groom. A good time was had by all!

Staunton: VA: Wedding Weekend

The past 2 weeks have seen a flurry of activity in and outside of the house - wallpaper removal, painting, gutter cleaning, power washing, ceiling repairs, and pickup of many household items. A couple of more chores will be completed over the next week. We were ready for another break.

Today we left Moncure, NC under overcast skies for the 5 hour drive to the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia and our camp site at the Walnut Hills KOA near Staunton, VA. This large campground has many different types of sites and we are in the upper section on site 74.  With fall colors starting to appear,  we have a nice view of the surrounding area.

We are in this area to attend Libby Montgomery's wedding  tomorrow.  Tonight, we celebrated our recent wedding anniversary by dining at the Edelweiss German Restaurant nearby.  We enjoyed German songs by 3 musicians - 2 accordians, 1 mouth organ - as well as our delicious dinners. 

MONCURE, NC: Back Once Again

Today started with heavy fog in Selma, NC, but by 11 A.M., conditions were brighter, so after a few more hugs and handshakes, we left RVacation RV Park for the one hour drive back to Moncure and Dickens RV Park.  We met up with Dee and Jim Walter (ham radio friends from our early days in NC who have been fulltiming for over 4 years), as we filled up with diesel,  and we led the way to Dickens where we're parked next to the Walters.  After getting set up, we spent some time getting caught up on each other's past adventures and future plans.

Tomorrow we'll go back to the house and see what still needs to be done before we can turn it over to the realtor.  We'll be in this area until the morning of Friday, Oct. 11 when we head out once again. 

SELMA, NC; Time to Move On

Today was another in a long string of beautiful days, although much warmer than October should be. This morning, some of our friends headed off to downtown Selma for a local festival,  or  for shopping at the outlet mall nearby, but we just relaxed with our computers.  The afternoon found Selene baking cookies, Hank taking a nap, and another smaller conversation circle formed in the afternoon.  The group ate dinner at the Robins Nest in Selma where we enjoyed a buffet featuring down home cooking.  After dinner, we drove a short distance to downtown Selma for the American Music Jubilee performance at the Rudy Theatre.

Tomorrow, we'll say "see you later" and make our way back to Moncure to prepare for another week of getting the house ready to sell.

SELMA, NC: A Beautiful Day

Today started with some fog which  quickly burned off with the rising sun.  This was the official first day of the chapter campout.  We started with an early morning gab session with the 2 other couples already here.  The day brought the arrival of 3 more couples in their RV's and an additional 7 people who drove in for the rest of the day. This afternoon everyone enjoyed an ever-growing circle under a large tree as we shared laughter and conversation.

Tonight we had dinner at the Parkside Cafe in Pine Level, about 3 miles from the campground.  We enjoyed a private dining room, good service and homestyle food at reasonable prices.  After dinner, we had our chapter meeting, then returned to the campground. Simply put, it was a day of relaxation and friendship.

SELMA, NC: Time to Relax and Kick Back

Since my last post on September 23, we've made great progress on the house project.  The garage is 99 percent empty, many of the in-house items are gone or will be soon, workman have been hired and are currently working on wallpaper removal, painting, yard-trimming, power washing, etc, and a realtor is preparing to list the house in the near future. 

While things continue to happen at the house, we are spending the next 3 days in Selma, NC at the RVacation RV Park with the local Good Sam chapter.  It will be a time to regroup, relax and recharge for the final push ahead.......a time we definitely need.  If we're needed at the house, we're only about 45 minutes away. The campground is next to I-95, but there's not much road noise inside the RV.  The sites are level, hookups are good, we have local tv reception and there's fast wi-fi.

Two other chapter couples arrived today. We went to dinner with one other person to Sami's Pizza in Selma.  After dinner, we visited with another couple.

The chapter gathering officially begins tomorrow when at least 3 other couples will join us. 

BACK IN MONCURE: Catchup Time Once Again

Why do the days go by so fast when you're having fun?

Saturday was the last full day of the Escapees Chapter Fall Rally.  The campground furnished donuts and pastries for our morning chapter meeting.  The main topics were the upcoming chapter rallies (spring and fall) and the national rally to be held in May, 2014 in Goshen, IN.  The afternoon activity was simple but very enjoyable: a gathering outside to talk about where we had all been, where we were going and many topics concerning the RV experience.  Dinner brought a catered dinner that included fried chicken, barbecued pork, slaw, baked beans and tea.  There was an assortment of pies and cakes for dessert.

Sunday morning dawned wet and cloudy.  It was time to say "see you down the road" with hugs and handshakes all around.  Even though we only see most of these people once or twice a year, the RV bond holds us all together, and newcomers feel welcome from the first outing.  We left Sleepy Bear's RV Park at 12:45 P.M for the 85 mile trip back to Dickens RV Park in Moncure, NC. We'll be stationary for the next 10 days and will continue to work on the house project.

LUMBERTON, NC:

Thursday was the official first day of the Escapees Chapter Rally, but most attendees had been on site for several days.  No official activities were planned during the day, but that left time for conversations.
 We had a social hour at 5 P.M. followed by a Pizza and Salad dinner.

Today there was game time scheduled for the afternoon, social hour at 5 P.M. followed by a pot luck dinner at 6:30 P.M.  After dinner, many of us gathered around a small propane campfire with a cool breeze blowing.  This rally had been a time for relaxing, meeting and greeting.  And let's not forget eating.

LUMBERTON, NC; Fourth Night

Time to catch up on what's been a relaxing week so far.

Yesterday was another beautiful day, although much cooler and quite breezy.  The day was mostly spent with our computers, with a little conversation thrown in with friends.  Two more chpater rigs arrived in time for our 5 P.M. Social Hour.  The group decided to head out to dinner at Ruby Tuesday's.  We gave Ruby's an alert that 11 hungry people would be descending on them, and all was ready when we arrived.  We had good service,  good food, and good conversation as we enjoyed our dinner.

By the time we returned to the RV Park, everyone was ready to head inside for the night.

Today also dawned bright and breezy.  Hank worked on a couple of projects, then we headed out to the post office and Sam's club as well as lunch at the local Shoney's.  There was another social hour tonight, and it looked like all 15 chapter rigs are now on site.  The group broke up about 7 P.M..

Tomorrow is the official start of Chapter 29's Fall Rally, so more enjoyable times are to come.

LUMBERTON, NC: Second Nihgt

It was a hot summer day in September here in southern NC with temperatures near 90 and high humidity.

We spent the day with our computers while doing laundry, and made a grocery run in the afternoon.  Our group grew by 3 more couples today and we enjoyed a social hour ....well almost two hours....tonight until the bugs drove us inside.

Overall, it was a relaxed sort of day, just the kind we like.

LUMBERTON, NC: First Night

This morning, it was time to say farewell to our camping club friends as we all packed up, hooked up and pulled up the jacks to depart to various locations.  We left Cool Breeze RV Park in Galax, VA at 11:30 A.M. for the 4 hour drive to Sleepy Bear's RV Park in Lumberton, NC.  We will be here a week for the fall rally of the Escapees Chapter 29.  Two other couples had arrived before us and we were quickly invited to an impromptu supper gathering.  We enjoyed a pleasant evening with food and conversation.

More couples will be arriving over the next couple of days with the official start of the rally on September 18.

GALAX, VA: Final Night

Once again, we woke to another beautiful morning with temperatures in the 40's.  The group enjoyed an expanded continental breakfast in the campground club room which included hard-boiled eggs, bagels and spreads, donuts, cheese and crackers, coffee and juice, and lots of conversation, which carried over to the rest of the morning.  This afternoon, Selene made pumpkin cookies, cole slaw and sweet and sour sausages for tonight's pot luck dinner.  After dinner, we had our chapter meeting, followed by a devotional, followed by a roaring campfire in the large fire pit under a star-filled sky with cattle mooing on the neighboring farm..











       The gathering broke up around 10 P.M. as the very cool mountain air made us head indoors.

Tomorrow, we'll say farewell to our friends and head off to our next stop - Lumberton, NC.

GALAX, VA: Taking Care of "Visitors"

Today was another beautiful day with partly cloudy skies, variable breezes and cool temperatures.

One of the more common problems with RV's is battling insects, especially since we're usually set up in natural areas in rural environments. We've had an ongoing ant problem the last couple of weeks.....nothing big, but we were seeing ants in the shower daily.  We've  been using Terro ant baits, a well-respected remedy for ant problems in RV's. Some care is needed using chemicals in and around RV's because of the materials involved and the close living quarters. Wednesday, ants appeared in the kitchen sink as well.  We suspected a gray tank infestation and treated the gray tank accordingly.  This morning, ants were found in a kitchen cabinet.  Obviously, stronger measure were needed.

We removed all open containers of food from  the cabinets and pantry, as well as many utensils and dishes from drawers and cabinets, placed them in the car, and used a fogging insect repellent to penetrate all surfaces to find the little pests and eliminate them. Hank also once again sprayed the basement areas and outside around the RV.

We spent the time away from the RV with Art and Betty Strong exploring the hills and valleys around the areas - mostly mountain farm country, and enjoyed lunch at the Dairy Bar.

We returned about 3 hours later to air out the RV and found  many dead ants in the shower basin and some in the kitchen sink.  All dishes and utensils not removed from the RV earlier were washed.

Tonight we had a group dinner at Macados in Galax, VA  then returned to the RV to finish putting away the items we removed earlier.  Even with our ant battles, today was a lovely day to be in the southern Virginia mountains.

GALAX, VA: Second Night

This morning was the beginning of a beautiful day in the southern Virginia mountains with high temperatures near 80 and gentle breezes.  We started the day with cinnamon rolls, then cleaned the inside of Little House.  I gathered all the laundry including bed clothes and used the campground laundromat to get everything done in about 90 minutes.  It would have taken a lot of time in the RV washer/dryer.  Hank washed the front of Little House and removed some of the road grime off of the HHR. 

Late this afternoon, 4 other couples in our group arrived.  We enjoyed conversation and the beautiful outdoors for a couple of hours before heading off to the Mountain Surf Seafood Restaurant just down the road for a group dinner.
After returning to the RV park, we sat outside until the mosquitoes and cool mountain air combined to end our social circle.  A few showers moved through around 9:15 P.M. and the forecast is for much cooler weather over the next several days.

GALAX, VA: First Night

After a leisurely morning preparing Little House for the road, we left Dickens RV Park in Moncujre, NC at 12:54 P.M. for the 160 mile to Cool Breeze RV Park near Galax, VA in the southern Virginia mountains. We've been here several times including this past May. We're here for our Good Sam chapter's monthly campout, which officially begins on Friday.  When we arrived, itt was noticeably cooler here than in Raleigh, and the forecast is for beautiful, cool weather the rest of the week.  We'll be here until Sunday.

MONCURE, NC: Update and Plans

We've been parked back in Moncure since August 16, continuing to go through and remove stuff from the house.
More things have been sold, including the Malibu which was sold to the first person who looked at it, and a few more items were moved to the storage room.  A new dishwasher was installed yesterday (the home warranty company decided the 27 year-old GE unit was no longer worth repairing).

The last couple of days have been spent enjoying the company of full-timing RV friends we've met on several occasions.  One couple, Howard and Linda of  RV-Dreams.com were in town as seminar speakers at the Raleigh RV show at the fairgrounds.  Other friends just happened to be staying in the fairgrounds campground, so we had a nice visit on Friday night, then a pot luck gathering last night with 7 couples on a beautiful summer evening.  There was an NC State football game at the  stadium across the street, so we were also entertained by the roars of the crowd, and the half--time military sky divers.

Wednesday, we're raising the jacks and taking off for 12 days to Galax, VA and Lumberton, NC.  More on that later!

MONCURE, NC: We're Back!!!

We arrived back in Moncure on Friday afternoon (August 16) and were warmly greeted by the campground manager.  There are more RV's here than.when we left, and more will be coming as utility workers are arriving for a big job at the power company nearby.

We continue to work on the house project.  We'll be in the area until September 10, when our next trip is scheduled, and we hope to have our part of the house project finished by that time.  Until then, our daily routine will be go to the house during the day, back to the RV at night, with a few evening social activities thrown in to keep life interesting.

PIEDMONT, SC: Back on the Road

Our Alabama visit was very enjoyable and there was a lot of good food, laughter, card games, and hugs.  David wasn't able to join us and we definitely missed his presence.

However, all good things must come to an end, and this morning it was time to start up the engine, pull up the jacks, hook up the HHR and point Little House toward North Carolina once again.  Tonight, we've returned to Ivy Acres RV Park in Piedmont, SC  (where we stayed last week) after a 6 hour drive under mostly cloudy skies with one stop for fuel and lunch.  Tomorrow, we'll finish this journey and once again settle into Dickens RV Park in Moncure.

Central Alabama: Family Fun

The weekend was spent visiting with Karen and family, Debbie and Robert, and Kathy's family at Kathy's house in Helena.  There was lots of good food and plenty of conversation.

Karen and family will head back to Florida today.  Kathy's children start back to school today.  Not sure when we'll be heading back to NC.

HOOVER, AL: We arrived!

Yesterday was another travel day.  We left Piedmont, SC about 9:15 A.M., which is an early start for us, but Hank  only hooked up the electric service the night before, so not as much departure routine had to be done.  Our trip to the Hoover RV Park in Hoover, AL took almost 6 hours, with a fuel stop, lunch stop and slow going through  the Atlanta area due to heavy rain.  This park offers good wifi and free cable TV.  After getting settled in at the Hoover park on site Red 25, we met up with Debbie, Robert and Will for dinner.  Mike will be staying at the Barone B&B for a few days. 

PIEDMONT, SC: We're On the Move!

Today dawned partly cloudy and we were excited to get Little House on the road.  Selene went to the house and picked up Mike and some food items, and headed back to the campground in Moncure, where Hank had been doing the outside departure duties - dumping tanks, collapsing the ham radio antenna, adding water to the fresh water tank, raising the jacks, etc.  We hooked up the HHR to Little House and headed out at 11:18 A.M. for the 240 mile drive to Ivy Acres Lodge & RV Park near Piedmont, SC, just south of Greenville.  After a lunch stop at a parking lot in Asheboro, we arrived at the campground about 4: 15 P.M  We are in site 309, a short term pull-thru site with a nice meadow view behind us in the SC hill country, and a great wifi signal. It  It's currently raining.  Our evening will be spent with our computers as Hank and Selene do their usual surfing, and Mike gets caught up on work details.  Tomorrow morning, we'll head toward our final destination - central Alabama!

MONCURE, NC: Update

Yes, we're still alive and kicking!  Since our return from Marion, NC in mid-July, we've had our usual social activities in the area at night, and have continued sorting, tossing, donating and selling stuff from the house.  Progress is slow, but we're moving forward.  We're taking another travel break next week when we head to central Alabama for a family gathering. We can't pass up an opportunity to see our kids and grandkids, and look forward to the Florida and northern Alabama contingents  joining us.  Hank, Selene and Mike plan to leave NC in Little House on Wednesday, August 7, overnight in SC and arrive in central AL on Thursday afternoon.

On a side note, our GE Potscrubber dishwasher needed some door and latch repairs. Yesterday, the service tech determined that this 26-year-old machine was not worth trying to repair due to the probability of the problems recurring quickly. The machine will be replaced under our home warranty policy and I seriously doubt that the new machine will last as long.