Fun in North Carolina

We have been having a wonderful time. We made a trek over to the Chimney Rock/Lake Lure area one day to walk through the Flowering Bridge. It's very cool and the last time we were in North Carolina we found this bridge well after the flowers were done blooming, so there really wasn’t anything to see. This time we made sure to get there early in our trip so that we could see the bridge when the flowers were in bloom. The bridge was closed to traffic in 2011, and after that a group was started to create gardens on the 155' long bridge. They emphasize native plants and their mission is to create a “Gateway to Somewhere Beautiful” for the enjoyment of the public.

After walking on the bridge and taking plenty of photos we stopped at the Burnt Shirt Winery for a wine tasting and lunch. Steve fell in love with the Rock Bottom Red wine they have and lunch was exceptional. 

We have fallen into our typical routine while in North Carolina, dulcimer practice, happy hour on Wednesday’s and nickel bingo, sightseeing trips and excursions in the area. Sadly I’m out of practice with my dulcimer but I’m working on it. We were able to attend a dulcimer performance given by a local artist/instructor at the Hendersonville Library. An Evening of Dulcimer Music presented by Katie Waldren. Katie presented music on both the hammered and mountain dulcimer. 

On one outing we went to the Grovewood Village in Asheville. This is set up as an artist sanctuary, museum, and gallery. There is a tour you can take that takes you through the Biltmore Industries Homespun cloth manufacturing. It was truly fascinating. There was a lecture given on the history of the textile industry in the area and its effect on the area, a movie of the history of the Biltmore Industries, and then we got to walk around the old dye house. The dye house is where they are warehousing all the old equipment that was used in the making of the Biltmore Homespun fabric. Of course we had a sightseeing mishap, I FORGOT TO BRING THE CAMERA! Ugh!!!!! I was so upset because this was my kind of cool stuff to photograph. There were huge lightbulbs, piles of spools of yarn, machinery, and just all sorts of things. We will be going back so that I can get photos. So have no fear friends, there will be photos forthcoming, eventually. 

Today we headed up the Blue Ridge Parkway north. We were going to visit Grandfather Mountain, instead we drove around seeing all sorts of things, we ate at the Daniel Boone Inn, which is a favorite of ours and no summer in North Carolina would be complete without at least one visit there. Oh it’s so good! After that some more driving on the parkway and getting photos at the overlooks. 

Our visit so far has been so great. We are well rested, well fed, and happy!

Back In North Carolina

It is wonderful being back at Lakewood it's as if we never left. We saw friends as we drove in, more in the office when we were checking in, others drove over to see us as we were setting up, we are next to another couple, and still more stopped by to see us Friday night. This is a very special place with very special people. We just love it here!

Finally our internet issues were straightened out. We have a secure connection and great speed. 

I have been able to do some walking. The temps are so much better here for getting out and walking. The draw back is where to walk. You have to be a billy goat to walk at this campground. It was killing me, tomorrow I’m going to a park that’s only about two miles away. Steve isn’t thrilled about this scenario but it’s my only option. 

Oh did I mention that we already went to my favorite pizza place for Stromboli. It didn’t disappoint either. It was great. Tonight we are off to see “Music on Main”. It is square dancing night. I can’t wait, it’s always so fun to watch and the music isn’t bad either. That’s really saying something for someone that really doesn’t care for country western music. This is more blue grass and that I’m enjoying. 

Well I will be checking in regularly. So make sure you are watching for updates. 

P.S. as you can tell from the video, the weather did NOT cooperate.

West Coast Bakers

After posting my last blog it was brought to my attention that I had made a huge omission. After getting to California and all of the ensuing chaos Curtis took Steve and I to see his plant. I didn't know what to expect, but it was impressive. The operation is huge, at least in my opinion, and there is so much technical stuff going on. Curtis was in his element and Steve and I couldn't have been more proud. Now that truly was a mistaken omission!!

So to bring you all up to date on our visit with the west coast Bakers. . . 

Steve and I are having the time of our lives. We spend just about everyday with the kids. Evelyn and I were going to story time at the library twice a week, but that has now stopped until the end of August. I'm looking forward to that starting up again. Evelyn was thrilled to spend time with other children. 

Steve and I have been so excited to be around to see Evelyn take her first steps. She is a late bloomer walking but she is making up for it in tenacity. She stands, takes a few steps, falls then gets very aggravated with the floor for jumping out and tripping her like that. It is a riot!!!! God love her, she keeps getting up and working at it though. When she was first starting to stand unassisted she would just scream with delight at her prowess. It really is so fun. 

Now on to Maddox, he is the worlds most perfect baby. He loves to just snuggle up with grandmom and while away the hours. We sit with Evelyn and watch Dave and Ava videos on iTunes. Evelyn seems to get a lot more out of the videos than Maddox, but heck, he is only a month old.  

I was trying to walk a few times a week until I was warned by another walker that a guy was having relations with himself up the block. That kind of ruined it for me. So now I limit myself to walks to the food store with Evelyn in the stroller. It's only a little more than half a mile way but what the hell, it's something. However it has been hot, and Evelyn is so fair skinned, I feel guilty.

So fear not, we are still around even if we aren't heard from. There’s a lot to spending the day with a 19 month old and a one month old. Plus we have managed to go to a farmers market one evening, and we had an outing to the Orange County Fair. There have been doctor’s appointments and shopping trips and Courtney and I found a local vinyl supplier that we just had to check out. Poor steve even got to spend a couple hours with both kids while Courtney and I hit Walmart, mind you, Evelyn was supposed to be taking a nap but that didn't last long. Thank God he has the patients of a saint. 

California Experiences

You say you want to know what has been happening since we’ve been in California? Oh you may be sorry you asked! The first order of business was to see the kids, check. Next item on our priority list was to get the car situation figured out. What a mess that was! It took us a few days to get the logistics worked out. We had to find out from the insurance company what the series of events were going to be. How long were repairs going to take. That sort of thing. Well was I just a Polly Anna thinking nut job. The car was seven years old, had over 100K miles on it and major damage. Oh yeah, they totaled it!!!! My poor car, that had been all over the country and had been on roads that no self respecting compact car would have ever dared! That car was a trouper and now it was totaled. So that meant we had to get a new car. Of course that opened up a whole can of worms, but in retrospect this might have been a blessing. Fixing the damage to the car would have taken weeks. 

So we find ourselves car shopping. We decide Tuesday is the drop dead day. We are going out in the morning and not coming home without a car. I contacted every Hyundai dealer in the area. I told them what I needed, hit me with your best deal. Our plan was to go to two dealers but we were going to end up at the third and buy the little red car he had. It was cute, it didn't have cruise control but they told me that wasn't an option with a manual transmission, bull shit!, but we were having a hell of a time even finding a stick shift.  I wasn't going to make that a deal buster. 

We cruised into the first place, we ask to see the guy we had been messaging, he is out. Someone else is going to help us, a a slight side step, but OK. He goes off to find the paperwork on the car and he is going to bring it around, GREAT. It’s an automatic!!! Helloooooo, I know nobody drives a stick anymore but I did think they knew the difference. Apparently NOT! That was the only stick shift they had, even though it wasn't a stick shift so we left. As we are walking out the door I can hear the guy say but I can find you one at another store. . .  So dude, you shot your wad and you blew it. Damn it, the next guy on the list was an ass and we didn't like his attitude. He was very smart mouthed. We decided to skip him and just go get the little red car. So I called the guy at that dealership and told him we were on our way. He was so confident, isn't that cute, he said he would bring the car around and be waiting for us. We weren't five minutes down the road and the phone rings. It was our little guy, I was so hopeful, I thought maybe he was going to tell us they were washing it or something, HAH!!!! He tells me it was hit, it was in their collision area. I had to have him repeat that. It just didn't make sense. He said a rental had hit it. WTF!!! Am I living under a dark cloud or something. I mean, come on people throw me a freaking bone here. 

There was a fourth option, we called them. I tell them we are about 30 minutes away. The guys says well the car isn’t actually there. It was at their sister store, my blood pressure by this time must have been off the charts. The guys says we can come in and look at the automatics and take a test drive in one of those while they bring it from the other store. I told him I didn't need to look at the car, I knew what the car was like, wanted to see the car I was going to be buying. Really is that so much to ask? So again, I'm on the phone calling a dealership to tell them I'm coming to look at a car, I'm not stupid. I went to the dealership that actually had the car. We got there and a very nice young man showed us the only manual transmission Elantra they had. It was very scaled down and black. Really the only color I didn't want. Whatever, at this point I wasn't holding out much hope. So he went to get the keys, we were going to take a drive. I was standing there waiting for him to come back and another two salesmen came up to me and were making small talk and I was telling them I wasn't thrilled by my options with the car, but they only had the one manual. The one guy says no we have another, if I want to consider the sport package. I told him we didn't want a two-door, he said that it was a four-door just a sport package of options. So we looked at it and fell in love. Looking back I have to wonder if they were really skilled salesmen, they show me a car that isn't much, then drop one that is another $6K in ours laps. Boy, they were good!! So anyway, we have a new car!! 

Now the much lauded and awaited event. Our little Maddox has come into the world and is a beautiful baby and a perfect gentleman. He is just the sweetest baby ever. Oh and Courtney is such a trouper! She came through a c-section with flying colors and no complaints. I envy this girl. She was so good about having to give up her car with her last few days to get things in order before another baby comes. She deserves a reward!! 

Evelyn is actually dealing with her mother being away better than expected. She is loving to her little brother and even gives him little kisses. It is adorable to watch. Aiden has been brave and has held Maddox. The poor kid is so stiff, he is trying so hard to hold the baby in just the right position. Of course all of this is only when they can pry him from my clutches. Hey, great grand-mom gets priority!

What a crazy time we have had since getting to California. It has been wonderful spending time with Curtis, Courtney, Aiden, Evelyn and now Maddox. More will be coming soon. Oh and did I mention the brush fire that broke out not far from our campground? We thought we might be evacuated, but nothing much came of it. Thank God!! And what is up with the traffic, oh my GOD! Oh well, see you all soon. . . 

  

We Are In California

Ok so here is the up to the minute update. . . 

Yesterday we ARRIVED safe and sound!! We were first greeted by wonderful people in the campground office. Helpful, sweet, welcoming, friendly; I just can't say enough. We are in a great site. We were able to just pull right in and there is plenty of room, even some shade. It is however, very dusty here. All the work we did washing the RV was a waist of time and energy. It is filthy, between sitting on the side of the road in Arizona and then the campground we stayed at in Arizona and now this, oh Lord it’s bad.

Not long after our arrival Curtis called, he was bringing the kids over. Aiden is a wonderful young man. He was so very polite and a good looking boy. Evelyn was wonderful. She talks up a storm the only problem is only she knows what she's saying. We spent a nice afternoon with the kids and thank God Curtis was here to give steve a hand with the car. 

Steve called Progressive and got the ball rolling with repairs on the car. It was taken by a tow truck to a collision center. Hopefully it will be a quick turnaround. For the time being we are a huge burden on Curtis and Courtney, when the purpose of our trip out here was to help. Oh well!!

Courtney came over after her doctor apt and monitoring session. It was so wonderful to see her, happy, healthy, and looking gorgeous. Our little Maddox is doing just fine. Courtney is doing a great job. 

This morning I was able to walk again. The campground we’re at is really hilly! I'm going to be a mountain goat by the time we get home. The air is so very dry here too. I don't know how people don't turn into raisins. The highlight of my walk was the wildlife I saw. I saw a lizard which isn't very special, we have them in Florida. I did however see an abundance of bunnies, and I think I saw a roadrunner bird, thank God no coyote was chasing him. Then there was a little rodent type thing that I didn't get a good enough glimpse of. I'm not sure if it was a weasel or ferret or what but it had a long bushy tail and just before it scurried into a drainage pipe it grabbed hold of the top of it and watched me sort of like a prairie dog. 

We are going to have a great time while we are here in California. Now I just hope the heat breaks so that we can enjoy the outside more. 

Trouble on the Road

Ok, when I tell you we have been going through Hell I am not kidding!! It has been so very hot, and we are traveling through the desert southwest. You know, when you talk to people and they say “it’s not so bad, it's a ‘dry’ heat”, their idiots. Let's see, a “dry heat”, what can that be likened to? Oh I don't know, AN OVEN! People it is horrible!!! Just horrible I tell you. 

When we got to Las Cruces, New Mexico yesterday at 2:30pm, it was already over 100°. We have been getting on the road early, really early, but knowing the expected highs for today we were on the road by 6:00, in the A.M. Now I don't do that often, oh Hell who am I kidding, I don't do that at all. When the outside temperatures are that high the RV A/C units can't keep up. We were at 80° until after 7:00pm. That's a little too warm for my liking. 

Because of this weather issue our plans have changed. We were going to take a break from the road for a few days at a nice campground in Arizona and arrive refreshed and ready for all the fun and excitement that awaits us in California. Instead we are going to just overnight in Arizona and head out tomorrow morning for California. Tonopah, Arizona is expecting temperatures around 120° by Wednesday. Hell NO!!! I have no desire to watch Satan walk unabashed down the streets of town, nope not doing it. 

Well dear friends, don't let anybody tell you traveling isn't an adventure, cause I'm here to tell you it is. We thought we were the shit. We were on the road before light this morning. We are traveling along, no traffic to speak of, two happy little clams, then don't you know, out of nowhere, TROUBLE!! Isn't that always the way? 

First we got a toot from a car going by. Steve thought she was worried that we didn't see her because we were going to change lanes, so we paid no attention. Then just a bit further a guy honks, pretty insistently and signals for us to pull over. Well don't you know, here comes the trouble I was talking about. A very nice man comes up to the RV to let us know we have a flat on the car. He was understating that by a million. The tire was gone, just shredded. We were riding on the rim and didn’t even realize it in the motorhome!  No indication whatsoever.  It did some damage too; tore out a major wiring harness, popped the hood, ripped electrical connectors from under the dash, and dented the fender. Oh for the love of God, aren't the temperatures enough to deal with? Well I guess not! So as I am writing this we are sitting on the side of the road waiting for a tow truck to see if he can get the tire changed. The scissor jack that comes with the car would not raise even the bare rim off of the ground so that we could put on the donut spare.  From here who's know what, but fear not, I will keep you posted. 

Well to all our friends and loved ones, I'll let you decide into which category you fall, the tow truck driver finally arrived. It only took twice as long as they said. Oh his incident cost us over 4 1/2 hours in the heat!  The good news is he was able to get the tire changed  and he was able to suggest a U-Haul location in Tucson. They had a tow dolly and they even helped us push the car onto it in 100°+. There are several people in the Tucson area that we will be indebted to forever. Thanks guys! 

We have made it to the campground in Tonopah and the temperature isn’t as high as the surface of the sun, it’s just unGodly, so we are making progress. Tomorrow will be better because we will be in California. So I will update you later with all our excitement and pictures. 

Day 2

I will tell you what. . . We got on the road about five minutes from one heck of a storm this morning. We could hear the thunder rumbling in the distance and we beat feet to get going. It poured with lightning and thunder until we hit the Alabama line then it cleared right up. The Alabama Chamber of Commerce has it going on. That was a nice welcome to our state. 

We will be stopping in Texas tonight and tomorrow night. Texas is a BIG state! Tomorrow and Saturday for a large chunk of those days we won't have cell service. The campground we’ll be staying at on Friday night there is no cell service, no wifi, no cable, and people say I don't do primitive camping. Tsk, tsk!! What more could a girl be expected to give up, I mean come on people. 

We are at our campground for the night. It's going to be an early night so that we can get on the road and go tomorrow morning.