Nappanee Notes 2

We are still here at the Newmar Service Center having work done on our coach. The service center here is immaculate. A man who worked on aircraft engines said that this place was as clean as his work environment. As I watched our service tech clean up, I thought that they needed to be housekeepers along  with all the other skills required for employment.

This is Kirk, our very - knowledgeable service tech. He has been very helpful, not only in what he can do, but in his ability to communicate what he is doing. He sees that our coach is picked up at the lot in the morning--Ed doesn't drive in the dark--and gets it back in great shape in the afternoon. He has worked for Newmar for 9 1/2 years. I am very grateful  that he has been assigned to us. I have seen him advising other service techs, and that adds to my confidence in his work. Thank you, Kirk.

Nappanee notes

Here we are, finally, at the Newmar complex in Nappanee, Indiana, ready to begin the process of having work done on our coach. Some of it will be repair, some maintenance and most repair work still under warranty.  We are scheduled for seven work days. They will pick our coach up at 6:15 a.m. Each day and return it at closing, a time I am not yet familiar with. Meanwhile, we will find ways to occupy ourselves. Since we are not towing this year, we will have to make arrangements for transportation, once we decide what we want to do.
Nappanee is a bit of a dead zone for wifi, so I am behind in posting. Two stops on the way here are worthy of note.

This winery was in Cologna, Illinois, off I 80 on U.S. Hwy 6. We stopped for what turned out to be a scrumptious lunch. I had a wonderful chicken mandarin salad.

This is what was left as I was beginning to think I was full. But the coup De grace of the day was the desert.

Ed and I shared what may have been the most delicious rum cake I have ever had. Of course we couldn't leave the winery without doing some shopping. I bought some wonderful wine items and a bottle of a chocolate wine. I haven't opened it yet, so will report on it later.
As we passed through Chicago Heights on U.S. 30, we had lunch at a restaurant called Carlos'. Even if I hadn't known where I was, I would have guessed I was in the Chicago area. That old, well-maintained Italian restaurant just said "Chicago" to me. There were some classy touches, like salad dressing served in mini gravy boats.

The food was good. Ed had an enormous Italian sausage sandwich and I had broccoli shrimp fettucine. As we left the restaurant, Ed said "that is my kind of restaurant."

Bluegrass and quilts

Bluegrass came to my attention in the Adirondacks of New York in 2004, when the Upper Hudson Bluegrass Festival was initiated. We attended most of those concerts until we left the Adirondacks in 2009. We have attended 2 Bluegrass Festivals on this trip, both in Iowa. We took our coach to the first, the Backbone Bluegrass
Festival in Strawberry Point. The jacks went so deep in the mud that I thought we would have to dig them out.

Backbone Bluegrass Festival, Strawberry Pt., Iowa

We drove our rental car to the Festival at Central City. The most unique  thing about this festival is that it was indoors.

Concert site at Linn County Fairgrounds, Central City, Iowa

I didn't know much about any of the groups playing at either venue. There was one duplication. Annie Savage was at both. She was with her group The Savage Hearts at Backbone, but at Central City, she sang with Bob Black and Banjoy. That was my favorite group at Central City.

Hanging from the rafters in Central City were a collection of quilts. I am not sure of their purpose. I heard someone say something about "accoustics" in regard to the quilts, but they seemed too far spread out to be helpful for that purpose.

A Bluegrass Quilt

Displays many symbols of Bluegrass and various venues.

Nostalgic Foods

As we returned from Jefferson City, MO to our campsite in Urbana, IA, I just had to stop at a roadside store advertising A & W products. Turns out they had a full A&W stand. I ordered a pork tenderloin sandwich, which was good, but not the highlight of my meal. The best thing was my root beer float. I have never imbibed carbonated drinks, but have always loved the flavor of rootbeer. I was delighted in my youth to find that ice cream reduces the carbonation in floats, so root beer floats became a standard, with A&W as my favorite. I just haven't been able to find draft A&W for quite a while, and canned or bottled root beer just isn't the same. I was delighted by this find yesterday, and really enjoyed that float!

There was also a Godfather's Pizza in the same building.  Ed and I have been trying to remember where we lived that had a Godfather's pizza. I remember that it was pretty good pizza, but I was more interested in a root beer float yesterday.

DODS and the survivors

Our travels this year brought us to this special place at this special time. This day is marked on my mental calendar as DODS: Day of Deepest Sorrow. 6 years ago today my oldest grandson Kyle left this world by his own hand. He was a beautiful young man, full of potential and the father of 3 little girls, including a set of twins. His death seemed to be the result of a disagreement with his girlfriend,  the mother of his children, but she is the only person on earth who really knows.

These are some of the survivors of that fateful day. My husband and I, grandparents. Then there is Ryan, his sole surviving brother, and Sandra, his mother. It is very special that we were able to be together at this special time to remember in this place. Kyle ' s uncle Scott, who was very close to Kyle, has shared in this time of memories also, but was not able to meet with us last night.

The Soul of the matter.

This is the vehicle we have rented for our stay in Jefferson City, Mo.,a KIA Soul. There are three reasons why we should not be driving this vehicle: (1) We were expecting a larger vehicle; (2) When KIA first introduced this vehicle, it was depicted as being driven by rats, which turned me off; and (3) our oldest son Darrel, with strong military ties, is offended by the manufacturers' name, KIA,  because of that significance to the military community. This all got me thinking about the various reasons we accept and reject things. Some of those reasons have little validity in the big picture. Actually, the car is quite roomy on the inside. I don't feel cramped at all. I hardly ever think of the rats in the ads, and, as far as Darrel ' s objections go, we aren't buying the car. Just using it for this period, however, will help me consider other rejections and acceptances I will make in the future.

On Hotels and RVs

We are in Jefferson City, MO, on what I call my vacation. I do that not only because when we are here we see family, but because I don't have to cook and clean and do all the other things I have to do when we travel in our RV.

These are pictures of the breakfast room at the hotel. There is much more of a variety than I would offer at home. We could have the ubiquitous make - your - own waffles, omelets, cereal, pastries, fruit and beverages. This morning I had a biscuit with not - too - bad sausage gravy. 

It has occurred to me that staying in a hotel room is really little different from RV life, except for the immobility and lack of cooking facilities. I like having maid service and going out to eat. I like the occasional retreat from normal living responsibilities, and I love the opportunities to see family. I will, however, be glad to get back to our home waiting for us in Urbana, Iow

Turning 70

On my recent birthday, I turned 70. That landmark meant that I had lived 19 years longer than my father lived, as cancer took him at the age of 51. It also meant that, if my mother and maternal grandmother were any guide, I might live at least 11 more years. Both of those women left this life at the age of 81. But there was something more significant about this birthday. Many of my friends are turning the same age. This is something I haven't been aware of, or at least haven't given much thought to. I've had many of these friends since grade school. In recent years, we have

been brought back together through Facebook. We all participate in the Palm Beach High School Facebook group. Even in recent years, however, I haven't been aware of birthdays, except to note who is having one. This year, however, many of us are talking about our age. 70 seems be a hallmark that is important to us. We all have friends, family and classmates who didn't make it to this point, and I guess we celebrate 70 with a bit of gratitude mixed with sorrow. We may also be realizing that many of us won't be around to celebrate 80. 70 is a special mark in the journey of life. I don't feel 70, and sometimes I find myself surprised that I am there. But I am. I hope to make the most of this special year, and wish the best to all my friends who are sharing it with me.

Puzzle and Gourd Dance

This morning I was doing a word search on a cereal box with a yellow hi-liter. I kept coming to words on the list I knew I had found. I realized then that as the hi-liter was drying, it was disappearing. It reminded me of a time when I wrote a check for a license plate with a black pen. The clerk soon brought the check back to me. It was completely blank of everything I had written. I was really frustrated until we discovered that I had inadvertently used erasable ink, which had disappeared because of the heat from the photo copy machine. Needless to say, I no longer carry erasable ink pens in my purse.

About a year ago, we were in Oklahoma City. It was an extended visit because of having work done on our car, which got hit as we towed it, part of the reason we are not towing this year. During the time we were there, we saw many things and got to spend some time with a long-time friend, David Flick. David is a member of an Indian tribe, Cherokee I believe, but don't really remember. We had the privilege of being taken by David to a Gourd Dance. While what we witnessed was within the confines of a gym-like structure, there were many things going on outside. It was an experience that could not be duplicated. I was most impressed by exchanges of money and goods. It was like a competition to see who could be the most generous. It was truly something I will never forget.
                                                          

The white-bearded man is our friend David

Too bad I can't capture the action

 

These are the Princesses

Peace in the midst of the storms

We are in the middle of a forecast of a rainy, stormy week. It began on Saturday night, intensifying last night and is predicted to continue on and off through the week. It is a wet time for northeastern Iowa. I don't know what stage crops are in, but I think it is at least close to time for harvest, a time when rain is not desired. Other than close down our satellite dish, we make little special coach preparations for storms. We do unhook unnecessary electronics like computers, and make sure windows are shut, but we don't bring in slides (we have four) as some do. I do certainly spend a lot of time through wind, lightning and rain in prayer.

Before the rains began on Saturday, Ed and I shared a special time. We played miniature golf--I failed to mention that course in my last blog--and we had our first campfire. Can you imagine? We have lived the RV life for almost two years now, and just shared our first campfire. It was a special time for me because it was part of the peaceful time we are sharing. While I doubt I will ever intentionally schedule a month at any particular place again, the time here has been relationally peaceful. I hate actually being on the road, and become a shrew while we are driving, relaxing only when I drive and when we are camped. This month off the road has been special. And there is more to come. This weekend our son Scott will come pick us up--we are not towing this year--and take us to Jefferson City, MO for a week. That time will be spent in a hotel. That is what I call my vacation. We have children, grandchildren and great grandchildren in Missouri, and hope to see most of them.

Iowa Musings

I wish I could appropriately describe this beautiful sunset. Along with the expected pinks and oranges, there were greens and grays and colors I don't think I can describe.

I really think I have to put in a word for this beautiful park in which we are spending the month. I chose it randomly, but it is really all I could ask for. The sites are larger than we have ever seen. But there is much more.

 

The park is called Lazy Acres, in Urbana, IA, but it really isn't designed for lazy people. There are many things just to walk around and look at:

Petting Zoo

No climbing

Heads are made of milk cans

Giant watering can

Bikes are provided for children to ride

Along with many things to see, there are plenty of things to do:

Ed and I stopped for a swing

A croquet set awaits on the porch

Children can ride on Saturdays

Horseshoes anyone?

Can't forget the Frisbie Golf Course

Don't know what Ga Ga ball is, but there's the set up for it.

Where the pool used to be; now just a pretty place to gather

 There is also a basketball court, a volley ball court and some things I can't identify. If you are in this part of the country, this is the park to visit. A unique treat.

New Awakenings

Yesterday was a landmark day in the Pettibone household: we learned to use some of the resources which have been available to us. We knew we had a Wifi antenna on the roof of the RV, a little black box up in one of our cabinets, and a Wifi switch on the control panel, but we didn't know what to do with any of them. If you are familiar with Newmar, you know that each motor home comes with a very large satchel filled with information. I finally (after more than 4 months of ownership) found the information in that satchel which told me how to bring the three items mentioned above into use, and voila, we have our own wifi. It is so much better than trying to share the Park's wifi, or using our hotspot when we are out of our carrier's reach. I think this is the benefit of time off from travel and the concerns of being home: we have the leisure and time to learn new things.

This morning, as I sat outside for a quiet time, I took the time to look and listen. To my right was the sun, to my left, in an almost cloudless sky, was the moon. All around me were the songs of various birds. It was a beautiful moment that would not have been captured on film, but which nonetheless was very meaningful.

Water and Rainbows

As I began hooking up here at Lazy Acres RV Park in Urbana, IA, I once again had a problem with the water: flow moderator attached, and no water. This time, however, I picked up on something I hadn't noticed before. Our coach has auto fill for the fresh water tank. If the water tank is down, as soon as we hook up to water, it starts filling. This draws water away from faucets, with which I test the flow. So I waited briefly, and sure enough, when auto - fill was shut off, we had good flow from the faucets. And here I was blaming the flow moderator.

We were greeted here in Urbana, with an afternoon rainstorm. Afterwards, the sun came out, so I knew there would be a rainbow. I only saw part of it because of remaining dark clouds, but it was one of the most intense I have seen in a while.

Rainbows are beautiful symbols of God's faithfulness and promise for all. We may destroy this world in any number of ways, but it will not be destroyed by flooding rain and waters.

Namesakes and Strange Names

It was frustrating to open a blog, then be in a wifi-dead area for 3 days. But we are back now, and there are several things I want to share.
We spent several days at Pettibone RV Resort in LaCrosse, WI. To look at surrounding businesses, one might think that the town was named Pettibone: Pettibone RV Sales, Pettibone Pointe, and, if I am not mistaken, there was a Pettibone Marina. It was a beautiful site on the Mississippi River, and was our first waterfront site. Ed felt it was one of the nicest parks we have stayed in.

One of the interesting features of the park was the collection of wood carvings spread throughout. It was as if someone wanted to leave a tree stump, but in a more decorative fashion.










On our last night at the Pettibone Resort, we saw a TV add for a Bluegrass Festival in Strawberry Point, Iowa. We have attended several Bluegrass Festivals and wanted to add that to our list. We knew that it was called Backbone Bluegrass Festival, which we thought was strange. Then we learned that it was at Backbone State Park, a beautiful rural setting. We were told that in recent years, volunteers spent a week before the Festival chasing the cows out and collecting all the cow patties. They managed to get our big rig in, but we discovered too late that the ground was very soft. Our jacks sank very deeply, and we were in danger of not getting out.

 We sat on a hillside Saturday afternoon, evening and well into Sunday afternoon, listening to one group after another. We were not familiar with any of them, but I preferred the music of the Bluegrass Blondies, a family group of Dad, Mom and three daughters.

After a night at Walmart in Independence, IA, we arrived at our "home" for a month, the Lazy Acres RV Park in Urbana, IA. It is a beautiful park, with large lots and well-kept grounds. Right now we are finding one drawback: we planned to rent a car, but the nearest Enterprise is in Cedar Rapids, and they don't pick up this far out (about 17-18 miles). So we have to either find a closer agency that rents cars or transportation to Cedar Rapids. I have made one contact, but so far nothing.

Introduction

Thank you for checking out my new blog. As the title indicates, I will be posting on our summer travels and other trips, the treasures, or special things I find along the way, and the difficulties we might encounter, to the extent that I think our experience can be helpful to others. A note on Treasures: those who know me well, know that my main treasure in life is food. This comes from growing up with a father who was a WWII Japanese POW, and who developed a deep appreciation of food. No crumb or drop was wasted in our home. I learned to eat almost everything, and to be grateful for it. So very often, Treasures will be about food.

Some background info on myself. I am a retired pastor, which was an unintentional second career. I spent 11 years as a real estate paralegal, preparing for and doing real estate closings. Then, in 1992, my dream of getting an education began to be fulfilled. I enrolled in the University of South Florida, Tampa, graduating in 1995, summa cum laude, majoring in religious studies. I was in that department because that is where Ancient Studies was, but I was immediately redirected when they dropped Ancient Studies. I began studying biblical languages, fell in love with Hebrew, and thought my career was set: I was going to be a professor of Hebrew and Bible Background. I went to the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, where I earned a M.Div. in 1998. I was there to reinforce my faith background (I am not Southern Baptist), because I felt that the next step had to be a Ph.D. from a Jewish School to solidify my Hebrew background. I was amazingly accepted at Hebrew Union College in Cincinnati, OH, which takes about 10 graduate students a year at that Jewish seminary. Immediately, I knew that was not where I was supposed to be. After 2 years, I withdrew from the program and received a second Masters in Bible and Cognate languages. Immediately upon my withdrawal, the door to ministry opened to me, and the rest is history.

I am married to Ed and we have a combined family of 6 children, 9 grandchildren and a few great grandchildren, scattered all over the country. We are full time RVers, with a home base in Clermont, Florida. We stay there in the fall, winter and early spring months, and travel during the summer. That is all I am saying about myself. This blog will be about all the things we encounter on our travels.