Ready to Roll

Ready to Roll

Our History

My photo
Ohio, United States
Having recently retired we are fulfilling our long time dream. We began our camping life with a tent in 1969 adjusting as each of our three sons arrived over the years and gradually progressed to a 32' Class A in 2007. Even after our sons became too busy with their own interests, we continued dreaming over the years. The Louisville, KY 2003 Great North American RV Rally and the book "Movin' On" convinced us that a motorhome after retirement was really for us! In 2007 we sold our home and disposed of most of our belongings and awaited the wife's retirement on February 1, 2008. We were out in our first motorhome ten times in our first summer in 2007, with our grandson joining us eight of those ten times. Since he must stay behind with his mom and dad to continue school, we told him he can join us on vacations (by car or plane) anywhere we are as we travel the US. Imagine the history lessons he could acquire! However, Mom and Dad don't look at it that way, especially the flying. Fortunately we don't miss work one bit!! We just miss the friends there. We have many hobbies to keep us busy when we decide to sit still for a day. Hope to see you on the road.

Saturday, April 29, 2017

TUSCALOOSA and NORTHERN ALABAMA

Our trip north beginning Monday, April 24th, is to include visiting with extended family of Gary's and some sight seeing. We are looking forward to the change. Our first stop was at the ELKS in Tuscaloosa. It had full hook-ups and a nice set-up with a pavilion where we could sit out in the breeze to read and visit with our neighbors later in the afternoon.

On Tuesday, April 25th, our lunch visit with Gary's cousin was great and we were thankful for the time they could allot for us. Debbie is one busy gal with her Blues work! She performs as well as teaching under her name, Debbie Bond. There was a lot of reminiscing family history and her visit with her mother and Gary's sister Joan. Wonderful that they had the opportunity before Joan passed away. 
Rick and Debbie















Rick, Debbie and Gary







After our visit with them we drove around Tuscaloosa and stopped at America's Thrift Shop. But no buys that day except maybe a couple books. We love looking though.

After two nights at the ELKS we moved on north to Athens, Alabama and parked for a few days at Northgate RV Park right along I-65. It was a very nice clean small park and we would stop again anytime when going north or south in the motorhome. Our first objective here was to meet up with Gary's nephew, Michael and his wife, Cindy. We had breakfast and a lengthy visit at McDonald's in Rogersville, AL. Michael then had to go on to work.  Mike, we look forward to doing it again!
Cindy and Michael
While in that area we sent to see a Frank Lloyd Wright house in Florence, Alabama. It is either the fourth or fifth of his houses that we have seen so far. They said that he had built 600 in his lifetime. Always interesting. But we were not permitted to take pictures inside!

Guess Gary sneaked one with his phone.
















After Cindy told me about Helen Keller's Birthplace, I was determined to see that also. We were in the area so it made sense to do it the same day. This was some view crossing the river to go to Tuscumbia, Alabama


Helen Keller's birthplace

This was the family's dining room and Anne was set on
breaking Helen's poor habits of running about the table and
eating from everyone's plates.
Anne Sullivan the teacher hired to train and teach Helen at age 6, was determined to take Helen away from the family enough to teach her without the influence of the family. She drove her around for a while to give Helen the feeling of being a long way from home when she was just next door.
House next door where Helen's teacher took her for
more extensive training without the influence of
her family who were unable to be firm with her behavior.

Many toys of the era in the little house.


In the learning process, one of the first words that Helen learned the meaning of was 'water'. Read the plague to find the method used to teach her this.
The household water pump.

Taught Helen the spelling of water with one hand while
letting water run over her other hand.
Helen at age 24.
When the government made place for two items of great importance to each state in the US to be displayed in Washington DC, one of Alabama's was this statue. This is a replica that is on display in the museum here, along with many pictures taken over Helen's life time and items used in the teaching of the blind. Helen died in 1968 at age of 87 in Westford, Connecticut.
The narrator for the museum said that Helen's secretary/companion, Polly Thomson, spent more years with Helen over her life time and that she was just as influential as Anne Sullivan had been.
Helen graduated from Radcliffe College in 1904 with teacher, Anne, by her side at all times.

Just four blocks from Helen's home was a Railroad Museum. When we got there it was not open, so Gary just took a few pictures outside.
 
 Pictures about town:


We finished the day out by stopping at Consignment World and other Thrift Stores on the way back to the RV park. Consignment World was a special treat. We got sticker shock when we walked in!! Prices were anywhere from $5.99 to $100.00 or more for used items. I am sure that the wedding gowns were even more! But I lucked out and found a little room in the back where three racks of clothing had been reduced to $2.00 for clearance! I found two very nice items. When I went back the next day to buy a Vera Bradley purse at 18.99 I decided that it was too large a bag for me and only walked out with a cute picnic item to hold silverware and napkins. They did not have books so Gary waited in the car for me. He often does this when he remembers to take a book along. He did find his authors that he likes at the other Thrift Stores and had to go back the next day with his 'Books Read' list.
We were glad to call it a day!! Time for dinner at home since we skipped lunch.
We began Friday going to the Veteran's Museum here in Athens and then stopped at Captain D's for lunch.
The Museum was interesting, especially to Gary.
When I had finished reading the posted newspaper
accounts of the wars, I am done.
At Captain D's we were in a booth next to some local pastors. Thus we were invited to Emmanuel Baptist for Sunday. Probably will take them up on that.
Saturday is my lazy day and I decided to take care of pictures and write this Blog. While I am at this, Gary went into town for a Classic Car Show. We still have Monday to find something more to do.
So stay tuned!

Thursday, April 20, 2017

PENSACOLA FLORIDA in APRIL


Our stay here in Pensacola will be coming to an end soon! We will be pulling out on Monday, April 24th, to head north to see family and to do anything for Gary's sister that can be  done before we move on northwest to Minnesota to see our son, Ben.
Our stay here has been enjoyable in addition to keeping some doctor appointments. Results of those have been good!! We are ready to move on now with a clean slate, almost. I have to see a doctor in Ohio about medicine that he prescribed when we were there. I am not happy about the stories that I hear about this script so I have delayed beginning to take it.
April 2nd, we arrived at Eagles Landing RV Park to get the motorhome out of storage. Because of forecasts of oncoming storms, we stayed there for two nights before moving into Pensacola to Drifter's RV Park for the month. Turned out the storms were not as bad as they were leading us to believe.
We just got parked at Drifter's and pads under the wheels when I left Gary to take care of the rest as that was the day to get back with a TOPS Club that I had met with in January and February. I sure need the regular meetings. So I got a surprise when I walked in that day for it was their annual Recognition Day for their chapter members.

A member reading a story that she
wrote about the 50 year history of this
chapter's existence. 




My inspiration looser, Michelle.

Seven KOPS in the black!

It turned out to be a very inspirational day!! They have seven long time KOPS members in the chapter. I was also happy to make the acquaintance of a gal that has had a loss every week for at least the full past year. I am trying to keep my thoughts focused on her success.

Gary and I enjoy our visits with friends and have made connections with most of them here in Pensacola. We began by meeting with friends, Howard and Lana, at Patrella's Italian Cafe' for their lasagna special on Wednesday and then an Easter carry-in dinner a week early with our Sunday School class at Olive Baptist.
Olive's full choir with orchestra below.
They looked great with all of their spring colors!
They have quit using their choir robes because
of the cost to have them cleaned.
Friday, April7th, we drove across the bay to Pace, Florida to meet up with some of these friends to attend a Gospel Concert of the Hoppers.  This was very enjoyable and we plan to see them again when they are at Hartville in Ohio in May.  Their grandson is an awesome pianist and Claude Hopper's wife, Connie, is the Southern Gospel female vocalist of the year for many years. You will have to look them up on the Internet as my pictures did not turn out well.

After all doctor appointments,

Gary met up with a friend with his boat for a day of fishing in the rivers of the area. They did catch a little, but only Dennis caught any keepers.
Dennis - Archive photo
from a different year!
The had an enjoyable day. I spent my day scrapbooking while they were gone.
Some of the friends here are doing their share of traveling also. Lana and Howard went to Texas for an Easter with with children and grandchildren. Howard is now officially retired and they are taking advantage of it. He's hardly broken the ice though. They along with three other couples flew this week to Phoenix AZ for a bus tour of that area to include the Grand Canyon, Hoover Dam, and Las Vegas. We will be gone before they return so will miss out on their stories. But we did go out to eat with them one last time before they left. We went to PoFolks right after church on Easter. We always enjoy their southern food and we knew that we could get in there quickly and be served in a timely manner even though it was a holiday.  We sure had many left-over meals from all of this eating out!

















The Monday following Easter we left and went to Perdido Beach to enjoy the awesome weather. I sure need to toast on the back side now!
We also took a day to go to our favorite bookstore, Hawsey's, and spent a day stopping at Thrift Stores with a stop for lunch along one of Pensacola's Bays.
Sunset Grille

With a view of the bay.

Delicious Shrimp Salad!
Gary's usual Reuben.

April 19th, we also went over into Alabama to DeRailed Restaurant for dinner with a long time friend, Karen.

She was a renter of ours back in the '70's. She has lived in Alabama for the past 28 years. We always enjoy catching up on life!!
Except for catching up on the mundane tasks here at home, life has been mainly enjoyable because of the weather!

See you soon!  Our trip back north has been planned with a few stops on the way. So we are looking forward to more visits and some new sights.



Wednesday, April 12, 2017

SALEM OHIO VISIT

MARCH
Nearly a month and a half have gone by since I tried to write on the Blog! Sorry, but just not enough going on in Ohio. Or I should say, not enough excitement!
Gary got the Honda's oil changed in Akron and he also got his sister's car sold. Thus two hurdles passed. He also did a lot of painting and such in Victor's house in preparation for listing it to sell. Seems Vic has more motivation now.  They began with the front entrance floor trim, curtains up in the dining area, paint the kitchen and garage/basement entry, the basement and last the family room.

















He said that he would begin scraping the house trim outside/front this week. I hope the weather is conducive! He sure has been sorting a lot and piling up on the curb lawn each trash pick-up day! He is finding out earlier than we did that one should not accumulate so much!! We did this after Gary's retirement and after forty years of marriage and kids!
The 11th of March was a spaghetti dinner fund raiser for the Jette Beck family. Our boys had worked with Derick at Wendy's many years ago. How time flies. There were more than 1000 served and quite a long wait in line. It was am amazing fund raiser. Whoever planned this sure did an awesome job. I have never seen such an extensive fund raiser! We found plenty of people to visit with during the wait. We also get weekly reports on Jette's recovery process following surgery for a brain tumor. It sure is a long haul!! We are trusting in the Lord for a recovery.
Gary did go to the Men of Faith breakfast at the Deutsch Haus and I met with my fellow scrappers.
Sunday, the 19th of March we met with Rich and Hope Theiss (and Victor) at Perkins for lunch following church. We had a great visit and also ran into a fellow scrapper, Lee O'Lenik.  After dinner we took Rich and Hope back to our condo for more visit time. It was great!!





Sunday, March 26th, we had dinner at our house, cleaning out the excess food in preparation for our trip south. Richie missed out as he had to work at his new job at Walmart. He was so happy to get the job as he was hired for the Electronic Department. We hope that it is good background for a future in IT.

Gary has had his usual breakfast/coffees with friends, Rick, Pete, Ray, SES retirees, as well as First Tuesday "friends". Audrey with friends, Louise, Bob & Eugenia and Debbie Cotton. We did our usual trip to Deutsch Haus to meet with RVing friends, Don and Lois.  They are missing the former life style of wintering in Florida. But both are doing pretty well health wise.
Our Class '62 and '63 luncheons are always a fun catch up time.
The night before leaving for Pensacola, Florida we went in the pouring rain to a Tribute to Walt Disney at the former Junior High School in Salem. This was presented by Mr. Viencik, Miss Yereb and the Theiss'. Much of the Theiss' work experience was working for Disney!! It is always a very interesting time listening to their adventures.
Some of Miss Yereb's Disney collections.
Miss Yereb, former Salem
High School Art Teacher.
Both Gary and our son, Ben,
were in her classes.

Hope and Richard Theiss
Some of Theiss' many collected items.

One of Rich Theiss' many thank-yous
for a Disney presentation to
classes and organizations.

Rich Theiss' art examples.



Rich began his Disney talk with his dream at about age 7 of someday working for Disney, and the many years following. He never did get to finish his talk as the evening was too short. They stopped him to share cake to celebrate his birthday as a surprise to him!



Hope Theiss
Quite an evening! Worth getting wet for! Glad we were in Salem to benefit from this presentation.

Next we are on our way South with a stop on the way, to lunch with Gary's nephew, Michael and wife, Cindy.
Another family dinner.
Still winter in Ohio!


Gary did get some time for his drawing, as well!!