MORE OF TENNESSEE before GOING TO OHIO

JULY 14 thru 19, 2014   (posted much later).

Leaving Agricenter RV Park in Memphis, we traveled east to Bolivar to Big Buck RV Park. 

Though this looks nice and quiet with good amenities, it turned out to have pour electric service and no sewer hook-up on our site.  They had given our full hook-up site to someone else before we got there, so they used their honey dipper for the week of our stay.  No sweat to us, since they did the work.  And we were so busy sight seeing that we worked with the black-outs.  They have only owned the park for one year, so they have a lot of work ahead of them.
Our first full day there, we drove in to Jackson, the state capital, to drop our computer off at Best Buy for the Geek Squad to work on it.  We then went on to the Casey Jones RR Museum

and the Brook Shaw Store and Restaurant for their buffet.  No trouble finding plenty to eat!!

With an hour drive each way, we were happy with our day and headed home.

Did you ever see the movie, Walking Tall, the story of one sheriff's struggle to control crime on the Mississippi and Tennessee border of McNaury County?  The crime was the mafia of Mississippi connection, and sheriff Pusser was determined to wipe it out.  It was based on the fact that he hated crime that prayed on others.  We began the next day checking out his former office in the basement of the county courthouse

Sheriff's office in county courthouse.

McNaury County's sheriff's car.

and then went on to his home which his daughter has since turned into the Bufford Pusser Museum.

I have read a biography, Walking On, that the daughter has written since she has become an adult when she did a lot of research throughout the community.  It proved to be very interesting.  She said that Bufford was a kind hearted man and only used force when all else failed.  However, he did not use a club to do it, but used whatever was handy at the time and always carried a gun.  The club that was focused on in the movie was only because the people of the community had presented him with a club when he retired.  It has since become an icon for his fight on crime. She said that there has been seven different movies made about him, but the first one was the closest to fact by 80%.  He did not drive the official car very often, but rather drove souped up cars that his friend kept him supplied with.  Fast cars was a love of life for him and no one would know when he was coming.

Room in the basement of the home, where Bufford
spent his spare time after his wife's untimely death..

The Corvette that he was killed in
is now kept in the basement garage.



 

The family car that he had been to Jackson with
the last day of his life.  He came home and switched
cars for a joy ride.  No one knows what caused
the accident, but there was no sign of tampering. 
It was checked out by law enforcement
as well as by General Motors.

The rest of the house was kept as it had been when he was alive, except for the wall that has been used to honor any law enforcement people who send memorabilia to them.

 

The day of his funeral, his friend Elvis, visited the family but remained in the son's bedroom so that he would not draw attention to his presence.  Yes, that was Elvis Presley!! Their young lives were much alike.
From Adamsville we went on to lunch at Pat's Cafe' home of the Slugburger.

We had previously had breakfast in this little cafe' and decided to try out the Slugburger.  Think that we will stick to a regular hamburger though.  Many ordered the slugburgers while we were there though. 
Then we went on to the Tennessee River Museum and Shiloh.  Shiloh reminded us of the National Battlefield Park of Vicksburg, so will spare you the pictures.  After that we stopped for dinner at Hagy's Restaurant for fish and watched a tugboat from the window view moving along the Tennessee River.

Saturday we had breakfast in our RV Park after doing laundry.  Then in the evening we drove in to Jackson again to go to a Gospel Concert at the Civic Center. 

Lines going out and around the building,
both directions.

Entertainer's motor coaches
in front of the Civic Center.

They had probably eight different gospel singers or groups, some very well known, and they were very good.  We waited in a long line to get in, but once the doors were opened it moved quickly.  They just had a $15 donation at the door and I am sure that is what made it move easy. 
We were behind a couple that we talked with while waiting.  Turned out the next morning when we went to the local First Baptist church and were escorted to an adult Bible fellowship class, the gentleman was the teacher!!  Small world.  We had lunch at Joe's Restaurant for more good fish, and saw the teacher, his wife and several other couples from church again. 
Hopefully I will some day get the Memphis sights into a Blog.  ??  Stay tuned as we keep seeing more Blog materials, though lack of a photo program right now presents a delay.

MORE VISITING IN OHIO

AUGUST 8, 2014
After picking Ben up at the airport, we gave him the second surprise, the new car.  We had a great visit with him on the drive back to Cornersburg.  He was glad to get home and hit the bed after two plus hours delay in Chicago airport after working three long weeks.  We made plans to drive him to Pittsburg to look at an apartment.  He needs to get settled there for his job, as it was the companies requirement.  That should happen soon.
Lunch on Sunday after church when we met Victor at Los Gallos.  We do enjoy Mexican food sometimes.
Gary has not been feeling a bit good because of a sinus infection even though he saw two different doctors with-in one week at walk-in clinics.  Turned out he had to make an appointment with our primary care doctor to finally get on the right track.  Have to feel better to enjoy the Outer Banks!!
I spent one day baking banana bread and another making zucchini bread to take on our vacation.  We also got busy one day working on the motorhome.   Gary on the outside, though he did not feel like working long.  And I pulled out all of my scrapbooking STUFF and sorted.  I got rid of about 50 to 75 pounds of paper and stickers.  I really needed to downsize since I am not doing as much anymore. Saturday was the Men of Faith meeting and breakfast at The Dutch Haus in Columbiana, which Gary went to. 

AUGUST 16, 2014

,

Ben, Gary, Audrey and Loretta

In the afternoon we went to the Friends Church Chicken BBQ to meet with Ben and Gary's sister-in-law for dinner and more visiting.  Also made a blue berry desert for the next day.

AUGUST 17, 2014
Sunday was our Class picnic which we opted to have in the gymnasium at church.  Had a great time and it always ends too soon. 

Brian and Lisa

Randy, Patti, Gary, Richard and Howard

Dick and Jane, Betty and Jerry,
Michael and mom, Renae,  and Anna

Ann, Cindy, Cheryl, Vivienne and Carol

Joyce and Duane, Bonnie and Don, Nile and Sandy,
Sue and Rod

GREAT FOOD AND FELLOWSHIP!!

AUGUST 18, 2014
Followed by another picnic at Norma's in Leetonia.  It was beautiful weather and we were able to enjoy the evening outside!  So much catching up on HSL news and much speculation.  Only time will tell what will happen with the company, but we were all glad that we are now retired from there, one way or another.

Sherry, Norma, Joyce, Janet, Debbie O, Brenda and Debbie Ca.

And now the best part!!
Though invisible, I was there also!!

The week continued with another dinner out with Louise, this time at Olive Garden with a stop at Hobby Lobby.  We had to delay about three hours because I spent much of that day at the ER in Salem with Gary's sister.  But we did make it and everything else turned out okay for Janet also.
Gary cancelled a couple dates with his friend Rick because of his sinus problems and cough.  Rick surely does not need any help causing health problems.  He has enough of his own though all is well at this time.
Another trip to the storage unit to get rid of more from the motorhome and another trip with Richie to his Bible study, swim/dinner party.  Just have to pack the luggage and empty the refrigerator and freezer.  Then ready to roll on Friday after delivering the motorhome at the RV dealer's for their work this next week.
So one more trip home comes to and end, but much enjoyment as well.
Take care and we will share more of Tennessee and then Outer Banks soon.

BACK IN OHIO FOR A MONTH

Hello again!!
It has been much too long since I have published a Blog, mainly because our computer was giving us fits before we left southern Tennessee.  We left the computer with the Geek Squad at Best Buy in Jackson TN, with very little improvement. 
Thus, the month that we intended to spend in and around Nashville, we changed directions and went to Timashamie at North Georgetown OH.  Gary took the computer to our oldest son and he was able to remove the problem that overloaded the hard drive.  However, since those problems, my photo manager program has not worked properly and I can not work on photos without a lot of difficulty.  I am hoping that after our week in Outer Banks with all of these young computer literate guys, someone will take pity on me and help me fix it.  I think that I know what I want to do to try to fix it, but I won't do it without someone looking over my shoulder.  My only problem with that is that the guys do not have the patience to wait on me to do the work!!  How else can one learn?
So we will see what improvement we can see a week or so from now.

We have been doing the usual when home, visiting and going out to eat with friends and family.  This next week, the last of August, we will have a week with all of the family to spend time at the beach, in the pool, and maybe some sight seeing.  It was a fun week last year, so we expect that again this year.

Arriving on Thursday the 24th of July, we set up home without letting anyone except a couple friends know what we were up to. 

Audrey, Victor, friend, Rick and Gary

On Saturday we showed up at Bob Evans in Canfield to surprise our oldest son, Victor, who was having breakfast with one of those friends.  Surprise?  Not sure.  After breakfast and catching up on some local news, we went on to our middle son's home and surprised our daughter-in-law.  We sat about with her waiting for Richard and our grandson to get home from a long tiring week at Boy Scout Camp.  They did not show much surprise either, but found out later that Rich's reaction was that something must be wrong for us to show up unannounced.  Can't win!!  But that was not the case!!  No doctor's visits planned for this trip!! (However, we changed that when Gary could not shake a sinus infection.)

Our youngest son, Ben was spending three weeks working in Chicago, so we had to wait to surprise him.  The hardest part of that was not giving hints in conversations with him over the phone.  But we managed to pull it off, he was truly surprised when we were waiting for him at the airport when he got back home two weeks later.

In the mean time, we decided to check out the Honda Store for the CRV that we had looked at in Pensacola.  We broke down and made the plunge to be able to give up the tow dolly!!!  So glad to make that change.  The tow dolly sold the same day the sign was posted on it.  Then we had to make the plans to have the towing gear added to the CRV and the motorhome.  Some of that work on the motorhome will be done while we are in Outer Banks without it.  And some other service work will be done on the motorhome when we get back and move it to a shop in Alliance.

After church on Sunday, we dined at Salem Hills and then stopped to see Gary's sister, Janet, and also friends from our old neighborhood, Donna and Ray.  On Monday I spent the afternoon with my Bible Study Group for a carry-in.  How did I manage to hit that special event?  It was a great time of catch-up and sharing.  We spent the next couple days catching up on errands and business. 

Jane, Bill and Gary

Then Wednesday we joined our RVing friends, Bill and Jane, who had come from Florida for their routine visit for physicals and visiting.  We spent the afternoon with them and shared dinner and much catching up.  We will be meeting up with them in Mesa AZ in October for the winter. 
In the meantime we had dinner at Ricky's English Pub with friends, Bill and Esther.  And after catching up on what they are doing in retirement, we shared some information about jobs available in Mesa and they now are planning to winter there also.  These work camping jobs are great!!  For just 12 hours of work from each of us individually, we have our lot rent paid.  It is a great set-up as each couple has the work on the same two days each week.  The rest of our time is free and clear!!

We get to spend each Thursday with our grandson as he needs transportation into Salem for his dinner, swim party, and Bible study at a Scout leader's home.  We can get him early and have him do things with us before dropping him off at Cecil's.  We enjoy the time!!

Mary Ann, two Debbies and Mary Ellen

Mary Ellen sure enjoys her stamping-up and embellishing.

I have been able to meet with two scrapbooking groups.  It has been great to catch up on news and to share our common interest.  It seems that I do not get too much done unless I am with a group.  I look forward to the group in Mesa who meet twice a week to work.  I just might run out of pictures and work though, since I am only working on the grandson's books now.  Our son's are all finished.  And while I am off doing my thing, Gary has spent time at Mountaineer Casino for fun.  He finds that relaxing, but not very fruitful.  The objective is walking out with the same amount of money that you walk in with.  And Gary usually does.
We joined Gary's Class of '63 monthly luncheon at B B Rooner's though there were not many there this time. We did have a good time and good food.  One of the classmates was there for the first time.  I also planned a picnic for our family at Centennial Park and were surprised when Gary's sister, sister-in-law, nephew and wife were able to joined us.  Victor also had a high school friend who lived across from the park who joined us also.  We had a great time and it was even better when prayers were answered that the sun would come out at 12:30 for the few hours that we were there!!  God is great!!  Rain was the forecast.  Unfortunately, we were too busy talking and did not think to take pictures before some had left.  But we look forward to the next time.

Richie, Richard, Gary, Lynn, Ryka, David and Loretta.
Janet, Victor and friend Dan were missing at picture time.

On Monday after Bible Study, I had dinner out with another friend, Louise.  She took me to Pondi's in Lisbon.  It was my first time there and Louise knew that I would love the lobster pot.  And I did!!!!  It was delicious.  I need to go back, but will probably have to put it off until next trip.  Gary picked me up there on his way back from Newell WV.

Gary, Bob and Eugenia

Then on Wednesday we went to friend's Bob and Eugenia's for dinner.  While there visiting, we decided to run over to the Waterworth Park Band Shell for a concert by the Salem Quaker City Band.

Director of the band is from Akron

Guest Conductor for second half of the program
was James Christensen from Villa Park, California.

Mr.Christensen was invited to share this final program of the season.  He was hired in 1968 as the Director of the Disneyland Band and Supervisor of Music.  As the job grew he traveled all over the world for Disney for 40 plus years.  He is a composer/arranger with over 400 published works to his credit.

Gary, Audrey, Victor and our friend, Rick
at Stage Coach Inn

This week is winding down with dinner at Stage Coach Inn in N. Georgetown for fish, more scrapbooking and the trip to the airport to get Ben.  I am also in the planning stages of getting the Home Savings gals together for an evening.  So will share those pictures and pictures of a SS Picnic in our home church in the next Blog.
Take care now and enjoy the short time left of summer!!