BUSY, BUSY, BUSY in the NORTH

We have had three weeks of none stop visiting and work since arriving in Ohio at our oldest son's. Add to that scrap booking, Bible Study, Gary and Rick to Hartville flea market, Gary checking out his friend, Richard's rat-rod, baking for Victor, Amish Country for dinner with friends, Gary's Class '63 breakfast at BB Rooners, Agape Class evening at the Conser's, Olive Garden for our grandson's 18th birthday and also his sister's birthday since they are in the same month, dinner with Louise at Pondi's in Lisbon and last but not least packing for Ben and taking a u-haul trailer to Minnesota for him.
We arrived at Ben's after three days on the road including a five hour drive from Gutenberg, Iowa the third day, and spent three hours unpacking the trailer.  I also unpacked the kitchen boxes and put that stuff away. We are beat!!  Suppose we will hit the road tomorrow to head back to Ohio when Ben goes to bed for the day since he works nights.

I will show you some pictures to catch you up on all of this:

Class of '63 Sandy, her friend and the Fillers

More Class of '63, Bob, Louis and Lynn

Richard's rat-rod.

Audrey and Louise at Pondi's enjoying lobster!!

 Then our grandson getting his Senior pictures taken in Mill Creek Park, and his best friend, Charlie!!

Happy Birthday Miranda,  sharing with Doug.

Thanks Mom and Dad!!

Thanks Ben!!

What a crew at Olive Garden!!

Our evening at the Conser's with the Skittle game. We always have a wonderful time!!

Jane, Sandy, and Trudy

Bonnie, Vivienne and Joyce

Gordon!!  Why so glum?

Sandy, Trudy, Lisa and Joyce

And let the fun with Skittle's begin!!

Bonnie giving instruction -
to Vivienne, Carol and Lisa (her first time at the game).

Gary, Carol, Bonnie, Sandy and Lisa

Don watching Gordon!!

Jim watching wife, Trudy

Randy, where is Patti? I know she was there.

Sunday, October 18th we started out pulling a u-haul trailer full.  The fall colors were beautiful!!

Leaving Illinois, we traveled along the Mississippi River much of the way through Iowa. 

Then we stopped for our second night at Gutenberg at the Landing along the river.  It was very nice and comfortable! 

The Landing Inn

Two foot thick walls and a door right out to
the patio looking out over the river.

Our view of the river from the patio.

We sure enjoyed the views of the great Mississippi as it sure is not muddy on this northern end!!

And then the River Farming Valley.

Gary got a chuckle out of this sign along the way!!

Gary said, " What, bead crafts with beer??

When we get back to Ohio, there is much still to be done, included moving what Ben still has left there to a storage unit. I will begin baking Christmas Cookies, addressing Christmas Cards and shopping. And we have some things that Victor would like to get done, including leaves.  There are still many friends that we want to see also.  So no rest for us!!
Take care and hope that your weather has been as good as ours was while on the road. Temperatures have been in the high sixties and low seventies. Hope I am not crowing too soon and that it will last for a few more weeks.

BACK IN OHIO FOR VISITS!!

On Monday evening, September 28th we drove to Marion, Indiana to check out my niece's new home.  We took picnic left overs and added it to Debbie's pulled pork and ate dinner with them. We were so glad to check out the house and to have a short visit. When we arrived Tracy was busy mowing and in a race with daylight.

Tracy and Debbie, Audrey's niece.
Damon is now away in Michigan for school.

Awesome and so nice to have all of the land.

Beautiful kitchen with hickory floor!
Debbie with her mother, Pearl Jean.

Pearl and Debbie by the tractor that son, Damon
restored.  It had been one that Debbie's father, Ted,.used.

Tuesday, September 29th, we left Indiana with very cloudy skies but no rain yet!!  We did run into some but only for a short while.After arriving in Columbus and an afternoon of rest, we met with RVing friends in Canal Winchester.

Sorry, though I had my camera, I forgot to use it.
So this is an older photo of Bette and Bill.

They had invited us for dinner and an evening of games. It was yummy chili, Bette!! And we enjoyed the games of Sequence. Sorry that Bill is not doing so well right now. We will pray for that to change for the better. We first met Bill and Bette in Canal Fulton OH in 2007. Keeping in contact with them by e-mail and phone, we have since met up with them in Apache Junction AZ a few times and in Ohio. Because of health they have stopped traveling. I am sure that they miss it, but we all will reach that sometime, I suppose.
The next morning we went northwest of Columbus, near Powell to see a dear Salem Ohio friend, Marian.  It was so good to see her and visit for a few hours.  She treated us to a scrumptious breakfast!! She and her husband were very involved with Boy Scouts in Salem when our boys were working on their Eagles. She is now living across the street from her daughter and son-in-law, Shelly and John.

Marian in her cute little home!!

Marian and her daughter, Shelly

Marian with us on her porch with the wooded background.
So nice!!

Marian, it was wonderful and we promise to stop again when we have time while traveling through there. Take care and God Bless!!
We noticed as we drove that the trees are beginning to look like fall. We just hope that winter does not arrive until the first of the year.  ?????

We are just getting settled in at Victor's and will begin to work at emptying Ben's apartment at Chippewa next week, since he only had a week to get to Minnesota and find an apartment there. Not sure when or how he is going to get his stuff. But that will be his problem.  We will be able to take some of it with us next summer when we travel the northern central states.
Take care now and hope to see many of you Ohio friends and relatives soon.