JUST AROUND THE BEND
201
JUST AROUND THE BEND
Off to the other side of the reflection pool, almost hidden by the
trees is the Korean Memorial. We were shocked when we first
saw it. It took our breath away. My first reaction was to duck
behind a tree. This memorial is awesome. It’s a rain-drenched
squad of over sized stainless steel statues on patrol, searching
wearily as they move along in the mud. The wall beside them
reflects them creating double the soldiers. 38 reflections in
th
memory of the 38 parallel. This is a Korea statement, for sure
and maybe at once it’s best and worst .
WE SHUTTER AT ITS MEMORY.. IT’S GHOSTLY!
John F. Kennedy turned the Mall into a summer showcase.
Each year a different theme is chosen and the exhibits fill the
lawns between the Smithsonian’s buildings. One year it was
American plains Indians, another Applachician crafts and life
styles. Sometimes there are contests; we’ve seen solar buildings
constructed by University students. Total heating and lighting
by the sun. Hundreds and thousands of visitors to Washington
202
JUST AROUND THE BEND
have a chance to view these exhibitions when they come. It
opens up Washington, and enlivens the place.
In my early teens I took a disliking to school, and skipped often,
until my MO became apparent to the school authorities. I
always had better things to do than school. From time to time
I’d walk the 8 or 10 miles into Washington to the Museum or
climb the Washington Monument or go over to the Capital and
ride the subway. The Capital subway, not one that was on the
books for 40 years before it was built. Fortunately, despite not
in school I wasn’t otherwise getting into trouble. Back then
climbing the Washington Monument wasn’t the chore it is
today. Now it’s the elevator or nothing, and the lines usually
wrap around the base. So we usually pass it by.
.
Here’s Arlene on the edge of the Reflection Pool with the
Monument in the background. The coloration change about 1/3
of the way up the monument was caused by an economic crisis,
203
JUST AROUND THE BEND
and building stopped. When resumed the granite came from a
different place and was a little darker.
Today has been a full day; we’ve walked our feet and minds off
and are returning to camp before rush hour. We returned to our
RV, by way of the Tidal Basin and Jefferson Memorial.
Thankfully there was no parking ticket. We turned around and
tried to find our way back across the bridge and, the Washington
Parkway. Even with the traffic we found our way. But once on
the Parkway we came upon Roosevelt Island. There’s a small
parking lot if you see it in time. We being rubbernecks did.
This Island is a treasure, even though it’s in the middle of the
Potomac. Probably because it’s not maintained, and is off the
beaten path. It’s right across from The Kennedy Center and the
infamous Watergate.
The Island is naturally forested and pretty thick, so views either
into or out of it are limited. Several trails circumnavigate it, but
all lead to the circular garden and statue of Teddy Roosevelt in
the center.
Like Rock Creek Park, few tourist stop. In the case of Rock
Creek they are on the way to the National Zoo. In this case there
is no other attraction so it’s usually quiet and visited only by
local runners and cyclists.
204
JUST AROUND THE BEND
This is Teddy, the unsung American naturalist hero in his
overgrown garden on the Island.
205
JUST AROUND THE BEND
This is a pretty view from the Island looking up the Potomac at
Key Bridge, Georgetown, and its University.
We left the Island and were back in camp within 2 1/2 hours,
including the light traffic. That’s quite a statement as
Washington’s traffic is legendary. It’s competitive with the
worst traffic in the world, Paris, Rome, Tokyo, NYC or LA.
One time we were on the south side of the city headed for
Gettysburg and north. A friend made a simple observation. If
we left at 3:30 am we’d be clear across the city and into
Pennsylvania by 7:30 or the latest 8:00 am, in time for breakfast
in Gettysburg. If on the other hand we left at 7:30 or 8:00 we’d
still be in traffic at 2:30 that afternoon. We took his advice and
left early, arriving in Gettysburg before breakfast.
I mention this because we had just tempted the fates yesterday
by driving into Washington. We should not under any
circumstances try it again. Instead we should take the Subway.
A convenient creation that took over a thousand years to get
through Congress and even longer to build. However, it’s done
and it’s a beauty. Clean, inexpensive, and fast. It can take you
anywhere around Washington, to all the right spots.
Today We’ll catch it on it’s outer limit in McLean, Virginia and
go down to the Smithsonian and the Library of Congress, right
past all the traffic.
206
JUST AROUND THE BEND
207
JUST AROUND THE BEND
The Library of Congress is one cool place. It was designed by a
committee, The Army Corp of Engineers, and was the first
building in Washington to have electricity. Once there were few
restrictions about using the books. Even rare books could be
looked at under supervision, and there was no problem going to
the Jefferson Room and requesting books. I used to study there.
Today, it’s a different matter. But, books can be requested and
better than anything you can get a Library card. Just like any
hometown library. It’s good for one year. We toured the library,
and I signed up for a pass which took me less than an hour. In
Washington doing anything in less than an hour is at breakneck
speed.
We were now ready to head down to the Smithsonian. The icon
of the Museum is this building, called the ‘Castle’; designed by
James Renwick Jr. in 1846 and built with local Maryland
sandstone.
208
JUST AROUND THE BEND
We thought we’d seen another of his buildings in the remotest of
all places, Hay River Northwest Territories, Canada along the
Great Slave Lake. We remembered it because it was lavender.
Yes in the middle of the second largest city in the NWT, 14,000
people, was a purple high school. The high school was there, but
unfortunately James Renwick Jr. was not.
I’ve said it before if you don’t have a plan when you go to a
museum it’s almost useless. That’s because museums show only
a little of what they usually have, like an Ice Berg, and even
that’s much more than the human mind can handle. So for us
we wanted to see the fine gems, which are kept in the Hall of
Gems. Then there are the model boats, and that would be it.
Of course, things don’t always work out as planned. We first
took a tour, where we saw Disney’s Dumbo, Julia Child’s
kitchen, which was really ordinary given her smashing success
on TV, and a pile of railroad engines and trains. And a display
st
of the 1 auto trip across the US in 1903. We never got to the
Hall of Gems.
The boat models were just grand. I’d had always dreamed of
being a modeler. Here at the Smithsonian would have been a
great place for those dreams to take off. Everything here is
modeled to the real world. My only hesitation, and surely a
drawback was my two thumbs.
Time was flying by and the inexpensive subway ticket we had
expired before 4:00pm so we had to move along. Our final stop
was in the aviation building. A quick trip thought it, bi-planes,
Spirit of St Louis, a couple of jets, F86, and a Chinese MIG; the
Saturn rocket’s red glare and we were gone.
After the tour we made a dash for a couple of Museums shops,
searching for books on Recreation Vehicle’s, the auto trip by
Jackson & Croker across the US, or Model ship kits. There were
none. I switched my search to small hand held pencil
sharpeners. I have an F-22, and a Saturn model sharpener
which I wanted to add to. They didn’t have anything like them.
We then ran for the Subway, quickly before turning into a
pumpkin.
209
JUST AROUND THE BEND
We caught the Subway, but before leaving this magnificent
Smithsonian Museum I must say that my recollection of it was
far more ‘intellectual’, and stimulating than we found during
this visit.
I suppose that during the years, with the millions of people
coming to visit, often for only a few hours or a day, that they
have ‘Dummied Down’ the exhibits’. If so I’m not surprised as
our educational systems have also been ‘Dummied Down’.
Maybe this is true, and my observations are correct. It’s too bad,
we deserve better.
Next time we’re in Washington I think we’ll stick to the Mellon
Art, and Hirshhorn Galleries.
The ride back on the subway was great. Passengers, usually
keep to themselves, reading books or listening to CD’s. We
however, talked to a couple of students from the University of
Kentucky. They were in town to work on their University’s Solar
house exhibit. For us it’s a pleasure to talk to 20 something’s
who feel free to express themselves.
Back in camp, and exhausted we ate a small meal, had a glass of
wine and went to bed early.
The big question in the morning was to stay or to leave
Washington. I’m tired and it causes me to drag up many
memories. They are like ghosts lurking behind every building,
or tree. I’ve spent my formative years here and there are many
things I’m not particularly interested in recalling. Whether
boyhood, school, business or family. I’ve paid a price for them
and they surely have built my life, and character, which I
wouldn’t change. But it’s enough already.
On the other hand we could use a rest. Maybe a day along the
Potomac would do. Arlene is not lost in my ‘dream chasing’ and
she liked the idea of staying another day. She likes Washington
and is having a blast. . So It’s decided we’ll stay another day.
Not far from us is the first fall of the Potomac River, called, as
this city would have it ‘Great Falls’. After breakfast, we drove
over to it. The roadway is a little better than a widened cow
path, in deep woods. It twists and turns over the hills in one of
the more beautiful suburban areas. Homes are all estates, large;
210
JUST AROUND THE BEND
belonging to the politicians, lobbyist, lawyers, and business
executives, that support our Government. We didn’t really know
how far to go, hoping that one of the few roads leading toward
the river would be the one to Great Falls. We took the first one
after Madiera School, a girls’ prep school, and followed it into
the Park.
More memories were popping out from behind the trees. Years
ago friends and I use to swim deep in the woods behind the girls
school. It was a trek, through the woods, but well worth it. To
an abandoned stone quarry, with high cliffs, and deep, clear,
cold, water. A swell place to spend a hot and muggy summer
day.
We reached the falls and hiked along the trails, stopping at each
overlook. The Potomac’s not so wide here, as it pours down over
the ragged rocks. In fact there’s not nearly as much water
coming down from the mountains than there is below the falls.
That’s because the water below is tidal and additional water
comes from the sea. It’s surprising because the river is pretty
wide at the Lincoln Memorial, and further south. The river once
filled the area called Haines Point and the Tidal Basin. It was all
river and swamp. Now it’s filled in and yet even today Haines
point is considered at sea level.
As I look over the falls I can’t resist trying to trace a pathway
down through the rocks with a kayak. Running rapids is lots of
fun, but I’m over it.
Years ago, some friends and I swam across the river just above
these falls. On the other side we realized how tired we were. So
to get back we pushed a dead log across in front of us. Push it
ahead, swim up to it. That was working pretty well until all the
ants, the monster ants, began jumping ship and trailing behind
where we were swimming. It got to be a mess and we eventually
deserted the log making our way back to shore.
211
JUST AROUND THE BEND
212
JUST AROUND THE BEND
It was late afternoon before we left the Park. A Ranger had told
us where to eat in the Village of Great Falls. So we headed over
there. The clerk in the Post Office also told us to go to this Irish
Pub just down the street.
Two recommendations made it sound pretty good to us. It was a
dark, low ceiling place with large posts and headers. The kind of
place that makes you feel like a neighborhood bar. Indeed a
pub. We took a seat near the back in a darken corner and
scanned the menu. We should have ordered a stout, bangers
and mash, but we didn’t. Of all things they had Coconut Shrimp
on the menu. We ordered one for each of us with a liter of light
draft beer.
Boy was it good! They say never go back, but here’s one of those
reasons that one does return. It was the best.
213
JUST AROUND THE BEND
214
JUST AROUND THE BEND
VIRGINIA
It was an easy decision this morning. We had a light breakfast,
and headed out toward the Skyline drive. The horrible
battlefields around Northern Virginia leave a grim taste in my
mouth. Here around Manassas, the first fighting of the Civil
War, taught thousands of Union and Confederate boys that war
was hell. And, the elite from Washington were chased back to
their social circles by Stonewall Jackson.
During the winters I’d come out into this countryside, and ice-
skate on Bull Run. It was usually a flighty thing because even
then there weren’t too many freezing days. And when we found
the ice to be unreliable, we’d often go home soaked and frozen.
Traffic was pretty heavy going out to Front Royal, and by the
time we got there we decided not to go down the Skyline. It’s a
lovely drive, along the mountaintops, but it also has a speed
limit that’s just a bit faster than a snail. We opted for the
Interstate down to Staunton where we got off and drove over to
the base of mountains.
I wanted to go to Sherando Lake. A small camp the
Conservation Corp built in the 1930’s. My earliest camping
experiences were here, from age 1 to 6. Every year we’d come
back for a couple of weeks. My recollection was clear. It was a
large damned lake nestled between the mountains, just off of the
Blue Ridge Parkway.
There was a little gas station just down the road that had ‘white
gas’ for the stove, honey, and one summer a couple of Black Bear
Cubs.
I wasn’t surprised by my memory, when we arrived it was deep
in the forest. We drove along for a while until the lake finally
became visible. It was narrow, one lane leading into the camp.
To my surprise the huge lake was the size of a pond.
215
JUST AROUND THE BEND
This is the camp headquarters, a pavillion that doubled as the
bathhouse, a campfire meetings place, and an excape on a rainy
day. My family and I spent many hours on the grassy lawn,
outside of the pavilion after swimming. We’d spend long
summer afternoons here picnicking, and generally playing and
relaxing.
216
JUST AROUND THE BEND
My brother Joe, used to fish for Sunfish at the rowboat dock. I
can remember my father searching for hours in the grass for a
wedding ring a lady had lost. He found it much to the ladies
delight. The sturdy furniture of cut logs still sits around the
large fireplace.
It was a swell place to revisit. Arlene and I hiked around the
lake, across the earthen dam and back up the other side. All the
while I regaled her with my stories. Very little had changed in
60 years as we recognized the trees cut by beavers, and Bear
scat. I asked Arlene to be careful and watch every step along the
leaf covered trail. Copperheads might be sunning themselves.
Without even thinking about it I sounded like my father, 70
years ago.
217
JUST AROUND THE BEND
The next day we went back to the Interstate and south, hoping
to make it to Boone North Carolina. It was uneventful, driving
down the Shendoah valley, except for a tragedy at a Flying J gas
station near Wytheville Virginia.
A traveler forgot to turn off his propane and motor before filling
up. A spark ignited the propane. The heat was so intense that it
melted the aluminum frame and in moments turned the trailer
into dust. It was so striking that we always keep in mind how
our vehicles are made. If you’ve ever seen a ping-pong ball lit,
then you know, it goes up in an instant leaving nothing behind.
th
This was a 5 wheel trailer.
218
JUST AROUND THE BEND
NORTH CAROLINA
Before North Carolina the Interstate crosses the Blue Ridge
Parkway. We turned onto the Blue Ridge, and headed down the
long drive toward Boone stopping here and there to walk around
or even take a hike.
At one stop we hiked around a pond. It was beautiful, the Oaks
were in full color, the fall sun was bright and clear and the water
reflected the deep blue of the sky.
Another stop, led us into the forest and along a ridge. Arlene
lost her footing at one point on the narrow path and rolled down
the hillside. Head over heels past some rocks. She twisted her
ankle and bruised her elbow. I was able to get her back to the
trail and patch her up, with a couple of band-aids and an ace
bandage.
We had long since learned to carry some supplies, beside water
with us. Now she’s a tough cookie and after recovering she
wanted to continue. We did and just around the bend we came
across a large Black Snake on the path. We made plenty of noise
and tossed a couple of rocks at it. It recognized that it had
intruders into its world and slithered off the trail.
Our next encounter was a fenced field with a gate. It was one of
those ingenious designs that let clever things pass, like people,
but inhabits large animals, like domestic livestock. The gate
looks like a ‘V’ turned on its side, with a post in the middle of the
‘V’. Simple and effective.
We passed through and headed across the field. To our surprise
there was some livestock in the field including a big bull. . The
bull stood under a tree, watching us. Now there’s a limit to
being Chivalrous, but I was today. I told Arlene to move as fast
she could toward the other end of the field, and get to the other
side of the fence.
In the mean time I followed. It’s the old story that you don’t
need to be fastest, just faster than the guy behind you. I was
offering to distract this fearless creature while she escaped. It
worked, we both made it to the fence safely. The bull during all
219
JUST AROUND THE BEND
this commotion just gazed in our direction, and kept chewing
his cud. We were champions for the day.
220
JUST AROUND THE BEND
Boone, North Carolina is a beautiful college town in the
Appalachian Mountains. About 17,000 population and one
more spot that we thought would make a nice place to live. It
could have some cold winters as it’s up pretty high, but the
summers and fall seasons are gorgeous.
We toured the Appalachian State University grounds and
stopped in the stadium where the band was practicing. It was
great fun watching their precision, and formations. There were
a number of majorettes and young women with flags. Large
school flags that they waved around in unison with the band. It
was a grand display.
Before going off to camp, we stopped at a Waffle House for a
waffle and egg dinner. We later learned that there wasn’t an
intersection in the south, especially in Georgia that didn’t have a
Waffle House. We sat at a counter booth, and the lady running
the shop told us story after story about Boone, and the
mountains. She had lived there for years, and each time it
snowed, she said they were paralyzed. A few inches and no one
moved anywhere until the sun melted the roadways. Snow in
the South is so infrequent that it always paralyzes the place.
Well maybe it’s not the best place for us. But then again.
Another story was about the new road that was being built into
town. The new road was a super highway, like an interstate
from Greensboro and Charlotte. Well that did it. Within a few
years the population of sweet little Boone would explode. Not
what we were looking for. We’ll stay in Florida.
Our Campground was private, down a little draw, with woods
and hills on two sides of us. The camp was narrow, with two
bands of camps off of a single road and a circular turn at the
end. There was a small stream along one side of the camp. Each
site was unfortunately on top of the next, with a fire pit between
them.
We only stayed two nights, but they were pretty bad. The
camper beside us had a couple of his grandchildren with him.
That’s code for a lot of trouble, and generally little supervision.
Grandpa started the evening with a smudge in his fire pit.
221
JUST AROUND THE BEND
That’s all smoke and no fire. To say that I’m not much on
campfires is an understatement. When there’s no fire it’s even
worse. I talked with grandpa, once, then again, and finally once
again before I went to the office and complained. They couldn’t
do anything for me that night, but there was another site if we’d
stay. We stayed, and early in the morning this inconsiderate old
man got up early, with his kids and made another smudge, all
smolder, no fire. He then went back to bed leaving the grand
children to pile on more wet limbs.
I have little tolerance for such inconsiderate people, whether
campers or not. We moved and won’t be back to that Boone
camp, ever again.
Moving South along the Blue Ridge is even more beautiful than
the Skyline. There seems to be more mountains and they are
rougher, more jagged and a little taller. At one point we rose up
on a mountaintop 6,000 feet and were surrounded by
Rhododendron.
222
JUST AROUND THE BEND
GEORGIA
We left the mountains and turned further south towards Athens
Georgia.
On the way we stopped in Royston Georgia, the home of Ty
Cobb a Peach State celebrity and one important baseball player.
The local museum was filled with his memorabilia so we read
more than we wanted to about him before heading off toward
Athens. Athens is the home of the University of Georgia. It’s a
nice small college town, but trying to drive around it was
difficult. We kept missing the signs to lead further south.
Eventually we made it down to Hard Labor Creek State Park.
We would learn two swell things here. First that Georgia has
some good State Parks, and second they have about 9 parks with
golf courses. These courses are really fine, kept in pristine
shape, manicured by the lucky few prisoners that get to work on
them.
We tried our best to overlook the several issues that we saw
here. But, how do you do it when we were in a park called ‘Hard
Labor’, and the prisoners who worked on the golf courses wore
striped suites. We persevered.
Arlene is a straight ball hitter. She credits her success to the
length of her drives. Usually less than 100 yards. When we
approached the green on one of these splendid courses there
was a group of men standing around and working on it. I
suggested that she come up short of the green, so not to bonk
anyone on the head.
She listened as usual and popped the ball right into the middle
of these young men and right on to the green. As she
approached they all stepped to the side, several greeting her.
‘Good Morning Mam’ as the fellow in blue on the far side shifted
his rifle.
Arlene can also hit a putt as far as a drive. Once at the World of
Golf in Florida she hit a putt clear across the inside rink, into the
223
JUST AROUND THE BEND
wall, where it bounced back and into the hole. It was stunning,
alarms went off lights blinked and the P.A. system roared with
the fans approval. She won the hole-in-one prize.
This was not one of those times; she softly stroked the ball in
front of everyone to a few inches of the hole, and tapped it in.
Walking away from the hole she said, ‘They are all so young’.
Yes they are and we wonder why we should fill our jails with
youngsters. Our Politicians would rather pay for jail time
instead of education time, which costs the same, but, without
the benefit.
We have visited most of all the courses here in Georgia. There is
a lot of variety, from the south around Waycross beside the
Okefenokee Swamp where they are quite flat, to Reidsville
where the fairways are on a hilly slop. We’d hit the balls high
onto the hillside, hoping they wouldn’t be lost in the woods, and
drift down the slope into a good lie.
McRae and Georgia’s Veterans in the middle of the State are
mostly flat with some water. I’m always intimidated by water; it
acts like a magnate for me. And in the northeast where two of
the most challenging courses are, Victoria Bryant, and
Arrowhead.
Victoria Bryant is hilly with steep fairways and impossible high
greens that you can’t see from the bottom of the fairways. A cart
has never helped us from walking all over this course, up one
fairway and down another.
224
JUST AROUND THE BEND
225
JUST AROUND THE BEND
Arrowhead is the premier course in the State. It’s along Lake
Russell, unless you approach it from South Carolina, then it’s on
the shores of Lake Strom-Thurmond. Those two, Russell and
Thurmond, being the strength of the south. Senators forever.
The course’s beauty comes from the long graceful holes along
the shoreline of the lake. Several jutting out onto narrow
peninsulas
We played Hard Labor’s course with our usual gusto, at 100
strokes not counting the lost balls. Counting them seems like a
double penalty to us.
We’ve come about as far as we can, without being bit by the ‘Get
Home now’ bug, but it’s getting to us. Usually, that means we’d
better batten down the hatches and make a beeline, stopping
only overnight. We’re about two nights from home. one more in
Georgia and then the long drive down the western coast of
Florida to North Port.
226
JUST AROUND THE BEND
FLORIDA
All along the way we have mentioned different towns that were
attractive, and where we might like to live. There were several
that I’ve not mentioned. We have a 5-year plan to move from
Florida so we keep looking.
The plan is based upon selling our several houses without
paying federal taxes. The rule we follow is to live in our primary
home 3 of the previous 5 years. It was easy for us to meet the
criteria in the Connecticut house. But, we still have a year
before the Florida house qualified.
Here is a picture of our home, deeded to us by my mother. It’s
small with 2 bedrooms, and baths. It’s well made with concrete
block and raised several feet above the crown of the road. You
can see that after a hurricane or heavy storm that it’s still dry
while the road is under water. Pink was my mother’s, and her
sister Ester’s favorite Florida color so we left it that way.
227
JUST AROUND THE BEND
Our home in Florida is in the older part of town, and North Port
is growing by leaps and bounds. That means the commissioners
are approving new developments as fast as they can hold
commission meetings.
It also means they have forgotten our neighborhood. The older
ones. An example of their neglect during these financial boom
years is the canal behind us, which they own. That canal and its
slopes haven’t been mowed or cleaned out in years.
There was one attempt, but their equipment got stuck, and after
dragging it out of the muck, they left it like this. The town never
came back to clean it up, despite our frequent calls of distress.
228
JUST AROUND THE BEND
Traveling in and out of Florida is a bit different than
Connecticut. Before, when we left Connecticut for extended
periods, and decided it was time to go home, it was easy. Once
you reach the Connecticut state line it’s less than an hour or so
from home. From any direction, Rhode Island, Massachusetts,
or New York, it’s only a short time to home.
Here in Florida it’s a day or two from Georgia, or Alabama.
That’s a long way when you’ve decided it’s time to be home and
we haven’t adjusted.
We stopped near Lake City Florida. Our last stop. We’re tired,
exhausted, drained and want to go home.
229
JUST AROUND THE BEND
230
JUST AROUND THE BEND
HOME
This isn’t the end, just because each time we return home after
several months on the road. Nor because we’re tired and can’t
stand being around each other. No, it’s not the end. For in a
couple of days we’ll be back on our feet again, and talking to
each other. After all look, our pretty pink house is no longer
treading water, and the sunsets are remarkable.
In a few days we’ll have emptied the RV. This process is pretty
relaxing as we’re not in any hurry, and only work for a couple of
hours in the morning. There ‘s a madness to our dismantling.
First, items that we need immediately, our toiletries, and warm
clothes. Then winter clothes, electronics, and lastly camping
and RV gear. I’ve made a list of these things when we originally
231
JUST AROUND THE BEND
packed. It’s changed little except for a few gifts, for us, friends
and family.
After the RV is emptied we begin cleaning. Here Arlene is
cleaning the upper deck. We’ve never figured out how to use it.
To get up there Arlene climbs onto the dining cushion, then the
drivers chair and up. If we slept up there getting down would be
a catastrophe. The first toilet run would cause either one of us
to tumble to our death or worst break a leg. We have a ladder,
tried it, but left it at home. It’s so dangerous that only a kid
should use it.
So this space has become our major storage area. Our sofa
opens up for sleeping, and we use it with an egg crate, which
makes the sofa less lumpy. It along with the pillows, blankets
and sheets go in one bundle on to the deck out of the way. It’s
an easy transition from day to night. We also installed a TV and
electronics platform that swings out when in use. We definitely
232
JUST AROUND THE BEND
need to upgrade the antenna though because we usually only get
chanels with Lawrence Welk, or Polka.
Our carpet has taken on a character of it’s own. We’ll find a nice
heavy rug remnant to replace it, but in the future we’d have
linoleum or yard goods and then lay scatter rugs over it. That’s
how we used the Oriental from Cape Cod. It makes sense, just
like at home, cover the beautiful hardwood floors with scatter
rugs; excuse me Orientals. They cost too much to call them
scatter, or do you remember the Hook rugs of Cabot trail?
I’ve got to wax and polish the outside of the RV before we go
over to Nick’s. I use the best stuff ever called Astro Shield. This
non-wax wax is as neat as ‘Goo Gone’. We use it on many
things. Anything metal, plastic or fiberglass gets a coating both
the RV and the house. All our doorknobs, handles, and hinges
in the house, are polished once a year. This will be the second
time for the RV, and it really doesn’t need it, I just would feel
better if it had the added protection for the winter.
Once that’s done we’ll take it over to Nick’s garage and have him
look it over before putting it in storage. He’s marvelous, and
looks after it like it was his. I’ve felt we ask too much of him, as
he has a business to run and it doesn’t include RV’s His wife
Patty says we should ask him, because he never gets to work on
fun things. ‘He loves the chance.’ Maybe he’ll be able to fix the
AC, which seems to be stopped up. Or there was the mountain
that I tried moving when I backed into it. He might straighten
out that back bumper. He probably will think its fun. We’ll see.
At least he’ll listen to how we did it.
Our last stop is storage. Our friends Kris and Mark live on the
other side of the Interstate, where the homes approach estates
sizes. She’ a banker and he a long haul trucker. He’s cutting a
path through the heavy brush to park his Peter Built cab, and
refrigeration truck. He asked if we’d like to park our RV there.
If so he’d make the driveway a little longer. Boy we jumped at
the chance.
233
JUST AROUND THE BEND
So we’re back home for the Winter.
This has been a good summer and a good year we’ve
accomplished the sale of our Connecticut house, and made a
wonderful trip to the Canadian Maritime Provinces. It’s been
quite an adventure for us.
Maybe during the winter we’ll decide to go to the Southwest and
visit Arlene’s brother Doug and sister-in-law Irene in San Diego.
It would be good to see them and camp in the great
southwestern National Parks. Who knows maybe we’ll even get
a motorcycle to mount on the back of the RV.
234
JUST AROUND THE BEND
235
JUST AROUND THE BEND
236
The words you are searching are inside this book. To get more targeted content, please make full-text search by clicking here.
Discover the best professional documents and content resources in AnyFlip Document Base.
Search