Today

It finally rained. I never knew how much I missed the sound of a thunderstorm. I was lying in my bed which is the cab over and the sound was more intensified than if I was in my house on a foundation. At times it was deafening but I enjoy every nuance. I am sure if I was thinking I would be terrified because an RV can be lifted and moved to an undesirable location in a heavy wind but I was too wrapped up in the experience. When I woke up this morning everything was new again. All of the dust had been washed away and everything felt clean.

Surely did not take well to the storm. She stood on the edge of the loft like a suicidal person on a window ledge. No matter how I tried to console her she still had that look of desperation. Finally I put her in my mother’s bed and she calmed down. I think it was a little to close to the ceiling for her liking.

This morning I grabbed Surely’s leash and took off for a little walk. I was enjoying the sights and as usual Surely was enjoying sniffing, which brought back a memory of me asking my friend Betty why dogs sniff all the times. Keep in mind I am not an expert and I don’t portray one in real life. I consider Betty wise beyond her years. This is what I remember her telling me.

Dogs sniff trees, rocks, bushes, other dogs’ butts because it is their newspaper. It tells them who was there, what that other dog was doing, how old the dog was, if the dog was a boy or a girl and if your dog was polite he would add his own editorial to let other dogs know what is going on in his world. Sniffing each other’s butt is not only a newspaper it is also a great big howdy and are you ready for a little bit of loving. Dog’s sniffers are an amazing thing. It’s a shame we can’t have their noses because it would stop a whole lot of trouble.

Today it is run around and do errands. My daughter will be here tomorrow instead of today because she too has errands. We are planning on leaving Sunday for the Meramec River and vegetate there for 5 days. If anything new comes up I will post but until Sunday I will be silent, if you can believe that.

Great News

LOWELL, Mass. - Jack Kerouac's "On the Road" will be published in its unedited original scroll version by Viking Press, which published the Beat Generation classic in September 1957.

John Sampas, executor of the writer's literary estate and brother of Stella Sampas, Kerouac's third wife, said he has signed a contract with Viking, an imprint of Penguin Group USA. He hopes the work will be out by the end of next year, the 50th anniversary of the publication.

"Incidents in the original were edited out of the published version because of the censorship of the time," said Sampas, who noted that some of the edited sections refer to drugs and sex. "On the scroll, entire paragraphs are crossed out and not included in the published version."

Sampras said the new version will be in book form, but taken from the original scroll. Any sections Kerouac had crossed out before turning it into the publisher will be excluded in the new edition.

In 1951, Kerouac, hopped up on coffee and Benzedrine, sat at a typewriter and began retelling the tale of an aimless trek he made across America. In a spontaneous, stream-of-consciousness burst, he typed on long sheets of tracing paper, taping each finished page to the previous one to form one continuous, rolling text.

Published six years later, "On the Road" won critical praise and became an icon of the post-World War II subculture of intellectuals, writers, musicians and rebels who identified with the freedom of Kerouac's cross-country odyssey and embraced his disdain for 1950s conformity.

The original, 120-foot, coffee-stained scroll that is yellowing with age was purchased in 2001 by James Irsay, owner of the Indianapolis Colts, for $2.43 million. The scroll is touring U.S. museums and libraries.

My Girl Surely Not

I have to say that dog is woman’s best friend. When I left my husband one of the first things I wanted was a cat. My middle child, Scott was asthmatic and the doctor said no. I ended up getting Surely Not at the local pound. She was given that name because she’s surely not a cat. I wasn’t too thrilled but the kids were absolutely delighted with her. For some reason she attached herself to me and only me. I call her my little wart. She became gray and wizen looking at a very young age. With her ruff, Poodle hair butt, and the soft undercoat of a Pomeranian she is a mess. I believe her to be a poodle, Pomeranian, terrier mix but I am not sure.

In the morning when I let her out to potty, she would throw herself onto the porch with the charge of tiger. She would bark ferociously at people passing by. They would stop, look, and laugh but this was not a deterrent. She has the heart and soul of a lion. She was the defender of the home. She was the Queen.

Surely Not knew that I couldn’t cook. Perhaps it was the plateful of leftovers that I gave her and she didn’t eat. That was no problem for her because she would faithfully run away from home everyday at 5:00 to my mother’s house and eat there. Then she would either come home or I would get her when I came up to visit. She wouldn’t even eat the dog food I gave her because she was that afraid of the food I handed her.

When Scott’s asthma was under control, I went out and picked up a cute little kitten. Surely Not immediately took to my bed, moaning and groaning. It sounded like someone was dying in there. Then she stopped eating and would only drink out of the bathtub faucet. She would lick the faucet until her tongue bled. Then she started pooping and peeing all over the place. I took her to the vet. The vet asked if there were any changes in her life because she was having a doggie nervous breakdown. The kitten was returned and Surely Not returned to her old self.

I was a foster parent doing respite care. I had to take in two small boys under the age of 7. This too made her very nervous and neurotic and she finally nipped one of the boys. As he sat there crying I comforted him and asked him if I needed to find a new home for Surely. He said yes and she was taken to my mother’s. That is when I realized that Surely Not had zero tolerance for small children and babies. I went out and found an old cat and Surely Not was okay with sharing her home with the Spookster. Later I added four more old cats and she tolerated that well. If you brought in a baby cat or even a baby human she had no tolerance for it and would do her pooping, groaning, licking, vomiting routine until the offensive infant was removed. She is the only baby in my world as far as she is concerned.

She has been with me as I raised three children to adulthood, she was my comfort during my divorce, and she was on a few of my adventures. The reason why I say a few adventures is because when I took her anywhere she knew immediately when we left town. The minute we would cross that invisible barrier known only to her she would start whimpering, groaning, panting, and shedding copious amounts of fur. Her breath was atrocious. So driving with her was not pleasant even when the kids would roll down the windows. I faithfully maintain her dental care and that didn’t help. To give you an idea of how bad her breath is, on one of our adventures out of town I noticed that the disagreeable odor was gone. I made a comment about it and that is when my daughter confessed to giving her several breath mints before we got in the car.

My favorite Surely Not story involves my father. It is not something she did but something I did to insure her place in my parent’s home. My dad had cerebral palsy, peripheral neuropathy, and was confined to a wheelchair the last 25 years of his life. Every time Surely Not would come to mom and dad’s house he would get nervous. He swore up and down that she was going to potty on his rug. So I went to the local convenience store and picked up a candy bar called “cow patty.” It did look like a big cow turd. I sat in the car and carefully broke it down to a Surely Not looking turd and snuck it in the house. When dad’s back was turn I laid it down where I knew he could see it. Then I said “bad dog Surely, bad dog.” Dad immediately swung around, and focused right in on the fake Surely Turd. I quickly bent down and picked it up and took a bite. It was a miracle, he actually stood up. To his last day with us he swears he knew the turd was fake. From that day forward Surely was welcome to his home. He never ever complained that she was going to potty on his rug. He did meet her one time with a roll of duct tape going “here puppy, puppy, puppy.” Her barking drove him nuts.

She is now 14 years old, and starting a new phase in her life. When we purchased the RV and took our first road trip with her and we crossed that invisible line she tuned up. Fortunately 28 feet dissipated the bad breath. We put her two favorite pillows on the couch and one between the seats. She whined, moaned, and cried the whole day. I told mom I don’t know what to do because I felt at that time this was too much on her. It took her two days of traveling before she realized that this was her new home. As long as she has me then anyplace is home. It goes to show that old dogs can teach us new tricks.

Wonderful News

My daughter, Hannah is going to join us on the road for a week or so. Honey to get ready to live in our little house on wheels I suggest you move into your walk in closet, with the fridge and a port a potty.

Heading to the state of Missouri tomorrow. We will have phone service but no internet.

I Am A Republican and a Realist

This is hysterical.

William Rivers Pitt: 'The Ballad of Dumb George'Posted on Saturday, July 22 @ 08:03:48 EDTThis article has been read 2431 times.
William Rivers Pitt, t r u t h o u t
"I cannot believe how incredibly stupid you are. I mean rock-hard stupid. Dehydrated-rock-hard stupid. Stupid so stupid that it goes way beyond the stupid we know into a whole different dimension of stupid. You are trans-stupid stupid. Meta-stupid. Stupid collapsed on itself so far that even the neutrons have collapsed. Stupid gotten so dense that no intellect can escape. Singularity stupid. Blazing hot mid-day sun on Mercury stupid. You emit more stupid in one second than our entire galaxy emits in a year. Quasar stupid."- "The Ultimate Flame," author unknown George W. Bush is a good man, word has it. He's plain-spoken, they say. A regular fella. A good guy to have a beer with, except he supposedly doesn't drink anymore.I wish, more than anything, that he were drinking. I wish he were drinking all the time. I wish, oh how I wish, that he were stand-up-fall-down-ralphing-down-his-shirt loaded every minute of every day. It would be a comfort, simply because it would explain a great many things. Having a drunk for a president is, after all, a fixable situation. Put him to bed at Camp David for a few weeks and surround him with Secret Service agents. Let his body clean itself out. Problem solved, and really, would anyone actually notice his absence?

Questions

My daughter likes to send me these "questionnaires" and I dutifully fill them out. I am scared that someday she is going to put together a book on me but this one I thought was pretty interesting and I will share it. It is titled "Music"

What do you listen to when you are...Driving?
Bob Carilse's song I call the Mustard Seed song
You should know me by now.
I've always been straight with you.
I've always tried to sing about the truth the way I see it,
In a mixed up world where truth is hard to find.
I ain't no spiritual superman.
Don't always give a shiny, bright example of what a believer ought to be.
I ain't never parted the ocean, though I really think I could
if I had the faith of a mustard seed, like the Bible says I should.
I ain't never moved a mountain,
I ain't never felt that need.
But the one thing God has taught me to see...
I can have faith
A mountain of hope
I can even speak with tongues of angels
Tell you everyting I know
But it doesn't mean a thing in this world
Without a mighty love


What song do you listen to when you are getting ready for bed? the soft, soothing voice of Lisa Thiel

What song do you listen to when you are mad at someone? Daddy by Jewel
Yes, I left the refrigerator door half open, Daddy
What's that say about me?
Sometimes I want to rip out your throat, Daddy
For all those things you said that were mean
Gonna make you just as vulnerable as I was, Daddy
What's that say about me?
Sometimes I want to bash in your teeth, Daddy
Gonna use your tongue as a stamp
Gonna rip your heart out the way you did mine, Daddy
Go ahead and psychoanalyze that

What do you listen to when you are happy? something loud and positive

What do you listen to when you are doing nothing what-so-ever? Brother Iz

Your Favorite...Concert? ZZ

Favorite TopBand? Bond

Favorite Album Cover? Medieval Babes always have beautiful cd covers

How to listen to music? LOUD

Something you are listening to now? chanting

Name a song that reminds you of..
Your best friend. this is so cheesy but it is "my old friend" and I think of Hannah and CarolS

Name a song that reminds you of summer. to many to mention

Name a song that reminds you of your childhood. I will follow him by Little Peggy March

Your last realtionship. "Tin Man" by Tracy Chapman. At least that is what he told me

Your city. Who Let The Dogs Out

If you could...Put together a show with 3 groups. Brother IZ, Rich Mullins, and Louis Armstrong

If you could meet any musician you could. I meet several but my favorite was Narvel Felts

If you could play an instrument. none

If you could listen to one song forever. Brother Iz

Lyrics...that motivate you
It would have to be Elijah because I have lost so many friends and this song reminds me of them and that motivates me to be the person they thought I was.

The Jordan is waiting for me to cross through
My heart is aging I can tell
So Lord, I'm begging For one last favor from You
Here's my heart take it where You will
This life has shown me how we're mended And how we're torn
How it's okay to be lonely as long as you're free
Sometimes my ground was stoney
And sometimes covered up with thorns
And only You could make it what it had to be
And now that it's done
Well, if they dressed me like a pauper
Or if they dined me like a prince
If they lay me with my fathers
Or if my ashes scatter on the wind
I don't care

CHORUS: But when I leave I want to go out like Elijah
With a whirlwind to fuel my chariot of fire
And when I look back on the stars
Well, It'll be like a candlelight in Central Park
And it won't break my heart to say goodbye

There's people been friendly
But they'd never be your friends
Sometimes this has bent me to the ground
Now that this is all ending
I want to hear some music once again
'Cause it's the finest thing I have ever found
But the Jordan is waiting
Though I ain't never seen the other side
They say you can't take in
The things you have here
So on the road to salvation I stick out my thumb and
He gives me a ride
And His music is already falling on my ears
There's people been talking
They say they're worried about my soul
Well, I'm here to tell you I'll keep rocking '
Til I'm sure it's my time to roll
And when I do
I want to go out like Elijah ....

Montrose Iowa

Today we went to Montrose Iowa. A small river town that once was a Mormon community. My g.g.g.g. grandparents, Josiah and Loly Richardson resided there.They were not a part of the mass exodus to Utah because they both passed away before that event. I stood on the banks of the Mississippi, while in Montrose, and saw Nauvoo. When the Mormons left Nauvoo they had to cross the Mississippi into Iowa and how sad it must have been to them to look back and see the city and temple they created and now forced to leave.

Taken from the Journal of Lewis Barney - On reaching the summit between the Mississippi and Des Moines Rivers the company made a halt for the purpose of taking a last and peering look at the Nauvoo Temple, the spire of which was then glittering in the bright shining sun. The last view of the temple was witnessed in the midst of sighs and lamentations, all faces in gloom and sorrow bathed in tears, at being forced from our homes and Temple that had cost so much toil and suffering to complete its erection.

My gggg grandmother who was called Loly but her given name was Lola Lowly Foote Richardson. She died in Nauvoo and her husband, Josiah died in Montrose, Iowa. I found out today that they rest together in an unmark grave in the Nauvoo Historical Cemetary.

I have thoroughly enjoyed my stay at Nauvoo. The RV Park we are in is not the best and in fact has a low rating in the Good Sam book but it is a place to park. I have enjoyed the old homes and the homes they recreated. The LDS church owns most of Nauvoo now and that is how it needs to be.

Question of the Day

I am watching my neighbor break down his RV. He dons heavy duty black gloves (reminds me of something you would use when handling nuclear waste) and works on the septic hose. He then removes his gloves and unhooks the drinking water hose. For those that don't know it is a white hose. He then proceeds to don the heavy duty gloves and uses the drinking water hose to flush out his septic hose. I am talking stick the hose all the way down and flush. Why is he so afraid of touching something nasty and not afraid of drinking something nasty. Will someone explain that to me?

Mama Does Know Best

Have you ever rolled your eyes and sigh whenever your mother tells you not to do something?  I have a list of favorite momisms, the eye rolling kind and even though I am 47 years old I still do the eye rolling whenever she says "Now don't do that..." I am sure this picture will show you that mama does know best when she tells you not to do something.

I received a parking ticket. Photo removed.

Illinois Nauvoo

Charlotte's Webb

I woke up this morning, did the usual routine. Grab a cup of coffee, a cigarette, and plopped down at the dining room table. My mantra this morning was "wake up, empty tanks, wake up, empty tanks..." and on the fourth chant I noticed a tiny green object dangling from an electric plug in. After deciding I was not hallucinating from something in my coffee I focused in on it. It was a tiny green spider. My first reaction towards an unwanted guest is to grab a shoe. Keep that in mind when you decide to drop in on me. Then the spider started sailing. Yes Sailing and again there was nothing in my coffee. Upon closer inspection I noticed it had made tiny lines almost invisible to the human eye to sail upon. I sat back down and watched it as closely as I watch my neighbors trying to set up their RV. After "sailing for a while, it would dangle, like a child in a swing. Then it would climb to the electrical outlet and leap and it would swing. It repeated this jumping, swinging acrobatics a few times then it would dangle for a while and then it would sail. I am sure if spiders had expressions this one would reflect glee. I put my shoe down. Let it ride down the road with us.

Illinois Nauvoo,

Nauvoo Illinois

On our way into Nauvoo (a little river town) the beauty of the river was enhanced by the water lilies that cover the shorelines and they are in bloom. When we first entered Nauvoo I was amazed at the Mormon temple. It is beyond my compression how they built such a building in those days. There are some of the original buildings carefully restored and others they built using similar floor plans.

Our plan after we get settled in is to explore Nauvoo.

I am interested in Nauvoo not only for its rich history but my family was a part of the Mormon history. They were there in Missouri, Illinois, and were a part of the mass exodus to Utah. I have nothing but admiration for the them because of the hardships they endured for religious freedom.

The history of Nauvoo is interesting yet bittersweet. "In Daviess County non-Mormon settlers grew concerned that the Mormons would seize political control of Daviess County. On August 6, 1838, a group of non-Mormons tried to prevent Mormon settlers from voting in the local elections at Gallatin. The Mormons fought back and defeated the mob. This was the first in a series of conflicts in 1838 that are sometimes called the Mormon War.

In the course of the conflict, non-Mormon vigilantes from neighboring counties came to Daviess and burned Mormon homes. Mormons responded to these attacks by leading their own forces up from Caldwell County. The Mormon militia and Danite groups marched to the non-Mormon settlements of Gallatin, Millport, and Grindstone Forks. They seized the property found in homes and stores and then burned the settlements to the ground. As a result most non-Mormon residents fled the county and their stories increased anti-Mormon sentiment throughout northwestern Missouri.

Missouri's governor, Lilburn Boggs, responded to the crisis with his famous Extermination Order, in which he called out 2,500 militiamen and threatened to drive the Mormons from the state or "exterminate them". The militia caused the Mormons to surrender. Most of the Mormons had left the state by early 1839, the refugees gathered in Illinois

Joseph Smith purchased land on the banks of the Mississippi. They drained the land and began building the city they called Nauvoo, "beautiful place."

The persecutions of the past were not forgotten in Nauvoo. In response to what they saw as the failure of the judicial and political systems to protect them, church leaders negotiated a unique city charter, allowing the city to become almost independent. Joseph Smith headed the municipal system, having the power to issue writs of habeas corpus which were often used to protect Nauvoo's leading citizens (and church members) from harassment by law enforcement agents of other states. The city government was a mayor-council form, and most of the leaders were members of the church. Nauvoo, like other communities, had a community militia. But where other community militias were part of the state militia, Nauvoo's was separate and mostly independent.

This army was chartered by the state of Illinois shortly after Nauvoo was established. The Legion, which had ceremonial duties within the church, soon evolved into an army whose main job was to protect the leadership of the church. The non-Mormons of the area saw this army as a threat to them.

As time went on relations between Mormons and non-Mormons in Illinois quickly deteriorated. A group of three hundred non-Mormons began to attack and burn Mormon homes in rural areas around Nauvoo. The Mormons formed a posse and retaliated. This violence was the beginning of the end for the Mormons in Illinois.
Joseph and Hyrum Smith, along with other church leaders, were imprisoned in Carthage, Illinois, to wait a hearing on charges growing out of the destruction. Although they had been promised protection by the Illinois governor, a mob was able to break through into the jail. On June 27, 1844, the Smith brothers were murdered.

In 1844 the Illinois General Assembly asked the Mormons to leave the state and withdrew the charter for the city of Nauvoo. From there, the Mormons left in 1845 to resettle in Salt Lake City, Utah."

New London Missouri

Date: July 12 through the 16th

Campground: Injun Joe

City: New London MO

We stopped for a few days in New London so we could explore Hannibal and Louisiana Missouri. Hannibal is a touristy place but enjoyable. We explore Samuel Clemens home and went to the museum. In Louisiana they have murals but unlike Cape Girardeau they are scattered through out the town. The most interesting spot was the cemetery in Louisiana. They erected a statue of a Union Soldier and reading the messages engraved at the base was inspirational.

Injun Joe Campground is a family park with a pool, batting cage, mini golf, and bumper cars. They advertised a restaurant, a roadhouse, and my advice is not to eat there. That is where I came down with a mild case of food poisoning. On the 16th we will be in Nauvoo IL.

Intervention

My mother sent me this article and I found it interesting. The Mayan Calendar also predicts a change in the year 20012, December 12th to be precise. As my family knows I have an interest in the Mayan religion so much so my past life therapist thinks that I might have lived during that time. One thing I have learned in my journeys to Central America is when you use up your resources you will self destruct. That is exactly what is happening now. At least in Tibet they say there will be an intervention and we need that. I have gotten in several debates over the significance of December 12, 2012 and believe there will be a baktun ending in 2012, a significant event being the end of a 13th 400 year period, but not the end of the world. To be on the safe side though how about we garner family and friends together on December 11, 2012 and celebrate life, love, friendship, and family.


“Remote viewing is nothing new in Tibetan monasteries. For thousands of years remote viewing in the middle of other spiritual activities have dominated Tibetan culture. What some Indian tourists came to learn from a few Tibetan monasteries under the current Chinese rule is extremely alarming and fascinating. According to these tourists remote viewers are seeing world powers in the course of self-destruction. They also see that the world will not be destroyed. Between now and 2012 the world super powers will continue to engage in regional wars. Terrorism and covert war will be the main problem. In world politics something will happen in and around 2010. At that time the world powers will threaten to destroy each other. Between 2010 and 2012, the whole world will get polarized and prepare for the ultimate dooms day. Heavy political maneuvers and negotiations will take place with little progress. In 2012, the world will start plunging into a total destructive nuclear war. And at that time something remarkable will happen, says, Buddhist monk of Tibet. Supernatural divine powers will intervene. The destiny of the world is not to self-destruct at this time. Scientific interpretation of the monks’ statements makes it evident that the Extra Terrestrial powers are watching us every step of the way. They will intervene in 2012 and save the world from self-destruction. When asked about recent UFO sightings in India and China, the monks smiled and said the divine powers are watching us all. Mankind cannot and will not be allowed to alter the future to that great extent.”

Why Was This In Today's Paper?

Troubled water
Visitors to Missouri's most popular lake find that carelessness can ruin a weekend and sometimes take a life.
By JAMES GOODWIN and DIDI TANG of the Tribune's staff
Published Sunday, August 31, 2003


LAKE OF THE OZARKS —
They come by the tens of thousands every weekend from May through September: swimmers, jet skiers, powerboaters, parasailers and partiers all jockeying for water room on the Lake of the Ozarks. But boats are getting faster and bigger and the wakes they generate more massive. A Tribune investigation reveals that a combination of rough water and simple carelessness makes the Lake of the Ozarks one of the most dangerous bodies of water in the United States.


Accident profile
Most boating accidents on the Lake of the Ozarks between 1997 and 2001 fit this profile:
● Day — Most happen on weekends.
● Cause — Most involve people not watching where they are going. Hazardous water is second. Alcohol use ranked no higher than fifth.
● Injury — Cuts top the list, with broken bones a distant second.
● Type — Collision with another vessel
● Boat — Motorboats, especially those measuring 17 to 30 feet, followed closely by jet skis. Cabin motorboats, pontoon boats and houseboats have relatively few accidents.
● Water condition — 44 percent of accidents happen in choppy water, where waves measure 6 inches to 2 feet. Thirty-five percent of accidents happen when waves are 6 inches or less.
● Operator’s age — Boaters between 22 and 40 have 42 percent of accidents. Operators 21 and younger have 26 percent of accidents.
Source: Tribune computer analysis
of U.S. Coast Guard statistics


Danger in the water
The 10 U.S. bodies of water with the most boating accidents between 1997 and 2001:
1. Atlantic coast 953
2. Colorado River 726
3. Lake of the Ozarks 725
4. Gulf of Mexico 667
5. Lake Mead 519
6. Lake Powell 411
7. Pacific coast 355
8. Mississippi River 300
9. Lake Michigan 292
10. Lake Havasu 254
Source: Tribune computer analysis of U.S. Coast Guard statistics

Updates

July 7th

It’s a quiet peaceful night, and I am listening to Lisa Thiel’s “Journey To The Goddess.”

Today we had the satellite installed. They couldn’t put the equipment in the place I wanted so they put it in the only kitchen cabinet we have. Mom is not pleased with the location They asked me if I bought my RV at a “scratch and dent” sale because of the dent.

When I drove the RV home, I captured the attention of my neighbors. Two men came out on the porch to watch me back up the RV on blocks. I thought they were all going to fall off the porch when I turned on the satellite. I turned it on in the RV and then went outside to hook up and that is when I noticed them leaning over the porch watching the top of my roof. Then a couple more came out to watch. I just knew one of them was either going to grab a gun or call the police and tell them I was communicating with Martians. After hooking up, I realized I was not going to find a signal because it is so cloudy. I switched it off and it folded up and tucked itself in its little bed. Isn’t technology amazing? Later on in the evening, I came down and flipped it on in hopes of acquiring a signal. The technicians that installed it failed to tell me it illuminated in a wonderful blue light. It was so cool I sat in the darkness watching it as it tried to find a signal. That is when I noticed the same neighbors all watching out the window. Then they turned off their lights and stood in the darkness marveling at the wonderful blue lights that the satellite gave off. These people need to get a life. They are the same neighbors that thought I was spying on them when I stepped out with my camera to take macro shots of the Queen Anne Lace that was growing on the bank.

Scott and his friends left this morning and they did a wonderful job of cleaning the house. They did the laundry and someone of them even changed the stairwell light bulb. They left three cans of beer but took the bikini.

The Spirit of the plants has come to me
In the form of a beautiful dancing green woman
Her eyes filled me with peace
Her dance filled me with peace
The Spirit of the plants has come to me
And has blessed me with great peace
Her eyes fill me with peace
Her dance filled me with peace
The Spirit of the plants has come to me
In the form of a beautiful cancing green woman
~Lisa Thiel~

On that note….. Good Night.

July 8, 2006

We are getting closer to our scheduled leave date. Mom is getting butterflies. I broke down and bought an external hard drive. I have a lot of CDs and decided to take just a few.

When I moved in with my parents to help mom care for dad I stopped listening to my music. I listened to mom’s music but rarely ever took my CDs out of the box. I added to my collection but still I wouldn’t play them. Now that time has come to sort through and decide what to take with me I realized I how missed my music.

I don’t know why I stopped listening to my music but it would irritate mom when I refused to play them. In retrospect I think it is because they are mine. Not in the selfish sense of the word though. I have music I would play rock concert loud and would dance around the room with the curtains closed. Rock star Pepper playing air guitar and singing loudly and off key. I have music that I would sing to my children when they were babies and that was special time. Memories will creep back when I played these tunes of baby smells, tiny hands, and sweet kisses on a sleepy baby’s forehead. I have music that takes me back to the time I was a small child and complications were few. “I Will Follow Him” is one of my childhood songs. Were you expecting Disney Tunes? Songs from my teenage years make me smile because of the drama. “I learned the truth at 17 that love was meant for beauty queens…” I have stories and memories in these cases that are priceless. When I played them it will take me back to those times and it isn’t sadness that I feel but joy and smiles. Okay I will admit to a few tears. Right now “Paint Me A Birmingham” is playing. What is so special about that song? It was playing on the radio and a little girl was singing to it. Only she misunderstood the lyrics and was saying “Paint me a bunny ham.” These are my memories and my times that I keep tucked in my memory and the song brings it back. There are memories I don’t wish to share, to embarrass to share, and I am frightened that if I do share it will sound silly and trite. To quote a Trisha Yearwood song “the song remembers when.” How true.

Today
I am still unable to get on the net. I can for only short periods of time. more later

Grandma Grump Is Worried

Received word over the holiday that my grandson, Hayden will be going in for medical tests. The doctors think it is Craniosynostosis. The definition of Craniosynostosis: "Craniosynostosis, also called synostosis, refers to the premature fusing of the joints (sutures) between the bony plates that form an infant's skull." Its not serious unless you chose to ignore it which is not happening in this case. Any type of surgery scares the hell out of me and especially in someone so small. He is favoring one side and that worries me. I don't see both of my grandchildren enough because of distance and in these situations I just want to see them. James my oldest son and the proud father of Hayden and Isabel will call me as soon as he knows something. I have read that Seattle Pediatric Hospital is one of the best. I will not try to worry but that is hard to do.

I remember when James was born and the doctors said he had some hard to pronounced problem. As a brand new mom I absolutely freaked out and the doctor said "It just means he will never write his name in the snow." Of course he had to explain that one to me as well and I will not explain it now. Scott was born with a short palette and I refused to let them do surgery. I chose instead to work with him and teach him how to talk and today you cannot tell he ever had this. When I was pregnant with Hannah she never moved. The boys were like football players. I could feel and see their movements. With Hannah... nothing. I told the doctor I thought she was dead. He examined me and reassured me that she was very much alive. For 9 months I felt nothing and worried.... Until she was born and I held her for the first time. Kids have a tendency without intentions of scaring the hell out of you. I just hope this is not Craniosynostosis and that it is just a flathead treatable by wearing a helmet or band.

Will keep everyone informed.

Hazmat Modine

I found an awesome group called Hazmat Modine. I put a video of them on MySpace. It is another method of keeping in touch with the kids. If you are interested in listening to them go to myspace.com/yaxche. When you get to my page scroll down to the video and click on the arrow. I wanted to put the song Bahamut on but it drives Hannah crazy. So I settled for a standard.

Fourth of July Madness

This Fourth of July was a lot of fun and interesting. On mom's birthday (July 2), we were trying to leave for Prairie Village, KS when Scott and his two friends woke up. They drove down from Independence and came in around 1:00 a.m. They brought all of their band equipment and serenaded mom for her birthday. When we came home and walked into our kitchen, we definitely knew something was wrong because our kitchen chairs were missing. Therefore, we started snooping. In the fridge, we found two 12-packs of beer, a watermelon, Kentucky Fried Chicken, and a bottle of vodka. In the living room was stereo equipment, computer equipment, and something I thought was a bong but upon closer inspection I discovered it was a potato shooter. I am old hippy and they are a bunch of rednecks. In the master bedroom, we found floral flip-flops and a bikini. Since we were staying in the RV, we went there and unpacked. Mom said I don't care what they do in the house just as long as they stay out of the RV. I opened the fridge and said "Hey mom you want a cold one?” She just about died laughing. The kitchen chairs were in the basement. They set up their band equipment in the basement and were performing with the garage door open. Scott and his friends were so much fun. We enjoyed their company.

Growing Up Growing Old

A recent entry on Robin's page made me think of friends. Friends that I feel have been called home to soon. Betty - a delightful lady with a wicked sense of humor. If your husband is blind, you need to respect his blindness. Betty respected his blindness but only to certain point. She built the house she lived in for years. An earth contact home dug out by hand and built lovingly with cement blocks. It wasn't until the kids were grown that she added a kitchen and bathroom. What made this home so unique besides being built by hand was she sent it up to where you could move the walls. You never knew where the bedrooms would be or the living room would be when you visited. Betty hated boredom, the same old same old; she lived actively and pursued life with a passion. Her home reflected this. As I said earlier, her husband Paul was blind. He would become very confused when he got home because he was never quite sure where he was when he walked in the front door. Paul was another interesting person. A man of few words but when he spoke you listened. I remember him tearing down a small house. He did this by placing ropes lines in certain places. Being blind was not a handicap. Their daughter Carol, who was born on the same day and time as I, could tell stories vividly. I would close my eyes because she could describe a bird or a leaf in such detail that I could actually see it in my mind. My last memory of Betty was not of sorrow. She had been suffering from lung cancer and whenever the doctor would tell her she only had 6 months to live she would live longer. She was that stubborn. Whenever I would take her to the hospital, she would get so aggravated with me because I drove on the wrong side of the road. She would hit me and say get in the slow lane. When I got the call that Betty would be passing over I hurried to Springfield. I was thinking, "What do I say?" How do you say good-bye? When I walked into her hospital room and saw her laying there with the usual tubes and machines it came to me. I walked up to her, leaned over, gave her a kiss goodbye, and whispered "Betty I promise you I will always drive on the right side of the road.” She laughed. There was no tears just laughter and I left feeling joy for knowing her and not just sadness for losing her.

Later

This Does Pertain

This Monday we will be going to Kansas City to visit Robert and Hannah. We will hook up with Deanie there as well. She is visiting an old friend. Friday the satellite will be installed and we will be off and running again. Later

Have You Ever Wondered

Have you ever wondered why you see so many falling rock signs? There is a simple explanation for it. I have been trying to recall it for years to tell my children but I could never recall it. When I was driving home today, it came to me. Therefore, children gather around - mom finally remembered the story of the Indian named Falling Rock.


A lot of Indians used to live in our neck of the woods. One tribe of Osage Indians lived here in Missouri. This tribe flourished. There was a lot food in the area, berries, deer, bear, and a great area to farm. One year two of the Indian braves fell in love with the same Indian maiden. She was a beautiful young girl. The braves would fight each other almost daily for the hand of this young Indian maiden. The Chief being a wise man decided that a contest should be had between these braves to decide who would have the hand of the young lady. Being the prime of hunting season, the Chief gathered the tribe together. He told Running Bear and Falling Rock, the two Indian Braves they were to go on a bear hunt. Whoever brought the biggest bear back to camp would win the hand of the lovely Indian maiden. Running Bear and Falling Rock left the camp for the hunt. Two weeks passed by and neither brave had come back. After about three more moons, Running Bear came into camp with a good size bear that he had killed. The tribe waited for two more weeks, and then the Chief decided that a search party needed to be formed to go find Falling Rock. The search party went out; they looked all over the hills, and never found any trace of Falling Rock. The Chief was beside himself with anguish. He called a Tribal Council together. At this Council, he decreed that from this day on all people would look for Falling Rock. This is why today you see the signs along the Highway. “Watch for Falling Rock”

Carthage Missouri

We will be heading home tomorrow. It has been great getting out of the house and away from things for a while. Carthage is a lot like Chester IL. Very confusing town with conflicting maps. We did see the battlefield and it would be a beautiful meadow if they would clean up the trash and mow. We then tried to find Bell Star aka Myra Mabelle but that was not accomplished. We then took off for Lamar Missouri to see Harry S Truman's birthplace. It was a neat old house and the tour guide was very good. The molding on the RV by the driver's side came off on our trip up here and a very nice gentleman fixed it. Come to find out he was from the lake as well. That is the only worrisome thing that has happened to us, so far.


Carthage

To Answer Your Question Hannah

George Washington Carver
By Mary Bellis

It is rare to find a man of the caliber of George Washington Carver. A man who would decline an invitation to work for a salary of more than $100,000 a year (almost a million today) to continue his research on behalf of his countrymen. Agricultural chemist, Carver discovered three hundred uses for peanuts and hundreds more uses for soybeans, pecans and sweet potatoes. Among the listed items that he suggested to southern farmers to help them economically were his recipes and improvements to/for: adhesives, axle grease, bleach, buttermilk, chili sauce, fuel briquettes, ink, instant coffee, linoleum, mayonnaise, meat tenderizer, metal polish, paper, plastic, pavement, shaving cream, shoe polish, synthetic rubber, talcum powder and wood stain. Only three patents were every issued to Carver. He did discover/invented peanut butter.

George Washington Carver National Monument

"How far you go in life depends on your being tender with the young, compassionate with the aged, sympathetic with the striving and tolerant of the weak and strong. Because someday in your life you will have been all of these."

Today Mom and I went to the George Washington Carver National Monument. There was mile long hike that showed us the woods where he played. As well as the house that he returned to, to visit Moses and Susan Carver who had raised him to adulthood. I have always admired him. Not because of my love for peanut butter but for who he was, what he had to go through to receive an education, his wisdom, his intelligence... The list could go on forever. What an honor, it would have been, to shake his hand. When Martin Luther King's birthday became a national holiday, I thought to myself.... “They choose a man who incites and not a man who instructs.” To me the honor needed to have been given to Mr. Carver. Who was a quiet, gentle soul who desired education and assisted in educating others. So much for my preaching. Again, pictures will be uploaded to Ringo. It was a beautiful place and very peaceful. Surely Not was a little neurotic more so than usual. I think it is because she is out of her element and proving the old adage of "you can't teach an old dog new tricks" true. Tomorrow-historical Carthage.

"Where there is no vision, there is no hope."

Wildlife

I was reading my Cousin Robin's blog about the lack of wildlife in the city and that made me think of my home town of Camdenton.

I am seeing more and more of our wildlife on the side of the road. Today I drove past a family of skunks that someone had struck with their vehicle. When I am outside of Camdenton, driving down a back road I do not see the carnage that I see in Camdenton. The Lake of the Ozarks is becoming more and more developed and I feel like I am driving through a large city. With development comes the destruction of habitat and that leaves the carnage. I remember catching blue tail lizards and fireflies, watching with childish delight the possums, raccoons, and skunks that lived in close proximity. I remember hearing the whip o wills at night. Being young, I didn't appreciate this and now that I am much older, I miss it.

It is time to move on and find a quiet place to hang my hat. I would love to show the world, as I knew it as a child to my grandchildren. Just this evening, coming home to the RV mom and I watched a family of raccoons and it was nice.

Carthage

The Waiting Game

I have been asked why you haven’t left yet. We haven't left yet because we are waiting on the dent to be repaired. I have called many, many times asking, "is the part in?” I have kept track of everything he said to me. I am going to become very confrontational when I call on Monday. I called this morning to see if the Internet equipment is in. They told me it will take a week and it has been a week. I was told "Gee I don't know. I will call you right back.” I would think a business would keep track of its inventory and it has been 45 minutes and I am still waiting for him to call me right back. We are planning to leave this weekend for a short trip. I don't know where we will be going but I will bet you all the money I have in my piggy bank that everyone will call me on Saturday while I am gone and I will get the "I tried to call you but you were not home" or "the part has been ordered" or "I don't know what is in my inventory and I will call you right back." Frustrated yes.

Camdenton Missouri

Long Time No Sleep

"I say to myself why are you awake again? It's one a.m. standin with the fridge wide open starin such a sigh flourescent light the stars are bright might make a wish if I believed in that shit but as it is I might watch TV cause its nice to see people can be more messed up than me" ~jewel~

I am having a worse time now falling asleep. I don't know why but I now go to bed at 2:00 a.m. (usual time) and wake up in an hour. I mean I am wide-awake. I read a guidebook on Honduras, and then I took pictures of Surely Not as she lay sleeping. I wanted to have a reminder of what it looks like to sleep since I am not sure at this time what it is. I have always had insomnia. I could sleep for two hours go to work for eight hours. I would do that for days. Now it has become worse. A trip to the doctor will not do a thing for this. I am relying on over the counter prescriptions. Why am I posting this? The reason for my writing this is that I have three wonderful children... The oldest doesn't care for which I am grateful, the youngest does care and again I am grateful, the middle child has his own problems that keep him awake. So don't call me after 8:00 p.m. I am planning to be in bed. I might be watching TV, reading a guidebook on Honduras, taking pictures of my dog but I am attempting to sleep. I am hoping to rewire myself and get 4 to 6 hours of sleep. In a month I might be so refreshed and energized I won't know what to do with myself but I am not holding my breath.

Maiden Voyage Jackson Missouri

I pulled in to my lot and told my 70 something mother to unhook the car. I had my visor down so I was watching the monitor. I saw my mother, her upper half was draped over the hood of the car, and her little legs were kind of dangling. I thought, “What the hell is that crazy woman doing?” Just then, I heard “help me.” So Lesson Number One: When unhooking your car make sure you have the emergency brake engaged.

Lesson Number Two: Always keep in mind that you do have a cab over. I am sure Gulfstream will send the parts to the body shop. What Tree?

Lesson Number Three: When putting the fuse back in the car, the doors will lock. It’s not wise to put the fuse in when you have the car in Neutral, the keys in, and fortunately, I did have the emergency brake engaged. All the doors will lock. This leads into Lesson 4.

Lesson Number Four: When you find you keys locked in your vehicle; remember to call On Star before you call the locksmith.

Lesson Number Five: Stay off Hwy 160 in Missouri when towing a car. One of the road signs looked like someone’s intestines.

Lesson Number Six: Never spray hose your dog's rear end. It was a gentle spray but poor old Surely screamed like a woman.

Lesson Number Seven: Always buy your RV from a reputable dealer. Good Bye Gulfstream, hello Holiday Rambler.

Lesson Number Eight: Secure all windows, including the emergency exit windows before you go on the road.

Lesson Number Nine: Sewer hoses leak but not necessarily on the ground. EWWWWW Check and maintain your hoses. Keep worm clamps on hand.

Lesson Number Ten: Always keep spare cotter pins. It is not fun to line up your car, get it ready to hook up and realize you are missing a cotter pin.

Lesson Number Eleven: Always keep spare fuses for your car. Again, you unhook your car, put in the fuse, and it won't start. Dead fuse. You hook your car back up to the RV...

Where We Have Been

We made it home without a problem. While in Jackson, we went Chester and Metropolis IL. Yes, I saw Superman and Popeye. Woo Hoo. We also explore Cape Girardeau Missouri. Mom and I walked along the Cape Girardeau Mural wall, which was 1200 feet long. That was interesting. I took a few pictures of the murals but didn’t photograph them all because there was so many of them.

We crossed the river and explored Chester IL but that town is so confusing we didn’t stay long. Right after Chester IL, we went to Fort Kaskaskia State Park.

When the residents of Kaskaskia learned their town was doomed, they moved the graves to this area. The reason the town was doomed was the Mississippi changed course and eventually the city was swallowed by the river and the only remnants of it is on a small island. Kaskaskia was also called “the lost capitol of Illinois.”

I could have stayed all day exploring the headstones and the remnants of the fort.

Aunt Betsy called and she wants to see us before we take off in two weeks. It will be nice to see her again.

Barn Swallow

 This happened when I had a house on a foundation.

I was downstairs and I heard a rather odd noise, I discovered a Barn Swallow had manage to fly into the dryer vent. After much trail and error, I managed to free the bird without harming it. I carefully carried the bird outside and turned it loose. To my amazement, another swallow soared down and greeted her. Together they flew and did amazing acrobatics. I sat there in awe of their obvious pleasure of seeing each other again. Barn Swallows mate for life, I am aware that the female will stray but they stay with the same partner. Watching those two birds in their aerial dance so delighted in finding each other gave me goose bumps.

While on the road, I saw a car hit a swallow. I looked up because I remember the incident with the dryer, searching for the mate…. There he was swooping down on the road. If swallows can find joy in finding each other again then I am sure they can feel sorrow of losing their mate.

River Road And Harrahs

On the 23rd, we decided to head for the casino. Took our usual $40 and spent 4 hours. It was a lot of fun. Later we headed for Deanie's and had dinner. Today they were forecasting rain and so we decided to take a drive on the Great River Road. It was beautiful. We stopped at Pere Marquette State Park and explored that. They had great over looks. The bluffs were spectacular and driving along the Mississippi was breathtaking.  Hannah, they have bike trails along the Mississippi. You and Robert would love it. Pere Marquette State Park is clean and neat, wonderful for camping.

Illinois Pere Marquette State Park

One Year Ago Today

One year ago today I lost a valuable person in my life. I think he would be happy with mom and I. Where we are now and where we are going. I thought it would be nice to remember him in pictures. Miss you dad.

Botanical Garden St. Louis

Mom and I went to the Botanical Gardens today and spent about 4 hours. I think I wore mom out but the both of us really enjoyed it. Today they had Chinese Culture Day and Chihuly. If I lived in Washington, I would be gazing in wonder at his art. Truly spectacular and breath taking. The Chinese dancers were graceful and a joy to watch. Of course, the flowers were spectacular and I only took 150 pictures. I bought an Oriental CD and made a slide show so I won't be printing all of them. Some of my photos are on Ringo.



Chinese Culture Days

Chinese opera joins the annual program of folk dance, fashion, food, and martial arts at the 2006 Chinese Culture Days. A 70-foot dragon, meant to dispel bad luck and evil spirits, kicks off the event during the parade at 10 a.m. on Saturday. Visitors to Chinese Culture Days may also take part in guided tours of the Grigg Nanjing Friendship Garden, always beautiful in springtime, tai chi performances, and traditional tea tastings. Regional Chinese foods by local restaurants will be available for purchase.








Glass In The Garden

Beginning April 30, ticket holders will be able to walk through the lush, warm Climatron conservatory rain forest and discover breathtaking views of colorful sculptures at every turn amid the tropical cycads, orchids, banyan, and palms. Groupings of brightly colored, bold shapes will float upon the central axis reflecting pools and adorn treasured gardens.

Chihuly's other major installations have included Chihuly Over Venice, Chihuly Bridge of Glass, located in his hometown of Tacoma, Washington, and the Bellagio Hotel lobby ceiling in Las Vegas, Nevada. His creations are found in more than 200 museums worldwide.

Glass in the Garden will bring over 30 unique installations, valued at over $10 million, custom-designed for the Missouri Botanical Garden.

Onward and Upward

Jackson MO May 14th

RV Park: Cherokee Hills

Sites Visited: Buford MO
4 Story Mill with the oldest covered bridge in Missouri next door to it.

Ste Genevieve, MO
The Felix Valle State Historic Site
It is a one and one-half story, side gable, limestone dwelling with a merchant store and family quarters. The state completely restored the house back to its original conditional. What fascinated me was the stairs to the upstairs bedrooms was located on the back porch. The kitchen was located next door, which is typical. For those that don’t know why it is because of fire. Our guide was very knowledgeable. I found out that the French built log cabins with the logs up and down. The town of Ste. Genevieve reminds me of Arrow Rock. Historical Town turned tourist trap but the houses were beautiful. It was at the Cherokee Hills Park that I clipped the tree with the RV. The only consolation was that I hooked up the car with any problems. We plan to go back to Cherokee Park after our stay at Cahokia Park.

Edwardsville IL May 16th

RV Park: Red Barn Rendezvous

We stayed here to visit with Deanie and family.

Cahokia IL May 19th

RV Park: Cahokia RV Parque

This is a great place. Kids, full timers, part timers, etc. It is so much fun to sit in our lawn chairs and watch the people. Today, the 20th Deanie, Mom, and I went to the Cahokia Mounds. Many pictures taken and will be posted on Ringo. Tomorrow we are trying to decide on the Botanical Gardens or the zoo.

Location:  Buford, St. Geneivieve

Gainesville and Theodosia

We left for Gainesville /Theodosia on May 11. Before we could go, we had to take the RV in for an alignment. That was a requirement according to our warranty and it did not need to be done so that put us leaving at 2:00 p.m. and $65 less.

I decided to take the interstate instead of fighting Hwy 5. The wind was bad and the trucks were worse. I told mom I felt like I was being sucked and blown and she said I sounded like I was on Dateline.

I decided to find a campground and try again in the morning. I pulled off the interstate and drove right passed the campground and since I couldn’t do a U-turn with an RV, I keep on going. I found out that driving on the back roads isn’t as bad as driving on the interstate. Somehow, I ended up on Hwy 65 and stayed on that until I made my next turn, which was Hwy 160 (?). Hwy 160 does not have a straight stretch of road; it was like someone's intestines. To make matters worse, the road did not have a shoulder. 49 miles later, I finally came upon the RV Park in Theodosia. After mom pried my fingers from the steering wheel, we checked in. The park was very small, clean, well-kept and most important quiet. It has a small café that serves the best breakfast.

Surely is not doing very well. She started coughing on the morning of the 12th; 7:00 a.m. to be precise waking us both up. The cough was horrible so we took her to a vet. The vet explained that in older dogs the trachea has a tendency to collapse. She is hoping it is an infection. The meds make her sleepy. She is not coughing and doesn’t appear to be distressed. When I come back home I will have her X-rayed and see what is going on. Her breathing is normal and as I said, she is groggy but happy. If she becomes ill, I will take her to a vet and have her x-rayed sooner.

Also On the 12th, we drove down to Gainesville to visit friends. They are restoring a 100+ year old house. My favorite room is an upstairs bedroom. The previous owner wallpapered it with newspaper. She was from a town called “Romance” in Missouri and every article about her hometown she circled. The newspaper is from the early thirties. They don’t plan to redo that room, just leave it as is. The house originally was a log cabin and the previous owners built around that. It was also originally a three story home but it was hit by a tornado a long time back and they took off the third floor. It still has the stairs to the third floor and that appeal to me because of the stairs that lead to nowhere. I also loved the wallpaper in the bathroom but Millie said she would save it for me so I can wallpaper my bathroom with it.

We also visited two mills and drove into Arkansas for dinner. We decided to stay another night and go for a boat ride.


On the 13th was the boat ride. Bull Shoals is a beautiful lake. No boat docks, condominiums, and million dollar homes on the water. Surely didn’t like it. She totally freaked out but I created a windbreak and held her in my lap and she calmed down.

Right now, we are in Cape Girardeau spending the night and plan to hit the road tomorrow. We don’t know where we will be staying or where we will be going. Whenever we get internet access I will keep you updated.

Hannah And Robert

Mom and I had such a good time. Crab dinner, pizza party and left overs for breakfast. Hannah and Robert you are such good company and we enjoy having you over. I am glad you had fun in Springfield and hope the rest of your weekend was just as enjoyable.

Location:  Camdenton

Doris

I almost forgot Rusty, we had lunch with Doris. She is doing great and loves her new mobile home park. I got her email address and will give you it when you call.

Location: Camdenton

Fiery Forks

Today, my mother, daughter and her boyfriend went to Fiery Forks for a picnic. It was wonderful, except for the ticks that were dropping out of trees. That was a little creepy.
Location: Climax Springs

Solitude

I'd love to take you there, to this enlightening, spiritual place.

Refreshing, rejuvenating, a sanctuary for personal reflection.

I'd love to take you with me, to this relaxing place.

Silent, still, where you can rediscover yourself.

I'd love to take you there, but you must go alone now.

If I accompany you, you'll never discover this place called solitude.

~Mark A. River~

St. Joseph Missouri

Starting a journey isn't as simple as jumping into your vehicle and going. As novices, we were green as gourds but that didn’t stop us from our goal, to become full-time Rvers.

Our first step was purchasing a Class C Gulfstream Conquest and a Saturn Vue. We also ordered a base plate, hitch, and braking system from the dealership that sold us the Gulfstream. Our first trip in our new Gulfstream was a trip to St. Joseph Missouri to have everything installed.

The largest vehicle I have ever driven is a small pick up truck and jumping into a 28 foot RV is a major adjustment. With my truck I look in the rear view mirror and see where I have been, in a RV you see a queen size bed. In a truck you rolled down the window, crank up the tunes, and enjoy the ride, with a RV you crack your window, turn off the radio in order to concentrate, watch both mirrors (avoid the rear view mirror because it will freak you out), and you tell yourself to breathe. I white knuckled it to St. Joseph taking back roads because I thought I would avoid traffic. That was a bad idea because of the roads being so narrow and having no shoulder.

We made it to RV Park and the owners were nice enough to back the RV in the lot and help me hook it up.

It took about 4 days to have everything installed. We spent those four days visiting family and becoming acquainted with the RV. The employee at the dealership showed me how to hook up the vehicle and I was off and running. As I crept onto the highway, I noticed that the RV was low on gas and decided to stop at the nearest gas station to fill up the tank. That is when I discovered there are some gas stations that are too small for a 28-foot RV towing a car. Fortunately, an attendant helped me unhook the car so I could get all vehicles out of the gas station. My mother drove the car home because I felt I needed more practice and I am sure motorists, and gas station owners were happy with that decision. The most important thing is that mom, my dog (Surely Not) and I made it home and started our journey.

Missouri St. Joseph