Greetings from Western New York

Finally, a day I can catch up on my blog. Where does the time go? And we aren't even traveling!!

The week has been pretty busy running around to doctor appointments, cleaning the latrines, honey dipping, and oh yeah, having some fun!

Finally got rid of some of the humidity (of course we had to have some rain on the fun in order to get rid of it).

Thursday was a beautiful day for us to travel to Erie, PA for my doctor's appointment. I told Bill, darn, I forgot my camera (sounds like another blogger I know!!!) I could have taken some pictures of Lake Chautauqua & Lake Erie. Oh well, I have to go back for an MRI so I guess I'll remember to take it next time. Pray it's not raining! We didn't take time to go to the lake anyway because we wanted to stop at friends in Blockville, NYon the way home. Had a great visit (both recently retired and loving it). Not RVers though, but still very special, long time friends. While we were there, they were so gracious to supply us with some firewood for campfire. That's like having friends in high places!!!

Friday morning I spent visiting former co-workers at Warren State Hospital in North Warren, PA. Was fun to see everyone & catch up on their lives. That's the bad part of retirement, leaving your friends. But some of them aren't far behind in that endeavor in life either! Some hope it is really, really soon!

Friday night was a perfect night for sitting around the campfire. Only problem is, it makes me want to eat. But when I got up this morning I still had lost another pound, that puts me at 4 since starting back to W.W. That's 4 less than I had a week & a half ago!!!

Within about 5 minutes of coming in from the fire ring, I asked Bill if I had time to take a quick shower before the storm hit. It was already thundering. I no more than got my hair shampooed & the electricity went off. Thank God for battery backup! Also some water in the fresh water tank & a water pump!!!! While others were in the dark, we went on with life as usual. (We had already had microwave popcorn around the fire, so didn't have to use the microwave!) When Sparky & Helen (my cousin) come for camp fire, we always have to have popcorn. He eats it EVERY NIGHT. Must be a good thing as he is a skinny little guy & always has been.

Today was the Horseshoe Tournament at Hidden Valley. Every Wednesday night Bill sits in the living room looking out the window at the pits across the road & I KNOW he was thinking "I want to be over there doing that". He's been afraid for years since he had his shoulder surgery. Well, he decided he wanted to pitch in the tournament! Guess What???? He came in 3rd place! Not bad for a sweet old guy who hasn't pitched in over 10 years! I helped serve the hot dogs, sauerkraut, chips, & beverages from the porch of the owners, Randy & Becky. Today was Randy's Father's Day gift to the campers.....Free Hot Dogs! THANKS RANDY! The pitchers had to take a couple of breaks throughout the afternoon due to rain, but they went right back out there to finish. Bill took a quick shower & then headed to the laundry mat! Darn, I didn't get a picture of that one! At least he didn't fall like one guy did. The evening is looking pretty good though, but I think he is too tired to sit by a fire tonight! After a late supper he is snoozing in the chair.

These first, sunny pictures are from the Wednesday Night Horseshoe group at Hidden Valley Campground looking from my door: (Oh, by the way, see the pretty rhododendrun, there are no BIG bushes on either side.....That was my project! They were twice as high as the rhododendrun! I couldn't see anything! Now I have a view!)

Evalyn & Dick getting ready to play horseshoes Lloyd watching the gang play

Dick raking that pit so it will ring that stake!

Bill getting all the distractions gone before he pitches in the Tournament

Keep your eye on that stake, Mr. Bill!!

Here's the pitch. All eyes were on him, but I was too far away to see the result of this one.

Brad V. in the middle & Bill's partner, Russ on right. Brad is an old friend from N. Warren. He & Bill ran ambulance together many, many years ago.

Well, I hope everyone has a great day tomorrow & remember to call your Dads for Father's Day! They are very special guys! After all, there wouldn't be a you without them! So to any dads out there reading this......"HAPPY FATHER'S DAY"!

Until next time.........The Traveling Cardinals

DITTO

Another Hot, Humid Day!!! Not much to report except I've had over 200 readers on my blog! Hey Snookie, I'll never catch up to you, but at least you gave me the start!

I'm jealous of your cooler, less humid temps in Colorado!!!! But how much melting snow is running down the mountains???

Daughter called this morning & they got her AC running!!! Someone who previously owned the apartment had mislabeled the circuit breaker box & the AC was tripped!!!! Good Electrician. Glad he doesn't work for me! But really glad they now have AC!

Until next time......The Traveling Cardinal's

Boy, that was short huh?

HOT & HUMID WEATHER

Well, I guess we are back in NY/PA! Weather changed quite quickly from cold & rainy to hot & humid. Feels like July-August weather. I try not to complain since I like hot weather, but I don't like feeling sticky! Since campground doesn't have great up-to-date electric & we are on 30amps, we don't like to use AC unless we absolutely have to.


We had the Penn-York Square Dancers at the campground over the weekend. We know several of the couples that dance. Of course, my husband likes to watch, but can't quite get him to try it. Quite a few of my brothers & sister did dance & some still do. Now down to the next generation. Everyone is afraid to try it since they don't like to make mistakes (so my husband says), but even the old timers mess up sometimes. That's what makes it fun. Saturday night they are suppose to dress up to dance, but it was really HOT. My sister, Romayne, danced with my nephew, Randy, in her jeans. They had danced on Fri. night at another dance in Chautauqua County as they belong to the Chau-tau-qua Squares. My brother & sister-in-law came to watch too. So we had a gathering at the trailer & ate blackberry pie that my sister brought. Bill's favorite & delicious as always! (Oh, & that was 9 pts. for an 8th of a piece too!!!)

SISTER ROMAYNE IN JEANS

NEPHEW, RANDY, ON RIGHT

SISTER & NEPHEW, 3rd & 4th FROM LEFT

THE WATCHERS: BARB, RAY, BILL, BOB L. & BOB C.

Today I walked 3 miles in the hot, humid weather before noon. I thought I'd never get back! I even braved the pool today (up to my waist). Wasn't quite brave enough to just jump in. It felt good, but was still pretty cold (75 deg.). Sounds warm but it really wasn't.

Talked to our daughter, Renee, & sons in MD today. She said it is HOT, HOT, HOT there & their AC does not work!!! Around 100 deg., second floor apt. She said they have been taking 4-5 showers a day just to keep cool. Hot weather makes for cranky kiddos too. Wish they could live up here! Would love to have them close at least for the summer!


This week we have to make a trip to Erie for me to go to doctor (routine check up). Then we will just be working (at a slow pace in the heat) the rest of week.


Not much else exciting going on here. Rather than boring you all with a dull week, I'll sign off with....The Traveling Cardinal's

Eating Healthy

Well, as you can see by my title today, I had to get a handle on my eating habits! This here Full-Time RVing with food & drinks just doesn't cut it for my figure. As of 10:00AM (meeting time) this morning, I've officially gone back to Weight Watchers on a weekly basis. I wanted to get in control again so I wouldn't be where I was 5 years ago! So, with the support & encouragement of my friend, Deanna, I'm back to W.W. & measuring my food portions again. 5 years ago I said once I became Lifetime, I'd NEVER pay again! Well, I had to eat my words. I'm not too much over, but enough that if I let it go, I'd have to buy another wardrobe & I don't want to do that! There were 5 of us from Hidden Valley Campground that went today. Of course, two of them have been going & are way ahead of us old timers. That's okay, we are committed & WILL catch up!

The only problem I have for eating tomorrow is............3 meals out!!!! Forgot tomorrow I meet my girlfriends for breakfast, lunch out because we have to stay in Warren, & since it's Thursday, it's Johnny's Lunch night. (That eats up 10 points right there for 1 hot dog w/sauce!!!) But I will make it!!!!

Weather was rainy again today. A little on the muggy side. Suppose to be warmer (80 deg.) tomorrow, but chance of rain again.

The muscles don't ache today as bad as I thought they would. So that is good! Not much else to report, so I'll make today's journal really short. Until next time.....The Traveling Cardinal's

I ACHE!!!!

Well, you know that ambitious project I talked about yesterday??? I did more than I thought I would.

I started out the day by washing all the ceilings, walls & cupboards in the RV. Gosh it sure was nice to be able to do my WHOLE HOUSE in one morning!!! What a difference from a 2 story, 4 bedroom home!!!! I even took time to sit down & read while waiting for Bill to take a break from his "honey dipping" job to eat lunch. (Gosh, I can't imagine having an appetite after doing that all day!!!!!) But I guess you need nourishment to keep going.

After he left from lunch I decided to finish that project outside. My friend, Jerry F., brought over his "manual" hedge trimmers & some clippers. He helped for a bit, then I was on my own. Do you know how bad your arms get using those manual trimmers???? On top of that, it got muggy & I had a long sleeve shirt on, the bugs were bugging me & I was sweating up a storm. But once I start something I don't stop. Then a few people passing by said, I'd take those stupid bushes right out of there! Well, since the owners were out of town for the day, & he gave me permission to do whatever I want, I thought, OK, I can do this. So I clipped them down as good as I could to just above the rock. Then when Bill got done work I asked him to go get me the chain saw. Yup, I did it! I've used an electric one before, but never a gas one. Little touchier, but I got them down. Now......what were the owners going to say when they came home. I was a little nervous. All is well that ends well. He said he didn't care, I could have taken them all out with a backhoe, & she loved it. Now she can see down the road from her living room in the house! Next step is to get a few flowers to plant around the edge. That will help take your eye off the cut down bushes. There is still a rhododendron there, but I couldn't trim that down until it is done blossoming.

Since my arms & back are killing me, I guess this is the end of today's journal for....The Traveling Cardinal's. PS: I won't add a picture until the project is completed!

BEAUTIFUL DAY IN NEW YORK/PA AREA

Well, I haven't forgotten to journal, I've just been busy & tired.

HARD TO SEE, BUT THIS IS OUR FAVORITE BIRD, BILL'S CARDINAL SINGS TO HIM EVERY DAY AND CAN BE SEEN WAY UP IN THIS TREE HERE AT THE CAMPGROUND

Friday and Saturday we spent time washing the truck to get the pollen & dirt off & FINALLY getting all those bugs off the front of the trailer!!!! Boy, never again will we wait that long to remove them. Talk about elbow grease! Thought I wouldn't be able to move my arm, but I guess I didn't overdue as I can still type, write & pay bills! Needless to say, those long handled brushes to wash your trailer with don't do a thing when bugs have been baked on & hit at 70 mph! It takes plain old hard rubbing! End result, trailer looks pretty good again!


We finally had a nice enough weekend that we could sit around a camp fire. Saturday night was perfect. Sunday night got a little cool.


After church on Sunday morning in N. Warren, PA we came out to see all the people running to a fire at a home across the street from the church parking lot. Thankfully, everyone got out & damage was minimal. It was electrical & thanks to the neighbor with his garden hose, he stopped some of it until the fire dept. (1/2 block away), got there. After the fireman's work was done, it gave us a great opportunity to visit with all our friends and old neighbors from North Warren. We covered a lot of ground that morning. I even gave a hug to the young lady from the home that was damaged in the name of the Red Cross. I might not have been there officially, but those hugs always mean a lot when disaster strikes. That is one part of the volunteer job you never forget!

BUSY NORTH WARREN, PA FIREMEN

Then in the afternoon, Bill went to plant flowers at the cemetery and I went to his great niece's bridal shower.
While I was waiting for Gerry to pick me up at Bill's brother's home, I snapped this picture in his back yard!!!

What a beautiful rhododendron bush!!

Nicole received lots of nice gifts. Gosh, it makes me feel old when the kids of the kids that were only one year old when Bill & I got married are getting married! Holy Cow! We are getting old!

Sister of the bride, Kari, mother of the bride, Barb, bride-to-be, NicoleThen in the evening we got to visit my dear friend, Toni, and celebrate with her family on the safe return home of their son, Dan, from Iraq. He looked really good!! Still bashful when he gets those hugs, but he sure deserves them!!!

The Loomis Family -- Dan is on the left

Today I decided to get a little ambitious. I sat in the sun for a little bit, but I decided to clean up the weeds & leaves around the rhododendron bush & hedge by the rock at the corner of our lot. I asked if I cleaned it out if I could plant some flowers. The owner of the campground said I could do any landscaping I wanted. But then, when I went to use his hedge trimmer,...yup, it sparked & smoked & that was the end of the trimming! At least it is weeded & cleaned out. Now I just have to find some flowers to plant. I guess I never got rid of that little gardening streak in my blood. Must like the feel of the earth under my fingernails! Don't like the feel of the breaking back when I'm done though. Takes about 15 steps to stand up straight! Then you don't want to stop moving. If you do, you're doomed! Maybe by next week I'll have a solution to that too. I have an MRI on Friday & then to a pain clinic doctor in the coming weeks. It's been 7 years since I've seen one. My doctor in Erie, PA, quit his practice & now teaches. I hate starting with a new doctor, but I pray he will be as good as the one I previously had.

After leaving church on Sunday morning, we stopped in front of our former home on State Street & snapped this picture of the wisteria. You don't know how many years I waited for the right side of that to bloom! It was in there for 7 years & never a blossom. I finally planted one on the other side & Bingo, cross pollination & it blossomed about 8 blossoms before we sold our home last year. This year it was absolutely loaded with blossoms. One side is more lavender, the other is a little more pinkish. Still beautiful. The blossoms showed up a lot better before the leaves started coming out, but it's still full. You can see the daffodil leaves up the sidewalk. Flowers are gone, but I heard from some of the neighbors, they really enjoyed them. Hope the new owners did too!

Former Bullock Home in North Warren, PA

Took a walk in the creek tonight (not the water though, still pretty cold). Brought back childhood memories of playing in the creek as a kid. I even found a neat robin egg blue shaped rock to bring back & put where I pulled the weeds.

Well, I suppose I'd better end this rambling for tonight. Until later.....The Traveling Cardinal's

BACK TO WORK - or should I say, the BACK doesn't work

Boy, that is right. Bill is stiff & sore from getting on & off the tractor yesterday & my back is telling me it was a long day of scrubbing today. As I said yesterday, I wanted to get everything spic & span before the inspectors came (whenever they get here). Was hoping since it was all done today they might come tomorrow. Well..............a motor home from Michigan pulled in today and guess what???? They have EIGHT kids...........and off to the showers they all went - 2 or 3 at a time. I didn't go check it out. Too bad.

Bill & I needed haircuts, so we went to visit my friend on the other side of the creek & she cut our hair tonight. What a God Send...otherwise I was on the verge of getting the scissors out myself again.

Yesterday I got this neat email from my daughter with pictures. Of course, Grandma cried! It was Nicholas's Birthday Party at Pre-K. Renee must have changed her mind about the cupcakes & bought cookies instead. But I noticed they had pink frosting. Oh well, at 5 years old, who cares, they are cookies! They sure looked like they were having fun.

LOOKS LIKE NICK HAS A COUPE OF FUN FRIENDS

SMILE FOR THE CAMERA

HE SAID HE WAS EMBARRASSED, HE IS PRETTY SHY, BUT LOOKS LIKE HE'S HAVING FUN

Well, now that Grandma is done bragging for the night, I guess I'll hit the hay. Bill is already sleeping in his bed, oh I mean chair!

Until next time.....The Traveling Cardinal's