Many Days Later

I know I am way behind again & I will get up to date in the next couple of days. I just want to do a brief update to let you all know where we are & where we have been.

Our dear friend & neighbor from North Warren, Bill W., passed away this past Thursday after an accident where he fell from the back of a truck & struck his head on the pavement. It was a real tragedy for the family and the neighbors. He was a very dear friend of my Bill's and his wife was one of my dear friends with whom I had breakfast or lunch with each month along with our friend Judy. By coincidence, all three of us are married to Bills! So.....we had to be out of our campsite in Maryland on the 29th of August & had reservations in Virginia Beach for the 29th, so we brought the trailer to V. Beach, spent Fri. & Sat. here, then drove the truck back to PA/NY on Sunday. We stayed with my sister & her husband in Frewsburg until this morning. We arrived safe & sound back in V. Beach around 7:30 PM tonight.

After we had made our decision to return to PA for the funeral, we received a call from Bill's niece saying his sister had gotten a diagnosis of colon cancer. What a shock. So we were glad we got to come home & see her too. Her next test was done on Tues. & it showed no cancer in the stomach. So that was great news. Now if we can just get her through surgery & be cancer free, that will be a blessing. Please continue your prayers for our family & friends.

As I promised before, I will get some pictures downloaded & into my blog, but for now, this is all the news.

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

Enjoying Daughter & Family

We are having a great time with our grand kids, Nicholas & Noah. They stayed at the camper on Friday night with Pappa & Grandma. We had a birthday party for Daddy Tom on Sunday with his family. It was a beautiful day. I have several pictures to share whenever we get back to Internet with our computer.

Today I am on my daughter's computer at her house. I'm not feeling much like writing so I will keep it very short. I just wanted to let you all know we got to Maryland fine last Thursday and all is well with us.

It is with a heavy heart that I read my emails & answered my phone early this morning. My sister, Romayne, called to tell me that my dear friend Cindy's father had passed away on Saturday in Jamestown, NY. I wish I could give her a hug!

Then I read my emails & the first was from my former boss, Bobbie. She wrote to inform me that my former coworker, John, had also passed away on Sat. from a heart attack. My composure just shattered! I kept telling him to RETIRE & he wouldn't listen! He just kept telling me soon. May God hold his family in His arms! Wish I could give Tomi & the kids a hug too!

Next I read the update for Reinard's adoption. Aaron & Marjorie have returned from Ethiopia with little Tobiah, but after many plane delays & arriving in Pittsburgh, he has spiked a fever & can't get it down. They are worried about which to choose - ER or Children's Hospital and their insurance. I said choose Children's or whatever Mom, the Nurse, recommends. And don't worry about the insurance, God will provide, He always comes through!

Please keep all of us in your prayers. It is so hard to be away from home base at times like these. Our friends & coworkers become our family so easily!

Will write again at a later date.

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

Catch Up Time

Shame, Shame on me! I've been neglecting my blogging & I've been told several times to get it updated! Well, I guess the day has come!

Since I was last on here we have attended both sides of our families reunions & had a great time catching up with everyone.

We have taken our 5th wheel back to where we purchased it to get some minor items taken care of & hopefully some "warranty" items taken care of. Don't laugh too loud at that one! If you know what warranty means, there are a 1,001 definitions! I only wish they would thoroughly explain that one PRIOR to purchasing! They are not defined or designed for Full Time Traveling RVer's either! Enough said on that one or I could fill the page & then some!

So that brings us to this weekend. Today, we visited most of our neighbors in N. Warren during their annual Trash & Treasure Sale days & ate N.W.V. Fire Dept.'s great Chicken BBQ. It's surprising how quick 2 hrs. can go in our old neighborhood!

Bill is currently playing in the Horseshoe Tournament at Hidden Valley C.G. That's why it's time for me to sit here & peacefully catch up, while listening to my music. I still haven't figured out how to get music onto my blog yet from my favorite play list that I have on my Windows Media Player. I did sit here & figure out how to get them on my MP3 Player that I walk with.

This is my last week to relax & enjoy camping. Last Fri. was my last day of Latrine Queen. What a relief! It was nice to earn the extra money, but tiring for my body! I have to save my energy for this next weekend with my grandsons. We will be leaving here on Thurs. morning, Aug. 21st to travel to Bar Harbor RV Park in Abingdon, MD to visit our daughter & family. The little ones keep asking if we are coming yet. It will be a long winter & spring without seeing them for 9 months! They will be so big when we get back next year!!!

The weather is already starting to feel like Fall here in western NY/PA. We even saw a few leaves on the trees turning. We have this beautiful big pool behind us & I've only been in it 3 times! It says a lot for heated pools. Seems like the places with the coolest temperatures don't have the heated pools! I know, we didn't either.

My sister, Romayne & husband, Bob & daughter, Dee & Randy, traveled to Michigan to see her other daughter Deb & family this weekend. I hope they enjoy their trip. They deserve a great time away from home & a visit with their kids that they don't see very many times in a year either!

Here are a few pictures I've taken over the last couple of weeks:

Donna, Larry, Romayne, Bob & Bill at Wiltsie Reunion, Aug. 2008

More Relatives at Wiltsie Reunion, Aug. 2008

Den & his Ice Cream Golf Cart complete with music!

Beautiful sky at campground right before rain

This is a CUTE view at campground!!!!

This is the view we see on our way to Lakewood/Jamestown, NY for our Thursday night hot dogs. Coming from Baker Street down towards Southwestern Central School looking out over Chautauqua Lake. It always looks like the road on the other side should be connected, but this isn't where they ended up putting the bridge across the lake. It just looks like the obvious place, but it wasn't the shortest span. Our Thursday Night tradition, Johnny's Lunch Hot Dogs with sauce! The Best!
Diane (owner) & Bill chatting
Gus in the kitchen working

Nephew, Denny's, Ice Cream Stop, The Igloo, in Frewsburg, NY

Sunset from Sister, Romayne's house on Oak Hill in Frewsburg

Bullock Reunion, Bob, Sonya, Baby Eric, Mark & Suellen, Aug. 2008

Denny M, the Auctioneer. Who Bid WHAT??????

Dave E, Denny & Barb M, Linda M, & Melissa B.

When we went to have work done on our trailer, Bill & I needed to find something to do & we decided to go for a drive. We ended up in East Aurora, NY where Fisher-Price products come from. It was neat to go into the store. Found some bargains too!

Jay from Lime Lake Marine & RV who worked on our trailer, took us to his dad's farm. Took us right to the corn field for fresh sweet corn! They have over 1000 head of dairy cows. This was just one of many pictures. Many in pasture & several hundred more in barns. They milk 700 & when I was growing up I thought 36 was a lot!!!! But then, they don't have to carry the milk in pails anymore like we did!!!!

This is Lime Lake. A beautiful place.

Well, that brings us pretty much up-to-date. Sorry I get so far behind. I'm trying to get a Swedish Weaving blanket done before I leave the campground so my friend, Deanna, can show me how to finish it off. So I guess I could use that for one excuse. But if I can find one excuse, I'd find many, so I guess I'd better not start!

I don't believe the next RV Park we are going to has Wi-Fi, so I may not be able to keep up-to-date unless I journal from my daughters. So I know there won't be anymore pictures.

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

The "Parrot Party" Caribbean Style at H.V. Campground

Well, this was a busy weekend. Although we did find time to shop & relax too.

Friday night we sat by the fire until Bill's friend, Ned, came along & they played cribbage. I heard music & went for a walk. Later Bill & I walked over & stood on the roadway listening until another 5th wheel pulled in & blocked our view. Oh well, didn't want to impose.

Saturday Dee & Jerry went with us for breakfast early in the morning. My friend Toni had told me about Bon-Ton's sale starting at 9AM so I wanted to be there when they opened. I've been looking for a new bathing suit (you know that stretch stuff gets thin over the years!). They had one when I looked a couple of weeks ago, but I didn't want to pay that kind of price. So I got it 60% off, plus a coupon for another 20%. Not bad! Not the one I was looking for, but I liked the one I got better. We shopped a couple other stores & then hit the Dollar General store that was closing in the mall. 10 cents for anything & everything left in the store! Amazing what we bought in there for less than $1.00!! That was worth the gas of driving down to Warren!

After coming back to the campground, the early afternoon was lazy until it was time for Happy Hour, the judging of the fruit/vegetable crafts made by kids that morning. Cute ideas! That was followed at 5 by Cheeseburger Specials for the Jimmy Buffet style evening with the Caribbean air. We all had fun getting in the mood by dressing up a little. I decided to keep my grass skirt for more of a Hawaiian theme! The music was fun. Great listening. Not much dancing until most of the people had left & they started playing more of the oldies. Needless to say, I was one of the last to leave. You know, I hate to have a live band play to an empty building!!

Some pictures of the evening & night:

Decorated Laid Back Banana

Dee's Birds Made Out of Apples

Pineapple Lady
DEE & JERRY

GUESS WHO? That's Us - Bill & Peggy

Cute Little Island Girls
Randy Q (the Boss) & his Gang Cooking the Burgers
1/2 of the Gang Eating
The other 1/2 of the Gang Eating

Frozen T-Shirt Contest - First to get it unfolded & On

He's Almost There - But Was Beat By A Girl!

Look Mom - No Hands! - Swim Noodles
The Rainbow After The Rain

Carved Watermelons - Fish, Sun, Tiki, Parrot by Mel & Kathy

Sunday was my family reunion. Gosh......All I've done is EAT all weekend. I'd like to miss W.W. this week! I was doing good, but I don't think this week will be good! I have 3 more days & I've already run out of extra points! Not good planning.

Today I played ladder golf for the first time. I've seen several people at lots of campgrounds play & wondered how to do it. At the reunion, Ronnie & Sheila L. had the game there. Well, by brother Ray, niece Sheila, nephew Randy & I played. It is harder than I thought. Needless to say, Sheila & I didn't do very well. The only one that had played before was my brother. Now you know who won!

THIS IS MY LAST WEEK TO WORK!!!!! We will be leaving here a week from tomorrow. The summer is almost over!!!! I don't know if I remember how to pack up our trailer for "on the road" mode. It seems like it's been forever & we are ready to move on. Will miss our families, but can't wait to see the kids & grandkids again. They are counting the days!

Dentist appointments this week. Hope we will be all set to travel in that respect. If we can keep our bodies & our trailer in good travel shape, we should be all set.

One more reunion next Sunday & then it's off to see the wizard!

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

Not a very dedicated blogger am I???

Since it's been awhile since I wrote an update, I'll keep it short.

On the 26th of July we celebrated Christmas in July. Everyone had a great time. Kids loved their ride on the wagon with Mr. & Mrs. Santa. On Friday night, about 12 of us went Christmas Caroling from trailer to trailer. Brought back lots of memories of doing this in N. Warren. The park was so full, 4 guys on motorcycles (older guys) camped across from the owner's house on the grass next to the horseshoe pits! They all had their own little pup tents & little chairs. Never heard them leave the next morning! Of course they didn't have Harley's! They really enjoyed our Christmas caroling too. Even took our pictures.

CHRISTMAS IN JULY 2008 PICTURES

Devon with Mr. & Mrs. Santa

Elf Becky Q - Love those shoes!

The week has been hot for a few days, then we get rain, then hot & humid again. Normal ol' NY/PA weather! Can't believe the weather man & they all cover their butts by saying "scattered thundershowers" or "a chance of....". I usually don't worry much about it because when they say 60% we don't get it & when they say 20-30% we usually get it!

This past week Bill completed his "honey dipping" job. It got to be a little much for him with the hotter weather. If I had been smart, I would have given up my job too, but being the nice person I am, I didn't want to leave them without a worker too soon in the season. Since this is a family campground in this part of the campground, August is the time families try to get those last minute vacations in. So my last day won't be until Aug. 8th. We will be leaving here on the 11th to go to Lime Lake Marina & RV (where we bought our trailer) to get ALL (I HOPE) issues with the trailer taken care of.

This weekend is the Jimmy Buffet Parrot Party. I have my Caribbean (Hawaiian) costume ready. Bill won't let me wear what I wanted, ya right, like I'd dare do it anyway! But I do have a grass skirt, a flowered top, a lei & the rest to wear. He said I'd better wear the blouse! Weight Watchers hasn't been that good to me, I don't think I'd dare do it either! Still have some belly fat to get rid of!

Will have pictures of this weekend on the next post.

The shots I had in my back last week helped about 1/100th. Needless to say, won't be here to take the next step in treatment, so I'm hoping just giving it a rest after I quit working will help a lot.

Tomorrow morning our friends Dee & Jerry are going out for breakfast with us & then to do some quick shopping. I need a new bathing suit really bad & Bon-Ton is having a great sale starting at 9AM. So I want to be there when the doors open. I saw a suit I liked in there, but I'm not willing to pay the price they were asking, so I'm looking for a bargain.

Wed. night I went shopping at Salvation Army for my blouse for the party this weekend. I was so excited when I found something that would work & it was half off. That means I paid $1.50. When the sales girl told me everything in the store (except yellow tickets) were 1/2 off, I went back in & bought 3 sweaters for my grandsons. I was really excited. They were almost new. I'm one of those bargain hunters & I hate to shop!

Just want to wish Snookie a Happy Belated Birthday! Sorry girl, I'm even behind in my reading! Had my nose stuck in a couple of good books again!

Time for a shower & to bed!

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

Where Did The Week Go????

Since we couldn't reach our friend Tom M. on the phone today................HAPPY 75th BIRTHDAY to a very special guy! Can't wait to see you guys back in AZ!!!!!!

Yesterday was our daughter, Renee's birthday. A VERY SPECIAL BIRTHDAY TO A VERY SPECIAL GAL! Hope the men in your life made it special too! We miss you & will see you very soon!

Gosh, where did the week go???? I swear retirement & this life style of full-time RVing is like going down a mountain road without brakes!!! It seems like just yesterday I was looking at Monday with the hum-drum attitude of another week with just cleaning & resting.

Well, the hum-drum attitude stayed with me through the week on Mon., Wed. & Fri.-Sat. for cleaning, but whenever I think I'm going to sit down & relax, the day is gone!

Thursday was a fun day though. I spent most of Wed. evening getting ready for Thursday's lunch with my girlfriends! That was special! Then at the last minute, Marilyn decided she could come! That made it all the more fun. All four of us got to spend time relaxing, telling tales & reminiscing. Since we all worked together, there is always something to talk about. Especially since now we don't know hardly anyone who works at the State where we did!!!

While the girls were here, the doctors office called to see if I could come in on a last minute opening. Since it was for 3:30, the girls said fine, that would work. And since Bill wasn't here (you know, leaving the girls to do their girl thing), they gave me a ride to Warren. Bill caught up with me while I was still in for my exam after coming all the way back to the trailer, reading the note, & then coming back to Warren. Anyway, I got to go to the doctor 2 weeks early so he can start me on a series of shots. That made me feel a lot better. I was getting nervous that it would be too late in the month & the beginning of Aug., that we would be leaving before he could accomplish anything. Sounds like he will be doing the same exact procedure that I had done prior to March of 2001 (which was the last time I've had anything done). That makes me feel a lot more confident in a new doctor. So this Thurs. I go for my first shots. The only problem was I had to quit taking my arthritis meds & wow, I guess they were working! Oh well, soon to be over.

Yesterday the campground had a flea market going on. Didn't see anything I wanted. I have enough to haul around without adding someone elses stuff. I probably had some I could get rid of, but when I go to my daughter Renee's, she could use it more than it's worth to sit out there & not sell anything. I had enough of that sale stuff last year when we had our household sale!!

Today, Sunday, we took my sister Romayne & brother-in-law Bob out to a chicken BBQ in Ellington, NY at the fire hall. Boy was it delicious. First time I've ever gone to one that after they put the chicken on your plate you got to help yourself to the side dishes along with dessert! Made it nice because I could get as little as I wanted. I was good & even took Angel Food cake with pineapple for dessert. Of course, yesterday, at Nicole & Travis' wedding, I ate 2 pieces of wedding cake!!!!! That's what happens when they have chocolate & white, have to try them both!

It has been a beautiful weekend. A little rain off & on today, but not enough to spoil any plans. A little cooler tonight....not so sticky.

Tomorrow night our friends, Cindy & Denny, are coming down for a fire & supper. Depending on the weather, whether we have hot dogs or grill something better. 60% chance of rain, so it probably means we will grill.

Next Monday night a couple from our old hometown are coming to talk to us & ask questions about full-timing. I'm sure we won't have all the answers as a lot comes from experience, but it will be fun to talk with them. They sound like they have been doing a lot of planning, so I hope they don't give up before they start.

Well, bloggers, I took my camera with me today & when I went to take my first pictures......ya dummy me......dead batteries & I didn't bring the spares with me! Oh well. We did see 2 fawns right at the beginning of our ride through the country on our way to eat! Might know! You can bet they are in the charger right now! I guess I don't think about how often I need to charge them. As I said, the weeks go fast!

Okay, don't think I have anything else to write about. So until next time......The Traveling Cardinal's

Beautiful Week

Gosh, we have had a beautiful week! That's different coming from me huh? Really, the weather has been very pleasant. A few hot & humid days, but most days we've had a nice breeze. It rained today, but I guess after a week we needed it. No storm, just a nice rain until about 4pm then it got sunny & nice again. Suppose to be a beautiful week ahead.

This past week I made an angel tree. Going to give it away as a gift. Deanna F. taught the class on Thurs. at craft time. The biggest challenge was getting the little nails in all around the bottom (can't see them in the picture). It is really pretty neat when you are all done. I didn't like the looks of mine so on Sat. I kind of did a little re-do. Now I like it better. It was a real challenge then though, as the fishing line was already strung around it & you couldn't put a hot glue gun inside for any redo's. Took a little innovative thinking, but it worked.

The rest of the week was pretty normal, nothing exciting. Went out to eat a couple nights as on Fri. night we had to go to our hometown church to have our pictures taken for the new directory, so we went out for supper after.

Today we were invited to Bill's brother's house for dinner this afternoon. Delicious. First pretty good size meal she has made since coming home from Pittsburgh hospital. She is gaining everyday & even drove the car yesterday. After the last set back, she was beginning to wonder if she could make it through or not. Just will take time for healing & strength.

I'm looking forward to Thursday this week as my girlfriends, Toni & MaryAnn, are coming for lunch. Can't wait to have that good ol' fashion gab session. Hopefully it will be a nice day & we can be outside.

Well, that's about it for the past few days & the days ahead. Until next time......The Traveling Cardinal's