What the heck

do you think these little buildings are? NO they are not outhouses!

We've passed many many many of them in the two weeks we've been here in the northern Indiana Amish country ~ well last week I finally found out what they are. Any guesses? And yes I know some of these shots aren't great, but I do what I have to do when I'm driving ya know - and the worst were taken yesterday when Sir and I were in the car and Rick was behind us in the coach returning to the "campground" from having the sofa removed and Rick's chair installed at the chair maker about 15 miles down the road. I had to get a shot of the log cabin tiny building and Arlo isn't real adept at the photography yet so .....

Below is a photo taken last week (or so) that I thought was kind of comical - seriously did you ever think of Amish buggies and Walfart aka Walmart in the same thought process? Well I didn't - it just doesn't work in my head but seeing is believing - is this odd to anyone other than myself? It seems like a culture conflict - but trust me, in these parts it is sort of the "norm"!!! Who woulda thunk it!!

So all our new furniture has arrived and been put in its "proper" location in the coach and we are outta here in the morning. We'll be headed (as is the "plan" ~ HA HA HA ~ right now) to the Elks Lodge in Greenfield, IN (160 or so miles south of here - just outside Indianapolis I believe) for a few days ... from there well perhaps Louisville, KY as we make our way to Choudrant, LA for an appointment for more coach mods mid November then swiftly (well as swiftly as we are able!) to the Keys from there.

It will be nice to be back "on the road" - we've been here for two weeks and as I said to Rick yesterday, I'm glad I love this area 'cause we've sort of been in limbo for a lot of that time waiting for furniture to be made and OUR changes in furniture plans! This is not the greatest "camping" spot we've been in (we LOVE staying at lodges, but this one is so smokey that I've only been in it once and that was for about 10 minutes - I couldn't take it and had to leave - AH a reformed smoker I guess huh!). But then again, that's part of the fun of this adventure - different strokes for different folks and seeing them first hand! On top of that we are in the midst of major train routes (trains with about 150 cars each) that run less than a mile from our site 24 hours a day and being that there are several major crossings within three miles in any direction it is constant train blasts. It was "charming" early on, but now ~ well not so much and it has contributed significantly to both of our lack of sleep. It does not seemed to have affected Sir's sleep however!

Today was a gorgeous, beautiful day that seemed like late May or early June in New England except the colors were all wrong - being that it is October the colors are yellow and red but the temperature was in the vicinity of 70 degrees - a day better suited to getting the bikes out after weeks of cold and rain and putting a few miles on them rather than running around with the furniture stuff. Oh well there are bound to be lots of riding days ahead ~ right.

Plans ~ WHAT plans

First and most importantly .... We have a new nephew ~ Camden Charles Harrington ~ born at 3:39 Saturday morning. Congratulations Owen, Jess and Brayden.

Yup, we were leaving Goshen yesterday. Nope we didn't leave Goshen yesterday. We did pick up my new chair on Friday as planned. Saturday we went to pick up the new end table, as planned, but nope we didn't pick it up - it wasn't done!

So while we were picking up my chair Rick asked the "guy" if what I had told him was true, that the company would remove the sofa in the coach - well son of a gun, I was right! With that confirmed, Rick decided to go ahead and order a chair (which we will pick up tomorrow). Further, we decided if the sofa was going and a chair was coming that would create space in the living room slide to accommodate a computer desk .... so we will be picking that up on Wednesday as well as my end table. Crazy huh ~ but we are in Amish Country here in northern Indiana and the Amish are outstanding furniture builders (among other things). I'll post a picture when everything gets "back to normal" HA!

At the moment this coach is in such a state of disarray it is just unbelievable. Plus I have been a sewing lunatic lately - craft kind of projects and will be starting a couple more Muffin dresses soon but have been diverted by the craft stuff. Rick reminded me this afternoon as we were sitting around a campfire (yes, in the afternoon!!) how many times I said NO MORE SEWING for me - that's it, I'm done - I got so burnt out doing it for $$$ for so many years....... yeah yeah yeah, but this is now and I have a bit of "free time" I guess plus another thing I love about this area (there is so so so much I love about this area) is the fabulous fabric stores the Amish run. I was in one last week in Emmatown - imagine trying to pick out fabric and match/coordinate colors by gas lamps! It was an experience. I stopped at a terrific one on the way home from the furniture builder on Saturday - I was out of control - the fabrics were so nicely displayed and terrifically priced I just couldn't help or stop myself!

Now I will vent ~ about common sense or lack there of. Rick went to the local Buffalo Wild Wings yesterday to watch the Patriots stomp all over the Titans. We don't have the football package on our satellite television so sometimes we have to go out to watch the Patriots. I stayed home and worked on my sewing projects. I had asked Rick to bring me home a flatbread, so he ordered it and ordered blue cheese or ranch dressing with it (can't remember which) ~ well they charged him 89 cents for the flippin' dressing - he told them to keep it. He'd been sitting there most of the afternoon eating and drinking and eating and ended with a bill of around $40. and they wanted to charge him 89 cents for dressing that should have come with the flippin flatbread to begin with - where was the waitresses' common sense?

Vent #2 - I called a local hairdresser (Fiesta Salons - apparently a national chain - never heard of them but anyway ...) today to make an appointment for a cut and color. Keep in mind I've had colors all over the country and ALWAYS bring my color formula with me to the appointments - I have the formula for three brands of hair color and I can't tell you how often I've heard, oh we can match these - I've walked out with RED hair I've walked out with BLACK hair and sometimes I even walk out with brown hair like I'm suppose to. So today when I was making the appointment I asked the girl what brands of color they use - her reply was "we can't give that information over the phone"! What the hell is that all about?!?! It made absolutely no sense to me (does it make sense to anyone???? If so please explain it to me) Needless to say, I cancelled the appointment - so that foolish rule cost the joint $100. Where is the common sense in that one? UGH UGH UGH .....

Good night all ~

This is why ~

I love this northern Indiana area we are in. Isn't it gorgeous?

When we were returning from Wakarusa on Sunday church was letting out - isn't this an interesting shot (albeit not the clearest photo I've ever taken - hazard of taking pictures while driving - sort of like taking pictures while walking - ankle still swollen and messy after how many weeks!)

This barn struck me as quite funny - I don't recall ever seeing a barn where cows get to look out at the beautiful scenery while in their stanchions eating. Is there a name for such a set up Kim and/or Jack?

TA DAH ~ the pumpkin tree in Downtown Wakarusa!

Also there is a lamppost decorating contest in Wakarusa ~



The two below were outside the local veterinarian's office.




below was my favorite - outside a realtor's office

outside the American Legion post

Also, while we were there the town (and I swear all 2000 residents were at this event) was celebrating the completion of a new community playground!

So that was our day in Wakarusa, Indiana!

It seems we will be leaving the area on Sunday. This afternoon we will be picking up my chair and tomorrow we will be picking up the end table. Sunday we will be heading south - making our way to Louisiana before we head to the Keys.

Yes

We are still out here. We are in Indiana (northern).

I've been trying and trying to find the missing (misplaced) photos of the last of our Great Lakes tour. The missing part is the day we were returning from the Upper Peninsula with Larry, Sheila and Donni. We stopped at a great place called "Legs Inn" as well as seeing two "largest cherry pies" - both holders of Guinness Book of Records honors and 50 miles from one another!

Remember that I had fallen and destroyed an ankle on one leg and thought I'd broken a toe on the other (yeah I was quite a sight trying to walk (hobble) for several days - the ankle still isn't right but then again ..... oh never mind). Well the camera I was talking photos with as I was walking and falling is history so I had to revert back to the old one. I set the date wrong (DAH) on that one when I fired it up again so the most recent photos were lost in iphoto incorrect date land!

With all that said - here we are in northern Indiana - gorgeous, beautiful, northern Indiana AMISH country. I LOVE Amish country whether it be Pennsylvania, Ohio, Iowa, Michigan or Indiana - for whatever reason I love it. I am so intrigued by it and hopefully will be going to Menno-Hof tomorrow for better insight into it all.

When we came to this area one of our plans was to search out some new (replacement) furniture - chairs and end table to replace my noisy and very uncomfortable chair and the sofa and replace a fairly useless coffee table with something more functional as well as a computer desk ... well that hasn't worked so well ~ mainly because the chair place had moved and we didn't realize it (and now are near ready to move on) the chairs at best take two days to make with in stock fabric - three weeks with to order fabric and the furniture builders are in CO for a couple months and we can't seem to locate what we're looking for among the many other furniture builders in the area!!! UGH frustration abounds lately - cold and frustration - I wonder if there is a connection.

We've been to several small (read under 2000 people) towns in the area - lovely cool, crisp fall days and rides in beautiful country - GREAT stuff this is.

We also went to the RV/motorhome Hall of Fame (seriously!) the other day (more of the photo events library snafu) and today we went to Wakarusa (pop -2000) to see their pumpkin tree as well as fall street decoration event - great small town America ... hopefully now that I've got all photos back in place I'll post a few from the last two weeks.

Tonight, just as I was researching flights to get myself to NC for a Connor fix Joshua called to inform me that a rare (very rare) opportunity awaits - Connor had consented to get on Skype with Grammie ~ thankfully Rick had just walked in the door so he and Connor got to do their beloved "Tigger Hop". I am trying to figure if I should go to NC next week from Louisville or perhaps when we are in the Jacksonville, FL area - I could sign Sir up the Dog Resort at the Jacksonville area and fly to Connorland while Rick and Chester "played" unencumbered by Master Arlo and Ms Tracey (probably the best of the options for all involved) for a few days before we head south to the Keys .... decisions decisions but one thing is for sure - I am overdue for a Connor Fix.........

It's just superior

Back to our Upper Peninsula trip ~ When we were there (being "Yoopers") we went to the Soo Locks in Sault St. Marie. I am so intrigued by the locks - I loved seeing them in Panama and I loved seeing them in the U.P.

We were fortunate enough to see two ships going through and being raised 21 feet. It was surprising how quickly it was done. Once the ships were in the lock, secured and the gates closed it took about 15 minutes or so to raise them that distance. These ships were 700+ feet long - so interesting.

We continued our journey along Lake Superior - with, of course playtime for Sir Arlo! The water was quite cold, but Sir still had play time!

The rest of the photos in this post were taken at Whitefish Point. Isn't it beautiful! There is a shipwreck museum there (which we didn't go into - at $12. per person), a bird observatory and a couple Coast Guard buildings.

One of the Coast Guard buildings is now a bed and breakfast. I think you'd LOVE it wouldn't you Candy!

It's $150. night - queen bed with private bath.

A wooden rudder from a ship ~ the thing is massive!

And Lake Superior is beautiful. I think perhaps the prettiest of them, but I'm not certain. I know it is the largest and deepest - word has it if Lake Superior were empty, the other four lakes combined couldn't fill it!!

Stay tuned for the rest of our Great Lakes tour from this past weekend. Hope you enjoy.

the people ~ it's about the people

I've said so many times since we started our full time journey that one of the best parts has been the people we've met. So many people with such interesting stories.

Case in point ~ Jim Armstrong. Shown below in his office. I suspect Kimberly and Jack realize right away what Jim does for work by looking at this picture!

We met Jim a couple nights ago at the Moose Lodge in Greenville, MI where we stayed for five or six nights. Jim is a sales rep for Select Sires. In other words he sells bull semen - the "containers" you see in his office each contain many vials (or "straws" as they are called) of frozen semen. A sperm bank for cows.

So apparently when a farmer wants his cows to have calves he goes to this chart and selects the bull and uses the selected semen to impregnate the cow (there are directions on the Select Sires website, but when I went back to link it to this post I couldn't find it, but it IS there somewhere)! Hmmmmmmm

One of the best parts has been the interesting people.

Big Mac

NO not from McDonalds ... THIS is a really BIG Mac or Mighty Mac.

This weekend we went to Michigan's Upper Peninsula via Big Mac - aka the Mackinaw Bridge. Jeezum crow is that bridge hugemongous! The bridge separates Lake Huron (on the east) and Lake Michigan (on the west). All the photos in this post are of Lake Michigan.

We went with Larry, Sheila and Donni (the parents and aunt of my daughter in law Trisha). What terrific tour guides they are!

We left the Carson City area around 3:00 (after we picked Donni and Sheila up from their jobs) on Friday and headed north for our approximately 200 mile journey. It was rainy and windy for the majority of the trip up there. In fact because of the winds the bridge had a reduced speed limit and trucks were being escorted over the bridge. Please take the time to check out the link listed above ~ it is incredibly informative and there are also web cams there of the bridge. The Michigan DOT did a terrific job on that site.

Lake Michigan was our fourth great lake - we saw Lake Ontario when we were in the Rochester, NY area, Lake Erie when we were in Ashtabula, OH and Lake Huron when we were in Petersburg, MI and again when we were in Port Sanilac, MI.

Lucky Sir Arlo has played, swam and drank from four great lakes - is he one lucky dog or what?

Stay tuned for more posts from this terrific weekend ~ right now I have to go to bed - I'm beat!