Friends and Family

Okay so I can't remember everything and this picture was supposed to be in the previous article so let me introduce you to our friends Tom and Mary.  We spent Thanksgiving dinner with them at the Tin Top restaurant in Bon Secour near Gulf Shores (tintoprestaurant.com) check out their menu!

Tom and Mary at the lighthouse at Pensacola Naval Air Station

It was great of them to stop by on their way to Titusville and share Thanksgiving with us.

Sharon's cousin Marcia and her husband John rolled into town after a fitful start to their new RV life. Breakdown after breakdown with their Class C punctuated by a 'to hell with it' and traded it in half way on their trip here with a newer model on their very first RV adventure. Their story gets funnier as time passes but at the time not so much. Anyway if you ever get the chance, ask them about it. It's a grin. Based on those experiences I think they'll fit right in to the full timers life. Overcoming adversity is part of the RV life.
We joined them for dinner their first night here at one of the areas more famous eateries. Lamberts (throwedrolls.com) is best known for the antics the waiters pull and the throwing of hot dinner rolls from across the room than their food but its still a 'must stop' when in the area.

Survived the 'throwed roll attack'

As Christmas nears what yearly event does Gulf Shores share with the great metropolis of New York you might ask. Well it's the annual Christmas parades.  As Paul Revere almost once said... "One of by land and one of by Sea". Yes, two parades. One through the downtown area and the other a boat parade along the intercoastal waterway. As luck would have it the weather was tolerable, though a little chilly, so we joined Sharon's GISD (not so secret government agency) friends Marlene and her husband Paul and Linda and her hubby John curbside to take in the first parade. The high school band, floats, kids throwing candy like they were fastballs at Tiger stadium and of course, Santa riding atop a bright red fire truck. A good time was had by all.

Linda, John,Paul Sharon, Marlene and two mysterious fingers

Can you spot the snowbirds?

Pretty snazzy float I'd say.

Marlene unsuccessfully trying to tell Santa she's been good this year.

A few days later it was the local mariners who had their big parade on the intercoastal waterway between Lulu's and the Wharf, two very well attended watering holes for locals and tourists alike. We attended this event in past years but weather kept the boats and the crowds to barely a hand full of participants. It was a whole different story this year as the weather was good and upwards of 40 some boats took up the challenge. So Sharon and I, her cousin Marcia and husband John, and Paul and Marlene headed early to Tacky Jacks (tackyjacks.com) to get waterside seats, something to eat, and some much needed libation. Good thing we got there early as the crowd soon filled the place. Beers and bushwackers soon warmed us up and the boat parade soon began.

The newest Tacky Jacks on the Intercoastal

Paul and Marlene

John and Marcia

Tradition has it that you leave a message while here

Note our date 12-13-14 ... pretty neat eh?

Getting ready to parade

Nice sportfishman

Size matters. Nicely decorated 60 foot houseboat

And so it goes. Another night of frivolity and soaking up the local culture and beer. The parade goes along the waterway for several miles and ends with a big party at Flippers Seafood Oyster Bar and Grill (flippersrestaurant.com) in Orange Beach. We missed the party this year as us oldsters were already past our curfew.

Still 'Livin' the Dream' on the Gulf Coast ... and enjoying family and friends.

Phil

A thankful time

Another Thanksgiving is under (literally) my belt and I should take a little time to ponder all the things I should be thankful for.

I want to thank that unknown turkey who involuntarily sacrificed itself to find a place on my dinner plate. I could have been a little more kind but prime rib wasn't on the menu that day.

I want to thank my RV for going a couple of days with nothing breaking or not working.

I want to thank my old TrailBlazer for only breaking a little bit the past few days. Seems that right side headlight just can't remain lit. Works mostly in the daytime but not so much at night. Sort of like me I guess.

I want to thank our friends Tom and Mary for taking the time to pay us a visit. We so enjoyed seeing them and sharing the holiday with us.

I want to thank our kids for allowing us the time to spend our retirement years just doing our ‘thing’. We've little worry about either of them succeeding in life or understanding what it takes to be a parent themselves. They make us feel like we may have done something right.

I’m thankful for having the sense to get up and walk out of a doctors office after waiting 3 ¼ hours for him to see me. And I really liked the stunned expression on the nurse's face as I explained my displeasure.

So with one holiday behind us and another soon here we’re certainly thankful that, before long, both friends and family will be here visiting us.

Thankful for lots of things and still livin’ the dream.

Phil

Winter Wonderland visitors

It took Mother Nature to get them going, and none too soon. Our old friends Bill and June just barely escaped the cold grip of winter and left their home as the snow flakes were licking at their heels. Though headed for Texas, they took a bit of a detour and stopped down our way to spend a few days in the Gulf Shores area with us.

They barely had their power cord plugged in and we showed up at their park unexpectedly. I guess we were anxious. They probably had plans to relax a little before socializing but no ... we had to drag them out to one of the areas better shrimp dinner places Fish River Grill #2 (http://fishrivergrill.com/Home.aspx). Starting off with some 'swamp soup',  fried pickles, and a round of drinks, we worked to cram in as much 'catching up' as possible. Since we do go back a long ways, old memories surfaced as fast as we gobbled down the fried shrimp. It was good to see them.

So the next few days were spent sightseeing, jabbering and trying out new places to eat. Bill and June had been through this area a number of years ago and remembered a place near the causeway to Mobile. The Oyster House (http://www.originaloysterhouse.com/) has been around a while, and by the looks of the crowd there, still very popular. We all enjoyed the food and the great view.

Bill and June at the Oyster House

As their visit came to an end we still had to make two more stops. First was lunch at the Tin Top Restaurant in Bon Secour near Gulf Shores (http://tintoprestaurant.com/ourmenus/bonsecour-menu/). A repeat visit for them and a multiple repeat stop for us, we were once again not disappointed.

Following a leisurely lunch, our final stop was a short ride out to Billy's Seafood shop (http://www.billys-seafood.com/). Located on the Bon Secour River, this local fresh seafood legend is the place to go for fresh shrimp and fish. Billy's is not your normal brick and mortar shop but a dockside jumble of flimsy walls covered with aged plastic film, extremely friendly and knowledgeable help, and mounds and mounds of fresh seafood on ice. They'll answer all your questions ... tell you about all the different variates, explain how to cook it, or even cook it for you. And if you want some sent to you great aunt in Seattle, they can do that too.

We'll be eating this red snapper in a few days

June had her eye on this little beauty. Looks like a hybrid bluegill to me.

Maybe something a little different for Thanksgiving?

With Royal Reds (that tastes like lobster) deep water shrimp in the foreground, Bill is trying to figure out how many he can carry in his cooler. Everyone nearby must get to his Texas camp soon before they are all consumed.

Let me get this straight ... you want 5 pounds of each type?

And so it goes. Their time here was too short but it's always good to see them. They have several short stops along their way to Texas and they were off once again this morning. Safe travels friends.

Bill and June

The weather here is like most of the country east of the Mississippi. Cold ... cold .... cold. This morning it was a crisp 23 degrees. Fortunately headed for the 70's in a few days but devastating on the tender plants in the area. I wonder what happens to all the butterflies as well.

We're still upset with Gulf State Park in that their formally excellent WiFi system is not working in this end of the park. I hear "they're working on it" everyday as I pass the entrance gate attendant. Three weeks has passed and it's pretty sad that a state facility can't get it fixed. I've talked with others and it's really a sore spot with most of them. I'm sure we're not the only ones considering leaving and not returning. On site Internet availability is no longer a luxury but a necessity for most of us.

But considering that I have no snow to shovel, like back home, this still is a pretty nice place to be. We're very fortunate and still livin' the dream.

Phil

Checking out the area

Okay this may be a little cruel but this is a little of what we have to deal with on the Gulf coast. Butterflies ... lots of butterflies. You folks in the north remember those beautiful little critters ... flitting about the garden last summer. You now know where they spend their winters. Some smart gardener will instantly know what kind of flowering bush this is, but whatever it is ... the butterflies were covering it by the dozens. Quite a sight. My cell phone camera didn't do the scene justice but I thought it might remind you of what next summer may look like.

Winter on the Gulf

While wandering around Pensacola the other day we caught sight of this old steamer parked along side a busy boulevard heading into town. There was no place to park nearby so I just had a short amount of time to pull into a no-parking area and snap a photo or two. The "Pride of Pensacola" was built in 1912 and remained in service until 1956. It was part of the Saint Louis - San Francisco Railway Company and was nicknamed the "Frisco". She had more than one million miles of service. For you railroad buffs she originally was 2-8-0 converted to a 2-8-2 around 1943.

The "Frisco" #1355

The Gulf coast shoreline along Florida, Alabama, Louisiana, Mississippi and Texas have many inlets, canals, and rivers which act as natural harbors for the large private fishing fleet that thrives here along the Gulf. As this armada of small vessels ages, some are refurbished, some are dismantled and some are well... laid to rest. You'd think the proper way of ending the career of any respectful shrimp boat would be to scuttled it at sea but this poor soul has met a less glorious end.

The SS Minnow ???

Speaking of ships ... I found this behemoth (531 ft) docked in Pensacola an odd one, the Global 1200 was certainly not designed for racing. After studying it for sometime dockside, I could not figure out what this ship was tasked for. With a huge crane affixed to its bow the ship it was apparently designed for lifting something heavy ... but I was not sure what. Later investigation yielded that its mission is laying pipe in deep sea locations. With a crew of near 250, this ship was recently in service off the coast of South America.

Global 1200

We had a little misfortune with our coach because the exhaust pipe for the AquaHot heating system decided to rust itself to death and fell to the ground beneath the coach shortly after arriving in Gulf Shores. Since cooler weather is upon us, the need for that system to keep us warm is pretty high. We do have some backup ability and an electric space heater, but before too long I need to get this fixed. Not as simple as taking it to the local Tuffy Muffler shop but once I figure out what I'm going to do I'll let you know.

So from butterflies to ocean going ships, we trudge along exploring what's around us. Lots to see and do and still livin' the dream.

Phil

Our journey is complete

Moving right along ... our next stop was a unique RV park in Gadsden Alabama. Better than midway between Chattanooga and Montgomery, this county owned park was almost surrounded by water. There were not many campers there but I think the park gets a lot of visitors none the less. After careful inspection I noticed that virtually every major tree in the park (and there were many and big) was strung with thousands of Christmas lights. I can only imagine when later in November they power these up it will be spectacular. Apparently it is quite an attraction for the locals during the holiday season. The place was neat as a pin, sites were all level and they locked the gate at 10pm each night. So if you're travelling south on I58 south of Chattanooga about 100 miles look for the town of Gadsden and head for the River Country RV Park.

I got the grill out and cooked our dinner while the sun was setting. Shortly after the sun was down here was our view.

A three quarter moon helps light our landscape

We were progressing to our final destination a little too fast as it turned out.  Our reservation at Gulf State Park begins November 1st and that was still four days away. However we were only, at the most,  a two day drive.  So Sharon got on the phone and asked if we could arrive early and they agreed so now we had to find one final place to stay along our route. As you might have guessed we do not plan our trips very far in advance. Maybe a day or two at the most we'll make a reservation but sometimes not until the day of arrival. Works for us but does limit us to where we stay sometimes. We're not WalMart fans preferring the security of a commercial establishment. Works for us.

So we have one more overnighter and found a spot off I65 near Hope Hull Alabama south of Montgomery. Montgomery South RV Park is little park that was well kept and had nice pull-thrus for easy entrance and exits. Clean showers and very personable owners, this is a great place for a one or two night stay.

The next day we had maybe 150 miles to go so it was a good distance for my current abilities.

I might note that we made the trip south mostly avoiding I65 which I would have used leaving the Indianapolis area. It's the fastest route but the last two trips on that interstate cured me of taking the coach there. Once leaving Indianapolis the road conditions were terrible. Reminded me of driving around the Flint MI area or I10 between Houston and New Orleans a few years ago. Absolutely bone jarring road surfaces loosening about everything in the coach and reducing speeds to about 45mph, if you're lucky. I knew I had to meet up with I65 again on the trip but would not do so until reaching Montgomery. Not to be disappointed, no sooner than I got into Montgomery the road turned to crap. Thankfully that only lasted about two miles and all was smooth again. So far only two miles of the 1100 we had travelled were ugly. I can live with that!

The final leg of the trip was, like most of the trip, uneventful. We pulled into Gulf State Park, confirmed our site reservation and got set up. Before the sunset we did manage to find the Fish River Grill #2 up in Foley for our first shrimp dinner. OMG it great to be back.

The park is in great shape with the exception of one item. One very important item I might add. Apparently lightening had hit the park's WIFI system twice within the past few weeks. So no WIFI ... which really angers me. I now make it almost a daily trip to the office to complain. Nobody listens as most are work campers but at least I can vent a little. We've now purchased a 10 gig data plan on our hotspot. A cost I didn't want but without it could not get this blog out. I had a fix-it guy come to the coach and fix my kitchen sink and the Dish Network guy stopped by and aligned our satellite dish so most everything is now ship shape.

We're happy to be here. Only very minor problems along the way and very happy that we made it safely.

Still livin' the dream.

Phil

More good times

Our next stop was just northeast of Knoxville near the little town Portland TN off eastbound I40. Located on the western side of the Great Smokey Mountains, it was a good place to bivouac the coach, leaving the trip over the mountains (to visit my sister in Asheville) to our old trusty TrailBlazer. The park was a little rough but sufficient for our purposes.

We had a great visit at my sister and brother-in-laws in the Asheville area. What a neat place to live. We enjoyed a special evening out at the Red Stag restaurant adjacent to the entrance of the famous Biltmore Estate. Much like dining in an old English hunting lodge with a variety of wild game mounts throughout, dark woods and leathers ... even the menu had some very unique items. Sharon opted for the elk fillet special; paired with several wines and a special desert. Old fashioned me settled on a rib-eye. Both meals were outstanding.

Here are the girls basking in the glow of the electronic menu and the pear cosmopolitans. The cosmos keep them smiling for some time.

The KOA we stayed at was not the finest one we've been in but it was again sufficient for our needs. Much better than driving the coach the one and a half hour drive over the mountains to Asheville, as far as I was concerned.

We did take an interesting little side trip while near Portland. Actually not a planned stop but just stumbled upon the place while exploring the surrounding countryside.  The Bush's Bean Company was located on a two lane, winding road somewhere between Portland and Sevierville. We were pretty surprised when we rounded the bend and discovered this icon of Sharon favorite baked bean recipe. Apparently a real tourist trap as there were tour buses, a gift shop, museum, and a restaurant. Plenty of oldsters were waiting in line so we passed on eating there but did tour the gift shop. It later dawned on me why the restaurant and gift shop were a little chilly inside. They left the windows open. Can you imagine a place that specialized in beans and a room full of seniors on a hot summer afternoon?

Beans and Ham

Little by little we're inching our way south, taking it easy and enjoying the fantastic weather. We started our trip when the fall colors were ebbing and are following the color tour south at just about the right pace. Fall colors abound.

No dispute here ... we're still livin' the dream.

Phil

And so it begins

Our first stop was our old home town of Battle Creek. We still have family and friends there so it was good to get together once again before heading south for the winter. We parked the rig at the Turkeyville RV park near Marshall MI. Plenty of room … a relatively new park  and a great restaurant to eat at if you like turkey. I can really recommend the turkey sandwich. Fresh baked turkey is used with all meals. Just like an early Thanksgiving. We had a great meal there with Sharon’s folks and her sister Gay. Even if you don’t have an RV stop there for lunch. You’ll like this place.  We even had a little surprise in seeing my old fishing partner Dave and his wife Carol pull their rig right across from us. We could not have planned it any better.

We got together with our old friends George and Paula and Bill and June at Win Schulers restaurant in Marshall like we to try to do every year that we head south for the winter. As usual the meal was good and the conversation ... as good as it gets.

It didn’t take long down the road before I realized that my driving plan was maybe a little too ambitious. I tired easily and finding a place to rest for a few minutes every 75 miles or so was the answer. So what’s the rush anyway?

Our next stop was Anderson Indiana. As close as we could get to Sharon's sister and brother-in-law's beautiful new home in Carmel. As usual John and Linda made us feel right at home and we truly enjoyed our visit with them. We also managed to locate the local casino knowing that it would be the last gambling fix Sharon would have in a couple of weeks. We left with most of our clothes and maybe even a dollar or two extra.

Breaking News! Our old nemesis … water … has sought us out once again. Seems wherever we go water leaks seek us out and test not only our patience but resourcefulness. Not long after leaving the RV park in Indiana at our first rest stop, we discovered the kitchen floor was all wet. Figuring the refrigerator had sprung a leak I immediately shut off the water supply to it. Whoops … wrong answer.  It was still coming out on our brand new floor! ‘Oh darn!’ (expletive replaced) I said.  I then looked under the kitchen sink and could see that there was the problem. Something wrong with the new faucet. I went outside and found that shutoff valve and returned to help Sharon clean up. You know the phrase …”not a happy camper”? Well she was not happy. There was nothing I could do about it now so we just motored on. Thankfully the bathroom sink was there as it was now our most useful source of running water.

We stopped in a park just west of Cincinnati only to discover that we visitors were kind of expected to care for some of the ‘locals’. We learned in the morning that the ‘locals’ would go from site to site expecting something to eat for their morning breakfast. At first I was a little put-off by the expectations but soon fell in line and provided what was needed. As you can see here the small group had just left our door and were heading to my neighbors across the street for maybe something better.

They managed to eat a half a loaf of our stale bread. Two of the more senior ‘locals’ actually rested their heads on my knee hoping that something might fall their way rather than fight with the youngsters as I tossed out the crumbs.

The coach was running smoothly, the roads were smooth, the weather was great and we're 'still livin' the dream'.

Phil

I'm baaaaccckkk !

Okay I’m bad. Lazy, inconsiderate, thoughtless …did I mention lazy? 

Leaving my loyal readers stranded like that scruffy hitchhiker at the entrance ramp to southbound I94. I’ve finally crawled out of my hibernation den … my fingers are limbered up and my mind crammed with semi-worthless anecdotes that clutter my mind and now need to be released. So here we go again … trying to explain what it’s like ‘livin’the dream’. The Cliff Notes version of what's been going on since my last entry.

Our previous winter, better known as the winter from hell, kept us at home for the first time in about 6 years. 92 inches of snow was the cold medicine that convinced us that we no longer belonged in the northern climes in the winter. To be honest we did have some very good reasons to stay home. Like Sharon needed a new hip, the motorhome needed an interior remodel and we needed to get reacquainted with kids and grand kids. We survived the winter and headed for our summer nest in South Haven. So a rather uneventful summer passed … doing the normal things we do … visit friends and family, enjoy the fruits, vegetables, and sites of the South Haven area and relax.  So as summer closed we needed to get the coach and house in order for this winter’s trip south. I got a little detained by inhaling some toxic chemicals included in some grass seed I got to reseed my lawn. Four days in the hospital, and maybe a year of recovery we needed to head south as the weathermen all say this winter will be a repeat of the last year's mess.

So the house is closed up and the coach is ready to go and the only thing that I really needed to pay attention to was to my stamina. Still recovering from the chemical burns in my lungs, the notion of not being able to drive the thousand miles gave us some concern. Others learned of my concerns and out of the blue my brother-in-law offered to help us out and drive the coach south for us. Within another day or so my friend Bill and neighbor Tom each offered to do the same thing. This outpouring of friendship was something I won’t forget. I had about two weeks to make up my mind if I wanted to take one of the volunteers up on their offer and during that time I started to feel a little better and finally decided that I could drive if I really took it easy and drove only a few miles a day. So that was the plan.  Within that plan we figured we’d stop along the way and visit family … spend a few days at each stop taking up almost two weeks to get to Gulf Shores.

So here we go ... livin' the dream

Phil

Meet the new kids on the block

It not like us blog writers are sitting on every corner ... but they're literally thousands of us blabbering on about everything from commercial uses of navel lint to 50 ways to make your mother-in-law like you. And there are but the few of us who spread the word about the RV life. I've been at it for almost eight years and finally I've crossed paths with another couple who not only write about their RV adventures but are also full-timers. So here in little South Haven we have two aspiring blogsters in the same park. Apparently the planets and stars are finally aligned.
And there are no grey hairs with this couple ... most of us have kids that are older. But an engaging young couple who have embraced this unusual life-style and inject a whole different perspective to their blog. WWW.RVOUTLAWZ.COM is their blog and Denny and Veronica are the authors. I urge you to check it out on a continuing basis as these 'kids' are on the move ... following the weather and sharing new places and experiences we all can learn from and enjoy.

Veronica and Denny

Notice that earlier I said they were full-timers. So how do they do this, one would ask? Win the lottery?  Rich aunt left them a substantial inheritance? No ... actually they both have full-time, 8-5 jobs. With a very nice toy hauler style coach they each have their own office to run their respective businesses. Veronica does most of the writing and Denny has created unique, yet robust electronic offices featuring commercial grade WiFi and cell phone gear allowing the two of them to operate completely independent (if required) of the RV parks system. It provides 7/24 high speed internet and cell service just about anywhere they go. I thought I had a pretty good handle on this type of setup but he's a couple of light years ahead of me. Anyway they've been at full-timing for less than a year but I think they've got it pretty much figured out. Check out their blog for more details on his network.

Home sweet home and mobile offices

They headed out earlier this week to Elkhart for some minor repairs then on to Lake George in upstate New York. I certainly enjoyed their company. So don't hesitate to introduce yourself if you find them parked near you. You might also notice they have two, very friendly feline traveling companions, Mango and Kali.

Still livin' the dream and meeting some really great new people.

Phil

I can hear the whistle blowing

What a great day in Michigan. Blue skies, warm temperatures and a full tank of gas. Aside from one little errand to run (dropping Sharon off to visit a friend up north for a few days) I had an open agenda. My friend Buck learned of my trip north to Grand Haven and asked if I knew much of the old steam engine displayed there. As you'll find in any number of RV parks, if you poke around enough you'll surely find folks who has a common interests with you. So it just so happens I have a small interest in old trains.  Not a driving force in my life ... but interested.  Those big old chugging, smoking, mechanical marvels of their time were memories in my past and when I learned that my friends Don, and Bill shared the same interest it led to discovering the Buck and Dave were also hooked and we all lived in the same summer RV park.  As it turns out Dave actually is qualified to work on these old beasts of burden but all these guys have added to my appreciation all things railroad. Most have forgotten more than I know so it's nice to have a living library nearby.

Anyway, per Buck's request ... I made the effort to locate the old steamer in Grand Haven. Cosmetically well maintained, the 1941 Berkshire engined 2-8-4 resides in a nice little park along with a tender and several other cars; she's been there since 1981.  It's in a fenced off area but I've heard that one day a year the caretakers will let you in to inspect the engine a little closer. As luck would have it Grand Haven was celebrating Coast Guard Week and the traffic was crazy. I managed to squeeze into an adjoining art fair parking lot and grab this image out the car window while creeping buy. Would have liked to stop but nothing was available.

#1223

The 1223 actually never saw service in Grand Haven as she was too heavy (400 tons) and she is also missing her drive pistons. Her sister locomotive #1225 was restored to full operating condition but did not use any of #1223 parts. She's still as majestic as they day they put her in service and a fine example of stream driven transportation. Check out Wikipedia for more info.

So the next time you're in Grand Haven check it out.  And if you really do your homework you'll discover there is a WWII submarine in the area to explore.

Still livin' the dream, one little adventure at a time.

Phil

ps ... Those of you who spend their summers with us will note the omission of any photographs, quotes or other outbursts relating to the party held yesterday in honor of the owners Hal and Mary's birthdays. We mostly all acted within the confines of the law, though the notion of having a vodka tasting party combined with a birthday party does create a certain atmosphere. So about 20 people, about 15 different flavors of vodka, a bunch of snacky foods and no mix. Several hours of vodka shots would have put a lesser group down but we held our own.  Even got up for Sunday breakfast together.

Okay maybe one picture ...

Happy Birthday Hal

Mr Fix-it

As any seasoned RV'er knows ... things break. Looking under my coach I noticed some brown stains on the ground under my front mounted diesel generator. Not a lot material ... but certainly not normal.  I opened the generator tray and after a quick look around discovered the problem.  I normally run the 10kw generator and main engine every month while in camp. I should run them longer than the 15-30 minutes I do as I don't think I get them to proper operating temperatures, but figure this little bit cause less harm than not running them at all.  Anyway I ran the engines about three weeks ago and apparently the generators fuel pump decided it needed some attention and had sprung a leak under a crimp seal. Since the pump still had the original OEM engine paint on it I knew the pump was 20 years old ... a good long life, so time to go.

By good luck the model number could clearly be seen without removing the pump so I began looking on the web for a replacement. As bad luck would have it that pump had been discontinued and replacement choices were confusing so I wasn't sure what to order.  Finally I decided to check with regional RV parts stores and finally found one who was very confident of which pump would work. Their price was a little higher than other places but assured me it would fit and could be dropped shipped to me the following day. To my surprise, about 10:00am the next morning the FedEx truck pulled up with my brand new pump.

The following day, I opened the old tool box and grabbed a handful of wrenches and in about an 45 minutes swapped out the pumps. And, when I hit the 'start' switch ... it all actually worked! I know it shouldn't be a surprise to a good mechanic but since I'm not, it was. Oh happy day!

Onan 10kw replacement fuel pump

So I'm only telling you this story because you can save some serious repair bucks if you do a little research online and discover a 'how to' video the help solve your problem. Certainly not for every job you run across on your RV but most likely some you can do yourself.

Admiring my mechanic skills, saving some bucks, and still livin' the dream.

Phil

Yes ... we've been busy

So here we go again.  Day two of our 48th year of wedded bliss. Or as my daughter might say ...'the Bickerson's really can make a go it'.  Oh sure we have our moments. But who doesn't! We celebrated with an hour donating to the Indians at the Fours Winds Casino then a really nice dinner at Shu's Grill in St Joe Michigan. With the corner table overlooking Lake Michigan, we had good meal ... that is until I knocked over a full glass of Stella beer. Some things never change. Luckily the waiter brought over another full one at no charge.

Anyway she's the love of my life and the absolute best thing that has ever happened to me. Whatever and whoever I am ... it because of her and I wouldn't change a thing.

My bride of 48 years

When we returned back to our RV, our dear friends Bill and June had hundreds of paper rose petals sprinkled over our path to the front door, several balloons and a variety of gifts waiting at the door step. A perfect close to a great day. Thanks a million.

Looking back, we've had a busy summer so far ... with lots of visitors.  Our good friends Jim and Carol, from the fine state of Iowa drove over for a few days stay. Last time they were here they fell in love with Earl's Farm Market and Bakery so we all needed to make another stop there. After filling our shopping sacks with all kinds of goodies we stopped for the obligatory tourist photo with old Earl.

It was great to see our other 'brother and sister' again and we're already planning on returning to Iowa to see them in the fall..

I think this is our 7th summer on the Sunset Coast of Michigan.  And as Mother nature continues to dream up new ways to amaze me, a trip down to the beach usually produces something that catches my eye. When the wind is up so is the surf.  And when the surf is up people get goofy. With the next wave fully capable of wiping them off the pier like chalk off a blackboard, they still come and do crazy things.  You kind of expect youngsters to do weird things ... but the old guy on the bike ought to know better ... don't you think?

Flotation Tires?

Look out!

Some of you may know I like jazz music and one of my favorite piano players is the Frenchman Phillipe LeJune.  His CD's aren't often seen here in the states as Europe is his primary venue but every now and again he performs here.  I checked his schedule and saw that there weren't any US play dates so I wrote him a letter asking where in Europe I could order his CD's.  Never thinking he'd reply but later in the day I received a reply.  He said he was coming over to the states for a quick three day trip and would be playing in Detroit and ask if we'd come to see him.
He gave me the details and I quickly made reservations for the 5th of July at Cliff Bell's Jazz Lounge for Sharon and I and our friends George and Paula. Bell's is a long time jazz venue right downtown on Park avenue surrounded by empty buildings and empty lots. A little disconcerting area of the town but we pressed on. With the only parking some two blocks away I settled for valet parking and we entered the club.

Nothing has changed in the 50 plus years by the looks of it. Dark wooded walls, low lighting, and dark leather seating. Aged but still classy. A large bar was the focus when you first walked in with small bistro style tables around and an occasional large booth.  I probably should have worn my zoot suit as I was sure Dillinger was surely nearby. Talk about a step back in time.

We were a little early and not many folks had arrived and our waitress soon seated us.  And what a special seat.  There were about 4 tables on the raised performance stage and one was surprisingly ours.  Two of the tables across the stage were vacant and there was a man finishing his desert at the table next to us. We got settled and ordered drinks and Sharon kept bugging about the guy at the next table thinking he was the artist LeJune.  I kept trying to calm her down and not bother the guy but she finally couldn't contain herself and blurted out ... are you Phillipe LeJune?

He looked up from his dessert and said 'yes' ... so for the rest of the evening he pulled his chair over to our table and before the show started and between sets he sat with us talking about his family, his career, and his music. Charming to say the least and his live performance was all I had expected.  What a great evening of exceptional jazz, good food and wine, with good friends.

Sharon-       Phillipe LeJune-        Paula

LeJune Trio

We spent the night at 'The Henry' (formerly the Ritz Carlton) in Dearborn. A very nice place with lots of great art work placed throughout the hotel. One thing that was kind of neat was the menues we used at breakfast. They were iPads. Funcional and slick.

July 4th is traditionally a pretty big deal here at Cousin's RV.  Another pig was sacrificed, we all ate like pigs and we enjoyed the parade ... complete with King and Queen, kids galore, singers, and patriotic music.  Some outsiders may think this old fashion celebration is a little cheesy but everybody here had a great time.

Let the parade begin

Queen June and King Hal

Living in a beach side community has it drawbacks as I like to photograph scenes of and around our famous lighthouse.  As you can see some people just seem to get in the way and almost spoil the shot.  But I'll keep trying.

Not again!

Darn sand! Serves her right!

Rick and Jan, our old friends from Bay City drove across the state to pay us a visit. We go way back to my college days of the last century. Though I was a senior citizen when we attended, we're very happy to see them as they are still paying into the Social Security system and we certainly want them to continue. 

Rick and Jan

Now if my sister knew that I was going to post her picture in my blog I may not have got the picture sent to me in the first place. She still looks pretty hot I'd say.  Here she's celebrating her birthday with a little soiree' at the Biltmore mansion in Asheville NC. 

My sister Judy G

We've slacked off going to live concerts the past few years and that's got to stop as many of these performers are getting long in tooth and before long their playing days may be over. I'd mentioned to my daughter Leigh that I thought it would be great to see the one of most famous blues performers Buddy Guy but his concert at the Firekeepers Casino was completely sold out. As luck would have it she somehow managed to find two tickets and gave them to me as a Fathers Day gift. What a great surprise!

The venue was almost packed when we arrived and Guy's warm-up act was a young blues guitarist/singer Quinn Sullivan. About 15 years old, this already veteran performer was amazing. Being mentored by the great Buddy Guy certainly has honed this young man's skills far beyond his age. So look for Quinn on YouTube and get a taste of what he can do.

Buddy Guy's career goes way, way back. Well into his 70's, he's been around the blues block and number of times and has played with all the great blues/jazz performers on the planet. He's works the crowd like a skilled pick pocket, stealing your attention and admiration with his skills. Playing while circulating through the audience, is his forte. Everybody wished he'd come their way, sit down beside them and play ... some got the opportunity but most were still eager bystanders. I guess if there were any criticism it would the acoustics of the venue. Not much sound absorption and generally the volume was too high. Anyway a great, great night out. 

Bluesman Buddy Guy

So we've started off this summer not only with our newly remodeled coach (it turned out great) but a busy schedule as well. More to come ... so stay tuned.

Still livin' the dream here in South Haven

Phil

Let the summer begin!

Far be from me to rehash the past ... especially these past six or seven months. Months spent enduring a brutal Michigan winter ... learning that being a care-giver when it always looks so easy when someone else is doing it ... understanding that folding underwear and sheets really is a science ... finding out that the cost of a new furnace and a/c unit has escalated over the past few years ... discovering that remodeling our coach was far harder than I had anticipated; and a bit more expensive ... watching the first rains of Spring begin to wash out the foundation of my house ... and finally realizing that these little speed bumps in life are really no big deal. Time to start having fun and looking at the bright side of things. So much for not rehashing the past!

And the bright side is indeed very bright.  Sharon is recovering splendidly from hip surgery ... our kids and grand kids are all in good health and real treasures to the family ... our friends our still our friends and we may even added a few ... we've already cemented our winter plans (and does not include shoveling snow) ... our coach is like new inside and we're very pleased with the outcome ... we've finally returned to our summer residence in South Haven and in general ... life is good.

We arrived in camp about a month later than usual and were met by a lot of familiar faces.  Miki, Don and Nancy, Charlie and Judi, Ron and Tammy, Steve and Cheryl, Buck and Lonnie, Alex and Barb and finally the park owners, Hal and Mary Cousins.  This little group helped us quickly forget all the stuff in the first paragraph. We've already dined at The Hambone, The Taste, The Butler Hotel and Cousins ... just to let you know we hadn't forgot what life is like while roughing it in our RV.

The local fruit crops are doing well with strawberries, blueberries, and various apples and peaches all apparently surviving the wicked winter weather. Strawberries should be pickable' soon and the next fruit harvest will be blueberries, though probably not until July. South Haven is the proud new recipient of a new Meijers big box store.  It will certainly give WalMart a run for its money; which is fine with me.  The locally owned Village Market is still doing a great job and is still my favorite.  Before Memorial Day South Haven is just a sleepy little tourist town without many tourists.  But come Memorial Day, like a butterfly emerging from its cocoon, she awakes with the summer store fronts hawking the latest in summer wear,  the river-side bars are teaming with folks who just want to shake of the winter doldrums with a cold, frosty drink and the harbor and marinas teaming with boats of all shapes and sizes.  Oh! and did I mention that this years bikini styles at North Beach are briefer than last years?  Fluorescent pinks and yellows barely cover the little butts parading around the sandy beach.  Now if I could ever just find a parking spot down there to watch the parade? Unfortunately the spots are taken early and besides that ... my oatmeal with a side of prunes takes a while to digest so I can't leave the RV too early. But I do like parades. South Haven ... the jewel of the sunset coast.

And so another year on the road begins.  Please hang in there with us.  Maybe a little slower than previous years but rest assured we're... still livin' the dream.

Phil