Saturday…….a campground meeting @ 10am with abt 23 campers sporting rousing conversations on fundraisings (past & present).  We have a new venture scheduled for 7/23, Heritage Lake Campground Monthly Breakfast.  Various organizations in the Heritage Lake community have been sponsoring fundraising breakfasts once a month.  The Marina, the Fire Station, the Legion & now the Campground.  Lots of thought on menu, pricing, volunteers, etc.  We’re hoping it will be a gentle learning experience.  After about 1hr 45min, the meeting was adjourned.  Next project was the erection of the needed storage facility at the shelter house.  Hence my title of this post.  I decided to take a picnic table back in the corner & observe this manly task of erection (remember we’re talking storage facility, lol).  We sported a crew of 10 eager manly men to complete the task.  There seemed to be a lot more observers than workers.  But, honestly they kind of rotated in & out in shifts.  Most toting their beverage of choice because after all it was past noon.  Fortunately the equipment operators were consuming the non-alcoholic choices.  I think the structure will take longer than one would usually assume…too many supervisors coming up w/brilliant “I got an idea…”.  I’m figuring it’s going to be a long afternoon.  I sit here from across the shelter just chuckling to myself at the site!  All these men (probably 30s to 60s, oh & 1 that’s in his 70s) hovering around the 2-3 actually doing the labor.  Kind of resembles union workers, oh sorry shouldn’t probably say that, but you know what I mean.  You drive by a construction site and there are abt 8-10 guys in the same area, but actually only 2-3 of them are doing anything physical.  I know you’ve seen it, you were thinking the same thing, weren’t you?!  Ok, I got my little union bash in, I can move on now.

You see, we needed a storage shed  to store the huge grills the campground owns to keep them protected from the elements of weather & theft.  Plus there’s just not enough storage available for all the different stuff that’s utilized for different events.  It was decided (4th of July wknd) they would erect this structure within the covering of the shelter house.  However, there was much discussion abt an easier method of just purchasing a pre-made storage shed that could be installed next to the shelter as not to waste the wonderful space we have presently.  But since wood was already purchased & workers w/their tools had already been summoned….let the task of erection begin.  There were 5 wives assembled to observe the task at hand.  It was warm but there was a nice breeze that would pick up occasionally to cool us off.  Fortunately the men, for the most part, were working under shaded cover.  Workers seemed to come & go over the course of the workday, except for abt 5 vigilant men that stayed on the task at hand.  After there wasn’t much life left in the vigilant crew, they secured their tools & lumber (due to possible rain over night) around 6:30pm.  Tired & sweaty, they each ventured off for a cool refreshing shower, ice cold beer (definitely not their first), a simple meal before relaxing around a campfire.  Yes, I said campfire, it was hotter than hell outside & we’re having a campfire!  Well it was needed to roast polish sausages.  A little left over broccoli salad & chips rounded out the simple meal.  By 11:30pm we were off to our camper to turn in.   Again, I wanted to watch the new blu-ray I bought, The Green Hornet starring Seth Rogen , Jay Chou, Christopher Waltz & Cameron Diaz.  It was pretty good.  It ended leaving me with the feeling that sequels could happen.  My husband, as tired as he was – chair sleeping by campfire, managed to stay awake…WOW.

Sunday morning…well our erection of storage was lacking in bodies this morning!  About 9:30am only 3 of the 6 vigilant crew returned for another go at it.  Hotter than the day before, they worked for abt 4 hrs. on getting all the interior shelving installed before calling it quits for the wknd.  Next wknd…completion list:  front wall, construct & hang door .  It’s going to be tough squeezing it in w/it being “Family Wknd”, fundraising breakfast, a former campers’ party (offsite) & the usual mayhem that regularly goes on.        Catch you on the next post!

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Our camping wknd started again this wknd w/a little detour before heading to the campground.  Our grandson (contributor to “Death of a Droid”) turned 2 y/o the end of June so there was a birthday party held in his honor..as well as his Dad’s (b-day July 4th) at the FOP lodge in Muncie, IN, Friday evening.  So we loaded up the HHR w/stuff for the party.  We were packed to the gills, with all the campgroud needs for the holiday wknd, as well.  We didn’t end up getting there till 6pm (when it was to start).  Since we had the charcoal, it was a little late in getting started.  But, it turned out good all the same.  There were about 20-25 people.  We had pretty much the usual cookout spread.  Daxton’s grandma, Fay, has the gift of cake decorating & whipped up 2 cakes…1 for Daxton & 1 for his Daddy (Fay’s son).  They were both cute & yummy.  Daxton is obsessed w/Shrek (the movies).  Has all of them, will watch all of them back to back, over & over.  So, of course, his cake was Shrek & Donkey.  He loved it, he ate it, he WORE it! He opened his gifts.  We said our goodbyes & gave hugs & kisses, & by 9pm we were on the road for the campground.

With my Mother-in-law & doggie in tow, we drove 2 hrs. to get to the campground.  By the time we got in Friday night, most campers had settled in, not a lot of life left, but boy what a packed house!  Lots of cars, trucks, boats, tents on top of what is usually there.  We got everything unloaded and tucked Mom & our doggie in and we ventured down to the gang’s lot.  But much to our surprise, pretty much everyone had already turned in (it was 11:40pm).  Guess they’re trying to pace themselves for a long, hot, busy wknd.  So we decided to just head back & turn in ourselves.

Saturday morning was relaxing but not quite as quiet, like usual.  For today was the campground’s annual “Pork Chop Dinner” during the 4th’s holiday wknd.  The committee plans a dinner, charges a reasonable fee & then hires a band in to get the party started.  The dinner this year included:  pork tenderloin sliced thick & then butterflied for grilling, hot dogs, potato salad, baked beans, potato chips, applesauce, fried biscuits w/apple butter, cakes, cookies, cupcakes, pies, brownies, lemonade & iced tea.  We were serving from 5:30-7:30pm and the band started at 8pm.  My husband volunteered me for the cashier duties.  He was nominated to help me, lol.  This being our first year at the dinner & the campground, we thought the turnout was fairly good.  The band was Fonda & the CRB.  Fonda was the lead singer and then there were 4-5 other guys that played & sang.  About 9:30pm several campers loaded up in their cars, ATV’s, golf carts, boats & headed to the marina for the fireworks show at dusk.  It was a beautiful evening.  Although there were pesky thunderstorms brewing in the distance while we waited for the show to begin.  The fireworks were spectacular!  Just makes them seem even brighter looking out over the lake.  We headed back to the campground as soon as they were over.  The band was still playing when we got back.  After sweating out the day, a quick refreshing shower was in order.  The thunderstorm had moved in & I decided to stay in for a comedy dvd…Housesitter w/Goldie Hawn & Steve Martin.  My husband went back to the band.  The lightning & thunder was really close…was freaking my doggie out!  He hates  lightning & thunder!  I only got half the movie before the power tripped and I gave it up.  I guess the band played till about midnight.

Sunday morning was beautiful.  Sunny, damp, humid but w/a slight breeze.  It didn’t really rain that much during the storm.  We had planned to serve a simple french toast, sausage & fruit breakfast for 7 of us @10am at the shelter house.  These friends do a lot for us & we decided to pay it back.  After breakfast, we went back to the camper to enjoy some lawn chair leisure.  It was a little warm, I retreated to the air conditioning w/my doggie for some blu-ray action.  I chose Robin Hood w/ Russell Crowe.  Great movie, didn’t realize it was to spotlight the time leading up to when he started “hooding”.   After almost a couple hours sitting, I motivated myself & my doggie to head up to the shelter house where my husband had ventured sometime earlier w/the laptop in hand.  When I arrived, there was a huddle of guys planning their next campground building project…a lockable storage shed for the big cookers & tubs of paper goods, pans, etc.  I gathered up the dog and went walking.  He overheated pretty quick resulting in me taking him back to the camper’s A/C.  Went back down to visit w/the ladies.  We sat around & talked trying to find a shady spot that we might get lucky enough to catch a breeze.  Some campers had headed home, maybe they had other plans for the 4th.  So there were 5 of us that decided to have a clean-up dinner.  We grilled pork tenderloins for sandwiches, cold baked beans, macaroni salad, cottage cheese & grape salad.  Some one planned a exciting round of the game “left, right, center” in the shelter house @ 9pm. Or we had the choice of more fireworks at one of the parks around the lake.  We decided on the game.  We’d never played before, it was fun.  We played w/quarters but I think you could use anything.  It would be a great game for kids, they only need to know their right & left.  There were 24 of us that played in one game.  It takes a long time for one game.  It takes a little longer when some are under the influence.  It made for lots of laughs & fun had by all!  I decided I’d try to finish my movie that was cut short from the storm.  The bad part was my husband’s loud snoring, but mission accomplished and then I turned in.

Monday morning started just like our usual last day packing up…gloomy, overcast, wet from raining during the night.  It was however officially the 4th of July, Our Independence Day.  The campground was pretty quiet.  After a couple cups of coffee, we started the cleaning, packing up rituals.  Then a couple goodbyes & set off for home.  Our intentions, to cut grass, weed the tomato, pepper, zucchini & cucumber plants, spray for weeds & bugs, laundry, dog a bath & fix dinner.  We sat out in our driveway just outside the garage enjoying a campfire in the fire pit, awaiting the crowd pleasing New Richmond, IN fireworks 4th of July celebration.

What a country we live in.  To enjoy all it’s riches offered to us by our creator & protections set forth by our founders (that present day politics are trying to strip from us).  My husband & I consider ourselves fortunate  to have grown up in what we think the best years on earth.  We are saddened to the fact that our grandchildren will never live that American Dream that has been sought after for many generations.  Please someone get a hold of this world & shake it to it’s senses!  I’m still looking for that deserted island to live on to get away from all the bad that goes on everywhere.    Oops, I’ll get off my “tea box”.                       Until the next post….

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Our little summer retreat 6-25-11

throw her money away by living in an apartment any longer.  So she was going through the pre-approval process and started the fun part of searching properties online.  She found several possibilities and contacted a recommended RE agent.  He arranged a couple showings Friday early evening.  She asked us to accompany her to the showings.  We were very impressed with the agent!  He spelled it all out for her, reaffirming important points that we had previously discussed with her.  After further discussion and serious thought over the wknd, our intelligent, level-headed daughter decided to slow things down and research the housing market and the economy further.  Sometimes we have to remind ourselves she’s only in her twenties, she’s very responsible and sort of a “worry-wart”.  Stay tuned for house hunting updates.

We were able to return to the campground before dusk, none the worse for wear.  We loaded up the golf cart with the cooler full of “drinks of choice”  and lawn chairs, heading for our friends’ lot for a relaxing campfire.  Everyone was happy to see us, giving us hell for being gone so long.  Rumor has it that when a campsite is left unoccupied for a couple wknds, campers might return to find a “for sale” sign on their site, as a joke of course.  But I think our site being at the end of the row, they simply forgot to, before our return.  There was much discussion on everything we missed in our absence.  Now, knowing that more of our fellow campers are starting to catch my blogs….I will not share details but maybe just mentions.  I guess economic times have played havoc with some folks’ financial capabilities.  But, rules are rules and they should be followed in order to maintain consistency and fairness for those that follow the rules.  Unfortunately, there are those that seem to think that rules do not apply to them and are upset when they are held to them.  Man we missed a lot in the 2 wknds we were away!  It was a beautiful evening filled with great conversation, inviting campfire, great friends.  We found out that some of the campers pitched in together and bought a hog to roast.  They were camped out over at the shelter house cooking pig, enjoying libations….all night long.  Everyone at the campground was invited to the hog roast on Saturday evening.  You were only asked to pitch-in a covered dishor dessert.

Hog Roast Crew 6-23-11

Saturday morning…sleeping in (a bit) at least till 8am, that’s all my husband can handle.  It was very enjoyable sitting out on the deck w/hot coffee (plus a little Carolans in mine) watching the walkers taking their doggies for their morning duties & kids riding bikes.  After a couple of leisurely hours parked in our chairs and a few cell phone calls later, I needed to prepare our hog roast pitch-in:  crock-pot mac-n-cheese.  The game plan for the day was to get it made and cookin’ while we take a golf cart ride around the lake and then to sit at the marina.  It’s always interesting to sit and watch the “putting-in and taking-out” of boats.  This time I took the camera to capture some of the picturesque sites, hope you enjoy them.  I find it interesting that you must have special licenses for operating a motorcycle but a boat or jet ski…nothing.

Busy gas pumps at Marina

In our leisurely observations, we discovered there are MANY “boaters” that do NOT have a clue!  And they should not be operating one.  The lake was busy, it was a beautiful day!  It wasn’t long before we noticed something we had never seen before.  My husband grew up on the lake as a kid.  When we were first married we lived on Lake Tippecanoe in his parents lake home.  We then bought a house on a channel off Oswego Lake when we were expecting our first daughter.  We have never seen a fluorescent orange flag displayed on boats before.  As we observed, we came to the conclusion that it served as a warning that some where around that boat, a person was in the water.  We just thought it was a new rule since we had not seen it used before.  Later on we inquired with fellow campers/boaters about the flag.  We were told that it was to alert others that there was someone in the water from that boat.  We were also informed that it was a rule they instituted for Heritage Lake.  Seems like an excellent law for ALL waterways!  Brilliant I’d say.  After about an hour of admiring the surroundings, we ventured back to the campsite.  By now everyone had gotten their chores done around their sites for the day.  It was a beautiful day and after some deliberation it was decided we would all pile onto one of the campers’ pontoon and putt once around the lake.  My husband and I were both excited, for we had only been able to admire lakefront properties that were near the marina or from the road frontage view by golf cart.  Let me tell you, there are some very nice places.  Most places appearing to be a leisure type summer home.  I am sure there are some that it might be their residence, being able to enjoy that wonderful serenity 24/7.

After a couple hours, we ventured back to the campground.  The hog roast was to start at 5PM.  By the time we got back it was 4:50PM.  We quick gathered our pitch-in contributions of the crock-pot mac-n-cheese & a double chunk chocolate cake (from Wal-Mart) and headed to the shelter house.  There were already lots of dishes spread across the 3 tables.  There were 4 big roasters filled with sliced pork loin, 1-hot & 2-regular pork barbeque.  There were pasta salads, baked beans, mac-n-cheese(s), potato salads, green beans, coleslaw, chips, dips, cakes, cookies, pies, watermelon, brownies…too much.  Makes me full just thinking about it!  After we had stuffed ourselves and the crowd seemed to die off, we left the single little piece of cake left and gathered the crock-pot with just the remnants of the dark crusty part around the sides and bottom (my favorite part!) and headed back to our site.  It was my husband’s intention to sleep off the stuffed feeling.  I really wasn’t ready to sleep, got comfortable in the rocker and loaded the DVD player with a movie I had yet to watch….The Tourist with Angelina Jolie and Johnnie Depp.  It was a pretty good movie, but I love Johnnie Depp so it was all good.  But I guess it was good enough to keep my husband from getting to his nap….he watched the whole movie.  And if you ask his family, that’s a rarity & it wasn’t even a western.

A couple of our friends ventured down to our site before dusk and we ended up just sitting around the picnic table talking until close to midnight before turning in.  Oh, I left out that it was karaoke night.  We listened to the good, the bad & the ugly from back at our site (which was close enough for me) while talking.  Sunday morning came soon enough.  More relaxing in the lawn chairs but little activity compared to Saturday’s.  Lots of campers were already heading out.  I think the dismal looking day had something to do with it.  We went through the usual duties of cleaning up & packing up the camper and some short goodbyes and headed back home….until we venture back for the fun & excitement of the best summer holiday…..4th of July!!!  Check back I’m sure it will be full of stories & activities!

Spooner, Wisconsin

Ok, I admit I have been “sluffing” off or is it “sloughing” off?  Seems like forever since I posted.  We haven’t been to the campground for almost 3 wks!  We ventured off to Spooner, Wisconsin for a short vacation/family reunion second wk of June.  My husband & I took his Mom back to her roots in the great northern woodlands.  The pine trees were so beautiful and massive!  I know where they get “utility poles” from now.  She was one twin out of 2 sets in her family of 10 children.  They seemed to have moved  a lot growing up.  We were able to visit old homesteads but generally they were just remnants of what once was, what they remembered.  We visited a beautiful resort/conference center that once was a summer type home for a railroad man from Chicago.

Heartwood Resort & Conference Ctr

My husband’s Grandfather was the caretaker of the estate.  He was provided a small homestead on the property that once was known as the chicken coup.  We believe it was built for that purpose, but not sure if it was actually used for that purpose.  He had just married a very loving, giving woman named Cara, to care for the 7 children that remained at home in the early 1930′s.  The youngest set of twins were not much more than 2 yrs. old at the time.  His previous wife passed away when the twins were 3 wks old due to childbirth complications.

Foundation of their home at Hoinville Hills

The reason of the family reuniting in the area, where most the siblings were born…to spread the ashes of a sweet, petite little blonde Sister (Carol) they lost recently during the winter months of this year.  They wanted to return her to her to where her life began. Presently there are only 5 Sisters & 1 Brother remaining.  Unfortunately 2 Sisters were not physically able to make the trip from their homes out west to join us.

We enjoyed many stories of things past.  How things were done then.  What simple tools they had to work with.  Hard times that plagued most everyone back then.  How cheap things were then.  Talked about things they didn’t have back then (not yet invented).  Really gives you a greater appreciation for what we do have now, but at the same time wondering how a “simpler life” might be.  I believe it was a long & hard time back then, but with a lot less pressure in a lot of ways.  Less demanding?  Less hassles?  I’m sure it was definitely a more friendly, more caring, more neighborly era!

As the years fly by, the older you get, you start to appreciate more the reuniting of family members.  For one never knows when might be the last time you might get to spend quality time again with each other.  Seemed like as a kid, you dreaded going to family reunions.  Being hugged and kissed by Grandma & Grandpa “like” people that you never remember meeting before.  How they exclaim “you’ve grown like a weed since I last saw you”.  Or you look just like your parents.  My favorite was…”I would never allow your Mother to dress like that”.  I’m sure you could add many more.

My Mother-In-Law is a healthy 83 years young that can no longer travel alone in this crazy, hectic times we live in.  We enjoy the family gatherings, learning more family history each time.  We try to keep the reunions going by trying to get together at least every 2-3 years.  The Bright Family are all very fun, loving people who my husband & I enjoy being with whenever possible.  It’s always sad saying goodbye for fear it might be the last.  In departing Saturday morning before venturing in different directions, we vowed to start the planning for the next reunion and to keep in touch.

We wanted to say thanks to everyone that was there.  We enjoyed the beauty of the northern woodlands and the warm loving company of family!  Thanks for all the family history and discoveries together…more than we knew!  Thanks Aunt Carol for being the spark that reunited the whole thing.                                          We love you….May you rest in peace.

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Well, just spent a great wknd with my husband and lots of new friends at the campground this wknd.  But the weather…it’s rained at least one day every wknd since the beginning of April!  Enough is a enough, already.  Friday night was great.  Perfect weather for a fun night of great food, special beverages, simple entertainment among new and old acquaintances, along with a beautiful blazing campfire.  We are camper folks that, like so many, have turned to seasonal camping.  We used to take our camper out on many excursions across the US.  Unfortunately for the camping enthusiasts, our gas prices decided for us to stay put in one spot for the camping seasoning hence…..seasonal campers.  This is our second time for seasonal camping.

It’s refreshing to find such friendly people when it seems as though you only hear of bad things in the everyday media.  Although it’s nice that the social media “likes ” to share the good things too!  This season we decided to put our summer free-time roots at an older, quant,  little campground near a little town along an Indiana state roadway called Groveland.  All of the people we have met  have been so friendly and hospitable.  There’s an area of campers that the folks all “hang out” together.  They combine different food contributions and they pretty much have a pitch-in most Friday and Saturday evenings.  This group of people mainly live in surrounding counties of the area.  I venture to say that most drive less than maybe 60- 90 minutes each way.  Some have been camping here for many years.  Some like us, it’s their first year to be welcomed into this little campground community.  I’d say the friendly community expands over a  3 generation age range, with the 1st being in their 50-60′s, their adult kids and then their grandkids.  We’ve really only experience the first wknd with this crowd, but I’m sure we’re in for a fun relaxing summer of great food, conversations and campfires amongst friends old and young!

These people are serious about their camping too!  Almost all of the sites have a little deck space that they made or had made for them that helps keep them out of the mud cuz God only knows we’ve surely had enough rain already!  Some get really elaborate in their exterior decorating.  Others tend to keep it simple. Because I’m sure everyone here probably has an additional yard they must keep up as well at their home.  Some camper sites are fully equipped with their own little outdoor entertainment spaces that might incorporate a full size stove and/or refrigerator.  Some even throw in a working kitchen sink!  Others have incorporated a bar for the more lively entertaining atmosphere.  Seems like most have consist of recycled materials they could find lying around in their scrap lumber piles or precious finds at neighborhood garage sales.  You will find  fully equipped facilities hosting such conveniences as:  old restaurant booths or old tv’s connected to the required “little black box” for digital signal conversion or better yet satellite dishes.  Some have enough room for a lounge-type folding chair to kick back in.  It’s a sheltered little oasis away for the usually stressful chore we call life.

Some of our fellow camping friends shared their treasures from a friend of one of the long-time seasoners known as Jack.   I don’t know Jack’s friend’s name, but his artistic skill was quite interesting.  This gentleman paints on screens.  We saw wolves painted on the camper screen doors.  There were many picturesque landscapes painted across little outdoor entertainment structures.  It was amazing…you could see the painting from the outside but from the inside it looks just like the other side of the screen.  How he keeps it from just filling the holes in the screen was what amazed me.  We have yet to meet Jack, with the talented friend from Florida.   Sadly to say, Jack’s talented friend is one of the many that fate has chosen to inflict with cancer.   Jack is sharing the precious time of life his friend has remaining in Florida before beginning this camping season. Unfortunately, we will never have the chance to meet Jack’s friend, but will instead enjoy the skilful art that he painted around our own little slice of heaven for the camping season.

My husband being the great grill connoisseur that he is, is anxious to share his talent both in taste and skill with our new camping friends!  Granted he’s no famous chef, but I think he’s pretty good.  He enjoys both gas and charcoal grilling.  He cooks a lot of different things on the grill.   He does french bread pizza, pancakes, roasts, annual Thanksgiving turkey on the Weber, corn on the cob in the husk, steams vegetables, lots of different things!  Italian dishes, Mexican dishes, biscuits, cinnamon rolls, you name it.  Starting off is a learning process until you find that perfect combination of ingredients, temperature and timing.  New items being a challenge are what he thrills in!

We hope to start investing in the many wonders of the extensive offering of cast iron campfire cooking products.  Through our various camping adventures we’ve befriended many a camper with the knowledge and delicious creations of the cast iron cooking techniques.  Getting the temperature of the coals just right and the right amount of coals.  So many recipes to create mouth-watering treats either with  various sizes of dutch oven pots.  They can be nestled in a mound of hot charcoal briquettes or suspended from a tri-pod perched above a wood campfire.  There’s also these little “pocket style” irons that you hold over a fire that you can create such treats as:  pocket pizzas, pocket joes, fruit turnovers, pocket grilled treats of any kind.  We love doing Reubens in them!  We even use them on the gas grill!  Definitely worth the extra expense (if you can find them) for the actual cast iron units instead of the thinner aluminum style that you will find at any of the “big box stores“.  Simply use some type of bread (you may need to trim pcs. that do not fit within the pocket-iron).  You can butter the side that touches the irons or if you prefer a more fat friendly version use non-stick sprays to coat the iron like Pam.  Then just fill as desired.  The Reuben consists of rye, swiss, corned beef (or like my Mother-in-law & I prefer…turkey) and sauerkraut that has been drained well on paper towels.  You start them out about medium heat to get the insides hot and melted and then turn up the heat to brown up your rye.  YUM!!  Or try buttered cinnamon raisin bread filled w/canned apple pie filling sprinkled with cinnamon.  Once hot out of the iron sprinkle with powdered sugar.  But, be careful the fillings get really hot!  What ever ingredients you want…the sky’s the limit and very reasonable fixins once you make the original investment in the irons.

Sorry, I got off on a tangent and steered away a little from my topic….the campground.  Let’s see…..I left off with our first night crowd that feasted on grill pizzas.  The Grand Poo-pah of the group we’ve been told is quite the campground cooker and makes a mean Bloody Mary.  I have to take my husbands word that they are “killer”  because I partook in one too many one sunny but very cold Purdue football game tailgating right outside the stadium.  It was a fun time, Purdue sucked at the end (as usual) and I can never drink Bloody Marys ever again, end of story!  Back to the pizza…there was a barbeque pizza, a Hawaiian pizza, and 3 other usual toppings pizzas.  A simply delicious smorgasborg of grilled pizza delight. No one walked away hungry or dissatisfied.  The rest of the evening continued into the wee hours of Saturday morning just sitting and sharing conversations living the simple life amongst friends around a big campfire.

Saturday was a working day for many.  Policing their yards, be it mowing the grass or weeding the flower beds.  Some being their actual first wknd to camp, had the chore of “opening” the campsite.  Dusting out the cobwebs, spiders, dead lady bugs, old pine needles and pine cones, fallen leaves, fallen branches (hopefully w/out damage to their units after the storms we’ve had since last season), putting out the “party lights” to light the path from camper to camper or trails behind or to deck out their outside entertainment structures.  And lets not forget all the little signs, knickknacks, lawn ornaments, flags, bird feeders, wind chimes, on and on and on…!   In the course of our work time a menu for the evening gang was plotted out.  Grills were started, meats were prepped, side dishes planned and it was in the makings by 3pm.  Le menu:  Spare ribs, Western ribs, chicken breast, cheeseburgers, hot dogs, corn on the cob, grilled redskin potatoes, mac n cheese, macaroni salad, sauerkraut, bread, cottage cheese, apple pie, cherry pie, a campers feast!  Old Mother Nature decided to make the cooking process more challenging with an afternoon thunderstorm.  But, it didn’t washout our plans just extended the cooking time some what.  By about 6:45pm we were finally ready to stuff ourselves (too much I might add) with all the aromas that filled the rainy afternoon for nearly 4 hours.  Alas, again, no one went hungry or dissatisfied!  And all our thanks to the many culinary contributors for such a delicious meal.

It was another night of amazing campfire and conversations with a few heads bobbing with a quick twitch bringing it back in line with their weary bodies.  The beer and Bloody Marys had slowed considerably earlier than the case Friday night.  It was a much quieter atmosphere and crowd that seemed to dwindle to just a few, hours earlier than the night before.  Each saying their “good-nights” as they would stand and exit the campfire upon retiring for basically that wknds socializing.  For tomorrow brings the onset of the end of camping and the beginning of reality…..bummer!

As had been the case almost every Sunday morning, we woke to the sound of rain pinging on the camper roof.  Most cases we just get everything cleaned up, closed up and tucked away until we get to return to our little slice of heaven again on Friday as soon as our schedules permit.  A friendly wave as you exit the grounds while others are still in the process of closing and packing up.  Each thinking, just get us through the week in a hurry that we might begin our wknd again in the company of friends in our quaint little old campground.

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“For the hand that rocks the cradle is the hand that rules the world.”

                                                                                                  — William Ross Wallace

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Please be sure to remember your Mother & Grandmother Sunday.  You do not have to buy anything.  Sending a card would be nice if you are unable to visit in person.  For this is a special occasion put aside once a year to recognize all that they do and have done for us.  I’m sure if you were to pay a visit, even a brief one, you will have made her day most special. 

I want to start off by posting my love to all the Mothers and Grandmothers in my life.  My Mother, Nancy, I love you and may your day be filled with nothing but wonderful memories of your children, grandchildren and your Mother, Ada.  My Mother-in-Law, Julie, I love you and hope you enjoy the time you spend with us and reflect on the wonderful memories from your children, grandchildren and your Mother and Stepmother.  My Daughter, Brandy, I love you and hope you get a day of rest and relaxation, even though I know you won’t take it!  You have been a joy to me and we couldn’t be more proud of the Mother you have become!  You have a loving tribe and a loving husband…keep them near and dear to your heart!  My Daughter, Holly, I love you.  I know you won’t have too much of a break, since your husband has to work, but I hope that you enjoy your “cute little dumplins” and take pride in that you are a great Mom with lots of love to give to them.  At times they can be overwhelming but, hang in there sweetie!  I know it’s not easy having most of your family miles away.  You don’t feel like you get a break.  We love and miss you and are proud of you!  My Sister, Trish, happy 1st time Grandma-Mother’s Day!  Hope you get to spend your day surrounded by all the loves of your life!  And I hope your new business venture takes you far!!!  My Grandmothers, Ada & Dorothy, I love you and miss you.  It has been many years since I could personally wish you love on Mother’s Day, but it doesn’t mean that I don’t think of you both every Mother’s Day.  I think about you when special little memories pop-up from doing things or going places that held special memories for me with you.  I know you both are greatly missed by all of your loving children and grandchildren and even some great-grandchildren that were fortunate enough to know you before your passings.

What does my Mom mean to me?  My Mom is a kind, loving, wonderful, God-fearing woman who has made many sacrifices in her life to give her five children and her husband of 53 years, everything she could that was of value to her.  Her love, her time, her sincerity, her love of God, her many talents, the values that were instilled in her from her wonderful Mother, Ada. 

I look back and realize that when you’re a kid growing up you take your Mom for granted.  I don’t really think you ever realize all they did for you , for your family, until the job is bestowed upon you as an adult.  There is a lot of hard work and love that goes into raising a family no matter what the size. And for that these women do need to be honored, even more than once a year!

You can be a Mom to someone without having to give birth to them.  Some people have multiple Moms.  Doesn’t mean that only the Mom that “birthed” them can give them a Mother’s love.  A Mom can be someone that has loved and cared for you in the absence of your birth Mom.  It should not make her any less of a Mom in your eyes or hers!   And this applies to Grandmothers as well!  I am acquainted with many children being raised by their Grandmothers.  Some even look at her as if she were their Mom.  I don’t think there could be anymore of an honor than being thought of in that way, under those circumstances.

So, if you have a special someone in your life that is (or has been like) a Mom or Grandmother to you….Please honor them with the special recognition that they deserve on this great holiday that we call “MOTHER’S DAY”.

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"Rascal on the Loose"

Probably his most favorite being his parents’ cellphones!  But, I guess that’s pretty typical today, in fact they’ve kind of become the

modern-day “pacifier”, no literally!  How many times have you been out somewhere and seen an adult hand their child (baby on up) a cellphone to basically shut them up?  It’s a miracle….instant mood changer!

My daughter called me last night…apologizing that she’d been out of touch for 3 days because Daxton had found her cellphone on the kitchen table, after pulling out the chair, climbing up on the table to retrieve it.  After he had pushed buttons and made several calls, repeatedly to the last person she had called, he decided to move on to something else and chucked it, landing in his baby brother’s domain….the living room floor!  Seeings how Jaxon (9 month old baby brother) couldn’t pass up the opportunity for a good slobbery chew.  Mind you he only has maybe one and a “sprout” tooth but it was more the slobber that did in the only 6 month old new droid.

This wasn’t the first phone that made its way to the junk drawer before it’s time.  I’m sure it won’t be the last either!  Stay tuned for the tales of Daxton!

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But Friday…now there’s a hell of a good day (unless your Friday is actually your “Monday” in a rotating work week-sucks!).  When you wake up and think to yourself, what am I going to do this weekend?  Where am I going to go?  Don’t know about you, but with these gas prices now a days…NOT TOO FAR!  If you have kids or even grandkids it kind of goes like:  what games do we have, what birthday party do we have to go to, whose wedding or graduation do we have this weekend.  Well there goes your peaceful relaxing weekend.  Let’s not forget about the grass needing cut or the piles of laundry you were too tired to do during the week.  My husband was brought up thinking, a brush is never meant to touch the paint on your car, only hand washing will do!  So it doesn’t usually mean just washing one of our vehicles but generally all.  After you hand wash at least 3 cars and maybe a hugh 1 ton dually king cab truck, you’re pretty well spent for the afternoon!  Sad part being that we seldom start with washing vehicles…that project is after the grass, the garden, cleaning the garage or whatever project seems to be on that days list!  Funny how his lists usually recruit me being the assistant.  Sadly though my lists are for me because I’m a control freak, I’ll admit it!

Well, at least you’re not working for “the man”!  After all that work over the weekend you need to go back to work to get a break.  Then it’s Monday all over again…wishing that Monday could be a Friday.  It’s a vicious cycle and at this point you’re just thinking….come on Friday!!!!  But unfortunately tomorrow is only Tuesday.