Shaffer Way

Duluth MN    We arrived at the Indian Point Campground Sunday afternoon.   We soon determined that our primary mode of transportation would have be the Duluth Transportation Authority.   In other words, ride the bus.   Georgann and I are not mass transit people.   Not that we think it’s not necessary, it’s just that we have no idea how to read a bus schedule or for that matter, understanding what people are saying when we ask for help.   Every time we used it in Chicago or anywhere else, there was always someone with us or explaining in our language what we had to do.   Eventually we managed to travel without getting lost but it took a lot of effort and there were a few moments. We managed to visit the Lake Superior Maritime Center which had artifacts and displays.   They had a listing of the ships that were due to depart and our timing was right to watch The American Spirit, a bulk carrier, leave port and pass under the aerial lift br...

Visiting my Florida Girlfriends!  It’s been almost a month and I like this gypsy life. Besides a few burned out lights our rig has made a good home on wheels.  (I’m saying this with my fingers crossed) Our friends and family have been very gracious about us using their electricity and water, and using their laundry facilities. Yesterday was the first time I had to use coin washer and dryers. I was anxious about the process since I haven’t done it in many years and I arrived with my load of towels only to have both the available washers full of clothes with no one around. I had questions about laundry etiquette and even googled it on my phone (LOL) wondering if I could put them in the basket on top of the washer if no one showed up in 25 minutes and even started the timer on my phone. Patience is not one of my best traits but I’m working on it! Within about 10 minutes the missing laundress came and I’m sure the look on my face was not pleasant but I lied to her and told he...

The Franklin County Fair, Hampton, IA The Franklin County Fair kicked off with a parade on Tuesday evening.   Afterward we went to Jamie and Mindy’s house for dinner.   We met even more of the family that evening. Corky made my favorite rice dish which unfortunately I had to share because it is quite popular with others as well.   Oh, and don’t forget the jello cake! As with most every parade, there was a lot of candy thrown.   The boys were generous in sharing.   I found a cherry tootsie roll pop which is one of my all-time favorites.   This is where Lena and I became best friends.   Apparently, she likes them too.     We attended the fair the next afternoon.   We had some lunch and then went over to the popcorn stand for guess who.   In all honesty, for all the popcorn Kurt ate I was right there with him for the most part.   This time it was caramel corn and it was really good.   That evening we went to the ro...

Dumont IA cont.   On Sunday, we went to the church with the Wolf’s.   They were the greeters so we went early and had the opportunity to meet many of their friends.   After the service started, I looked across the pew and saw Kurt sitting with his 1 ½ year old granddaughter, Lena.   Lena and I would become very good friends later in the week. That afternoon we went to a play at the theater in Hampton featuring a local presentation of Sex, Lies, and the IRS.   It was very funny and very well done.   One thing I learned was Kurt can consume a lot of popcorn.   That evening, Lena came over with her family, Mike, Katie and Garret, and we had a great dinner. Its good I was fed well because little did I know what Kurt had in store for me on Monday morning. A Disc Ripper is an implement that is used to till the soil after the corn is harvested.   In the front are discs that need to be periodically changed and Kurt’s ripper needed the discs o...

  Dumont IA – We pulled in to Kurt and Corky Wolf’s on Friday afternoon.    The trip from Ottawa to here was uneventful.   GA takes her turn at the wheel and does quite well.   She’s a natural and it sure makes traveling easier for both of us. We were warmly greeted and it was great to see our Florida neighbors in their natural habitat.   The countryside is very reminiscent of where we lived in Illinois only not quite as flat but certainly covered with corn and soybean fields. Kurt wasted no time getting his new farm hand indoctrinated in the business.   We arrived at the ‘pig barns’ and went in to a small area between the north and south pens of the first barn which he called his office.   He then told me to put on some boots and go through the door.   I walked through the door and saw a couple hundred pigs running away from me and another couple hundred running toward me, squealing as they ran.   That was just the ones by th...

Ottawa, IL   I survived the doctor visit and hopefully my heel is healing 😊 I celebrated my birthday with GA and Maureen by eating Pizza and Pepperidge Farm Coconut Layer Cake.   I didn’t need the layer cake because Maureen had made a carrot cake from scratch and it was pure heaven.   She also gave me a book The Radium Girls about the women who painted radium on watch dials in Ottawa IL.   It is a classic case study for anyone who works with radiation.   I’m anxious to get started reading it.   We were able to get in some bicycle rides but hardly enough to offset the calorie intake.   As we were riding our bicycles across an intersection I heard a guy yell hey Tim.   Sure enough, one of my long time working companions from LaSalle Station.   We met at a parking lot and did a quick catch up.   It was so good to see Bill again. Everyone was so kind during our visit in Ottawa and we look forward to making another quick stop later ...

Cincinnati, OH - Since the recap of the 4 th of July in GA’s post, the activity level slowed down somewhat but never very slow with Hudson around.   The remainder of our time at the Bucki’s was pretty much what you would expect with a few exceptions.   Our tanks got full to the point we needed to dump.   GA found an RV park about 10 miles away so we took the opportunity to take Hudson and Katie along and stop afterward for a picnic.   The RV site we used was at Steamboat Bend on the Ohio river, a nice drive and a very friendly park.   Most sites seemed to be occupied by more long-term campers.   Nearby, we found the perfect picnic area and Hudson was free to roam and explore.   That is until a park ranger drove up in his official car and got out near Hudson.   He was in full ranger uniform and stood about 6’3”.   I went over and he said something about a sticker.   So, I figured we were in trouble and needed a sticker on our rig to us...

We had Fantastic Fourth of July Family Fun at the Cincinnati Bucki’s! This was the first time I had seen their new home since the recent purchase in April and I was impressed! The neighborhood they live in is perfect with older Tudor style homes on a hilly, shady, terrain but the best part is the neighbors! Friendly families just like them with children for Hudson to play with and couples for Katie and Frank to share a few adult beverages with. Their home is beautiful and the Bucki’s are doing a wonderful job of decorating and making it ‘their’ own and it comes with a bonus front porch swing! Our bonus was having Tim’s son Andy visiting for the 4 th of July weekend. He lives in Baltimore and brought his “old man” pet friend Columbo to visit while his wife Yoko and the kids where visiting Japan. We parked our home on wheels in the backyard off the narrow alley, mirrors pulled in, and Tim did a great job navigating. Everyone praised our purchase and seemed honestly impressed...

Cincinnati OH – Pay close attention.  There is a quiz at the end.  I suppose you are all waiting to hear my critique on the Opry.  Crystal’s brown eyes turned blue and she looked like she had been taken more than half the way.  Crystal’s hair has not changed but Lorrie Morgan now has long blonde hair although it took me about 5 minutes to figure it out.  Oh, and the roof on the Opry is still intact except that the house was almost brought down when the entire audience sang giddy up oom poppa omm poppa mow mow with the Oak Ridge Boys at the end of the show.  What a great time and I would definitely do it gain! Quiz:  Name the 4 songs referred to in the Opry critique. I think we may have a name for our RV.  Hudson calls it “The Big Truck”.  He was very impressed and said it is cool.  This morning he came by himself to deliver a message from the main house.  He knocked on the door and was standing on the top step below the window....