Back in Hartford

Did I mention that the pelicans in my cover page are real ones. I took that shot in Marco Island, FL this Feb.

Sebastian and I left Naples, Lake San Marino, on Mar. 8th. Leaving brought many hugs and tears, it always does. I didn't get out as early a I planned but that was ok since I was only going to Tampa which is 160 miles. We spent the night at Lazy Days' Rally Park. Rally it was and therefore we couldn't stay but the one night. I did manage to get my windshield glued in at their glass shop. It seems the folks who replaced the rubber seals last summer didn't glue the glass in properly. As we traveled southward in December, it opened up about 24" in the center. The cold air was blowing in and we didn't know where it was coming from. Of course, the weather going south was rotten. We didn't notice the slim opening.

We spent one night coming back in Rally Park. While there, I did manage to visit with friens who were there buying a new coach, Jan and Larry Beck. Then we moved over to my friend's home in Riverview. I pulled right up on their front lawn blocking the house from the street. Brent plugged in the frig and the battery charger so that's where she stayed. Bash and I enjoyed being in a big house for about a week. I bought two new steering tires while there and had them put on the front wheels. Age and inactivity are the destroyers of tires on these coaches. Mine had lots of tread but were showing wall cracks from age. They were 7 years old but probably only had 10k miles on them. Big bucks spent but what price safety.

Bash and I struck out for SC the first day back on the road. I like to take I 75 to Ocala then cut over on 301 to A1A to I 95. 301 was so rough, it about shook me to pieces. I remember thinking, I hope this is not a precursor for what is to come. We picked up I 95 which was not too bad until we entered Georgia. The construction was really bad as it was when I came down. Very narrow,crooked lanes. When I reached Point South that night after 9 1/2 hrs., I was dead on my feet. The next day we left for New Bern, NC. Another long rough day on Hwy 17. In Jacksonville, NC near Camp Lejuene we were held up for an hour due to a bad wreck. Meanwhile, it is nearing sunset. I don't drive after dark usually since I have a cataract. My destination was a KOA just outside of New Bern in Bridgton on Hwy 17. I got confused on the Neuse River bridge due to signs saying the draw bridge was closed and went south on Hwy 70 towards Cherry Point. Had to find a place big enough to make a U-turn (always a challenge with 65'). By the time I made my way across the bridge properly and headed north on Hwy 17 into Bridgton, it was 7:15 p.m. and dark. I wasn't quite sure where the KOA was but knew it was on the Left side of the road. On went the 4 way flashers as I held traffic up behind me. We made quite a parade and I bet those motorists were happy to see me reach my destination. I was ecstatic to say the least. The campground was closed for the night so I grabbed a map of the sites and drove around a few times. I pulled into one where I fit, joyfully shut down and hooked up my power and water. Quick supper and early bedtime. I checked in the following morning to find that they were amazed I had pulled into the exact spot they had reserved for me even though there were only a few RV's in there. I spent the next two days visiting with friends and walking out by the old Neuse River.

We left early for Ashland, VA in cooler than normal temperatures. Another long day on I 95 after making my way from New Bern to Williamston, NC where I 64 took me to I 95. Diesel fuel was cheapest in SC and VA...PA and NY are out of sight at over $3. per gal. I kept topping off the tank until I left VA. We stayed in VA and visited with daughter Lisa and friends, Tammy and Alice. From VA north, I knew I would not be able to drive the entire trip in one day alone. I don't usually stay in Walmart's because they are often difficult to find in the cities along the road. Campgrounds in PA are not open this time of year and truck stops can be horrendous. I did leave I 95 in Fredericksburg where I took Hwy 17 to I 66 West to I 81 north in Front Royal, VA. The weather and temperatures looked favorable for me to go straight north over the Applachians to Binghamton NY. As it began to get dark near Scranton, PA, I pulled into a truck stop dreading spending the night there. When I asked where they would like me to park, they said they didn't allow any RV's for overnights and sent me up the road a mile to a Petro Travel Center. It is way atop a hill and they separate the RV's from the trucks. It was reasonably quiet and safe. They had a restaurant and coffee bar even electricity if needed. Bash and I just tucked in and slept quite well. Early the next morning, we were on the road again in the rain. My wipers don't work except on the manual mist setting so my left hand got a workout. Going over those huge mountains with the steep grades is an experience in a motorhome. When we got to Binghamton, NY (has to be the arm pit of NYS), we took I 88 East to Albany. Some really rough spots but we were in our driveway by 2 p.m. Grateful to be home at last.

Now I find we are both a bit depressed. The weather here has turned cold and cloudy since we arrived. Lots of mud and crud everywhere. I have been doing everything I can to keep the Bus from freezing up. I don't want to winterize it for just a few days of cold. But I worry...

Back to work this week and then a week off for Easter.

Zuppa Toscano

I don't know if the spelling of the name of this soup recipe is correct but expect I will be informed if it is not. I cannot find the written recipe but since I have made it several times this winter and just finished making a pot of it now, I should be able to repeat it here for you. I have made some adjustments to the orginal and give it to you my way. Enjoy!!

10 cups of chicken broth ( I use two and a half boxes of the MSG free and lower sodium ones)

a pkg of italian sausage (I have used sweet, chorizo and the hot sausages; I like the hot but if you use sweet, you can add some crushed red pepper flakes)

6 slices of bacon (cooked and cut up)

3 large russet potatoes, cut up or sliced thin (I have used red and Idaho too)

1 Lg white or yellow onion diced (my feeling is use more onion since it always sweetens a recipe nicely)

Chopped garlic to taste

Bunch of Kale, chopped (organic please; I have used escarole in place of Kale)

a pint of heavy cream

S & P
Parsley

crushed red pepper flakes to taste

Grated cheese of your choice as a garnish

Brown the sausage which you have cut up in pieces; I leave the casings on since they disappear in the cooking broth. Remove to a pan.

Brown the onions and garlic in the drippings from the sausage. I didn't have much fat so I added a bit of EVVO.

Add the cut up potatoes (you can slice them if you wish). Stir then add all the broth. Bring to a boil and Cook for about 15 minutes.

Then add the chopped Kale and the browned sausage. Continue to simmer for another 20 minutes.

Season the soup and let it sit for a few minutes without heat. Add the chopped bacon and the heavy cream. You don't want it to boil with the cream in it. Be gentle with the heat now. Serve with a bit of grated cheese or a few chopped green onions.
Bon Appetito!!

Long day

Who is Stagger Lee?

Been listening to Chris Kristopherson sing a song about him.

You know I trust people who take care of my vehicles. Wrong!! The guys who pumped up my tires put way too much air in them. I have banged and swayed, bumped and bounded all the way to SC today. I feel like I had been run down by a bus instead of driving one. It was very windy too ...right on the beam.....weather helm big time. Sailing lingo!! The roads in this part of the USA are awful. For those of you who take 301 to 95, going N is terrible. Pot holes right in the tire track so you cannot avoid them. Then I95 was very busy. I got to GA and suffered through miles and miles of construction, narrow lanes and slow speeds even on this sunday.
I tried to stop in GA but campgrounds were all full. I had called Point South earlier and left a message. They never called back so I didn't know if I had a spot or not. When I pulled in here, I would have slept in the parking lot. My neck, hands and shoulders sure could use a good rub down. Guess I will have to settle for another glass of wine and a tylenol. Bummer!

I went to the Moffat Cancer Center in Tampa the other day with Sharon to join some cancer patients for lunch. The Center is large but the appearance is nothing compared with the work they do there. These patients were all Melanoma victims. Since my sister Marilyn passed away from Melanoma in 1974 at age 37, I found my emotions pretty raw listening to their stories. There is so much happening right now as opposed to '74 when there was barely anything. Marilyn never had a chance. There is an entire language attached to Melanoma now. A huge break through is about to happen as two drug companies prepare to present and manage a trial together. Brent is one of victims of this disease. Tomorrow he flies to Houston, TX to MD Anderson Cancer Ctr for more tests on the result of his current Mek trial. He is being flown by 3 separate pilots of small planes called Angel Flights. Most of the pilots are female. What a blessing they are when you consider his flight out and back would have been $600.

I want to comment on a difference I observed between Tampa area and the Naples area. I love Naples as my special place but the level of anger has been on the increase and this year it was actually scary. Tampa is not as beautiful or as rich and is more populated but I didn't see any evidence of anger from the motorists. No horn blowing or birdie tossing or screaming obscenties out of the window. Something to think about.....

Sharon and I went down to the Power Plant to view the Manatees. There were many of them there, all sizes. I think they feed them cabbage leaves since they cannot find food naturally there and certainly can't swim out into the creek to eat when the water is so cold. Many calves have been found dead this year with grass in their stomach which says they tried to swim out for food and suffered from the cold. Power Plant water is 79 degrees; creek water the other day was 66 degrees. They are all identified and named by the scars they carry on their bodies.

Today was my Dad's birthday. He was riding in the passenger seat all day chewing on a cigar. Thanks Pop!

Gotta take Bashey for a walk before I crash.... We are well on our way.

A February post

Hi Blog readers.
It is a stormy day in Naples, FL. Today was a biking day but was cancelled due to the rain and wind. This is the first time since I arrived here Jan. 1st that we have not been able to bike. This storm is supposed to clear out by mid-day though. Yesterday, our Zumba dance group did manage to meet for an hour. I enjoy dancing the Zumba and hope I can find a group up north. My concern upon arriving back in Hartford is maintaining the current level of health and fitness I have achieved this winter. My diet has been good too with all the fresh organic veggies and fruits at the daily farmers mkts. I will miss many things about life in SW Florida. Would I choose to stay year-round? Probably not. I had a chance to do so a few years ago but chose to migrate to VT and NY 4 or 5 mos. I adapted quite nicely to that period of migration. Unfortunately, the concern over my ability or inability to use my eyes to drive dictated it was time to settle in. I realized after opening all my storage boxes and seeing my furniture after 5 years how much I wanted a permanent home. I love my gardens too. Now here I am aboard the Bearfoot Bus again after a 2 year hiatus, planning my migratory route back north in a few days. I feels very normal actually. My plans are always flexible according to weather, my eyes and mechanics of the bus. Right now, we will leave here on the 8th , spending our first night at Rally Park in Thonotosassa, FL. I have a couple of things I want Lazy Days to check out before the trip north. I also want to visit my dear friends who are dealing with a serious health issue. When we leave there, we will go up the East coast to Myrtle Beach for a couple of days, then on to Oriental, NC to visit with friends there. From there to Richmond, VA to see my daughter Lisa and her family and to see several friends in the surrounding area. After Richmond, it is all according to the weather windows we see. At this point, I don’t have an arrival date.

Reflections on my surroundings: I sit in my “southern” church amongst a thousand others who are mostly white-haired or bald-ing. I feel very comfortable and expansive among “my people”. I have learned to admire and love our shapes and our physical appearances. I share our love of fun and silly childish activities, our ability to laugh at ourselves. I admire and appreciate our lack of ego-centered competition amongst the “haves and have-nots” . All of that said, I have to say I abhor the constant evidence of senior ROAD RAGE directed not only to fellow motorists but also at bikers. The campaign in FL to Share The Road seems to have fallen on blind eyes and deaf ears. The energy felt when one is the victim of intimidation by another is one of pure hatred. I experienced it here a few years ago while biking but it has accelerated in frequency and volume. I find I am developing a defensive shield. I think older people are becoming more cranky and I wonder what contributes to their anger.

Well, there you have it for now……. I remain poised but not quite ready to roll on northward.

From Tampa

Sebastian and I are very happy to be spending a few days with our dear friends, Brent and Sharon, Sugar and Chance. Sugar and Chance were so happy to hear us drive up....they were jumping around and crying inside. When Sharon let them out Sugar came out to put her paws on my car window and then proceeded to climb in on top of me as soon as I opened the door. Such a warm welcome all around. Sebastian pulls his lip up and growls when Chance tries to kiss him but Chance kisses him anyway. So sweet!

Sharon and I gathered food at the store and then had a blast cooking supper together. Meatloaf, green beans, salad and mashed potatoes. Yum! It feels really good to be with them once again.

Sitting around watching Idol and Biggest Loser, dogs all sleeping around our feet. Feels like home.

This is really helping me make the transition from Lake San Marino community to back on the road. I miss many people back home but not sure I really am ready to go back to NYS yet.

I have a gypsy soul... I am happy living in new places and moving around. Being back on the road has made me realize how much I have missed this life. I still long for a compatible male partner to share my love of travel and adventure but have few illusions about finding someone at this stage of my life.

Speaking of the stages of our lives....my pastor, Rev. Pratt, spoke of the Numbering of our Days a few weeks ago. Yes, our days are numbered.....the realization that if my life goes well... I only have 10 - 15 years left. Not much time. Therefore, each day must count and not be wasted. Doug Pratt suggested a list of ways to number our days in a positive loving way.

I will include them in another post when I get my hands on my notes from that sermon. Right now I suddenly feel tired, too tired to write sense. More later....