Morning ramblings
It has been a fast few months. We had left deep south Texas and made it to Luckenbach in the hill county. We love that acoustic music and there are so many good musicians that play their amazing music. We have become friends with many: ShAnnie Band, Jake Martin, Jimmy Lee Jones, Bill Lewis, SolPatch, Any Given Sunday Band, Thomas Michael Riley, Rick Boss, Levi Darr, Jimmy Sauge...just to name a few. This year we found the Sunday Cowboy Church at Lucekenbah. We had gone to Hondo's to listen to Any Given Sunday Band, but the cowboy Church is more like going to church. There is a preacher and a sermon along with the music.
There was a moto trails; that was amazing to watch these young people on their bikes balance on rocks, ride up cement culverts, and weave their way along telephone poles and over obstructions. Pat Smage was amazing! His wife Hanna did most of the announcing. Kaylee Sweeten was amazing too; yep, women compete as well as children.
The wildflowers this year were not as profuse as in past years, but we did drive around looking for them. We stopped in at Knot In The Loop to find that Robin and Wayne have closed the bar and are turning it into their home. It was fun to sit and reminisce of the days gone by, our MR2s (We now have her 86 MR2 body that has been transformed into Kathy's 87.), and a little of this and that.
The house generator stopped working as did our small honda generator. We attended Hyde Festival Days and met a guy who was using a small generator he purchased from Walmart on line. It was quiet and small. The next day we ordered our new generator. It can't run the microwave or air conditioner, we can watch a movie at night.
We stopped in to visit with our old boss at LBJ State Park and in the course of talking we found ourselves with a job. We met Ranger Nina who had us fill out a million forms, read papers on safety protocol and we waited for the call that the supples to refurbish the exhibit just outside the visitor center were in. And we waited. We called to see if arrangements had been made and we meant Ranger Stephen who said he had most of the supplies so we began. We took the roof off the kiosk and replaced the shingles, took the rotten boards from the sides and replaced them. They didn't have the paint so we left that part of the project for the next volunteers.
After weeks caught in the void of Luckenbach and the Hill Country we finally broke free. We headed east and found ourselves in Mississippi. We stopped to see Danny Terry. Danny was the first person we had met when we arrived at Luckenbach those many years ago. Danny moved back home to be closer to his children and grandchildren. We spent an afternoon visiting and reminiscing.
From there we headed north on the Natchez Trace. What a great road with no stop signs, no traffic lights and a nice reasonable speed. There are three campgrounds along the northern route that are free. Each has hike possibility, but usually we are in travel mode so don't do them. But it is great to relax under the big trees, have a campfire and sing a few songs.
And so we found ourselves in Galax Virginia. We love this area because it is nested in the hills and valleys of the Appalachian Mountains where bluegrass and old time music is kept alive. We attended Houstonfest and enjoyed lots of good music including Del McCurry, The Church Sisters and The Six String Soldiers. There are jams in the small towns around Galax, but we had a mission. Friends, Brenda and Harold have been so helpful in our mission.
Our mission was to look for houses, and/or property because we want to find a touch spot, a place to call home "where the road don't move". We want to find this special spot before we are in a position that we have to stop for what ever reason. This trip we were look for for opportunities, cheap homes, foreclosures, and fixer-uppers. We found a nice piece of property that was selling for less that expected. Most property around the area sells for $4000 and up. This is just $2000. The tracts of land and the deeds didn't seem to add up so we went to the courthouse and started to research the deeds. What a learning experience. It was actually fun looking back through records and heavy old books where such things are recorded. Through all our research we found that the view spot over the hills and valleys is included and that the old homestead is also included. So now we have something to think about. Houses are a bit more challenging. We don't really want to live in a suburb so are looking for more rural settings. A nice house overlooking the Little River was really interesting, but they were asking way too much and the basement cement block was covered in black mold. We have not found the right thing yet, but our three weeks are up and we needed to move on to Pittsburgh.
Before we departed Mark, Harold's son performed his magic. We had thought that we would need a new radiator, but Mark discovered we only needed a new hose. He was able to replace it. He also changed the oil in the house generator and that too works great. He suggested we use Luccas in the gas to try to clean it as the van is missing and bucking along.
The Luccas product did help and we arrived in Pittsburgh at Carmine's for Camron's 8th birthday party. It was fun being with family. Shawn had not read his invite carefully and thinking it was Sunday, missed the Saturday event so we celebrated again with him on Sunday. Camron enjoyed having two cakes! Off to the south hills for a few days with Sueann. Sister times are good times. And off again to Ligonier to spend time with the grandkids.
We played joker, had a tea party, enjoyed tickles and little piggy times in the van, had meals at Forks and Ruthies and spent an afternoon in the forest getting water from the spring. Dami and Finn both have jobs, the two boys enjoy time with their friends so most of our time was with Arwen, she too is growing up so fast. Nicole's business is doing well; she does cranial massages as well as body massage; she has good hands for that.
Carmine called one night in a bit of a pickle. She has noticed a black spot in her vision in her good eye. Her doctor sent her to a specialist and she asked Kathy to please go with her. So we drove back down to Pittsburgh. The specialist did lots of tests, took computer pictures of both eyes ( she can't see from her left eye) and said that they had to be aggressive in treatment as that is her only good eye. She would need an injection in her eye. He did it right there! Kathy drove Carmine back home and got her settled in for the rest of the day and we headed back up to Ligonier.
The van is again having problems. The bucking and misfiring has returned. stopped at several garages on our way to Ligonier, but it is a holiday weekend coming up, air condition time so there are no mechanics available to look at the problem, change the spark plugs or what ever needs done. And so we are sitting here in Ligonier longer that we had hoped to. Perchance we will find someone to look at it....friend or friend's friend so of a thing. Wish us luck. Our destination is Pictou, Nova Scotia.
There was a moto trails; that was amazing to watch these young people on their bikes balance on rocks, ride up cement culverts, and weave their way along telephone poles and over obstructions. Pat Smage was amazing! His wife Hanna did most of the announcing. Kaylee Sweeten was amazing too; yep, women compete as well as children.
The wildflowers this year were not as profuse as in past years, but we did drive around looking for them. We stopped in at Knot In The Loop to find that Robin and Wayne have closed the bar and are turning it into their home. It was fun to sit and reminisce of the days gone by, our MR2s (We now have her 86 MR2 body that has been transformed into Kathy's 87.), and a little of this and that.
The house generator stopped working as did our small honda generator. We attended Hyde Festival Days and met a guy who was using a small generator he purchased from Walmart on line. It was quiet and small. The next day we ordered our new generator. It can't run the microwave or air conditioner, we can watch a movie at night.
We stopped in to visit with our old boss at LBJ State Park and in the course of talking we found ourselves with a job. We met Ranger Nina who had us fill out a million forms, read papers on safety protocol and we waited for the call that the supples to refurbish the exhibit just outside the visitor center were in. And we waited. We called to see if arrangements had been made and we meant Ranger Stephen who said he had most of the supplies so we began. We took the roof off the kiosk and replaced the shingles, took the rotten boards from the sides and replaced them. They didn't have the paint so we left that part of the project for the next volunteers.
After weeks caught in the void of Luckenbach and the Hill Country we finally broke free. We headed east and found ourselves in Mississippi. We stopped to see Danny Terry. Danny was the first person we had met when we arrived at Luckenbach those many years ago. Danny moved back home to be closer to his children and grandchildren. We spent an afternoon visiting and reminiscing.
From there we headed north on the Natchez Trace. What a great road with no stop signs, no traffic lights and a nice reasonable speed. There are three campgrounds along the northern route that are free. Each has hike possibility, but usually we are in travel mode so don't do them. But it is great to relax under the big trees, have a campfire and sing a few songs.
And so we found ourselves in Galax Virginia. We love this area because it is nested in the hills and valleys of the Appalachian Mountains where bluegrass and old time music is kept alive. We attended Houstonfest and enjoyed lots of good music including Del McCurry, The Church Sisters and The Six String Soldiers. There are jams in the small towns around Galax, but we had a mission. Friends, Brenda and Harold have been so helpful in our mission.
Our mission was to look for houses, and/or property because we want to find a touch spot, a place to call home "where the road don't move". We want to find this special spot before we are in a position that we have to stop for what ever reason. This trip we were look for for opportunities, cheap homes, foreclosures, and fixer-uppers. We found a nice piece of property that was selling for less that expected. Most property around the area sells for $4000 and up. This is just $2000. The tracts of land and the deeds didn't seem to add up so we went to the courthouse and started to research the deeds. What a learning experience. It was actually fun looking back through records and heavy old books where such things are recorded. Through all our research we found that the view spot over the hills and valleys is included and that the old homestead is also included. So now we have something to think about. Houses are a bit more challenging. We don't really want to live in a suburb so are looking for more rural settings. A nice house overlooking the Little River was really interesting, but they were asking way too much and the basement cement block was covered in black mold. We have not found the right thing yet, but our three weeks are up and we needed to move on to Pittsburgh.
Before we departed Mark, Harold's son performed his magic. We had thought that we would need a new radiator, but Mark discovered we only needed a new hose. He was able to replace it. He also changed the oil in the house generator and that too works great. He suggested we use Luccas in the gas to try to clean it as the van is missing and bucking along.
The Luccas product did help and we arrived in Pittsburgh at Carmine's for Camron's 8th birthday party. It was fun being with family. Shawn had not read his invite carefully and thinking it was Sunday, missed the Saturday event so we celebrated again with him on Sunday. Camron enjoyed having two cakes! Off to the south hills for a few days with Sueann. Sister times are good times. And off again to Ligonier to spend time with the grandkids.
We played joker, had a tea party, enjoyed tickles and little piggy times in the van, had meals at Forks and Ruthies and spent an afternoon in the forest getting water from the spring. Dami and Finn both have jobs, the two boys enjoy time with their friends so most of our time was with Arwen, she too is growing up so fast. Nicole's business is doing well; she does cranial massages as well as body massage; she has good hands for that.
Carmine called one night in a bit of a pickle. She has noticed a black spot in her vision in her good eye. Her doctor sent her to a specialist and she asked Kathy to please go with her. So we drove back down to Pittsburgh. The specialist did lots of tests, took computer pictures of both eyes ( she can't see from her left eye) and said that they had to be aggressive in treatment as that is her only good eye. She would need an injection in her eye. He did it right there! Kathy drove Carmine back home and got her settled in for the rest of the day and we headed back up to Ligonier.
The van is again having problems. The bucking and misfiring has returned. stopped at several garages on our way to Ligonier, but it is a holiday weekend coming up, air condition time so there are no mechanics available to look at the problem, change the spark plugs or what ever needs done. And so we are sitting here in Ligonier longer that we had hoped to. Perchance we will find someone to look at it....friend or friend's friend so of a thing. Wish us luck. Our destination is Pictou, Nova Scotia.
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