Wed – 21 Dec/16

It appears that using my phone as a hotspot is working – at least until I run out of data (actually, it is unlimited; however, it will go to “slow speed” at a certain point).

I was able to pick up our email last night. Wow! Our best friends just traded their 2 cars in for a brand new, gun-metal grey, Nissan Rogue SUV! Perfect!

We are still sleeping in until 9 a.m. (Good for us!).

Charlotte headed off to the sewing group to say; ”Hi”. An email had been sent from the group a few weeks ago wondering if we were coming this year. We had been delayed by a cancelled medical appointment and would be about a month later than planned.

The unusually |(record) warmth has departed and we now have overcast skies and temps starting in the high 50’s F. it will get up to almost 70 F by mid-afternoon with the chance of an odd scattered shower.

Charlotte returned in about 45 minutes from saying hello. The usual gang was there. They are all working on their own individual projects. Occasionally someone will volunteer to teach “a project”. Charlotte will now have to unpack her sewing machine and sort her materials and will join in tomorrow morning.

When Charlotte returned we indulged(yummy). Instead of the regular breakfast we treated ourselves to coffee cake that we picked up with the groceries last night.

Mid-morning we headed out (with our fingers crossed) in the car to see about getting the clutch fixed.

A few years ago, on our first stay at OMS (Olde Mill Stream) I discovered Wally’s Garage. Wally is the kind of mechanic everyone wishes they had to work on their car. Only the best work with the best parts will do – and at a fair price.

Then panic set in! Wally’s Garage was vacant! I phoned the old number and Wally answered. He had recently moved to a larger facility. I was relieved.  I got directions and would meet him there after lunch.

We had to “kill” a few hours so we were off to the Walmart just a short distance away. We were sure we could find a few things we didn’t know we needed … and we were right! Charlotte found a few craft items while I drooled at the 32” TV’s for less than $150. We got a good 2 hours of exercises and picked up a few items by the time we were to leave.

We stopped on the way back to Wally’s Garage to run the Del Sol through an automatic car wash at a corner gas/convenience store. The car was pretty white from the trip down here.

Wally’s new facilities are at least 3 times larger than the old shop. They are still trying to sort everything out as they have just moved in a short time ago. A good mechanic is always busy. They also work on great cars. Wally is well regarded in Corvette circles in this area; however, I was surprised to see a classic Ferrari Daytona in the shop.

That is one of my all-time favourites for that marque. (It was a customer’s car – Wally hasn’t traded in any of his Corvettes).

Careful inspection revealed no leaking clutch lines. Wally will be able to book me in by the New Year to replace the master clutch cylinder. (Remember, I said he is always busy). Master cylinders don’t usually abruptly fail; but develop a slow leak. I will keep an eye on the fluid level until it is fixed. It should be OK until then. (Hey – first time in 22 years – I can’t complain about the longevity.)

After leaving Wally’s we went to the Mt. Dora Chamber of Commerce to pick up event listings and brochures.  We missed a few good shows; however, most are now over until the New Year. Next we will have to check the schedules for entertainment in The Villages and at the Orange Blossom Opry.

The late breakfast meant we were not hungry for lunch. On the way back we decided to stop at the Ice Cream and Treats shop in Umatilla, FL. Here they serve premium ice cream in a few dozen flavours. They also have yogurts and Italian ices and candies as well. We had thought about sharing a classic Banana Split (another couple each indulged in their own individual one); however we each decided on getting our own flavours. Charlotte decided on Black Cherry and I settled on Pecan Praline. We both agreed that these were as good as any and better than most, as each had a generous supply of fruit, nits and flavor.

Our next stop was at the Family Dollar store across from OMS. Here we filled the water container that we bought at Walmart. Down here many locations have filtered water dispensers either in-store or out front. We also picked up a few small items inside the store as well.

We crossed the road to OMS and pressed our remote control to open the gated entrance. I then pulled in at the office and went in to get 2 rolls of quarters so that we are prepared to use the park laundry when needed.

We unloaded and were back in the RV by 5 p.m. There is still a lot of unpacking and sorting to do; but that will be for another day. Hey – we’re retired!

I turned on the Fireplace (electric) in the motorhome to take the damp chill out of the air. It is dropping below 60F now that the sun is down. It will go down to the upper 40’s F later tonight; but have no fear – it will be up to the 80’s F for Christmas.

Supper this evening will by Marie Callender’s Turkey Pot Pie. We always look forward to this. The great thing is that; unlike some pot pies, it has a complete top and bottom crust. It’s time for me to start cooking so all will be ready to eat while we watch Jeopardy.

That’s it for another day.

Tue – 20 Dec/16

Slept in again until 9 a.m. It will take us a few days to get back on schedule after 3 days of intense driving.

 It will also be a few more days before we get the RV unpacked and sorted out.

I got the phone working about 9:30 p.m. last night. Apparently the provider for ROAM Mobility had a massive outage. Nothing was working regarding signing on. I had already paid for 6 months; but couldn’t enter the start date for my service. Finally it worked and I now have my winter cell phone up and running. What a relief.

With that accomplished I went to the office and informed them of my contact phone number. I also picked up tickets for the New Year’s Eve Dance. While there I asked Sherri to thank her husband (Charlie) for help getting me set up on the lot so quickly when we arrived. The staff here is the best anywhere – bar none.

We continued to unpack and organize until mid-afternoon. I then decided to check out the Del Sol to see if it would work. When I unhooked the car from the motorhome upon arrival I gearshift would not work. The clutch went to the floor!

I check the clutch fluid reservoir – it was empty! I had spare power steering fluid, transmission, anti-freeze and engine oil – but no brake fluid (which is used for the clutch). Pressing the clutch completely to the floor I was able to shift it into neutral and start the car.

I was going to try to make  it to Advance Auto Parts near Eustis, FL; about 5 miles straight down SR-19. Hopefully, I would only have a few shifts and make it through the few stoplights without having to stop.

Charlotte jumped in and we departed. The traffic, the lights and the car co-operated and we made it safely to pick up the needed fluid that was required - Dot 3 Brake Fluid. I filled the reservoir and pump the clutch several times to ensure it would not empty immediately.

The clutch was working despite having to be pressed to the floor to work. The clutch is probably almost worn out to the limit. I can’t complain – I can accept, being the car is 22 years old and with 500,000 Km of mileage, that I might need a new clutch.

I then crossed the parking lot to fill the car with gas at the corner gas station. It took over 11 (U.S.) gallons. I must have had at least a pint left!

Next, we crossed the road to Publix. This is our favourite grocery store since the first time we ever came to Florida (1970’s). It was now time to do our food shopping to stock up the RV. We only brought a few items (that are allowed through customs) with us that would survive the -40F start to our trip. (Note: -40F and -40C is the spot where both temperature scales match – and that’s cold!)

After shopping (and filling the car) we crossed the parking lot to Burger King to indulge in the “2 for $10.00 Whopper Meal Deal”.

Then, it was back to the RV to unpack it all. After a little over an hour everything was put away. The refrigerator and the pantry were stuffed to the maximum! (Sorry! - I lied! A single soft drink can might fit into the refrigerator and a can of soup might be able to squeeze into the pantry!)

As we take it easy (while watching Jeopardy) I worked on today’s blog. Sorry, there are no pictures, as yet, due to the Wi-Fi problem. Perhaps in the future?

I will now attempt to us my iPhone and my phone network as a hotspot to send out the blog.

That’s it for today! We will now be doing our usual Tuesday evening thing – NCIS!

(P.S. If you are reading this – the phone hotspot worked! )

 

Mon – 19 Dec/16

We slept in until 9:30 a.m. Then it was time for a warm shower. We will spend the rest of today (and the next few) gradually unpacking and setting up everything in the RV.

Record high temps here yesterday – up to 88F with extremely high humidity!

I went to register and pay (the balance - at least for the next 3 months).  The first month must be paid in advance (last year) to hold the reservation. I picked up a mailbox key (Site #81), left a set of keys for the RV (in case there is an emergency), left our completed registration forms and picked up Christmas Dinner (Pot Luck) tickets. (Ooops! I just remembered - I should have also picked up the New Year’s Eve tickets). I will try to remember to do that tomorrow.

There is no longer park wide Wi-Fi. They spent thousands and were willing to spend up ¼ million; however no provider would guarantee service. With over 400 in the park and each site having a phone or two and a computer (or two) there were up to 2000 devices trying to get on at once. This caused chaos.

This year there are3 hotspots: The Main Clubhouse, in the Lodge and the  Multi-purpose room. Charlotte and I came to the Main Clubhouse. Charlotte checked the activity list and I am trying the Wi-Fi. At the moment I am able to get on. It just means I will have to carry the computer from the RV to the hotspot to use it. It appears to be OK and I will be able to do the blog.

I went to the Main Rec Hall. There is bingo here in one room and card games going on in the library. I don’t think anyone is doing laundry at the moment as we are alone in the activity room (crossword puzzles and the activity listings are here.)

I was just able to pick up emails for the last 4 days.

Apparently the provider for ROAM Mobility had an unplanned outage. With luck I will be able to have my winter cell phone working by tomorrow.

I am now going to try and begin publishing the blog.

Please bear with me as I try to get everything going again.

Sun – 18 Dec/16

We were up early and on the road as soon as dawn began to brighten the sky. Sunrise would not arrive for almost half an hour; however, the sky was beyond the “Pitch Black” of night.
The “Check Engine” came on in the motorhome. The last time this happened one of the two “Oxygen Sensors” had failed. I felt this was the same problem. The RV can still be driven except the operating parameters had changed. The failed sensor along with the extremely high moisture content (droplets were still coating the windshield) caused the transmission to delay shifting to a higher gear at the usual speed. This caused the motor to run at a higher RPM than usual. After a few hours the dew point dropped due to the raising temperatures and this became less of a problem.

We stopped at the Brunswick, GA Flying J to fuel up before entering Florida. Again this saved $$ compared to Florida’s higher gas tax rate.

I feel another rant coming on! The previous Flying J’s filled better than in the past. I have trying to tell Flying J for years that they should reduce the high speed pumps at the RV islands to the same speed as the car pumps. They (wrongly) figure because motorhome tanks are at least 5 times the size of most car tanks that faster pumps would be a good idea! WRONG! This causes the gas to foam and kick off the automatic nozzles on many RV’s. I have to fill at the most minimum speed setting which still cuts off every 10-15 seconds. I then have to let the foam bubbles go down (a 10 count) so it will be able to fill again. Then the pump handle completely stopped working. I told this to an attendant who couldn’t have cared less. He said it quit because the tank was full. Since it wasn’t I went inside to see if someone else could start the other pump so I could finish filling.

That is when I was told that the pumps were programmed to shut off if you take too long to fill-up. Somehow; the rocket scientist they hired to figure this out, concluded that this would most certainly clear the lane faster??? (Remember – for years, I have been trying to tell them that slower speed pumps would actually be faster). Now, by my calculations, the20 minutes I took to get someone to solve why my pump was not working, did not speed up my clearing the island. I was also told that if I wanted slower speed pumps I should use the truck lanes. Brilliant! Except that you can’t put diesel fuel in a gas motor! (I don’t think this one was even an unemployed rocket scientist).

They told me they could restart the pump and I could finish. Needless to say, I told them that I wasted enough time there already.

Once we entered Georgia, I-95 was 3 lanes (each side) all the way into Florida. I just set it at the speed limit and get into the center lane. This way I avoid having to worrying about being cut off by vehicles entering from the on-ramp and the faster cars can pass on the outside lane.

At Jacksonville, I take the I-295 (East Loop) around. This is an easier drive with less traffic and only a few minutes longer. We always enjoy the view of the cranes at the docks as we go up the high suspension bridge over the harbour entrance. The new extension near the reconnection with I-95 that they were working on as we were leaving last year has now been completed. It maked it even easier to get back on I-95 than in the past. A most welcomed addition.

We usually take a more leisurely route to our final destination; however, yesterday’s delays put us hours late already. I stayed on I-95 until the Bunnell, FL exit instead. We managed to get into Olde Mill Stream RV Resort in Umatilla, FL just before 5 p.m.

This is the best RV park in this area of Florida. It is no wonder that they have an extremely long waiting list. If you don’t reserve for the prime months a year in advance you will be out-of-luck.

As usual, the service was exceptional (even on Sunday) and we were set up on our site just before dark.

Once we put the RV on the cement pad ,I hit the automatic levelers, put out the 3 slideouts, hooked up the power, water and sewer, set up the TV’s, turned on the A/C, refrigerator and the hot water tank. We then tucked ourselves in bed and said, “The rest is for tomorrow”.

Sat – 17 Dec/16

We woke up to ¼” layer of ice coating everything! Due to the unseasonable extreme cold the rain was freezing on everything. The RV wore a solid covering of ice. Transports were crawling in to get off the Interstate. They were parking until the weather cleared. Needless to say, we weren’t leaving at 7 a.m. as planned.

The parking lot that was almost full last night was now barren except for a few trucks that were pulling in along with our RV (and 2 other RV’s) that were here through the night. The weather report indicated a warm front would raise the temperature from below freezing to 50F by the afternoon. The rain stopped, as predicated, by 10 a.m.  The roadway was slushy by noon. 

This gave me time to fix a wiper blade that had a chunk tear away due to the ice. Walmart no longer sells refills. I could not by a wiper arm with a blade – none would fit. The motorhome uses a blade that has 2 screws holding it onto the arm. These are even difficult to find at an RV dealer. I was able to buy wiper blade, take it apart and replace the wiper blade portion on the RV. Then we were on our way.

There were a number of slowdowns as we passed accidents that were being cleaned up or pulled out of the ditch. Some folks tried driving before the roads were safe and paid the price. After crawling in “stop and go” for a few miles I spotted the problem in the distance. The entrance to I-95 at Fredericksburg, VA, which is slow during the best of times, was blocked.

I saw a “Numbered” (County) road that exited to the right at the stoplight. Being before the “Dead Stop” I thought that being a “Numbered” road (with a stop light) that it went somewhere (like the next town).  I was wrong!

Now this is where I “Rant” about traffic planners. My theory is that they have to take an I.Q. test before qualifying for the course. If they fail the exam they qualify to take the course. If they fail the course they become “Flaggers”.

After I turned onto the road there was a “No Exit” sign a few hundred feet down the road. Why don’t the traffic planners put the sign at the corner!!!

Problem 2: A motorhome with a car in tow cannot back up. I furiously scanned for a way to turn around otherwise I would be spending the next hour or two unhooking, backing both car and RV up individually, then reconnecting.  Due to the several tons of weight it is not advisable to try to drive through a field in the event it is too soft.  Sometime a large intersection will allow a slow and tight U-turn; but none was available.

I then spotted a dirt driveway and a paved driveway that ran to houses. They were just far enough apart that would allow a U-turn from one to the other. They were on the crest of a hillside.  I decided, due to the elevation, that the ground would be well drained and more solid than the fields at the bottom of the hill and I took a chance. 

It was tight; but the ground was solid enough and I made it!

Closer inspection of the GPS mapping indicated the road on this side of I-95 went nowhere except to a dead-end. We had to go back into the mess of traffic as the way out was to cross over the interstate drive and go through Fredericksburg to another interstate on-ramp.

We crawled along through numerous stoplights for several miles in bumper-to-bumper traffic until we were able to get onto I-95 at another exit.

There were no signs marking the detour. In Ontario there are permanent (ETR) signs that show how to get from one on-ramp to another in the event that the highway is blocked for any reason. We just followed the crowd and hoped somebody local knew where they were going.

Over an hour later we managed to get back on I-95; however, this wasn’t much better. It was 3 solid lanes of stop-and-go for the next half hour as we crawled passed construction and accidents.

Between the freezing rain, the detours and the accidents we had lost 7 hours of travel time.

We had planned on making it to our usual stop at the Walmart in Walterboro, NC; however we only managed to make it to the Flying J at Kenly, NC before dark. This was 250 miles short of what we had planned. The extremely high dew point was causing moisture to coat the windshield (and the road) even though it was not raining. We would not arrive until after 10 p.m. if we tried to reach the planned stop.  Since the Chinese Buffet we usually ate at upon arrival would be closed we felt it was better to just stay at the Kenly Flying J for the night. There was no use in driving in the slippery conditions in the dark

Supper was at the (Flying J) Denny’s. At least tonight’s sleeping would be as cold as last night.

Fri – 16 Dec/16

Hi Folks:

Yesterday we hooked up the car and motorhome in Liz (Nick and Marty’s) driveway in Ingleside. Our drive is too short and the motorhome blocks the sidewalk.

They had us over for supper and lent us Liz’s car to go home for the night.

We set the alarm for 6:30 a.m. and hit the sack

We were up just before the alarm and started to do the final preparations for leaving. We packed Liz’s car with all the last minute items that can’t stay our overnight (meds, some foods, etc.). These things don’t do well when it is -40 F.

We put the last items into the RV at Liz’s and set up the BrakeBuddy in the Del Sol. All towed vehicles over 1000 lb require a braking system in virtually all provinces and states.

Hugs and Kisses and we were on our way about 8 am (just a Liz was leaving for work and Nick was driving Marty to school).

This was the only chance for getting out with a narrow window for decent driving weather. The Watertown, NY to Syracuse, NY stretch is usually treacherous with “Lake Effect Snow”. This often causes “Black Ice” and “Whiteouts” along that stretch of I-81. This can occur even on days that the sky is clear. Mini-storms can blow in off of Lake Ontario any time the conditions are right.

The “Window” began this morning (about 1 a.m.) and should continue until we get through. Even though the sky is clear the wind blowing over the Great Lakes (not frozen over yet) causes a high dew point that leaves a frozen coating on the road.  This is similar to water droplets that form on the outside of a glass when filled with a cold liquid on a hot day. At -40 F the moisture in the air coats the road and freezes in a very thin layer. This means driving very carefully with no “sudden moves”. A few that were going a little too fast for the conditions ended up “Parking” in the ditch.

We passed through the U.S. Customs and crossed the 1000 Island Bridge about 9:30 a.m.

Once into Pennsylvania the driving conditions improved with dry roads through to our night destination (Walmart – Winchester, VA). Our only stops were for fuel. First, as we entered NY state  (Dellinger's Last Stop on I-81 at Exit 49),

then the Flying J’s at New Milford, PA

and Falls Church, VA. We had thought about staying here overnight; however all the RV parking spots were filled with vehicles. Being Friday night they were probably in Denny's for supper.

Truck stops are often just inside a State Border so truckers can fill and save $$ before entering a state with higher gas taxes. Prices can vary as much a $0.50 or more between states.

We continued about 10 miles down the road to our usual stop at the Winchester, VA Walmart. This is the closest one just off I-81 Exit 313. Here RV’s are allowed overnight (I don't think the other Winchester Walmart's allow overnighters). The stop here contained a surprise. Where we used to park in the lot has been replaced with a huge Walmart gas bar. There were at least a few long rows still available and we managed to find a slot at the end next to a transport.

As usual we went into the Walmart and found a few items we didn’t know we needed. Our supper at the instore McD’s was an adventure. Charlotte’s Big Mac was missing a beef patty and the fries were frigid. We finally got a re-do. There were only 2 workers and most folks waited at least 20 minutes or more and still ended up with wrong orders. Someone else got mine first before passing it on to me. So much for fast food!

At least it was warmer here than the -40F temps we left at home; but it was still way below freezing. We add a few extra blankets for warmth.

Friday - 22 Apr/16

We departed PA Dutch Country for the last leg of our trip home at 8:30 a.m.

Rather than follow the GPS suggested route we backtracked on US-30 to I-283 to I-83 to I-81. This, in my opinion, is a better route than being in the heavier traffic 0n US-222 to I-476. It was then I-81 North (almost) all the way home. I used the I-481 bypass around Syracuse, NY (and back to I-81).

We didn't really have rain on the way back as it wasn't falling. It was just misty patches (here and there) that would accumulate as drops on the windshield.

We made our usual stop at the Flying J. We will have to reconsider our travel fill-ups through PA as the state has recently really raised state gas taxes dramatically. PA is usually about 15 cents cheaper than NY state; however it is now about 15 cents higher. There was a 50 cents per gallon difference between our VA and PA fill-up price. I will have to look for a place to fill in "Bingo" (Binghampton, NY) so I can then make it to our usual stop in VA without having to fill in PA.

We made a quick stop at Watertown for a few last minute items from Harbor Freight (next to Walmart).  Then, it was back on I-81 past Watertown to SR-411 (Exit 49 to Theresa, NY). This is a short connector to Route 37.

We did our last motorhome (and car) fill up at Parkway Valero near Morristown, NY. This is the easiest location to fill up the motorhome (towing). There's a Timmy's (Tim Hortons) here so Charlotte got a coffee. We then continued on RT-37 to RT-812 at Ogdensburg, NY. This brings us to the bridge to Canada.

A quick stop at the Duty Free at the foot of bridge (USA) entrance. Custom allowances are based on alcohol content so we were able to get 4 bottles of Harvey's Bristol Cream as our duty free allowance along with 2 soccer balls as gifts for Marty.

We then crossed to the Canadian Customs at Prescott, ON. After a short wait in line we were on the last leg of our trip home on Hwy 401.

We took the Morrisburg, ON exit to the Golden Eagle Gas Station to fill up with propane (for use as we "Dry Camp" at Nick's Mobile RV Storage Lot during the summer). Then it was down CR-2 to our next-to-last stop at Liz, Marty's and Nick's house in Ingleside, ON. I arrived, as predicted, exactly at 6:30 p.m.

We leave the motorhome here (it will go to storage tomorrow). I unhook the car for the final few miles home. Marty helped carry in our coming home gifts. After distributing "The Booty" we enjoyed our traditional welcome home supper (Pizza!).

Nick drove Charlotte home (where Kathleen was waiting on arriving after work) while I unhooked the car. I had arranged for our girls (with Nick's help) to secretly replace the worn out front porch carpet as a surprise (and Mother's Day Present) for Charlotte. What I didn't know was that (at Nick's suggestion...rather, his insistence!) the girls and Nick replaced our old (now pretty "Ratty") rattan white wicker porch set with a new brown synthetic wicker set. Wow! It looks fantastic on the newly carpeted front porch.

Bonus: There is a rocker for me, too! A surprise for both of us.

It was good to be home again with family (and the cats - Jesse and Max).

We will unpack tomorrow and get the remainder of the "Stuff" that is in the RV later. Now it was time for bed - we are tired!

That will end the blog for this Winter Season! Thanks for following!

Thursday - 21 Apr/16

We had a new neighbour this morning.

It is similar in size (45') to the Ted Cruz motor coach that we passed on the road; but it wasn't him (grin). We were sick of hearing about the candidates  on TV when we were in Florida. We just can't escape the American Presidential campaign - the Pennsylvania party delegate vote is next week.

The "Prevost" based motorhome next to us arrived either last night or early this morning.

Prevost is based in Canada (Sainte-Claire, Quebec) where they manufacture premium touring coaches and shells for high-end custom RV's and specialty vehicles. Started in 1924, today Prevost is a subsidiary of Volvo. It's on my list for things to buy after I win the lottery. That's where the first 1.5 million (or 2) will be spent.

We continued our Fabric Store Tour today starting with a repeat stop at Log Cabin Quilts. Charlotte decided to get fabric that she couldn't make her mind up on yesterday.

Our next stop was in Intercourse at the quilt store that was closed for lunch yesterday. We did not find anything there; but we bought a few small items at the antique store (at the back) in the same parking lot area.

Charlotte found another panel and necessary fabrics for a quilt at Zook's Fabric Store. This is why Sauder's no longer existed (yesterday) - they were bought by and combined into Zook's.

By now it was after 1 p.m. and hunger pangs called. Our stop for lunch was at Miller's Smorgasbord (Ronk's, PA). In existence since 1929, it was the first smorgasbord (buffet) in the area. We have eaten here several times since we started coming to this area in the '70's.

Today we were not really hungry so we opted for the soup, salad and bread bar rather than the full smorgasbord. We enjoyed our leisurely lunch while viewing the beautiful surrounding farmland.

After lunch we took a short tour of some of our favourite places that we had visited (or stayed at) in the past. We spent about an hour, keeping to the "Back Roads" to avoid traffic (but not Amish buggies). We passed familiar landmarks of which one was the Red Caboose Motel, our favourite place to stay (before RVing). Located near the Pennsylvania Railroad Museum, Strasburg Railroad (Steam train excursions), and a few model railroad attractions, it was perfectly in theme.

One of our favourite memories visiting this area was a Hot Air Balloon Ride above the patchwork quilt of colours made by the surrounding farmlands. Being so familiar with the countryside added a dimension to the enjoyment as we recognized most of the landmarks that we saw from the air. Landing in a farmer's field was a treat for the Amish family (as was the bottle of wine given to the head of the household as a token "Thank You" by the pilot). Another bonus on that trip was that we stayed on for another flight and travelled with the "Chase Vehicle". This activity is highly recommended - especially in the early autumn.

We returned to the motorhome to rest before going to the evening (6:30 p.m.) show of "Samson" at the Sight and Sound Theatre. Sold out - as are most shows.

Before Superman, "Samson" was the original superhero who slayed lions and defeated armies. Like Superman and Kryptonite, there was a catch to Samson's powers: His strength was in his braided locks. Delilah (for money), was persuaded by Samson's Philistine enemies to seductively gained the secret to his power. She pestered him until he revealed the secret. His head was shaved while he slept. After the loss of his tremendous power he was easily captured, his eyes were gouged out and he was enslaved and subjected to hard labour as a prisoner.

Philistine tradition, during a pagan ritual, was to parade prized enemy prisoners before jeering crowds in the temple. The Philistines were not mindful that Samson's hair had grown back while a prisoner. In the temple, Samson braced himself between the two main supporting pillars and pushed collapsing the temple and killing all within (including himself).

Morally, the story is one of losing the calling of God through weakness and temptation. Despite being blinded Samson humbled himself and returned to God. He recovered through "Amazing Grace...He was blind, but now could see".

This large scale spectacular, complete with special effects and live animals (on stage and in the aisles) ended as Samson literally "brought down the house." As with all previous shows we have seen, the two and a half hours passed all too quickly. It was awesome entertainment!

We were back at the motorhome in about 20 minutes. Tomorrow we head home.

Wednesday - 20 Apr/16

We were out a little after 9 a.m. this morning. Our first stop was the Tanger Outlet. We shopped a few stores; but didn't find anything of interest.

Today I planned a treat for Charlotte. I programmed the GPS to take us to several area Quilt and Fabric shops. Today will be a "Yard Sale" Day. No - not that kind of yard sale - Charlotte will be buying a "Yard of This" (material) and a "Yard or two of That"! (grin)

Our first stop was the Log Cabin Quilt Shop on the Old Philadelphia Pike in Bird-in-Hand, PA. This is an excellent shop with plenty of variety.

Charlotte found a "Sewing Theme" panel that she liked. She will cut out each panel and re-assemble using co-ordinating materials to make this into a quilt. The search was then on for the additional needed fabrics which she found.

Continuing east on the Old Philadelphia Pike our next stop was Bird-in-Hand Fabrics. We first started shopping at this fabric shop years ago when in was known as Zooks. At that time it did not have electricity which added to the experience (especially when in the basement). Again Charlotte discovered a panel and co-ordinating fabrics that she like and added them to her "Yard Sale" purchases.

Our next destination was closed for lunch so we skipped it and continued on (across the intersection) to the Kitchen Kettle Village. This has been a favourite stop for years. As usual it was crowded with several tour buses in the parking lot.

After a Waffle Cone and a washroom break we set out to explore. Charlotte enjoyed the "Washpin Pals" store. They are cute dolls made using an old fashioned single piece (split) wooden clothes pin.

Kitchen Kettle Village (Intercourse, PA) is a great stop especially when it is lunch time. There are plenty of "Free Samples" to taste at a several locations. We started sampling the Flavoured Olive Oils, Balsamic Vinegars and Spices. They were tasty; however the samples weren't really filling.

At "Aged and Cured" we tried several meat and cheese samples. We ended up buying local Swiss and Aged Smoked Garlic cheeses as well as locally made Beef Jerky and Meat Sticks. It does pay to give samples!

The "Free Samples" in the huge "Jam and Relish Kitchen" covered a wide gamut. There were several varieties of pickles, peanut butter w/chocolate concoctions, fruit jams of every kind, cheesecake style dip mixes, hot sauces and more. Again, we made a few purchases.

Most of the time there is live music being played "on the street" in the "Village". Today a "Banjo Picker" was entertaining.

After making the rounds of the shops (and all the free samples) we were stuffed! Charlotte wrapped it up with a Cool Coffee (concoction of some kind) and we headed back out again on our the "Yard Sale Trail".

A "Double Right" out of Kitchen Kettle Village and a mile or so down the road brought us to Family Farm Quilts (Intercourse, PA). Again, Charlotte found a neat panel and the needed co-ordinating fabrics for a quilt.

Since I used the word "Intercourse" twice already - I should qualify so I don't have to wash my mouth out with soap.(grin) Intercourse, PA was originally known as "Cross Keys". There are a few theories on the names. One has to do with two (historic) old roads that intersected here (hence the original "Cross Keys" name). The second is a linguistic theory which purports that the common use in the day referred to either "fellowship" or "social interaction and support" which was the basis for this community (and most others in this area and era) that was faith (Amish/Mennonite, etc.) based.

Signposts in the area often "go missing" due to the name of the municipality. Also, I always drive slowly in this area for two reasons. First, there is heavy congestion because of the heavy vehicle traffic and numerous tourists crossing the roads. Secondly, I would not want to have to explain that I was caught "Speeding in Intercourse!" (another grin).

I planned the "Yard Sale" trip using internet info and ratings. Sometimes the info is not as up to date as needed. During our trip we found that a few locations were no longer in business; but we bravely ventured on!

Our next stop was Weaver's Dry Goods (Lititz, PA). This was by far the largest store that we visited today. The layout was organized by category in many areas with labels that describe the theme of the fabric on the shelves. Charlotte found another panel that she liked and located co-ordinating materials in the section labelled "Cats".

We continued on and arrived at Family Farm Fabrics (East Earl, PA). (Small World Item: The lady here indicated it was her sister who was the original founder of "Weaver's", the store we just left!

You guessed it! Charlotte found another panel and the necessary fabrics for another quilt.

Our last planned stop was at the Shady Maple Complex, also in East Earl, PA. There are several "Pennsylvania Dutch" Home Style eateries in this area. We have eaten at all of the over the years. This one, by far, is the largest with a 200 feet of "All You Can Eat" food counter space.

Next door is the Shady Maple Farm Market which is an unbelievable huge grocery store that has everything. I never knew there were so many varieties of the same item until we shopped here.

Another large facility. Good's Store, is directly across from the Shady Maple Farm Market. They are a Walmart/Target style store with a larger variety of items including a fully stocked hardware section. The sign also said "Fabric" so that was enough to entice us to enter.

No, Charlotte did not find a panel w/co-ordinating fabrics; however she did find "Pellon #809" which is a fabric she uses in making the quilts. This made for another good "Yard Sale" experience.

Charlotte also bought a 50 Pack of the Old Fashioned Clothes Pins in case she finds a pattern for the "Washpin Dolls".

That was it! We were done (both physically and for today) and departed for the motorhome. The half hour drive back was as enjoyable as the weather was great. We never get tired of the wonderful panoramic views of the well kept farmlands, We have been driving these "Country Roads" for over 45 years and still enjoy the view.

Again, we arrived back at the RV before sundown, in time to rest and enjoy the Cable TV for another evening after a great day in Amish Country.