Okie Meets Newfie

It always feels like we've come home! As we were walking back to the trailer after our break, I saw a license plate that stated: 'Newfoundland/Labrador - the backyard of Heaven". I think I agree.

From the moment you drive off the ferry, you are greeted with majestic mountains of every shade of green one can imagine. For some reason it always makes me think of a huge box of Crayons with so many colors! You think there can't be THAT many colors of green; but there is in Newfoundland!

As always, we were greeted warmly by Shawn & Charlene. We are amazed at how tall Natalie & Joshua have grown! It took Hunter & Natalie all of about 2 minutes to break the ice and off they went. At 8 years old, Natalie is as tall as Hunter, and though as different as night and day in some ways, they certainly found a common ground. A few quarters down the tube in the game room and they were off to the playground. When I found them after we got settled in, Hunter was on Natalie's electric scooter and Natalie was riding Hunter's bike.

We had told Hunter that she was not to go on the Moose Path without one of us. (It's a long path through the woods & along the 'pond' which is really a lake, and we didn't want our 'city girl' to try it on her own.) Charlene had suggested that the girls go 'tadpole watching', but since it was on the Moose Path, Hunter wouldn't go. So the minute I showed up, they hit me up to go. So off we went.

The tadpoles are in a series of shallow water pools dotted with rocks. Like little water nymphs those girls were hopping all over the rocks, to get a closer look. Wouldn't you know my camera batteries died and I missed out on some great shots, but it soon became very evident that there was no danger here. I left them perched on a rock, chatting away, with Natalie (the Newfie) filling Hunter (the Okie) in on all kinds of facts about tadpoles. And, yeah, Hunter managed to get both hands & feet in the water before she was done.

Next thing I knew, Natalie was asking if Hunter could go to soccer practice with her, so I sent her off with a peanut butter sandwich and a bottle of water. Then home from soccer - and they hit me up for a campfire & s'mores. We ended up having the campfire in front of Shawn & Charlene's 'kabin' and sat & visited until 9:30 p.m. Finally got Hunter off to the shower (with a walkie talkie in hand) and true to form, it took twice as long as it should have! But what does it matter? That's the beauty of a vacation - and Hunter is having the time of her life!

Marine Atlantic: Every Year a Different Snafu!

Our annual, and much anticipated trip to Newfoundland is never without surprises.

We pulled out of Halifax, Nova Scotia about 2:00 p.m. with about a 4+ hour drive ahead to North Sydney. After a game of "Go Fish" with Grandma and amusing herself with other various solitaire games for about an hour, Hunter stretched out and proceeded to sleep for a good 3 hours, waking up just as we got to the campground. Was just stopping in to say hello - and let them know we would be returning on July 4th to do their review. However, Hunter made a beeline to their game room and Roger got to talking, so our 'just a minute' visit turned in to about an hour stop over.

Stopped for supper at the Seal Island Restaurant before proceeding on to the ferry loading zone. Hunter chose a hamburger (no pre-formed patties up here), while Roger and I dined on honey-glazed chicken breast and roast beef. She found a really neat postcard for the Cabot Trail - but hasn't found time to write it yet, Mom.

Got to the ferry about 9:30, and 'held our breath' to see if they would decide we were 'commercial'. We gave her our reservation confirmation number and she reviewed everything. Then, as an afterthought, she said "This is your personal vehicle? You're not commercial are you?" Roger assured her that this was indeed our personal living quarters and she let us through. We both let out a sigh of relief!

Hunter had time to run around a bit & check out the boat and the lines of vehicles waiting to board from the upper deck. We were one of the last on, but as long as we had a spot, we were happy. Got to our cabin without a hitch and one would have thought Hunter was at 'camp' - she quickly claimed the top bunk with the window!



After she got 'settled in' she and Grandpa went for a tour of the ship and by the time they got back, Grandma was in bed. Hunter's toes were frozen (she was wearing flip flops, of course!)from being out on the deck - because the temperatures were in the 40's! So it didn't take her long to get in bed to get warm. We were afraid she wouldn't be sleepy, after her long nap. Think she laid awake and looked out the window for a little while, but with the rocking of the ship, she didn't make it too long. Of course, Roger and I were out pretty quick!

The morning call woke us about 5:30, about an hour before docking in Port au Basque, Newfoundland. Roger decided to take a shower - and he shared that was an experience in itself - with the boat rocking like it was. I downed another Dramamine as soon as I woke up, but I was afraid it wasn't going to work its magic soon enough. I'm always glad to get back on dry land! We headed down one floor for Roger's coffee and a bowl of oatmeal for Hunter.

When they announced that we could return to our vehicles, we headed for the elevator. We were some of the first in the elevator car, but it ended up with 15 before the doors closed. We were definitely in close quarters. So, the buttons are punched for the 4th and 3rd parking levels. Something malfunctioned and it went past the 4th and stopped at the 3rd. Nothing happened. One lady immediately started to have a panic attack and her husband was trying to keep her calm; after a bit, the man behind me says he's not felling well. Oh, great! Meanwhile the hubby of the panic attack is leaning on the emergency call button. Then he discovers the phone - and he keeps calling it. We're packed in so tight, no one can move, and it's beginning to get a bit warm. After about the 10th call to the purser's desk, he indicates an engineer is on the way. We were stuck in that elevator long enough that most everyone else had left before we ever got out of the elevator! Course, right in the middle of it all, I had to look at Roger and say, "Well, it's just another adventure!"

Hunter was still in her pj's, and with her tummy full, she continued her 'night' with a 3-hour nap as we headed north to the campground. We stopped in Deer Lake to have breakfast (for Roger) and lunch (for Hunter & I). Up here in Canada the 'natives' eat their fries smothered in 'poutine' (which I think is French for gravy). It looks like brown gravy to me, anyway! Hunter declined, but I asked the waitress to bring it on the side. I told Hunter that 'when in Newfoundland, she had to do as the Newfie's did' and so she had to try at least one French fry with it. The little waitress asked where we were from - and went on to reassure Hunter she would love it. And, she did. Promptly ended up dipping all her fries - and her turkey sandwich. By the time we send her home, she'll probably want 'poutine' instead of ketchup! Who knows, we may just start a new trend in Okie land. (And when you think about it, it is just another form of potatoes & gravy!)

Roger put her on 'moose alert' as we drove west into Gros Morne National Park. Not one sighting, but with all the sleep she has gotten over the last 2 days, her 'battery' is fully charged and she's ready to go! Only problem, our batteries are running a bit low!

Canada or Bust!

Our time in Bar Harbor came to a close. We had breakfast with the manager Ron, and Hunter made it through our breakfast meeting, but it really tested her endurance. When we got back to the campground to finish hooking up, she had time to catch one last ride on the Fun Train.

Then we loaded up and headed north along Highway 1 to Canada. By taking the 'scenic roads' we saved a lot of miles, but on the other hand, we couldn't drive 65-70 mph so it slowed us down. We crossed the border at Lubec/St. Stephens. I have to admit to being a bit 'tense' wondering what kind of hassle we would face, traveling with a minor that was not our child. Had to wait a while in line and inch along. Got to the window, and Roger handed him our passports, along with Hunter's ID, birth certificate and Letter of Consent for International Travel. The border officer asked the usual questions about guns, alcohol & tobacco. All the while he is reading the Letter of Consent. He asked Roger how long we would be in Canada. Roger told him and the guy's only comment was "That's some letter!" He handed it back to Roger and said, "Have a good time!" No questions about what we would be doing or why we were going to Canada. We were decked out in our yellow shirts, ready to do battle, and nothing. As we drove away from the entry, I looked at Roger and said, "Are you sure we're in Canada?"

Stopped to get gas next to a KFC, so decided to take a break for a bit of lunch. That was Hunter's first 'fast food' since she joined us. It is amazing how this child who is 'addicted' to TV and fast food at home, has gone for over a week with very little of both!

Had another 100 or so miles to go before we pulled in for the night at our favorite little park in New Brunswick. It had been a really long day for Hunter and she was ready for some action. She patiently gathered rocks, while Roger and I enjoyed a dessert before the little store/cafe closed. We were too full from lunch, but couldn't pass up the opportunity for some homemade apple crisp (Roger) and strawberry rhubarb pie (me). Well worth it!

Afterwards, Roger chilled out in the trailer with his Sci Fi shows and I walked with Hunter across the road to the river and sat on the dock while she skipped rocks (or attempted to) till the mosquitoes came out in full force. Boy, are they healthy here in Canada! We both had so much repellent on us, that I insisted she shower before going to bed. She got herself in the shower - and I thought she was taking a while - when all of a sudden she yells "Grandma!". Seems the hot water had run out and her hair was still full of shampoo. We had warned her she couldn't 'linger' in the shower, but par for the course, she hadn't listened. One of those logical consequences lessons! She sat in the shower, wrapped up in her beach towel for probably 10 minutes, trying to wait on the water to heat, then decided she was tired of waiting. So, Grandma put the kettle on the stove and heated some water to get her hair rinsed. One of the 'challenges' of life on the road!

On to Halifax the next morning. Arrived about 1:00 p.m. and got right to work doing the walk-about. We have seen so much improvement here over the last five years; it is really enjoyable to return. Hunter kept trying to make friends with a little girl at the playground, but the little girl was so shy she wouldn't play with her.
So we worked out a 'deal' that she do the walk-about with us, then I would play with her. Think it probably took us twice as long to do the walk-about, but we’ve also found that extra pair of energetic legs can sure save us some steps! True to form, she was right in the middle of things from checking smoke detectors in kabins and checking out the playground, as you can see.








Work done for the day, she & I headed out to try our hand at horseshoes. That didn’t last too long, and we walked up to the pool. Once there, she decided it was too cold, so we bought some hot dog buns and a bag of firewood and headed back to the trailer. She roasted her a couple of hot dogs and she & I sat there and enjoyed the fire till we were both smelled like smoke.

She then headed off to the shower house so she could ‘linger’ without running out of hot water – and I headed in to cook something besides hotdogs for Roger & I. We all had forgotten about the walkie talkies, since Hunter had been with us all afternoon. She ‘lingered’ so long that I began to wonder about her. So Roger headed out to check on her, thinking she had gone to the back bathhouse. So, of course, she had gone to the front one. So Roger walked all the way to the front one – and by that time she had walked down the other road and came back to the trailer. So I sent her out on the bike to look for Grandpa – when he came back to the trailer! By that time, all of us were upset. Grandpa, because it scared him when he couldn’t find her – and Hunter, because Grandpa was upset – and Grandma because Grandpa and Hunter were upset! Roger was so upset he wouldn’t eat, and me, being as stubborn as him, I wouldn’t eat. So supper went in the refrigerator – and Hunter and I went out to sit by the fire and give us all some much needed space. Guess you could say that was our first ‘bump in the road’. By morning, cooler heads – and some much needed sleep – made us all realize that if we had just used the walkie talkies, none of that would have happened. Apologies all around and an important lesson for all of us!

A new day and Hunter headed up to the store to buy some post card stamps and mail a post card home. She struck up a friendship with a new girl and we basically didn’t see her all day – but kept in touch with those very handy walkie-talkies. She even got in some pool time while we met with the owners to go over the report. We had to call her ‘home’ to clean up to go to Halifax for dinner. That’s the way I had figured it would be, but with school just now getting out up here in the north east, there hasn’t been many kids around. It’s bound to get better. However, she wasn’t thrilled about having to come in from playing just to go to dinner with adults! We drove in to Halifax so she could see the harbor – and found Theodore the Tug Boat in the harbor again. Hunter begrudgingly posed for a picture – but only after I told her Hayden would love it! Then Donna snapped a picture of the three of us.

Dinner wasn’t a hit with Hunter, for she didn’t like her Nova Scotia pizza, so I dug the shrimp out of my seafood gratin and she gobbled it up. I tried to get her to order fish & chips, but she was set on pizza. She then came home and ate a peanut butter sandwich. Kids! But once again, she has decided this is her ‘favorite’ park! Barry & Donna have fallen in love with her too. Donna came up with two yellow shirts that their daughters had outgrown, so she is now really ‘official’!

Laundry in the morning before heading to North Sydney to catch the ferry to Newfoundland.

the 'Hunter Storm'

Talked to Randy for a bit this morning and his question was, "How are you doing with the "Hunter Storm"? I thought, well that pretty much sums it up! As our first week comes to a close, that very well describes how much she has 'churned up' our existence.

She was up and out first thing this morning, still searching for the items she was missing on her scavenger hunt. She spent the fifty cents she won yesterday to buy a newspaper to satisfy the "newspaper with a Shreck 3 ad". She came within about 3 or 4 items of getting them all, and won 2 glow sticks for her efforts. She plans to wear them tonight at the outdoor movie.

We did the rest of our walk-about and she talked Grandpa out of $3 to buy a kite, since it was windy and too cold to go swimming - even for Hunter. I offered to take her over to the pool today, and she looked at me like I was crazy! So, when we finished our walk, Grandpa went to help her assemble the kite, only to discover that she had thrown away the directions. I remembered her putting something in the trash and which can she had dropped them in, so I sent her back to get them (thankfully the can had a fresh liner in it, so she didn't have to dig through garbage!). It took her two tries to find the right can, and, of course, Grandpa had to give her 'the lecture' about listening to him when he told her not to open it till we got to the trailer. :>) (Sound familiar, boys?)
Kite assembled and Grandpa goes out to teach her how to get it in the air. It really was a perfect day for it. So he calls me out to take pictures, and then he goes back inside. I spent the next 45 minutes or so watching, before Hunter decided she could do it without an audience. She had a wide open grassy area to run and she really got it flying.

I think she asked us a 'thousand times' "What time is it?" She was so afraid she would miss out on something. The Fun Train started the fun at 3:00. She wasn't pleased that it only lasted 20 minutes this time, when she rode for 45 minutes last night. Then at 4:00, it was the KOA Fun Competition, which was water ballon games, sack races and a bubble gum blowing competiton. I had run into town to pick up a prescription and she was 'starving' when I got home. So we microwaved some steak fingers (which she inhaled) and then counted the minutes until 7:00 when she rushed out to the "Top Your Own Sundae" social.

She made a friend there, and the next thing I know she calls on the walkie-talkie and tells me to bring one of Grandpa's old shirts & $5 for the tie dye project.
By the time I got there, the only sizes they had left was a child's XS or Adult M. She didn't want a sleep shirt, so I suggested she make a shirt for little bubba, Hayden. She really got into it and it turned out really good.

Now she's off to the movies - Napoleon Dynomite. It's on a huge inflatable outdoor screen. We've wrapped her up and sprayed her down with mosquito repellent. I walked her over and got her settled. She was sharing a blanket with her new friends when I left her.

Every Park Is A Favorite!

Just as we tell everyone . . . each of our parks has their own 'personality' - and there are good things (and sometimes some not so good things) about each one. And Hunter is discovering just that.

When we pulled in to a small park in Maine, her first response is "What is there to do here?" But she discovered their pool was unique (although just a bit chilly for her taste - 61 degrees since they hadn't turned the heater on that day - but she swam anyway), and it was a great place for a campfire. Then this morning, she had the trailer to herself to watch a movie, while we met with the owners. When the movie ended before our meeting, she walked up to the rec hall and discovered a whole stack of puzzles. By the time we were ready to leave - she didn't want to!

But go we must. Drove about 2 miles and stopped to get gas, and Hunter announces she's ready for lunch. As we were walking over to the store, she's telling me about prepackaged sandwiches, etc. Opened the store door and the smell of pizza wafted out. Turns out the little station is also the 'hot spot' for lunch and they sold pizza by the slice. I bought all their Diet Dr. Pepper for our Canadian visits (I can't get it in Canada) - and Hunter got her lunch - two slices of fresh pepperoni pizza.

Roger & I have operated on the schedule of eating a good breakfast, skip lunch and then have an early supper. Hunter is definitely not programmed that way, and I have just got to remember that.

We knew we would hit traffic as soon as we turned east towards Bar Harbor, and true to form, we did. It was still early afternoon, so it wasn't as bad as it would have been later in the day. It was looking like rain (what a surpirse, NOT!). It's raining - off & on - at most of the visits we make here.

We found, to our delight, that our early season visit got us one of the sites that look out onto the ocean in the Waterside section. Wow! It's just across the road and down a slope and you are there. But the BEST thing about this company-owned park is that they have full-time activities staff and there is always something happening - if it's not raining to hard.

Hunter was given a Fun Finder newsletter when we checked in - and she hopped on the golf cart and helped 'escort' us to our site. When we arrived, the manager, Ron, said "Boy , how did you two ever come up with a grandchild that was so shy!" :>) Knowing Hunter, she had given Ron a complete Hughes family history in about a 2 block ride! She is a natural at this lifestyle, for she has never met a stranger - for more than about 30 seconds. We pull in to a park and as soon as she has met everyone, she's ready for action!

While Roger & I got the trailer set up, she was busy 'collecting' things on her Scavenger Hunt list. It was truly surprising just how much of the stuff we actually had! She pulled out everyone of Roger's T-shirts looking for a 'Fruit of the Loom' tag. Thankfully, she found one, but she was hoping for a pair of Grandpa's underwear! When I suggested we check her drawer - she was adamant that that was not a good idea! :>)

But we have work to do, so we headed out to the Woodlands section (which is actually another park about a mile down the road) to do our walk-about. Hunter discovered a swimming pool (heated to 80 degrees) and was just sure she could 'fit' in swim time before the Fun Train ride. But this time Grandma & Grandpa overruled and said no. That park done, we headed back to our trailer so Roger could watch his Friday night Sci-Fi and Hunter could catch the Fun Train - and somewhere in there Grandma could cook supper.

Even Roger has to admit that the walkie-talkies are coming in handy. Think she made 3 or 4 'walks' to the store, which is about 2 blocks away from our site. She went up to 'check on' the Fun Train to see if it was going to run, since it had been raining. I'm sure she made quite a sight with the big yellow KOA umbrella! She called back to say, the rain had stopped by the time she got to the store and would be on the train. It's just a little 4 car train on wheels that runs through the park once or twice each day. But she sat in the back car and made friends with Ruth, one of the activities staff. Ended up riding the whole 45 minutes, then ran in to eat her Hamburger Helper - and dashed out again.


This time to play 'ultimate frisbee'. She was the only one that showed up for that activity, so she had a grand time playing with the three activity staff (all college age). Ran back about 45 minutes later - wet and muddy - to change into dry clothes in time for the Flashlight Candy Hunt. She took longer than necessary to change (imagine that, Mom & Dad), and before we knew it, here was Ruth at our door, offering her a ride in the golf cart to the candy hunt. She only ended up finding 2 Tootsie Rolls (thank goodness) for at 9:30 p.m. I didn't need a child hyped up on sugar! Listening to Hunter, she had more fun holding her flashlight for Ruth to see to drive the golf cart, than at the candy hunt.

Herded her into the shower, pjs on and she decides it's time to watch a movie. I looked at the clock, surprised to find it 11:00 p.m. and declared it was time for all of us to hit the sack! Hunter was too tired to argue. It is amazing though as we wind up our first week. This 'tv-addicted' 9-year-old is just finding too many better things to do than sit in front of the TV. Isn't that what summer is all about?

Saturday's schedule includes tie-dye T-shirts and an out-door movie on the big inflatable movie screen. I just might have some quiet time to get my report done after all!

Walkie Talkie Queen

We have created a monster!

But I'll regress a bit. Our Thursday was spent driving from Mystic, CT to Augusta, Maine. Traveling right along, making good time, planning to stop at the Sam's Club/Wal Mart at Exit 1 in New Hampshire. Hunter & I had been anticipating a 'rest area' for a good while (none to be had on I-495 in Massachusetts) and the bumpy bridges were not helping. We thought we could make it to the Sam's Club, but when we crossed in to New Hampshire, I insisted that we stop. Much relieved, we crawled back in the truck and proceeded half a mile - to the next exit! Roger just shook his head.

Found the Sam's Club, did our shopping, and I suggested that we have a 'lunch break' at the Sam's snack bar. Roger was not the least bit enthusiastic about that and suggested we wait until we get to WalMart, for they always have a McDonalds or Subway. Hunter agreed with Grandpa.

As we were loading the groceries into the trailer, Hunter caught & scraped her finger between a case of water and the slideout. Not bad, but it brought a bit of blood. I took her to the truck to look for a bandaid. Trying to distract her, I said, "I bet you a quarter that Grandpa will look at that and say I've had worse in my eye"! She laughed, and ran back to show Grandpa. He looked at it and promptly said "I've had worse on my lip and never stopped whistling Dixie!" I lost my quarter.

Loaded up and pulled out of Sam's thinking that a WalMart was just nearby. Roger and I were getting just a bit frustrated when we couldn't find it, made a U-turn, and Hunter pipes up, "I'll bet you a quarter that there isn't one here!" Stopped and asked, and sure enough - not a WalMart around. Lost my quarter.

Headed on north and got 'caught' in the lines trying to get through the toll gate in New Hampshire. Roger was being the example of patience and had let a semi and 2-3 cars in when this big roofing truck come roaring up and begin to edge in. He didn't want to wait in line - like Roger had been doing. Roger was determined he wasn't coming in - and he was. He came inches from taking off our mirror. I truly believe he would have swiped us if Roger hadn't backed off. We saw several near accidents in the other lanes of examples of similar behavior. While Roger is leaning on his horn, I'm telling him what a 'great' example he is setting for Hunter. That set the mood for the rest of the day. Got through the toll gate and with Sylvia's help, we found a Wal Mart.

And wouldn't you know! Here we are, three hungry travelers ready for some lunch - and, guess what! The WalMart had a Dunkin Donuts! All we needed at that point was to have a 9-year-old loaded with corn & sugar in the back seat with another hour or so to drive. I nixed that in a hurry! And not another fast food place in sight.

Now comes the creation of the monster! Hunter had overheard me talking about a campground owner that would often keep their grandkids during the summer - and equip them with a walkie-talkie so they could keep up with them. So her 'mission' was to find her some walkie-talkies. While I shopped for the groceries we couldn't get at Sam's, her & Grandpa went in search. The first thing he discovered is they are not cheap! But Hunter was determined, so we wished her an early "Happy Birthday" - and bought them for her.

So, with a basket full of goodies we head to check out. Well, I headed to the bathroom and Roger & Hunter found a checkout lane. This HUGE WalMart Super Center - and a total of 3 check out lines open - 2 'express' and the cigarette lane. I started to unload the basket at the one Roger had picked and the cashier informs me it's a "20 items or less". I replied, "You're the only one open! If you want to open another line, we'll gladly go there." He shrugged his shoulders and said "Fine!" I kept unloading. So then the 'sweet' lady behind us starts making loud and rude comments. I kindly ignored her. I was tired, hungry - and just wanted to get out of there. If I had thought a bit quicker, I would have said: "Well, there's 3 of us and we have 60 or less items, so now we can do this quickly - or we can pay in three separate orders! Which do you want?"

Of course, the minute we get to the truck, Hunter wants to start using her new walkie-talkies! She kept on till she finally got it out of the package - and then began having a conversation - with herself between the two units. Grandpa finally convinced her to let them 'charge' so they would be ready for the campground.

Needless to say, by the time we reached the campground, my head was pounding and I was not chalking this up to a 'good' day! Got settled in - and off to the pool (even though it was a very cold 61 degrees! Which is what I needed as it gave me a chance to 'collect' my wits. Hunter & Grandpa had decided it was a hot dog roast for supper and so we divided up the 'chores' and had us a campfire. Hunter carried the stuff outside, Grandpa started the fire - and roasted the weiners (with Hunter's help) and I cooked the chili & beans. Don't think I've ever tasted a better hotdog! It had been one long day since our pancakes that morning.

And now we know where Hunter is - just about every minute - thanks to the handy-dandy walkie talkies! We got a blow-by-blow account of her trip to take the trash to the dumpster, a call to Grandpa to come get her bike out of the truck (instead of opening the trailer door), etc. You get the picture.

Our day ended sharing a fresh homemade Key Lime pie with the owners here in Augusta. It's folks like them that keep us trucking along. It's off to Bar Harbor on Friday.

Day at the Aquarium

When we heard about the new park in Mystic, CT, one of the first things we heard was of the big aquarium there. We put that on our list of 'things to do' and so yesterday morning we headed there. We had woke up to light rain, so where better to spend the day than at an aquarium. This was to be our first 'big activity' with Hunter. Right off the bat, we had a bit of 'sticker shock' at the admission price, but good 'ol Grandpa paid up and in we went.

First stop was the 'touch pool' where we played with the sting rays. Hunter was a bit reluctant at first, but it didn't take her long to get involved. One of them swam right up to Roger and stuck his face out of the water and 'hung' there for a bit so he could get 'petted'. Wasn't quick enough with the camera to get it recorded for 'prosperity' though. Lots of stuff to see, but the best things (for me anyway) was the penguins and the Beluga whales. Have watched plenty of "National Geographic" programs on both of those animals, but it was very interesting to see them 'up close'.

We watched the feeding and training sessions for the sea lions, but the best was the Beluga whale session. They were just like kids, not wanting the 'session' to end for they were soaking up all that attention from their trainers. After about 5 hours of that, we were all pretty worn out, so we decided to keep the Mystic seaport for another trip. We figured it would interest us much more than Hunter anyway. All she could think of was getting back to the pool.


Hunter loved the 3D Extreme Theatre show "Cosmic Coaster". It was one where you sit in the chair, put on 3D glasses, and the chair moves just as if you were sitting in a roller coaster. Hunter thought it was so 'awesome' she had to go back for seconds. While Grandpa was standing in line with her, he got to talking to the older gentleman that was 'manning the gate'. Turns out he was from Seiling, Oklahoma. Of course, Roger says, "Oh so you know Gary England?" (For those of you who aren't native Oklahomans, he's our 'famous' Oklahoma meterologist). Turns out the guy knows the whole England family. Gary England to Roger is like Hannah Montana to Hunter!

The other day, after Hunter's haircut, we where headed home and Hunter shared that about the BEST day of her life, would be to go to a Hannah Montana concert. :>) She and Grandpa 'argue' over the radio station. We listen to 70's music as we drive down the highway and she has declared that our music is 'BORING!' So when it's just her and me, I let her listen to her Disney station. I draw the line on 'hard rock' - I just can't abide that stuff!

I was on the phone talking to one of the other teams when as we pulled in to the campground. Hunter was out of the truck like a shot and in to get her swim suit on. So as soon as the call ended, I grabbed a cold drink and headed to the pool (where she was patiently waiting), so she could swim. She definitely loves to swim. One thing she has discovered is that swimming with a T-shirt over her suit definitely makes it 'colder' when you get out, for you have all that 'wet shirt' clinging to you. BUT, when you forget to bring your beach towel - and you don't want to get your FAVORITE T-shirts wet - it's a bit 'chilly' racing back to the trailer after a swim. I just 'chalked it up' to one of Grandma's famous 'logical consequence' lessons; bet she remembers to take that towel the next time!

She was so cute trying to think of a way to get Grandma or Grandpa to 'bale her out'. The only ideas she could come up with was 1) have me go get her forgotten towel, or 2) call Grandpa on the cell phone and have him bring it down. I nixed both ideas; I was too tired after being on my feet for 5 hours, and I didn't bring a cell phone with me to the pool. It wasn't that cold, but the breeze, when you're wet, sure made it feel that way. But before you think I'm being 'mean', if she had really wanted, she had a perfectly dry shirt & shorts in her bag. . . she just didn't want to get them wet!

Fixed chicken & rice for supper - one of Hunter's favorites. I didn't have a vegetable she liked to go with it, so I sent her to the camp store. When she returned, I asked her what she had picked out. Her answer, "Is baked beans a vegetable?". I had given her strict instructions to only buy a vegetable she would eat (thinking peas or green beans)! So that was her meal: chicken & rice with a generous serving of baked beans. (Not exactly my idea of a vegetable!) One thing for sure: she didn't leave her appetite at home! Know her constant state of activity keeps her slim & trim, but we have been amazed how good she has been eating since she joined us. Definitely not the little 'picky eater' she used to be!

It's off to Maine this morning.

Girls Afternoon Out & Mystic Pizza

Tuesday dawned - another gorgeous day! We have really been blessed by beautiful weather! A day to spend at the campground, then supper with the folks here tonight.

Hunter was off on her bike first thing to check in with her new friend. I had to run in to town, and Roger headed out and about the park with Ted, the manager. I got back from my errrand to find Hunter anxiously awaiting my arrival so she could join her friend at the pool. Swim #1 for the day.

Lunch time and Hunter insisted that she 'picnic' outside at the table. Roger & I weren't really hungry, but we got her all fixed up and Grandma sat outside with her & nibbled on watermelon while she ate her lunch.

The afternoon loomed quiet, but I had spotted a Fantastic Sam's in town, so I suggested it would be a good time for us girls to go to the beauty shop. Off we went and got there just in time for the 'shift change' and had to wait. We spent the time browsing through Glamour magazines trying to find just the 'new do' for Hunter. Our one rule was "her hair has to be long enough to go up in a high pony tail". She found a couple of 'wispy dos' and when it came to her turn, the little gal gave her the royal treatment. A shampoo, cut & style - all for $9.95. (I think she really enjoyed working with Hunter - and gave her a bargain rate).
Hunter was so pleased with the results, she 'bounced' around the rest of the day - and couldn't pass a mirror without stopping. Her hair had gotten so long and heavy it just seemed to 'weigh her down'. Took off about 4" and did some layering - and it makes the perkiest pony tail you ever did see. We have a new Hunter indeed. And wouldn't you know, we get back from the beauty shop - and the first thing Hunter wants to do: go swimming!

Out of the pool, showered, and still a couple of hours to 'kill' before time to go to dinner, so Roger took us on a very slow drive through the park, sharing all the info & plans he had gleaned from Ted that morning. All the while, Hunter is riding in the bed of the truck, munching on Pringles potato chips. Of course, Grandpa is lecturing about 'ruining her supper'.

Supper tonight with Ted & Anita at the world-famous Mystic Pizza. Roger had been talking to a camper and the camper asked if we had ever eaten there. We hadn't - and frankly never heard of it - but Roger starts bragging about the Pizza Cottage at the Lake in Buckeye Lake, Ohio. The camper insisted he had been there, but the Mystic Pizza was even better. We'll see, but that's got to be SOME pizza!

Well, so much for Hunter ruining her supper. We ordered her two slices of pepperoni pizza (she was sure she could eat 3), but we convinced her to 'start' with 2. She declared that this was indeed, one GREAT pizza. Once we got her tummy full, she began to get restless, and occupied herself writing her blog on a piece of paper. Then the 'tired' kicked in and she laid her head down on the table and went sound asleep.

The pizza is one GREAT pizza, but Roger is still not convinced it's better than Pizza Cottage. Think it would take a 'side-by-side' test for him (and then he would probably call it a tie!) :>) I think it's REALLY close! We lingered long over dinner talking and then I had to get Hunter awake so we could get out of the booth. (She was sitting on the end.) Reminded me of her Dad as a kid - she was dead to the world.

Guess you could say that it had been a GREAT day!

Will We Survive?

Roger & I feel a bit like a whirlwind has entered our lives! Everyone should have a 9-year-old riding 'shotgun', so that you realize just how long a 200 mile drive can be! As you can see, she got her nest made in the back seat and she was ready to roll. It's not every day a girl can say she's been in 5 states in one day: Pennyslvania (where we woke up), New Jersey, New York, Connecticut & Rhode Island. Never having been to this park before (it just became a KOA in March), we took the MapQuest suggested route, which took us back into New Jersey, then routed us north around New York City (across the TappenZee bridge) and up along the coast of Connecticut. A 200-mile drive is a pretty normal jaunt for us, but we discovered that drving that route made for constant traffic for about 150 miles of it. That's why it took 5 hours to drive the 200 miles, even though it was interstate all the way. I commented it was kind of like driving on the OKC crosstown most of the way. Once we turned east in New York, we saw mostly buildings on both sides of the road until we got north of New London, CT.

The park is in North Stonington, which is just minutes away from Rhode Island. When we got directions to the nearest grocery store - it's in Rhode Island. Hunter thought that was really neat, having to drive to the next state just to get groceries. We had to stock up on 'stuff' that Hunter likes. We found a Shaw's, and as we were headed out the automatic doors, we met a mouse trying to get in. Hunter squealed and jumped over it. The mouse was obviously surprised to meet Hunter - and quickly changed directions, headed right for my bare toes (I was wearing sandals). I 'hit' reverse, and let it 'get gone'. That was a first! Hunter assures us we're never going to shop there again! Don't get me wrong, it was a very large, well-maintained store - but its just the thought!

A beautiful park here - "I could lose a crop!" Roger & I started out walking it, but soon realized just how big it is. Roger will spend the day with Ted on a golf cart, getting to know the property.

Hunter is in hog heaven with mostly paved roads, making bike riding much easier. She quickly discovered at the first park that gravel and bikes don't work well together. She is having a bit of trouble adjusting to the fact that Grandma & Grandpa still have to work. When we got the rig set up, the first thing I do is check my e-mail and answer anything from the Home Office - or one of our parks. She was 'dying' to go swimming. Roger disparately needed some 'chill' time after all that non-stop traffic, and I finally had to say, "Hunter, you have to give me at least 30 minutes without interruption to let me answer these e-mails". She did - and went outside to ride her bike and check things out. The next thing I knew she had 'found' some beautiful rocks and was washing them and left them in my dish drainer to dry. I have a feeling her suitcase might be a bit heavier when she heads back to Oklahoma than when she came. :>)

We, finally, headed to the pool. Met the manager and we stood talking while Hunter swam. They were just airing up the Jumping Pillow and after a bit Hunter decided to get dried off and try it out. They gave her a 3-day pass for jumping and she was set. It took her all of about 30 minutes to make friends with another girl and they spent the rest of the afternoon together, until we had to ruin it with our grocery store trip.

Got back from the store and Roger & Hunter headed out fishing while I put some chicken patties in the oven. We hadn't eaten lunch till we got here to the park about 2:30-3:00, so no one was starving - or so I thought. The two of them headed to the pond, via the store to get bait. Here came Hunter back to the trailer to announce that the store didn't have any bait, but the lady said the fish 'like hotdogs'. so Grandpa had sent her back to get a hotdog. I handed her one and she said, "Um that looks so good!" So I gave her a second one to munch on while they fished. Turns out they didn't catch any fish, but the fish ate the hot dog as fast as she could bait her hook and throw it in the water!
Then the child came back and proceeded to eat one and most of another chicken sandwiches. Guess she was hungrier than I thought!

After supper I got her all set up working on her blog - and I got comfortable in my recliner. Think I lasted all of about 10 minutes. The next thing I knew Hunter and Grandpa were headed to bed. I was so comfortable I slept in the chair till 2:30 a.m. before finally crawling in bed. Grandpa's idea of an air mattress for Hunter is working well. We just lay it on the bed during the day - and plop it in the middle of the living room floor at night. We all should have it so good!

I think we just might survive after all.

Navigating New Jersey

Once again we've learned - never say never! New Jersey was not on our 'must visit' list of places we wanted to see before we die . . . until the only non-stop airline flight from Oklahoma City ended there - with our 9-year-old granddaughter on it.

Newark, New Jersey - the mental image we had of that place ranks right up there with New York City. And to make matters worse, every time we mentioned that Hunter was flying in to the airport there, people would say things like "You're not taking that trailer in there are you?" "What day of the week are you going there?" etc. Wow, that really built our confidence! Then I read an article that stated that 25% of the U.S. population lives within 300 miles of New Jersey! That's a lot of people!

Then on Saturday as we left Saugerties, New York, we headed south on the NY thruway; our destination the Delaware Water Gap, PA KOA - which is just across the New Jersey state line in Pennsylvania. We've made this trip several times before, and I carefully outlined the highways we needed to take for Roger - just in case I dozed off. And of course, two things happened: I dozed off and Roger missed a turn. SO, instead of going west on I-84 to Pennyslvania, we ended up going south - straight into New Jersey! The cell phone rang and so I'm chatting along and realize that I'm not seeing any I-84 signs. So when I ended my phone conversation, I grabbed the map and tried to figure out where we were. Yep, headed right for the heart of New Jersey. Thankfully, it was the weekend - and we were on the interstate - so we got through just fine. (It really is a beautiful state). But one thing hasn't changed - you still have to pay to get out! Since it is bordered by water - all exits end in a toll bridge - or anyways all the ones we've ever been on. Then we get back on familiar roads in Pennsylvania and we inched our way to the campground. It's in the Poconos, which is THE recreation area for this part of the country. So Roger and I are chatting and I say, Isn't that our turn off? Sure enough, Roger had missed his turn AGAIN! Twice in one day!

So we get turned around and make the turn. He starts talking about our how we'll work it at the airport on Sunday morning. He suggests he'll drop me off at the door, then park, etc. And I'm thinking, "No way am I letting him out of my sight! He'll end up in the middle of New York City just trying to find the parking garage!"

Took advantage of our last quiet evening off - and just relaxed. So Sunday morning the phone rings about 6:30 a.m. our time - and it's Russ - at the airport and filling out paperwork for Hunter to fly 'unaccompanied'. Now, I know hundreds of kids do this every day, but not our Hunter. So this was BIG for the Hughes family. We got ourselves around, ate a bite of breakfast, and headed out about 8:30 to meet her 11:45 flight! (No, we were not excited, we just wanted to be sure to be there in plenty of time . . . RIGHT!) As we were pulling out of the park, the phone rings and it's Russ, saying her flight has just taken off. He left instructions that we were to phone as soon as she arrived: "I'll be in church with my phone on vibrate. Just let it ring and I'll know she's ok."

This trip we enlisted the help of Roger's friend (the Garmin GPS) "Sylvia" and she took us right to the airport! But I had to take over the navigation - and sign reading - to get us to the right terminal. Guess you could say it was a 'team effort'.

Not much traffic that early on a Sunday. We're feeling really good about New Jersey at this point. Now to navigate the airport! Terminal C is about the size of the entire Will Rogers Airport. So we find the security checkpoint - and a friendly looking young lady at an information table. So she directs us upstairs to talk to a ticket agent about getting a pass to go through security to meet the flight at the gate. OK Upstairs we go - only to find no one! So back down two floors to the Continental ticket counters where we find a gentleman who looks like just maybe he knows something. And he did - and was very helpful - got us both passes to go through security.

So we're back standing in line, doing the 'security routine': empty the pockets, take off the shoes, belt, etc. Right about then, Roger realizes he has his pocket knife. It didn't dawn on him that he would have to go through security. So, sacrifice one pocket knife for the cause! Of course, I always set off the alarms with my bionic knees. Got through security and we ended up only being about an hour early. Which was good - rather us wait, than her, and the flight was about 15 minutes early.

Granddaughter in hand, we head back to Pennsylvania. The first thing she wanted to do was 'unpack and settle in'. I emptied a drawer, and while I made lunch, she unpacked. I thought her sandwich was going to dry up before she got finished. It took several tries before she got things 'just right'.

With lunch over, it was time to start with the fun stuff. She & I walked up to the camp store and bought a post card to send home to Mom. Stopped by the pool for a short swim, for the water is still pretty cold in these parts. The bulk of the afternoon was spent writing the first edition of her very own blog. She has named it "Huey's Big Trip" and you can follow it on your own at http://hueysbigtrip.blogspot.com.




When she tired of writing, she and Grandpa headed out for a round of mini-golf. After supper (chicken with Grandma's homemade gravy for dippin') they blew up her air mattress bed and she settled in for the night. She went to sleep with the computer perched on her tummy, headphones in place, watching the movie King Kong.

I fell asleep in my chair and when I woke up about 11:45 p.m., Grandpa had 'unhooked' her and gone to bed himself. And that's probably how a lot of our days will end while she's with us.

Counting the Days!

Only two more days till Roger gets a GREAT Father's Day gift - the arrival of our granddaughter, Hunter! Another BIG adventure for us as we make our way into Newark, New Jersey to meet her flight Sunday at 11:45 a.m. She will then be traveling with us for the next 5 weeks, until we bring her back to Newark for her flight home on July 21st. Thankfully she arrives on a Sunday - and will fly back on a Saturday - so the traffic should be manageable.

We took time the other evening to make a trip to WalMart in Herkimer, NY to buy a bicycle for her to use while she is here. She has one at home, but bikes just don't fit in a suitcase! It will come in handy when we get home, for now she'll have an extra when she has a friend over. One of the employees asked why we were traveling with a girls bike in the back of our yellow truck. Roger assured them there was a 'method to our madness' and that we hadn't 'borrowed' it from a neighboring camper. Guess it looks a bit strange, when there was no evidence of a child around. :>)

We've decided to make her the official "playground & pool" inspector. She'll be traveling with us for our loop north into the Maritime & Quebec Canadian provinces, so we'll get the pleasure of showing her 'the world'! We always slow down a bit when we visit those parks, for we only get to make one visit a season. We also time it so it gets us out of the U.S. during the 4th of July holiday - for none of our U.S. parks really want us around during that time.

Our first planned stop with her will be to check out the new company-property KOA recently acquired in Mystic, Connecticut. We're told it is a very famous old seaport with a great aquarium. We've scheduled 3 nights there to get acquainted with the park, the area and the management team. She loves fish (trying to catch it, and eating it) so it should be right down her alley. Grandpa Roger has already made a 'list' of parks with fishing ponds or rivers - and is adamant that we find a whale watching & iceberg boat tour when we get to Newfoundland. I think he's as excited about this as Hunter is!

We are currently in Saugerties, New York, a nice park nestled among the pine trees. I always 'suffer' with my allergies to cedar & pine, but I love making our temporary home among them. As we started our walk-about here, Roger spied a watermelon sitting all alone at a vacant campsite. As we finished our first tour of the park, I headed back to the trailer and Roger went to return kabin keys. Sure enough, he came carrying in that poor lonely watermelon. Guess you could say that was one of the 'perks' of the job. He definitely has 'plans' for it.

For me, one of the 'perks' at this park is their excellent WiFi. Haven't had a lot of luck this season so far with getting on the individual parks systems. I must be 'typhoid Twylah' for it seems we pull into a park - and their WiFi systems start acting up. Really, I know it's just the nature of the beast - these computers & wireless systems - but it's definitely a love/hate relationship for me. They frustrate me to no end, but without my 'connectivity' I feel lost and lonely!

For two days in Herkimer, NY (I call it the Herkimer Hole) - our cell phones would not work - and their WiFi had just crashed - so I really felt 'disconnected'. The Herkimer KOA is part of a large family-owned group of businesses, and we always enjoy a lunch or dinner at their restaurant that sits right on the Mohawk River, which is part of the Erie Canal. Such a pleasant place to sit and waste an evening, while dining on some excellent Italian food. (Isn't everyone in New York Italian - or Amish?) No matter, we love it all.

I survived two days without connectivity, and even though our cell phones still don't work here in Saugerties, at least I have WiFi! Doing some 'catch up' now, trying to get my reports and pictures filed on the web for our last three reviews. For the next week, though, we take a break from doing annual reviews and switch to consulting work for the next three visits.

Four Reviews in Five Days!

We have the peddle to the metal now! Lewiston, NY (Niagara Falls area), Erie, PA, Kinzua, PA (Allegheny Mtns), Canandaigua, NY. Took a day in Erie to do laundry, fill prescriptions, get a haircut, and do a grocery run. Did I miss anything? Oh, yeah, rest. That's cause we didn't get any!

When we left Ontario, had a 300 mile day to reach Lewiston, NY. Got back into the U.S. with absolutely no hassle, thank goodness. Know having the passports help. No trailer search for ground beef trying to 'slip' across the border!

Pulled into the park about 5:00, got set up and I popped some chicken patties in the oven for our supper, before we did the walk-about. Then back to the trailer where I worked till about 11:00 preparing the review. Next morning we sat down with the owners to go over the review, chat about their business, long-range plans, etc. Then it was off to Erie, PA.

On the way there, Roger pulled one of his "oops, I wonder when the gas station with diesel is?" He found one - with just over a gallon of gas to spare. It was looking like he was going to have to use that 'emergency 5 gallons' he carries, for sure.

After Erie, we took time to stop in at a truck wash to have our home spiffed up a bit. We had followed a coal dust truck for several miles on the interstate before we went in to Canada, and our trailer looked like someone had dusted it for fingerprints. They did a great job on it - and we were sparkling, as we headed east into the Allegheny Mtns. We actually travel the interstate in New York, then drop into northern Pennsylvania to get to this park. This is not one of those you normally stop for just one night, for it's 20+ miles off the highway.

The Southern Tier Highway (also known as I-86) in southern New York makes all the roads in Oklahoma look WONDERFUL! It is absolutely THE worst road we travel. This jaunt was so bad that it jostled a partial gallon of water so badly that it bounded the lid right off. (Not to mention what my cabinet contents looked like!) Thankfully nothing broken . . . or so we thought.

One night there (same routine) and we headed north to Canandaigua, NY which is in the Finger Lakes area. Pull in, set up, and head out to do our walk about. This park is loaded with campers - and all in very chatty moods! I thought we would never get our walk done! Gotta love them, but by that time it was very close to 9:00 p.m. and we were dead on our feet. A very late supper - but our morning muffin was long gone and we were hungry. Then I burned the midnight oil doing computer work.

See, folks, we do work! It just looks like we're 'playing' to every one else. They don't see the research and computer hours spent preparing for a visit - and then doing the report for the owner - and then the time filing that report, along with pictures. We take between 75-100 pictures at every park, documenting improvements - and deficiencies - each year.

AND, although Roger says I mostly 'nap' on the drive between parks, I call it 'recharging' for the next stop! Sounds good, anyway.

Now back to the 'nothing broken' from our trip on the Southern Tier highway! Roger was doing that very necessary chore of emptying our holding tanks before we left Canandaigua, when he reached for the handle to open the gally (same as kitchen) tank, only to find the handle dangling loose. The rough road has evidently 'undone' some very vital connection. No time at the moment to mess with it, he emptied the other tanks and we headed on east to Cooperstown, NY.

We were wanting to get to Cooperstown as quickly as we could, for we knew that we would only have a couple of hours with the guy here. He is a lobster/crab fisherman out of Rhode Island (he has his own boat & crew) and he runs his pots Tuesday through Saturday. Pulled in about 4:30 or so, to find Bruce and his help (an very nice Amish gentleman) working on the pool gate.

Now, everyone has a 'soap box' and for Roger it is self-closing pool gates. (it's a safety thing) He has found a type of closure (the kind we had at our park) that is foolproof - if installed correctly. Two years ago he bought 2 dozen of them and every time he finds a gate not working, he pulls one out. More often than not, he installs it for them.

Talk about timing! We were standing in the store talking with the wife, Patty, when here came Bruce - with said closure in hand (that we had left with the previous owner). Roger gave him some pointers - and said, "let me get the trailer to our site and I'll be back with my tools." The old Amish gentleman just didn't believe it would work. So, of course, Roger had to make a believer out of him - and he did.

And what was funny, while Roger was working his magic, I opened my e-mails to find a query from our team in Colorado - with questions about Roger's favorite pool gate closure. I followed up with pictures and specs and got them headed in the right direction.

So if Roger doesn't accomplish anything else in this life, he has made it safer for hundreds of little ones at KOA campgrounds, because he installs self-closing pool gates that work every time!

An added bonus - I picked up a loaf of homemade Amish bread, and 1/2 lb. of homemade fudge (for Roger, really!). While the guys were 'resting' from their labors on the bench under the shade tree, here came a horse-drawn buggy, the young Amish girl coming to check the supply of goods left in the store over the weekend. Roger ended up buying a dozen of her homemade cookies before she took them away. This is my kind of park, nestled in the rolling farmland, much of it farmed in the gentle Amish way. As we say often, I could 'lose a crop' here.

Bruce left out at 4:00 a.m. this morning, headed back to the boat for the week. We won't do the review here till later this summer. I'll spend the day catching up on computer work, while Roger will attempt to repair - and open - the gally holding tank. Can't cook if I can't do dishes! Then we head north about 25 miles to the Herkimer Diamond Mine KOA . . . and start all over again!

Pool, Anyone?

Wrapped up our visit in Brighton, Ontario and left the folks planting 30 evergreen trees. The weather turned really warm and with the humidity it made for some VERY warm days.

Then east a bit (it still feels like 'north' to me) to Kingston, Ontario - our first visit to this park also. The owner is a delightful German man who runs an absolutely GREAT park. He spoiled us by parking us on one of his deluxe patio sites. The heat is still with us, but thunder storms were predicted for later on - and they didn't disappoint us. Actually enjoyed hearing the thunder roll - and the cooler weather it brought.

Last stop on this Canadian jaunt is to the Cardinal, Ontario KOA. It rained us almost the entire ride from Kingston to Cardinal; it was such a 'gray day' that we decided to postpone trying to get pictures. The owners here just celebrated their first anniversary of ownership in April and have a lot of new projects going on. They have added a Jumping Pillow, relocated the playground and are in the process of putting in a new pool.

They provided us with a golf cart and we took a tour around the park with it raining off and on. A real treat that evening when they invited us to supper: t-bone steaks hot off the grill, served up with a tasty side dish of onions & carrots with tender potato slices. We topped it off with "Bumbleberry Pie". I thought we had discovered a new type of berry, but turns out it was just a name of the pie - a mixture of several types of berries and apples with a crumb topping. Delicious!

Tuesday (today) dawned bright & sunny and I walked about snapping pictures while Roger spent the day with Daniel, learning about their planned improvements, their vision for the park, etc.

Then much to Roger’s delight, the pool guys showed up to install the vinyl liner to the new pool this afternoon, so he got to watch the whole process (in between the rain showers).The white/black dots in the bottom of the pool are a requirement here in Canada for all pools. It's a safety feature that makes a lot of sense. If you can't see the black dot clearly, the water is out of balance and you can not open the pool. Roger had never seen a vinyl liner installed and enjoyed seeing it happen from start to finish. They truck in water to fill the pool and already had one truck full emptied into it before Roger called it a day. It has rained on and off here today and an even cooler front has moved in; they are saying we could even see a light frost tonight. Gotta love it!


I spent the day working on files and finishing up reports. A very quiet day; tonight I cooked up a batch of spaghetti. I know I'm not Italian, but I still manage to cook up enough to feed an army when it comes to spaghetti sauce. Oh, well, the extra will come in handy some evening when I'm not in the mood to cook.

Tomorrow we head back to the good 'ol USA; would have stayed in Canada longer, but we have to get down to Pennsylvania to get a couple of prescriptions filled. We'll make a stop at the Niagara Falls North/Lewiston, NY KOA on Wednesday night - do their review - and land in Erie, PA on Thursday for two nights. We have to drop down to Pennsylvania, for in New York, if you refill a prescription, they cancel all the refills left. (Guess that's a law the NY doctors got passed so you have to go back to the doctor to get a new prescription each time.) Oh, well, it's time for a haircut for me anyway, and I found a shop in this area last year that gave me a decent haircut.

We're counting the days before our granddaughter, Hunter, flies in to join us for a few weeks of traveling. Grandpa Roger and I are having fun planning the parks we want to visit while she is with us. Just picking her up from the airport will be an adventure, for we've never been to Newark, NJ before. She should be able to catch sight of the Statue of Liberty from the air for she sits right in the harbor between Newark & New York City. Stay tuned.

Talk About Adventures!

Pulled out of Saco, ME headed east to Brattleboro, VT. Decided to travel the state roads so we wouldn't have to subject our rig to the Massachusetts roadways any more than we have to. After traveling from Boston to Maine, we found our printer practically 'disassembled' it had been jarred so badly on the bumpy roads.

A beautiful drive, such lovely homes and towns. All went smoothly until we stopped at the WalMart in Keene, NH. We've been there before - and it's not a 'super store' - but we just needed to get some prescriptions filled before we headed into Canada tomorrow. Much to our surprise, there was no pharmacy. We have never encountered that before! Picked up a few grocery items they did have - and headed on to the campground.

I had navigated us right to Highway 5 - which is where the campground is - (didn't check the KOA book - like a dummy) - and directed Roger south on Highway 5. I THOUGHT we were connecting to Highway 5 north of the park. (Must have thought it!) We found ourselves winding along through a very pretty, very BUSY town. This took us quite a bit of time - and we had a few nervous moments wondering if we were going the right direction on one-way streets. As always, we got a lot of 'looks'. About the time we began to run out of town, I realized that we had just driven through the bustling town of Brattleboro. It suddenly 'clicked' in my brain that the campground was NORTH of the town! So we had to get on the interstate and drive BACK three exits. It took us right back to the 'round-about' where we had turned south in the first place.

When we arrived at the park, the first thing they asked was "Did you see any nudes?" We were a bit taken aback by the question, to say the least. Sure enough, it seems that it is not against the law to 'go nude' in Brattleboro - and there are a few exhibitionists taking advantage of that fact! And we missed it! (But Roger was in no mood to go back - especially with the fifth wheel in tow!)

Nice easy visit there. I did the complete review, for Roger was suffering terribly with his gout. A beautiful small park, and it was no problem. The folks are selling; the new owners will take over at the end of June - and we'll have to go back to do a new owner visit with them - and look for nudists!

Thursday morning, bright & early, we headed west to Canada. I had planned a 'late lunch' stop at the Cracker Barrel in Cicero, New York to help break the day. It was a nice stop - and only the second time we have been to Cracker Barrel since we left home. Believe it or not!

Then it was time to 'cross the border'. Have been 'hassled' so many times at the border, that we were traveling in 'civvies' and stated that we were going in to visit one of the parks. As always, they had us pull over and searched our trailer. Then we are called up to the Immigration Officer's desk, where he proceeded to imply that we were lying to him. His position was that we were going in to 'run' a KOA; he knew this because he had arrested somebody - at some point - that did that. We assured him we were employed by KOA (and NOT looking for another job) - but that this visit was a 'social' visit with a new owner. He then switched his position and said that we must be going in to "inspect" them. We again told him we were not; that we would indeed return later in the season to do this, but that was not the purpose of our visit this trip. So they searched our trailer a second time, while he proceeded to threaten us with being 'arrested' if they found any evidence in our trailer to prove that we were going in to 'inspect'. When they could find nothing, he then decided he needed to 'verify' our story. So we provided names & numbers of the park, and he did indeed call them (on their 800# no less). They told him the same thing we told him - and we were finally free to go.

BUT, by that time Roger was royally upset - and not being as 'meek and mild-mannered' as me (imagine that!), decided to give the officer a piece of his mind. The whole time I'm kicking him in the leg trying to get him to shut up! He's telling them "I told you the truth, and you didn't believe us - so next time I'll just lie, since that's what I'm being accused of!" Got Roger out of there - him muttering and sputtering all the way, while I'm having visions of spending the night in a Canadian jail!

So now, we head 'west' on Highway 401. Now it feels 'south' to me - but even the compass said we were going west. Turns out its a bit further 'west' than I had really thought, so now it's time to get gas. Pulled off into a station and there is a provincial patrol car blocking our access to the diesel pump. Roger decides to grab the chance to go to the bathroom while the officer fills his patrol car. (That's probably why he was so cranky at the border!) Roger hadn't much more left, than the officer walked back to the truck and opens the driver's side door. I'm thinking, "What now!" All he wanted to do was tell us that there was a "Flying J" on down the road where gas would be cheaper! But at that point, I knew Roger would be in no mood for another stop - so I thanked the officer and told him how much we appreciated his help; we would definitely remember that the next trip.

Arrived at the Brighton KOA - about 7:30 p.m., then stood 'talking' with the owners until dark! Didn't see the inside of the trailer until 9:30 last night! Thankfully we had stopped for that late lunch - or we never would have gotten supper.!

It's very warm here - although we are on top of a hill - and get an occasional breeze from Lake Ontario. The owners gave us the 'nickel tour' this morning - and we're rounding up some pictures of ideas, etc. to share with them. This truly is a 'social' visit - getting to know them before we come back later this season to do the review. Now you KNOW we can hardly wait for that border crossing again! :>)