Off To Delaware Seashore State Park

Monday - it was to hot to do much of anything.  I thought about going to Hershey gardens, but when I got over to the Outlet Mall it was so hot I went into a few stores, but only found one blouse I liked and I refused to pay $30 dollars for a tank top with a few ruffles on it.  Nope, NOT happening.  I decided that even roses couldn't entice me to stand in that heat for a couple of hours so I headed back to the campground.  I did find a couple of pairs of shorts at Walmart cheap.  Made a macaroni salad and just vegged out the rest of the day. 

Tuesday - On the move to Delaware Seashore State Park where I got to meet another online friend of many years.  I started following her blog  The Quinn's Awesome Journey  about 4 years ago and it was such fun reading the current posts that I went back and read them all.  We became members of the same womens RV forums and then facebook friends.  Snookie has been a large part of my support team over the last 9 months and I have enjoy our chats immensely.  She popped in and we chatted and chatted never seeming to run out of words. It goes to prove that you can make friends where ever and when ever the opportunity arises.  I will get some pictures of us together before I leave here

The state park if just under across the street from the Atlantic so I hope to take a walk over today. We are actually on an island so there is water all around us.  The inlet on one side with the new bridge in the back ground.

Night view of the bridge.

It is very hard to get the full effect of the lighting  with a camera.  All of the cables are light from below and are beautiful.  I will practice more the next couple of nights and see if I can do better. 
View of the campground I am at.

No trees, lots of sand, smell of saltwater, although it is hot and humid  its beautiful.  There are sea gulls everywhere and I woke to the sound of them this morning.  For me it was a good thing, but Snookie says it gets old fast. LOL!!!!

Duncan managed AGAIN! to get tangled up in my feet yesterday and I went down AGAIN!  couple of bruises on my knees and a nasty scrape on my elbow.  I have to find some big bandages today as it takes three to cover it.  Not pretty.  When will I ever learn to watch for him! 

I just read on Facebook that the highway to my house is closed.  Flooding ?- trees down? what!   I have not gotten a call from my neighbor so I guess I still have a house.  If not what can I do from here?  The storms predicted last night did not materialize to any great degree here in Delaware.  I noticed some rain drops on the truck this morning when I went out with Duncan, but did not hear or feel much during the night.  It was very windy here yesterday, but seems to have calmed down this morning.  It is somewhat overcast and humid as all get out.  The minute you walk out the door it feels like a sauna.  I would like to see it rain just to cool things down a bit.  I am not used to real heat at the seashore.  New England beaches are not this humid most of the time. 

More later as I get out and explore some and take a walk over to the ocean side.  I would like to see the sun come up before I leave here on Friday.  I will be taking the Cape May Ferry across the bay to NJ and am looking forward to that trip.  I love to be out on the water in any kind of water craft so the ferry is just the ticket for me.  I have taken a car across, but never done it with the camper.  It is a lot cheaper than if I drive back around the bay with gas and another 15.00 in tolls.  At least the roads are good down here so the toll money seems to be used for upkeep on them.

I am trying to remember that:  Life can change in a moment, so we must appreciate every single day we are given.
K Carlson

Until Next Time .................

From Black Hole to Sunshine and Rain

As I sat here updating on Saturday I got to thinking about how I was feeling and decided that it was guilt.  Last week before I left home I had attended a grief support meeting at which we talked about feeling guilty when we smile and have a good time doing something.  That seemed to be what was going on Sat.  I had spent Friday with my sister-in-law at the flea market and I had such a good time.  But many of the things we did were taking me down memory lane so now I am learning where these feeling are coming from at least.

I decided to get out of the camper so packed a picnic lunch and Duncan and I headed out for the afternoon.  I just hit the road and we ended up at Hershey Gardens.  Unfortunately Duncan could not go inside and it was to hot to leave him in the truck so having parked under a tree we sat in the parking lot and had lunch looking through the fence at the garden of thousands of roses in bloom.

Am thinking that Monday I may leave Dunc at home and head over by myself to walk around and see the roses up close and personal.  They have a butterfly garden as well so may just do that as well.

SUNDAY

Yesterday I got a message from Lori and Dock, an online friend from RV women's forum.  We have been trying to connect and get together since I have been here.  I finally had an address so off I went.  They are absolutely delightful.  I kinda crashed a family lunch, but was so welcomed I didn't feel like I was imposing. It was my first time meeting a fellow Sista from the forum and it was like meeting old friends. I can't wait to meet more of them.

Lori and Dock (Sultan) have been living in one camper or another since 2004.  Traveling with their dog spinner, who was also a great host to Duncan.

From there I headed back to my brothers for dinner.  While there we had a band of storms come through the area with clouds that were very angry starting with almost a wall cloud.

Then we saw the sky just start to boil.

And the rain came.  The heaviest thunder storms went around us so winds and rain predicted did not happen there.  I was about 40 minutes from the campground so stayed put later than I would normally have.  I remembered my vent was open over my bed,  YUP, you guessed it, I had a wet spot on the bed when I got home.  Had to change blankets and spread the wet ones out to dry overnight.  Another lesson learned. 

This morning was really enjoying sleeping in when my phone went off at 7:20.  Chris, my son, sent text to see how I was.  Yes, I am finally sleeping peacefully on my camper bed, but still wish I had a sleep number bed here.  I miss the one I have at home.  I, of course, had the phone plugged in the other end of camper so had to get out of bed.  OK, that is reason enough to move it over next to the bed. 

Time to get in gear and do something even if it is wrong.  Duncan is being very lazy today so will leave him home to catch up on much need rest.  OH, to live a dogs life!!

I am trying to remember that:  Life can change in a moment, so we must appreciate every single day we are given.
K Carlson

Until Next Time .................

Lancaster County PA

My first buggy sighting this trip.  Although I have come to Lancaster, PA almost annually I never tire of see these buggies and never try to rush by them.  I will poke along for miles just following them.  Today I picked up my sister-in-law and we headed for Green Dragon Flea Market in Ephrata which in only open on Fridays.

It is a huge market with everything from food to junk  in outside tents and in building covering more ground than these old feet can cover.  It is rather a tradition that we planned our trips here to arrive on Thursday to visit the market in Friday.  Yesterday was bittersweet since Les was not here to enjoy it with me.  Robin and I visited his favorite ice cream stand and had a cone in his honor.  It is hot and humid so it was a race to see if we could eat it before it ran down the front of us. (sorry no pic).  Last year while we were here Les wanted me to get Duncan an pet stroller which I did yesterday.  When you have a scent hound there is no such thing as power walking for exercise so this will be good for me to do more than stop and start and hopefully take a few pounds off in the process.

The Amish buggies lined up with horses in the shade.  It had to be a day for hay sales as there were wagons of it lined up in the parking lot for sale.  Fresh strawberries are for sale everywhere and are so juicy they melt in your mouth.

A couple of pictures of the flea market.

This is just a small area of building with paths and walkways throughout.

We filled up Duncan's new buggy with all our goodies.  It is a good thing he was back at the camper.  We went to pick him up and then back to my brothers to have dinner with them. 

As I was coming back to my home on wheels I rounded a corner and saw the sun just sinking down into the haze (very humid here) so pulled over and took this picture.  If you click on the picture it will get bigger and you can just see the sun in the bottom center.

I was too tired to post last night and am sitting here in a peaceful shaded spot this morning.  Temp is already up to 81 at 11 AM.  Most everyone around me is out for the day so it is very quiet around here now.

My black hole is wide open today and I am trying not to fall into a funk, but think I will stay to myself , maybe Dunc and I will get out and take a ride to nowhere and take some pictures.  I usually have each moment planned, but am trying to just do moment by moment this trip.

 I am trying to remember that:  Life can change in a moment, so we must appreciate every single day we are given.
K Carlson

Until Next Time .................

This, the second day of my journey started at 3:30 AM with Duncan getting restless and jumping off the bed.  I had to get up and take him out to potty so was pretty much up for the day.  While we were outside I happened to see a deer grazing across the road near a comfort station which was kind of cool.  Not the first I have ever seen, but the first in the middle of the night. 

I had a Keurig coffee maker which was given to me at work and I found out last night that it was not working anymore.  It had been on its last leg when I took it so didn't think it was going to last long, but the kicker was I left the ordinary one I had originally at home so was without one at all.  Thinking cap on I took a coffee filter put some coffee in it.  Heated water in the microwave and poured it through the filter.  Walla coffee for one.  You don't even want to know what I am like with no coffee when I wake up.  Today I made the trip to Kmart and bought an el cheapo one so tomorrow I will have it ready when I wake up, that is if I sleep till 5 AM otherwise I will be waiting for it to brew. 

Rising before the crack of dawn put me way ahead of schedule and I was on the road at 7:30 arriving here at 10:30 and had camp set up and inside put to rights by noon - Wahoo.  Then it was off to find coffee maker and water so left Duncan in the camper while I was gone.  Way to hot to leave him in the truck.

Oh, I am so proud of myself.  I worried all the way over this morning because I knew I was going to have to back into a site, they have no pull through sites here at PA Dutch Campground.  I took my time finding a site and when I did it took just one shoot and I was in and lined up nicely to hook everything up.

I didn't take to many pictures today as traffic was heavy and I couldn't play with the camera and drive too.  There are three campers across the street from Mass. One of the ladies was telling me today that she is also lost her husband 7 years ago.  She told me she sold her camper because she was afraid to pull it and travel by herself.  No way would I have done that.  I told Les, more than two years ago,  that if he thought the camper was going to sit idle then he had better think again.  Yes, there is some fear in this first trip, but not fear of pulling it. 

Tomorrow I am off to pick up my sister-in-law and we are going to the Green Dragon Flea Market.  My one tribute to Les will be to have an ice cream cone at his favorite stand there.  It is homemade and amazingly creamy,  my hips will love me.  It is a fun place to go and one memory I will relive as it was a place Les looked forward to going when we came here.


I am trying to remember that:  Life can change in a moment, so we must appreciate every single day we are given.
K Carlson

Until Next Time .................

My journey to find me again has begun.

The past 6 weeks have been horrible.  I lost my best friend as well as my husband and seem to have no purpose anymore.  If not for Duncan I probably would not be getting out of  bed.  It took me two weeks to have human contact with anyone other than my children and another to get me out of the house.  I wandered around in a daze not knowing what to do with myself or being able to concentrate on anything for any length of time.  Time just kind of stood still even though each day ended and another began,

A beautiful, sunny Sunday spent with my son proved that there is still something to smile about. 

I called Chris that Sunday and asked if he wanted to go for a ride.  My decision to head for the coast of Maine only happened when I reached a point where I had to choose the mountain or the seashore.  Portland Headlight is one of my most favorite spots on this earth.  I didn't find joy there but some form of peace to start the return journey to living life again.



 I have always been a strong person, but literally watching the man I love die by inches knocked the wind out of me.  I have never been this lost in my life.

On the advice of my family, many friends, my grief counselor and therapist I have started a journey to find myself again.  This is beginning with a trip to forge new memories, see new places, and try to enjoy being alive.  This with the knowledge that I can always turn around and go home if I can't handle it.

I set out this morning heading for PA to spend a few days visiting with my brother and also to meet a new friend and her husband whom I have met online through a women's RV forum.  I have been driving and pulling our camper for the last 3-4 years so I have no fears about that.  I was a bit frightened about traveling alone with just Duncan, but using caution and my own intuition I think I can deal with that as I go along.

I left home at about 7:30ish took my time and stopped often to get out, stretch and walk around letting Duncan have some exercise as well as do his duty.  The weather had called for showers throughout the day. but other than a few sprinkles and one brief shower (1/2 mile or so) we had good driving weather.  I kept hearing Les, in my head, giving me directions and chose not to listen today.  Today I crossed 4 state lines and feel comfortable with that as a first day.  It sounds like a lot but in the northeast it is so easy to visit many states in a day.  We arrived at our destination about 2:30 which could have been cut down by and hour or so, but it worked for me.  I am used to pulling 8-9 hours of straight driving, but didn't want to do that this time.  Each leg of this journey will have no more that 5-6 hours.  I have been told to stop and smell the flowers so am going to try and see how it feels.

I certainly need practice taking pictures while driving.  Not sure how others have accomplished it, but I have more of my steering wheel than I actually took out the window.

Tomorrow I will try to get a picture of the truck and camper so you can see what I am traveling in.  Tonight I am connected to water and electric but did not unhook from the truck.  I am in a pull through site just as a layover so didn't bother doing to much of a set up.  Tomorrow is another story I am staying put for 6 days so will set up camp for the time I am there. 

As you can see Duncan is a quiet copilot, but then again he does like to look out the window.

I plan to try and write each day to hopefully figure out what I am feeling and where I go from here on life's journey.  So come back to visit.


I found this quote and it is so appropriate that I plan to us it as my go to when I need a pick me up.

Life can change in a moment, so we must appreciate every single day we are given.
K Carlson