When clocks change Sunday, change batteries in smoke alarms

Yup, this is the weekend to do it! As RVers, we REALLY need to remember…our rigs can disappear in a flash!

Full article: http://www.recordernewspapers.com/articles/2009/10/30/madison_eagle/news/doc4ae8c6a1dbc35992685555.txt

Till next time - keep on rollin',

Donna & Stu

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Canadian folk singer killed by coyotes, park official says.

EEEK!! How horrible…we tend to think of Wiley Coyote at best and attacking small animals/dogs at worst. http://www.cnn.com/2009/SHOWBIZ/Music/10/29/canada.singer.killed/index.html

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Varied day for us...

Still gloomy & rainy out. Hoping to hear on our land offer today. Stu is defrosting the frig. I'm relaxing after yesterday, futzin’ on the computer & reading. Definitely a varied day…

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Donna's colonoscopy done and all is good!! Also got my shingles shot.

Done for a year!!

Sent from my iPhone

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Rock Hall Bike Fest

What a great day we had…we headed out about 1:00 to Rock Hall, MD. Although only a little over 50 miles, it was an hour and a half ride through gorgeous countryside, dotted with the changing colors of fall. We rode through the tree-lined streets of small towns, winding our way back to the water where the bike fest was being held.

We passed so many motorcycles going the other direction that we didn’t think we’d find many folks at the event. We were wrong…..when we arrived around 2:30 there were hundreds of bikes. The parking lots were well laid out with little wooden parking coasters for every bike!

As we walked to the event area we heard the roar of the bike contests….obviously competing for the loudest pipes. LOL! We spotted a booth for patch sewing and took our vest over to get them done. Really happy to find someone before heading south.

We wandered the vendors, grabbed some food & drink before climbing back on the bikes for the ride home. The temperatures were cool but not unbearable….although I did plug in my electric gloves, can you say TOASTY! We ducked into Cracker Barrel for some hot coffee and dessert and then before we knew it, we were back home.

Great day!

Till next time - keep on rollin',
Donna & Stu

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Fall is here! Photo taken today.

Sent from my iPhone

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A Controversy over Clotheslines - Really!

I think many of us remember the clotheslines of our childhood. Are they truly going to be legislated out of existence? What a sad state of affairs….don’t we have bigger issues to be regulating? Have we really become so intolerant of others? Just MHO…. Read http://cabinandcamp.blogspot.com/2009/10/controversy-over-clotheslines-really.html

Donna/Froggi

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Omega-3 deficiency may be hurting our hearts. Hmmmm, interesting article....

Nutritional shortage tied to obesity, cardiovascular disease, researchers say. Another interesting report, read something similar a few months ago. Think I need to incorporate a few changes into our diets. Read it yourself and decide: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/32957460/ns/health-heart_health

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Killer Pizza Party

While we are here in Maryland for the month of October, we are trying to squeeze in some family time between their work schedules (crazy!!) and our medical appointments. We had planned on going to the Maryland Renaissance Festival last Sunday but the weather dictated otherwise. We had done it in the rain last year, NOT fun!! LOL!

So we rescheduled the breakfast meet and made it a Killer Pizza with Football day! Stu has made his own pizza for years and the name came from folks not being able to eat more than 1-2 slices. This year would prove no different.

We had two daughters, step-daughter, sister-in-law, all their families and assorted significant others. What a blast. Here are a few photos, the rest are at SmugMug.




This weekend is Stu's youngest daughter's annual Halloween party. We hear it gets pretty rowdy so will make an early appearance and then fade away. LOL!

All the medical - vision - hearing - dental appointments are complete except for my colonoscopy (scheduled for this Tuesday). My custom ear plugs should be in next week and we are still hoping that Stu's hearing aids will arrive before we want to leave.

Next weekend we take Olivia (Livie) & Jesse to Hershey Park for a camping Halloween weekend. It's the first time we've had Jesse overnight and now that she is an active (read - RUNNING) one year old, we will have our hands full. But I know we'll have fun and eat too much candy....LOL!

The following weekend (first weekend in November) is the Punkin' Chunkin' in Bridgeville, DE. I am really excited and hope the weather doesn't get too cold for this or at Hershey.

Photos will be taken!!!

Till next time - keep on rollin',
Donna & Stu

Punkin' Chunkin' in 20 days

Wow! Only 20 days till Punkin’ Chunkin’ in Bridgeville, DE. We have our campground reservations at Holiday Park Campground. This will be a first for both of us. We have watched the event on television, now we get to see it in person. WHOO-HOO!! Can you tell I’m excited? LOL!  


Till next time - keep on rollin',
Donna & Stu

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Guys Only Motorcycle Ride

All of us have friends, some have more, some have just a few, some are very close, while others are just some acquaintances that we are just comfortable with. Then there are those exceptional friendships that endure the years, the divorces and all the other changes that life throws at us. Friends that will drop everything to help you or just to take advantage of an opportunity to see you. Last weekend, I spent two days with just such a group of friends.

Duane, Earl and Stan. Three very different and diverse guys. A truck driver, a security technician and a trophy business owner. All with a love of motorcycles and the open highway. The bikes are as diverse as the owners a Honda Goldwing, Harley-Davidson Fatboy and a Yamaha. Off we went for a few hundred miles of wind, sun and, of course, rain.

We set out from a breakfast at the Kent Island (MD) Cracker Barrel and headed down the Delmarva peninsula to spend the night in Cape Charles, VA. The ride there was great, even with a little rain but all in all we enjoyed it immensely. We stayed the night at a year old motel called: Shore Stay Suites. After checking in we went across the street to Sting Rays, a place very popular with the locals, for a early dinner. The food at Sting Rays was very good, served up by friendly staff and surrounded by smiling natives. A couple of beers and more then a few lies, we returned to the motel and got back on the bikes for some local touring.

This area is a popular warm weather resort type of place. so much was closed in the town of Cape Charles. We stopped in a parking lot to decide where the next beer would come from. I asked my Garmin and out spit the name: Yuk Yuk and Joes. There was no way we were going to pass that up. We found the local "redneck" watering hole, complete with Country music and pool tables. We chatted with some of the folks there, killed a beer or two and repeated some of the lies from earlier (just told by a different person) and as we left, Duane got a big hug from the waitress. (he's always getting hugs....hmm...I have to find out his secret). Afterward we loaded up the bikes and gassed up for the next day. A couple of six packs found their way into the tour pack. (Wonder how that happened?). Spent the rest of the evening in one of the rooms and hit the beds early.

The next day, after breakfast at Sting Rays, we headed to the Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel. If you haven't ridden or driven this engineering marvel, you certainly should put it on your list of things to do. This was the second time for me within the last two months, in that Donna and I did the same ride south on our way to Florida. Coming out of the south tunnel is a very sharp u-turn into the restaurant and fishing pier. Plenty of parking and lots of places to hang out and watch the ships pass from the Atlantic over to the bay and back the other way of course. I had hoped to see some of our Navy passing by but not this time. The weather cool and clear. We stayed about an hour or so, then we saddled up and headed to Stan's house in Kilmarnock, VA.

The ride from the bridge to Stanley's took us through some heavily populated areas around Norfolk and Newport News. In the distance we could see two USN Carriers at dock. BIG is an understatement, they were the biggest things on the whole landscape. Would have loved to see one of them from the bridge as they headed out to sea.

We left Stanley at his house where we had some great chili prepared by his lovely wife Mary. Yes, Duane got more hugs but this time I didn't get left out. The three of us then headed to MD via Route 301 and over the Potomac (another great view) and into Waldorf where Duane left to head to his house in Alexandria. Earl and I continued north and split company a few miles before the Bay Bridge (the other one). I got home to Kent Island around 9:00 PM, cold, tired and happy. A great weekend with some great friends.

Here are a few pics, the rest are at SmugMug.






Keep rolling...we will...
Stu

A Friendly Spirit, Hartley Soap & Kamala Boutique

I have a couple of lady motorcycle friends as well as a cousin who all run their own businesses and wanted to pass along the links to their websites since holiday shopping will be starting soon.

 ~ ~ ~

My cousin Dale has been a business owner for many years. She started out making her own book plates and when everyone wanted to know where to get them, she started making them for sale and opened up A Friendly Spirit.

She has branched out into other items using her own custom graphics including some cute t-shirts.I especially love her Nana's Alley products!

Looking for something custom? Contact her via email.

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Robin owns Hartley Soap. She makes everything from scratch and the packaging is amazing (as are the products). Want a easy long lasting lotion to toss in your purse? Try one of her solid lotion bars. I had to get a second one...love these! I also ordered the solid soap bar as well...the soap in dispensers is so harsh. This gives me an easy to carry alternative.

Her scrubs, lotions and soaps all smell unbelievably good and are very effective. Stu will be trying out her shaving soap soon...another popular item for those who use a shaving brush.

You can find her products in several spots or email her for a custom order. Also check out her blog.

• Etsy Store
  
• Artfire Store
  
• 1000 Markets Store
  

I hope you will check out all three to get a better view of her wonderful products, great for gifts, better for you....LOL!

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Kate lives in New England and has a little shop, Kamala Boutique, that carries a wide variety of beautiful items. She doesn't have online ordering but feel free to contact her about her products if you can't visit her store (it's in Massachusetts). I can't wait to actually visit her store...think I could spend several hours there! LOL!

~ ~ ~

Till next time - keep on rollin',
Donna & Stu

Visiting St. Michaels, MD

We have a lot on our plates while in Maryland this month but we are also trying to take some time to enjoy ourselves. So Stu suggested a ride to St. Michaels. Now you have to remember, he has lived in this area all his life (Baltimore ~ Annapolis ~ Eastern Shore) and I grew up in New England.

So we gear up, the weather was a little on the cool side and load the bikes. Just before we leave, Stu asks if I have the camera (are we seeing a trend here? LOL!) Nope, never a thought...guess I need to get back in photo mode. He goes back inside to get it and we head off. It's about an hours ride, medium traffic to start that thins out.

We pass a real pretty church out in the country and I think to myself that it's probably nothing compared to St. Michaels. Stu asked if I was hungry and when I said yes, he told me there was a great restaurant at St. Michaels. Hmmm, thought that was a little strange but figured the church must have been converted into something more touristy.

Well, you can imagine my surprise when we pass a town limits sign for...yup, you guessed it, St. Michaels. Turns out it's a TOWN. LOL!! Lots of history, great Maritime museum there (we were too late to visit). We did a lot of walking, saw the old drawbridge that connected the island to the mainland, browsed the gift shop, fed the ducks, shopped the stores, had lunch and just before we left, we had ice cream (but at least it wasn't at Cracker Barrel...LOL!) I bought a nice coffee mug (diner style) by Life is good as well as the most adorable winter hat...no laughing allowed (mine is greener and cuter...honest!). ;-0





The rest of the photos are at SmugMug...enjoy!

Till next time - keep on rollin',
Donna & Stu

Visiting Disney Marketplace

I love Disney...well at least I did the last time I visited, over 25 years ago. LOL! They had just built Space Mountain and Epcot was still on the drawing board. Needless to say, it's grown way out of control since then...LOL!

While in Florida for the week taking care of Stu's mom's affairs, we ended up with a free day AND good weather. Stu suggested we ride over to Disney Marketplace...nice little ride, a re-intro to "Buy Disney", grab some lunch and ride back.

We grabbed some lunch at The Earl of Sandwich...great sandwich, could have easily split it but we had no idea how large they were. We then wandered some more and I found my favorite spot...the LEGO section. Wow! Can you say WOW!!! I was impressed....

Next stop was the dinosaur area and I SO wanted to Build-a-Dino...LOL! I can definitely see this being a huge hit with all ages. From there we headed back to where we started, taking a second tour through the LEGO store. We opted to stop at Giardelli's for some awesome ice cream!! According to the mural on the wall, I've mispronounced their name for years. Oh well...it's easier to remember MY way. Hee-hee....



The ride to Disney was a constant barrage of traffic and lights. The route home was quite, peaceful and rural...next time we'll take that route BOTH ways.

All the photos are at SmugMug...oh, and yes, once more I FORGOT THE CAMERA so all the pics are from our iPhones. Ooops... Enjoy!

Till next time - keep on rollin',
Donna & Stu

Visiting Savannah, GA

We both love this old city...so much history, so much CHARACTER. We had both done trolley tours before but opted to take another one...every guide is different in his patter and with multiple companies to choose from, the route also slightly varies.

We managed to get a trolley company that neither of us had ridden before...then we realized that I had forgotten the camera (note that it's suddenly MY responsibility to remember it....LOL!). Sooooo, all the photos taken were done with our cell phones....glad the iPhone seems to do a decent job except for the lack of a zoom.




We got off the trolley at the waterfront and spent a couple of hours walking and sightseeing. Lunch was beer and strawberry shortcake...actually was a good combination! LOL!




The rest of the photos are in SmugMug (no editing done, left the good, bad AND ugly...LOL!). Enjoy!

Missed activity....well, missed putting it in the blog

On October 3rd we did the annual Red Helmet Ride in honor of fallen firefighters. We did this last year and Stu did it the year before. We plan on doing it every year we can. The campus is beautiful, as seen in photos taken without the event in progress. But seeing all the families of lost loved ones, lining the street coming in is a moving moment. Take a moment to review the official photos from the memorial weekend....the work done by the National Fallen Firefighter Foundation is amazing and moving.

We only took a few photos, two showing our Honor Bears on our bikes and three of the official fire truck murals. I hope everyone who is in the area, or even close to it, the first weekend in October will consider participating in the event!





Till next time - keep on rollin',
Donna & Stu

We're Baaacckkk....

Okay, going to try to get back into the swing of things with the blog. Really, I am...honest! They may be shorter but that is a good thing. I tend to write a book each time even though I know it's not necessary.

So, first things first....a quick update on the last month. Then tomorrow I'll start posting some of the photos. I haven't been real good about remembering the camera so many were taken with our iPhones. Guess that's better than nothing!

When we last left you, we were in Florida and heading off to Tennessee to get some work done on our bikes as well as see some friends. We were also interested in looking at a piece of property we had found online.

We kept a close eye on the forecast since there were heavy rains in northern GA and southern TN. We planned to stop in the Atlanta area to see my youngest daughter and her family. Thanks to the weather (heavy rain, flash flood alerts, road closures, etc) we spent an extra day in Albany. Worked out well...we had perfect weather from there to Atlanta and got to spend several hours with the grandkids before hitting the road again.

My Realtor, Joanne Landrum, in the Cookeville area had arranged for us to look at the property we had found as well as several others. We dropped both bikes off at the local Harley-Davidson dealer (Boswell's) and she picked us up at the hotel. That was the beginning of three FULL days of looking and walking various properties.

We had originally intended to leave on Saturday morning but two things happened, our bikes weren't totally ready and it was raining. Since we couldn't get the bikes till Monday morning and Sunday was looking to be a gorgeous day, we opted to stay and keep looking at property. There seemed to be no end to what was available....we finally found one we really liked and are working on an offer as I type this.

As to the bikes, the trike needed the 5k service and mine was getting some cosmetic and performance work done (stage one upgrade, new BLACK slip-ons and heat guards, new BLACK rocker covers, chrome fog lights repainted BLACK and mounted inside the engine guard as well as the wires being run inside it and Progressive BLACK shocks). Here are a couple of photos...




On Monday Sep 28th we headed back to Maryland, sticking to the interstates to make time. I had a new patient doctor appointment early Thursday morning so we had to make it in by Wednesday late. We did....phew!

My doctor appointment went well...renewed my meds and added one new one. Scheduled a bone density exam (done with no changes since 4 years ago, re-check in 2 years keeping my calcium supplements up and working on getting more exercise) and....drum roll please....my way overdue colonoscopy.

Now if you are like me, over 50 and never had one done, please read this [Dave Barry: A journey into my colon -- and yours - Dave Barry - MiamiHerald.com] and then call to schedule yours! I'm not looking forward to it but I will get it done. Maybe I'll print out the newspaper article to keep in the bathroom with me...LOL!

While we're at it, it's National Breast Cancer Awareness Month, so gals...get your BOOBIE check done (and remind your daughters, sisters, etc). And then remind your hubbies, brothers & sons to get their prostate checks done.

Okay, getting off the medical soap box now....LOL!

So, we are settled in Maryland until the end of the month. We still have dental, hearing and who know what all appointments to get through. Stu is going on a "boys only" motorcycle ride this weekend with his buddies, I plan to get a new tattoo with Stu's youngest daughter (Melissa) and maybe make it to an informal cookout at his oldest's (Heather). Next weekend in the Renaissance Festival (check out last year's blog) the last weekend of the month we'll take the two grandgirls to Hershey Park for Halloween (1 yr old and almost 4 yr old).

Then we move to Delaware to attend the Punkin' Chunkin' before finally moving southerly. We'll be in Atlanta for Thanksgiving, then down to Florida for a month or so. We have a 10 day cruise to Panama just after Thanksgiving and we're really looking forward to that. When we get back we will meander over to Arizona for "Q", a huge annual event for RVers.

Okay, enough rambling...see what I mean? Once I start typing it's hard to turn off...LOL!

Till next time - keep on rollin',
Donna & Stu