Frost on the pumpkin

Sat 25 Oct  What a nice morning sunny 42 degrees and calm.  A nice long walk for Rudy but I had to keep him leashed as the campground filled up for the last weekend of the year.  We had quick breakfast, cleaned up a little and headed over to Kate and Tony's to chat a while.  Of course we stopped at Tshudy's old country store for lunch on the way.  Talked with Tony and Glenn for about

an hour, it is always  nice to catch up on what happens while we were gone.  Turns out they will be moving to Tioga County next year.  Next we went to Norman's hill to cut back enough brush to make a path down the hill.  We headed home the back way, stopping at the lower part of our property, then into the campground on the dirt road where we saw a nice pheasant along the road.  Hunters all around in the fields I guess he figured it was safer on the road. Back to camp started a fire had apple sausages on the grill.  And sat by the fire.

 

Sun 26 Oct   Hold on to your hats today.  I took Rudy out for a walk and I was afraid he would blow away.  The wind blew so hard his leash whistled.  We still had breakfast on the grill but I had to prop a chair by the grill and hang a rug around the chair to keep the grill from blowing out. We were supposed to go over and walk the farm today but one of us chickened out.  So Brad ended up going alone while Diane did laundry and some general cleaning.  Brad returned around 4:30, started the fire

Sun on the hill top looks
like it's on fire!!

and we had chicken on the grill and stood by the fire so we could rotate our bodies.  Brad and Rudy have done a good job scavenging fire wood.  We have had a fire four nights in a row, have some wood left over and didn't have to buy a piece.

 

Mon 27 Oct.    Brrrrrr Frost on the old pumpkin today.  Checked the temperature before  heading out with Rudy it was 30 and everything was covered with frost.  It was a nice clear and clam fall morning.  A quick check around the kitchen and it looks like breakfast out.  No milk for cereal, no bread for toast so Brad has his last yogurt and Diane had a breakfast bar.  Now we are packing and getting ready to head back to Dillsburg. 

More later,
Diane and Brad

Tioga County

Wed 22 0ct.  Woke up this morning and did not hear pitter patter of rain, YEA.  All excited I leashed Rudy and out the door we go.  Well, is was not raining but it was foggy with a heavy mist.  Walked around until Rudy did his business and trusting we wouldn't get lost in the fog.  Breakfast on the grill, scrapple and eggs.  Then into Mansfield for supplies and took the back way home mostly to kill some time.  The drizzle got lighter and heavier but never quit.  You have the same dark sky from 7am until 7pm.  We went to the VFW for sub night they were as good as usual.  Sub, fries and a couple drinks with tip was 20 bucks. Just can't beat that price.  Seen a few deer on our way home.

 

Thur. 23 Oct.  No rain today, but no sunshine either.  A cloudy warmer day and we took advantage of it.  Had a quick breakfast here, showered, and headed into Westfield via Little Marsh checking out what has changed in the past year.  Not much.  We had had at the Home Comfort restaurant and then headed to Norman's hill to check for deer.  The weeds and briers were so high Diane couldn't walk through it.  I made a quick trip down to the creek to see if I can cross it to hunt. But it will take a few hours of work to cut a path. We headed back via the lower side of our farm.  We walked around that section found their trail camera, so we probably got our picture taken.  Back to the house had steak, fried potatoes and snap peas for dinner. Yum.

 

Fri 24 Oct   What a nice morning. Sunny, clear skies and 50 degrees at 7am YEA.  Took Rudy for a

Lovely evening

nice walk the I headed into town for my DR's appointment.  I left a 8am and got back at 10.  Then Diane left for her appointment at 2 and return at 3:30.  That just about shot today, we did manage to get to Butler's farm store for lunch, cheese and some much needed chocolate.  Back home pork and sauerkraut for supper, after we sat by the fire for a hour or two.  

 

Diane and Brad

Beautiful Sunset

Dillsburg to Tioga County

Sun 19 Oct.  Nice morning, took  our time packing up and getting ready for our trip up to northern PA.  First was lunch with the Angeli side.  It was good to see everyone and catch up on what has happened since we left this spring.  We talked for awhile in the parking lot, it seemed everyone any something to give to another person.  I think Lynne even ended up with Ali for a shopping trip.  After lunch we headed north, with a fairly uneventful drive, except for the wind and it really blew us around especially on the bridges.  We arrived at camped around 5:00 had hot dogs for dinner and just relaxed.

Mon 20 Oct I woke up around 4:00am froze half to death.  We had run out of propane, so I get dressed, get flashlight and out I go.  Wow, let me tell you 32 is cold when you just getting out bed.

Not a lot, but there
is some color left!

  Switched tanks and back inside in record time.  Woke up again at 7am took Rudy for a walk and by the time we came in it was raining.  It rain on and off all morning and the temps hung in the mid 30's.  We went to Wellsboro for banking, gas, hunting license and of course propane.  The rain quit around noon so we drove home the back way past the house and just enjoyed the fall day and what is left of the foliage.  Had a few beers and did chicken on the grill.

Turkeys

Tue 21 Oct  Woke up this morning to the sound of pitter patter on the roof.  Yep it is raining again. It rained on and off again all morning.  We took Rudy out in between showers as did everyone else in the campground.  It was kind of funny the rain would stop and poof all the camper doors opened everyone was out walking. Around 11:00 Diane headed back to Wellsboro to have lunch with Amy, stop at the  Ag office and go to her doctor's appointment.  Rudy and I worked on a honey do list that was left out in plain sight, couldn't possible say you didn't see it. The rain quit for awhile so we(Rudy and I) went out to scavenge some fire wood from empty camp sites.  We had a good day found enough for two or three fires anyway.

Back to Dillsburg

9 Oct   Ok we have a whole bunch of catching up to do.  Thursday we left Mt Airy and headed to Staunton VA to Walnut Hill KOA.  This is were we stayed last year and got infested with stink bugs.

Small site, but they
we full.

  This year they didn't seem to be to bad.  We parked around 3pm have our normal travel day dinner of burgers, chips and pickles. Walked Rudy in between rain showers.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Fri 10 Oct   Another dark rainy day.  We went to get some supplies and groceries stopped at about 4 or 5 stores just try to kill some time.  Back to the camper unloaded the car and got ready to go out for dinner.  We went to this German

Fall is here!!

restaurant 'Edelweiss'.  We had the four item sampler which came with red sauerkraut, beans, noodles and regular kraut.  It was oh so good.  Back to the house another walk then we got ready for our trip to Dillsburg.

 

Sat 11 Oct  Woke up to a light drizzle and slowly started getting ready to leave.  I just hate packing up in the rain.  We finally hit the road about  10:30 or 11:00.  A long but uneventful 200 mile drive to Dillsburg.  We arrived around 4:15 and to our surprise the camp ground is almost full.  We find a spot, back in and get hooked up.  Lynne texted and make plans with Diane to go to the apple festival on Sunday.  We have dinner and get settled in.

 

Sun 12 Oct.  Diane heads out to the festival with her Dad, Aly and Lynne then 6 hours later they returned with a bunch of goodies which included apple dumpling, scrapple, apple cider, a loaf of iced apple bread and a few other things.  We got our mail, first time in six weeks,  it is a little like Christmas opening all the junk mail to see what is inside.

Pumpkin carved with
a chain saw!!

 

Mon 13 Oct.  This is when everything started to get crazy.  The car went in for inspection and didn't get done. Diane left with Mel, Keisha and Kaydence, heading to the Pumpkin Patch at Ashcombes.  After that we were supposed to meet with Mel and Perry for pizza but as the hours passed and no car,  so Perry and crew had to come pick us up.  We went to Pizza Hut for Perry's last evening before he heads to Africa to set

Instead of a sand box
we found a corn box

things up for the CDC.

 

Tue 14 Oct  Today the RV went in for inspection, problem is we don't had the car.  So I dropped Diane off to wait for the car while I took the Moho for inspection.  As Rudy and I completed the 300th lap around the parking lot Diane pulls in.  We took her over to her dad's so they could go to Roots Market, while I returned to Dillsburg hooked up the car to the Moho and returned to our site.  I unhooked car, hooked up the utilities and got settled back in to our spot.  Then back over to pick her up.  We finally returned and settled in for the night.

Wed. 15 Oct    Over to the storage unit to swap out a few things.  A few stops for supplies and before we new it, it was time for dinner.

Thurs. 16 Oct    Lunch with Bev, it was good to see her and catch up with all that as happened in the past few months.  Back to the house just in time to get ready for Taylors volleyball game.  She did really well and it was her last game of the season.  And I got to have a concession stand hot dog for dinner.

 

Fri 17. Oct  I had to be at the storage unit by 9:30 am to let some workers in.  They didn't take long and I was home by 10:30.  Just in time to get ready to meet Shane and his girlfriend for lunch at 'The Pizza Grille'.  Returned just in time to get ready to meet Mel in town for the parade. We ran into Paul and Betty good to see them,  had some good fair food chicken corn soup, crab soup, shrimp etc.   Returned home, walked Rudy and then off to bed.

10-18 Sunset

 

Sat 18 Oct.  We just can't believe the week has pasted so fast.  Today we spent getting ready to head up to Tioga county.  Over to the storage unit, grocery store, laundry and packing up the camp site.  We finished just in time to have grilled cheese and tomato soup for dinner. And that is the end of this week.

 

Back in PA,

Diane and Brad

 

Mayberry ???

Oct 5, Brad made breakfast on the grill and I did up all the laundry that was in the house.  We slowly packed things up, getting ready to move tomorrow.....you slowly get the stuff out when you are parked for a week and it takes almost a whole day to put it all away when you are getting ready to leave.  We took Rudy on a couple of nice long walks and just spent the day at home, relaxing and not looking forward to leaving.  It was a lovely October day clear blue sky and sunny.  Dinner was steaks on the grill and a salad, not a bad meal for our last night here.  Finally about 10:00 we headed to bed.

 

Monday morning we finished getting the motorhome put back together, showered, car hooked up and we were on the road by 9:45.  Another motorhome pulled out just ahead of us and when we stopped

Our Campsite at
Mayberry CG

about 45 min. down the road, there they sat, I guess that was the first stop for us all.  We all took a little break, then back to the moho where I cut up some cheese and as we pulled out again we had a nice snack of cheese and crackers.  That held us over until about 1:30 when we decided to try the Smithfield Chicken and BBQ restaurant.....just like any other chain, tried it once, don't really need to go back.  Brad drove for about another hour, then a quick stop at a rest area and I took over from there.  It was only about a 90 mile drive to the CG, but about 10 miles out I pulled into a scenic overlook as we switched drivers again (I do better with the electronic and directions).  Not a problem, we find the CG, get hooked up and Rudy gets another walk.  We settled on burgers for dinner and then just did some more walking around the CG to get a little exercise for Rudy and to tire ourselves out.  Not a bad day and the CG is right off the highway, so 3 nights here and then we are off again.

 

Tuesday morning 10/7 we headed out about 10:00 first for breakfast and then to get some cash...we must be getting closer to home, there is a Sheetz just on the other side of the highway from us.  Afte

Any one that ever watched
Andy Griffith Show
knows this pose

r that we headed into Mount Airy to do some sight seeing.  Mount Airy is Andy Griffith's home town and the town of Mayberry is based on his child hood days growing up there.  It's just like any other small town, most of the old town is just antique/junk stores, but Floyd's Barber shop was there, so we stopped in to check that out and then just walked the streets.  We checked out the 3 museums Andy Griffith, Donna Fargo and Eng &Chang.  Eng and Chang were the first conjoined twins to receive world wide fame and this camp ground is located on their original farm and is owned by there great great grandchildren.  We did eat at Snappy's, which is was mentioned on the Andy Griffith show and their famous pork chop sandwiches(deep fried with chili and coleslaw), not bad.  We did some more walking around and the last thing we stopped at was the Old North Winery, did some wine tasting, made a purchase and then headed home about 4:30 to rescue Rudy from his kennel.  The usual walk for Rudy, chicken on the grill and stretch out to watch NCIS at 8:00.  Not a bad day, nice touring and a good evening at home.

Floyd's Barber Shop

 

 

Wednesday morning Brad is busy on the computer, still searching for a place to work camp/volunteer next summer.  So we just had yogurt for breakfast, then we got cleaned up and headed into town

Granite Quarry

again.  Our first stop was the granite quarry just on the other side of town.  We did realize that Mount Airy is nick named the Granite City and has the largest open faced Granite quarry in the world.  They used to give tours, but no more, now there is just a place to pull in and park where you can watch the drilling and breaking out of the granite.  After that we headed back into town, park and headed up to the main street.  We stopped a the Visitors Center again, then headed off to find a place to eat.  Most places were full so we settled on Angel's Bakery where I had a Spinach and cheese quiche and Brad had a Chicken pot pie, both were delicious.  They only problem with the meal is when we were done we had no room for dessert, darn.  We walked through town some more, stopping in most of the shops that we missed the day before and then ended up at the 'Un-corked' Winery.  Once again, a

Wally's Service Center

little sampling another purchase then off to the grocery store. Back to the house, walk Rudy, laundry, dinner(ham steak).  Another beautiful day sunny and mid 70's.   

 

Hope  you enjoyed,

Diane and Brad

Seafood Festival

Thursday 2 Oct .  We started out the day with a plan to do some home maintenance, laundry, bill paying, etc.   Some how it took us all day to get very little done.  It was a really nice morning so we started with breakfast on the grill.  Took Rudy for a walk or two,  then a nice bike ride since Brad got the tires pumped up.  We had left overs for lunch cleaned up the kitchen and took Rudy for another walk and before we knew it was 4 o'clock.  We did get a few little jobs done but not many.  By now it is time for dinner so out to Crabby Patty's for dinner.  Oh, what a find.  Brad had the "steamed" shrimp and scallops and I had 2 1/2 dozens steamed clam.  Both were just great.  It sure was nice to have a menu that had a choice of steamed, broiled and of course fried food.    The only complaint was the waitress hurried us a bit.  She was trying to get our drink order before we sat down and or regular order before our drinks were ready. Anyway, the food was great and included hush puppies and sides and we ate everything. Back home a walk for Rudy and off to bed.

 

 

Friday 3 Oct. was the first day of the big seafood festival in Morehead City and we wake up to rain.  So sad.  We ate breakfast (yogurt), showered, and got ready to head into town around 10:30.  We parked close to the festivities and with umbrella in hand we proceeded.   And just like that the clouds

Every Restaurant had a stand
and we tried most of them!!

part and sun came out.  It turned into just a lovely day, a little hot by afternoon but we won't complain.  It just so happened we walked in right at the wine tasting booths(oh darn).  We tasted a few but didn't want to carry any purchases all day.  We strolled up and down the main causeway at least three times.  Brad bought a t-shirt and I got a pair of dragonfly ear rings and of course we both had lots to eat.  We had, a crab cake,  jambalaya, shrimp and grits, and from  Floyd's stand a red neck egg roll.   The egg roll was made with bbq pork and was really good.  We stayed until 4pm then visited the wine tasting section again this time making a few purchases.  Brad forgot his hat so his head looks like a lobster,  if it peels he will look like a blooming onion.(ha ha)  Back home, nothing for dinner, a nice long walk for Rudy, we didn't need it, but he did and after that we sat outside and enjoyed the evening, until bed time.

 

 

Sat 4 Oct.  Woke up during the night to the sound of rain, but when morning came it was clear and really a nice day.  Started with breakfast on the grill, again.  I just can't say enough about how Brad takes care of me(guess who typed that line)   The plan for today was to take a tourist trip up to New

This puts a new meaning in
'going grocery shopping'

Bern and then back down via the Cherry Point ferry.  All went well until we decided to have lunch before we left.  Opened the pantry cupboard and found ants on the molasses bottle and a few other things.  So instead we spent the afternoon tearing apart the pantry, cleaning and spraying. Remember this is a RV so the cupboard doors had to come off and the top half has to come out to get to the bottom half  and of course all the contents had to be removed.  We had it put back together by 4pm.  To late to do anything so we headed to the commissary/px for supplies and groceries.  Back home, took Rudy for a long walk and just had sausages on the grill and enjoyed the evening.  Tomorrow will be packing and preparing to tour trip to Mt Airy .

Wilminton to Cherry Point

Friday we headed back to the Freightliner shop and dropped of the Moho.  We again headed out for

KOA, Cleaning beans
for dinner

breakfast and did some more touring around on the back roads out of Wilmington, NC.  We were on this back road for about an hour then came up 'Paul's Famous Hot Dog House' and stopped in for breakfast.  No we didn't have a hot dog, we had an egg sandwich instead.  After that we went back to the CG and talked with the girls in the office about where to get a decent seafood meal.  They gave us the names of 2 different restaurants, so after a walk around the CG we headed out to find the restaurants.  One was about 5 miles from the CG and the other about 12 miles away, both looked good from the outside, but about that time the shop called the Moho was  finished and fixed...yea!!  We picked up the Moho and paid the bill.  I now wish Brad was a RV mechanic ($138 an hour labor) then back to the CG and a couple more walks and we decided just to eat at home. 

Saturday we got up and packed then headed out about 11:00 heading to 'The Fresh Market'.  I headed inside and shopped while Brad found a place in the parking lot to sit and wait on me to finish (I guess he walked Rudy).  After that we got groceries put away, car hooked up and headed out for our long 100 mile trip.  We stayed off the main interstate and came up around Camp Lejeune to Cherry Point


Yes he is little, but there
must be a bigger one
somewhere

CG, a pretty nice ride for us.  We stopped along the way for lunch and then pulled in about 1:30, checked in, parked and then headed out to check out the base.  There are a lot of great places to walk with Rudy, Bike paths and alligators, now I expect alligators in Florida, Georgia and SC, but never did I think we would find one half way up the coast in NC.  We enjoyed the afternoon, walking down the two roads by the CG, finding a fishing dock and boat launch at the one and an area where people were crabbing at the other.  After that dinner back at the CG and off to bed. 

 

Sunday we did laundry, breakfast on the grill, cleaning and then we toured the base, taking advantage of a slow traffic to get familiar with the place.  We ate here on

Cherry Point Camp Site

base at 'The Roadhouse'  then checked out the Commissary and PX, making some purchases while we were there.  Back home, more laundry and cleaning, then dinner in again tonight.  A slow relaxing day, long over due and well worth it.

 

Monday after a light breakfast we headed into Morehead City for the day.  We parked by the water front and walked around to some of the shops and checking out what restaurants were open for lunch.  Capt. Bill's was recommended by a lady at the store, but their menu didn't seem all that appealing, so we headed into the Sanitary Fish Market.  The food was good, but the service still left a lot to be desired, a little slow and the waitress wasn't all that friendly, just  usual for this place.  After lunch we did some more walking around town, checking out the people getting things set up for the seafood festival.  We finally headed out of town about 3:30, finding the back way back to Cherry Point, what a nice ride.  We got home about 4:30, walked Rudy and settled in for the night. 

 

Tuesday we had breakfast on the grill then I got cleaned up and headed out for a pedicure (long over


Cherry Point has their
own Yacht Club

due), leaving Brad and Rudy at home.  I actually treated myself to a little extra pampering, then headed home with happy feet.  When I got home, Brad had the ladder out, caulking above the door and I'm not sure what else he managed to get done, but there were tools everywhere inside and out and all the stuff from under the vanity was sitting out.  Then we headed out for a walk and again settled on dinner here at home. 

Wednesday we were headed out the door when Mel called so after about a 45 min talk, we finally hit the road.  We took route 101 and headed out to Harkers Island, first a lunch stop at the 'Fish Hook Grill', where Brad had steamed shrimp and I settled on the Shrimp Taco special, both were very good,  After that headed out to the visitors center to talk with the Volunteer Coordinator about the positions we saw advertised on the web.  Now we don't mind working for our camp site, but 40 hours a week, I think I would rather get paid for that many hours a week.  We headed out after that touring the rest of the island, hitting all the side and dead end roads, taking over an hour to

View from Volunteer Site
on Harkers Island!! Not Bad

get back to the main land.  After that we took a side road and low and behold we actually found the Shirk property, what a surprise that was.  We then headed into Beaufort stopping for a drink then into Morehead City to find the back way out of there heading back to Cherry Point, success on that trip.  We got home about 4:30, a nice long walk for Rudy then dinner in again tonight. Although is was almost 8pm until the chicken was done.   Tomorrow we plan another lazy day, then out and about again on Friday.

We'll try to keep you posted,
Diane and Brad