Lots of work at Tompkins

 Friday 17 September 2021

Wednesday 8th, Thursday and Friday we worked at Tompkins doing site clean up and flood clean up.  We did quit early enough on Friday to get some kayaking and fishing in.  Came back from work hooked up the boat loaded the kayak on top and off we went.  Backed  in the boat and tied it to the pier and got Diane off on the Kayak.  We planned for 1 1/2 to 2 hours. Diane paddled out of site as I started the boat and headed out on the lake.  About 100 yds. out the motor quit, restarted it quit again and finally would not start.  I had to use the trolling motor to get back to dock. Mad, sad, and disgusted I loaded the boat on the trailer and went home.  Diane had a great time kayaking so at least one of us had a good trip. 

Saturday the 11th we went into Wellsboro I went to a auction and Diane went to crafty/fund raiser show at the fair grounds.  We both bought something and she picked me up around noon to head back home.  I walked Rudy and then headed up the mountain to relocate the trail camera while Diane went back to town for groceries. 

We are sitting out at the fire and the neighbors above us are out unloading some things from the truck.  3 deer just look at us all then go back to eating.  

Sunday we started packing up the Moho for a trip to Williamsport for some service work, Diane did another kayaking trip.  She is enjoying her trips more and more.  Dinner with Jen and Greg always a good time.

We finished packing Monday morning and headed to Rhone's in Williamsport.  I drove straight down and was parked up 2:30.  Diane on the other hand left, stopped at the post office, went to check the tomatoes at Tompkins where she met another camp host(talked) and then the wine store before joining Rudy and I at 5:00.  We were going to do burgers but opted for wings from a local restaurant.  We have to be up and out of the Moho by 8am!

Tuesday morning we were up and ready to walk out by 7:30.  We had Rudy and had to pack enough of his stuff for the day.  Food, drinks and snacks for us and the truck was quite full. First stop was breakfast at Mark's dinner.  We were the only ones there at first and I guess the waitress was bored she took our order but stood and talked for awhile.  Good we had all day to kill.  Food was good and we were on our way by 9am.  Into Williamsport hit a few stores, a few antique stores before lunch.  By  now it was getting warm so we couldn't leave Rudy in the truck.  We decided on Sheetz for a wrap for lunch, big mistake it was mostly just dough just wasn't good.  Then I got out pumped some gas and couldn't find the keys.  We were disappointed with lunch, hot and now I lost the keys while pumping gas.  After looking everywhere Diane found them on the dash!  All was not lost on the way back she spied a seafood store.  We stopped loaded up with shrimp and seafood salad.  Oh YUM and that would be dinner tonight.  They didn't bring the Moho out until after 5pm and we decided to spend the night again.

Wednesday we were up early than we wanted to be but once they opened up you just can't sleep anymore.  Only two hour drive so we packed slow I headed home Diane took the cooler back to load up at the seafood store, more shrimp, more seafood salad, scallops and a nice swordfish steak.  Back to Ives Run, Rudy and I had the camper already parked and set up, until she showed up.

Thursday was another work day cleaning up a site pulling vines and cutting branches.  We worked longer than normal but wanted to finish up this one site.

Friday we worked helping the rangers disassemble, pull and move the boat docks for winter storage.  That was quite interesting.  We quit just after lunch to give Diane some time for another kayaking trip.  We had so many left overs we couldn't cook the swordfish but don't feel to bad, all the leftovers were some sort of seafood.  Next started getting ready for trip south to Chris's birthday party tomorrow.

Glad to be on land and that
the rangers had this job.
Using 2 small boats to move 
a fairly large dock.....glad they made
it to shore.  

No more floods for us!!

Tuesday 7 September 2021  Happy Labor Day

 Hello everyone what a crazy time we have been having this year.

   We never did go back to Tomkins to camp the water came up over 20 feet flooding the electrical posts so we are staying at Ives Run for the rest  of the season.  We have settled in now and after several trips back and forth we have retrieved all of our stuff and redecorated this site.  We did have to leave the tomato plants behind just to big to move but we pick them every time we go over.
 
   Now we are working at Tompkins cleaning up just tons of debris.  You see pictures of flooded areas but once you stand in the debris you get a real sense of the enormous task of clean up.  Day after day we went back to the camp ground just cleaning the small beach area, us and the 4 maintenance volunteers.  The rangers spent days upon days moving big debris clearing the boat ramp so insurance people and boat owners can retrieve their boats and trailers.  Each day they let 4 or 5 owners in and they are escorted down to and from the boat launch area.  We finished the beach area in about week but the smell of the mud and debris will stay in our minds for a long time. On Labor Day weekend we had about 35 volunteers working to clean up the South Shore boat launch area and playground.  It was amazing to see what that many people could do in four hours.  We had the three Kubota's and a dump trailer running the whole time.  And like ants at picnic a Kubota would stop and before the driver got out it was full and off to dump again.  The concession stand was open and they offered all the workers half price meals and free coffee.  It was a good day for everyone. 

The picture above is most of the work crew, we did have

a few show up after they took the picture.

The pictures on the right are a little hard to see, but the top one is the mess when we showed up and the bottom one is after the clean up  They accomplished what the rangers wanted to get done, the Play ground was getting a wash from the Fire Comp. in the afternoon, but it is cleaned and ready for the kids!!

  

  We did take a day off and went to NY for supplies(mostly hunting) and treated ourselves to lunch at The Nine Elephants Thai restaurant.  It was good, Diane had  Pad Thai with scallops and I had scallops sautéed with fresh vegetables.  Both were very good and no cooking or dishes. Oh Yea!  The first stop was picking up a tree stand and trail camera from Sportsman's Warehouse we then hit a few more stores before returning home with a empty check book but a full belly.

    The bear visited again this past Saturday night I didn't see him but he left his tell tail sign, the grill lying on the ground and grease pan removed.  Rudy is always happy when he stops by because he smears the grease all over the ground.  We have been lucky no damage to the grill just need to replace grease pan.

    We did manage to get one job done that has been a long time coming.  The shower door has been leaking just a little bit over the past month or so and Diane finally got me fixing it.  As you can imagine no good plan ever goes the way you think.  All I had to do was remove the door take it outside clean everything up reinstall the door.  All went well and according to plan until about 5 minutes after 5 and I went to put back together.  I couldn't find my tube of caulking!!  We looked and looked no caulking.  The hardware store had just closed and there is nowhere close to get any.   Sooo I look at Diane and say we can go a day so without a shower, right.  After watching her eyes for a second, I decided it best to get caulking first thing in the morning and finish it up.  And so I did but we had to wait 8 hour before using the shower and at 8 hours and 5 minutes she was in the shower and we lived happily very after.

This is the mess he left in my shower......but we survived!!

 

   Last Monday I had to take the truck in for new tires and oil change not that big of a deal and it went smoothly.  But now we need the Moho serviced and inspected and the truck inspected by the end of September. Ouch on the checkbook.  We probably could have waited a month or two for tires but why chance it especially up here on this gravel roads one pointy stone and you have a flat and Diane doesn't enjoy changing them like she used to.

   The boat is now all fixed and ready for a trip in the lake.  All we need now is a nice day to take her out.  I can't believe it has taken this long to get everything and I still haven't used it.  I'm telling you I will get it in the water at least twice this year.

    Other than that we have been working on flood clean up and more and  more and more clean up.  I did take the government driving course so now I can drive the work trucks.  So now I'm certified to run an electric chain saw and drive a government vehicle.   They require us to do a total of 24 hours a week combined.  We probably get closer to 40 hours total but of course you get nothing extra for the extra hours just a feel good feeling.  

    Things should be picking up for blogging topics soon.  We  are going to Williamsport for some maintenance next Tuesday and don't know if it will one day or two days but always a fun time waiting to get the coach back each evening.  The seasons are changing, temperature is dropping (low of 49) last Friday,  a few trees are starting color and of course bow hunting starts 2 October.  We will still have to get our hours in but probably not as many extra hours.    

 

There is a pontoon boat and 

3 if not 4 trailers under this pile, 

when we first got there, there was a 

gigantic tree laying on top of it all.  😕

This is more of the South Shore
boat launch area, what a mess.