Merry Christmas to all!! 🎄🎄

Friday 22 December 2023

   Sunny and nice today. A good day for a drive.  We headed out around 10am to meet and have lunch with Dave & Winnie Herb (Ives Run volunteers) at Marzoni's in Selinsgrove. It was a great get together. Dave had a critical eye surgery in October and happy to report all went well. So glad to hear.  I did remember last week's experience and did not order crab cakes.  The food was good and the visit with friends even better. It was close to 4pm until we got back and Rudy was waiting with his legs crossed. Out the door and peed on the first blade of grass he could find.    

Saturday 23 December 2023

    The day went by in a blur.  We had a nice breakfast since we were not eating until 2pm or so. By the

We 5 be together!!

time we ate, showered and packed it was time to head to Lynne and Rick's place.  The traditional Angeli Christmas dinner (chicken and waffles). All 5 Angeli sisters were there, and we had a great day celebrating Christmas. It was well after 6pm when the party started to thin out.  After last of the family members left and clean up was all done, we retired to the basement to finish a game of Mexican train we started last week.  After thoroughly tasting a few bottles of wine we headed to bed.

Sunday 24 December 2023

   We were up early showered (well I was) I started carrying gifts and stuff down to the truck and coffee

Nice Visit!!

up to Diane. She really didn't do too bad, we were out the door by 9:00 and heading over to Shane's for Christmas breakfast with Shane, Morgan and the kids.  Once again it was a great family gathering. Morgan made a breakfast casserole. Yum!  I was just a bit late had to take Rudy home, check the heat in the Moho then head back for breakfast.  Chase was of

Cousin Frankie and
Aunt Dot,
Great Visit!!

course the hit of the day. He wanted to open gifts, period, no matter who's they were. It was quite entertaining as fast as Morgan took a gift from him he would run over and find another. It was almost lunch till we returned to the Moho. I parked Diane got out of the truck and into the car heading back to Lynne's to visit with Aunt Dot & Frankie. After that she did a couple of errands then headed home.  She finally returned around three. Just plain worn out. We had some wine, just left overs for dinner and vegged the night away.

Monday 25 December 2023 MERRY CHRISTMAS

    All our celebrations and gatherings are done!  After a nice breakfast we got serious about planning the next segment of our journey.  The last few days we were all consumed with Christmas and family gatherings but now we need to make some concrete decisions. Although it is Christmas day, and no businesses are open to confirm anything we planned and made a list of phone calls for tomorrow.
   We are leaving Saturday 30 December going to Alaska (PA) to a Loves Truck stop. Next is the Middle

Great Christmas Picture!!
Chase and Kennedy.

Ridge service plaza in Ohio and finally to the Garden Campground in Elkhart. It is not the most exciting schedule but sometimes "A camper has to do what a camper has to do"😉 If you are wondering why we picked that campground.... it is the only campground in Elkhart that is open.  It seems no one in their right mind goes there in January, but we are.
  We should be done in Elkhart by Friday the 5th and heading down to Nappanee on Saturday.  Of course, none of this is finalized until phone calls are made tomorrow. 
   Update coming tomorrow.

 

Preparing for Christmas

Tuesday 12 December 2023

   Diane had a very busy day.  After days of shopping and buying gifts today she returned all of Monique's gifts she bought last week.  But we saved a bunch of money on shipping costs. then to the drug store for flu shot, over to Shane's for a short visit with Chase and Kennedy.
   So, what did I do?  Suffering from a gastrointestinal challenge I stayed home and worked on the blog. 😒  

       Morgan with Kennedy

Chase feeing himself.

Shane decorating the tree!! (lights anyway) 

Wednesday 13 December 2023

   It was a nice (for December) day sunny and 45 or so.  Seems a little like ground hog day. Go shopping, wrap gifts. The Holidays are so much fun.   I did manage go to the tree farm and visit Mark for a while. Diane did her best packing up the Moho before heading to Lynne's for a sleep over. Well, not really, I need to leave very early tomorrow to get the Moho serviced.

Thursday 14 December 2023

   Today was a big break from the holiday routine. I was up at 5:30 packed and pulled out by 7 am on my way to Frieghtliner service center in Muncy.  I was in their parking lot by 10:30 ran in to check in. Then I made a cup of coffee and Rudy and I started to wait, went for walk around the building, wait, walk and wait. Had lunch wait. You get the picture. A little after 3pm they were done, and we hit the road. We rolled back in the campground around 6:30.  And even though it meant parking in the dark I did stop and fuel up.
   Diane spent the day with Lynne they visited the cemetery, shopped, had lunch and of course a Starbuck's coffee.
   It was a long day.

Rudy and the waiting game!!

Friday 15 December 2023

   Back to the routine.  Shop, wrap and sort through the storage unit.  We quit early to have dinner with Lynne and Rick.  Food from the Hillside diner. Food was good and always a good get together.

Saturday 16 December 2023

   Today we started the arduous task of planning our trip west then south. we were planning to leave January 2nd and first was installing tow system.  Seems just as we have things worked out it all changes. The constant leak that started this trip has quit leaking now the wipers are not working right so planning includes no driving in the rain. We scheduled one day to have the towing system installed on the car.  After finalizing the plan I emailed Dan's hitch. Oh no, he needs 3 to 4 days not one.  So now we had to start all over. The oasis heater system quit again so I go out tap on the exhaust motor and it starts back up. 
   We can't wait to get done in Indiana and head south. And of course, as we head west the temperatures head south.

Sunday 17 December 2023

   Raining when we woke up and it continued all day the only change was the wind picked up. I think we had gusts over 25 mph by afternoon.
   Diane and Lynne went to see a play in Carlisle.  First though it was breakfast at the Greystone for them, I had a yogurt. Ho yum!  Their play was great.  Meantime I was home writing out Christmas cards. The rain finally let up enough for Rudy to enjoy his evening walk. Tacos for dinner and the day was over. 

Back drop for the play.  I would go to the theater to see another one.  For a small community, they really did a pretty good job.

Monday 18 December 2023

   We had a nice breakfast before I headed down to Bow Hunters to get an arrow fixed. On my way home I stopped in to visit with Paul and Betty, swapped deer stories and catch up on family.  Found out Pat was in the Hospital, so I stopped to talk to Mark, a quick stop at the storage unit then back to the Moho.  I was watching an auction that closed tonight so early dinner.

Tuesday 20 December 2023

   I went to pick up auction items today somewhere in Perry County. All I can say is thank goodness for GPS. I think I heard banjoes playing a few times.  Meanwhile back at the Moho Diane ran over to Lynne's to walk Kody a bit then back and finished wrapping gifts. Oh Yea! 😃     

Decorated for Christmas

Wednesday 21 December 2023

   I guess I will be at the storage unit every day right up till we leave.  Stopped back in at the tree farm to check on Pat.  I don't know what Diane did all day now that she is done wrapping. 😁 We met Taylor for dinner at Marzoni's. Food was good and we had a wonderful visit with Taylor. A side note, don't get the crab cakes there. 

Life after hunting

 Monday 4 December 2023

   We stayed another day in Tioga County to avoid driving in an all-day rain.  The rain never did amount to what the weathermen were calling for. But anyway, today we are moving down the road to Dillsburg. I have the Moho and truck Diane is driving the car.  As usual I head down the road while Diane had a multi stop/shop trip. She had to pay the electric bill at the campground, then drive north to the post office turned in our keys and cancelled the P.O. box rental. I'm driving slow in the Moho and she is just a flying down the road. By the time I stopped at The Turkey Ranch she was right behind me. We had lunch and were back on the road.
   My job was to fill up with diesel and meet her at the campground.  She was stopping at Purity's candy store and grocery store.  I skipped the diesel fill-up so I would arrive before dark.  It was dark by the time I unhooked the truck parked the Moho then walked back to get the truck.  It was difficult to see the site layout, so I waited for Diane to arrive and check it out.
   Despite the cold I dug the grill out and made our usual travel day meal, burgers with a wine or two.

Tuesday 5 December 2023 and Wednesday the 6th

    Both of these days were spent filling up and emptying out the Moho.  Since we didn't have much of a shopping selection up north, we let the frig and pantry run low. Diane shopped all the stores to replenish. So, she filled the Moho and emptied the check book at same time. 😁 I had several trips returning all the hunting stuff to the storage unit and reloading the Moho with camping stuff like fire poker and shovel etc.  It sounds easy but getting anything in or out of the storage unit is a challenge it is just so full.
   The good news the weather has been decent, cold but bearable. 
   After running around like crazy we took the night off and went into the VFW for dinner. I had (no surprise) shrimp and Diane had chicken tender both were good.

 Thursday 7 December 2023    Pearl Harbor Day

   Diane spent most of the day shopping with Mel for the great grandkids.  Then had dinner with Taylor and Olive before Olive left for Arizona.
   Now you remember I skipped filling up with the diesel fuel on way down.  Today was payback for thinking I was smart.  I bought a diesel can up north and thought I would simply make a few trips 5 gallons at a time and fill us up. First trip, credit card had expired. 😑 Back to Moho got another card back to Sheetz and filled up the can. It overflowed just a wee bit. Back to the Moho, couldn't get to fill cap with the slide out. So, in the Moho, roll up rugs and clean-up to bring in the slide.  Dumped fuel in except for a wee bit that stayed in the container and wee bit that ran down the side of the Moho. 😒 The next 5 trips went about the same. Overflow filling it up, not quite emptying the can completely.  By the time I was done(quit) it was 4 hour later (included lunch) myself, the truck and the Moho smelled of diesel fuel.  Lesson learned.... that was a dumb idea. 😕
    Diane walks in and says, "I took all day to get some fuel" The end of a perfect day.

                                 

 A nice visit with Olive and Taylor.  

Friday 8 December 2023

   Deer meat pick up day.  I left the Moho at 7:30 heading to pick up meat in Galeton, with a stop in Williamsport for Christmas gifts. Made the first stop then pulled into Liberty for lunch.  Diane calls me to say Lawrenceville post office has two packages for us. Ugh?? so off to Lawrenceville I go.  When I arrive, I find two boxes of coffee she ordered in October, that never showed up.  Diane has spent hours over the past month trying to find out what happened to the order. Finally, just yesterday she called the credit union to dispute the payment and poof they show up today more than six weeks late. But, we have coffee. Next stop the cabin to drop off hunting clothes and then finally the butcher shop. I'm back on the road around 1:30 and again trying to make it back to the Moho before dark. I arrived just before dark, around 4:30, Diane returned shortly thereafter. She had been to the Dill Tavern craft fair.
   Wine and something for dinner...I was beat.

Saturday 9 December 2023

   A nice sunny day. Diane was off to the West Shore Farmers market and up to the kayak store for a roof rack for her car. I took the deer meat to Bev's to store in her freezer. I made an extra trip to the storage unit, and we were done for the day.
   An evening to relax and enjoy.  We had steaks on the grill with baked potato and all the fixing. along with a good wine, it was a good night.

Sunday 10 December 2023

   With Christmas coming there really hasn't been much down time. In between all running around, Diane has been cooking, cleaning, shopping and of course wrapping gifts.  I often try to help.😂   Today was no exception.  We made a list for next week of people to call and things to get scheduled as we prepare to visit the Newmar service center and get the car rigged up with base plate and wiring so we can tow it. Yes, we are aware that winter is here, and it is cold in Nappanee, but we must get this water leak checked out.  And of course, it hasn't been leaking the past two weeks.
   And during the whole past week I've had to hook up and unhook water every day. Just a pain in the butt. I forgot to unhook one night, and the water filter froze and broke.
   Diane is closing in on finishing the wrapping especially for the out-of-town gifts that need to be shipped.  We have two packages to go to Colorado and one to Tennessee. Would like to mail them no later than Tuesday. We made an unscheduled trip to the storage unit, cause, we are missing gifts we bought in Maine and stored "somewhere". We live in 300 sq ft Moho and loose more things. I can't imagine what we would be like in a house.😐
   Stuffed peppers for dinner. Yum!!

Monday 11 Dec 2023

  Let the phone calls begin.  It always ends the same. I start out with pencil and paper ready to get stuff done. First call insurance agent...on vacation. 2nd call dentist office...closed and so the day went.  After phone calls I continued sorting and rearranging bins when I found gooey stuff dripping out of the Oasis heat exchanger. 😠 Oh great! While I was doing this Diane got some pricing on shipping boxes.  Turns out it cost $80 to ship $60 of things to TN.  After an hour or two she decided to return the gifts to the store then order them online with free shipping. So, then we unwrap the gifts put them in the car for return tomorrow.
   By wine time all we had scheduled was service for the Moho on Thursday.  I still need to get the car scheduled for towing stuff to be installed. Better luck tomorrow.

The mess in the basement and the pipe that is leaking.  

   

More Hunting

 Tuesday 28 November 2023   4th day of deer season

   Neither of us moved when the alarm went off.  Just plain exhausted. It had snowed 3 to 4 inches, and the place is beautiful.  Had a wonderful, cooked breakfast with all the coffee I wanted. Walked Rudy in

It's pretty anyway.

the snow (not happy) then in and another nap. It warmed up just a bit 27 degrees this morning as the wind picked up quite a bit, gusts 20-25 mph.
   By the time lunch was over I was starting to sense I should be back out hunting. About 1pm I headed out. I found a stand in archery season, something between just old and unsafe and old but I got in it anyway.  The wind was wreaking havoc on me, the stand swayed just a bit and nearby branches beat against it. But I stayed anyway.
   I had to keep turning to stay warm. I had just propped my rifle along the side of the stand and stood up to take a pee when a doe walked out. I'm hunting buck so I watched her for a bit and out walks another

deer. I figured I better get the rifle. I reached over picked up the rifle.  Holding the rifle my hands were froze almost instantly. Just as was about to sit it back down out walked the buck. Bang... he drops... it is over. Just after 3pm still time to gut, drag and be home for dinner. 
   I called Diane, she just started to bake brownies and couldn't come help. With the snow the drag went much easier, I backed the truck into the embankment and drug him right on to the truck. Back to cabin he was hung up and almost done by dark.  It was good we had the heat on in the cabin I could warm up and wash up every so often.
   It was home and right into the shower. Used all my gutting gloves on Sunday. Diane had a wine waiting for me after the shower. Ooooh, life is good.

Wednesday 29 November 2023  day 5

   During the past few days while I hunted Diane has been very busy shopping (online of course).  And being a cleaning lady, a grocery shopping gal and that is a challenge up here. She cooked and baked. I think I'll keep her.
 

Rudy getting warm!

 But now she had the itch to hunt some more despite the wind still howling.  She went to the old stand I was in while I hunted nearby for bear.  She stayed until dark but no buck.
   We came back I walked Rudy and he is tired of the cold and snow.  When he come in he sits in front of the heater vent or fireplace whichever is on.

Thursday 30 November 2023   day 6

   Another nice, cooked breakfast. Much nicer day today temps in the mid 40's and a few peaks of sunshine. Getting close to the end of the season (for us) we head out around 10 to hunt for the rest of day.  Diane went to her stand while I walked up the hill to packed up the climber and ground blind. After organizing the stuff, I walked a big circle around the mountain hoping to jump one. Nothing.
   Diane stayed in her stand while I loaded up the three deer to take to the butcher shop. It was after 4 when I returned she hunted right up till dark. Nothing.  
   Diane walked up to the pizza shop and picked up wings for dinner.

Friday 1 December 2023     day 7 of deer season

   Warmer but rain most of the day.  I washed truck bed out. Dirt, deer blood and freezing weather had all my things froze to the truck bed. Diane went to the big laundromat to wash most of the hunting clothes and to turn in keys to PO Box. She forgot my key so she will have to go back tomorrow. By the time she return the rain was steady. 
   We have been working on our plans to Dillsburg and after that to Newmar factory service in Nappanee, Indiana in January, get the Moho fixed up and the car ready to tow behind the Moho.  And then south the minute we are done. Still working on were in the south. But south as fast as the Moho will take us.

Saturday 2 December 2023

   Deer season is over for us.  I scaled the mountain one more time to retrieve the hunting stands and camera.  Clothes are mostly washed and packed.  I made this final trip to the cabin to pack containers, pick up rifles, bow and to turn off heat. Turned out the stuff was way to wet to put in storage bins, so I'll be back tomorrow.  They are calling for all-day rain on Sunday, so we are going to wait till Monday to head to Dillsburg. Leftovers for dinner. Poor Diane the frig and cupboards are getting mighty empty. She will have to go store soon after we park in Dillsburg.

Sunday 3 December 2023

   We are sitting here listening to the rain.  It is almost 11am and Rudy has not moved close to the door.  Hopeful the rain will let up enough for him to go out soon. We've been picking and packing one thing at a time to be ready for tomorrow's journey. I made the last trip to the cabin turned off the heat and pick up the few things. Always sad to close the place up for the winter. The rain quit just before noon and Rudy was ready to go.
   Spent the rest of the day getting ready to travel in the morning.

   

    

Thanksgiving & Deer hunting

 Wednesday 22 November 2023

   We were to be on our way down state for Thanksgiving but there were to many sick people so we decided to stay home and just drive down tomorrow.  It will make a long day but hopefully we will not be spreading illness to anyone else. Spent the day making sure we had all the hunting stuff ready to go.

Thursday 23 November 2023        HAPPY THANKSGIVING

   I was right. What a long day! We left the Moho at 7am, with Rudy, drove to Karen's house for Thanksgiving dinner. Diane was making baked corn for the meal, so we had to arrive early enough for her to cook. Karen's one dog doesn't play well with other dogs, so Rudy had to spend the day it the car.  It was a nice sunny day, so it wasn't too bad.
   We ate around two.  The food was great and visiting with the family was great.  Many thanks to Mike and Karen for hosting. It was a lot of work for them.
   Then we got back in the car and drove home. It was after 8pm by the time we arrived at the Moho. Rudy was ever so happy to get out of the car.  It was a glass or two of wine and we called it a night.

Friday 24 November 2023

   Recovery day of course.  After eating way too much yesterday it was yogurt for breakfast, salad for lunch and I think burgers for dinner. Diane made us sandwiches for hunting tomorrow as we prepared everything for opening day.

Saturday 25 November 2023    HAPPY ANNIVERSARY to me (the 50th anniversary of my 21st birthday) 

  We left the Moho at 5:15 am!  It was cold temperature right around 18 degrees with a light breeze. In our stands by 6:30 and froze by 7:30. I was wearing my best and warmest hunting clothes I own and still I froze. The sun finally came out about 9:30 and warmed us up just a bit. We stuck it out all day. I saw a few deer 𐂂around 9am and some more just after lunch, but they were in and out of the brush could not identify anything I wanted to shoot. Diane had 6 or 7 🦌does come running right toward her, they ran past her, ran back then went off in several different direction all in a few seconds. She didn't even have a chance to get rifle. Cold and tired we headed to the moho. Dinner was in the crock pot the place smelled sooo good.

Sunday 26 November 2023  (2nd day deer season)

   We had so much fun yesterday we did it again today.  Again, it was below 20 degrees and we left at 5:15. (Rudy was not happy). We crossed the creek, up the mountain and in our stand by 6:45(a little slower on the second day).  Well wouldn't you know it 8am two doe walked by me and stopped. I picked the larger one out and shot.  She just looked around and took another couple of steps. I looked at my rifle yep, scope is still on it. Aimed shot again and she fell over. I'm happy I radio Diane tell her I got one, she didn't answer so I repeated the message. She answers in her loudest whispering voice QUIET. She had several deer around her stand. She shoots. I wait.  A few minutes later she radios I think I missed. 
    I headed over to check mine out, tag it etc. She goes to look for blood couldn't find any. Disappointed she radios me.  Just as I start to head down, she shoots again. This time the deer takes a leap and falls over.  She leans her rifle against a tree and walks down to check the doe, it's a nice one.  A little noise off to her right and here goes a huge buck across the hill. AAAA CRAP.
    It is now only 9:30am. My deer is at the top of the hill, Diane's halfway down. I left all my gear with her went back up the hill gutted mine and drug it down to meet her. Gutted hers and we actually had to drag it UP hill a bit to get it on the path.
    Words cannot describe the drag down the hill, across the creek and up another hill to the truck. We

At the Creek

both packed a layer or two of clothes in our back packs.  Diane ferried rifles, packs and coats down the hill across the creek and up to the truck while I drug deer. I was at the creek when she returned. We both worked hard to get them through the water and up to the truck. As soon as the last one was loaded it was up to the cabin drop of deer and Diane was off to get poor Rudy.  He has been in the Moho for seven hours.
   Diane returns with Rudy and I was working on the second one. I was happy to see her (she has coffee) Rudy was happy to see me (deer blood licking of my boots). We ate are lunch had a coffee and were sitting in the cabin before 

Finally finished!

4 o'clock.   What a day. Completely exhausted it was leftovers and wine for dinner and we were done.

Monday 27 November 2023 (3rd day of deer season)

   Diane did not move when the alarm went off.  But I'm no quitter I was out to get the buck she saw yesterday.   Out the door at 6am in her stand just before 7am.  No buck, no doe, no coffee and not even the squirrels were out to entertain me.  Wasn't long before there was no Bradley in the mountain either.  Back to the Moho before lunch for a much-needed coffee and nap. The temps have stayed well below freezing overnight, so it's hook up water, dump tanks and unhook every few days.
  Had a nice dinner some wine and a chance to recoup just a bit. 

   

Two doe on the meat pole!!