Merry Christmas

 Friday December 24, 2021

   Like our normal routine we didn't get on the road until almost 11 but it was a nice day and we finally got out of Pennsylvania at 12:30  after nine months.  It felt good to start another adventure visit new places and meet new people.  We parked at Walnut Hills campground just before dark.  The truck stayed hooked up and only water and electric hooked up so we can get an early start tomorrow.  There was only one other camper in our section not many travelers Christmas Eve.  We had burgers on the grill and enjoyed the peace and quiet.

Saturday December 25, 2021

  I woke up around 5:30 am and Diane was not in bed she was sleeping on the sofa.  It didn't take long until she woke up and told she fell last night while walking around the campground and hurt her back. I didn't think much of it she was sore and one leg didn't work to well but we had breakfast I packed the moho up off we went to a new campground in Baileyton TN.  We pulled in parked and hooked everything up.  By now Diane was really stiff and sore we talked and decided if she was no better we would go to emergency room on Sunday fearing she damaged her hip replacement.  We had shrimp and steak for Christmas Day and celebrated the best we could.

Sunday December 26, 2021

   Diane could barely move today so we headed to the ER around 10am.  After hours and hours I came home at 6:30 took care of Rudy.  Diane called they were transporting her to Johnson City Trauma center.  I headed over to that hospital with her toothbrush and things to find her still in the emergency.  I headed back to the Moho she called around 10pm and just got to a room. I thought this would be over in a day or two and we would continue our trip to Texas. Not so.

Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday

   The days drag on for both of us waiting on doctors, nurses, physical  therapist,  and of course the insurance company.
    The only thing we really know is her pelvic bone is broke and she will need to go to a rehab center for a week or so to get her legs working right. That sounded easy enough transport to rehab and get started.  No it's not.  The rehab center called the insurance company on Tuesday.  Wednesday we called the rehab city to see what is going on.  Rehab center says the insurance company has no record of Diane.  A whole day wasted.  So the hospital is working with rehab staff to fix the paperwork.  Hopefully Thursday will be our lucky day.
    She has hours on end each day to pass so text if you get a chance.

Last days in Dillsburg

 Wednesday 22 December 2021

   We started right into the holiday rush!  Monday morning Diane had a hair appointment I finished hooking up the sewer and water. A couple of nice days coming up I need to get the Moho washed and ready for our trip south. Diane got back from the hairdresser I got in the truck went to pick up some PVC supplies to make Mel and Pere a clothes rack for their camper.
    Tuesday a meeting with the financial advisor after lunch, then over to borrow Shane's truck, then Christmas with Mel and Pere.  An early gathering this year because they are heading out the visit Taylor in Arizona.  They are busy packing up stuff for Taylor and Pere just had to take his motorcycle along since it will be warm out there. Anyway, we had a nice time just wings from T. J. Rockwells, exchange gifts and we were headed back to the Moho.
   Wednesday was worse yet.  The butcher called yesterday the deer were done so I left right around 8:00 am drove to Galeton and back and then to Bev's to put the deer meat in her freezer.  The only person in the neighborhood who has a spare freezer.  Almost 6pm until I pulled into the driveway.  Diane had been shopping and gift wrapping.  The Moho is 'starting to look a lot like Christmas' gifts and wrapping paper all over the place.
    Thursday was a really nice day sunny temps in the high 50's we even left the water hooked up overnight.  I got right at washing the Moho. As I worked my way around the driver side, I found debris from the gypsy moths from being at Tomkins campground. That meant that this section hadn't been washed since the spring and it was gross.  Diane came home from shopping with Lynne around 4 pm, I quit at the same time.  The temperature drops fast once the sun starts to set.  She is exhausted shopping, grocery shopping, wrapping and laundry is all she has done since we got back to Dillsburg.
   Friday was a repeat of yesterday I finished washing the Moho.  A little cooler day but still bearable for the middle of December. Diane wrapped gifts most of the day.  We did make several trips to the storage unit this week dropping off hunting stuff and picking up camping stuff.  Diane managed to get most of the wrapping done although she had to close and open window shades as I work around the Moho because Rudy would just go crazy when I washed a window near him.  By evening we were both wore out and treated ourselves to dinner at The Greystone in Dillsburg.
  Saturday was the big Angeli family get together always a good time.  The crowd was light this year with several families busy with other commitments.  Shane, Morgan and Chase were there.  Chase's first Christmas.  We went early to help set up and stayed late to help clean up and were still home by 7 pm.  It was a great time like always catching up with everyone.  I have not been sleeping well so off to bed around 8:30
   Sunday woke up to winter.  Temps have dropped into the 20's and even high teens some places.  The weather changes just in time to welcome Shari and her family to Pennsylvania.   Today was a catch-up day.  I made another run to the storage unit and back, over to drop of Mel's one gift, stopped in at the tree farm, then down to visit with Pat for a while. Back to the Moho waited on Diane to come home from Lynne's so I could go down to visit Ben and show him the antlers from my buck. As soon as I stepped out of the truck, I realized I forgot the antlers.  Just the way the last few days have gone.
   Monday woke up again to 18 degrees here at the Moho. We were just sitting here when Shari called to see if we wanted to go for a hike at the McCurdy tree farm.  After a quick lunch we went to the tree farm.  I hiked with Shari, Matt, Maddie, MaKira(and boyfriend), McKayden, and Matthew.  Diane is still nursing a bad back, so she picked out sweatshirts for all the grandkids.  After a visit with Mark, we all headed over to T. J. Rockwell's to have dinner with Shane and Morgan except Shane was sick, they didn't make it.  We all were looking forward to the first Christmas with Chase (Morgan and Shane also) but we had a good time anyway.

The kids all love their new sweatshirts!!

    Tuesday no rest we were back at it, a quick breakfast and off to Carlisle for booster shots.  We just made it on time for our appointment but still had to wait 20 minutes.  Next up for a visit with Shari and crew again at the Airbnb in Bloserville, yes don't laugh there is one in Bloserville and was actually nice.  We exchanged gifts had coffee and visited for two hours or so then back to the Moho for the evening. Diane had to go to Lynne's to get a gift for Shari we forgot.  Tired and exhausted we ordered wings from the VFW in Dillsburg.

Wednesday 22 December 2021

    Next to the last day in Dillsburg.  Up and off to breakfast at Brother's at 8:30 with Mark, Pat, Paul & Betty, Terri and us.  Again it was about two hours of visiting and food and we all had a good visit. Back to the Moho, I left for the storage unit and then to Bev's to pick up more deer meat.  Diane off to the grocery store and Warrington Meats for our last few items.  Back home and then over to Lynne and Rick's for our last get together with them before heading to Texas.

    The Breakfast Crew!!

      The last ten days have passed very quickly as Christmas approaches, lots of shopping and family get togethers.  

Hunting is over and leaving Tioga Co for 2021

 Friday  3 December.
  We made it back to Middlebury Center the wash machine fixed but no luck with the thermostat.  It was almost dark by the time we parked and got things hooked up.  We finally got off to bed alarm set for 4:30 to go hunting.
 Saturday 4 December 
   Up at 4:30 I went hunting morning and evening no luck. The big group of guys drove off the mountain side but this time no deer.  Sunday no hunting a day of rest and recovery, well not really more like shop to you drop and resupply.  We made two runs for fresh water then drug store for more pain killers for Diane the grocery store and of course the wine shop.  The temps are in the low 40's not bad for this time of year but with the rain and snow the mud is just terrible.  I'm not sure hunting may have been lest exhausting.  With the pantry restocked and lots of water we had a nice dinner and a long shower.
   Monday  

  We got to sleep in today I had a dentist appointment in Blossburg.  Diane went along and we hit Tractor Supply and stopped for propane and had a nice lunch at a local diner.  Back to the Moho and I headed out for the evening hunt.  I did see two deer as I was walking out.  We are spending a lot of time in the woods but seeing very few deer. Starting to get depressing not seeing anything.  Tomorrow we are going to go to Kate's where you see 10 to 20 deer a day.

Tuesday  7 December

   I hunted in the morning at a different spot and again nothing. Diane was feeling a little better so she went along over to Kate's.   We visited with Kate for awhile she was packing up to go see her mom who had to be taken to the hospital. Diane made it out for the first time since she fell and she even saw two small doe. I had my normal luck, nothing.

   Wednesday

 It was cold and windy Diane decided to stay home. I hunted the morning and then moved my stand back to where I started out. Nothing this morning so I headed back to Kate's for the evening hunt and once again not a deer.  Back to the Moho where the wind rocked us to sleep.
   Thursday 

  I went to my stand in the morning with the same results nothing. But then came Thursday evening and the whitetail god smiled on us like never before in my life.  We went over to Kate and Tony's farm for the evening shift.  Diane walked the level path to her spot and I went to the tree field. We didn't see a thing until late in the day.  Diane got the first one and she Diane walked back to the truck.  I walked to her spot and sat down getting my knife and stuff out to gut the deer and out walks another doe so I shot her.  Looked down in the field and can see two deer on the ground and after Diane walking back the path to the truck and me walking around I looked up to see a buck standing in the middle of the field with the two dead doe so I shot him. He just stood there took a few steeps but just stood there.  I was sure I made a good shot but I'm to old and Diane has a bad back so while he was still in the field I shot again and he dropped. So after 10 weeks and endless hours of hunting from the beginning of October thru November, and two weeks in December we got the three deer in just over a hour.  If I knew that we would have only hunted that one hour.  But now we have three  dead deer in the field and it was almost dark.  The good part all three were within 20 yds of each other.  Diane filled out tags and collected the seat, chair, rifles and other hunting items while I got the truck and drove right down to the deer.  We gutted, loaded and headed home.  Needless to say it was well after midnight until they were hung up and cleaned out.   Wow!! what a day.

Friday 10 December 2021
    No time to rest.  As soon as we were done with breakfast I loaded up the deer and headed to the butcher shop.  Everything was bloody including all of my hunting clothes, knives, buckets, ropes, just everything I touched, even the bin doors on the Moho.  Diane cleaned up stuff most of the day. Sunny and nice so we started packing up the camper and things to head south on Sunday. Diane had piles of clothes all over the place. Dirty/bloody hunting clothes to be washed tomorrow, dirty hunting clothes to be washed down state, regular clothes we needed washed now and a huge pile of regular clothes to be washed in our machine when we get water hooked up in Dillsburg.

Saturday 12 December 2021
   The weather is just terrible today.  The wind blew hard all night we could hardly sleep and around 2 am the rain started and continued on and off all day.  Diane spent the better part of the day at the laundromat while I gathered tree stands and took them to Ben's cabin for the winter.  The wind blew over the satellite dish and the poor Moho rocked all evening.  Back in the Moho unwinding.  It is all over, cleaned up and ready to move on.  Diane made chicken in the oven warming the place up nicely and as the adrenalin drained I faded quickly off to bed at 7:30. 

Sunday 13 December 2021
   The storm passed, still a bit breezy but sunny and 45 degrees.  Once again we had running to do before pulling out.  Of course the steps worked every other time you shut the door.  By lunch time we were at Tractor Supply getting propane and back on the road by 12:30, me in the Moho and Diane in truck  to do some shopping.  I went about 1 mile made a turn and notice the propane bin door was open and swinging back and forth with each turn so pulled over fixed that and then the steps wouldn't come in so drove with them out.  About 20 miles down the road a very loud bang I thought I blew a tire(scared the crap out me)pulled over checked all the tires got back in shut the door(steps came in) and headed on down the road without incident.  Met Diane in Selinsgrove hooked up the truck and we arrived in Dillsburg at 4:30 just in time to get set up before dark.  Whew, we made it and never did figure out what the noise was, nothing broke no warning lights lit on the dash.  Burgers on the grill and all the water we need. A good day over all!!

Off to Dillsburg for 12 days, then heading to Texas  

Hunting or Christmas shopping, what a dilemma!!!

 Monday 29 November 2021

     More than two weeks of catching up to do so here goes.  First the Moho,  the steps just started working no idea why they stopped working and the windshield guy was out looked at the crack and said there was nothing more to due.  If the crack gets bigger it will have to be replaced and insurance will cover most of that.
    We headed down to Dillsburg on Wednesday17th the Moho ran great everything worked. Yea!!  We parked settled in had burgers on the grill. Spent the next day sorting the rest of our hunting stuff every year we sort and pack so we are ready for the next season but always end up dumping everything out resorting anyway. We got a  a few short visits with the family.  We managed to get over to Lynne and Rick's for one meal but we were all to tired for cards. 
     Friday the 19th I picked up Lorin at 10am and we headed to the cabin for bear hunting.  Now that the seasons start on Saturday it screws up everything. We arrived at the cabin first we got the oil stove lite and burning second was a pot of coffee.  We settled in organized our clothes getting ready for Saturday hunt.  Somewhere around 7pm after the cabin was nice and warm Ben and the boys showed up.  We talked to around 10 off to bed alarms set for 4am.  The excitement this year was Saturday Morning as Ben and the boys were getting their gear out of the truck a bear crossed the road right at the truck.  All excited they dropped their gear on the road fumbled trying to load rifles while running up the embankment while the bear disappeared up the mountain.  That was about it for this year.  Ben left at lunch on Sunday as the rain started to fall.  Lorin and I packed up and left Monday morning around 7:00.  Meanwhile back at  the Moho Diane has been a Christmas shopping fool trying to get a lot of the shopping done before deer  season.
     Wednesday the 24th we pack and prepared the Moho for the trip back to Middlebury Center for buck season. 
     Thursday 25th of November the entire country celebrated my birthday, large family gatherings with turkey dinners was the highlight of the day.  We celebrated at Karen and Mike's new home in Middletown, a great time for everyone.  Happy Thanksgiving to one and all.
     Friday 26th the fun and games are over we finished packing the Moho, cut the umbilical and were on the road by 9:30.  Back to Middlebury Center for the start of buck season.  We parked set everything up by 2:30pm.  Diane started cooking dinner while I hustled our hunting things(a chair for her and my climber seat) through the mud and up the mountain side so we didn't have to carry up in the dark.  By the time I got back all hot, sweating, bruised, muddy and exhausted Diane was enjoy her second glass of wine.  Didn't seem fair to me either.

We woke up Sunday morning to snow on the ground.  The wind has died down but now everything is white and slippery.  It was a beautiful site in the mountains.

  Saturday 1st day...seen a few running no shooting
  Sunday 2nd day.... snow showers no deer  (Diane slipped and fell)
  Monday 3rd day... Diane hurt so bad I stayed home to help
  Tuesday 4th day... Diane dentist appointment (hunted in the evening) no deer
  Wednesday 5th day... packed up the Moho and headed to Williamsport for repair work.  no deer

Thursday 2 December 2021
  Here we are Thursday the 6th day of hunting and we are in Williamsport at Rhone's RV awaiting repair.  If all goes well we should be back to Middlebury Center tonight and hopefully I can get back out hunting on Friday.  Diane is getting around a bit better with the help of her walking stick and a steady dose of pain killers.  I don't think she will be out hunting for several more days unless I can find her a spot where her can walk 50yds on the level and sit on a chair,  We just have to wait and see.

Rudy is tired of us being gone all day, 

so he decided to sleep on our hunting clothes.              While in Williamsport 

                                                                                        area, this made us think 

                                                                                        of Dave and Julie.  

Ives Run to Middlebury Center!

 Friday 12 November 2021

   We finally left Ives run on Tuesday and moved down to Middlebury Center for a week.  We left peace and quite deer strolling around and now are along RT 287 with a lot of road noise.  Here we are in the

sunshine, most of days at Ives Run we were in the shade almost all day long. Once again it took us almost two hours to move the 5 miles down the road, we stopped at the post office,  gas station,  stopped for propane and for lunch.  Just one of our normal trips you could say. And of course, for all of you that have RV's, as I was pulling out Diane yells, I stop, it seems the steps will not retract.  I tried several adjustments with no luck.  So I decide to drive with the steps out.  Went about 5 feet and drug them in the dirt.  We made it to the new spot with the steps going in and out with each bump.  Oh fun!  And I almost forgot as we are setting up we noticed a small crack in the windshield.  So called insurance company they are sending someone out on Monday to fix it (we hope).

   I have been hunting most mornings and evenings without any luck and seeing very few deer.  But of the six I have seen 5 were buck just can't get a good shot.  Of course while I sat in the tree seeing nothing Diane would have 3 to 9 doe walking around the Moho every evening just isn't fair.  Right now I would shoot anything legal that comes my way.  Also need to find a spot for us to rifle hunt which starts the Saturday after Thanksgiving. Just running out of time to get everything done. We could use two extra no hunting Sundays to catch up on all we have to do.  
   Right now the weather is nice (for Nov) 55 degrees and sunny but it rained all night and fairly hard,  the streams and field are full of water again but no flooding.  I guess this front is bringing the harsh reality of what is coming (winter).  From here on out it look like lows in the 20's and high's just reaching the 40's.  I need to get some deer so I can sleep in and stay warm. We would like to go south but we both have dentist appointments,  I have two doctor's appointments, and the Moho goes in to the shop 2nd of December so we will have to tuff it out for awhile.
    Diane is out doing laundry and trying to find somewhere close for us to get water for the Moho.  Seems like well water right around us has a lot of sulfur and give you that rotten egg smell and don't want that in the tanks. 
   The big news for this post is we secured a volunteer position in Texas  starting in January.  So as soon as we are done here we will be heading out for a new experience in the great state of Texas.  So the schedule now is a week here, a week in Dillsburg, two weeks back here and then another week or so in Dillsburg before heading south to Texas. We are really excited to be going somewhere different, meeting new friends and seeing new places.  More to follow once we get the details as to where we are going and what we will be doing. Can't wait!

The last of the fall color for this year.  

Norm McCurdy

 Tuesday 2 November 2021

    As most of you know my brother Norman passed away October 23.  It has been really hard for me and the tears still swell up as I type. I grew up calling him Trig and was probably in my thirties before I heard anyone call him Norm.   He was 18 years older and gave me lots of advice over the years, I will miss his advice and opinions.  He was a great friend, brother and mentor. I will miss him terribly.

   We have spent most of past week or so planning and going down to Lynne and Rick's for Norm's services.  I did hunt two or three evenings and Diane worked a few days at the office. We are winding down at the campground, the maintenance guys are shutting down another section of the each day.  I have a feeling we will next.   The fall foliage has not been very brilliant and it has been raining just about all the time. I came back on the 10-31 and the place was flooded again.  The only good news the place closed on the 31st so no need to kick out the campers.

   Diane will be back on Thursday (she needed some baby time) and we will start packing in earnest.  Things should get slowly back to normal.

Sunday 7 November 2021

   You can see I'm having a tough time getting this post completed.  Diane finally made it back Thursday I picked her up and we had lunch at a little diner in Mansfield.  It was good to have her back Rudy was elated, now someone will cook and feed him some good left overs. She went into work on Friday but only stayed a couple of hours just toooooo slow. 
    I have finally seen some buck moving around, seen one on Thursday but didn't get a shot.  The darn thing snuck in when I wasn't paying attention.  Went back Friday morning and around 8am just as I was texting Diane poof there he stood.  I got excited and hurried my shot, missed and I heard him laugh as he ran away.  I went back in the evening I just got the stand situated and was pulling up my bow and poof there he stood, still laughing as he walked away. @#&* and crap. In the mean time Ben had been texting and Ben and his boys were coming up and Lorin was along.  I went over to the cabin in the afternoon had a good visit.  There was a buck walked up behind the cabin.  Ben took Mason out snuck around the cabin but the arrow fell just short of its mark. But the boys didn't let that slow them down.  They swapped out the bow for the 410 and went squirrel hunting. We headed out for the evening hunt but returned empty handed.

It wasn't a total waste of a hunting day!!  😏

   Now it is Sunday and we are "trying" to plan the next couple of weeks.  They turned off our water supply here at the campground so I think we will head down to our private spot in Middlebury Center. Still no water but we are out of the this campground.  We feel a little bad staying here and not working.

Norman LeRoy McCurdy  September 2 1934 - October 23, 2021

So long my friend

A Late update!

 Saturday 23 October 2021

  Well, it has been almost three week since the last update and believe or not much has happened.  It seems it rains at least every other day.  I haven't been working much as the ground is to soft to run the Kubota and just to wet to run the mowers.  Diane has been working in the office so at least one of us is putting in the needed hours.  I did mow one day and picked up flood debris another day.
  The big news is still baby McCoy.  Every day Shane sends Diane a picture and if he skips a day Diane

worries until the next one comes in.  We are done working this Friday so if not before we will go visit and meet the new grandson.
   Lynne and Rick were up for a week or at I should say Lynne was.  Rick had to work so he drove the camper up, went home to work and came back up the following weekend. Diane and Lynne had a great time shopping in Corning, wine tasting, making a glass pumpkins at Corning Glass and of course sitting by the fire most every night.  When Rick came back up all four of us went to the Corning Museum of Glass one afternoon.  We had a good time so much to see and do it wears you out.  After that we had stuffed fillet wrapped in bacon.  It was sooooo good.  We did eat extremely well that week shrimp, scallops, steak and even salad one evening.  It was good to get together for a whole week.
   After almost 4 weeks of hunting I have not one good story.  I been out 12 or 15 times and have seen a total of three doe.  I saw more driving to and from my hunting spot than when I'm in my stand.  The

best thing so far was the bald eagle I saw on my way home last week.  I even lost a arrow that just fell out of the quiver and some animal(bear maybe) chewed on the seat of my stand.  But I have a few weeks left lets hope things pick up. 

   Our time here is winding down quickly.  We have one more week before the park closes and I think we can stay here another week or until they shut the water off and close the sewer plant.  We have been here almost six months, the time has gone by so fast.  We're still not sure where we are going for winter, maybe Florida or maybe Texas for a change of pace.