June 2009 Archives

Awake: 7:11am Temp 60 sleep 6+41 mid morning drizzle overnight @ Nicktown.

We were both awake but still in our cozy queen bed when.....a diesel engine very close to our coach roared to life. Dick was pulling his motorhome around the circular drive in prep to hook up his tow car. Fortunately I was able to take a photo of him with Bernie & De De before he left; then we wished him a bon voyage, safe travels & a "thank you" for the visit. His wheels were on the move @ 7:35am.

Dick's timing was right on for us, allowing us to attend 8:00am Mass @ St. Nicholas church.
Today our town is having a Classic Car Show & small picnic with Rock & Roll music by the P.T. Cruisers. And there is more: a choice of hamburgers, hot dogs, chicken dinner meal...etc. We invited the Foote family to come & join us.

@ 2:00pm sharp, the Footes arrived in our driveway. After a casual introduction to our motorhome & the nearby grounds, all (7) of us started walking to the Community Center where the celebration was taking place. Rows of classic cars could easily be seen as we entered the picnic area. Even after a mid-morning drizzle, the number of cars, trucks, & other vehicles present, was impressive. Usually any chance of precipitation what-so-ever, will either discourage the contestants from coming, or, if present, will leave upon the 1st raindrop.

I diverted from the Foote family & Kathy to peruse those classic vehicles as there was quite a few beauties to lay eyes on. Later, I joined up with the Foote boys in the playground area where Kathy, Melissa, & Kevin were spending time interacting with the guys as they enjoyed the swings, slides, a 4 person bicycle riding merry-go-round, & just playing as boys will do.

About 3:45pm, the Foote family & we gathered under a tent & had an early dinner of hamburgers, hot dogs, chicken, potato salad, & baked beans.

Rain was beginning to threaten the area around 4:30, the classic cars were leaving & we decided to do the same, sauntering back to our property where we said our goodbyes until we meet again. I enjoyed spending some time with Nathan & watching him ride on the bike merry-go-round...his expressions & antics were precious & very suitable for photo opportunities, but I had forgotten my camera.

Evening movie: "The Care Takers" with Robert Stack, Joan Crawford, Polly Bergen, Susan Oliver, Janis Paige, etc. At times incisive view of a West Coast mental hospital, marred by flimsy script & poor editing. 1963. We found this story very interesting in spite of the above comments; plus, the nurse stayed awake.

Lights out:11:44pm

Awake: 6:13am Temp 63 sleep 5+56 fog, then cloudy overnight @ Nicktown.

After eating a Kathy muffin, we attended the 8:30am koffee klub meeting @ the social room in the Community Center & introduced Dick to the distinguished members who were present. Later he told me that he loved the idea of meeting for an hr (5/6) days a week & causally talking about anything & everything but not to gossip.

Next, driving Dick's Honda, we motored to Indiana & found the "Fore" driving range on Warren & Fenton roads; here we each got a bucket of balls, & Kathy & I each got a club owned driver. This was a lot of fun & a little frustrating @ times. It was also good having a protective plywood section separating each driving tee; protection against the infrequently sliced golf balls.

Then we had lunch @ the Train Station on Philadelphia Ave in Indiana We each had a tuna steak with veggies & side dishes. Dick bent our arms afterward to share an apple pandowdy with French vanilla ice cream for dessert. That guy knows his desserts!

Next, we visited the Jimmy Stewart Museum, a mere (2) blocks away on Philadelphia Ave. Dick is a real Jimmy Stewart fan; he has seen many of his movies so he was truly excited to be in the town where Jimmy was born & raised. We only briefly walked around the museum taking in some of the vast memorabilia collected before the matinee movie showing in the theatre was announced: "How the West was Won." It was a good movie but quite long, using up a lot of our museum exploring time. Unfortunately, the museum closed about 30 min. after the movie ended, but Dick had time to purchase several Jimmy Stewart movie tapes & DVDs.

En route to Nicktown, I gave Dick a casual tour of my ole homestead in Kirsch-town, pointing out the proximity of my aunts & uncles & their respective homes.

Back in our motorhome, we three had our wine with cheese & nuts time & reviewed today's activities & later Dick discussed his motor trip to the Northwest starting tomorrow. Kathy offered to make dinner but he was content with the lunch meal & snack we all had & preferred to get a good night's rest.

Dinner: K & I share a leftover slice of pizza.

We finished the movie: "The Fallen Idol" with Ralph Richardson, Michele Morgan, Bobby Henrey, Sonia Dresdel, etc. Young boy idolizes a household servant who is suspected of murdering his wife. Exceptional realization of Graham Green story "The Basement Room." Told in large part from the child's point of view. 1948. So-so story. Unless you're desperate, don't even think of adding this to your list.

Kathy was wide awake so we started another movie: "The Man Who knew Too Much" with James Stewart, Doris Day, Brenda De Banzie, Bernard Miles, Ralph Truman, Daniel Gelin, etc. Hitchcock's remake of his 1934 film is disappointing. Even the famous Albert Hall assassination sequence rings flat in tale of American couple accidentally involved in international intrigue. 1956. This movie did not meet our high standards & ordinarily, we would have passed on it; however, due to touring the Jimmy Stewart museum today, we paid homage & watched it all. It was ...OK.

Lights out: 12:30am

Awake: 5:50am Temp 63 sleep 5+56 fog, cloudy, sunny overnight @ Nicktown.

After breakfast, I made a quick trip to Spangler for a Modular outlet for a phone connection; the current module's thin wires are corroded on site # 2; so if Dick wants to use our landline, I can easily replace the faulty one.

Dick C. called & reported that he had entered PA on I-70 from West Virginia & will call again when he is on the Ridge Road. About 12:20 pm I drove our Suzuki south on the Ridge Road & parked in an area where I should be able to see him approaching from the south. Minutes later, Dick reported he was now (4.5) miles from Nicktown. I let him know that I was about (2.5) miles away & would be his: "follow me car."

Dick appeared, blinked his lights & followed me into Nicktown with a tight left turn onto Saint Boniface Street, then another tight right turn onto Saint Joseph Street, and yet another tight left turn onto Saint Paul Street & then onto our circular driveway, where I motioned him to stop.

"Welcome to Nicktown!" I tell him. He apologized that he was (5) min late but is happy to be here. He remarked about how healthy the trees & vegetation are. Kathy joined us & also welcomed Dick. Then I gave Dick the option of either driving directly around the circular driveway & taking our campsite spot or, with our assistance, backing into site #2. He opted to have us watch him as he backed up & took campsite # 2; he did a marvelous job of backing up & parking. K & I worked with him to get the 50-amp shore line plugged in, his septic hose attached & the fresh water hose hooked up.

After that, we invited him to our coach for a wine & cheese session with dinner to follow sometime later. He offered to take us out for dinner but Kathy reminded him that she already had dinner standing by.

During our wine & cheese time, we got caught-up on Dick, his wife, Christine, & their cats, Bernie & De-de, & their travels. When they left Goodyear, AZ, Christine was taking daily doses of a drug to increase bone density; weeks later, according to a doctor in Florida, those daily doses were doing her harm instead of good. It got so bad that she was having difficulty walking & was experiencing motion sickness.

Of course Christine quit taking that medicine & began feeling better, but not good enough. She continued to experience motion sickness as they motored to Washington, D.C.; they agreed that she should fly back to their home in Goodyear where she could rest & Dick would meet her later in Portland, OR with the motorhome. So Dick & the cats will spend (2) days with us & then continue on to the west coast to rendezvous with his wife, Christine.

Dinner: leftover Lasagna, Italian garlic bread, mixed salad & wild strawberry cheesecake for dessert.

Dick was pretty tired after dinner & opted to go back to his coach around 9:30pm for a good night's sleep. We made some tentative plans for tomorrow & will see him in the morning.

Evening movie: "The Fallen Idol." K & I watch ½.

Lights out: 11:19pm

Awake: 6:58am Temp 61 sleep 7+38 mostly sunny overnight @ Nicktown, PA.

Mid morning, I borrowed a wheelbarrow & using my shovel, moved a pile of leftover gravel over to the entrance of our circular drive. Now all the gravel from Gary's (2) truckloads has been distributed. Then I uncovered our # 2 campsite in prep for Dick's arrival tomorrow. He will have a full hookup with water, electric & waste water disposal.

Next we motored to the Foote Castle to spend some time with the grandsons + Mel & Kevin. We rarely know what we will be doing with the Foote boys; today however, plans were in progress for me to do something with Matthew.

Melissa had already disassembled a used up Insulin Pod (Pump) & had taped a few of the parts on a sheet of construction paper identifying the purpose of those parts. Matthew wanted me to go a few steps further & completely describe each & every part with more detail on a separate piece of construction paper so when finished, he could mail the (show & tell) masterpiece to his cousin in Montana. Actually (1) more (used up) pod was also disassembled in order to be as accurate as possible on this delicate project. Matthew appeared quite satisfied when the final assembly was complete.

Meanwhile, Kathy played with Andrew & Nathan.

En route to Nicktown, we made stops @ Goodwill & Ollie's + Martin's & Wal-Mart for groceries.

Dinner: Turkey burgers, mashed potatoes, gravy, broccoli, Bing cherries & fresh sliced peaches.

Evening movie: "The Postman always Rings Twice" with Lana Turner, John Garfield, Cecil Kellaway, Hume Cronyn, Audrey totter, etc. Garfield & Turner ignite the screen in this bristling drama of lovers whose problems just begin when they do away with her husband (Kellaway). The film packs a real punch & outshines the more explicit 1981 remake. 1946. Whatever you do, don't try this with your wife/husband.

Lights out: 11:54pm

Awake: 6:32am Temp 56 sleep 6+55 sunny overnight @ Nicktown, PA.

Mid morning, Dick C. called from D.C. He gave an estimated time of arrival as Friday @12:30pm. I asked him to let me know by cell phone when he is on the Ridge Road heading toward Nicktown.

Kenny called from Ebensburg; we are trying to rendezvous with him sometime next week.

Around 11:30am, K & I motored to Altoona, PA., about (35) miles. 1st we looked up the Altoona Regional Hospital to pay a visit to my nephew Eric. Turns out, Eric had been discharged a few days ago & is now being cared for by his wife @ home, we think.

Next we use our GPS to locate a Radio Shack in Altoona; they have a couple stores in town & neither had the transistors I have been looking for.

The main reason we came to Altoona was to, not only visit with Eric in the hospital, but to also check up on a recall item on our Suzuki @ the Five Star Suzuki Dealer. Our GPS took us directly to the Suzuki Dealer area but we couldn't find the building. After calling the Dealership for more directions, we found out why: two yrs ago they built a new building & moved a mile further down the street. Anyway, our Suzuki passed the recall inspection with flying colors.
During those minutes of confusion while finding the Suzuki dealership, Melissa called from Indiana; her ultrasound pictures clearly show that she is carrying another boy. She is delighted.

Quick & light dinner: left over tuna & vegetable salads.

After 6:00pm Mass, K & I attended Father Job's Catechism class with (7) other people for an hr.

Evening entertainment: watched President Obama's sales talk with Charles Gibson on the proposed National Health plan.

Lights out: 11:40pm.

Awake: 6:02am Temp 57 sleep 6+20 sunny overnight @ Nicktown, PA.

Kathy helped to make noodles today from 8:30am until 10:40am. Due to our dental appointment, she had to leave before the work was finished.

@ the dentist's office, our pearly whites got a good cleaning & thoroughly checked; we both have no cavities....hip...hip!

From here, Kathy returned a few library books & we casually visited the local thrift store.

Early afternoon, we retracted all slides & then backed up the coach about (8) feet, shoveled the extra gravel under both front tires & the drivers side rear tires to raise & level the motorhome.

Since parking here on April 26th, we have not been on the level; our leveling system was @ its limits, but now it's much better. During this moving adventure, we kept our shore cable plugged in & Kathy did (3) loads of laundry.

Melissa called & we talked for about (18) min. She brought us up-to-date on their time in Philadelphia.

Dinner: Tuna salad, Italian garlic bread, mixed salad, Bing cherries & fresh peach slices.

No movie tonight.

Lights out: 11:37pm

Awake: 6:54am Temp 62 sleep 6+57 sunny overnight @ Nicktown, PA.

When we returned from exercising @ the Community Center, we had a fast spoken & short message from Melissa: a belated Father's day wish. They returned last night from a weekend in Philadelphia, PA... & she didn't want to make a late call.

Gary C. called mid morning to confirm our plan for moving gravel this afternoon, "I'll be ready" I tell him.

Gary & Rosemary arrived about 12:35pm in their pickup truck, carrying a wheelbarrow, shovel & rake. Earlier this week, Gary had volunteered to speed up my gravel hauling process on our circular driveway; and speed it up he did.

We made (2) trips in Gary's truck to Hite's Rental, Coal & stone Supply, about an (8) min drive; each time getting a ton of 2-B gravel. Back on our circular drive, we both shoveled the gravel off the truck to fill up the low spots....hopefully making our campsites more level. It would have taken me (10) trips to Hite's in our Suzuki to get as much gravel as we did in just (2) trips; so I thank you Gary, for that thoughtful act of kindness.

Meanwhile, as Gary & I unloaded the truck, Kathy & Rosemary yakked & relaxed in camping chairs underneath the patio awning, sipping "mint juleps" spelled ice water.

After Gary washed the pickup bed & shovel, he loaded the wheelbarrow, rake & shovel back into the truck, then we had our wine time with snack tray inside the motorhome.
Later, Kathy served a dinner of: Lasagna, Italian garlic bread & salad. Dessert was wild strawberry cheese cake. After dinner, we showed Rosemary & Gary our 1st schematic design phase of our home & they had lots of questions; many of which we couldn't answer,

Lights out: 11:42pm

Awake: 6:54am Temp 62 sleep 6+57 sunny overnight @ Nicktown, PA.

When we returned from exercising @ the Community Center, we had a fast spoken & short message from Melissa: a belated Father's day wish. They returned last night from a weekend in Philadelphia, PA... & she didn't want to make a late call.

Gary C. called mid morning to confirm our plan for moving gravel this afternoon, "I'll be ready" I tell him.

Gary & Rosemary arrived about 12:35pm in their pickup truck, carrying a wheelbarrow, shovel & rake. Earlier this week, Gary had volunteered to speed up my gravel hauling process on our circular driveway; and speed it up he did.

We made (2) trips in Gary's truck to Hite's Rental, Coal & stone Supply, about an (8) min drive; each time getting a ton of 2-B gravel. Back on our circular drive, we both shoveled the gravel off the truck to fill up the low spots....hopefully making our campsites more level. It would have taken me (10) trips to Hite's in our Suzuki to get as much gravel as we did in just (2) trips; so I thank you Gary, for that thoughtful act of kindness.

Meanwhile, as Gary & I unloaded the truck, Kathy & Rosemary yakked & relaxed in camping chairs underneath the patio awning, sipping "mint juleps" spelled ice water.

After Gary washed the pickup bed & shovel, he loaded the wheelbarrow, rake & shovel back into the truck, then we had our wine time with snack tray inside the motorhome.
Later, Kathy served a dinner of: Lasagna, Italian garlic bread & salad. Dessert was wild strawberry cheese cake. After dinner, we showed Rosemary & Gary our 1st schematic design phase of our home & they had lots of questions; many of which we couldn't answer,

Lights out: 11:42pm

Awake: 7:17am Temp 62 sleep 7+00 sunny overnight @ Nicktown.

For Father's Day, Kathy made one of my favorite breakfast treats: Eggs Benedict & was it ever good!

Nick called from Seattle; he & I exchanged Father's Day wishes & then K & I talked with Nick for over an hr.

Early afternoon, K & I motored to Ebensburg for grocery shopping @ the West End Market & Wal-Mart.

Back @ our motorhome, while Kathy prepared a dinner for tonight as well as tomorrow night, I gathered another pan of good sized wild strawberries in our backyard.

Dick C. called from Cherry Hill RV Park in D.C. We talked about a rendezvous plan in the making for the near future.

Zack called from Seattle with Father's Day wishes & then Kathy joined in the conversation.

Dinner: leftover crab cakes with asparagus & brown rice.

Evening movie: "The Male Animal" with Henry Fonda, Olivia de Havilland, Joan Leslie, Jack Carson, etc. Intelligent, entertaining Elliott Nugent-James Thurber comedy of college professor Fonda defending his rights; while losing wife de Havilland to old flame Carson. 1942. Kathy was not too impressed with this story; it sort of fell apart toward the end.

Lights out: 11:57pm

Awake: 6:20am Temp 65 sleep 6+11 heavy rain early morn....intermittent rain
throughout the day overnight @ Nicktown, PA.

Katrina, who is touring Sweden with a friend, sent an e-card for Father's Day. So far, she has visited the cities of: Stockholm, Malmo, Copenhagen, Oslo & Tromso, where she was on her last writing. She is especially enjoying Tromso.

Gary C. called; he suggests hauling 2-b gravel to our circular drive using his truck in lieu of our Suzuki; great idea Gary!

Mid afternoon, our electricity went out; no phone, no DSL, etc. However, our motorhome switches instantaneously to our battery bank back-up source &, sometimes, we don't realize that the commercial electrical power system has dropped off.

Not knowing how long the Pen-electric power might be down, I decided to run our 20KW generator in lieu of using battery bank power; I need to run that generator every so often anyway. The Pen-electric power was off for some 45 to 50 min.

Late afternoon, Kathy began popping popcorn using our Stir-Crazy popcorn popper. After the 2nd batch, the Stir-Crazy popper ceased to get hot enough to pop the popcorn. I've been nursing this popcorn popper for over (10) yrs now, mostly changing a heat sensor every now & then to keep it operating. So I figured it simply needed another replacement sensor. Oops, this time it's a little more serious & I don't have enough time today to dig further into this problem. 

K & I attended the 6:00 pm vigil Mass & afterward had Maximus & Diana follow us back to our motorhome for wine, pizza, popcorn & a movie tonight.

Evening movie with guests Diana & Maximus: "The Bucket List" with Jack Nicholson, Morgan Freeeman. You only live once, so why not go out in style? That's what (2) cancer-ward roommates, an irascible billionaire (Jack Nicholson) & a scholarly mechanic (Morgan Freeman), decide when they get the bad news. They compose a bucket list...things to do before you kick the bucket...& head off for the around-the-world adventure of their lives. Sky dive? Check. Power a Shelby Mustang around a racetrack? Check. Gaze at the Great Pyramid of Khufu? Check. Discover the joy in their lives before it's too late? Check. 2007. Plan ahead; you don't want to miss this one.

Lights out: 12:17am

Awake: 6:49 Temp 55 sleep 7+05 fog...overcast...sunny overnight @ Nicktown.

After breakfast K & I got dressed up, each grabbed a large pan & picked some wild strawberries on our property. It took us (1hr 20 min) for the picking & (1hr 10 min) for the de-stemming.

Dinner: Kathy-made crab-cakes & leftover roasted garlic & tomato ratatouille pasta.

Evening movie: "A Night at the Opera" with Groucho, Chico, Harpo Marx, Kitty Carlisle, Allan Jones, Walter Woolf King, Margaret Dumont, etc. The Marx Brothers invade the world of opera with devastating results. Arguably their finest film; one priceless comedy bit follows another. 1935. Old comedy; once was much funnier than it seems now, but the timing of the lines & actions is still commendable. Now it seems slap sticky & stupid.

Lights out: 12:09am

Awake: 6:56am Temp 62 sleep 7+25 overcast...drizzle overnight @ Nicktown.

After breakfast I continued using the computer; now I am puzzled as to why I cannot upload our photos that are stored on Picasa to our family photo site.

Late afternoon, my cousin Al visited with his limb cutter & chain saw. I had hinted to Al a few weeks ago that I had a couple trees that needed some trimming, so if he had time... Al had the right equipment so it didn't take long; now Kathy won't need to duck under those limbs when she mows the inner circle. Thanks again, Al, for your good service.

Dinner: Tilapia fish, wild rice with golden raisins, fruit salad & leftover sweet potatoes & leftover broccoli.

We finish watching: "Camille" with Greta Garbo, Robert Taylor, Lionel Barrymore, Elizabeth Allan, Laura Hope Crews, etc. Beautiful MGM production; in one of her most famous roles, Garbo is Dumas' tragic heroine who must sacrifice her own happiness in order to prove her love. Taylor is a bit stiff as Armand, but Daniel is a superb villain. 1937. We both thought this movie was a mite bit overrated.

Shortly after finishing our movie, we had a text message from Zack. He wanted to know if I got our photos on line (Gallery/ family photos) yet. "No" I told him. And for the next (45) min or so, we communicated by text messages, trying to find a way to get our touring photos uploaded to Gallery. I enjoyed working with the expert until Zack finally told me...he couldn't do it either. But he did say: "I'll put the Kirsch boys' brains on the job." Sounds good to me!

Lights out: 11:44pm

Awake: 8:12am Temp 59 sleep 8+01 drizzle then rain most of day overnight @
Nicktown.

We have never set an alarm clock in our motorhome to wake up; today however, I overslept. A few days after weed-whacking the Foote Castle's back, side & front yards on the 8th of June, it appears that I picked up a sinus condition from all that dust & stuff, so we reported late for the koffee klub meeting this morning. Most likely my body needed that extra snooze time.

In lieu of exercising with Gilad on "Fit-TV", Kathy & I exercised @ the gym in the community center for (1.4) hrs.

It's a great day for staying inside; lots of rain. While Kathy pondered over our 1st Schematic Design of our house plans, I continued organizing our on-line photos, making occasional visits to join Kathy in perhaps making changes on that design.

Before dinner, K & I attended the Adult Education class @ 6:45pm with Father Job & (9) others in the social room. There is much to review & learn about the catechism of the Catholic Church.

Late dinner: roasted garlic & tomato ratatouille pasta, multi grain bread & Bing cherries.

Evening movie: "Camille." We watched ½.

Lights out: 11:31pm

Awake: 6:40am Temp 57 sleep 5+58 sunny overnight @ Nicktown, PA.

Kathy cut her koffee klub time short this morning due to more noodle making @ the church hall: from 9:00am -2:00pm.

During her absence, I spent a great deal of time on our computer re-organizing our family photos on our family web site.

Late afternoon, we both picked wild strawberries on our property.

Dinner: leftover pizza, chicken noodle soup made with noodle rejects from today's noodle making, mashed potatoes & fruit salad.

We finished watching: "Chinatown" with Jack Nicholson, Faye Dunaway, John Huston, Perry Lopez, John Hillerman, Roy Jenson, etc. Bizarre, fascinating mystery in the Hammett-Chandler tradition (& set in the 30's) with Nicholson as L.A. private eye led into a complex, volatile case by femme fatale Dunaway. 1974. Good story & unpredictable.

Lights out: 12:13am

Awake: 6:28am Temp 52 sleep 6+16 sunny overnight @ Nicktown, PA.

This morning after 8:00 am daily Mass, Janet invited today's koffee klub members to join her & husband Mark for a social hr with breakfast goodies @ their Gazebo; it was a very thoughtful gesture & a beautiful morning. This is our 3rd time attending this special event. Thank you Janet & Mark.

After a change of clothes, K & I borrowed a wheelbarrow & started the grass mowing program. Kathy mowed inside the circular driveway for (3) hrs & about (9) trips to the woods for me dumping the grass. Aside from emptying the grass bag, I also dug out weeds from our circular drive while waiting for the next bag to fill up.

After Kathy finished her mowing, I trimmed the grass on west side outside of our circular drive for (1) hr & another (4) loads of grass deposited to the woods.
Late afternoon, Kathy made a trip to the library & thrift store in Barnesboro.

Dinner: BBQ turkey burger, asparagus & fruit salad.

We watched ½ of the movie: "Chinatown."

Lights out: 11:42pm

Awake: 6:03am Temp 48 sleep 6+12 sunny overnight @ Nicktown, PA.

K & I motored over to the church hall(5) min & had their standard breakfast: scrambled eggs, thinly sliced fried potatoes, bacon, sausage links, waffle with syrup, coffee, orange juice, ... all of this for only $7.00 & no charge for the hrs of socializing.

Early afternoon, K & I motored to the Jimmy Stewart Airport Festival & attended the 2nd day of activities. My main interest is in the WWII aircraft: Spitfire, F4U Corsair & the P51 Mustang. That was not Kathy's interest but she did exhibit a lot of patience & understanding throughout the viewing day. Watching these powerful (60 +) yr old planes roar thru the sky, especially @ lower altitudes, is a thrill I will always enjoy. Of course, a few of my airplane enthusiastic buddies were also there to hangout with & that made it even more exciting.

We stayed long enough to see the planes takeoff again, make a few low passes over the airfield & then depart for their destinations: Long Island, New York & Canada.

Then we visited the Foote Family for (1.5) hrs. They were all outside & helping, one way or another, in cleaning up the tall weeds & growth that we didn't do during our weed whacking encounter. Kathy found ways to entertain the young boys while, one @ a time, Melissa gave hair cuts; 1st Andrew's hair, then Nathan's, then Matthew's & last but not least, Kevin's. They all looked great!

Dinner: slice of ham with whole wheat bread; then later while finishing the movie: "East of Eden" we had popcorn & nuts.

"East of Eden" with James Dean, Julie Harris, Raymond Massey, Jo Van Fleet, Burl Ives, etc. Emotionally overwhelming adaptation of the John Steinbeck novel about (2) brothers' rivalry for the love of their father; affects today's generation as much as those who witnessed Dean's starring debut. 1955. Most interesting story; add it to your list.

Lights out: 12:12am

Awake: 6:05am Temp 57 sleep 5+9 clouds...then sun overnight @ Nicktown.

John picked me, Al & Don up @ 7:30am. He drove us to the Saint Francis College in Loretta, PA; about a (40) min casual ride. We are here to attend the Catholic Men's Conference with featured speakers, lunch & 4:00pm Mass. This is only my 2nd time attending but I like what I see & they do.

The Diocesan Bishop, Joseph Adamec, visited us in the auditorium & officiated the 4:00pm Mass. I was impressed with his speaking ability & knowledge. A very inspirational (8) hrs for me; then the 4 of us returned to Nicktown by 6:00pm.

(20) min after turning our computer on, Zack Skiped me. (10) min later, Kathy returned from spending the day with the Foote family in Indiana, Pa. We saw & talked with Zack for about (50) min. Then I asked Zack if he could help me with posting a picture on my blog as I was having difficulty. He walked me through it, so now, there might be occasional pictures relating to our daily activities.

Kathy's day went like this: first, she helped the St. Nicholas Hospitality committee in the pre-preparation of the eggs, bacon, & sausage for tomorrow's church sponsored breakfast.

Then she went to Indiana, arriving at the Footes @ 11:00 am. After Kevin made sandwiches for the Foote crew plus Kathy, they walked to downtown Indiana where they listened to a band play, viewed some classic cars, watched a couple of magicians, ate their lunch on the lawn in front of the courthouse & then caught the free trolley to the Jimmy Stewart airport to join in the Festival going on there. They watched the Corsair, Spitfire, & Mustang do some fly-overs; examined a helicopter up close, inside & out; & Matthew & Andrew rode in a tractor pulled airplane. They had to catch the last trolley back to downtown @ 3:00 pm. They all walked back to the Foote castle & then Kathy left to attend the 4:00 Mass @ St. Thomas More church in Indiana, where she really likes the music.

She stopped back at the Footes for a short visit before returning to Nicktown @ 6:45 pm. She was a bit tired, but thoroughly enjoyed her day with the Footes.

Dinner: leftover slice of Pizza, cantaloupe, & Bing cherries.

No movie again tonight.

Lights out: 11:51pm

Awake: 5:30am Temp 63 sleep 5+28 cloudy overnight @ Nicktown, PA.

After breakfast, I Skyped with my buddy Ray in Ocean Park, WA for (67) min; we had a lot to catch up on, as usual.

Next, I called Verizon to find out our monthly charges for the Triple Bundle Package. That changeover helps to save a few dollars.

Around 4:30pm, K & I motored to the "Lilly pad" home of my sister, Corinne, & her (2) roomies, Patty & Jane; we were joined by my brother, Don, & his wife, Josie for an evening of pizza, popcorn & movie.

As we entered the dining area, the table was all set up with the appropriate tableware for eating outside on the back porch. We gabbed for awhile before Jane walked into town to bring back tonight's meal, (3) different large pizzas: pepperoni & onion, cheese with everything & ?

The pizzas were delicious; the outdoor setting, beautiful; & the company, expressive. From here, we moved to the living room to view the movie Corinne had selected for tonight plus she had made popcorn & put it in individual containers. We each selected the container of popcorn that we wanted.

Movie title: "The Visitor." Too new for our movie books for a good description; suffice it to be, unpredictable & attention getting. After the movie, we had cake & ice cream & again sang "Happy Birthday" to my brother. Such an enjoyable evening it was! We thank my sister Corinne, Jane & Patty for a well done rendezvous.

Lights out: 12:16am

Awake: 6:32am Temp 62 sleep 6+07 early morning rain overnight @ Nicktown, PA.

After breakfast, K & I motored to the Foote Castle & spent most of the afternoon visiting our local grandsons & Melissa. The boys obviously enjoyed their travels to Montana; Matthew & Andrew told us how they controlled Grampy's model train in the basement & the fun they had
doing that.

I showed Matthew the snap circuit transistor blocks that I drilled (2) holes into each block in order to replace the faulty transistor.

Then Matthew wanted to blow up balloons using the 12-volt battery charger & a miniature vacuum pump; after we got the charger & pump ready to go, Melissa couldn't find the bag of balloons we counted on using.Ok, next plan...

While Nathan napped, K & I spent time on the 3rd floor being gofers for Andrew & Matthew as they build a new train track layout. Melissa joined us for a short time. The pictured layout is not the one they built today....but is a previous masterpiece of what they have been creating on the 3rd floor---with a little help from the engineers. .

It was good seeing & spending some time with the Footes again & listening to the fun times they had in Montana.

.Next, K & I grocery shopped @ the near-by Wal-Mart store before returning to Nicktown.
Around 6:40pm, Scott visited & showed us the 1st completed schematic design phase of our home building plan. "Gosh, is this what we talked about" we both thought silently? Scott was very exact & dedicated to explaining most of the (3) sheets he had drawn up. He spend about (1.5) hrs with us on those plans. Now it's up to us to decide our next move.

Late dinner: hamburger with onions & mushrooms, tomato slices & lettuce.

No movie tonight.

Lights out: 11:58pm

Reminiscing: Kathy getting a haircut @ Campland on the Bay in San Diego; 2005.

Awake: 5:08am Temp 59 sleep 5+27 overnight @ Nicktown, PA.

Kathy did (4) loads of laundry while I picked (2) cups of wild strawberries.

Next, I drilled small holes in (3) of the snap circuit electronic parts in order to try to replace faulty transistors.

Nick called while walking home from work in Seattle; most of our talk is about Jerry's middle of the night temper tantrums & the sad state of affairs of the economy.

Dinner: tuna steak, asparagus, brown rice with golden raisins, grapes & whole wheat bread.

Melissa called; we both talked with her for at least an hr; covering their visit with Kevin's parents & his sisters in Montana.

Katrina called from her condo in Littleton, CO. She is busy packing her suitcase tonight in preparation for her 4:30 am departure tomorrow! She is flying with a friend to Sweden for (3) weeks of touring. We wish her a bon voyage & remind her to take lots of pictures.

Evening movie: "East of Eden." We watch 1/2.

Lights out: 12:25am

Awake: 6:54am Temp 64 sleep 7+01 cloudy overnight @ Nicktown, PA.

I drove Kathy to the church hall for more noodle making.

After my breakfast, I read some more of the Air & Space Magazine. Then I picked a cup of wild strawberries on our property.

Kathy returned from noodle making around 12:45pm.

After some computer usage & more magazine reading, K & I took a walk around town & stretched our legs.

Dinner: pasta with peas & Ricotta cheese + spinach salad with sliced strawberries.

We finished watching: "Bombardier" with Pat O'Brien, Randolph Scott, Anne Shirley, Eddie Albert, Walter Reed, etc. Familiar framework of fliers being trained during WW2 comes off well with fast-moving script. 1943. Quite interesting; similar to a documentary.

Lights out: 11:41pm.

Awake: 5:29am Temp 59 sleep 5+52 sunny overnight @ Nicktown, PA.

After breakfast, K & I motored to the Foote Castle to return the (4) plants that we've been caring for (2) weeks now. Being a plant advocate, Kathy realized from the start that (3) of the (4) plants needed to be re-planted in larger pots & thus the hunt for flower pots.

During our time @ the Foote Castle today, that project took a mere (15) min....but wait, there's more: since the Foots have been out of town for (2) weeks, no one has cut their grass or weeded their strawberry patch or trimmed the low hanging branches. Well maybe we should do them a small favor since we have the day off!

Their lawnmower is the simple push type; no engine....just push. With high grass, this process of mowing would probably take hrs, if not days. Their back yard is rather large; plus there is a side & front yard. Kathy tested this "just push type" modus operandi & agreed that another method ought to be found. "How about a weed-whacker" I ask her?

The next (3.5) hrs was devoted to me weed-whacking. Raking, bagging grass, sweeping the sidewalks, weeding, & trimming branches were enthusiastically taken over by Kathy. We couldn't believe how much work was involved in this cut-off method that we thought should be so easy. We couldn't quite finish, leaving the strip of grass next to the street uncut. We both just ran out of steam & decided to quit & take showers at the Footes while we could still move. Anyway, we hope they will be pleased, regardless of our limitations.

Back @ our motorhome, Josie called to inform us that our nephew, Eric, had been admitted to Altoona hospital through the ER. There seems to be some confusion as to what happened; a seizure, a minor heart attack, a slight stroke? Corinne called later to say she had visited Eric in the hospital, but really couldn't give us any more definitive info. Another call from Josie added a bit more info, but still nothing conclusive.

When Corinne called, we also discussed the movie she has selected for this week's viewing @ their Lilly Pad where Don & Josie & we will be her guests.

Evening movie: "Bombardier." We watch ½. My partner was pretty tired so I thought she might fail her Norden Bombsight test if we continued.

Lights out: 11:53pm.

Awake: 5:55am Temp 53 sleep 5+58 sunny overnight @ Nicktown.

K & I walked to 8:00am Mass & discovered a nice change; this Mass now has a cantor & his voice is wonderful.

For breakfast, Kathy made us sourdough pancakes, eggs over easy & bacon.

Mid afternoon, we motored up to Ebensburg for yet another birthday celebration. The weather was just as nice as yesterday so we hung out on the porch deck. We had a good ole time with a smaller group (7) & later, (1) more. The leftovers were equally as tasty as yesterday & the "Happy Birthday, Corinne" song was sung without a flaw. Corinne hinted about ice cream & secretly Craig snuck out & made it happen.

About 7:30 our little group began breaking up for the evening, K & I thanked Don & Josie again for their invitation & excellent meals; then said our goodbyes & safe travels to their (2) children, (Kelly & her children left before we got there) & Corinne, etc.

En route to Nicktown, we stopped @ the Shadow Box & found a few flowerpots amid their vast collection of flowers, trees, planters, fountains, etc.

Evening movie: "Three Comrades" with Robert Taylor, Margaret Sullavan, Franchot Tone, Robert Young, etc. Beautifully poignant film of Erich Maria Remarque's tale of post-WW1 Germany & three life-long friends who share a love for dying Sullavan. 1938. An excellent story; very heartwarming but also heartbreaking.

Lights out: 11:37pm.

Awake: 6:06am Temp 54 sleep 6+21 sunny overnight @ Nicktown.

After breakfast, I reverse flushed the main water filters in the pump house; then topped off our pure water holding tank.

Next, under the shade of our patio awning & calm winds, we trimmed each other's hair. This was unexpected for me...since I just gave Kathy a good trim a few weeks ago. Obviously her hair grows faster then mine & I did agreed that I should have thinned & layered a lot more than I did (2) weeks ago. This time, after checking in the mirror, her smile was big & genuine; one of my better masterpieces I think.

Then we motored to Ebensburg to join the crowd in celebrating my brother's 70th birthday. En Route however, we made a quick stop @ both Wal-Mart & Goodwill stores checking for flowerpots & not finding what we wanted.

@ my brother's place, their (3) kids & (3) of their grandchildren were able to be present for this special occasion plus sisters-in-law, brothers-in-law, family & friends; altogether, over (30) good people. Some came from South Carolina, Texas, Maryland, Ohio & some from (15) min away, like us.

The weather was so nice, we all hung out on the porch deck. Good snacks & conversation entertained us until a dinner of BBQ pork ribs, chicken, coleslaw, macaroni salad & pickled eggs got our undivided attention. Son, Craig, said a thoughtful prayer & & then we chowed down a most delicious meal. Later, we sang "Happy Birthday" as Josie placed a beautifully iced & multi candled, ½ chocolate ½ white birthday cake in front of Don. Of course, we enjoyed sharing his cake. What a nice, well planned gathering.

As we were leaving, my brother invited us back to their place tomorrow afternoon to celebrate our sister, Corinne's, birthday, which we gladly accepted.

Back @ our motorhome, we were about ready to shut off our computer for the night when Nick called on Skype; Jerry & Nick were looking @ us as our video appeared & Eriko came into view a short time later. She is making a veggie pizza for dinner.
Audio wasn't quite up to par so we ended up using our landline phones for the rest of our call, which lasted about (45) min.

Lights out: 11:57pm

Awake: 5:58am Temp 53 sleep 6+58 early rain overnight @ Nicktown.

After eating a healthy Kathy Muffin, we motored to the Cambrian Hills Golf course to help the Rotary members set up for their annual Golf Classic Tournament today. It's cold & windy with a forecast of 50% chance for rain.

When we arrived...about 9:40am, to my surprise, they were already well organized with cold drinks on ice, hot coffee available, hot dogs, hamburgers on the grille, other hot foods like Italian sausages, kielbasas & sauerkraut + beans & veggies were cooking; and the advertised sponsor boards were lined up, golf carts in waiting, etc. To be honest, there was nothing for me to do. I felt a little awkward; I'm here to help but I came too late.

Kathy got the picture immediately & went shopping in Barnesboro but I decided to stay & maybe lend a hand where necessary. Around 10:15am, the golf teams started showing up in droves. They too, helped themselves.

Around 2:00pm Kathy returned & twiddled her thumbs until I suggested that we leave the scene as all the activities were well care for. I admitted to Donna that being late for setup was not intentional; then she told me that they changed their procedures & started earlier to make sure the new arrangement would be workable.

Back @ our motorhome, I spent a little more time with some of the electronic Snap Circuit parts & how to make a repair or replacement.

Dinner: leftover stuffed peppers.

Zack called from Seattle: he had a most enjoyable birthday; lunch with his brother & paid for by his brother. He & Katie spent the evening with friends, eating & playing a game.

We finished the movie: "From Here to Eternity" with Burt Lancaster, Montgomery Clift, Deborah Kerr, Donna Reed, Frank Sinatra, Philip Ober, Ernest Borgnine, etc.

Toned-down but still powerful adaptation of James Jones' novel of Army life in Hawaii just before Pearl Harbor. Depiction of Japanese sneak attack combines unforgettable action scenes with actual combat footage. Eight Oscars include Best Picture. 1953. Makes one wonder; were they really ready & on guard for WWII?

Lights out: 11:45pm

Awake: 6:01am Temp 50 sleep 5+59 cloudy overnight @ Nicktown.

We delayed breakfast & again motored to Ebensburg; this time, to locate the Good Shepard Religious store in Ebensburg. Using our GPS, we felt confident we would find this place in no time @ all. Turns out, our GPS led us directly to the Chrysler Auto Dealership; ok, so Lady Garmin isn't perfect. For the time being, we gave up, found Kostas & had a good breakfast. En route to Nicktown, we stopped @ Hite's for another (400) lbs of gravel.

Back @ our coach, Kathy began preparing dinner for our distinguished guest arriving in a few hrs. Meanwhile, I used my Fluke VTVM & tested a few electronic components that Matthew gave me from his Snap Circuit Electronics Jr. kit last week. Not knowing what parameters the pnp & npn diodes have makes it tough to replicate, but I will try & do my best.

Just before 5:00pm, our illustrious guest, Flossie, better known as Florentz, arrived. Being (8) yrs older than I, he told us tales of yesteryear, of the people I knew but not all that well. He had lots of funny & amusing stories up his sleeve; he entertained us for a good hr or better until Kathy announced: "dinner's ready." We had stuffed peppers, whole grain bread & spinach salad with sliced strawberries.

During dinner, we discussed Florentz's wife Anna & her condition; "she is not doing well" he admits. "She is growing weaker physically & her Alzheimer's is progressing." We will continue to pray for them both.

We called Zack in the late afternoon & again later evening & left messages of: "Happy 27th Birthday wishes."

No movie tonight..... so lights out: 11:00pm

Awake: 6:50am Temp 59 sleep 6+35 early & mid morning rain overnight @ Nicktown.

K & I motored to Ebensburg, visited the bank & West End Market, & loaded up with (3) bags of gravel weighing (400) lbs at Hites. Back on our property, I continued raking the gravel onto areas of our circular drive.

Before dinner, K & I attended a Catechism class led by Fr. Job in the teacher's room; all totaled about (8) people were present. Discussions were lively & thought provoking.

Late dinner: leftover tuna noodle.

Late evening movie: "From Here to Eternity." We watched ½.

Lights out: 12:02am

Awake: 6:03am Temp 59 sleep 5+52 early rain, then mostly sunny overnight @ Nicktown.

Late morning, I checked off our credit card usage against the receipts.

Mid afternoon, the Verizon Telephone repairman arrived; he already knows we are not getting a dial tone & the problem is in the middle of town. "Let me look over the schematic in my truck, then I'll go further into town & see what I find," he tells me. About (20) min later he returned & gave the thumbs up. "Apparently a connection box up high, accumulated moisture & messed up your line," he explained. He also mentioned that he rerouted our wires so that problem won't happen again.

Nice fellow! He made sure our phones were working great & our DSL lights were flashing properly. We thanked him & he went on his way. Gosh, it's nice to have communications
again.

I got to thinking; maybe the Verizon Company would reimburse us for our downtime. Sure enough, the lady @ Verizon agreed to credit us for (1) week of malfunction.

Next, I called Clark about when we can expect getting our topographic survey done.

Then Gary C. called & gave me a full report on the new truck he drove for (2) days.

My sister Corinne called (3) times: after talking with my brother & his wife, we agree to a rendezvous for pizza & a movie with popcorn, etc @ her place next week.

Nick called while walking home from work; he gave us a good report on his trip to Las Angeles last week.

Katrina called & updated us on her activities of the last (2) weeks. She couldn't talk as long as we are accustomed to as she has to finish writing report cards for her class.

Good thing our phone line is repaired; we would have missed all those incoming calls this evening.

Dinner: Pasta with bacon, tomatoes, & cheese, salad + multi grain bread.

We finished watching the movie: "Glory" with Matthew Broderick, Denzel Washington, Cary Elwes, Morgan Freeman, etc. Exceptional story of America's first unit of black soldiers during the Civil War & the young, inexperienced Northerner (Broderick) who's given the job of training & leading them. Based in part on the letters of that young officer & brought to life with astonishing skill & believability. One of the finest historical dramas ever made. 1989. Fantastic! You don't want to miss this flick.

Lights out: 12:15am

Awake: 5:55am Temp 41 sleep 5+36 sunny overnight @ Nicktown.

After brunch, K & I motored to Barnesboro & returned library books, made a bank deposit & bought a small lithium battery. Next, we motored to Ebensburg; en route we stopped @ Hite Stone supply & loaded the Suzuki up with (380) lbs of gravel. Then we casually did our grocery shopping @ Wal-Mart.

Back @ our motorhome, I dumped the gravel onto sections of our circular drive, then checked our land-line phone status; still no dial tone. This is our 3rd day without phone service & a poor, mostly unusable, DSL connection. We sure are looking forward to having good communications again.

Our forwarded mail arrived from Alaska today; the remainder of our afternoon was mostly consumed by going thru our mail.

Dinner: leftover bacon burger with blue cheese & mushroom sauce, tilapia fish, asparagus, leftover spinach rice & orzo...plus spinach salad with sliced fresh strawberries.

Evening movie: "Glory." We watch ½.

Lights out: 12:11am

Awake: 6:44am Temp 51 sleep 5+59 sunny, windy overnight @ Nicktown, PA.

Mid morning, I made a deal with Kathy: "I'll mow all the grass, save for the alley, if you will do the dinner dishes tonight." She really does want to go halves on the grass mowing, but I know her leg is bothering her, so to ease the pain & her guilt...so to speak, she agrees to my bighearted offer.

(3 hrs & 45 min) later, I am finished. Then I spent some time back-flushing our water pump filters.

For yrs, I have rarely taken a nap during the day....but after that brutal mowing & empting the grass catcher, I was having trouble keeping my eyes open while watching the Sunday ABC news. When Kathy mentioned that she gets tired when I do the work & suggested she might take a nap, I thought to myself, why not me too. And so, (40) min later, we both felt a lot livelier.

Dinner: ham with pineapple, sweet potatoes, broccoli, & salad.

Evening movie: "The Yearling" with Gregory Peck, Jane Wyman, Claude Jarman, Jr., Chill Wills, Margaret Wycherly, etc. Marjorie Kinnan Rawling's sensitive tale of a boy attached to a young deer was exquisitely filmed in Technicolor on location in Florida, with memorable performances. 1946. A good story, especially for family viewing; however, stay alert as this narrative is v-e-r-y s-l-o-w!

Lights out: 12:19am

Awake: 6:57am Temp 51 sleep 6+34 mostly sunny overnight @ Nicktown, PA.

Our landline phone service is out again: no dial tone... & our DSL is slow & frequently intermittent. I suspect water interference but where? This time, I called for a telephone repairman & I won't back down even if the problem goes away. The lady scheduled a repairman for Tuesday next week. Our only communication now is our cell phone with a weak signal.

Kathy did (2) laundry loads while I dumped, spread & raked gravel on our circular drive. Those (3) bags totaled (380) lbs.

Dinner: Open face bacon bit hamburger with mushroom/blue cheese sauce & potato chips.

Evening movie: "The Graduate" with Anne Bancroft, Dustin Hoffman, Katharine Ross, Murray Hamilton, etc. Landmark film of the late '60s that's still just as pungent....&...funny ...as ever. Hoffman, in his 1st major film role, plays ultra-naïve college grad who's seduced by a middle-aged woman, then falls in love with her daughter. Perfect song score by Simon & Garfunkel. 1967. Even after (40) yrs, this story gets our undivided attention.

Lights out: 12:45am.

Awake: 6:39am Temp 61 sleep 6+33 fog, drizzle, clouds overnight @ Nicktown.

I read some aviation stories late morning from the Air & space Magazine.

Kathy wanted to leave early for our dinner engagement due to being late a few times on previous occasions; Gary is notable for his "on time" reputation. I, on the other hand, think we are going to be too early but succumb to her insistance. Sure enough, with only (5) miles remaining, we are (20) mins early. Ah, but when we look to our left, there is a stone & mulch supply business. Why not fill our (3) bags with more gravel for our circular driveway since we have extra time. Amazing...such foresight she has!

Being a mere (2) mins tardy is not so bad; as we walked inside, we met Louise & David, longtime friends of Gary & Rosemary. Instantly, we were enjoying a spontaneous conversation of full time RVing. Something we all (Rosemary & Gary also) definitely have in common & have lots to talk about.

Gary did a fine job of keeping our wine glasses from going dry until, the dinner call is upon us. One of my favorite meals: Italian sausage & pasta in homemade spaghetti sauce with salad & garlic toast + crudités.

After dinner, we six played a card game called: Diminishing Bridge; each man & woman for himself. Gary had the busy job of being the scorekeeper but loves doing it. We couldn't get enough of this competitive game; we were all in favor of playing another round... & another round, etc with only one short ice cream, cookie, & coffee break.

Finally we had to say our farewells. It was so nice to meet David & Louise & we left talking about the possibility of meeting in a campground sometime, somewhere. We profusely thank Rosemary & Gary for the splendid evening of wine, food & good times.

Back in our coach, we finished watching: "Alfie" with Michael Caine, Shelley Winters, Millicent Martin, Julia Foster, Jane Asher, Shirley Anne Field, etc. Well turned version of Bill Naughton play. Caine is superb as a philandering Cockney playboy who can't decide if bachelor life is so bloody marvelous. 1966. This story is BAD, really BAD...but could it be true in some worlds? Find out; see for yourself.

Lights out: 12:23am

Awake: 6:27am Temp 60 sleep 6+43 cloudy overnight @ Nicktown.

Early afternoon, K & I motored to Hite Equipment Rental & Stone Supply; I got (3) bags of gravel totaling (340) lbs. When we returned, I spread the gravel on some areas of our circular drive.

Our long time friend Judy called from Ohio; she invites us to visit them later this summer for a party on their yacht. K & I will highly consider this thoughtful invitation & exciting opportunity. Meanwhile, my sister Corinne is with Judy & brought us up-to-date on her visits with our Ohio family & my Aunt Bertha.

I called Anchorage & requested our mail be forwarded to Nicktown.

Our lucky day: Gary C. called & invites us to his place for dinner tomorrow.

Dinner: cod fish with Balsamic glaze, cheesy spinach rice pilaf with golden raisins + olives.

We called my Aunt Bertha in Ohio & wished her a "Happy 97th Birthday." She told us she is feeling fine & has been enjoying all the attention on this occasion.

Evening movie: "Alfie." We watch ½.

Lights out: 12:06am

Awake: 5:47am Temp 51 sleep 6+03 mostly cloudy overnight @ Nicktown, PA.

Gary C. called: he has a question about his DVR & I had the answer he was looking for. We also discussed their travel plans for the summer.

During our last visit to Newell for service on our motorhome on April 20th thru 23rd, among other things, we had our auxiliary generator upgraded from a 15KW to a 20 KW. And due to some welding, the techs shut off all electrical systems on our motorhome, so when powering up, that automatically had some of our Silver Leaf electronic settings go to the default mode...which on our pure water tank, changed the auto fill parameters to a lesser amount of gallons. So today I drained our tank empty in order to reset the Silver Leaf Digital system parameters and allow about (40) more gallons of water to completely fill the (161) gallon pure water tank.

Yesterday Kathy finished reading: "A Bold Fresh Piece of Humanity" by Bill O'Reilly & today, I also finished the book. We both give it: two thumbs up!

Kathy had a 3:00 commitment time to help gather the noodles that they made yesterday.

Evening rain starting about 7:30pm.

Dinner: tuna noodle casserole with broccoli & tomato spaghetti.

Evening movie: "Seven Brides for Seven Brothers" with Howard Keel, Jane Powell, Jeff Richards, Russ Tamblyn, Tommy Rail, etc. Rollicking musical perfectly integrates song, dance, & story: Keel's decision to get himself a wife (Powell) inspires his rowdy brothers to follow suit. 1954. Great entertainment...for those who love musicals.

Lights out: 11:44pm. Just a coincidence...same lights out time as Tuesday.