March 8th, Thursday – Two Down, One to Go

Two Down, One to Go.  We’ll get to that.  But first, man oh man it was cold this morning.  I know, nothing like those in the Northeast are suffering through.  I feel your pain.  Understand, though, my blood has already begun to thin and anything under 60 degrees is now winter to me!  Tomorrow morning it appears is going to be even colder.  Ah well, a couple of more layers and I should be fine.  As for tonight, I won’t tell if you don’t but when I walked the dog I actually had a knit hat and gloves on!

Fortified with a couple of cups of coffee and breakfast in the RV finished we were ready to head out.  Where you say?  Why to a very familiar place for us by now.  We were going back to

Dade Battlefield for something neither of us had ever thought of doing in the past.  Hats off to Barbara for discovering this one.   It was a class in pine needle basket making.

Pine needle basket class is for beginner basket makers. It was held at the lodge and led by an experienced instructor working with several knowledgeable assistants.

This is our class gathering together.

These are the materials that you use which are provided to each class participant.  You receive a supply of pine needles, a needle for sewing them together, and raffia straw which is the material that binds it all together.

Here is Barbara diligently working on her basket

Here are some of the previous baskets that were made by our instructor

And here is what we were able to accomplish in the few hours that we were there.  Want to guess which one is mine?

Yup, mine is the coaster for a shot glass on the left!  Barbara’s is, of course, on the right and she brought it home to continue working on it.  I guess we all know who has the pine needle basket weaving talent in this family!

It was a really great way to spend several hours.  To think that I did what I did.  Never in a million years would I have ever thought that I would be doing something like this.  Yet, I really enjoyed it.  Do I have the patience to make another one?  Perhaps.  I can’t wait to see how Barbara’s is going to turn out.

During the class, we happened to get into a discussion on volunteering at the park next winter in exchange for a full hook up site on the premises.  We were given a tour and shown where Graybeard would be parked.  Below are the 30 amp sites and

here are the two 50 amp sites that are currently vacant  because they are short two work campers at this time

We accepted an application but need time to think it over before making a 2 to 3 month commitment.  Whatever decision we make, we’ll let you know when we do.

So back home we went.  After lunch, we sort of just puttered around for a while.  I did some bookkeeping and firmed up some campground reservations.  Barbara began getting things ready for supper, tonight it is going to be eggplant Parmesan.  Though I’m getting ahead of myself, I can tell you it was great!  My wife is a really great cook.  Among many other things.

Ok, two down and one to go.  Jason, our RV tech, was out tonight to take care of the solenoid for the hydraulic pump for the leveling jacks and to replace the missing sway bar bushings.  He started out by telling me “you know they don’t make the solenoid for your pump anymore” and then with a big smile on his face he went on to say “but don’t worry, I have you covered.”  That he did.  He is truly one remarkable tech, easy to work with, always positive, knowledgeable, and has a great can-do attitude.  In short order, the jacks were working again.  Then he tackled the sway bar bushings and quickly had them replaced.

That leaves us with just the original problem, the leaking hydraulic hose.   This, remember, is where it all started and went from there.  The  mobile tech for the hydraulic hose is coming back out tomorrow to finish that up.  That should tidy everything up.

Now to some dominoes and maybe some cut-up strawberries with cream?  We will see what Barb has whipped up this time.

Once again day is done, night is upon us and the temperature is falling like a rock rolling down a hill.  Another great day, one in which we discovered we had talents we never knew of.  Great too in the fact that we had a chance to do something we had never done before.  That is always a lot of fun.  We hope you had a great day as well.  That you had the opportunity to enjoy each moment of the day that God had given you.  If perhaps, however, today was not quite the way you wanted it to be, remember, tomorrow gives you the opportunity to make a new start.  Make the most of it.

As always,  if you are coming to the end of your day with concerns and worries let me suggest that you turn them over to God.  After all, He is going to be up all night so why not let him handle them for you.

Time now for our evening prayers and some shut-eye.  Till tomorrow.  Thanks again for sharing our day with us.

These are the voyages of  Graybeard and it’s occupants, four paws and two humans.  Our continuing mission: to explore as many new states as possible, to seek out new acquaintances and make new friends, to boldly go where we have not been before.