Aug'02-Oct'02
From
Webster we headed back to my cousin’s place in Shokan,
NY. Good place to stop
and get caught up on maintenance, cleaning etc. Plus we had to pick up our
weapons. Were only going to be there for a few days and head to Niagara Falls.
Within a day or so I came down with bronchitis. I’m sure it was from the smoky
days in Mass & RI. Kay took me to the VA in Albany and got my meds. When I
get down with bronchitis it kicks my butt. There was no way I could leave for
awhile. B&D needed to be in In. at the factory for their 5th wheel to get
the tire damage fixed. So they headed to Niagara Falls and we stayed in Shokan.
Planned on meeting again in Wi. I ended back at the VA again as the bronchitis
wasn’t going away. More meds. One day we met my B-Aunt Jessie & her
son, Tom, in Middletown at my B-mom’s grave. She had just had eye surgery and
wasn’t sure she could get up there from Long Island. I am so glad they made
it.
When
we were finally able to leave Shokan we bade Bob & Liz goodby and headed to
Detroit area. My B-Aunt Marcella and her husband Wesley lived across the river
in Windsor, Ont. We had also received a call from our friends Linda & Willie
Guluarte. They were heading to the Detroit area also. Kay & I stayed at the
campground on Selfridge AFB and Linda & Willie were about 20 minutes north.
It was great meeting them again as always. Kay has known Linda since school
days. They are people that we would go out of our way to meet. Good folks.
We
went to Windsor on Wesley’s 80th birthday. I had never met them before. This
day we not only met them but their friends. What a great crowd. From the stories
we heard it sounds like they are just like us. Always ready for fun.
We
are in Aug now. Headed to the Upper Peninsula and found a casino that let us
park in the lot overnight. Key went to the casino and I stayed in the MH. We
only stayed one night as we were to meet B&D in De
Pere, Wi. That is there
home area. They lived there before they moved to Utah. We also met up with John
& Libby Veach as they were workcamping for the summer at this campground. We
first met them at the RVAMERICA get together in Harlingen, Tx a couple of years
earlier. They are nice folks and it’s always a pleasure to see them again. And
my puter was there waiting on me. Yahoo! Also got to meet Bob’s family. Had a
couple of cookouts with them. They are good people like B&D but I expected
that. Bob’s daughter had been losing her hearing through the hereditary thing
that Bob has. Before we arrived there she had been to DC for a cochlear implant.
She had waited the proper time after the surgery and then went back for them to
finish up. This was about a week before we got there. When we got there she was
already up to using the phone. What a miraculous thing!! Bob is going to check
into the operation for him when he gets to Utah. Sure hope it will work for him
although we told him if he gets hearing back we are going to have them cut his
vocal cords. :>) He can’t have both and be around all of us. If you ever
meet Bob you will understand.
Sadly
the came for us to head to Illinois and B&D headed to Utah. It was a lot of
fun traveling with them and we will do it again.
We
arrived in Rantoul, Il and visited my brother and friends from when I lived
there. After a couple of weeks we headed to Effingham, Il-Kay’s hometown. We
were there 2 days and her dad had a heart attack. 
They ended up taking him to
Springfield, Il and put a stint into one of his bypasses. He seems to be doing
Ok now. Sure glad we were here to help him out. After he was feeling better he
wanted Kay to take him to Tunica, Ms to a casino. Hmmmm--must run in the family.
On the way back, after she got off the interstate and was cutting thru the
country, she got a ticket for speeding. 
Had
to really tackle maintenance this time. The ole diesel was losing power. Went to
Cummins dealer and talked to them. He suggested a leak in the turbo. I checked
it out and a clamp had come loose and the vibration had broke the top half
and
wore off part of the bottom half. After about $75 for parts and my labor it is
back to normal. MORE POWER!!!! We had a leak
somewhere around our waste storage area. Been there for a few months and we
could not find it. Had RV places look at it--no luck. So I buckled down and
started looking. Took apart the area under the kitchen sink and there it was.
The drain hose had a big split in it. Right after we bought the MH the large
mirror by the sink came loose and broke apart in that area. I feel that a piece
of the mirror cut the drain hose and the moving in & out of the slide area
caused it to eventually split. The flex drain was glued in at both ends and
would have been a hassle to replace. Fortunately I carry
"ETERNABOND" tape with me. This stuff sticks to anything. It is pricey
but you get what you pay for. I will always have a roll with us as we travel.
We
went down to the Marion, Il area for our VA appts. Lots of tests and they came
out OK. While there we went to Harrisburg, Il to visit old friends. Also Kay
went to the riverboat casino in Metropolis 5 times. She ended up $5000 (no typo)
ahead. 2 of my tests were the “clean out your system” kind. So 2 of her
trips were while I sat on the stool all night she was down there. Some lame
excuse like odors & noises. Now back to Effingham til the end of the month
when we head to DC. Was able to get together with Bill & Peggy Little, Don
& Pat Farlow for dinner one evening. I graduated with Don & Bill. Bill
is also going to bring his fish fryer over on fri for a fish fry with Kay’s
family.
I
guess I’m caught up with as much as I can remember. See if I can get this
posted before we leave for DC. 
