Category: Gatherings & Outtings

  • Hiking in Borderland State Park

    First a bit of a rant, while I enjoy the parks in MA, if Sandy’s mom wasn’t here I would avoid this state like the plague, what really grinds my gears is how unwelcoming this state is. To park and hike at this state park (any of them actually) you have to pay $5 if you have a MA plate and $20 for any other state plate…. WTF, really??? Four times the amount, to hike? That’s cold.

    In any case this turned out to be a good hiking place, it was an estate of 300 acres back in the day and there’s a mansion on the property and it’s been given to the state to maintain. Here’s the website for more information.

    Instead of hosting the gallery here, I’ve put it on the photo site here.

  • Rain Day to Catch up

    Goodness it’s been busy. Despite my best intentions I’ve had trouble updating every day so now that we’re hunkered down in MA, I took the day off so Sandy can hang out with her mom and I can just vegetate. It’s pouring rain anyways and it’s amazing to hang out in the RV and listen to it. Being close to Boston we get all their stations and they have Story TV which is playing in the background.

    We left the day I turned in my last paper and got the news I passed on the road so I don’t think its really set in that it’s over. That will come when I get back and the feeling of something hanging over my head will be gone. Part of me wants to get home to check it out. No more waking up in the middle of the night thinking I should get to that paper/project/whatever. I’m hoping that goes away but the more I think about it, it’s probably my nature to do that and if not school, something else will fill that gap, it’s up to me to make sure that whatever does fill that gap is positive and moving forward. The other reason it hasn’t set in is that really, the only thing the degree is good for is job hunting and I’m not hunting for a new job. I do admit that I’ve skimmed the job boards and am kind of giddy that I now possess both the degree and the desired experience years to make me a top contender for anything I’m a fit for. That feels good.

    So the primary worry on my mind now is the starter in the truck. It’s on it’s last legs and I’m hoping that it can make it to PA where I can replace it. I ordered the replacement and had it sent to Shelly’s and should make it there the same day that we do. I’ve got the tools to change it out I just need a place. So have the time, tools, and we’ll see about the talent. There are only two bolts that hold the silly thing on and I’ve made eye contact with where the starter lives but I’m not 100% sure how to get at it. I’m sure that by looking at the new one I’ll be able to figure out how to get the old one off. Other than that we’re still leaking oil from someplace but not too badly. I smell it so it’s leaking above the exhaust manifold but can’t really see anything. I’m thrilled that when we get back I’ll be able to actually work on it. We’re getting close to 8 miles per gallon so I can’t complain there, gas is still expensive but it’s pointless to bitch about it.

    The RV has been holding up great! The door to the bathroom and closet were squeaking but a bit of the water displacement formula forty (WD-40) worked like a charm and they’re silent. I’ve been shocked that I’m actually sleeping well on the dinette bed. We’re going to get a twin air mattress for it and at that point I dare say it’s really comfortable. Does make noise because of the plastic rim around the table. Will have to look at quieting that. Tanks are holding up as expected, always having to keep an eye on them but no issues. Got a really good outdoor mat to clean off shoes, it helps. The paint job on the nose of the RV has been pretty amazing, holding up great during the travels so far. Still has a great gloss.

    Well I’m on to try to back fill posts and put some pictures up. I’ll try to keep current.

  • Hanging With General

    It was a great day today, we met up with General at 9:30 and went to Fort Fisher, then took the ferry to South Port for coffee and lunch, took the ferry back and then hit the grocery store and back to his place for taco’s. Pictures soon.

  • Day 1 of Vacation

    Technically yesterday was a travel day and today is the first full day of vacation, had brunch with these beauties @ First Watch in Cumming, GA.

    Then we decided to do some hiking and took Jen’s advice and headed to Amicalola Falls state park. We did the hike to the top of the falls up the stairs and ‘ouch’ is the word that comes to mind. Take a look at the first picture of me and the last one, I don’t usually sweat that much…

    We went on this hike with no provisions, note to self, have your hiking bag packed and in the truck when you are on trip where hiking could be involved.

  • Vacation has begun

    Wow, it’s been a whirlwind already and we’ve only been gone a day!

    Started out at 11:42pm on Thursday night, drove pretty much strait through to GA. Had a stop over when we got to Alabama, crossing off another state and got a chance to fire up the generator and hook up the RV at a rest stop. Had AC and everything. The only issue was that after running, the generator is hot, too hot to put the cover back on it until it cools down but who wants to wait for that.

    We’re camped at Bald Ridge Creek campground. It’s a really nice place. Here are some pictures

    Jen just lives up the road so after we decompressed for a bit, we went there to see her an Kailyn. We went to dinner at Pueblos and got to meet her new boyfriend Matt. Should have got some pictures but I’m sure we’ll see them again before we leave.

    Hoping to run into Tony and Beth for lunch/dinner today, would be great to catch up with them.

    Still trying to process that school is done, as exhausted as I was I only slept about 4 hours before I woke up and couldn’t get back to sleep. Oh well, this too shall pass and I’m super excited to get used to no stress.

  • Sandy’s Birthday

    Today my wife turned 50 years old. What different lives we’ve led. We met mom and sister at Pinstripes over off of Chisolm trail. It was a nice place and not too busy, the food was good too.

  • Happy Easter

    We went to have lunch with the family and retrieved the RV and brought it back to park in the new pad for it, I hit the wall a couple of times but we wrangled it into place…

  • Another Taste of Winter…

    Middle of March and tomorrow it’s going to be a high of 38 and a low of 28, that’s not what we’re used to seeing in the middle of March. Sandy is taking off for the Springs tomorrow, I’m not sure that’s going to work because as crumby as it will be here it’ll be worse on the way there. We’ll see how it goes.

    Mom came for lunch today, it was nice, we went to the Brookside cafe, it’s usually pretty good but Sandy’s pot roast was cold. Mom and I had the rise and shine and it was good. Mom brought cheesecake too, it was a nice surprise. Need to remember to take pictures when we’re out like that. That’s why I bought the camera I did after all…

  • Moms Birthday!!!

    Mom turns 80 today, I’d say wow that’s old but I’m turning 50 in 4 days and I thought that was old 30 years ago. So if God sees fit to let me live that long I imagine I’ll still feel like a teenager stuck in an adult’s body. We’re having lunch at Paco’s tonight and then from there Sandy and I are driving to Colorado. That should put us at the house around 8 am tomorrow. Shouldn’t be too bad, nothing like the 21-hour haul from Erie which was the last long haul I was on.