I meet the nicest people !!

Gettysburg Campground is a beehive of activity again. Not as crowded this weekend as Mother's Day weekend but lots of campers, lots of children on bicycles. I met the nicest couple last night--interested in my T@B. They shared with me that their daughter is in the Peace Corp, in Africa, and gave me her blog address. I've just begun to read about her adventures. Hear ye, hear ye, what Lorraine is doing (traveling alone) is not worth debate. What Jennifer is doing is remarkable (in my humble opinion)!! What courage to travel so far from family and friends, learn a strange language, abandon the conveniences of America. Perhaps you, too, would like to follow her adventures. Jennifer's blog. One of the first words you will read: "It is the responsibility of your feet to take you places it was not obvious to your heart that it should go." Tuareg Proverb

Sunshine this morning but cooler than yesterday: 69 degrees inside the T@B with the door open, 69 degrees outside. I'm wearing a sweater. I should be scrubbing bugs off the front of the trailer, or walking around the campground (I need the exercise). However, I feel compelled to "get my money's worth" from this expensive campsite. I'm trying to accomplish a lot while I have WiFi because I don't know where the next connection will be.

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Postscript, 4:44 PM: I've spent hours pouring over maps, and checking the Internet, trying to decide where I'm going next. I have a membership with a campground directory for free (or nearly free) camping. However, I didn't find anything in the vicinity of Niagara Falls. Yes, I've decided I'll do that next--before I run out of money (ha). My next Rally is June 8th (in the Adirondacks, at Saranac Lake) so I have lots of time for sightseeing.

This afternoon, I had a hay ride around Gettysburg Campground. I purchased food items from a farmer/vendor that set out their products here at the campground. I'm invited to dine with new friends. Life is good!!

A beautiful day !!

Sunshine (and humidity)!! It appears that we will enjoy several pleasant days. This morning I did laundry so I'm up-to-the-minute with clean clothes. I've moved to an adjacent campsite (because mine had been reserved several months ago).

I'm having a late, late lunch (and typing this as I eat). I've had visitors because the day is nice enough for RVers to walk around the campgrounds and/or ride their bikes. In fact, I have non-human visitors with names like "flies" and "carpenter bees." They aren't my favorites!!

I'm so tired of hearing women say "Aren't you afraid to travel alone?" Or: "I could never do that!" I tell them that they "can" do it if they really desire to travel. I let them know that--because of my faith in the Lord Jesus Christ--I am not afraid to travel alone (because I'm not "alone"). Confession: Sometimes I'm lonely but I'm not "alone."

This poem was posted today on the T@B forum:

Now I lay me down to Sleep,

I pray the Lord my T@B to Keep,

Should I die before the Dawn

Park my T@B on Heaven's Lawn.

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Postscript, 6:45 PM: There were "severe weather warnings" on TV in the late afternoon. TV programming followed closely the rain, hail, and a water spout. Some viewers sent in pictures of baseball-size hail. Here at the campgrounds, the sky turned dark and we had strong winds, saw lightening and heard thunder. The TV reports the Gettysburg Battlefield experienced the storm but we haven't had a single drop of rain. I think this campground is within five miles of the battlefield so "we" were spared. Every time I've been in the proximity of such a storm, I have prayed that hail would not hammer my little T@B. Selfishly, I don't want my special little trailer to have pock marks. Oops, spoke too soon!! It just hit with tremendous fury (6:57). Hard rain, pea-size hail, thunder and lightening!! Shutting down the computer.

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Postscript, 9:30 AM, 5/15/2010: Details of the storm can be found on WGAL.com . I watched the events play out, on TV, last night and now this morning more details, and pictures, on local TV programming. Beautiful this morning!! ~~ A notable comparison: For a week I needed the little electric heater at night. Much warmer last night, no heater; one window was slightly open (for the TV cable cord). This won't last!! TV weather forecasters predict a replay of last week's weather for next week. "Enjoy the weekend; the rain will return."

Let's go T@BBing

A fellow T@BBer sent this link and the orange T@B is almost like my 2004 shipped over from Germany. (I don't have the heater.) Although the narrative is in German, it's nice to see the construction process. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hq3_sDkCdOI (Takes a long time to load; please be patient.)

A dozen more video links were stacked up along the right side of the web site. Here is another one that spells out the features of a T@B: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FRxpK4QX8dQ&feature=related Of course, all my fellow T@BBers know and love these features. Sometimes I have a visitor that does not own one. (Here's my comparison of T@B versus Prevost.)

I'm still at Gettysburg Campground. It isn't raining but dark and gloomy. Outside temperature: 66 degrees. Rain expected tomorrow but the weekend is supposed to be nice. More rain and gloom predicted for next week. The temperature is twenty degrees below normal; frost and freezing temperatures in some areas of Pennsylvania. I'm warm with my little electric heater; I'm delighted to have free WiFi. Life is good!!

A day in the life of Lorraine

It rained all night!! Very weak sunshine as I type this. More rain expected!!

The picture looks funny doesn't it?? The KIA is backed in to the space in case I need to call AAA again. But it almost looks like the T@B is hitched to the KIA.

This time yesterday (11 o'clock) I was waiting for AAA. When I left Gettysburg Campground at 9:15 the KIA didn't sound right when I tried to start it. I drove a couple of miles to a gas station--and the KIA wouldn't start after I pumped gas. I approached a man and asked if he would give me a "jump." He was hesitant and said he didn't have cables. I showed him my nifty little Field & Stream 12 Volt Charge-N-Start. We tried the cigarette lighter to cigarette lighter... but the KIA still wouldn't start. So I called AAA. (A big hassle because I'm in Pennsylvania and my membership is in North Carolina.) When the driver arrived (an hour later) he tried to start... and said "The battery is dead." He used a heavy-duty charger and the car started (praise the Lord). He said to run the car for "a long time" (I knew that) so I drove back to the campground so I could safely walk away from the car while leaving it running.

I decided it was a waste of gasoline to have the car running and not be seeing the sights in the area. I drove around the Gettysburg Battlefields again, and around Gettysburg. I stopped for lunch and parked in such a way that a AAA tow truck could pull up in front, if needed. The KIA started OK... and I went to the Post Office to mail lots of correspondence and two packages, and more stamps for subsequent mailings.

It had started to rain at 12 noon (as predicted). I was dodging raindrops everywhere I went--and I couldn't locate my umbrella (packed somewhere in the KIA). Although I could have been working on neglected blogs, I decided to go to Boyds Bear Country and browse. It is a three-story "barn" custom-built for their showroom, dining facility, and other vendors. There's a large area with discount priced Longaberger Baskets. Likewise an area with Yankee Candles but no discounts. There were many paintings by Thomas Kinkade (no prices listed and [as the old saying goes] "if you have to ask..., you can't afford").

This morning I read e-mail messages, answered e-mail messages, drank green tea and ate oatmeal. I haven't gotten out of my pajamas. In my little T@B trailer, I'm snug as a bug in a rug.

Boyds Bear Country

Boyds Bear Country, Gettysburg, Pennsylvania.

I liked her because she has an orange hat.

Thomas Kinkaid. Yes, Thomas Kinkaid!!

Shop 'til you drop and then eat in a spacious dining area!

Outdoor dining. Can you see rain dripping off the roof? See the puddle!!

Saint Francis of Assisi.

Patting myself on the back !!

I got a lot accomplished today. I'm most pleased to have one package ready to mail, four first class letters, and five postcards. I plan to search for a Post Office tomorrow. Beyond finding a Post Office, and getting gasoline, I have no immediate plans. The weather forecasters are saying rain starting tomorrow and continuing until the weekend. Furthermore they talk about the unseasonably low nighttime temperatures. Before 2:00 PM tomorrow I need to decide whether to leave this campground or sit here and enjoy WiFi for my computer, and electricity for my little heater. As I told you in an earlier blog "I don't 'do' cold." I'd prefer NOT to be in a cold trailer, and I don't want to drive for several days on rain-wet highways.

Before it rains... I took care of the unpleasant process of dumping the porta-potty. (Hey, it's part of the RV lifestyle!!) I swept... and cleaned. Those decisions were easy!! I wish plans for the next few days were as easy.

Reorganization

Most of the morning was spent pulling things out of the KIA so I could repack and consolidate. There was a slight breeze which was a relief after the strong wind that buffeted the T@B for one-and-one-half days. It was 64 degrees at 11:30; it was 73 at 12:30 (but thermometer was in full sunshine). Sixty-seven degrees at 1:00 (in the shade). The weather report says this is the lull before the storm; tomorrow we'll have rain.

Frankly, I didn't crawl out of the sleeping bag until 9 o'clock. For ten days (more or less) I've been up early to shower and/or prepare for an early departure. Today, no place to go, nothing special to do.

This afternoon I'll work on the blogs, and continue with correspondence.

Saturday morning (just two days ago) the Gettysburg Campground was full of RVs and a multitude of people. Today, I believe there are only two other RVers. Employees are meticulously checking each site for maintenance. This is an excellent campground and I suggest you put it in your camping address book and stop here if you are in the area.

Nearby is Boyds Bear Country. I plan to visit in the next couple of days (maybe when I depart the campgrounds). To the right is the image of Boyds Mother's Day Bear.