First Campground Found

Yes, my first campground has been found.   I need a place to stay for one month after I pick up the RV.  It had to be convenient to my family so they could outfit it, etc. if  I was on assignment.    It is the Mountain Creek Campground and the price is right for a month.

As far as what projects I am working on for the RV, I am working on the floorcloth for the living room area. So far, I have painted the background and my daughter is suppose to carve some stamps for me. This is what I have so far, look in the background at the hand felted pillows that will be on the  sofa.

I made my reservation for a campsite for Fiber College at Searsport Ocean Campground for Sept 3 to Sept 10.  afterwards I will start heading south.   Fiber College is from the 5th to the 8th.   I have several people that I want to see along the way so it will be sometime in October before I get to the campground in Florida.

Today my rolling tote for my new serger arrived.  I was not getting a case at first but I know that I am going to want to take classes.  This case folds flat which was a plus.  But it fits the serger and supplies nicely.


Flooring samples finally arrived  for the RV.  My daughter and I took the samples to Home Depot and layed them by cherry cabinets.  We agreed on the Pearwood . Now they just have to order it,  get it installed and then they can lay the walls and get the build underway.   I also received a  call  from Karen at NexusRV and found out I will have to get a bigger generator since I have asked for 50 amp service.  This is $1400 more.   There goes me upgrading my sewing/embroidery machine.

We went to the American Craft Council Show in Baltimore at the Convention Center on Friday.  The goal was to look for inspiration on things I could make for the RV or even buy if the price was right.   Just think, no purses, jewelry, or clothes..........this would be a first.  Well,  I almost got out of there without buying clothing.  I have been admiring these collars made from ties for a few shows.  I broke down and brought me and my daughter one.  These are not  ours because I was too lazy to take a picture, but you should get the idea.  Then I brought a  mobile to use over my  bed instead  of a chandelier.   This one is a large wire flower and hummingbird.  I also  brought  a cutting board  in the shape of a painters palette and a wall sconce that has a little shelf that I plan to  have hanging by the door for my keys.  This gentlemen is going to send  me  pictures of the last  thing I wanted  so I can decide.  He  takes  books  and  turns  them  into  shelves or  clocks.  He is going to send me pictures of some weaving books he has that he can make into a clock for me with a hidden compartment.

At one booth, the vendor had beaded his motorcycle..I wonder if they still ride it.

Today, I went to the R V Women winter luncheon in Thurmont,  MD., at the Cozy.    The food was plentiful but average, Lots of laughing and talking about their RV's.   Had a great time and looking forward to the May rally.

Next week I go to the yearly Section Meeting with the company I work for.  I had to postpone Jury Duty because I would be in Florida.  Stay tuned for a report.

Working On It

On Friday, I donated my Jeep Cherokee.   This is another piece that is closed and gets me closer to my goal.  I will use my Honda Pilot as the trade in on my tow car.

That evening, I checked into the Holiday Inn Express for one night using some of my reward points because I was going to a concert for the first time in years.  I went to see a southern rock band that my friend Collin really loves and insisted that I see.   I even brought a teeshirt that I will wear when Collin and I go to Disney World next month after a meeting we have to go to.  The group is very good, their name is Blackberry Smoke.   The group sings one of the songs that is part of my new attitude, 'I might not change the world but I am going to leave a scar.'. The band that I enjoyed better was the first band,  Drake White.  He and his band was fantastic.  I would have purchased a CD but it was so crowded.  I will go see them in the future.  I did feel a little strange being the only black person and with dread locs in the crowd.

The next day I met an old girlfriend of my son's for lunch.  She is a terrific lady and I so wish they had worked out.   We laughed for about two hours, the food was good, and I will go back to that restaurant again, however the company was better.

Before I met up with JoAnne, I brought my dream serger.  the Baby Lock Evolution,  it does everything but slice bread.  Realllllllly it does.  I know....I am getting rid of toys and not suppose to add to them.   At this rate, I will have no clothes or food in the RV because they weight too much with my toys.   This was a NEED purchase.   I will have to have something to do when it rains and I can't get outside.   I am convinced, are you?  At the moment, since I have decided to get rid  of clothing and food, I want to take my Brother sewing/embroidery machine, Baby Lock Embellisher, Baby lock serger, spinning wheel, and  travel loom.  That will keep me happy.  I am leaving behind my other sewing machines, large looms, band saw and tons of yarn, books and fabric.  I think that is enough of a sacrifice.

Today, I am making a pair of chef pants for my daughter and then will get ready for the women artist group I go to once a month when I am home.  I wanted to go to the spinning wheel group meet up but lazy kicked in.  Just think, lazy can take over anytime it wants to after June 1.

I am dieting and exercising so I can get in better health for my new life.  I have been doing Zumba and walking on my treadmill daily.  Somewhere in my travels  I picked up a CD with healthy quick recipes that I am enjoying,  the title is Cooking Thin and Loving Food with chef Kathleen.   I made the broiled fish with lemony cucumber yogurt sauce.  You cook the fish in the microwave.  Now that is my kind of cooking.  It was very, very good.   I also made the bacon and white bean soup, yummy.  Tonight is the Sesame-ginger shrimp & spicy black bean salad.   I am trying to decided between the Pork tenderloin with White wine sauce or the Seared Pork Tenderloin with Quick Fruit Chutney for tomorrow night.  There are even more recipes on her website,  you should check it out.  Quick, easy and Delicious.

If I have not been sent out on assignment, I will keep chugging along on this downsizing.  My daughter will come on Friday to help me go though this mountain of clothes and shoes I have.   The idea is to keep two weeks of summer clothes, two weeks of fall clothes that should also work for Florida, couple of dressy things that squash well and still look good, one coat that I hope I never have to use, and rain wear.    Everything must mix and match with scarves, shawls and jewelry.   We will think of everything that I might need, make a pile of those and then  narrow down.  Some clothes will go to the Dress For Success organization and some will go to the Rescue Mission.

I ordered the floor cloth canvas that I will be painting for the Living room area and bedroom of the RV.  I know the design that I want to paint for the Living Room one but am not sure about the other.  I also want to weave a throw rug for the bathroom before I sale my big loom.  I have a buyer for the rug loom, she just has to come pick it up.  I can use the travel loom to weave dish towels.  This is the floor cloth that I painted to go in front of my refrigerator.  I believe it is too large to go in front of the refrigerator in the RV and will have to cut it down once I move in because I would like to use it.

That Dream with my Name on it is Coming True

The songstress, Jennifer Holiday was talking about me when she sung, "Follow your heart, go where it leads you, it's telling you there's a dream out there with your name  on it, there's a wish somewhere that is  just waiting for you, there is a star in the night whose light will be shining brighter  when that dream with your name on it comes true."   Well, the sky is brilliantly lit because my dream has come true.


On my birthday, my daughter and son-in-law went with me to Nexus RV in Elkhart, Indiana.  I met with Claude, one of the owners, and his wife to tour the plant and sit down to make all the final adjustments to my dream.  (I need a name don't I??? )  We talked about the area under the bed for my loom, and the best part which is my workarea/dinette.   Claude got so excited and came up with some marvelous suggestions to give me more space.  The work area will take the place of the dinette but I can still use the table for dinner.  I will post a picture of the drawing when it is sent to me.  I am getting a tankless water heater for instant hot water, and they will install an electrical management system with remote display for the surge protector.. I decided on 50 amps since this is my home and not a weekend affair.   Once I get my home back to MD, my son-in-law plans to install some security devices and my son is going to do some internet stuff.  My daughter is helping me outfit it and I am making a floorcloth runner, pillows, weaving some towels and a few other things.  The projected completion date of the RV is April 15 which also my daughter's birthday.

I got a call from the owners wife wanting more measurements of my loom that will go under the bed since they are building a box under the bed to house the spinning wheel and loom.  I still have to send a sample of the color I want for the flooring.  What they have at the plant is too busy to show off the pretty cherry cabinets.See what I mean.

The plant tour was fascinating, we started from where they received the cutaway truck body and have extended the frame with a truss system. Then they put on the bed which is a sandwich construction .  We watched the workers in every section of the build.  This is the inside of an RV that they were installing the cabinets.   The frame is all steel and the water tank is enclosed an heated.

The plant is very clean and the workers seemed happy.

I have been obtaining insurance quotes and the best so far is from GMAC.

I also did a little knitting.  A friend of mine had asked me to make him a hat as a pay back for something he had done for me.  I decided to make fingerless mitts to match while I was at it.    The pattern for the hat is Men's Ski Hat by Irina Dmitrieva and the mittens are Simply Ribbed Fingerless Mitts by Robbin Abernathy.  Collin's hands are thin for a man so I used my hands to judge size.  He  has texted me quite a lot as to how much he loves them and said they fit perfectly.

Back to throwing away, taking to the Rescue Mission and Goodwill, and selling.  Time is running out now.  Hooray!!!!!

Me and My Rv

Me and My Rv,
originally uploaded by roadweaver.

It's Christmas Time In The City

Going to New York City with friends, seeing the store window decorations and fighting a mob of people, will get you in the holiday spirit and drive any negative thoughts out of your head.

Yesterday, a group of us from work braved the rain and went to Manhattan.  Of course we got separated but the best portion of the group stayed with me LOL.  After breakfast, we piled in cars and headed to the train that would take us to Penn Station.   The guys gave me 5 minutes to get ready.  Of course, I could not find my gloves, had to get money from the ATM,.......

I know we are adults but one guy had an app called IBeer that makes you look like you are drinking a glass of beer with your IPhone and he was passing it around for all of us to take a drink to brace us for the city.

I had told everyone that my main goal was to see the tree in Rockefeller Center and go to FAO Schwartz which some had not heard of.  When we got to the store, I felt like a kid again.   I could not walk on the $250,000 piano because the line was too long.  We did not get to see Santa at Macy's for the same reason.

The store window decorations were as amazing as what I remembered which helped me forget I was wet and cold.  I dressed in layers so I was better off than most of the group.

NYC Store windows


sights on the street

It is Crazy Here

I want to start by saying why I put the word verification back on my comment page.  I got 30 or more spam comments a day and it became too much.  I know that my friends and potential friends do not like the verification but I had no choice.  Even without your comments, I know you are there.

This is a quick note to let you know what is going on here in NY.  There are so many claims that the company has hired Lots of independent adjusters and moved staff claim reps from other assignments around the country.  Hotels are at a premium so unless you work for a company like I do that has the resources and manpower to obtain hotel rooms,  you are in trouble.

Confession Time....I admitted something to myself today. I have always been good at defusing angry people or helping undecided people make decisions.  My first real job while in college was with Dreyfus Mutual funds.  I started on the floor and got moved to new product development after my graduation from college. Our phone calls were randomly monitored, one day  I was asked if I did not mind having my conversations taped for training purposes.  I did not think that I was very good but if they wanted to do it...  I was also asked to be part of the recruitment team.  The reason I was given was that I had a way of taking what people were really passionate about even though it had nothing to do with the product and making them believe so much in me that I could sell them the Brooklyn Bridge.  It sounded crazy but I was getting paid and promoted quickly.

When I started working at my current job, I guess the ability followed me and I use it on  angry insureds.  We are constantly reinspected on this job, on my last assignment when I came into the feedback session it was full of manager's, I was told they had no finding but   the group wanted to know  what I do to deny a claim because the insured's spent more time wanting to talk about me than  the denial and no one was angry, disappointed but not angry.  I told them the best I could what I did  since I do not know but  that it takes me longer to deny a claim than to pay one.  I have to get the insured to believe in me and once  that is done the denial is easy.

Two things happened today  that recalled all this.  ....

My first appointment was with a lady that told me her best friend had died that morning and she had been told the night before that her husband of 60 years only had a few days to live.   When I had initially talked to her she was angry because she knew she had all this damage to her roof and damage inside but  she would not get a new roof.   I did my inspection while she cried on the phone to someone.  There was no damage to her roof and she had minor damage inside.  I do not ever remember doing it but I found myself consoling her and getting her to talk about what a wonderful life she had with her husband, putting my arms around her to let her cry and somehow maneuvering the conversation where I wanted it.  I told her that she needed to go to her daughter's when I left because she should not be alone and even threw in how worried I would be about her all day. When I left she thanked me  for looking at her roof and interior.  Did I feel anything the entire time....NO. I just said and did what I had to do to get the results I wanted.   That sounds so cold but I realized that I felt nothing.

I left that appointment for one I dreaded because on the phone he was angry that he had been told he had no coverage for his trees, and he had to get his electronics looked at by a professional.  I got out of the car and he started.  I find that I am very quiet during these situation and something in me starts looking for something I can latch on so I can take control.  During his tantrum  he mentioned how old he would be in January ...that was all the opening I needed, my birthday was in January and we were the same age.  It helped that as it turned out we were born the same day.   Needless to say, my appointment that should have been 45 minutes tops took three hours.  I had a difficult time trying to stir the conversation back and paying him for what I could.  I looked at trophies, picture albums (he was a handsome man in his youth), had his special coffee brew, got invited to dinner, talked about religion, the philosophy of life, our children and the list kept growing.    He tried every thing he could to keep me there.  The denial was made through all this but he acted as if he did not care.

I realized as I was going to the office that I am snake oil salesman on stage.  I will say anything to get the results I want.  I do not feel anything,  I just do it.  No, it does not work every time but 9 times out of 10 it does.  I seem to do the same thing in a way with people I call friend. I am not really myself, I am what they want me to be.  The real me wants to just go somewhere and hide.  Don't let anyone get to close to hurt me in  word or deed .  If I laugh a lot, then no one bothers to look inside.  Was what I did today fair to these people?  I left them believing in someone that was not real.   I am true to my children, maybe because I know they will accept me with all my faults and never judge me, they just love me unconditionally.

As you can see, I am down on me today. I was really upset after I realized  what I have become. I am pretty sure what caused it but I am not sure when it took over my life.  I am hoping that once I retire and I meet  new people, I can start to trust and be myself what ever myself is. I am looking forward to meeting the real Louise. Recently, I told an RVer that I wanted to buy a copy of the children's book his wife had written for a Christmas present.  I learned that he shipped it before my check arrived. I sent  him a note thanking him for trusting me,  he wrote back.....trust  is a good thing.

Back to not sleeping....I hate taking sleep aides but I can not function on a couple hours sleep every night.

On a happy note,179 days ,15 hours, 48 minutes, 23 seconds until.......................

Visiting my old stomping ground

I am working claims as a result of Hurricane Sandy on Long Island. Yesterday was my first day off. The Plan was to visit my hometown, Babylon, and the collage I graduated from, C W Post. I have not been back for over 25 years so I knew things would be different.

I did make it to Babylon eventually, however it was such a trip getting there. To get around efficiently on Long Island, you take the parkways which is for cars only. Because the company put a ladder rack that I do not use, on my caravan, I can not use the parkways. I am now considered commercial. The GPS wants to take you the best way so I have been using my iPad to map my route and wait until the GPS catches up. It took me forever to get to my street. The street has not changed much, the person that has my childhood home has taken down the fence, put some ugly siding on it and to top it off, painted it a pale yellow.

The high school is twice the size and the athletic field goes to the park now. I always thought that I would take my wedding pictures at the park as a teenager dreaming of my knight. The park looked so sad and is so small. I was happy to see that one place was still there, painted a bright red, but still there, The Dairy Barn. You drive through either side of the building, an attendant would come out and take your order for dairy products and bread. I was so excited when I got my drivers license and I could go pick up the milk and eggs, etc. Of course, I had an incentive, the most handsome boy in the world. He never said anything to me but...what is your order and your change is....that did not matter,
I headed to the college that I attended but I saw a movie theatre and stopped to see what time the new James Bond movie started, I was told in five minutes so I brought my ticket and truly enjoyed it. You could tell that the people at this matinee were James Bond fans which enhanced the experience.

Afterwards, I started off again for the college but once I got to the two lane road leading there, I had to turn around because traffic was stopped. I was at a good place to go back so I decided to join the line of cars turning around and will visit the campus next week. I had passed Milleridge Village when i got on the road, it was on my list to visit. I wanted to see if the bakery with the delicious cinnamon loaves was still there. I walked in the bakery and did not see any, as I was about to ask if they still sell them, I saw a few behind the counter. I ordered two, one for me and one for a co-worker. By the time I got back to the hotel and had a slice, I decided that since he did not know about the bread, I would keep both loaves.

Next Sunday, I will search out other places that I hope are still there and try foods that I have not had in years, like a hard roll.

My First Rally

No, I do not have an RV yet but I just got back from the R V Women Pre-Thanksgiving rally.    At the suggestion of the rally host, I booked three nights at the Garden Spot Hotel that was in walking distance of the    Old Mill Stream Campground  were the event was being held.   Several women that had put their motorhomes/travel trailers/fifth wheels in storage was staying at the hotel as well as the Motel 8.   We were told that the event started  a few years back by two ladies that did not have any Thanksgiving plans.  The first Rally was attended by  twelve ladies,  this event was the largest to date with 70 women participating.  They even had a waiting list  for campground space.

I arrived on Thursday and went out to dinner with all the early participates to Dienner's Country Restaurant.  I would say about 25 women were there.  Food was good but the companionship was outstanding and  because of that, I would have paid more than the  $10.25 price.

The next morning, started with breakfast in the club house of the campground.  The event started at 1pm,  ladies and their rigs came in all during the day.  My daughter arrived right after breakfast so she was there for the start.  An announcement was made that we were new and that we would like to see some of the ladies rigs and talk to them about their R V's.  It really was fun going from R V to RV and talking to them  about all the accessories they had and why, seeing the motorhomes actually lived in and how happy everyone was.  I was please when the chapter RV tech, Tonie, wanted to know what RV I was considering, when  I told her she said that she  had been to the plant and  has spent time there,  she thought that I had made a good choice and would buy one if she was in the market.  We also talked about what items I should have them put on while building and then took us into and outside her motorhome showing us what she had added and why.  To say that I was lost from the beginning would be an understatement but I took lots of notes.    She will be in the area taking some motorhome repair classes and would be happy to stop by Nexus to check on my motorhome for me.

Lunch was on your own so most people went shopping,   My daughter and I spent time accepting invitations and visiting ladies in their motorhomes. They were so generous in their explanations that I became overwhelmed.    One lady pulled up by herself driving a 42  ft diesel pusher Winnebago Tour.  Some campers saw that she was having problems backing into a very awkwardly laided out space and ran over to help her.  We almost fell out when this women that I am not sure was 5 ft  got out.  She told us later that she never thought she would have anything like this, she always drove a small class C but she met a rich man a few years ago while at one of the R V Women rallies at the campground we were in, married him  and now  she finally got her dream.  Anyone that wanted a tour that had not seen it previously was invited in.  She said they wanted something that entertained 8, dined 4, and slept 2.

Everyone was to bring a snack for Friday night, my daughter brought  both apple cheddar  and double cirtus scones.  They were a hit.   Several women came over and said that  if there were any leftovers, would she bring  them back for breakfast.  I did get one that night and one the next morning but that was it.  They were delicious.

Tonie, the group RV tech, gave a talk on winterizing and a little bit about batteries and the Atwood quick recovery hot water heater. as well as what RV items had recalls.  She also said that she was available until Tuesday to assist anyone that needed assistance with their RV winterizing or repairs.

 On Saturday, there was breakfast with everyone and  a group went to the Wolf  Sanctuary, some went shopping but TeAntae and I  checked out more R V's and found a great salad restaurant  called SaladWorks, that evening was the Thanksgiving dinner.  There was also a hotdogs by campfire at one of the sites.  You were to BYOC (bring your own chair).  We opted out only because I was sooo cold.

Several ladies brought plates and tableware from their motorhomes for my daughter and I.  They said that we should not have turkey on a paper plate.   There was wine and other beverages as well. i.e., spiced mull cider with rum (lots).

A couple of the ladies made centerpieces that were given away  by drawing names.

There was so so so much food with none going to waste.  This is a sample of the dessert beverage table

The ladies lined up .....

and then we chowed down.

Afterwards was games.  I never sign up for things that I do not know anything about but unfortunately I did this time.    My daughter had to go home  because she had to work early Sunday but I was stuck.  I had never heard of a Minute to Win It which was on NBC hosted by Guy Fieri.  I was told I did not need to know trivia or any special skill set.  The write up said that it was to help digest the food.  What they did not tell me of how humiliated I would be.  The first game was stacking 5 dice on a tongue depressors and holding them there for 3 seconds without them falling. 

 I was one of the winners of that and then it went downhill.

The next was stacking three paper cups with a playing  card in between.  We had to pull the card out making the paper cup fall down on top of the next.  I only got one.

The next challange was moving a cookie from your forehead to your mouth without dropping it.  They said that if your cookie hit the floor and broke you were out.  I concentrated on the cookie hitting the floor. You had to really distort your face to get that cookie down the side of your face, I am ugly enough and did not need that as well.  Anyone that had won at least one game went on to the next round.  Unfortunately, I had to participate in another game.

They  set up three paper cups, we were to blow up a balloon and let out the air to blow the paper cups down the table.  I did poorly with that one as well, I was only successful with one cup.  I really think I had a defective balloon.   It finally got down to 6 that had won four of the games and one that had won all of them.  One more game  was played to declare the overall winner,   prizes were given out to all that had made it that far.     By this time I was exhausted from laughing and went back to the hotel.  My daughter called her voice was a whisper  from laughing so hard those two days, I am not much better.

On Sunday morning, there was the farewell breakfast, and a group picture,  most of the ladies was staying on a few days, I needed to head home.  The new officers were introduced, the campground gave away  campground space rentals for a week,  names were drawn for those. 

One lady had just got her first RV, she was called up front and one of the other  ladies pulled out a large wide mouthed plastic coffee container that had a handle  to present to her but first proceeded to demonstrate how to use it if she was desperate, had no hookup and her black water tank was full.  I wish I had pulled out my camera for that one.  After every thing calmed down,  the host asked if anyone would be willing to host some get togethers next year, lots of hands went up and they will get back to her when they locate campgrounds.  They also like to meet and have lunch throughout the year,  plans were made to meet in Thurmont, MD, for lunch in February.    Here is a list of rallys that have already been scheduled:

I went ahead and reserved my campground space for the Theme weekend rally because  I was told that most of the ladies that attend that one reserved their space last year, and the event keeps growing so space  will be limited.  I will have a new R V and will be officially retired on June 1.  What a way to celebrate.  I hope I do not embarrass myself backing in....well that is a bridge I will cross when I get there.

I had wanted to show you the results of my Nuno felting class and what I have made since but they are in the car.  Next post.