Berry picking day

July 31 - This morning was really nice out and the perfect day to pick Blueberries at Buell’s

Yum, fresh berries!

Orchards in Eastford.  We picked there several times in 2014 and they have great berries along with apples, peaches, plums in addition to some veggies.  We hope to catch some apples before we head leave in September.  There were not very many pickers and I was surprised that the price was the same as when we pick at home, $4 a pound.  We picked almost 9 pounds!  Probably ate another 1/2 as well!  I didn’t do anything with them until I can work on freezer space!

She misses the porch at home!

Since it was such a lovely day, Molly got to spend time in her kitty sunroom!  She loves smelling the fresh air and watching what goes on all around her.  We brought our books and beverages out and sat out with her reading for a couple of hours.  Nice family time!!

Tonight we feasted on pork chops and watched some TV and read, as usual!

Our neighbors, Pam and Smokey, invited us over to play Jokers with them.  This is the second time we've been over to play and it's girls against guys.  Last time the guys won 2-1.  This time we skinned their butts 3-1!  Girl Power!  We really like the game.  It's kinda expensive to buy but we're thinking about it.  

Mystery Solved!

July 30 – Down time!!  Well, not exactly!  It was a busy day for both of us today.  Once breakfast was history, we each had some chores to be done!

Bill took the trash to the dumpster and picked up the lawnmower on his way back and mowed our spot.  Takes more time than you’d think as he has to move the truck twice, take down the outdoor lights and signs from the yard and put them all back in place.  Then he swapped the mower for the weed whacker and did a thorough job of the places he can’t reach with the mower.  Our spot is once again looking prime!

We had experienced some water pressure issues the last few days and have been using the pump when we shower or really need some water pressure.  The washer was showing a weird code on the window that says how long til it’s done.  So I got out my washer booklet and it doesn’t list the error codes so I did read about taking the base cover off and you unscrew a cover about 3 inches wide and it had to do with the water pump.  You’re supposed to clean it regularly (I think the last repairman I had did it), but I never had.  It was tight to remove but in it I found a dental floss pick that could have been the problem.  I cleaned it all out well and the screw lid and hoped for the best!  I ran a small load of rags, just in case, and it went fine!

My next chore I’ve done a number of times, use my flexible long “hairy” gizmo to clean the shower drain.  I won’t even go on about that!

Once my dirty chores were done, I showered and went into town.  I went to the post office today in search AGAIN for my mail order prescriptions.  Bill went a couple of days ago and the guy working could not find them.  Online it said if I didn’t pick them up by 8-6 they would be sent back 8-7.  I had the same guy (it’s normally a lady) and he went through a huge rolling cart and while he did I notice a large piece in the wall box that the lady normally gets our mail from.  Once the guy said no, I asked him to check that one sticking out and as would be expected, it was my scripts!  Mystery solved!

The lost has been found!

I did quick stops at Micheal’s, The Fish Market (where I got fresh shrimp for Bill and a crab cake and seaweed salad for me).  I did my usual Aldi run and finished off at Wal-mart.  As I left home Bill said he didn’t know on what trip, but recently he had gone in the Dunkin Donuts inside the Wal-mart store so maybe he left his fanny pack there.  It was worth the try, but no luck.  I thought, well, I’ll take one more shot at Wal-mart Customer Service.  I told the clerk my husband lost his fanny pack and most likely it was there.  She pulled out a small plastic bin from under the counter.  I told her I doubt anyone would put it there due to the size and fact that his wallet was in it.  She offered to call her supervisor and once the lady came she asked for a description.  I told her a blue fanny pack with a team logo on it.  I wasn’t sure whether it said Indians, or had Chief Wahoo on it so I didn’t say.  She specifically asked what team.  I replied Cleveland Indians and she unlocked the door and handed me Bill’s fanny

Seaweed salad and crabcake

pack, fully in tact!  She commented it had been there a while.  You’d think one of the times we called in they would have checked with a supervisor!  But, Bill was extremely excited that we got it back and he had about $90 in it and all of his insurance and vehicle cards.  The credit cards were cancelled but that is OK.  All’s well that ends well!!!

After dinner, which was delicious, we used some clear silicone on our LED light strip on the starting end.  We just did about 3 feet and once it sets we will take the tape off and see if it holds before doing the rest of it.  We took a stroll down and to the main campground and that pretty much wrapped up our first day off!

Work work work

July 27 – Back to work today!  We had 10-3, which is a good shift!  Bill went in at 9 due to the excessive heat we were expecting!  It was a very slow day so I was assigned to clean the kitchen.  Tomorrow the campground is being inspected by the health department so everyone has been super cleaning everything!

I started not feeling very good and sat for a while.  By the time I left I was really feeling puny.  I planned a Cornish game hen with stuffing and fresh broccoli.  Well, I managed to cook it between bathroom trips but I wasn’t able to eat anything but continually sipped on ginger ale.  I finally felt up to a small cup of rice pudding.  Guess I’ll have my half of the hen tomorrow night.

July 28 - While I didn’t sleep very well, which is pretty much the norm lately, I felt back to “my” normal this morning.  I had a light breakfast and I attribute my bad day to the lobster that was old or had not been kept properly chilled.  Definitely will not be going back there!

Today was 2 – 7 so I did some housework and paid bills.  I packed a snack.  Bill went it at 9 so he will get off when I go in!  I should have left him a “to do” list!

My day went fine and the campground passed the inspection, so all is well at Charlie Brown campground.  Well, at least it’s clean!!!

It was a boring day for sure.  I didn’t have any check ins.  Laurie did the closing since I’ve not been shown and it takes some time to learn when you only close 1 maybe 2 nights in a week.  So I did what I could to help her and she walked me through the procedure to lock up for the night.

I really enjoyed my hen tonight!  Bill had a leftover brat and hot link.  A bit of TV and reading to finish off the night!

July 29 - Last day of the week, well, for us anyway!  Since they let Bill go in early today, he was able to get an appointment with the acupuncture doctor this afternoon.  My day was super slow – until the last hour!  That happens to me once every week!  I had calls to make reservations, change reservations, transfer reservations.  Lots of computer changes, printing, running credit, refunding credit!  Yikes!  At least Pam was still there having dinner so once they were done she came and helped me finish and she balanced for the day.  I still was 7:30 getting home.

I thought Bill was going to stop on the way home and get carry out and he said there isn’t any place on the way.  So, what’s for dinner?  I made pepperoni quesadillas!  Not your normal quesadillas, but better than cereal. 

Lunch out again and MORE ice cream!

July 26 – We heard about a “really good” seafood place in New London, which isn’t far at all from Niantic.  Bill wanted to go for lunch and back to the Book Barn Mystery location.  I checked out some possible shopping for on our way back.

So we headed south and the truck GPS was not doing a good job as usual, so we relied on

my phone to get us there.  We missed the turn to the docks so when around the roundabout and it looked like we were headed to nowhere!  Then the next curve you see cars parked along the side of the road and the parking spots filling up fast.  Bill dropped me to get in line while he got a decent parking spot.

This one is the starter

NIce deck and view

Captain Scott’s was pretty packed, but the line went quickly.  It’s all outdoor seating with one big covered area, but due to covid, there were a lot less tables than normal.  They have a counter along the water with colorful bar chairs and behind the covered area are more picnic tables along the water as well.  They painted lobsters on the concrete to designate your six foot distance in the line, which was pretty cute.  They have a pretty wide variety and an ice cream area as well.  Bill ordered his first lobster roll, and I had a salad with lobster on it and we shared a side order of clam

Bill's first lobster roll

strips.   My lunch was good, the lobster was plain and they give you a choice of regular salad dressings and I should have said ranch as it was not as good with blue cheese.  Bill’s roll was so overflowed that he gave me some of the lobster and it did not taste anything like mine.  It tasted old!!

We enjoyed watching the geese along the edge of the water.  Bill tossed them some bread but they really wanted meat!  It was rather hot out but a cloudless day and the harbor was full of boats.  People were still coming as we left so they must do a really good business!

Right on front of us!

Since it was Sunday there wasn’t anything open downtown or any people even, so we drove to Niantic to the book store.  I found 3-4 books then went to the truck but Bill found about 20!  Luckily they are all $1. 

Just as we pulled out on to the road I told him I could go for some ice cream and BOOM, there was a dairy shop on the right corner with quite a few cars so we pulled in to Tony D’s Craft Creamery.  It’s a bit pricey, but everything up here is!  I had a cup of Jack Sparrow.  Now, you ask, “What is in Jack Sparrow ice cream”?  I have to admit, in reading the description, they had me after rum and molasses, but there are also nuts, raisins and Hermit cookies.  Oh boy was it ever good!  You could lightly taste every ingredient!  As I write I asked Bill what the name of his was and what was in it and he has no clue!  Oh well, moving on…

Who are these masked
people??

I was hot and sticky and now I was full of ice cream so I decided I didn’t want to walk around a shopping plaza or go to a mall, so we headed back to Eastford.  The campground was back to normal, meaning 2/3 empty as the weekenders had left.  All was quiet and good with the world!

Lunch out and ICE CREAM!!

July 25 - After our big breakfast, Bill ventured out to see what was going on in the campground today.  He came back for something as he was going to help trim some shrubs or trees so I asked him to ask if I could use the rec hall kitchen for and 90 minutes.  He came back and said it was a go, so I loaded up my supplies and popped the popcorn I needed to make a batch of caramel corn.  Bill had been whittling away on the jar of nuts left from the first batch and I wanted to make some to share with our co-workers.  I was thinking they had an electric oven, WRONG, it was gas and I should have taken my thermometer to check the temp.  It turned out OK but was not the normal texture.  Once it cooled I put some in various containers for the Pam and Steve and my co-workers.  I thought it would be a change from cookies, although no one ever turns down homemade cookies!

Our excitement for the day was a short ride to Pomfret where Kam had gotten us a gift card for one of our favorite local lunch spots, Vanilla Bean Café.  Yum!  I had a delicious reuben and Bill had a turkey/bacon sandwich.  They do pile the meats and cheeses on!

On the way back we stopped at one of the local ice cream places and enjoyed sitting out in the shade and have our ice cream!  I went with coffee and Bill had some kind of chocolate chunk.  We still have one more place that we liked before that we haven’t gotten to yet  ---  only a matter of time!!

I took an elk back strap out of the freezer with no idea how I was going to cook it.  Google came thru with a bacon wrapped recipe with Worcestershire that Bill cooked on the grill!  YUMMY!  Salad and corn on the cob and we were set.

Just finished off the day with some TV and reading!

Nice day in Manchester

July 24 – We were a bit more relaxed today and didn’t really have a plan!  Once we had breakfast we decided it was a nice day out and a good one to go to Manchester.  There is a historic district there from the days when they had huge silk factories. 

We drove into the historic area and there were huge brick buildings.  Some were rather

normal looking, rectangular with signs out front.  These buildings have been converted into apartments.  The names were based on what the buildings were used for when it was a silk factory in the early 1800’s.  One was The Dye House.  Very appropriate!  The area is the Cheney Brothers National Historic Landmark District.  The housing area of the silk workers is included in the district so it is pretty large.  There is still one working silk mill in Manchester but we didn’t find out if it is in the same area or not.  The huge homes line the streets with their Victorian look.  A very lovely area.

We stopped at the Chamber of Commerce along the road to see if they had any information, but they were closed to the public due to the virus.  They have an enclosed entrance where there was a bit of literature that I picked up but no real info on what we were looking for/at!  We pulled into the lot of the museum since there were quite a few cars but it was closed and the cars were using the lot for the public pool beside it!  Drats!

We had lunch at The Main Street Pub as it has large parking area and has been in business 40 years.  We chose outdoor seating and the menu was one you scan with your phone camera.  To be honest, we actually went there because I REALLY needed to go to the bathroom and CVS only allowed employees to use their restrooms!!  However, it was a very good choice for lunch.  I had my first time ever, Fish Tacos!  Not what I was expecting

Fish tacos anyone?

but the fish was delicious with mango, avocado, peppers and onions on it and the coconut rice side was great!  Bill went with a massive burger and although it was cooked a bit rare for him, he said it was still very good!    

On our way from the historic area we stopped for some photos that I didn’t get on the first pass thru and then we headed to the other side of the interstate for the shopping Mecca!   Gave Bill a list of places I wanted to go to so he could kinda map them out so we didn’t keep going back and forth.  It’s all pretty much within 2 miles along one main road.  I managed to get everywhere I wanted except I missed Bath and Body Works, but we can catch them on our next trip!  The last stop is always the groceries and since we had to leave Wal-mart before I finished last time, it took some time finding everything on my list.  Their store is the smaller one with only one entrance so they don’t carry nearly as many items as the larger stores.  Bill came in and picked up a couple of non-grocery things for me then he went back to the truck. 

The ride home was of course quicker than the ride there as we were right beside the interstate for the first leg of the trip back.  We unpacked the truck and put everything as away as we could (for the space we have)!  Being Friday the weekenders had started arriving and the campground was filling up. 

I picked up a bag meal while shopping with the plan for a quick and easy dinner, and it was!  Then it was TV  and reading time!

Not so fun days off ---- it has to get better!

July 22/23 - Two not so good days off!  Day one started off just fine.  Once breakfast was done we showered, dressed and headed to Willimantic/North Windham area.   Bill stayed in the truck while I made stops at Kohl’s, Michaels and Dollar Tree.   A few days ago I googled to see if there was a fresh seafood market anywhere near us and The Fish Market is on Main Street in Willimantic.  I also noted that they prepare fresh seafood meals “to go”.  We decided to have lunch there.  This was the best part of my day!  I had a box lunch of calamari with fries and cole slaw and Bill had fried  shrimp and the sides.  We sat outside at one of their shaded tables and enjoyed our fresh lunch.

We went back in and after talking about the varied assortment of fish they have and checked out the lobster tanks, we left with jumbo shrimp for Bill’s dinner and PEI mussels for mine.  I love PEI mussels but have only eaten them out, so she told me t use my veggie steamer but it doesn’t take long.  So we had our cooler and stashed them safely inside.

The only other stops were Aldi, which is really fast for me as I don’t even take a cart, just a Trader Joe bag.  Then we went to Wal-mart.  The plan was Bill was to do a return at customer service, then go to the pharmacy and have them rerun my script using my prescription card and get one item from our shopping list.  He called that he was done and going back to the car.  I had been waiting in the fabric department and could not get any help and then checked the time!!!  Oops!  We were supposed to be home before 2:30 as Bill had an appointment about 40 minutes from Charlie Brown at 3:30.  I left the fabric and raced to the grocery side and got a case of water and a couple of produce items, checked out and hurried to the truck.

I don’t know how time got away from me and Bill didn’t even notice, but we got home and he just took off to his appointment.  Well, when he got back he realized he didn’t have his fanny pack which he carries his wallet in.  We checked the truck multiple times, all in the RV, and he decided he must have laid it on the back of the truck while he got something else out of the truck once he dropped me at the door of Walmart.  It must have fallen off or someone snagged it! 

So, we spent time then and the following day calling all the credit cards, insurance cards, voter card and think we got them all cancelled and requested replacements.  He spent time online ordering a new drivers license, called Wal-mart 2 days in a row and the North Windham police department.  No one used any of the cards so we figure they took what cash he had and pitched the bag.  I wanted to drive back and look in the trash cans close to where we parked but Bill was not in favor! 

We did enjoy our dinner!  I steamed Bill's big shrimp first as they would take longer and I made some cocktail sauce for him.  Bill iced his shrimp while I put my mussels on to steam.  I made a little sauce of butter, lemon juice, onion powder and garlic salt.  We had slaw and glazed carrots.  That was a lot of shrimp!!!  I could have eaten more mussels as they were perfect!

  

What a mess!  Then I received an email that his payment on his CC to the acupuncturist didn’t go through which was due to canceling the card.  Bill called to set his next appointment and I gave them my CC number so that was easy.  That’s a stressful mess! 

He was bummed it was his Big Skinny wallet he got at the RV show and lost some photos that he always carried.  I did order him anew Big Skinny, but he won’t have much to put in it til the mail gets to our house, forwards to Kam and she Priority mails a packet to us. He can still drive as I printed a photo of his license and he has the receipt for ordering a new one.  FYI, everyone should take photos of their ID, etc, with their smart phones so it’s all at your finger tips.  My “records” for all these things are home but luckily we both keep photos of our drivers license.

So we’re looking for a better time the rest of our days off!

Earned my keep at least one day!

July 20 – Bill left early again this morning as it was to be another super hot day out!  I went in at 10.  I dropped cookies off to my neighbor on the way!  It was very slow again today as there wasn’t any cleaning that needed done.  Both of the cabins vacated last night so Terri cleaned them and I took the laundry down to the laundry room and did that while she cleaned as well as answer phones and other minor office events!

We expected 7 arrivals today, 2 for the cabins, so that’s more than last week for a Monday!  The biggest event of the day was Bill lost his walkie talkie!  He had no idea when he used it last and re-traced all the areas he worked in today.  When I got off I looked all over the RV and then he went and got another one and used it as he walked around talking into it in hopes of hearing his issued one!  No luck there!  They assigned him a new one and I gave him a lanyard and some key rings that he rigged it up with to wear around his neck like the manager does.

I took my last chicken out of the freezer this morning so after work I had to decide what to do with it.  It’s was 2 boneless breasts, enough for 2 meals.  Bill suggested me doing them in panko crumbs (because they’re fried), so I sliced one up for that and chunked the other and strewed in broth to probably make chicken pot pie tomorrow night.  I had broccoli slaw left and fresh butternut squash that I baked.  No leftovers but a bit of slaw!

July 21 – Bill went in early again as we were still scheduled for 12 – 5.  He was able to get off before it got too hot.   I did some laundry and cleaned the floors (we bring in sand – who’d a thought!) and packed a small lunch.

There were too many people scheduled for today!  Pam’s best friends, Jan and Claire work a shift every Tuesday.  Jan does accounting and Claire works in the office.  Then Terri was also on and with Laurie coming in and out, the little cubicle gets pretty tight!  At least they had the AC on inside it today so that was nice!  With Terri and Claire and it being a Tuesday, which is a very slow day, there wasn’t a lot for me to do.  I tidied up the store a bit as Terri had already swept the hall.  After an hour Laurie told Terri she could go home early, so at least there was moving around room!

Claire and Jan took a break and had their lunch so I was alone but nothing much to do.  Once they left for the day I was by myself and there was still nothing to do.  We only had one check in listed and there was a note on it that they transferred to another date so I got out my crocheting and did that until about 4.  Then all hell broke loose!  I had a party of 3, one of which called in about 3 sites and gave the names of the people and I assured her I had the sites she wanted available.  Then another person called who wanted me to hold a week for her to confirm tomorrow.  She’s a good friend of another workamper couple.  I asked Pam and she said I could block the dates for her.  Then the party of 3 called back in one at a time and of course while I was getting all the info on one the other 2 called and went to voice mail.  There’s a long info sheet including CC info so it takes a while.  Then I called the others back and went through the same process twice more.  It was 5pm by the time I completed their info sheets and cleared out the phone messages.  Then I had to run the credit cards, and put all the data in for each, ring them up on the register, put their check in forms in the notebook and take a couple other calls and it was 6 before I got to leave!  Geez!

I was pooped from that last couple of hours!  I had leftover cooked chicken from yesterday that I planned to make a small chicken pot pie for dinner for dinner!  It was either very good or we were starved, hardly any left!  Now time to enjoy our 5 days off!

Back to the work grind!

July 19 - We were scheduled for 11 – 4 but Steve came around and told the guys on morning shift they could start early since it was going to be a scorcher today!  Bill left an hour early and I went in my regular shift.  The guys were done by 1 except for our male manager who worked closing and parked the RV’s that came in today!

I decided to make Peanut Butter Melts that I was going to submit to the cookie baking contest on Saturday but didn’t.  It make quite a lot and I took a small container it to work for them, bagged 4 to take my neighbors who were off today, put some in the freezer for emergencies and the rest for us as we wanted.  They’re basically a peanut butter cookie but there’s a tad of molasses in them.  Pretty tasty!

It was so hot I really felt like I was back in Florida!  Unless there is a group activity going on it the rec hall they don’t turn the AC on.  The manager has an ac unit in her office and we have one in the check in office but no one seemed to be hot but me so I sucked it up and lived through it.

Not much activity, a few families checked in and lots of ice being sold.  More than wood!!  I think I drove Laurie, the manager, crazy with all the new things that occurred on my shift.  Once things settled down I managed to get several crochet items completed today!  Makes me feel like I accomplish something....

Pavillion where crafting is held.  Family set up an awning
for while they play yard games.

The missing couple from Florida still did not arrived. 

Bill did not feel well at all today so when he got off he napped and rested in the cool of the RV!  He wasn’t feeling up to eating so I had some leftovers. 

Once he was feeling a bit better and had a snack, we watched more Perry Mason!

Christmas in July!

July 18 - Today is Christmas in July at the campground!  There are all kinds of competitions

That's a BIG Santa!

going on:     Cookie baking, site decorating, sports competitions, BINGO and more.  We are off today but I was asked to help by doing a craft project for 12+ this morning.  I went down to the pavilion early to go over the project I was assigned to work with.  My training was a video about 2 minutes long.  I didn’t have a single child show up until 30 minutes after it was supposed to end!  I sat and visited with Linda, who did the first craft and was doing the adult craft after mine.  No one showed up for the adult craft either!

Bill made a run to Wal-mart while I was “working” to get my prescription that I forgot to pick up TWICE!  Well today was my very last pill, so I really needed him to go.  He picked up a couple other items as well.

Resident Santa ready to begin!

It was really pretty nice out today and I put the awning out and sat and read while I consumed some Jack and ginger!  Bill went down to watch the Santa gift giving activity that was this afternoon.  He took some photos as I did this morning and visited with folks.

We finally put our new LED light strip up under the big slide and Bill set it on a pretty set of colors. 

I worked on some crochet projects and making a list of what yarns I want.  It’s so sad to see what little there is in Wal-mart as well as Michael's.  When we go to “town” on our next days off I will see if I get any better

More decorations

luck at JoAnn’s.  I’m in the middle of things I matching yarn for!  Uh!

Bill wasn’t thrilled by any means when he saw the steel head trout for dinner!  Oh well!  I made a broccoli slaw with some craisins in it to make it go down easier, in addition to some fresh cukes and leftover scalloped potatoes.   Senor Rio made an excellent dessert for us of Mexican rice pudding!

Bill has gotten into those old Perry Mason shows so we watched one of those followed by The Saint with Roger Moore.  They were both very young back then!!!

Not so much fun in town today!

July 17 - We both decided I needed some time to myself today!  Once breakfast was cleared up, I headed to various locations in and around Storrs, Windham, Mansfield Center and Willimantic.  I cannot tell you for sure where I was!  One little town runs into the next so, who the heck knows!

I can tell you where I stopped though!  I found a Michael's and Dollar Tree in one plaza.  I hate to pass up a Dollar Tree.  I found a few things there in addition to 2 more pair of reading glasses (I’m wearing a new pair now)!  I found a skein of yarn I  was trying to match to one I had, and bought another big skein on clearance at Michael's.

I checked out a Price Chopper and didn’t see any prices chopped to where I’d spend my money!!  It’s way worse than Publix!  The little produce place I used to go to in 2014 wasn’t there, so I was sad about that!

Somewhere I found a Big Y grocery and they had some things on sale that I put in my cart.  Then when I looked at my receipt in the car the prices were not what was on the sign or in the ad.  So I went back to customer service and asked about it and she was kinda snotty and said I didn’t use my “Y” card.  I said I didn’t have one as we are travelling.  Well, those of you that know me pretty well, know I don’t react well to poor customer service, but it was an ugly day and I wasn’t up to an argument but I told her I wasn’t aware and she didn’t offer to get me a card or refund.  I told her it would be the last Big Y I ever went to and left!

It was downhill after that!  I stopped to fill up Bill’s truck where he told me to and the pump didn’t give a receipt.  It’s a creepy place but cheap and I didn’t want to go inside.

Then I was hungry!  I stopped at the Wendy’s and normally I get a salad but I didn’t want to sit in the car by myself to eat it so I ordered my second favorite, a single burger with mustard and extra pickles and a junior frosty!  I paid at the window, picked up my bag at the second window and drove over to Walmart and found a nice spot to eat.  Well, it wasn’t my lunch!!!  It was 2 little sandwiches, and no Frosty!  I was frosty now!  The lines are so long there so I just ate one of the sandwiches which was chicken and took the other one home to Bill.  AND there was no receipt!

At the entrance of the Walmart is a Dunkin Donut so to make up for no Frosty, I did stop for a coconut donut.  Once the shopping was done, I headed back to the campground.  Bill had cleaned the bedroom and cleaned the hallway cabinets.  He unloaded the groceries and we got things put away.

Time to get started catching up on my blogs!  I worked on them a bit and once it was time for dinner I put scalloped potatoes in the oven and Bill heated up the grill.  He grilled hot links, pork chop and asparagus. I made some cucumbers in dill krauter sauce and we had a really good dinner tonight!  Kinda made up for my crappy day!

Once Bill did up the dishes we watched “Perry Mason”.  I used to watch it with my grandparents!

Watch Hill, RI - finally!

July 16 – Today was a mixture of good, bad and ugly!  We set out to visit a lighthouse,

Our first view!

Watch Hill.  We checked the internet and it should have been about an hour drive to Rhode Island and out to the point where the lighthouse is.  The indication was it was open from 1 – 3.  We put the address in both cell phones and the GPS in the truck and all 3 gave different directions.  What a mess!  We left home about 11:30 and the GPS kept changing the roads on us and we couldn’t understand why it didn’t put us on one of the highways!  We didn’t get to the light house until after 1:30.

Watch Hill was PACKED with tourists there to boat, beach and eat!  The little main drag is a very expensive tourist trap.  Fancy boutiques!  We drove on through the first time looking for the turnoff to the lighthouse.  There didn’t appear to be a road to it and you could be sure there was no parking!  There were lots of folks carrying their “stuff” to and from the beach area so we circled around again!

The second time Bill saw a single lane driveway and it was the way to the lighthouse but only Seniors or handicapped tags were allowed in.  I have no idea where you’d have to park to walk in! 

So we took the lane and it “S” curves around private homes and then there’s a short road to

Watch Hill LIghthouse

the lighthouse.  Well, the gate was locked and Bill stayed in the truck and maneuvered it around to be able to leave while I went through the walk thru opening with my camera!   There was a lady getting in her car on the inside of the fence where there is parking, so I asked her about it and she said it’s only open on Saturday and Sunday when they have a guard!  It was a walk to go up the hill to the lighthouse and Bill was not supposed to be parked outside of the fence so I took what

Where the poor folks live!

photos I could of it and the surrounding “private” beach and the boats and expensive houses etc.  Would love to go up the lighthouse, but I guess it was not meant to be!

I was a bit nervous that we’d meet an incoming vehicle on the drive back out and figured we’d have to back into someone’s driveway to allow a car to pass but no one came!  We were starving but we only spotted a couple of places to eat along the bay and there was no parking!  We headed back from the direction we came and stopped at The

There's our table at The Cooked Goose!

Cooked Goose.  They had a decent crowd for 2:00 so why not?  I had another lobster roll, it had more meat but not as good  flavor!  Bill went with a burger today!  It was outside seating again and nice weather, but too bad we couldn’t see the water, just boat storage across the road!

Once again we fought the darn GPS and just picked where we wanted to go!  We certainly got home a lot faster than we did going!  Bill needs to see about an update on his GPS for sure. 

We did manage to get back before dark!!!

Since we ate pretty late we had a rather light dinner of leftovers, followed by the regular reading for the night!

Relaxing day off!

July 15 – It was a slow day for us today!  After some laundry and housework, we went to a

Yep, lobster roll!

place recommended by our co-workers, Travelers Rest for lunch.  It’s about a half hour ride to Union, CT.  We had a lovely lunch sitting outside under a shady umbrella.  I had a delicious lobster roll with tangy cole slaw and Bill had a BLT!  Service was excellent and we just relaxed and enjoyed the beautiful day.  As we were paying for our lunch the server told us we each get 3 free books inside and if we go down the stairs those books are for sale.  What a deal!  We only found 2 freebies that we wanted and downstairs we found 3 at a great price!  What could be better than lunch and books together!

Here's what most of Connecticut
looks like!

We didn’t really have anything else planned so we headed back to the RV!

I did some laundry so we’d have our work shirts ready for our next set of days.  Didn’t do much cooking,  just heated up leftovers for dinner.  More reading and some TV watching!

We love our days off!!!!!!!!

July 14 – Ah, 5 days off, but they end up going so fast!  The fridge items were getting rather low so breakfast was ½ of a Portuguese muffin, 2 pieces of bacon and we split the last 6 blackerries and 8 strawberries!  I had an 11 AM appointment back at Quest today, so once we showered and tidied up we left about 10:30.

I got right in and was a bit on edge as she was hesitant about my appointment.  Once I told her the WHOLE story, she looked in a file and found the faxed order!  Phew!  I was going to get a bit ugly if she had not found it!  I will say, she did an excellent job on me as I told her the best 2 spots to stick me, which are NOT where anyone normally gets a draw from.  My puny, rolling veins have caused me to be stuck as many as 4 times during a draw and I now don’t care if I tick someone off or make them feel like they don’t know what they’re doing.  She looked in the elbow like they all do and could see that was not happening.  She chose the back of my left hand and got all the vials in one stick and didn’t even leave a bruise.  I thanked her for doing such a good job!

Bill was surprised it was so fast and we headed to Aldi next.  He stayed in the car and I filled a Trader Joe bag to the top and it was heavy!  I pretty much found everything I wanted from there, even a ½ of a whole pork loin!  I was going to take boneless chops and then saw the whole and half loins, which are less per pound and I can cut how many I want and have a small roast as well!

Bill had scheduled a haircut at the salon at Wal-mart at 1 so we picked up salads at Wendy’s and found a shady spot out in the parking lot of Wal-mart.  We had a nice relaxing lunch and Bill received a call from a teacher he worked with and caught up on various people.  We both did some shopping until it was time for his haircut, then I did the rest and finished just about when he was done.  She did a nice job on him!  He’s keeping her name so he can go again before we leave in September.

It was getting very dark out quickly and I wanted to get back before the skies opened up, but Bill wanted me to look in Home Depot for a yard light.  They didn’t have any to match ours but they did have rechargeable batteries that we needed and they didn’t have a Wally World. 

On the drive home there were some splats here and there and we managed to get unloaded before the real rain came.  It didn’t last long and the sun came back out and all was good in Eastford, CT!

I put the new batteries in and Bill put the lights back out.  Pam, our neighbor (there are 2 Pams), brought over a magazine about lighthouses for me and we visited a while. She told me of a good place for lobster rolls and I told her a good place for used books and clam strips. 

I finished the book I was reading and figured I better get some dinner going.  I made a small Waldorf Salad and heated up the leftover chicken parm and the tiny dish of broccoli and called it dinner!

I opened my computer and caught up our 3 work days and today in my journal and it all starts over tomorrow!

Stay safe out there!!

3 days rolled into one

July 11-12-13 - Since there’s not a lot to write about during our work days, I’m just combining them.  Saturday was a little busier in the office than Sunday and Monday.  There was some rain, so Bill got more break time than usual.  I made a couple of reservations and took a lot of phone calls.  Bill and I volunteered to clean the 2 cabins on Sunday to help out and keep busy to make the day go faster. One we cleaned top to bottom and the other was left really good shape so it didn’t take long.  Monday Bill was taught how to “deep clean” the bathhouse as they can be inspected without notice by the health department, so they do that once a month.

Monday we worked our first closing shift, 2-7.  Bill ran some errands in the morning so it wasn’t bad.  I made some phone calls and bookwork while he was gone.  The last few hours of work the rain took over so all of those scheduled were in the rec hall, having sangria and snacks while swapping stories.  I stayed in the office cubicle as the phone rang rather steady with requests for reservations.  Well, I couldn’t tell them much because there was a lot of lightning in the area and the IT guy unplugged everything that could be lost if we took another hit.  So I had a list to call back the last hour.  Everyone else went home and I was left by my self.  It was quiet and I got my calls made and booked 4 reservations but I had not done a closing since 2014.  I was to call Laurie, the manager, if I needed anything, so at 6:40 I called to remind her I haven’t done a closing and she told me what to do as far as the money etc and then she came over to go through closing the rec hall and setting the alarm and locking up.  Most I remembered doing but a few things were just a little different.  The balancing was left for someone on tomorrow's early shift.  

We had a small dinner of leftovers and chilled!  The rain stopped and so we were hoping for a nice day tomorrow for our first day off.