The end of a romance...

Gracie down at Scott RV

This entry is to inform our followers that our love affair with Saving Grace has, unfortunately, turned out to be short-lived and will officially come to an end tomorrow. 

As in so many relationships, sometimes, you discover that the pretty exterior and first impressions are not what make for a long-lasting commitment. You seek dependability and a fulfillment of basic needs that will provide for a comfortable, practical, exciting  and long future together. While Gracie fell short on the basic amenities we needed, she did afford us a luxurious haven in which to enjoy some fun times. 

So, it is with mixed emotions, that we bid farewell to Gorgeous Gracie and welcome in Pretty and Practical, Bigger and Better, "Allie," a 2013 Tiffin Allegro Open Road 36LA. This motorcoach had always been my favorite, boasting a floor plan that contained everything we wanted and needed for extended trips.

Although a year older than Gracie, Allie is 4 feet longer, sits atop larger wheels, brings us an extra half-bath, a recliner, an L-shaped couch, a fireplace, a larger refrigerator, a table with chairs (opposed to the tight dinette booth), a bigger master bath, much more basement storage, and my personal favorite, a combo washer/dryer. As "G" and I can attest, older is oftentimes better and love can be better the second time around. 

As you may have guessed, we did not deal with Wilkins' RV, but rather found Allie at Scott RV in New Jersey. Thus far, our dealings with them have been friendly, professional and pleasant. Tomorrow we sign on the dotted line and follow the double yellow line up the Garden State Parkway to bring our new baby home. Saving Grace will continue to be the name of my blog, but my Saving Grace has been christened, "Allie."

"G's" biggest chore will be to maneuver a bigger rig and my biggest challenge will be to add some color and turn this rig into a home on wheels. Thank goodness for Command Strips.  If anyone is looking to invest in the market, you just might want to grab some 3-M stock, because photos and art will be going up on the walls! The Newmar's interior didn't really lend itself to being "changed" from its elegant, color-coordination.  Look out "G" and Allie, here I come!

Next entry:  "Before" photos of Allie Allegro.

Deep thought for the day:  As Mick Jagger wailed in one of my favorite Rolling Stones tunes, "You can't always get what you want. No, you can't always get what you want. Yeah, you can't always get what you want, but if you try sometimes, you just might find, you get what you need."

Picking Gracie Up

Here we sit, in Gracie, at Wilkins' RV Dealership quite disappointedly.  We took the five hour trek up early this morning to finally retrieve Gracie after over a month of her being in for repairs.  Yup....repairs.  We only camped out in her for a month, yet had to return for "fixins" due to a leak in the shower drain,  a replacement of the power inverter (powers the fridge while you are on the road), a strip of trim was falling off, and our tow dolly, aka Ms. Parton, was making an awful sound when braking, once reaching 40 MPH.

We arrived at 1:30 to find that Ms. Parton's issue was never addressed and that the wrong molding was repaired (really?). We will find out soon if the repair to the shower was successful.  Apparently, they tested the drain quite a bit, because when we hooked up for a night's stay here, the grey water tank was full.  That meant in order to shower, we needed to dump the tank.

Poor "G," after the long ride and the long wait in between the re-repairs, had to un-hook and drive Gracie to the dump station.  Thankfully, there was one on the premises.  But, nothing is ever easy when you are tired, so a bit of a mess occurred while dumping and a process that should have taken 10 minutes, turned into a half hour.  Mr. Clean wasn't so clean after the episode, so a shower was definitely in order.  Once I checked out the bathroom, I noticed that quite a dirty mess was left on the shower floor.  A good scrubbing with some Softscrub did the trick, however, Gracie should have been returned in better shape than when she was dropped off, not worse...  An "F" for Wilkins' RV.

Tonight, we spend the night, here in Bath, and the thing we most look forward to is a Shower!  Dinner was prepared last night, so only re-heating is necessary.  I'm so glad I thought to do that.  It is a beautiful evening, cool and breezy.  A nice break from all the humidity we've been experiencing.

Well, tomorrow is another day.  We are hoping for more positive results.  The sun shall set and will rise again to brighten another day.  Some days are brighter than others.  That is my "Deep thought for the day."

Warranty work at Wilkins

Today, "G" and I drove up to Wilkins RV, in Bath, NY.  If you've never visited Bath, don't worry.  You're not missing much. There is not much to do or see, other than a few cheap motel chains and a couple of fast food restaurants. This trip, we actually found the "hot" spot in town. It's the soft serve ice cream stand just down the road-a-piece from the RV dealership.

We were afforded the most beautiful day to drive up this scenic area of rolling, green mountains, lush valleys and the occasional river meandering alongside our route. Unfortunately, every once in a while, I noticed dead animals along side of the road.  I always turn my face away, because I can't bear to look at the poor things just lying there. "G" always reassures me that they have met their end due to old age.  It seems that they happen to die along the road after a long and happy life.  It makes me feel better knowing that.  I turn my face back to the road and life is beautiful again.

Along the way, we happened upon an accident that had occurred just seconds before cresting a slight incline. Although two vehicles were involved, only one was visible on the road, and facing in the wrong direction. The other car, we discovered, had veered off and down an embankment. Traffic came to a halt due to the wreckage strewn across the road. I had my handy-dandy first aid kit, so I got out to see if we could be of any help. I went up to the car and inside was an older woman, I'd guess to be about 80, cut and bleeding behind the wheel. I asked her what her name was, and she told me, "Helen," and she proceeded to ask me what happened.  She couldn't comprehend the fact that she was in an accident. Apparently, she was in shock. I told her my name and said I was pleased to meet her, and that everything was going to be fine.  She asked me a few more times what had happened before a paramedic and an EMT showed up. I gratefully turned over my place beside her window to the experts who could be of more help than me. I can offer kindness, but not much else in an emergency.

With just a couple of more non-emergency stops, we made it to the exit of Route 17 where I was allowed to take the wheel. I drove a whopping two miles to the dealership and except for a a tiny episode of not being able to find the break, it went well. I discovered that "G" is not the best person to teach me how to drive the RV. "Mr. Patience" is anything, but patient, while I am behind the wheel.  We will both need lessons.  Me for driving and him for holding his tongue while I learn! A future entry will reveal the quickest learner!

The rig is locked up, the shades are drawn, the couch is comfy, and we are both ready for a good night's  rest.

Deep thought for the day:  Always offer help to someone when they're down. You never know when you may need a kind word from a stranger.  What goes around, comes around.

Life is Beautiful

I'm sitting on the couch in Gracie and across from me is the beautiful plaque "G's" parents gave us last Christmas.  It reads, "Life is Beautiful," and the illustration of an RV is skillfully painted below, resembling Saving Grace. It is my constant reminder that life, indeed, is beautiful, but sometimes, you need to look beyond the ordinariness that makes up your surroundings.  It can be as beautiful as you believe it to be, as I have discovered during my stay here.

Many people have older, well-worn units, yet they beam with pride when talking about when they got it, where they've been, and the experiences (good and bad) that they have encountered.  Everyone has stories about the mistakes, missed turns and mishaps that inevitably turn out to be the most entertaining.

We moved, for the last time, yesterday, and Gracie is now parked in space 12 and we will reside here for the next week. I actually drove her from space 40 into 12 and think I did a spectacular job. I can't believe "G" let me drive this big baby.

Thanks to my step-mom, we have a couple of new handy-dandy items that turned out to be much needed necessities, opposed to much wanted goodies.  We now have a carpet under our Clam, which will keep insects at bay and comfortable folding chairs.  It is so intimate and cozy now.  Gifts of solar lanterns add to the ambiance and I now prefer my coffe outside, looking up at our big girl.

A ride up to Camping World in Kingston this afternoon seemed to have gotten our Man of Honor bitten by the camping bug. He met us up there and found a small unit we all loved.  Click here to see the Winnebago View

"G" has continued to surprise me by trying new things and expanding upon his wry sense of humor.  It is one of the things I love most about him.  Spending so much time together is better than I had imagined.  We have fallen into certain routines and enjoy a fair give and take.  Of course it's not a total bed of roses, but even when it's just a handful of dandelions, I find it delightful..

Tonight we spent the evening at our neighbor's in their screen room.  We, along with a couple of friends of theirs, played the game, Mexican Train, a new adventure for both "G" and I.  We had a lot of laughs and fun, and got to spend the time with old, as well as new, friends.  Before breaking up the game, we heard coyotes howling and fighting up on the landfill.  That has been one of my favorite walking paths and hearing the ferocious sounds made me wonder where they go during the day....

Lucy update:  She has handled this last move much better than the one previous. We believe that she has accepted the fact that we live here now and she needs to make the best of her situation.  I wonder what her little brain will think once we get back home.

Deep thought for the day:  "Home is where our cat is."

Children of the Corn

When you camp in private or public areas, you are bound to run into some "less-desirable" types every now and then. Up until now, we haven't had any complaints about any of our neighbors.  Most people are quite considerate, honest and friendly.

Three nights ago, at 9:45 pm, 2 large, older, modified-types pulled into spaces to our left. Their license plates claim they are from the great state of Arkansas, however, we think they are the Nebraskan demons that were the inspiration for Stephen King's book, "Children of the Corn." They are unfriendly, unkempt, dark and a bit scary. So far, two other RV'ers have complained to the office about their behavior and language.

Last night, when I went to dispose of our trash in the dumpster, I walked past their rigs and I waved to the group at each space. Not one, of a total of eight people, acknowledged my wave, even though they were quite obviously staring directly at me. I will take a different route back from the dump and won't be making corn on the cob anytime soon.

This turns out to be my last entry for the month of May. Thirty-one days blew by in the blink of an eye.  

Today, I needed to drive by our home, and while driving down Tate Avenue I started laughing at the condition of the road.  I've nicknamed it Varicose Vein Lane due to all the liquid tar filling the cracks. It makes me want to remain in Gracie all-the-more, despite the gravel, dirt, ants and creepy neighbors.

Deep thought for the day: Even when people do not look or act like us, it doesn't mean that you can't treat them with respect.  However, if your respect is not returned, cut your losses and move along.  Quickly.

New favorite spot

Memorial Day

Yesterday, we commemorated Memorial Day with a barbeque.  Along with us, my in-laws and neighbors we celebrated the birthday of our "Man of Honor." It was a beautiful, sunny and warm day. "K" and I put out quite a spread and we enjoyed barbecued burgers, dogs, shrimp and salmon. Of course, we had all the side salads and veggies to round out a delicious feast. We were able to christen "The Clam," and it sure lived up to its reputation by keeping the food safe from the sun and bugs.

The special birthday menu

Ketchup being poured by the nephew wearing camo...Now we know why.

"K" and "G"

Robert Burns described the day best in his poem called, "To a mouse," with the line, "The best-laid schemes o' mice an' men." Due to someone not communicating in a clear and concise manner (name withheld to protect the guilty party), the big birthday bash was enjoyed by everyone, except the birthday boy! He did manage to get here in time for cake and ice cream, but he missed the fabulous spread. We were sure to let him know, often, how good everything tasted.

The highlight of the day was getting locked out of the RV and discovering that we don't have roadside assistance! Best for it to happen here, while still close to home. A phone call to a local locksmith solved the problem right quick. Thanks to our quick-thinking neighbors, all the food was saved from the warm temps and stored in their refrigerator.

Birthday boy, "R" and "K"

Today, we are heading out to pay our lock picker, as we had no checks, not enough cash and he didn't take credit cards. The locksmith turned out to be someone who knew my family, so he agreed to wait until today to receive his payment. Nice to know there is still a fair amount of trust and honesty left in the world.  All-in-all, it was a learning experience that could have been much worse had we not taken our maiden trip so close to home.

So, how did we get locked out? We are not absolutely sure, but the consensus is a certain "nephew" may have accidentally hit the lock switch before exiting. I only mention it because he is one, of only a few people, who would just love to have done it or take the blame. Regardless, we are almost glad it happened.

After cake and coffee, the day came to a close, friends returned home, our family drove off, and we spent about an hour masacaring Mosquitos and other annoying insects that made their way into the RV after dark.

It was a fun day, spent with good people, good food, good conversation and gorgeous weather.

"G" and "Me," with eyes closed

Making a wish...

"C" and "L" AKA: My in-laws!

Deep thought for yesterday: Being human, entitles us to make mistakes. Making the same mistake twice is, as Judge Judy says, "ridiculous."  Keys are being ordered tonight!

I will end here with a "thank you" to all of our service men and women, past and present, without whom we could not enjoy the freedoms we so often take for granted.

These are just baby steps for Lucy...

 Lump in bed = Lucy's "spot" 90% of the time.

Bird watching

Someone dared to speak outside...

What a view!

Happy with my daddy.

Still not all that comfortable in the front of the coach. 

Mother's Day

What a gorgeous day! The sun is brightly shinning, temps have already reached a balmy 75° and life is beautiful. We just got on the road and are heading up to Chester to pick up Saving Grace for her maiden camping journey.   One more day to go until Croton Point Park and Lucy's official induction into RV life.

In typical "G" fashion, we cannot travel anywhere without making a u-turn.  We are now heading back home for the second time for yet another item we forgot to bring with us.  First was the RV GPS, and now it's the E-Z Pass!   Lol.  We won't be able to easily do this in Gracie!

Ok.....we have it all.  We are off....Gracie, here we come.  Next time, check list of imperative items.

Deep thought for the day:  Look forward to the road less travelled.  It should have less potholes,,,,

"Let the games begin..."

I woke up this morning with laryngitis.  Although "G" never likes to see me under the weather, I'm thinking that this is the illness he likes best.  LOL.  He knows I won't be barraging him with a bunch of questions, comments or helpful hints during the long ride home.




The tow dolly was hooked up to Gracie and my little Nissan Sentra easily loaded onto it by "G."  He has no fear of the unknown.  Me, I was a wreck just watching the whole process.

Before we pulled away, three Wilkins' employees bid us a fond farewell and wished us happy trails.  Home seems so far away in this big rig, but I'm sure the time will pass at its usual pace, and we will be parked on front of 223 with thoughts of Wilkins stored away in our memories.


Lucy, here we come!




Deep thought for the day:  There is no place like home when you are sick, but the next best place to be is in your very own RV.  Lucky me.  ????

Saving Grace, here we come!

Hampton Inns are our favorite hotel chain.  They have always been clean, convenient and comfortable.  They have been our "home away from home," for many years.  Yet, as good as they are, sleep was fitful for me.  I now, officially, have whatever "G" is getting over.

We are up, dressed, well-fed, checked out and ready to rock and roll.   The day is not as pretty as yesterday, but it is exciting!  We awoke to overcast skies with the threat of rain, but we are just minutes away from arriving at the dealership. I feel like a kid on Christmas Day, eyes wide open and full of excited anticipation.  The drizzle won't change how we feel.

Ready, set, here we go.  Next post will hopefully contain either photos or a video clip.  I am not able to easily maneuver this blog spot with my iPad.   Tonight, if I have the energy, I'll access it through "G's" laptop.  Between the iPhone, iPad, Samsung Galaxy, laptop, GPS and a wireless jet pack,we have a trunk-full of technology!  I should be able to figure it out!