♫ Back home again in Indiana…♪ ♫

I went in early this morning to the clinic for my final poking this trip, and they syphoned out the needed blood.  A quick stop at my friend Susan’s, for some fresh veggies from her garden, and then I was on my way for the 428 mile drive back to the rig.  It did seem to go on and on, but I made it through Chicago, and those rude drivers, without being embroiled in too much of the afternoon rush hour.  It wasn’t quick enough to pick Emma up from the kennel though, so I’ll do that tomorrow morning.

After most of my appointments on Wednesday, my friend Susan was my guest for dinner at the historic Hubbell House in Mantorville, MN.  I was happy to do this for Susan, as she was instrumental in being my spokesperson with the RV dealership that I was having difficulties with after I bought my present rig.  I was at a campground outside of Yellowstone with no phone coverage, so she went in and harassed them for me more than once.  Besides that, she is someone who has remained a true friend after I went full time.  So many others have fallen by the wayside, because they don’t get it.

Anyway, this is the Hubbell House.  This present structure was built in 1856 as an important stopping place along the trail from the Mississippi to St. Peter. 

Originally, stage coaches stopped here and offered passengers good food and accommodations. 

These were the waitresses in 1870.  How would you like to serve food wearing all of that stuff?  Notice how not many people ever smile in pictures from that era?  I can understand that.  It must have been rough with no electricity or AC in the hot Minnesota summers.  I don’t even want to think about the winters.

The walls in the lobby of the present fine dining establishment are festooned with antiques, and photos and documents from past gone eras.  The placemats at your table have copies of the signatures of many of the famous people that have dined here; like Dwight D. Eisenhower, Mickey Mantle, Roy Rogers, Fred Mac Murray, and Horace Greeley, among others.  I’m not sure why they didn’t ask for my autograph. 

It was a good trip I had up north to accomplish quite a few things, but I have to tell you that it sure feels good to be back home in my rig tonight.  Can’t wait to sleep in my own bed again.

I leave you tonight with a parting shot of my bestest of friends, Susan, as she made her way for a final pit stop.

                                                                               THE END!!

Thanks for stopping by… talk to you later,  Judy

I can officially drive again

Today was the day to make the return trip to Sioux Falls, SD, to get my new driver’s license.  If you remember, I tried to do that last month, but had not brought the proper paperwork with me.  That was my error.  This morning I checked three times to be sure I had my Passport and Social Security Card safely in a folder in the car before setting off.  It was a day that entailed a round trip drive of 480 miles.  Thank goodness I only have one more 400+ mile day to go.  It was also a day where I gathered at least 480 dead bugs on my windshield and front of the car.

The drive there was uneventful, and I arrived at noon at the DMV office.  The same cranky lady was in charge of the check-in station.  She insisted on seeing all of my documentation before allowing me to fill out another of the same forms in order to get a number in line.  Then she dropped the bomb, “Where’s your evidence of mail with your name and address on it?”  What?!?  I assured her (three times in a row) that the examiner had told me last month that all I needed was my passport and SS card.  Finally, she grudgingly gave me the form to fill out and I was given a number and a waiting seat.  After waiting another hour and a half, my number was called, and it took all of five minutes for me to walk out with my new license.  It’s a good thing, because I think I would have had a coronary if they came up with something else that I suddenly needed!  

By this time, it was close to 2:00, and I still had to drive back to Kasson in time to take my son, Andy, and his family out to dinner before his wife, Kelly, and second son, Seth, had to leave for a meet the teacher meeting for his pre-school.  His oldest son, Joseph, had his first day of kindergarten today, so I wanted to talk to him about his exciting day.  I blasted back onto I-90 and headed east.  I made it in time, and enjoyed my brief visit.  Joey said today was the funnest day of his life, and Seth wanted to know when he could visit me in my camper.  Littlest Ruby babbled away at me in her as yet incomprehensible gibberish.  Grandkids are the bomb!

On my drive back to Kasson, I did stop for a few minutes in Blue Earth, MN, to visit the Jolly Green Giant.

As I pulled into the almost empty parking lot, another couple was about to leave.  When they saw me walk toward the giant, they returned and asked if I would like them to take a picture of me with him.  I said sure, and showed them how to use my camera.

This is the picture they took.  While I was standing there, I took a brief glance up for a peek under the jolly fellow’s leaves.  (I know, shame on me)  Well, I’m here to report that the Jolly Green Giant apparently has ‘cajonnes’ the size of little green peas.

                                         HO, HO, HO!  I’m surprised he has such a low voice! 

Thanks for stopping by… talk to you later,  Judy

Rochester, Minnesota

Rochester is known for many things, but I only had time for two of them today. 

The Mayo Clinic is probably the first thing that comes to most people’s minds. 

And, if it weren’t for their father, Dr. William W. Mayo, and

Mother M. Alfred  Moes, the Mayo Clinic would never have happened. 

It seems now, that the clinic and it’s associated hospitals take up half of the downtown area of Rochester.  All buildings can be accessed either by underground tunnels or over head enclosed walkways.  So, even if you visit in the middle of winter, you can see everything without ever having to battle the weather.

I, of course, could not show you everything about the clinic, but suffice it to say that even if you don’t have a medical appointment it is a marvelous place to visit.  Sculptures of all kinds can be found throughout the complex.

Inside, the artwork is everywhere, like an art museum.  I think the walls and floors are all highly polished marble.  Sometimes, it makes me feel like I’m visiting a state capitol building.

People come from around the world to receive treatment here.  I can only guess at how many languages are spoken by the provided interpreters.

There are daily concerts by musical artists in the Atrium area around noon, and  there are gardens in several areas for people to relax in while they wait for their next appointment.  I guess if you are a lady that needs to be squished, this is a fine place to get that squishing done.  On average, 200 women a day go through the mammogram offices on the second floor of the Gonda Building.  I had a technician today that wasn’t new, but as she said, “Try to keep breathing while I fix the scanner,”  my eyes were bulging out of my head.  Can’t you release this thing from me while you do your fixing?  OMG!  I must say it was one of my most memorable days at the Gonda Building!

Anyway, my exam and everything else turned out just fine.  All that’s left is to get a blood draw on Friday morning before I head back to Indiana.  And yes… I’m feeling like a freshly whipped up, if slightly wilted, bowl of MAYOnaisse.    In between appointments, I had some time to kill so I stopped in at the big Hy-Vee grocery store in town to get a quick little bite to eat.  I stopped at the store breakfast café  where many of the retirees in Rochester come for breakfast.  I haven’t worked in this town in five years, and I lived in a small town to the west, so didn’t expect to see anyone I knew.  Surprise!  I no sooner sat down than in walks a woman that I recognize immediately.  (if you know me well, you know I couldn’t remember her name)  Actually, it wasn’t a name I had wanted to remember.  When I first took the principal’s job in Rochester for the Alternative High School, I was told by the hierarchy that one of my first duties would be to fire this woman by the end of the school year.  Some of it was politics, but this woman was indeed worthy of letting go.  Since she had been in her position for 20 some years, it took some doing, but do it , I did.  She, of course, was very bitter about it.  Of all people in the world to run into!  I’m not sure she recognized me.  Neither of us acknowledged each other.  A rather awkward few bites of French toast I had there…

Oh yea, the second thing I saw today that Rochester is known for is the ear of corn water tower in town that rises above the Seneca Foods plant.  Probably not as well known as the Mayo Clinic, but I bet many, many of you have eaten canned corned and green beans processed by Seneca Foods.  Check those cans in your pantry, and I bet some of them may have been processed here.  How’s that for a bit of trivia?

Thanks for stopping by… talk to you later,  Judy

Traveled in four different states today

Indiana, Illinois, Wisconsin, and Minnesota, and I can tell you that after 420+ miles of driving, I’m worn out!  I’m generally an early riser, and with the trip on my mind, today was no exception.  I was ready to go by 7:00, but the kennel up in Dyer doesn’t open until 9:00, so Emma and I took our constitutional first, and I dawdled around until I could finally leave.  At that, we had to wait 15 minutes for the place to open, and then their computer didn’t want to work.  So, an easy drop off at the doggy spa for four nights took 45 minutes.  Ugh!

One advantage to the delays is that Jack-in-the-Box (my GPS) was able to take me through Chicago after the rush hour(s) lickity split.  I stopped at the Wisconsin Welcome Center for lunch, and once more for gas along the way.  By the time I made it to Minnesota, I was dragging a little, so I stopped at that Welcome Center also.  I lived in Minnesota for 13 years previous to going full time, so I knew where I was going, but the break was welcome.

This rest area is just after you cross the Mississippi River. 

There’s an observation deck so you can enjoy the views of the river.  That’s the I-90 bridge in the background.

I decided to go down the road about a half mile to view the dam and lock a little closer.

Looking north, and then looking south.  No tankers or boats were around while I was there, so I didn’t get to watch the locks in motion.  I’ve been here before when they were in operation, and I always find it interesting.

Here’s the actual dam that helps maintain that 9’ deep water level.  If you look closely just to the right of center there is a purple martin house in the shape of the Army Corps of Engineers symbol.  I thought that was kind of neat.  The martins are all done nesting for this year, but I imagine there’ll be a full house next spring.

There’s a nice park at lock and dam #7, and you can get a little feel for the marvelous bluff country on Minnesota’s border along the Mississippi.  Before I-90 was completed, I used to drive US 14 along the river to Rochester with some grand views where you could stop to admire.  Since it was already after 4:00, I decided to make time and stay on the interstate for the final 75 miles or so to my destination.

By the time I got to the motel in Kasson, it was almost six.  I had made reservations for three nights, and ended up with a handicapped room.  Apparently there are quite a few construction workers staying here.  As it turns out, I think I’m going to like the handicapped room.  There is a shower instead of having to climb in and out of a slippery tub to shower, and the clothes racks and hooks are lower down.  Much more comfortable for a vertically challenged individual. 

Thanks for stopping by… talk to you later,  Judy

An avian tale unfolds before my eyes

                                                 Where’s my dad?  Doesn’t he know I’m starving?

                                              There you are, dad.  Can’t you see how hungry I am?

                                       If I flap my wings and go cheep cheep, will you feed me?

 

                                               Pay attention to me!  I’m trying my hardest.

                                                            Maybe if I try the other side…

                                         VICTORY!!  Kids can sure be demanding some times. 

Today dawned a little bit rainy and crisp.  The high for the day only reached the lower 60’s!  What a difference from just a few days ago.  It was a welcome relief for me as I went about making preparations for my four or five day trip to Minnesota, and generally getting things ready for my departure south a week from today.

The campground pretty much cleared out in the early afternoon from all the bustle of the holiday weekend, but I’m sure glad my next door neighbors and a few others lingered on into the late afternoon.  As I’ve mentioned before, I like to thoroughly vacuum and clean the rig before hitting the road, so that’s one of the things I did today.  Only problem was that I somehow hit the locking mechanism on the door with the vacuum cleaner hose.  I took the vacuum container filled with Emma’s hair and trekked in sand out to dump it in the forest.  When I tried to come back inside, the door was somehow locked.  Dang!  I was locked out of the rig.  Long story short…my neighbors came to my rescue with a ladder, and a younger, lighter lady climbed in through my one open window to unlock the door from the inside.  Thank goodness I had one window open during this cool day.  So something that could have been a really big problem turned out to be a little adventure for folks to remember.  I know I’ll be checking the locks on the door from now on after I vacuum.  You learn something new everyday. 

Once the drama of the goldfinches was over, a white-breasted nuthatch was able to come in to the feeder.  These are my kind of birds.  They only take one seed at a time, and then go off to find a place to crack it open.  I’ve filled both feeders to the brim since I’ll be gone for several days, but I’m sure between the birds and the squirrels they’ll both be empty by the time I return.  That’s okay since when I get back I’ll just pack up the feeders before I head on down the road.

I appreciate your putting up with my anthropomorphism (giving human characteristics to non-human animals) with the goldfinches.  Sometimes, I just can’t help myself…

Thanks for stopping by…talk to you later,  Judy

A last visit to Belt’s house for this summer?

Robyn and the grandgirls arrived at the rig this morning in preparation for one last hot dog cookout for lunch.  However, it rained cats and dogs last night, so my remaining firewood was soaked.  So, we made lunch inside today.  Like all little kids, the girls love to go inside the rig where there are so many interesting buttons right at their height, and Emma’s toys to play with as well.  Things are downsized in a motorhome, so the bathroom sink is also an attraction since Grandma has a little stepstool, and I use bar soap which seems to be an attraction.

Before it was time to eat, we had to make a trip down to the pond.  This time we never made it to the water.  All that nice Indiana sand was just waiting to be played with.  Phoebe also decided she liked crunching on it.  Yuck!  She’s just like her mother.  When Robyn was little, she used to chew on rocks that we got out of our vegetable garden in NY.

Avery caught on right away on how to draw a face in the sand.  She has always been a girl that likes to get down into sand and dirt and play away.  That’s nice to see in a girl in my opinion.  We also walked to a little playground in the campground.  As usual, we were the only ones walking.  Everyone else was cruising around in golf carts.  I think this has been the busiest weekend here all summer, so we had to really watch out as we walked the roads.  Not all of the drivers were of an age to be licensed. 

As I took Emma out this morning for our constitutional, I heard a loud snapping noise behind one of the trailers where the folks weren’t visiting this weekend.  As I got closer, I could see big flashes or sparks of electricity coming out near the electric pedestal.  I went closer to take a look, but it sure wasn’t anything I felt qualified to deal with.  I went to find help, and it was finally taken care of.  I just had visions of that trailer going up in smoke!

After we had our microwaved hotdogs for lunch, , the girls continued to play outside.  That storm last night kicked out the hot weather and humidity so that today was just a gorgeous day to be outside.

Over the summer, Avery has made good friends with ‘Emma the gog’, and I’m pleased to see that Emma is able to calm down enough after a while to reciprocate.  This will probably be the end to my pictures of the grandgirls for another year.  I’m sure they’ll be so much bigger next summer when I stop by for a visit, but the road is calling and it’s time to move on.

I leave you tonight with a picture of Belt and Buckle taking Emma for a walk. (or vice versa)  I just love the way Phoebe hangs onto my index finger as we walk. 

                                                                            THE END!!!

Thanks for stopping by… talk to you later,  Judy

One last summer heat wave?

Upper 90’s for today and tomorrow.  Ugh!  It’s been a pretty sluggish week for me.  Nothing planned, and today I spent just about all day inside with the AC.  I’ve recuperated from my minor physical ailment of  earlier in the week, but just haven’t been inspired to do much of anything.  I guess I’m just marking time until I can hit the road again, and will stay pretty hunkered down for the holiday weekend. 

I decided to include a few pics from the past to help me stay cool tonight.  This is Mt. Rainier in Washington.(2006)

I have been accomplishing a few things on the computer and on the phone.  Couldn’t get an eye doctor appointment in MN for my brief stay there.  The doctor isn’t in on the day I have available.  That didn’t surprise me, but I thought I’d check anyway.  I’ll find a place in Texas to get that chore done.

After the storm on the Admiralty Inlet at Fort Flagler State Park, WA.  (2006)  What a view I had out my front windshield for a month.

I don’t often make campground reservations, but I did yesterday.  Once the business in MN is taken care of, I plan to mosey down to Rend Lake in southern Illinois.  I’ll be staying six nights at a Corps of Engineer (COE) campground.  I wanted to be sure I’d have a nice long site to back into, and the lake will be right behind the rig.  The cost for six nights with 50 amps is $48.  Figured it was time to once again take advantage of my old fart pass.  While I’m there, I want to spend some time exploring Crab Orchard National Wildlife Refuge that is about 30 miles away.

                                                         Rocky Mountain National Park. (2010)

I’m also somewhat of a sucker for those biggest ______ things.  I saw the world’s biggest sausage in Canada on my way to Alaska, and have found several more of these oddities in my travels.  There appears to be a couple more of these world’s biggest items in the area surrounding Rend Lake.  They just kind of make me chuckle.

                                                     Rocky Mountain National Park. (2010)

I’ve kind of rambled on tonight, but as I said at the beginning, it’s been a rather uneventful week so far.  Maybe I could get excited about getting my hair cut tomorrow?

Thanks for stopping by… talk to you later,  Judy