Monday, April 18th, 2016

St. Thomas to visit Jim and Marylee -  always love this visit!  I arrived a day and stayed until Thursday.  They're just so very welcoming and relaxed - lots of chats and peaceful times - and visits to the secondhand stores in town. I bought a bag full of crocheted shapes - mainly granny squares and some oblong - with the intention of crocheting them together and making an afghan.  Could be fun! Forgot to take any photos here - got to remember to do that next time!

Saturday, April 16th, 2016

Saturday I drove on to Frankenmuth, Michigan, to the Jellystone Park Camp Resort. I've been here before - expensive, but a nice place to stay just before crossing the border at Port Huron. Got an email from Robert, saying that Russ's family were not going to have a funeral or a memorial service (Russ' wishes), but that the choir might be doing something at a service later on - so need to hurry back to Ottawa. I stayed put nfor three days in in the end, swimming in the outdoor pool and lying in the sun - pretty awesome!!

April 14th - 16th, 2016

I set up at the Johnny Appleseed Campground in Fort Wayne, Indiana, just a stone's throw from the Allen County Coliseum where the Vera Bradley Outlet Sale is held every year!  On Friday, I walked the three minute path to the Coliseum, where I stood in line for about twenty minutes before entering the hallowed halls!  What an absolute madhouse!!  This may be the last time I go to this sale - sooo crowded and noisy - hard to even move around!  I looked for the things Dora wanted, but none of the stuff that was on sale last year seemed to be on sale this year - very disappointing!  I spent all of her money, but only bought four things.  Oh well, I texted her about it and she seemed to be okay with it - hope she likes the stuff I bought!

The Coliseum from my site.

My stash!

Wednesday, April 13th, 2016

Amishville, U.S.A. - yes, that's actually the name of this RV park near Geneva, Indiana! On the way to the camp, I passed an Amish school - it was clearly recess time, and there were lots of blue-dressed, white-bonneted girls and brown-panted, white-shirted boys with traditional hats playing in the yard! Had a great chat with the lady at the cash, who gave me lots of info about the park: it was originally an Amish farm, and the man had died and the women turned it into an RV  park.  That didn't work out - they moved away and sold the property to the current owners, who are not Amish.  The area is full of Amish folk, and I had intended to spend a day exploring, but got an email from Robert to the choir, saying that Russ Bailey had died.  No mention of a funeral date, but I was close enough to be able to make it back in time, hopefully, so I left the next day, after going online and registering for a Friday session at the Vera Bradley sale, instead of Saturday or Sunday, which I had originally registered for.

Tuesday, April 12th, 2016

Stopped for the night near Bedford, Indiana,l at the Free Spirit Campground - more because of the name than any other reason!  Nice little park, trees everywhere, sites tucked in amongst them - also a Passport America campground, so the cost was $12.50 for the night - pretty sweet! Beautiful spot -  not many people around - great for one night in the middle of a forested area.

April 10th - 12th

On to Memphis, Tennessee:  Tom Sawyer's Mississippi River RV Park!  Living up to its name, this park is right on the bank of the Mississippi River - barges and all. Beautiful, beautiful spot - lots of wind, fair amount of rain - and visions of Huck Finn poling his raft along the river.  This is definitely on the short list I'm acquiring of places to stop at again sometime!

April 9, 2016

Once more on the ferry to the Bolivar Peninsula - leaving my winter  home behind! The ferry is always an opportunity to check out the state of my roof without having to actually climb up there . . .
First stopping place -|Courtney's RV Park in Baton Rouge, where I was directed to the front yard of a house (instead of a real RV site, as was illustrated online) and charged twice the price listed on YELP.  Interesting - this "park" now hits the top of my "never go there again" list!