Trip Across USA

After an interesting summer in MA, 9/21 we left Pine Acres Resort. The first leg would be thru CT, NY, PA & OH to Marion, IN. Taking our time, we stayed multiple nights at some RV parks. While in Wapakoneta, OH, we met friends Bea & Charlie in Findley for lunch and a great visit. Last time we had seen them was '08 at the Class Reunion.

In Marion, we had the pleasure of seeing our granddaughter Melissa get married on Oct 1! What a Great week it was. All our kids, most of our grandchildren and great grandchildren, brother, sisters, and other extended family were there. Since we parked our rig right in front of the house, we had a ringside seat of all that went on. The beautiful wedding went off without a hitch, and the chance to visit the next day with those that stayed was super. Cindy & Joe, you should be proud of how the week went!

Oct 7 we headed to TN where we spent a few days just off the Natchaz Trace, relaxing and exploring the area. I should mention at this time, most of our trip thru PA, OH, IN, KY & TN, we kept hearing how dry it had been. Fall colors were disappointing, lawns were brown and when we saw farmers working their fields, huge clouds of dust were in the air.

On to TX to Deb & John's. Seeing Jason, Sara, & Cami who didn't make the wedding was fun. Soccer games, watching football, cheering on the Rangers, a 50th birthday party all made our stay fun & too short.

Then headed to Vegas. The horse was on the way to the barn, we covered 1230 miles in 3 days. Too many, but no problems. Found out morning of the 3rd day that the new bridge at Hoover Dam had just opened, so saved miles & time. Actually pretty disappointing, sides are so high we couldn't see the dam, even though we were in the truck. And we had no view of the river from the roadway as we approached the bridge, no sense of how high we were. The towers & suspension cables are all gone, just a flat bridge roadway.

We are doing Dr appointments, having trailer serviced, etc. Expect to be back on the road soon, stay tuned.

The Good, The Bad, & The Ugly

One of my all-time favorite movies, and with out question - my favorite music!

Ever wonder how they did the music? Some of you are too young to remember this 60s Classic, but seeing them do the music - Wow!

This is fantastic. Who needs all that techie stuff?

Long Over-Due Update

The following is from the letter I sent last week to UMass Hospital in Worcester, MA. It will give all a sense of what Laura & I went thru over the past month.

Around Midnight on July 18th, I went to the ER at Memorial Hospital. I had numbness/tingling feelings in my right face, arm & hand. Blood work, chest x-ray and CAT scan were done. Around 3:00 the nurse came in, said I was going to be admitted, then at 3:30, said I was going home. "Info on your diagnosis is being printed out, call your personal physician in the morning".

The doctor never came back to see me, the diagnosis was "Meralgia Paresthetica". Upon reading the info, MP symptoms are in the thighs, my symptoms were face & arm/hand.

Around Noon the next day, the 19th, I went to the ER at UMass, told them what had happened. Several tests were done, including another CAT scan, and finally about Midnight, an MRI disclosed I had suffered a stroke.

I was lucky, a mild stroke. After 2 days at UMass and 9 days at Fairlawn Rehab, I am walking normally, but still have numbness on the right side of my body. And have no touch sensation in my right hand.

The reason for this letter is to encourage UMass to address the following issues:
1. I entered the ER with classic stroke symptoms, but was diagnosed with MP
2. The doctor never came back to see me, left it to a nurse to print out the info.
3. After returning to the hospital, still took 12 hours to do an MRI which disclosed the stroke. During that 12 hours, the numbness did start moving down into my right leg.

This is basically what happened. I did have a couple of weeks of out-patient rehab, but have been released to return to work. I can print, but cannot control my right hand to write. If you have any questions, feel free to call me, my phone works just fine!

So now what? We will be leaving Mass the 21st, going to Indiana for Granddaughter Melissa's wedding, then probably to Vegas to see our regular doctors. And then....No Work. Time to visit the SW parks & visit with the many friends we have made over the past few years. So let us know your itinerary so we can make plans to meet! Hope to see many of you soon!

This Just Might Work!

Let's put Seniors in jail, and the criminals in a nursing home!

This way, "we" seniors would have access to showers, hobbies, and walks, receive unlimited free prescriptions, dental and medical treatment, wheel chairs, etc.

They would have constant video monitoring, so they could be helped instantly, if they fell, or needed assistance. Bedding would be washed twice a week, and all clothing would be ironed and returned.

A guard would check on them every 20 minutes, and bring meals and snacks to their cell. They would have family visits in a suite built for that purpose.

They would have access to a library, weight room, spiritual counselling, pool, and education, simple clothing, shoes, slippers, PJ's and legal aid would be free, on request.

Private, secure rooms for all, with an exercise outdoor yard, with gardens.

Each senior could have a PC, TV, radio, and daily phone calls

There would be a board of directors, to hear complaints, and the guards/nurses would have a code of conduct that would be strictly adhered to.

The "criminals", on the other hand, would get cold food, be left all alone, and unsupervised. Lights off at 8pm, and showers once a week.

Live in a tiny room, and pay $5000 per month, and have little hope of ever getting out.

Hmmmmmm, kinda' makes you stop and think, doesn't it?

Grizzly Adams, Clara Barton

This posting is for my sister, Janet.

Do you remember "The Life and Times of Grizzly Adams", a 1972 novel, a 1974 film, and the NBC TV series? Do you know about the "real" Grizzly Adams?

Born in Medway, MA, Adams spent many years in the mountain ranges of the U.S. west (mainly CA) living around animals and sometimes capturing them for zoos. His famous companion was a bear named "Ben" (short for Benjamin Franklin), who died in a zoo that Adams opened in San Francisco in the late 1850s. Adams died while on tour with P.T. Barnum in 1860. He was buried in nearby Charlton, MA, his tombstone paid for by P.T. Barnum.

Also in nearby North Oxford is the Clara Barton Birthplace Museum, operated as part of the Barton Center for Diabetes Education, a humantarian project established in her honor to educate and support children with diabetes and their families.

Clara Barton was known as the "angel of the battlefield" during the Civil War, and is best remembered for organizing the American Red Cross, and serving as it's first President.

Maine Lobster

So it was time to go to Maine, and visit friends Rick & Pam. The drive up was very nice, but much like Michigan, all you see is trees! They are only about 3 miles from the ocean, just south of Portland, ME.

While there, we drove out to Old Orchard Beach, which has the amusement park, beach, and pier out into the ocean.

At a nearby Chocolate store, Laura met a new friend!

And, of course, there was the "Lobstah" dinner! 2 lobsters & all the fixings for $21.99. Yes, we split the meal - Hmmm, good.

Eating Across Texas

One thing you find out as you travel the USA, you just never know where you will find a good place to eat. On our trip East, after going through El Paso on Sunday, we needed some lunch. Not much in that part of Texas, we pulled into Sierra Blanca, a small town that had seen better days, many boarded up buildings. On the far edge of town (actually had to turn around at that point), we see Michael's. Doesn't look like much, but Oh, the Food was GOOD.

The next day, as we approached Big Spring, TX, saw a billboard for "Hog Heaven BBQ House". Ok, we are hungry, and like BBQ. Again, doesn't look like much, but BUSY. The BBQ brisket is to die for - so tender & tasty. Turns out they have a Party Barn across the street & do catering. So we can recommend either place for any one traveling on 10 or 20 in Texas.

Oh, and as a little add-on, here is a picture of Rich & Leslie, as they set off on Leslie's first ride on the motorcycle!