Hello from Mulberry Grove, Ill

YES – we are on the road finally.

But to degress…yesterday after the mighty clap of thunder the weather cleared for a while. But then later in the evening it went to pot again. A shot from the TV. We were under a tornado watch for about a half hour. We are just about where the yellow arrow [that’s as good as I could make one] touches the red box. 

But all we ended up getting was some more rain.

Got up early this morning and finished loading the Alfa with the last of the stuff from the refrigerator and the electronics. And it was just getting light out – too many trees here to see the lunar eclipse darn it. So we went out to breakfast at one of the very local restaurants. Always good food, service and people. Brownie’s in Bean Blossom. Came home and Bill took a short nap. I went out in the Alfa and tried to remember where everything plugged in – MiFi, phones, laptop etc.

Around 10:15 we left. But not without some Oh Oh moments. Funny how when you’re not following a routine it is easy to forget things – like unplugging the RV from the house. OOPS. And there they go with me following closely behind.

We hook the car once we’re out of the hills. Then on through our little town. Great there was a truck parked in half of our lane. The cars decided to wait until we were past.

Just some of the pretty fall colors we went through.

Talk about a beautiful day. Just perfect for traveling. Mid 70 range temperatures and humidity at a low 24% - enjoying it while we can. Another typical Indiana scene. Big white farm house, colorful trees and lots of corn.

We took a different road to the interstate this time. Lots of big truck traffic on it – and it was a narrow road. Also got stopped for about 10 minutes in a repaving zone.

Through the little town of Cloverdale – I tried to find out how old it is but could only find out the size – little and the population – not many.

Then on to the I-70 and all of a sudden we saw this!

Kind of unnerving until we realized the truck cab was being towed! Whew. I was glad to get away from him when we pulled off to get diesel at $3.45 a gallon at a Pilot in Brazil, IN. 30 cents a gallon cheaper than in Illinois.

Pretty soon we passed another town sign - this one for Paris. Wow Brazil and Paris in one day – are we one of the Jet Set now?

More fall colors – very pretty area.

And these trees out in the middle of a lot of water. All that rain we’ve been having is doing some flooding.

On into Illinois. Don’t I take this picture every year?

We stopped in a campground we go to every year too – in Mulberry Grove. We know the sites are level and there are no trees so we can get our Direct TV up and running again. Always have to call them to get the box activated again after it is not used all summer. Also the campground has a good internet and 50 amps. It’s called Cedarbrook RV and is easy to get to at exit 52 off the I-70.

With all the construction on the Interstate –it was slow going - took us almost five hours to go 200 miles. We kind of plan on going on tomorrow BUT the weather is starting to look iffy – if it is raining in front of us we’ll stay and wait it out. We’re not in a hurry to get anywhere. 

What a lovely day! NOT!

Another day and MORE rain. We both had restless and awake a lot last night. We always are when we are planning on leaving. But got up to rain with the forecast of more rain all day. Not fun to drive in that. (This was taken around noon) just before all he!! broke loose. 

So...back to bed went the driver and I’m playing around on the computer thinking about going back to sleep. Almost everything is in the Alfa - just a basic few things still in the house. There are plastic bags sitting all over the kitchen counter with “last minute” things in them. i.e. coffee, tea, favorite frying pans, sugar, nooks, toothpaste - well you get the idea. Just have to remember if we take something out of a bag to put it back in the bag not the cupboard. 

Also need to hand wash any dishes we dirty - horrors! Instead of putting them in the dishwasher. And don’t put any dirty clothes in the hamper - they will have to go in the Alfa. Stupid little things but important to remember.

I don’t think I remember a year where the Midwest has had so much rain. Everyone’s grass is still really green and growing. The only blue sky today - took this on the way home from town. 

To waste some time today we went into Columbus for breakfast after I wrote the first part of this. Then to buy some fluorescent lights for the Alfa - cheaper at Menards then Camping World. Then we stopped at Verizon to see if it would be economical to up our allotted GBs per month. For the last four or five months we’ve been going over them and having to pay quite a bit extra. Well of course it would be cheaper to take advantage of their “More Everything” plan. With the MiFi and both phones we could get 10 MORE GBs a month and it would cost us less than the last couple month’s bill. BUT here is where it gets tricky - how would we like to add a tablet to that - only $50 with a $100 rebate - how could we resist. And it would be part of our new package. So right now Bill is playing with it. Just what we need - neither one of us can figure out our phones -

Whoa - loud and close thunder. Made me jump. Sure glad we aren’t on the road. And even closer lightening and thunder - in fact so close it knocked one of the mirrored doors off the medicine cabinet in the upstairs bathroom. And shook a towel rack off the wall. Of course the medicine cabinet mirror BROKE! 

I REALLY HATE THAT UPSTAIRS BATHROOM. I'm beginning to think a nasty spirit lives in there. (Maybe it's pissed because I never did get the trim painted.)

Fall got here!

Wow! Fall has arrived with a furry. Very cold weather, I was surprised there wasn’t any frost on the ground this morning. Got below 40 overnight. With lots of wind and some heavy rain. Some of the trees have already lost most of their pretty leaves. Our driveway is covered with leaves, acorns, and twigs.

Can hardly see the gravel. High today will be mid 50s. With more rain on the way. And another cold night. 

Glad I got these pictures when I did.

With all the wind and humidity and cold yesterday it wasn’t a good day for Bill. Either that or he didn’t want to do any work in the Alfa.

Today he’s much better though. We went into town this morning for breakfast and some shopping. We keep remembering things we want to have with us. I HAD to get my Jelly Bellys from Sam’s Club and my BIG bag of M & Ms. Can’t leave home without them.

Have most of what we can preload done - I cleaned the refrigerator real good and put all the stuff still in there in bags - partly to keep the shelves clean and partly to make it easier when go time comes. Looks kind of funny to open the refrig door and see a bunch of plastic bags sitting around in there.

Another sports on TV day today. Watched the soccer game when we got home and now I’m waiting for the Nationwide race to start.

Our little town was full of tourists when we came home from shopping. In fact a couple of the streets were blocked off for an event. When there are only five streets it makes it an adventure to get home when two of them are closed. And everyone with a little space around their home has out a Park Here $3 sign stuck in their front yard. Even the field five blocks from the main intersection had cars in it. $3.

One of the outlying farmer’s markets places had their annual event - grinding sorghum with a horse. Lots of people stopping to watch. 

No meds - no glasses - oh my!

Another week and another month gone already. And all our sagas continue.

Guess I’m not getting new glasses this year. After returning them to get the lenses changed they still aren’t right. Everyone finally decided the prescription was wrong - as there was NO correction for reading! - Too late now to go back to optometrist - and I don’t like or trust her anyway. So will continue to use my old pair. Good thing I can see with them.

Also still arguing with the pharmacy about Bill’s meds. We are supposed to be able to pick them up Monday the 6th - one refill and one vacation override refill - which will give him enough until we get home in the spring. I’ll believe it when we have them in our hands. The years add so much more fun to ones life.

Our friend who is going to be living in the house over the winter will get here over the weekend. She’s been living in Alaska all summer. So the timing is perfect.

Weather has been nice - in mid to high 70s with low humidity so Bill has felt pretty good. The leaves are getting really pretty, but lots of them are already on the ground. And now that it is time to get serious about loading the Alfa it is supposed to start raining tonight and continue through the weekend. Thank goodness we have a lot out there already. About all that’s left is food or stuff we are using daily.

Not sure where our travels will take us this year. All we know for sure is we are heading southwest. Kind of - First day we’ll stop in Mulberry Grove, IL then next stop will be in Cuba, MO. We will spend some time in Las Vegas visiting kids and friends. And after that we don’t know. Maybe Mexico, maybe not.