We left Livingston at 5:15 a.m. on Thursday. Thursday was our day off before our regularly scheduled departure day of Friday but we figured since we were all packed up and ready we might as well leave. We spent Thursday night near Meridian, Mississippi after driving north out of Texas and across Louisiana. On Friday morning we didn’t get up as early so I guess we got on the road around 9. We decided that we wanted to cover more ground on Friday so that we could get to Durham, by Saturday evening, where our friends Cindy and Wendy will meet us. We had originally planned on meeting them Sunday morning but since Linda wants to get some time in with her daughters and grandson in Virginia Beach (while I am in Urbanna), we decided to step things up a bit. We put in 12 hours of driving and stopped for the night just short of the North Carolina border, in South Carolina.
Our first day, just as we crossed over into Louisiana and pulled onto 20 east….a pickup truck with two guys in it pulled up along side of us and said that the straps on our motorcycle were coming undone so we pulled over. They also stopped and while the bike hadn’t loosened, what they were seeing was the bounce and give in the straps when we would go over bumps. We snugged it up a bit and got ready to pull back on the highway. Just as we did a brake warning light, on the control panel came on with a loud, constant beeping. We checked our hand brake and it wasn’t on….nothing seemed out of the ordinary. Linda got the GMC manual out and looked it up but the causes didn’t seem to fit. Next she flipped to the part of the manual where it lists all the dealers nationwide who can do service on it. She found one in Shreveport, LA….a town we were just a few minutes shy of reaching. She called them and they said to bring it on by and they would take care of it. Seems there has been a problem with the relays on the brake alarm so the mechanic had to reset something and it was as good as new. In 30 minutes or less we were back on the road.
The terrain has been flat up until we reached the eastern side of Georgia and then we started seeing some rolling hills. Once in North Carolina, we started seeing changes to foliage like we would see this time of year in Pa…just not as dramatic. Funny how much attention some states give to their rest stops while others are pretty disgusting. In Texas, a common site is to see cracked windshields on the cars. We were told that this is due to people rolling the windows up too tight and on the hot days it makes the windshields crack. You would think that after this happened to you once that you’d remember to leave them down a tiny bit but from the number of vehicles we saw on the roads with cracked windshields, it doesn’t seem to sink in.
We arrived in the Durham area around 12:20 p.m. and pulled off in a Petro truck stop. The parking lot is huge, with room for over 100 trucks. We pulled to the far left side, off the asphalt on the berm area, under a lamp post. Here we can put all the slides out so our friends can see the rig. Proper RV’ing etiquette is that you shouldn’t look like you are camping when you “blacktop boondock”. You shouldn’t put out the awning, get out the grill (probably would have a hundred hungry truckers show up at your doorstep if you did) or get the patio furniture out. We will put our slides back in once we’ve shown the rig to the girls. We put the slide out where the dog crates are so they have room to sleep at night but we always position the truck so that the slide is not in the way of any traffic (put it over the berm side of parking lot).
Tomorrow it’s on to Urbanna, Virginia. Should only take us about 4 hours to get there.
Sunday, October 28, 2007
For Dad..
It’s 8:35, on Friday, and we’re still driving. There’s a full moon overhead and we’re on our way through South Carolina, trying to make our way to the North Carolina border before we stop for the night. We had a long delay (that we hadn’t counted on) getting around Atlanta. It took 1.75 hours to get through the city and beyond. Ugh !! On top of that, we had stopped at 2:30 for some lunch and I had drank a 32 oz. beverage. My teeth were floating by the time we got to the other side of Atlanta at 6:00 p.m. and I had carefully calculated, from our “Next Exit” book that we only had to go 9 miles out of town to hit the first rest stop. Alas, when we got there it was closed and the next one was 49 MORE miles. Those were the longest 49 miles I’ve had to endure in a really long time !
Well, tomorrow will be October 27th. Always a pensive day for me and maybe a little more so this year. It will be 20 years tomorrow that dad died so I thought I’d write a blog entry for him. He’d like that or actually he’d probably say something like “What’d you go and do a thing like that for ?”Dad loved to travel….didn’t do much of it and would have probably done way more but such is not the life of a farmer. He did have the honor of traveling to Europe in 1968 to represent US farmers in meeting with their farmers on how we do things over here. He became lifelong friends with the small group that he traveled with and they would have “reunions” every so often and I’m sure there was a lot of reminiscing that went on at those functions. He was such a hard working guy…milking cows early each morning, then bathing and going work at his “regular job” as a carpet installer…then getting home at supper time and milking the cows again. Along with that came all the farm chores of putting hay up in the summer, planting crops, etc. When I purchased the building for my bakery business dad was right there to remodel and get it set up for my business. He was so talented too whether it be in carpentry (built all of his own hay wagons) or in fixing his farm machinery.
Memories of dad….the maddest I ever got him was when I sassed mom about something and he cut a “switch” from a bush near the house. Today that would be grounds for calling child services but I’m sure I deserved whatever I had coming cause my dad never got mad like that. I imagine it would have hurt to, IF he had caught me. But my feet must have sprouted wings as we went round and round the car in the driveway, always staying out of arms reach of him. Whew ! That was a really close call and one where I must have learned my lesson cause it never happened again.
More pleasant memories are of being carried up to bed, as a child, after going to Elmira for dinner out. Seems when my brother and I were little the big thing was for my mom, dad and us to go out to eat on the weekends and back then the choices were either Red Barn or Curly’s, in Elmira, NY. It was fun except that I would get horribly car sick in those days and when you’re traveling 25 miles, in the dark….in the back seat….AFTER having had a carton of milk with your meal….well, the trip home was NOT a pleasant one for me. Sometimes I’d be lucky and fall asleep. When we’d arrive home my dad wouldn’t disturb me but would scoop me up in his arms and carry me upstairs to my bed…Sometimes I’d wake up a little while he was carrying me but I would fake being a sleep so I would get the ride.
It’s World Series time….a favorite one for dad. He loved to watch the World Series…can’t remember who his favorite team was but remember mom hollering at him to go to bed, since he usually fell asleep in his chair watching the games. He put in really long days and who wouldn’t sleep once you got to sit down in a nice comfy chair.
Dad also had a great relationship with our farm dogs. I always remember us having collies, while I was growing up, and dad had at least one of them trained to round up the cows. The dog spent the night sleeping on the back porch and when dad would come outside, he’d clap his hands together, point to the field and the dog was off like a shot. Our barn sat on the opposite side of the road from the house so the dog crossed the road, went out in the pasture behind the barn and would circle the cows and bring them to the back door. With whistles and hand pointing, the dog knew precisely what dad wanted it to do and by nipping at the cows heels, he would make them mosey along a little faster than they might otherwise come. It was great fun to watch as a youngster as dog and man worked in unison.
These are just a few of my memories of my dad….he was the strong, quiet type. Never a bad thing to say about anyone. Loved to whistle, clog, polka, sing (not all simultaneously mind you) and was just an all around GREAT guy ! Here’s to you dad….looks like the Red Sox are gonna take the World Series this year.
Tuesday, October 23, 2007
Getting Ready to Leave....
Today was sunny, temps in the 60's but very windy. This worked in our favor since we needed to dry out our outside patio mat from the torrential rains we had on Sunday and the drizzle on Monday.The items, I ordered from Camping World, arrived so I flushed out the hot water tank today and installed an anode rod to attract mineral deposits and protect the inside of the hot water tank. We packed up most of our outside items and have just a few things to do yet before we head out early Thursday morning. Tomorrow will be our last day of work at the Care Center...This morning Leroy and Bonnie, another volunteer couple, headed out. Over the course of the next week to ten days more volunteers will be leaving.
Our next stop, once we leave on Thursday, will be to head towards Virginia. We need to arrive there on Sunday. On our way up through North Carolina we'll stop and see some friends of ours, in Durham, that we met at the Life on Wheels conference in Bethlehem, PA.
Tomorrow we'll go get some groceries and finish packing for our early morning departure. It might be a week or so before I get to post anything new to our blog but once we get to Virginia I'll try to put a new entry put on. See you next week !
Our next stop, once we leave on Thursday, will be to head towards Virginia. We need to arrive there on Sunday. On our way up through North Carolina we'll stop and see some friends of ours, in Durham, that we met at the Life on Wheels conference in Bethlehem, PA.
Tomorrow we'll go get some groceries and finish packing for our early morning departure. It might be a week or so before I get to post anything new to our blog but once we get to Virginia I'll try to put a new entry put on. See you next week !
Can We Imagine a World without problems?
I picked up an interesting book on Saturday, from the Care Center library and read it over the weekend. The book is “What God Wants” by Neale Donald Walsch. It was very interesting reading and here is some of what was discussed.
Robert Fulghum says in one of his books “ If we look both ways before crossing, if we learn to share, if we hold hands and keep track of each other, if we walk and don’t run, if we quit pushing and say we’re sorry when we do, if we clean up our messes, and if we stop fighting with our brothers and sisters” – we’ll get to grow up. But we haven’t done so. In all the millions of years of evolution, we are still in our infancy and haven’t grown up.
“Did you notice that the theology represented by our traditional teachings is a theology of separation ? Theology produces sociology. A theology of separation produces sociology of separation. Now it’s true that in spite of our sociology of separation, we have made some remarkable achievements. Human beings can split the atom, create a cure for disease, send a man to the moon and crack the genetic code of life itself. Yet sadly, many people – perhaps the largest number – cannot do the simplest thing…… Get along.”
“Violence exists at all levels. Allowing people to go hungry is a form of violence. Placing life saving drugs and the finest medical care out of reach of millions is a form of violence. Underpaying laborers while taking huge front office profits is a form of violence. Mistreating, underpaying, denying promotions to and mutilating females is a form of violence. Racial prejudice is a form of violence. Child abuse, child labor, child slavery, child prostitution, child trafficking and child soldiering is a form of violence. Denying civil rights because of someone’s sexual preference or their religion or their ethnicity is a form of violence”. You get the point.
“Only such a culture of separation could justify a world in which the income of the richest 225 people is equal to the income of three billion poor people. Three billion ! That is half the world’s population.” And we wonder why there is so much unrest in the world today. We don’t see that we are all in this together…we don’t see that we ARE ALL ONE. We “separate” ourselves from our fellow man and don’t recognize that the world’s problems belong to each and every one of us. We feel that OUR religion is the “correct” religion and that our God is the “correct” one…..we force a huge wall of separation between ourselves. And today’s society feeds these beliefs of separation and thus the unrest grows. We kill in the name of God…We invade other countries in the name of God…But is that what God wants ?…of course not.
“When it comes to its most sacred beliefs, our society will not tolerate new ideas that violate doctrine – or even question it. Thus we are trying to build a twenty-first century reality with first-century moral, ethical and spiritual tools. This would be akin to a surgeon stepping into a modern day operating room with a very sharp stone”.
“In May of 2004, a scientific study was done by Harris Interactive and the results showed that 69% of adult Americans believe religious differences are the biggest hurdle to achieving global peace.” According to these survey results, the majority of Americans know that a problem exists and that our beliefs need to change….We can no longer separate ourselves from everyone else. We are all one and there is one God….When we start to understand and apply that belief, then an amazing transformation will occur. Until that happens the chasm will widen and the problems will grow. If we do not stop the division, our civilization is doomed. We need to do as we were taught as a child, and look out for one another and then perhaps we will grow up.
“Evolution is an upward journey, not a downward spiral.”
www.nealedonaldwalsch.com
Robert Fulghum says in one of his books “ If we look both ways before crossing, if we learn to share, if we hold hands and keep track of each other, if we walk and don’t run, if we quit pushing and say we’re sorry when we do, if we clean up our messes, and if we stop fighting with our brothers and sisters” – we’ll get to grow up. But we haven’t done so. In all the millions of years of evolution, we are still in our infancy and haven’t grown up.
“Did you notice that the theology represented by our traditional teachings is a theology of separation ? Theology produces sociology. A theology of separation produces sociology of separation. Now it’s true that in spite of our sociology of separation, we have made some remarkable achievements. Human beings can split the atom, create a cure for disease, send a man to the moon and crack the genetic code of life itself. Yet sadly, many people – perhaps the largest number – cannot do the simplest thing…… Get along.”
“Violence exists at all levels. Allowing people to go hungry is a form of violence. Placing life saving drugs and the finest medical care out of reach of millions is a form of violence. Underpaying laborers while taking huge front office profits is a form of violence. Mistreating, underpaying, denying promotions to and mutilating females is a form of violence. Racial prejudice is a form of violence. Child abuse, child labor, child slavery, child prostitution, child trafficking and child soldiering is a form of violence. Denying civil rights because of someone’s sexual preference or their religion or their ethnicity is a form of violence”. You get the point.
“Only such a culture of separation could justify a world in which the income of the richest 225 people is equal to the income of three billion poor people. Three billion ! That is half the world’s population.” And we wonder why there is so much unrest in the world today. We don’t see that we are all in this together…we don’t see that we ARE ALL ONE. We “separate” ourselves from our fellow man and don’t recognize that the world’s problems belong to each and every one of us. We feel that OUR religion is the “correct” religion and that our God is the “correct” one…..we force a huge wall of separation between ourselves. And today’s society feeds these beliefs of separation and thus the unrest grows. We kill in the name of God…We invade other countries in the name of God…But is that what God wants ?…of course not.
“When it comes to its most sacred beliefs, our society will not tolerate new ideas that violate doctrine – or even question it. Thus we are trying to build a twenty-first century reality with first-century moral, ethical and spiritual tools. This would be akin to a surgeon stepping into a modern day operating room with a very sharp stone”.
“In May of 2004, a scientific study was done by Harris Interactive and the results showed that 69% of adult Americans believe religious differences are the biggest hurdle to achieving global peace.” According to these survey results, the majority of Americans know that a problem exists and that our beliefs need to change….We can no longer separate ourselves from everyone else. We are all one and there is one God….When we start to understand and apply that belief, then an amazing transformation will occur. Until that happens the chasm will widen and the problems will grow. If we do not stop the division, our civilization is doomed. We need to do as we were taught as a child, and look out for one another and then perhaps we will grow up.
“Evolution is an upward journey, not a downward spiral.”
www.nealedonaldwalsch.com
Sunday, October 21, 2007
Bizarre
This news story comes from RV travel:
Last week we reported on an accident involved a "fly-away" RV awning that killed a passing motorist. Now comes word of another bizarre incident, and again it comes from a website by personal injury lawyers seeking creative ways about how to drum up business.
This time, the report is about a flying refrigerator -- sent airborne from a motorhome after it veered off a Washington state freeway, down an embankment and into a tree. Upon impact, the portable refrigerator was ejected from the RV and hit a 58-year old bicyclist who was picking mushrooms.
A woman who was walking inside the RV at the time of the crash was critically injured. She, the driver and the mushroom-picking bicyclist were all rushed to the hospital.
The lawyer writing about incident advises his peers that "both the man who was hit by the refrigerator and the passenger in the RV likely have claims against the driver. Just like failing to wear a seatbelt doesn't preclude a person from making a personal injury claim, the fact that the passenger was reportedly walking around inside the RV while it was in motion does not prevent her from bringing a claim."
Last week we reported on an accident involved a "fly-away" RV awning that killed a passing motorist. Now comes word of another bizarre incident, and again it comes from a website by personal injury lawyers seeking creative ways about how to drum up business.
This time, the report is about a flying refrigerator -- sent airborne from a motorhome after it veered off a Washington state freeway, down an embankment and into a tree. Upon impact, the portable refrigerator was ejected from the RV and hit a 58-year old bicyclist who was picking mushrooms.
A woman who was walking inside the RV at the time of the crash was critically injured. She, the driver and the mushroom-picking bicyclist were all rushed to the hospital.
The lawyer writing about incident advises his peers that "both the man who was hit by the refrigerator and the passenger in the RV likely have claims against the driver. Just like failing to wear a seatbelt doesn't preclude a person from making a personal injury claim, the fact that the passenger was reportedly walking around inside the RV while it was in motion does not prevent her from bringing a claim."
What I've learned...
We only have four days to go until we leave Livingston. It has been a long two months in some regards but we’ve met many wonderful people here that have made an impact on us that we’ll carry with us for the rest of our lives. Since this was our first volunteer assignment of what we hope will be many more (whether right away or years from now), here are the things I’ve learned.
I’ve learned:
• That two months is too long to stay in one spot if we work only part time hours and our “work” doesn’t keep us busy
• That life and our health are precious and not to be taken for granted for one minute
• That you meet the nicest people, while on the road, and you hope you meet up with them again “down the road”
• That caregivers go through so much, emotionally and physically, and it’s important for them to have someone to talk to for support.
• That for some people, retirement and volunteer work are an opportunity to “play boss” (something perhaps they never got to do) and it’s annoying as hell to the rest of us.
• That there are various styles of management but ultimately you need to take care of the “customer” or you won’t be successful.
• That it’s fascinating to sit and listen to retired folks talk about their lives and sometimes you’ll hear the story more than once.
• That Texas is really unbearable in the summer months and that is why everyone who’s a resident…leaves
• That there are a lot of volunteers out here with really big hearts who enjoy this life
• That I really take issue with food service personnel who don’t follow proper food safety procedures for the health of their customers
• That all the money in the world can’t buy you happiness or good health when you need it
• That after 25 years of supervising others, that it isn’t difficult to take direction from others and I don’t mind that I’m not the “Chief” and can be an “Indian”
• That Linda and I both hate fire ants and wouldn’t ever care to see another one (yes, she got into them too)
I’ve learned:
• That two months is too long to stay in one spot if we work only part time hours and our “work” doesn’t keep us busy
• That life and our health are precious and not to be taken for granted for one minute
• That you meet the nicest people, while on the road, and you hope you meet up with them again “down the road”
• That caregivers go through so much, emotionally and physically, and it’s important for them to have someone to talk to for support.
• That for some people, retirement and volunteer work are an opportunity to “play boss” (something perhaps they never got to do) and it’s annoying as hell to the rest of us.
• That there are various styles of management but ultimately you need to take care of the “customer” or you won’t be successful.
• That it’s fascinating to sit and listen to retired folks talk about their lives and sometimes you’ll hear the story more than once.
• That Texas is really unbearable in the summer months and that is why everyone who’s a resident…leaves
• That there are a lot of volunteers out here with really big hearts who enjoy this life
• That I really take issue with food service personnel who don’t follow proper food safety procedures for the health of their customers
• That all the money in the world can’t buy you happiness or good health when you need it
• That after 25 years of supervising others, that it isn’t difficult to take direction from others and I don’t mind that I’m not the “Chief” and can be an “Indian”
• That Linda and I both hate fire ants and wouldn’t ever care to see another one (yes, she got into them too)
Thursday, October 18, 2007
The wrong direction....
I had to tell you about the energy bill that Congress is about to pass. Most of it is great--gets us more solar and wind energy and even makes cars more fuel efficient. But there's one line in there that was added at the last minute that gives up to $50 billion for the nuclear industry. Enough money to launch a whole new generation of plants.
If you thought we had beat back nuclear power in the 70's, you're not alone. A bunch of musicians who fought nukes back then have picked up their instruments and started fighting again.
Click here to check out the music video and sign the petition:
http://pol.moveon.org/nukefree
Nukes present a real security threat and environmental hazard. We've got to get Congress to strip this money before they pass the energy bill.
Contact your congressmen and women and tell them that nuclear is not the way to go....
If you thought we had beat back nuclear power in the 70's, you're not alone. A bunch of musicians who fought nukes back then have picked up their instruments and started fighting again.
Click here to check out the music video and sign the petition:
http://pol.moveon.org/nukefree
Nukes present a real security threat and environmental hazard. We've got to get Congress to strip this money before they pass the energy bill.
Contact your congressmen and women and tell them that nuclear is not the way to go....
White Bronco Chase...
Yesterday we went into Livingston to get some groceries and pick up our mail. We stopped at Lowes to pick up a couple of items that I needed to incorporate some of the ideas that I learned from the RV tech during one of the Octoberfest seminars. As we approached the traffic light we saw and heard numerous police cars. The traffic light was red so as we sat there we could see up on the left, at the next intersection up the road, that there were several police cars attempting to block the road. Our traffic light turned green so as we crept out into our lane, we could hear another approaching siren. Approaching the intersection, from the right, was another police car so we stopped at the edge of the lane. About that time we saw all the police cars, that had been part of the barricade, break loose and start towards us....in hot pursuit of a white car. No, it wasn't a Bronco....more like a Buick or Chevy. The car came up the right side of the road, against opposing traffic, and veered out around us on our left. As the car went by us, I looked down into the car and saw a young woman gripping the steering wheel and driving intently.
As we learned in today's local newspaper, the driver was a 17 year old woman named Leticia Ortega. She was finally caught after a lengthy chase through downtown Livingston, with speeds at times approaching 95 miles an hour...She said that she fled the police because she did not have a drivers license and didn't want to go to jail. HELLO....what did she think that driving at a high rate of speed up the wrong side of the road was gonna get her?...She was apprehended when the officer used a "tactical vehicle intervention maneuver"...in other words he pulled in front of her and rammed her. Who would have thought that a trip to Wally world could be so exciting?
As we learned in today's local newspaper, the driver was a 17 year old woman named Leticia Ortega. She was finally caught after a lengthy chase through downtown Livingston, with speeds at times approaching 95 miles an hour...She said that she fled the police because she did not have a drivers license and didn't want to go to jail. HELLO....what did she think that driving at a high rate of speed up the wrong side of the road was gonna get her?...She was apprehended when the officer used a "tactical vehicle intervention maneuver"...in other words he pulled in front of her and rammed her. Who would have thought that a trip to Wally world could be so exciting?
Wednesday, October 17, 2007
Octoberfest
This week is Octoberfest at the Escapee Park in Livingston. As I've been told by the participants, this event hearkens folks back to the park for the winter season or some just come for the activities and fellowship during this week. Yesterday and today I attended RV seminars on maintenance type issues and the information was outstanding. Lots of great tips to help prolong the life of RV batteries, easy way to deter pests from making nests in your burner tubes, etc. The speakers, leading the sessions, were experienced in the subject matter and gave great presentations.
As I was walking up to the Activity Center this morning for the first session, I wondered why there was chalk lines painted across the gravel road. It became apparent to me when it was announced that the morning's activity, at the same time as my seminar, was a cow patty toss and a marshmallow hitting contest. While I did not see the cow patties, I did see watermelons, cut in half, with the fleshy red part placed downward and golf tees placed on the topside in the green rind....hmmmm...Interesting…....During my seminar we could hear the hoots and hollers of eager participants outside for each of these events. Tonight at the social hour they announced the winners of each. In the women's division, the winner slung her cow patty for 68 feet....Holy Crap ! Now, mind you this was a senior citizen woman doing this. Little did I know, as a child growing up on a dairy farm, that I could have been perfecting this skill in preparation for THIS VERY DAY. Instead of dodging these "bovine biscuits", in my bare feet on my way to the nearby swimming hole, I could have been hurling them across the pasture in my quest for distance. Unbeknownst to me, my feet always seemed to be heat seeking devices, finding the smoldering ones as I'd jump over the clumps of grass or weeds. While a soft landing, not a desirable one. Made it even more pleasant to get INTO the water to rinse off any remaining souvenirs.
I don't remember the distance achieved by the golfers but they say that the golf club "connecting" with the marshmallow made a unique sound. What kind of sound do you suppose that would be ? Squish ? Thud ? Whissssh ? They DID say that those NOT connecting with the marshmallow and whacking the watermelon tee looked like someone at a Gallagher (http://gallaghersmash.com)show. Spectators and competitors alike bore the brunt of that failed attempt...ICK ! I did attend a Gallagher show once (the last show held in the old Capitol Theatre before it became the Community Arts Center and the first ten rows needed a tarp to protect themselves from Gallagher's onslaught on a boatload of watermelons. Not a pretty sight !
So anyway, today's Octoberfest covered everything from the serious to the sublime...and there are more events to come....stay tuned.
As I was walking up to the Activity Center this morning for the first session, I wondered why there was chalk lines painted across the gravel road. It became apparent to me when it was announced that the morning's activity, at the same time as my seminar, was a cow patty toss and a marshmallow hitting contest. While I did not see the cow patties, I did see watermelons, cut in half, with the fleshy red part placed downward and golf tees placed on the topside in the green rind....hmmmm...Interesting…....During my seminar we could hear the hoots and hollers of eager participants outside for each of these events. Tonight at the social hour they announced the winners of each. In the women's division, the winner slung her cow patty for 68 feet....Holy Crap ! Now, mind you this was a senior citizen woman doing this. Little did I know, as a child growing up on a dairy farm, that I could have been perfecting this skill in preparation for THIS VERY DAY. Instead of dodging these "bovine biscuits", in my bare feet on my way to the nearby swimming hole, I could have been hurling them across the pasture in my quest for distance. Unbeknownst to me, my feet always seemed to be heat seeking devices, finding the smoldering ones as I'd jump over the clumps of grass or weeds. While a soft landing, not a desirable one. Made it even more pleasant to get INTO the water to rinse off any remaining souvenirs.
I don't remember the distance achieved by the golfers but they say that the golf club "connecting" with the marshmallow made a unique sound. What kind of sound do you suppose that would be ? Squish ? Thud ? Whissssh ? They DID say that those NOT connecting with the marshmallow and whacking the watermelon tee looked like someone at a Gallagher (http://gallaghersmash.com)show. Spectators and competitors alike bore the brunt of that failed attempt...ICK ! I did attend a Gallagher show once (the last show held in the old Capitol Theatre before it became the Community Arts Center and the first ten rows needed a tarp to protect themselves from Gallagher's onslaught on a boatload of watermelons. Not a pretty sight !
So anyway, today's Octoberfest covered everything from the serious to the sublime...and there are more events to come....stay tuned.
Sunday, October 14, 2007
Had enough ?
Well it’s been many, many years since I’ve donned the activist hat but I think it’s time to do it once again. Even as a youngster in the fifth grade I remember how upset I was when I learned that a rural area, in my hometown, was being looked at, as a possibility for a dump site for radioactive waste. I spent a lot of time writing my congressmen, circulating petitions and talking to students in my school about the hazards of such an idea. I researched information on the topic and read as much as I could find (this was way before the days of the internet). Luckily it never happened and I had a collection of responses from my congressmen, artifacts, etc left as my reward for “stopping the evil foe that threatened my town”.
Then I grew up and like many individuals assumed the responsibilities of having a family, a job and all the other stuff that goes with it. I think the problem is that we’ve all gotten so bogged down in being “grownups” that we’ve forgotten about the things that have made this nation strong and the things that have made us a respected leader in the world AND we’ve forgotten the part that we all play in making sure that we stay on track. Remember the part in the constitution where it says, “We the People….” Hey folks, that’s us !!
I don’t know about you but I’ve gone way beyond disillusionment to being pissed off. Our country is going to hell in a hand basket and neither our President nor our governmental representatives (ironic title since they DON’T represent their constituents in the sense of carrying out their will) will change the course of what we’re doing and get our country back into shape. We’ve gone from a position of economic strength six years ago to one of economic despair, one that will shape our foreseeable future. We are plagued with a runaway drug problem, insecure borders where illegal aliens are streaming in on a daily basis, a failed foreign policy where we have few allies and are a laughing stock to the rest of the world, a tax system that benefits the top 1% of wealthiest Americans and not the working middle class, imports that far exceed the products we are exporting to other nations, jobs that are going overseas and leaving our workers out of work, an educational system that doesn’t give our teachers or institutions the resources or funding they need, lack of decent healthcare for all Americans, governmental agencies who are clueless about how to carry out the tasks for which they were created and the list goes on and on.
So you ask, “What can I, as a lone individual do to make a difference when there is so much to be done ?” Glad you asked…….Alot of the revolutionary change that our country experienced began with a single voice. It’s when the single voice joins another…and another….and another….and then the chorus of discontent becomes a deafening roar that draws the attention of everyone.
Knowledge is power so let’s get educated…..Do you know how your congressmen and women have voted on recent issues and what they’ve accomplished ? Here’s where you can find out.
http://www.vote-smart.org
Here’s an excerpt from their web site on what they are about:
“Here at Project Vote Smart, Americans young and old volunteer their time, take no money from special interest groups, and have committed themselves to an extraordinary effort that, if successful, will provide their fellow citizens with the tools for a reemergence of political power not known for half a century. Their idea is one you may have thought of yourself. It is a deceptively simple concept but enormously difficult to achieve and would not be possible without the collaboration of citizens willing to lay their partisan differences aside for this one crucial task.”
Let the Truth be known….
Would you like to know how much truth there is to the statistics or information that candidates throw around in campaign ads on TV or in debates ?
http://www.factcheck.org/
Let’s hold politicians accountable for what they say. When they think they can cite statistics and pull the wool over our eyes, think again. Get the truth from an unbiased source so you can make an informed decision when it comes time to vote or when you need to contact your legislators about an issue that is of importance to you.
The old saying, “Ignorance is Bliss” comes at a price. Politicians are counting on us to be ignorant of the facts, their voting records and the state of our government. Let’s take back the right, that we as citizens of this great nation, have a say in the way our politicians should govern and legislate. Watch and read what is going on in our government and arm yourself with information. I figure if you and I can access correct statistics and information on topics of interest, so can the candidates. If they are “choosing” to distort these FACTS or present inaccurate information, what will they do when they are in a position of authority? How can we trust them to do what is in the best interest of our nation if they’ve lied to our faces to get the job?
Then I grew up and like many individuals assumed the responsibilities of having a family, a job and all the other stuff that goes with it. I think the problem is that we’ve all gotten so bogged down in being “grownups” that we’ve forgotten about the things that have made this nation strong and the things that have made us a respected leader in the world AND we’ve forgotten the part that we all play in making sure that we stay on track. Remember the part in the constitution where it says, “We the People….” Hey folks, that’s us !!
I don’t know about you but I’ve gone way beyond disillusionment to being pissed off. Our country is going to hell in a hand basket and neither our President nor our governmental representatives (ironic title since they DON’T represent their constituents in the sense of carrying out their will) will change the course of what we’re doing and get our country back into shape. We’ve gone from a position of economic strength six years ago to one of economic despair, one that will shape our foreseeable future. We are plagued with a runaway drug problem, insecure borders where illegal aliens are streaming in on a daily basis, a failed foreign policy where we have few allies and are a laughing stock to the rest of the world, a tax system that benefits the top 1% of wealthiest Americans and not the working middle class, imports that far exceed the products we are exporting to other nations, jobs that are going overseas and leaving our workers out of work, an educational system that doesn’t give our teachers or institutions the resources or funding they need, lack of decent healthcare for all Americans, governmental agencies who are clueless about how to carry out the tasks for which they were created and the list goes on and on.
So you ask, “What can I, as a lone individual do to make a difference when there is so much to be done ?” Glad you asked…….Alot of the revolutionary change that our country experienced began with a single voice. It’s when the single voice joins another…and another….and another….and then the chorus of discontent becomes a deafening roar that draws the attention of everyone.
Knowledge is power so let’s get educated…..Do you know how your congressmen and women have voted on recent issues and what they’ve accomplished ? Here’s where you can find out.
http://www.vote-smart.org
Here’s an excerpt from their web site on what they are about:
“Here at Project Vote Smart, Americans young and old volunteer their time, take no money from special interest groups, and have committed themselves to an extraordinary effort that, if successful, will provide their fellow citizens with the tools for a reemergence of political power not known for half a century. Their idea is one you may have thought of yourself. It is a deceptively simple concept but enormously difficult to achieve and would not be possible without the collaboration of citizens willing to lay their partisan differences aside for this one crucial task.”
Let the Truth be known….
Would you like to know how much truth there is to the statistics or information that candidates throw around in campaign ads on TV or in debates ?
http://www.factcheck.org/
Let’s hold politicians accountable for what they say. When they think they can cite statistics and pull the wool over our eyes, think again. Get the truth from an unbiased source so you can make an informed decision when it comes time to vote or when you need to contact your legislators about an issue that is of importance to you.
The old saying, “Ignorance is Bliss” comes at a price. Politicians are counting on us to be ignorant of the facts, their voting records and the state of our government. Let’s take back the right, that we as citizens of this great nation, have a say in the way our politicians should govern and legislate. Watch and read what is going on in our government and arm yourself with information. I figure if you and I can access correct statistics and information on topics of interest, so can the candidates. If they are “choosing” to distort these FACTS or present inaccurate information, what will they do when they are in a position of authority? How can we trust them to do what is in the best interest of our nation if they’ve lied to our faces to get the job?
Hide and Seek
I was just trying to find something in our cupboards. Not a thing for the faint of heart…....and the place where you FOUND the item last time ISN’T the place where you’ll find it this time. Each time is like a scavenger hunt through the world of Tupperware, Ziploc bags, totes, tubs…any item that was ever invented to hold multiple items in one container. And let’s not forget electrical ties…These are the ties that NOT ONLY bind…but the ties that hold, sort, collate, gather, bundle and keep something held tightly. What did we ever do before all these things were invented ? Were our cupboards just haphazard messes of “stuff”, with no semblance of order and when you opened a cupboard door, things just fell out ? I don’t think so…………. But these were P.W. times….pre-Wal-Mart……….….before our obsession with needing lots of “things” that we thought we couldn't live without. A time of simplicity….…Wal-Mart displayed all these material possessions in such wonderful ways that we wondered how we’d made it this far in our lives without owning at least one of them. So after you gather multiple things, from the same closely related family (how many bottles of hand cream do you have in your cupboards ?), you need something to put them in. Because you know they do have a tendency to jump out of the cupboard when you open the door so you need to corral them with a plastic tub or a Ziploc bag. Plastic tubs come in a multitude of sizes….some have handles, some have perforated sides (perfect for areas where you need good drainage or ventilation), some have lids and they all come in a rainbow of colors. You can accessorize your cupboards and color coordinate, with your surrounding decor, at the same time. With Ziploc bags and tubs you have the added bonus of writing on it, in case, by looking through it you can’t tell what all those items are that are swimming around in there.
So…I lost at the scavenger hunt in our rig…I thought we owned what I was looking for….apparently it took up residence in another part of the RV or it was never there to begin with. Maybe it used to be in a Ziploc bag and now it’s in a plastic box…and I’m totally thrown off.
So…I lost at the scavenger hunt in our rig…I thought we owned what I was looking for….apparently it took up residence in another part of the RV or it was never there to begin with. Maybe it used to be in a Ziploc bag and now it’s in a plastic box…and I’m totally thrown off.
Thursday, October 11, 2007
This and that...
Just wanted to catch everyone up on some odds and ends.
Two weeks from tomorrow (Oct 26)we will be pulling out and leaving Livingston. We are heading to Urbanna, Virginia and then back to PA. We will swing through Chambersburg to visit Linda's family before returning to Williamsport.It's hard to believe that our first two months of being on the road are almost up. We've decided that two months, at a volunteer assignment, is too long. We are getting anxious to get going. The pooches are too....everytime we go out the door, they head for the truck, wanting to go for a ride. With only one day off, they haven't had many "traveling days".
My fire ant bites are finally clearing up, after over a week of dealing with them. I can't recall ever having anything so itchy. There have been many nights this past week of waking up at 3:00 a.m. and wanting to get my chainsaw out and cut my legs off...they itched so bad !! Although they are clearing up, I've read that the scars will take several months to disappear. A friend sent me a web site with "remedies" and after trying vick's vapor rub, tiger balm, rubbing alcohol, finger nail polish, baking soda, vinegar, biofreeze, zilactin and ice, the best treatment seemed to be rubbing them with alcohol (to the point of breaking them open) and keep applying that to dry them out. It makes them sting a little bit but the alcohol keeps them sterilized and helps to keep infection from setting in (a danger from breaking them open).Ice freezes and numbs them when they flare up. Taking benedryl, at bedtime, gives me a chance to fall asleep before they can get stirred up again and start driving me crazy. Not the kind of souvenir I wanted to take home from Texas.
Today there was a "jam session" at the Care Center...no, not the sweet delicacy you put on toast. This was 8 or 9 talented folks from the Care Center and Escapees park that gather every Thursday to play all types of music. They take turns at the microphone, singing whatever they want to sing...gospel, country, bluegrass and the others join in on their instruments. Most are on guitar but there are a variety of other instruments too....what great talent. Some even play music that they have written themselves.
Weather is starting to cool down...Was 83 today, down from being in the high 80's to low 90's. Was very comfortable and this evening it feels really cool outside (as was last night too) and a very comfortable night for sleeping. We turn the fantastic fans on (one in bedroom and one in living room) and it draws the cool air into the RV. The weather feels like it would be back home at this time of year. I wonder if the trees are starting to turn colors in the northeast ?
Two weeks from tomorrow (Oct 26)we will be pulling out and leaving Livingston. We are heading to Urbanna, Virginia and then back to PA. We will swing through Chambersburg to visit Linda's family before returning to Williamsport.It's hard to believe that our first two months of being on the road are almost up. We've decided that two months, at a volunteer assignment, is too long. We are getting anxious to get going. The pooches are too....everytime we go out the door, they head for the truck, wanting to go for a ride. With only one day off, they haven't had many "traveling days".
My fire ant bites are finally clearing up, after over a week of dealing with them. I can't recall ever having anything so itchy. There have been many nights this past week of waking up at 3:00 a.m. and wanting to get my chainsaw out and cut my legs off...they itched so bad !! Although they are clearing up, I've read that the scars will take several months to disappear. A friend sent me a web site with "remedies" and after trying vick's vapor rub, tiger balm, rubbing alcohol, finger nail polish, baking soda, vinegar, biofreeze, zilactin and ice, the best treatment seemed to be rubbing them with alcohol (to the point of breaking them open) and keep applying that to dry them out. It makes them sting a little bit but the alcohol keeps them sterilized and helps to keep infection from setting in (a danger from breaking them open).Ice freezes and numbs them when they flare up. Taking benedryl, at bedtime, gives me a chance to fall asleep before they can get stirred up again and start driving me crazy. Not the kind of souvenir I wanted to take home from Texas.
Today there was a "jam session" at the Care Center...no, not the sweet delicacy you put on toast. This was 8 or 9 talented folks from the Care Center and Escapees park that gather every Thursday to play all types of music. They take turns at the microphone, singing whatever they want to sing...gospel, country, bluegrass and the others join in on their instruments. Most are on guitar but there are a variety of other instruments too....what great talent. Some even play music that they have written themselves.
Weather is starting to cool down...Was 83 today, down from being in the high 80's to low 90's. Was very comfortable and this evening it feels really cool outside (as was last night too) and a very comfortable night for sleeping. We turn the fantastic fans on (one in bedroom and one in living room) and it draws the cool air into the RV. The weather feels like it would be back home at this time of year. I wonder if the trees are starting to turn colors in the northeast ?
Americana
This morning I got to go to Miller's barber shop with one of the participants so they could get a haircut. What a treat to see an old fashioned barbershop. The barber is a woman who has had her shop in this same location for many years. From the looks of her picture on her license it looks like she has been a beautician for many, many years. The shop is small...seven mismatched chairs line the outside wall directly across from the six mounted deer horns on the opposite wall (always a reminder we're in deer country). Over the course of seeing four people get their haircut, she never once swept the hair up off the floor. She beat the chair with her towel before the next person sat down and she was ready to start the next customer.
These are the places where Hillary, Mitt, Obama and Fred need to hang out to get a sense of what the concerns are in our country. In the course of just a few customers, you will hear all sorts of topics from immigration (illegal and otherwise), county, state and federal politics, the goings on in the local school districts and what your neighbors are up to. This is the lifeblood of every small town in America....the places where births and deaths are shared.
Haircuts are $5 unless you want a flat-top and then they're $6. Locals gather to have Ms. Miller cut, trim,talk and more importantly listen to whatever topic the customer wants to discuss. While her scissors snip and her clippers buzz away the hair of her customers, she is nodding and listening intently. I'm sure to many of these men it is a delight to have her listening and hanging onto their every word, that to them, the $5 is a bargain...
One of the topics I heard discussed was the student population at one of the area schools...Big Sandy. Yes, that's the name of the school...not the name of Bubba's girlfriend. This year's graduating class is expected to be 30 students...I heard that a local school, just up the road from the Care Center, which has grades K - 12 has an entire school population of 124 students. Wow...Can you imagine the close knit bond that those students must share, with their classmates, by the time they graduate ? You've cultivated a lifelong friendship in the span of your school days. That is if you graduate from school and don't drop out....(there seemed to be a joke at the barbershop that Ms.Miller HAD graduated from the third grade so perhaps staying in school is a problem in these parts. One of the participants told me once that Texans fall into one of three categories....1/3 drive pick-up trucks, 1/3 don't have all their teeth and 1/3 live in shacks for houses. I'm not sure what it means if you hit all three categories...
So this morning was like a trip back in time....where the men gather at the local barber shop to talk politics and solve the world's problems and the women listen, nod and trim the hair out of their ears.
These are the places where Hillary, Mitt, Obama and Fred need to hang out to get a sense of what the concerns are in our country. In the course of just a few customers, you will hear all sorts of topics from immigration (illegal and otherwise), county, state and federal politics, the goings on in the local school districts and what your neighbors are up to. This is the lifeblood of every small town in America....the places where births and deaths are shared.
Haircuts are $5 unless you want a flat-top and then they're $6. Locals gather to have Ms. Miller cut, trim,talk and more importantly listen to whatever topic the customer wants to discuss. While her scissors snip and her clippers buzz away the hair of her customers, she is nodding and listening intently. I'm sure to many of these men it is a delight to have her listening and hanging onto their every word, that to them, the $5 is a bargain...
One of the topics I heard discussed was the student population at one of the area schools...Big Sandy. Yes, that's the name of the school...not the name of Bubba's girlfriend. This year's graduating class is expected to be 30 students...I heard that a local school, just up the road from the Care Center, which has grades K - 12 has an entire school population of 124 students. Wow...Can you imagine the close knit bond that those students must share, with their classmates, by the time they graduate ? You've cultivated a lifelong friendship in the span of your school days. That is if you graduate from school and don't drop out....(there seemed to be a joke at the barbershop that Ms.Miller HAD graduated from the third grade so perhaps staying in school is a problem in these parts. One of the participants told me once that Texans fall into one of three categories....1/3 drive pick-up trucks, 1/3 don't have all their teeth and 1/3 live in shacks for houses. I'm not sure what it means if you hit all three categories...
So this morning was like a trip back in time....where the men gather at the local barber shop to talk politics and solve the world's problems and the women listen, nod and trim the hair out of their ears.
Monday, October 8, 2007
Hi, I'm Henry...
My name is Henry and I'm the guide dog for Jo. I have a birthday coming up and I’ll be 4 years old. I came from a place in Utica, NY where they gave me special training to help people who can’t see. I am their eyes for them.
Jo needs my help getting around and I make sure she stays safe and out of harm's way. When I go to a new place it takes me a while to get used to where she wants to go but I catch on pretty well. And because I have special talents, I cost lots of money to train and get ready to help a new owner, but thanks to donations from other generous people, I didn't cost anything for Jo to get me. I'm not really sure what money is but I think it's something that would buy lots of special treats for me.
During meal time, my job is to make sure the carpet stays clean under her table so I'm always very vigilant in case someone should drop some of their food on the floor. I wouldn't want it getting in her way so I make sure I clear it up right away. When there isn't any food dropping, sometimes I sneak in a nap, but don't tell Jo. She thinks I'm always on the ball and ready to go. I'm really big so when I want Jo to stop and not go any further, I just turn my body in front of her to stop her. She knows that this means to stop.
I like it when people pet me but Jo has a sign on me that says that "I’m working" so they shouldn't do that. When I'm out of my harness though, I love to play. Well, gotta go...Jo needs me to take her back to the rig.
Friday, October 5, 2007
This is no place for sissies......
We have a new volunteer here. Rosie arrived a couple days ago and she's from Minnesota. On my way home from my night shift the other night I saw her setting up and Jim, my neighbor and another volunteer, was over there helping her with something. It was getting fairly dark but it wasn't pitch black yet. I went over to see if they needed a hand. Seems she couldn't get her slide out so I suggested that she manually crank it out and so we went to the other side of her rig, in search of the area where she would do this. As she inspected the area of her rig where she thought it should be, I stood and watched. I thought the mosquitoes were being unusually pesky as I swatted at the biting culprits, on my legs, but it didn't stop and got worse...I looked down and could faintly make out that the ground under my feet was lighter in color and there were were small, dark objects climbing up my socks and biting my legs just above my socks.....fire ants...I politely excused myself and ran into the house, pulling my socks and sneakers off...killing all the ones I could see...but not before getting about a dozen bites on my ankles.
So, here I sit...baking soda plaster applied to both ankles...two days after the fact and they still itch like mad. When these critters bite, they leave a big welt, then it starts to itch and if you break it open, then it starts to ooze like a blister. Reminds me of the time, as a kid, while out watching my dad build fences, that I discovered that I had been standing on a red ant hill. My brother picked me up over his shoulder and ran to the house with me....screaming for my mom while running. Once we got to the house, my mom ripped my clothes off of me and put me in the bathtub. My brother was stomping on stray ants, in the house, as they fell off my legs. My skin was crawling for many hours afterwards but I don't remember the bites being as bad as what these guys inflict. Must be karma coming back to "bite me"...for my brother killing all their cousins years ago.
If anyone has any special poultice or concoction that will help with the itching, feel free to let me know. These things may be small but they pack a mighty punch.
So, here I sit...baking soda plaster applied to both ankles...two days after the fact and they still itch like mad. When these critters bite, they leave a big welt, then it starts to itch and if you break it open, then it starts to ooze like a blister. Reminds me of the time, as a kid, while out watching my dad build fences, that I discovered that I had been standing on a red ant hill. My brother picked me up over his shoulder and ran to the house with me....screaming for my mom while running. Once we got to the house, my mom ripped my clothes off of me and put me in the bathtub. My brother was stomping on stray ants, in the house, as they fell off my legs. My skin was crawling for many hours afterwards but I don't remember the bites being as bad as what these guys inflict. Must be karma coming back to "bite me"...for my brother killing all their cousins years ago.
If anyone has any special poultice or concoction that will help with the itching, feel free to let me know. These things may be small but they pack a mighty punch.
Holy Catfish, Batman !
Thursday was our day off once again so this time we decided to go to Kemah Boardwalk, just outside of Galveston. Our friend Jan had suggested it to us so we thought it would make for a great motorcycle trip for the day. We left at 10:15 and had a great ride. I wore long pants to ride in,on account that the roads around Livingston are so gritty that it almost makes it unbearable to get hit with the stones and grit while riding. I've never seen roads where there is so much grit on them.
Kemah is a pretty area with a boardwalk area that is part of Landry enterprises. There are many rides, restaurants, games, etc. like you would typically find on a boardwalk. Being that we were there in the middle of the week, many of the games and novelty shops were closed. I'm not sure when their "tourist" season would be but I guess October isn't it.
There was one area under the pier area where you could feed the fish. There were thousands of catfish in there. At one point, when someone threw a handful of food and a duck was swimming through there, he just walked across their backs...there were so many of them !
Yesterday was another scorcher of a day and after walking around all day in the sun, the trip home was a little overwhelming from the heat. We stopped several times to cool down. We'd go in a gas station rest room and get our shirts good and wet and that would keep us cool for about 30 minutes while we rode (then they would dry out). We got home about 6:00 p.m. and went for a swim to cool off. It was a great trip and a chance to see the coastal area of Texas.
Monday, October 1, 2007
Amazing Food at Jerry's
Today our neighbors, who are also volunteers here at the Care Center, asked if we’d like to go out for lunch with them. We said “sure”… we had hoped to get out at least once again to have some fresh seafood. We wound up in Onalaska, after going near Lake Livingston to see where Leroy’s brother has a piece of property. Leroy remembered that there was a small café where they had stopped when they came through this way and that they served really good food. We set out to look for this place. We told him that we had eaten at a place called Jerry’s, at the recommendation of a local person we asked when looking for some place to eat. As it turned out, we were both talking about the same place and Jerry’s is the place to go if near Onalaska (or within any driving distance) if you want fresh, home cooked food.
Bonnie and Leroy chose the daily special. It was a choice of Baked Chicken or Roast Beef with a choice of three vegetables from the following: Green Beans w/new potatoes, squash, purple hull beans (Leroy said these are like black eyed beans except gasier), dressing, baby carrots or mashed potatoes. Linda chose fresh catfish filets w/fries and I picked fried shrimp and fries. The food was awesome ! The roast beef and chicken was super tender. Everything was home-made, including the rolls and cornbread muffins. The daily special was $6.95 and included a peach cobbler for dessert ! Our catfish and shrimp were likewise as delicious…I’ve never had seafood that was this good. Gulf shrimp are so huge and with the cornbread type coating they put on them, it makes them so light and not loaded with breading like they are back east. Linda’s catfish was coated in the same type breading and was so tender it just fell apart in your mouth. We finished off the whole meal with a home-made piece of Coconut Cream pie. Yum ! Jerry’s gets two thumbs up so if you’re ever coming down route 190, through Onalaska, be sure to stop for the best meal around !
Bonnie and Leroy chose the daily special. It was a choice of Baked Chicken or Roast Beef with a choice of three vegetables from the following: Green Beans w/new potatoes, squash, purple hull beans (Leroy said these are like black eyed beans except gasier), dressing, baby carrots or mashed potatoes. Linda chose fresh catfish filets w/fries and I picked fried shrimp and fries. The food was awesome ! The roast beef and chicken was super tender. Everything was home-made, including the rolls and cornbread muffins. The daily special was $6.95 and included a peach cobbler for dessert ! Our catfish and shrimp were likewise as delicious…I’ve never had seafood that was this good. Gulf shrimp are so huge and with the cornbread type coating they put on them, it makes them so light and not loaded with breading like they are back east. Linda’s catfish was coated in the same type breading and was so tender it just fell apart in your mouth. We finished off the whole meal with a home-made piece of Coconut Cream pie. Yum ! Jerry’s gets two thumbs up so if you’re ever coming down route 190, through Onalaska, be sure to stop for the best meal around !
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