Its two days before Christmas and it’s 65 degrees outside here in Virginia. No white Christmas for us this year…Shucks ! Now that’s what I’m talking about. Up home, in PA, they are still covered in 4-5” of the white, glazed over snow from the last storm. No love lost here of missing that type of weather…Furnace is off, warm breeze blowing outside and Sunday football on the tube…can’t ask for much more than that on a Sunday afternoon.
The next two weeks will be one for birthdays and anniversaries for us. It was last December, the 27th to be exact, that we rolled into St. Louis on a Greyhound bus to pick up our bundle of joy. We felt like proud parents as we laid our eyes on our beautiful, bouncing girl….and Bertha has been part of the journey ever since. For those of you not knowing who Bertha is…..she’s our GMC 5500 truck that we purchased from a dealer in St. Louis. We rode 24 hours on multiple buses, through numerous bus terminals, to go pick her up. Now, almost a year and 10,000 miles later, she is firmly entrenched in our lives.
On January 2nd, we’ll have another occasion when we celebrate the date upon which our 5th wheel arrived. Destiny, as we’ve named her….was delivered to us by the RV dealer in Iowa that we ordered her from. We waited anxiously for her arrival so that we could move out of the itty bitty camper that we’d been renting since the end of October and into our new home and our new way of life. We went through several big snow storms last winter and days of bitter cold temps. Having a day in December here of 65 degree temps is wonderful to us, compared to wind chills, in PA last year, of -16 degrees. Yikes !!
The views out our rear view window aren’t changing like they did just a few months ago and it is harder to get inspiration to write new posts for our blog. The fact that we don’t currently have internet at our site, due to the park being closed and the cable modem being shut off, I try to write entries when I can and save them to post when I get to the public library. Perhaps many of our followers are disappointed that we are not “traveling” like we had been. From my perspective, I think it was fortuitous that I took this job at this point in time. Due to situations that occurred with our families, it was good that we were in the area and not a great distance away. I feel that our lives are made up opportunities, from which we can grow as a person. This job…this “opportunity” was presented to me for a reason. Although I have worked 30 years in the hospitality business, there certainly are many areas of this vast field that I have not been exposed to. One of those being resort management in the RV business. This job offers me the ability to learn so much about that business from a man who has high ideals for his businesses and doesn’t sit still for very long. I love to learn about new things, accept new challenges and I have that here where I know no one and have to start from scratch with making business contacts, search out distributors for products and services and learn about the area and their culinary preferences. It is a big challenge but the kind I enjoy. How long will this job keep us here ? Don’t know…..till it’s no longer challenging and there is no more to learn. For it’s only in learning that we grow as individuals.
To all of our family and friends reading this….thank you for following the first year of our journey. Stay tuned in 2008 for more to come. Wishing you all a Merry Christmas, surrounded by the ones you love and hoping that 2008 brings you all the opportunities that you are hoping for ! God Bless !
Linda and Linda
Friday, December 28, 2007
Tuesday, December 11, 2007
George Slept Here….
While traveling up Route 3 last Friday we came upon the national monument of George Washington’s birthplace at Pope’s Creek. Pope’s Creek is a wide creek, feeding into the Potomac River and a beautiful location for any homestead. George Washington, the father of our country, was born here in February 22, 1732. George’s parents were Augustine and Mary. George was 11 and the third son so when his father died, he inherited a modest share of the 10,000 acres that his father had acquired. George steadily added more land to his holdings over the years. George’s birthplace is no longer standing; having burnt to the ground in 1779. George spent the first four years of his childhood in his birthplace home before moving, with his family, 80 miles up the Potomac to Little Hunting Creek (later known as Mount Vernon). He lived there till he was 6 and later inherited Mount Vernon when his brother died.
In thinking about and having studied history in school, I never realized how important farming was to George Washington. He said “No pursuit is more congenial with my nature and gratification, than that of agriculture; nor none I so pant after as again to become a tiller of the Earth.” He felt that it was an honor to serve his country and in 1789 became our country’s first president. He served as President until 1797, at which time he retired. He moved back to his beloved Mount Vernon but his retirement was short-lived as he died in 1799.
Surrounding the visitor center are vast fields, of grazing cattle and sheep, that remind you of colonial days when agriculture was so important to the region. There are old fences as far as the eye can see and a tree lined lane leads to the family burial ground at the back of the property. George’s half-brother, father, grandfather and great grandfather are all buried here under a peaceful tree canopy and surrounded by a brick enclosure. George is buried at Mount Vernon.
In thinking of George Washington, I think of an austere man with colonial language full of “ye” and other old terms. In living here for just a short time, I have met many native Virginians and most of them have quite an accent. This puts a whole new slant on how I’ve come to think of George Washington. This impressive man…father of our country, probably had a heavy Virginian twang when he talked. Mental image doesn’t match the history book version. I think I’ll revert to the image I had of him before moving to this neck of the woods. George, void of any accent, addressing the Constitutional Convention, in Philadelphia with one hand on his lapel and the other raised to address the crowd.
In thinking about and having studied history in school, I never realized how important farming was to George Washington. He said “No pursuit is more congenial with my nature and gratification, than that of agriculture; nor none I so pant after as again to become a tiller of the Earth.” He felt that it was an honor to serve his country and in 1789 became our country’s first president. He served as President until 1797, at which time he retired. He moved back to his beloved Mount Vernon but his retirement was short-lived as he died in 1799.
Surrounding the visitor center are vast fields, of grazing cattle and sheep, that remind you of colonial days when agriculture was so important to the region. There are old fences as far as the eye can see and a tree lined lane leads to the family burial ground at the back of the property. George’s half-brother, father, grandfather and great grandfather are all buried here under a peaceful tree canopy and surrounded by a brick enclosure. George is buried at Mount Vernon.
In thinking of George Washington, I think of an austere man with colonial language full of “ye” and other old terms. In living here for just a short time, I have met many native Virginians and most of them have quite an accent. This puts a whole new slant on how I’ve come to think of George Washington. This impressive man…father of our country, probably had a heavy Virginian twang when he talked. Mental image doesn’t match the history book version. I think I’ll revert to the image I had of him before moving to this neck of the woods. George, void of any accent, addressing the Constitutional Convention, in Philadelphia with one hand on his lapel and the other raised to address the crowd.
What once was, is no longer....
I had off on Friday so we decided to do some exploring so we could become accustomed to area towns in Virginia. We went to the “Northern Neck” of Virginia which is the area of land above us. I never gave any of this much thought nor realized that there were so many distinctions as to how the land is broken up into regions until hearing folks around here refer to the different areas in this manner. If you look on the map, there are land areas, like “fingers” on the coast of Virginia. Urbanna, where we live, is part of what’s known as the Middle Peninsula. The area we decided to check out, to the north of us, starts with White Stone, out on the coastal area of Virginia and we drove as far north as Edge Hill, just below King George (this is where you get your maps out and follow along). What a pretty drive through the countryside ! Quaint little towns sparsely scattered along Route 3 and as we drove there were many sheep and cows to keep Boomer entertained. Through White Stone, Kilmarnock, Warsaw….on we drove. We went to the Belle Isle State Park, which was desolate for this time of year but pretty nevertheless. Just before we turned off the highway to follow the signs to this park, we saw one of those historical markers along the road and I pulled off so we could read it. The marker told of a town, called Queenstown, that existed long ago in the area but is no more. It got me to thinking…..how does a town, vibrant with occupants, businesses, etc. come to the point of not existing any longer ? A friend of ours back home has studied the ghost towns in Pennsylvania and hopes to someday write a book about them so it was interesting to come across this marker. Do people who carried on with their day to day lives, like you and I, one day decide to move to another town ? Did a sweeping disease take the lives of the inhabitants and wipe out the town ? Seems odd that something that seems to have such permanence, like a town, would just disappear one day.
Perhaps it is like the town where I grew up…..Bungy..(pronounced “Bung-ee”). I have never seen proof of its true existence. No town structure, no post office, no court house. Have just always been told, as we pass through a specific area, that this is Bungy. We lived on Bungy Road so surely it must have existed. Our Grange Hall and church were in Bungy or were they ? Perhaps Bungy was just a self proclaimed “town” or a figment of someone’s imagination. There wasn’t the presence of some sought after mineral, like gold, to bring folks to this area to set up a town and inhabit it. The name itself, Bungy…doesn’t even give some clue as to the origin of this “town”. What was it…the town from which Bung originated ? Doesn’t seem likely since bung is a verb and means to “stop”. Maybe someone had the grandiose vision of there being a town there someday and wanted everyone to “stop” and live there. I don’t think that the presence of a grange hall, church, and about four houses constitutes a town. In someone’s mind it must have.
Someday, a hundred years from now, will a historical marker be placed nearby telling of the demise of “Bungy”….a place I know of but cannot attest to ?
Perhaps it is like the town where I grew up…..Bungy..(pronounced “Bung-ee”). I have never seen proof of its true existence. No town structure, no post office, no court house. Have just always been told, as we pass through a specific area, that this is Bungy. We lived on Bungy Road so surely it must have existed. Our Grange Hall and church were in Bungy or were they ? Perhaps Bungy was just a self proclaimed “town” or a figment of someone’s imagination. There wasn’t the presence of some sought after mineral, like gold, to bring folks to this area to set up a town and inhabit it. The name itself, Bungy…doesn’t even give some clue as to the origin of this “town”. What was it…the town from which Bung originated ? Doesn’t seem likely since bung is a verb and means to “stop”. Maybe someone had the grandiose vision of there being a town there someday and wanted everyone to “stop” and live there. I don’t think that the presence of a grange hall, church, and about four houses constitutes a town. In someone’s mind it must have.
Someday, a hundred years from now, will a historical marker be placed nearby telling of the demise of “Bungy”….a place I know of but cannot attest to ?
Saturday, December 1, 2007
Quick Note
Is a crisp day in Urbanna, VA and I thought I'd drop a quick note to let everyone know we got here and are settled in. We didn't find out until we got here but the campground shuts off the cable, cable modem and laundry rooms from November till end of March. In order to get internet service we go to the public library (a service which has come in handy in many towns across the country). Laundry services are farther away....about a half hour. So we think that our grocery/laundry...get misc things day will be either Saturday or Sundays for a while since we have to travel a half hour for the local Walmart supercenter too. Isn't rural life fun ?
We have been very busy with new town, new job, family stuff and new routines. I can walk to work every morning and evening and also for lunch.....gives me a 40 minute walking workout each day which I love. We live at the far end of the resort so it takes me about 10 minutes to get to work. There are only a few year round employees that live at the resort so it is really quiet.
The weather has been good....seems to be breezy most days but temps have been in the 50's most days. The other day it was in the low 60's so I could walk home in just a short sleeve t-shirt....yippee !! A couple evenings it has gotten into the 30's or high 20's but doesn't seem cold like it is in Pa. I see on the national weather forecast where a storm is brewing in the midwest that may make it's way to Pennsylvania and drop some snow....not missing that one bit !
We have been very busy with new town, new job, family stuff and new routines. I can walk to work every morning and evening and also for lunch.....gives me a 40 minute walking workout each day which I love. We live at the far end of the resort so it takes me about 10 minutes to get to work. There are only a few year round employees that live at the resort so it is really quiet.
The weather has been good....seems to be breezy most days but temps have been in the 50's most days. The other day it was in the low 60's so I could walk home in just a short sleeve t-shirt....yippee !! A couple evenings it has gotten into the 30's or high 20's but doesn't seem cold like it is in Pa. I see on the national weather forecast where a storm is brewing in the midwest that may make it's way to Pennsylvania and drop some snow....not missing that one bit !
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