A Different Life II

[mimiandrews]

Blackie and I got back this afternoon. The gathering of six vintage Airstreams and their owners was a big success. Airstreamers have fun camping together, I think especially if it's not officially a rally.

Blackie finally got a chance to do what her breed is born to do--go swimming in a lake.

Also, I got word they started on my new house today. Yippee!

[Lily&Me]

Awww, she looks like she's having fun, Mimi!

Maybe she could teach Lily someday...lily who only swims when she has to, tho she loves to play in the water.

How exciting that they've started on your house, too. I know you can't wait to have that done, and get settled in.

Be sure to post some pictures as it progresses.

Have just spent 2 1/2 hours on the phone with a friend from high school, who I reconnected with when we were both single parents going back to college in the late 70's.

Yikes...that has been a long time ago.

Maggie

[Lily&Me]

In my new sitting area, drinking my coffee, while it is absolutely pouring rain outside...

Maggie

[mimiandrews]

Blackie did seem to be one happy dog when she came out of that lake.

I'll post pics of the house when we get some progress going. Right now, they're doing site preparation, which involves knocking down some trees. That is a hard thing for me to do or allow them to do, because I grew up where there aren't any trees. It's necessary, but I may not go down and watch or take pictures until that part is over.

[Lily&Me]

I understand.

I was able to coax Lily a few feet out above her head last year, I believe, but she is very tentative about it...doesn't understand how doable it is, but we'll work on it.

Maggie

[Lily&Me]

Every time since Doug has died that I have readied the Interstate for a long trip, I have thought to myself...."there will come a time when I can no longer do this", because it takes that much out of me.

What a job.

You wouldn't think there would be that much for one woman and a dog, but there is. Yikes.

I also knocked a few more things off my to-do list, that just seemed that they needed to be done before being gone almost 4 months...like trimming back the vine that covers the trellis in front, so it is not laying on the ground when I get home.

And, the new car is tucked away into the garage.

I'm done for the day, now finishing off a bottle of Honey Jack with the last of a bottle of gingerale...because, I deserve it.

Lily is watching preparations for leaving very carefully....

Maggie

[DIR1]

Ok!!! A new trip!!! If I was there Maggie, I would help, really!!.. sounds like a good grandkids visit...
Congrats on the house Mimi.. yeah, I get it about the trees..
Ok, everybody keep having fun!! We're having a heatwave here.. might get up to 89 today.. I have a chaise, shade and a book... add an iced drink and it's a perfect afternoon!!! Hugs and love!! Be happy!!_

[Lily&Me]

After a few more hours of choring, inside the little house and out, picking up meds, etc., we were on the road by 10:30 or so yesterday morning and wound our way on the Illinois backroads to Mississippi Palisades SP on the Great River Road.

A very nice state park, but no signal. Nada.

At one stop, an elderly gentleman admired the Interstate, said it was the most beautiful of these he'd seen, and asked had I been all over the country in it?

Why, yes...yes I have.

Finished unpacking, read awhile, and slept hard.

Picked up BlackJack road between Hanover and Galena this morning, which is a beautiful drive, but includes a stretch of 15% downgrade....during which I used the downshifting Brent Sobatka taught me in Buffalo, Wyoming, last year, after I had mostly destroyed what was left of my brakes.

Every time I do that, I think of he and Connie. Thank you, Brent.

On into Wisconsin today, and should be settled on the shores of Lake Superior by tomorrow.

I may not post every day...

Maggie

[DIR1]

Good Morning Maggie!! On the road!! Adventures await!! I'll get my atlas out today so I can keep use with you two... not familiar with that area of the country... have a wonderful drive... 15%!!! Wow, I don't think I've ever been on a road that steep... hugs and love.. keep having fun!!

[Lily&Me]

Hi Miss Gail, and I do appreciate the offer to help, if-only-you-were-here.

It has been an unusually busy spring and early summer, and I am ready for some down time. Every available nook and cranny of the Interstate is filled with yarn, and I have lots of unread books in my Nook app.

Drove thru Galena this morning...a town worth stopping at, 75% of which is on the National Register of Historic Places...to have good signal for a bit, and see what has changed...the only town I have ever seen with flood gates.

Well into Wisconsin, came across an Amish buggy accident that had just occurred at a hardware store parking lot. A very young couple, with a little girl about 18 months old, their horse spooked and overturned the buggy they were in, tossing them onto the pavement.

The horse broke free, and tore down the street.

The baby and father seemed okay, but the mother had at least one deep head wound, possibly two, for which she did not want treatment...she was okay to have an ambulance come, but did not want to go with the ambulance.

I need to carry some of those packets that you can crack and turn to ice in my first aid kit, as I could offer only a wet packet of paper towels.

I was very concerned for her, but the paramedics I'm sure are used to dealing with Amish ways so I hope she got the care she needed from someone, somewhere.

Thought I would spend the night at a State Forest campground, but the Wisconsin rates for out-of-state-ers are very high, in my opinion, plus a parking fee if you don't have a tag.

We are settled into a WalMart parking lot for the night...temps are very mild, so this will do just fine.

Maggie

[Lily&Me]

We have arrived.

There is always a great feeling of satisfaction and self sufficiency, knowing one can just pull over and park for the night and have everything you need for life at your fingertips. WM is not my favorite, but it will do, and was handy.

Had a reasonably quiet night...it was a parking lot, after all...and were on the road about 8am. After two days of winding rural roads, thru lots of small towns, I got on 94, then 53 this morning, and just drove.

Went thru Chippewa Falls, home of the Leinenkugel Brewery, which Doug and I toured once...his favorite of all beers being their Oktoberfest.

One huge Class A after another, almost all of them towing boats, passed us easily, and my only thought was that I hoped they were not headed where I was headed....and they weren't.

Pulled into this city park campground right on the lake, and there are a dozen or more campers, but no Class A's.

Doug and I have been here a couple of times, the first being when we discovered the UP very early in our retirement travels. We picked up a map of the area in placemat form somewhere, and used that to navigate the shore of Lake Superior all the way east.

Beautiful area, and we loved it. I haven't been back to this part since he died.

Planning to stay here til the 4th is over, a site in hand on a holiday being preferable to hopefully one elsewhere.

One fly in the ointment....I sent off a security deposit via personal check for my Adirondacks rental last month, and by today was to call the owner to pay half the rental, the other half being due in a month.

I had asked to put this on my Visa, which he agreed to, as this is fairly standard and provides some protection to me.

He has not responded in recent days to email requests for his phone number, nor has he yet called my cell number which I sent him this morning.

I hope he has not stiffed me for the deposit, and is not going to follow thru on our contract.

I'm hoping there has been some emergency that has prevented his contacting me, but this doesn't have a good feel to it.

When I first looked at this cabin, it was listed by a realtor who was stopping handling all rentals the following month, so I have dealt directly with the owner since last Fall.

He is a professional, easily found thru Google, LinkedIn, etc.. Sigh.

I'm looking forward to not driving tomorrow, and starting the rest and relaxation part.

Maggie

[Hittenstiehl]

Very pretty open site, looks like lots of room to ride with Lily running along.

Will be enjoying reading along with your trip.

Excited to hear what all the new home owners have accomplished since you were there and how their doggy had progressed.

This is like a continuous book with little chapters coming along every so often.

[Lily&Me]

Hi Hittenstiehl!

I am looking forward to biking with Lily, something I only do when we travel as there is just no place safe near my house.

You know, I talk with my daughter at least twice a week, and almost every time she has something new to tell me that she is doing.

She took a class on furniture painting/refinishing techniques, has done a number of pieces she has picked up, has planted flowers, pulled weeds, scoured Goodwill and Thrift shops for things, and yesterday announced she is taking a basic sewing class so she can make some drapes and pillowcovers.

They've bought a nice propane grill, and she is cooking all kinds of things on it.

These are all things she had never done before.

I'm amazed, and even more proud of her.

The dog is doing very well, seems completely acclimated to house living, using the back yard appropriately and without prodding and even enjoying walks around the neighborhood.

They've all become country mice.

Maggie

[DIR1]

Hi Maggie!! That's great info about your daughter... what a lots of things she's undertaking!! I'm tired just reading about!!! Love our site there!! Keep having fun!! Hugs, pats and love from here.. standing by for the next installment of Travels With Lily and Maggie!!!

[Lily&Me]

Hi Miss Gail.

I'm going to have to be very judicious in my rock gathering or I will leave here with 10 lbs.

Lake Superior rocks are so beautiful, varied in color and texture and smooth as if they'd been polished.

Everyone here is very friendly, and all but me seem to be local-ish regulars coming to a favorite place.

It has rained about 4 times since we arrived late morning...then the sun comes out, then it rains again, but supposed to be clear and 68 tomorrow.

We've had a couple of walks, and Lily has had her feet in Lake Superior.

Tomorrow we'll go for a bike ride.

Maggie

[Lily&Me]

It has been a beautiful and sunny day, which I have spent sitting outside ...working on my niece's blankie, and visiting with neighbors.

One a retired police lieutenant, another a microbiology professor.

We have walked, had a bike ride, and another walk on the lakeshore...where I picked up a few more beautiful rocks.

I also have a handful of wildflowers in a vase on my picnic table.

There is a young bear hanging around a nearby tent loop...about 200 lbs, they say, which doesn't seem that small to me ...but it has not ventured down here...which is good, as I doubt Lily would take that well.

A very relaxing day, watching the lake and enjoying the fresh, clear air. Lily is happy not to be driving.

It is beautiful here.

Maggie

[Lily&Me]

We have changed to this site which became vacant....closer to the lake, with a better view, and where I can hear the waves hitting the shore.

[Lily&Me]

Wild roses are abundant...

[Lotus54]

Originally Posted by Lily&Me

I'm going to have to be very judicious in my rock gathering or I will leave here with 10 lbs.

I'm sure you have seen the old Lucille Ball movie 'The Long, Long Trailer'.
(Great movie)

[mimiandrews]

Up on the north shore of Superior, near Thunder Bay, there are amethyst mines where they will (for a fee) let you go into a big rock pit and see if you can find something pretty. My kids and I did that years ago--found a few. Lots of fun.