FOR AUTO READ ALOUD OPTION PRESS: Ctrl+Shift+u

HAPPINESS, is to have everything…you need!
NOT the need to have everything.

If joy is in the JOURNEY, 
then reward is in the Destination 

Journey is our Winnebago Motorhome 

10.23.21-Feels so good attending live for a change.

Like so many of you Carla and I took advantage of the Bishops’ attendance dispensation during the Covid-19 pandemic. The church is so beautiful. As we left Mass this evening we had the opportunity to say hello to Fr. John. Only wish our good friend Fr. Michael Gill could experience such a beautiful church. Fr. Michael is no longer that interested in traveling away from Connecticut, sadly, he would be so impressed.

He was the pastor of Our Lady of the Lakes in Oakdale, CT. He worked so hard growing this parish and he’s still very well remembered by so many. Even folks who have left the  area like us, when we hook up, it doesn’t take long for his name to become part of the conversation. Being known to the priests of the parish is such a warm feeling but with parishes and churches as big as Vincent de Paul it would take an awesome circumstance or possibly an extremely generous donation to be remembered. Guess we should be thankful for the luxury of having so many years with Father Michael. I know that’s a lousy picture but what it doesn’t show is that he’s at the helm of a 33 foot cabin cruiser motor yacht. Back in those days we looked fairly well off but looks could be deceiving. We were poor but we had a good time enjoying our poverty. One time we enjoyed the most is when we got Father Michael to the boat yard and put him on our boat. He was like a kid at Christmas. We all had a great day on this cruise…only wish I could do more for him.

HAPPINESS, is to have everything…you need!
NOT the need to have everything.

If joy is in the JOURNEY, 
then reward is in the Destination 

Journey is our “new” motorhome. 

October 15, 2021

For years, following my brother Dennis’s stroke, I would religiously give him a call each day if only for a few minutes. Rarely, if ever, did either one of us have anything intelligent worth talking about, it was basically about the call. Dennis of course, if you read this blog, passed away this last May, just a couple of days past his birthday. As result I stopped making calls of course, but the tradition was established, so each evening I spend a minute or two recapping this days events to Dennis, even though I know he’s not listening. Just like you, if not everyone, I say a small recitation of prayers, I guess in hopes that my 5-minutes of religious meditation would ever be enough to spare me from the after death punishments I possibly deserve. But this IS what happened this evening.

After prayers I was getting a little frustrated with the Powers above asking, once again, for a sign that Dennis might be secure in heaven. I know, this sounds a little “one-step-beyond,” but there’s no harm in asking. It’s not that I haven’t asked previously, on several occasions, asking for just a simple sign from above. This time, just in case I’ve missed the sign in the past, I was asking for an obvious sign. It wasn’t more than a couple of minutes later a loud double knock from the outside of the coach, on the wall opposite our bed. What’s the significance of the knock? Whenever Carla and I arrive to a new site, after backing into the site, it’s time to bring out the slides. Since 2013 Carla would wait to let out the slide while I would go outside to validate the slide was safe to put out. To let Carla know that its safe to go ahead I always give her a solid double-knock on the outside slide wall. This, believe it or not, is exactly the knock sound I heard at 11pm this evening. The knock I heard was so defining I could almost visualize the general area from where the knock came from. This spot outside would be at least nine-feet above the ground. The knock to Carla, as I’ve mentioned is to tell her it’s safe to proceed, you won’t have a problem and once out it will be in a safe position.

I know you’re raising your eyes saying, “sure!,” I don’t care. This evening a little after 11pm I experienced a “Divine Sign from Above.” The chance that someone dropped by and left a double-tap on our wall is a million to one shot if anything. I will continue to pray but from now on I will have a positive attitude on Dennis.

Every day someone someplace will lose a love one. As a Catholic we can assume, depending on the person who died, that he or she would have made it safely to their heavenly reward some time in the future, but when? We all pray to Him hoping our prayers will help the deceased person make their way to Paradise but we never know for sure until such time that we also leave our earthly home and eventually learn the truth.   

The moral of this story, whether you believe me or not, is to always remember our love ones that leave our company, usually sooner than we would like. Always keep them in your stories and prayers, and pray to Him to care for these individuals as lovingly as we would have if they were still with us.

For now, God bless you!

FOR AUTO READ ALOUD OPTION PRESS: Ctrl+Shift+U

HAPPINESS, is to have everything…you need!
NOT the need to have everything.

If joy is in the JOURNEY, 
then reward is in the Destination 

Journey is our Winnebago Motorhome 

To say the least this has been a very busy month so far. For the record today is the 9th of October but I’ll start from the beginning. I am going to type in just the highlights and will fill-in later.

10.01.2021-Friday
We discovered a new steak meal. Just recently we purchased a new counter top Toaster-Oven. This time we noticed, for a few dollars more, we could also have the oven with an Air-Fryer. What an eye-opener. In the book that came with the Air Fryer was a very simple recipe for a steak and egg-noodles with a bunch of very nice added garnishing’s. It took about 20 minutes to prepare and 20 to eat and the same to clean up; an awesome food-experience.
We had a nice visit with Fr. Gill (Michael) at his condo. Our mind is at rest on looking for a new home for Fr Michael. We had spent the previous week looking for another home for Fr. Michael. In the end we discovered where he was, was just about perfect for him, so now we can spend some quality time just visiting with Michael.

10.02-Saturday
Took Fr. Michael to the Go Fish Restaurant in Mystic, CT. We wanted very much to take Fr. Michael out to a nice restaurant and he suggested the “GO-Fish” restaurant in Mystic, CT. That worked out just fine for us since we’ve been gone from this area for almost eight-years, so much has changed.
Spent a delightful afternoon with him checking out Mystic, so much is new to us. The meal was delicious and the company equally as interesting. After eating we all decided to try to walk off some of the calories we had just ingested and walk around Mystic for an hour or so. What a delightful day we had.

10.04-Monday-
Ran some errands and finished the afternoon at Friendly Pizza-it hasn’t changed in 30 years. The recipe they used when Steve, the previous owner was in charge, is the same as back then. The help, of course, were all new to us but were were courteous as we expected they would be. We never have pizza at a restaurant, we’re still just a little cheap that way, but no one sells pizza in a box as good as at Friendly Pizza, we devoured the entire pie.

10.05-Tuesday
My daughter Cheryl and husband Paul asked us over to their home for steak on the grill; Paul cooked. We knew that Paul would be cooking since Cheryl still hasn’t discovered the kitchen yet. She’s good with that and we were also. Paul is awesome behind a stove or grill.
FOR MORE ON THIS GOTO DINNER W PAUL AND CHERYL BLOG.

10.06-Wednsday
It was jacks-up for us leaving CT.
Story on our steps
By end of day we’d travelled 360 miles to Fishkill, PA.

10.07-Thursday-
travel to Hagerstown, PA about 350 miles.
Antenna story and we spent the night at Cracker Barrel

10.08-Friday
300+ miles to Elkin, NC
Door story.

10.09-Saturday
Travelled 388 miles to Brunswick, GA
Very uneventful day-so nice! We celebrated by taking ourselves out to dinner at CBarrel, where else for meatloaf once again.

10.10-Sunday
We will complete our transition back to Florida staying for a week or so at Lazy days for minor fixes.
Now I must go back and finish off September!- More to come here

10.11- Monday-Arrive back in Wildwood at Lazy Days
We’re here to remedy a few fixes that are needed. Door fix is on order, AC Dials are on order and the Passenger slide will take a little longer. The main gear that brings in the slide has several teeth broken which is why we were experiencing a banging or thumping sensation when the slide was brought in.

10.23.21-Still enjoying our days at Lazy Days
Above I mentioned we arrived here on the 11th around a week-and-a half-ago, and we’re still here. All the fixes were made and almost all were perfect, except the room-slide on the passenger side. It got fixed, a gear required replacing, and it was. We were told it was a good fix then we  attempted to bring in the slide and we noticed the front section came in a couple of seconds after the back portion. This caused damaged to the newly replaced gear, again. So a new one was ordered and should be in around the 25th. I wanted Lazy Days to order a new “Controller” as well, since this is what tells the motors what to do, but they thought otherwise. We’ll see what happens. We continue to keep in touch with Fr. Gill, usually just a Saturday phone call just to check in, he’s doing well. We are scheduled to leave for Georgia the end of the month, hope it happens. Temps in that part of Georgia are about 12-15-degrees cooler than in Florida.

FOR AUTO READ ALOUD OPTION PRESS: Ctrl+Shift+U

HAPPINESS, is to have everything…you need!
NOT the need to have everything.

If joy is in the JOURNEY, 
then reward is the Destination 

Journey is our “new” coach. 

10.05-Tuesday
My daughter Cheryl and husband Paul asked us over to their home for steak on the grill; Paul cooked. We knew that Paul would be cooking since Cheryl is the first to relinquish to kitchen area to Paul. She’s good with that and we were also. Paul is awesome behind a stove or grill. After visiting and small talk for about a half hour Paul brought us all in for dinner.

Just looking at the steaks was an eye full. You know what you feel like when you approach the meat counter at any super market you find the usual sirloins and possibly a filet in the package two for twelve or thirteen dollars or a little less if it has a yellow sticker on it indication close-dating, which is what we usually buy and freeze for the future. Paul and Cheryl really impressed us as he brought in four porterhouse steaks, one for each of us, about two-inches thick each.

These were huge to say the least and the fixings that accommodated the porterhouses were equally as delicious. After dinner was over we sat around the table and just talked for about thirty-minutes while Paul washed the dishes. This makes the difference between just having a meal with friends or enjoying a meal with family. We decided to sit for awhile in their TV room enjoying the comforts of their “theater seating” couches. To say the least they were extremely comfortable. So comfortable that Carla is now looking to see if we can cram a smaller version of the seating plan they have to fit in the coach- it’s doable. 

Allow me to drift off topic for just a few minutes. As a father you always want your child to make the marriage decision correctly and be happy from the get go. Cheryl and Paul are married as very good friends as well as husband and wife. Making the right decision the first time is so enviable. With, at least, half of first marriages ending in divorce the odds are not always with a couple these days.

For the hour or so after the meal I couldn’t help but envy how fortunate they were in their marriage. With life you must play the cards you’re dealt and my kids had to deal with more than they should have as kids. I was personally partially to blame and pray each evening for forgiveness. This was such a special evening. An occasion like this, for most folks, is a 2-3 times a week get together, I wish I could say the same, but our life style doesn’t allow for such a luxury…maybe someday! For me, this evening with Paul and Cheryl, will be front and center in my memory for a very long time.

Just a few more pictures of this beautiful home Cheryl and Paul live in.

Above are Cheryl, Paul and family and below is Paul’s “Man-Cave.” It’s actually they basement but with so much to do in this spot, you could virtually live here and be as comfortable as if you were upstairs. Below is also that awesome “theater-seating-sectional.” It occupies more space than we have in our coach. Anyone could easily retire comfortably in this home.