Thoughts

I'm between RV trips and comfortable in my cool (79°) apartment while a 99° sunny day cooks our area. I've returned from a week at Normandy Farms in Foxboro, MA, and will be returning for a week down at CPP, September 1st through the 7th before traveling to Saco/Old Orchard Beach, Maine. This will be an overnighter before I travel further north to Searsport, Maine to visit my cousin, John and wife, Barbara, in the Penobscot Bay area of Belfast. My return trip back home will have a detour down to Narragansett, RI, where I'll once again stay at Fishermans Memorial State Park to visit my beautiful granddaughter, Sara. 

While dealing with a few RV issues, thinking about supplies and menus for the weeks to come and squeezing in visits to Fishkill and Hastings, I'm taking a break to write this blog. I received an email from neighbor, Jack, who reads my blogs. Jack has amassed an amazing memory bank of life experiences from his early days on Bathgate Avenue in the Bronx to the present time relaxing at the Riverfront Green in Peekskill or making new friends fishing off the pier at the end of Louisa Street.  An excellent writer and story-teller himself, I've often suggested that he should get those thoughts and experiences into a journal/blog format for the future.  

He emailed me after reading about my last trip to Normandy Farms and said he'd gained four pounds just by reading about food. I responded by telling him that food is a very important part of my life; I literally cannot live without it. My eating regimen has paid off, however, last week notwithstanding. I eat during an eight hour time frame; noon till 8:00 pm and fast from 8 pm till noon the next day. I'm pleased with the results even though there was a slight setback last week. When I camped alone down at CPP prior to Foxboro, I lost five pounds in that one week only to gain it back during the next week.  Being with friends (in and outside my circle of RV friends) is always rewarding and pleasant. "It's all about the people and having fun!" Note to self: enjoy it but stick to your regimen. And so, I gave thought to what he wrote after reading it two or three times:

"The truth of it all is that your circle of friends in the RV world is far greater than any of us have in the non-RV world. Between that world and the world of food, nature, highways, environment, weather, camp grounds and road traumas with "Winnie" ... not to mention your pristine ability to convey your experiences with the written word is exceptional. I said it before and say again, "YOU ARE BLESSED! And I stand by you, "beyond your small circle of friends!"

Words to ponder for sure.  And ponder I did. I don't spend a lot of time looking within with self-reflection in mind; many of us do not. And I don't think many of us give enough thought to what we have, what we're all about or how fortunate we are. It's all taken for granted. Maybe too much time and attention is given to the list of bumps and obstacles on our journey down the road of life, our aches and pains, our traumas, hardships, disappointments and unfortunate circumstances that beset us all and reflect our "half empty glass" complete with "woe is me" filling the other half.  I was always of the mind set to simply look around at others to see how nice I have it and how lucky I am. Yes, I am truly blessed. "People say you don't know what you have till you lose it. Truth is, you knew what you had, you just thought you'd never lose it."  It's better to know what you have and treat everything and everybody as though someday you will lose it. 

So, there you have it. A pep talk for me? Not really. A pep talk for my blog readers? No, not really. Jack's comments in an email triggered it all. When I think of who my blog readers are, I'm content knowing they're all okay and dealing nicely with what life has dealt them. They are intelligent, confident, strong and I thank each of them for including me in their own circle of friends...be it inside or outside the RV world. True friends, it is said, are not only in your circle, but in your corner as well. Thanks for taking the time to read and comment on my blogs.

08/18 to 08/25 - Normandy Farms Wednesday

NORMANDY FARMS CAMPGROUND

WEDNESDAY 

l. to r. Ray, Sue, Kathy, Ray, Johnny, Doreen, Tony, Roberta

Monday and Tuesday were lazy days for me even though the campground provides campers with text messages about the activities that are taking place throughout the grounds. With the pending rain, they even had a rainy day plan. Some of the folks made the trip into Boston for the day to do some sightseeing.  I declined the offer to join and spent the time writing my blog. Wednesday, however, was the more active day. Even with the anticipated heavy rain forecast, some of us managed to do breakfast, take in a movie and dine out in Foxboro (a.k.a. Foxborough). As it turned out the rain was heavy only during the early morning hours and the rest of the day was beautiful.

The Commons Neighborhood Eatery, suggested by members, Carol and John, was a terrific choice for breakfast. It was a typical, small town, eatery that served the usual fare for breakfast and lunch from 6 am till 2 pm; clean and the waitresses, Chrissy and Janine were friendly and efficient.  The place doesn't have a website but the reviews come in with 4+ stars. I had homemade cinnamon bread French toast, two scrambled eggs and four strips of well done bacon. As you read on, don't forget to click on the LINKS IN RED below for more detailed information.

l. to r. ACR, Jack, Doreen, Roberta, Johnny, John, Tony, Sue, Ray

Chrissy took the goup photo
and a selfie.

Later that day, Doreen/Tony, Jack/Noreen, Roberta and I drove into Foxboro again to the Patriot Place, a huge complex adjacent to Gillette Stadium, home of the New England Patriots and Tom Brady.  We went to the Showcase Cinema de Lux. The ladies went to see Mamma Mia and the men saw Tom Cruise's Mission Impossible - Fallout.  
For dinner afterwards, we settled on Bar Louie in the large upstairs complex. I had the TUSCAN CHICKEN PASTA: grilled chicken, cavatappi noodles, fresh spinach, artichoke, bruschetta tomatoes, mushrooms, house‑made Alfredo, Parmesan, and parsley.

l to r. Jack, Roberta, Doreen, Noreen, Tony

l to r. Roberta, Doreen, Tony, Jack, Noreen

Once again, to end the evening, hosts Carol and John, had the goodies out on the table and a fire going in the ring. It was a full and enjoyable day.

I came across this June 23, 2001 Sun/Chronicle newspaper article describing a sad tragedy that occurred here at the campground. "A co-founder of the Normandy Farms Family Camping Resort on West Street died Saturday at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center in Boston from injuries she received Friday afternoon when she was run over by a car just inside the campgrounds' gate.

Jeannette Daniels, 77, of 72 West St., was standing behind a 1998 Toyota being driven by Ruth C. Fields, 83, of 131 Branch St., Mansfield, shortly after 4:30 p.m. Foxboro Police and fire officials said Daniels was directing Fields to back up when the car went out of control and ran over Daniels. Daniels was taken by medical helicopter to Beth Israel Deaconess. Foxboro police are investigating the incident, interviewing witnesses to the accident, according to Sgt. Daniel Rockett. No charges had been filed as of Saturday night, Rockett said.

Daniels and her husband Norman founded Normandy Farms about 30 years ago. The site was previously a farm. The family was preparing funeral arrangements Saturday night, a woman at the family home said. She declined to comment further.

This is the third tragedy to befall the family-owned and operated campground over the past several years. In July 1996, 14-year-old Michelle Poteau of Rehoboth drowned in a swimming pool at the campground while on a church outing.

Eight years earlier 9-year-old Suzzane Grimes of Walpole died at a Boston hospital two weeks after being pulled out of the bottom of a pool at the campground.

And in 1994, 14 people were injured after being struck by lightning while at the campground. None of the injuries in that incident were serious.

The campground is used by families on overnight and long-term visits and is open year-round. It has more than 400 campsites, a three-story registration building, four swimming pools and several playing fields."

08/18 to 08/25 - Normandy Farms

NORMANDY FARMS CAMPGROUND
SATURDAY - SUNDAY 

In reality, 5½ hours, 227 miles

The black arrow above is me

Level, clean and spacious. Site B-11, my home for the week.

Well, I got outta Dodge (CPP) just in time. The four screaming kids across from my site (all girls under 7 in an apparent screaming contest) were beginning to get to me. Their site would fittingly fall into the category of "trailer trash" and it looks as though they're there for the long term. No, you can't attribute my observations to being the "oldest kid on the block." I'll be returning to a nearby site September 1st, so I'll see if anything has changed; doubt it but it is what it is.

 My Saturday, 227 mile trip, took 5½ hours which included a lunch break at a Red Robin, a first for me. What a great menu…and a far cry from Burger King or McDonalds. It was a great day to travel. Trucks were at a minimum but construction barriers and lane closures in CT and parts of MA killed at least forty five minutes. Then there were the occasional torrential downpours that greatly reduced speed and visibility. When you see a lightning strike and the clap of thunder that follows at the same time, you know you’re in the thick of things. Driving on six rubber tires was comforting.

Normandy Farms is a very impressive campground that has everything for everybody. Even dogs have been considered and catered to. The campground itself is huge and the amenities for families with kids are extensive. Bikes are a must to navigate the extensive layout. I'm on a corner site with a row of short cedars blocking me from a main thoroughfare. Kids on bikes and scooters and dogs being walked provide a never ending parade of activity. It seems, as usual, every camper has at least one dog, many have two, some three. Some are old, docile and quiet and could care less about what was going on around them (my favorites). Others fall into the small,  “yapper” category that gives both pets and their owners a bad name. Sunday morning provided a parade of RV’s ending their stay and on their way to line up for their turn at the dump station up the street. This was followed by the folks checking in after 3 pm. So gratifying to see the number of families with young kids enjoying the RV life even if it's their all-too-short vacation.

I'm here with the Hudson Islander RV group who had their “meet and greet” at the host trailer of Carol and John last night. My contribution was shrimp shumai. My good friend Tony, at Sakura in Hastings, gave me a couple of packages to take on my trip. I decided to share them. Along with mustard to dip, they were well received. In attendance this week besides me are Roberta, Johnny, Ray & Kathy, Ray (Happy Birthday) & Sue, Tony & Doreen (Happy Anniversary) , Jack & Noreen and John & Carol. And, as always, the fire to end the evening was most comfortable as the temps began to dip down into the high 60’s.

Some shots taken by Roberta as the girls took a walk.

Sue, Doreen, Chrissy, Kathy

At Tony and Doreen's site a little more shade was needed for the afternoon sun. 

Some of the older members required
hydration....

...and rest.

Then Ray & Sue's BBQ chicken and salads were shared.

L. to R. Ray (Happy Birthday today), Tony, Sue and Doreen
(Happy Anniversary Tony & Doreen today)

Ray's caregiver, Kathy

Visitors for the day, Mike and Chrissy

08/04 to 08/18 - Croton Point Park-2

CROTON POINT'S RV PARK

The weather continues hot and humid with threats of late afternoon thundershowers. This blog will chronicle my first week here at CPP and keep things short and sweet. It's been a busy week.
Monday, Caddy and I traveled to the dealership in Poughkeepsie for reprogramming the power steering module. The icing on that cake was meeting daughter, Marybeth for lunch. The timing was perfect for her to meet me at Panera's just as I was completing my paperwork. As an added surprise, Carlo was able to join us. Monday night was Appetizer Monday down in Hastings at Sakura. Sushi chef, Alex is now working in the kitchen as father-in-law and kitchen chef is now "officially" retired. Still, and as busy as they were, he created my three appetizers:

Three thick, partially cut, sauteed eggplant slices with a
pressed grilled shrimp between. This "sandwich was
drizzled with a sweet sauce.

Three grilled scallops in a spicy, tangy sweet sauce.

And finally, three lightly breaded sauteed shrimp
and pineapple chunks in another yet delicious sauce.

Not liking the sound my Caddy was making when brakes were applied, I stopped by American Cycle where I have all my work done. Turns out, the brakes are fine (just installed in December); it was the $trutS that need replacing. With 122,000+ miles on the vehicle, it was probably time. The visit did have an unexpected surprise however. Also present was long time, fellow teacher/retiree, Chuck, a former social studies teacher at BMMS. Together with Robin and Dave (both former students), it made for a very pleasant "reunion."

Chuck Dave ACR

Chuck Robin ACR

Wednesday was Winnie's turn to travel to a dealership. This time the Mercedes dealership in White Plains. Wanting most of the day for myself I ventured forth early so I could travel Route 9, I-287 eastbound and the downtown White Plains traffic during commuter hour. How cool am I? Believe it or not, the trip was (unusually) uneventful. Arrived about 8:45 am and had the "Service Campaign" for Sprinter vehicles taken care of:  updating the engine Control Unit (ECU) software. I'm sure now I can rest easy knowing engine fires shouldn't be a concern. C'mon, what are the chances of that happening!! The treat for this Wednesday evening's dinner will be a trip to Sakura with friends Craig and Trish who, as mentioned, occupy the site right next door. 

 

These tasty treats were special. I mentioned to Craig that on Wednesdays I let sushi chefs, Evan or Alex, create an "Anything Roll" whereby they go with whatever ingredients they want and present it, as usual, in a most artistic and appealing manner. A sushi lover himself, he went along with it and the results were well worth it and much to our liking.

Friday introduced me to a new wrinkle: items in my refrigerator were freezing. Problem arose when I lowered the thermostat to achieve a happy medium. The motor turned off and remained off. After checking hours later, the food in the freezer began to feel "spongy". Turning the thermostat back up to max would finally kick in but much later. Not taking any chances, all foods were removed and brought back home (fortunately, a 10 minutes drive) and put into my freezer. I'm in contact with the dealership in Iowa for a possible solution; a new thermostat is needed. I've check area authorized Winnebago dealers for service and found: a)  the closest are at least and hour and a half away; b) they're all too busy tending those who've bought their motor home through them and cannot take on "new" customers, and; c) none pre-order parts without their diagnosing and troubleshooting the situation which would require leaving my motor home "perhaps for weeks" while they go back and forth with the manufacturer of the unit. Frustrating to say the least. Things are looking good, however, I'm working with Anders, from Lichtsinn where I purchased and he indicated that "jumping through some hoops" we can get a non-authorized repair shop to do the work. A call to him on Monday will tell the tale. More about that in future posts.

Saturday? A washout. And next week much of the same. I took a video of the torrential downpour that passed through about 8:00 am. You can view that on VIDEO HERE on YouTube. Another video I made was a fascinating observation I made as I approached my rig. There, before me, was a dangling leaf being softly buffeted by barely noticeable air currents and suspended by an invisible silken thread. How did it come to be? Which came first, the leaf or the silken thread? And, finally, how did they become one? Thoughts to ponder when you have too much time on your hands. That video, also on YouTube, can be VIEWED HERE. 

Another observation that will give you a chuckle has to do with the "clowder" or "glaring" of 8 or 9 feral cats that roam the area around the dumpsters. 

What sign? There's six more hiding in the bushes.

They do make themselves right at home anytime
anywhere. There was another ahead and to the
left. Time? 10:00 pm

And so ends my first week here at CPP. Looking forward to the next one. Same life style, same schedules but it's so different when you're in a different environment and mindset. Till next time, take care and stay dry.