A change in plans

 

While a sunset is beautiful over Lake Erie, I've discovered a sunset over a small pond in a meadow is equally stunning. This particular pond is the view from our new home away from home. That's right, Ron and I took our camping experiment to the next level earlier this week....we purchased a beautiful Class C motor home! Ron calls me Camper Girl, and that just about nails it. Paulette remarks that only a few years ago, I didn't even like to sit on our back porch, let alone, sit in a meadow!

 

 

Bob thinks it will blow over in a year, but, I am betting that it goes the other direction, this camping, traveling thing. Ron seems just as enthusiastic as I am. Paulette is bitten by the bug, and I don't mean mosquito, so, we think Bob better just throw his golf clubs and fishing rods into the rig and go along for the ride.

 

I was settling in for a year of rv hunting, ordering books on motor home reviews, scanning the Internet for camper reviews,  planning trips to rv dealers, and at the same time, keeping my new membership to the Tincan Tourists, a vintage camper clan, front and center as well.

 

Yet, all along, my girl was just up the street, waiting for me to take her on the road. Earlier this spring, when the rv idea was starting to grow as my idea of a retirement incentive, I spotted this beauty in the driveway of Don and Laura Notestine. It was still cold and damp, but, I mused about the adventures the family must be planning for the months ahead. Whenever I drove by, I glanced to see if she was still there. On Thursday (can it only be 4 days ago?), she was facing nose out toward the street. Wow, I thought, I bet the family is getting set for their first trip of the summer! Then, I noticed the for sale sign in her window!!OMG!! As I was on my way to a luncheon, I couldn't stop. I was in a hurry to get back to work after the lunch and couldn't stop then either. After work, I headed over to Paulette's for a glass of wine and asked her to look in the Classified section of the paper to see if an rv was listed for sale.....it wasn't! We looked at each other, set the wineglasses down, and said, let's go look at it! Ron, btw, was at home, setting up the grill for a dinner, knowing none of the above.

 

 

One hour later, she was ours! Here she is, at her new seasonal site, at Gotta Getaway, near Bellevue, Ohio. Jackie Lang, longtime staff member at the Library, and her husband, Paul,  bought the campgrounds last fall and we are thrilled to be part of their dream.  Paul, for years the head chef at the Cawtawba Country Club, took the leap to campground ownership and I can imagine how proud they must be to own 26 acres of beautiful meadows and woods. This is the perfect spot for us to settle into a gentle learning curve before we head out this fall for Asheland, N.C. again.

 

Don and Laura were gracious, generous, and very supportive as they gave us their treasure. The 2008 Jayco Greyhawk 31ss has just 4,300 miles and is, for all intents and purposes, brand new. Vacation Land Credit Union, aptly named, matched me with Shelly Luipold, a lender/friend, and by the end of the day, we were ready to hit the road with Bob and Paulette for site 75, a corner lot in the meadow!  Paulie, ever the hostess, brought champagne, hummus, and crackers, and we celebrated in high style until way past our bedtimes on a work night.

 

Next on the agenda:  find a similar rig for Paulette and Bob.....the plan is in place.....let the camping adventures begin!