A Big Change For Jim And Linda Part 3

DeBary, FL

52 deg. overcast, no wind.

Forecast = Mostly cloudy with rain showers. High of 70F. Winds from the NE at 5 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 30%.


My last post had Jim and Linda checking out the double wide unit that had all the work done on it.

After much more discussion and thought, it was pretty much decided that this double wide would be right for their needs so Jim and Linda told Nancy, ( the Community Manager), that they would like to try to make a deal with Emily for the home.

So, they made an offer.

Now, at this time Emily was at her daughter’s house for the Holiday so it took awhile for her to get back to Nancy, but on Friday, the 4th of January, she called back and gave them her reply.

Now, Jim and Linda have a few more questions and concerns, but after even more conversation, checking on finances and other technicalities, it was decided that if their questions and concerns were answered, and they didn’t find any problems with the home after another viewing, either today or tomorrow, they would go ahead and accept Emily’s price.

So, as of right now, there have been no papers signed but unless something happens, it sure looks like Jim and Linda are going to do this.

I should know what’s going to be happening for sure in the next couple days.

A Point to Ponder : One nice thing about egotists: They don't talk about other people.

A Day Trip and Isaac Is Coming To Illinois

Rantoul, IL.

63 deg. clear, no wind.

Forecast = Sunny, high of 93F. Winds from the South at 5 to 10 mph.


As planned, about 8:45, Jim and Linda took CLT and headed to Wilmington, IL yesterday morning. Their Financial Advisor used to have and office in the little town that Jim and Linda used to live in, (Peotone, IL), but last fall, he moved his office to Wilmington. It really doesn't make too much difference except that from here in Rantoul, Wilmington is a little more difficult to get to and it is a little farther. (From here, they took US 136 west to IL 47, 47 up to Dwight, and then followed the Old US 66 to Wilmington.)

Jim and Linda really don't mind though, it's a nice drive through the country if you stay off of the Interstates and he has done a very good job of advising them on their investments. Especially through these last years of tough economic times.

It was right at 10:30 when Jim and Linda got there, so they had to wait about 1/2 an hour because their appointment wasn't until 11:00.

After the meeting, Jim and Linda were hungry, so they asked Dean, (their investor), where there was a good place to eat. He said that one of the best was right across the street at a family restaurant called Chick-A-Dee. Well, they went over there and ate and when Jim asked for the check, the waitress told him that the bill was taken care of by Dean!!!!

Wow!!! What a pleasant surprise!!! Thanks Dean!!! : )

From Wilmington, they followed the Kankakee River to Kankakee, (a very pleasant drive.),  and then took I-57 back down here to Rantoul. It was after 3:00 by the time they returned.

Well, I hope I didn't bore you too much with this post, but Jim and Linda may want to look back on this post to plan the trip from here up to Wilmington in the future.

It doesn't look like we're going to have very good weather for the Labor Day Holiday. The remnants of Hurricane Isaac are heading this way and they're forecasting rain, starting tomorrow night and lasting through Sunday, with total rainfall anywhere between 3 to 6 inches!!!!  : O

As of yesterday evening, Louise has already had 4 cancellations of RV sites here at the CG and she's expecting there will be more. : (

Did you know that in 1887, Oregon was the first state to make Labor Day a holiday?

A Few Errands, Dinner Out And Dinner In and Today's Plans

Rantoul, IL.

66 deg. clear, NE wind @ 3 mph.

Forecast = Sunny. Highs in the upper 80s. Light east winds.


It's been slow around here the last few days. Monday afternoon, Jim took CLT (Cute Little Truck) and went to the post office to pick up mail and mail those 2 birthday cards. From there he headed, first to a farmers stand to buy some sweet corn, and then to Walgreen's where he picked up his prescription.

In the evening, Jim and Linda again took CLT and headed over to Fisher, IL, and to the Village Garden Restaurant for dinner. As usual, the food was very good and well prepared.

Yesterday, was another real quiet day. Jim did cook a steak out on the grill for dinner, (that he and Linda shared), and Linda cooked sweet corn inside of me and popped some bread sticks into my oven.

I don't know how it tasted, but it sure smelled good!! ; )

Today, Jim and Linda will take CLT and head up North to see their financial advisor. Every year, they meet with him and go thorough all their investments and decide if they want to make any changes. They'll be gone most of the day as it's about a 2 hour drive up there, they'll spend at least and hour with him, they'll need to stop and get lunch someplace, and then there will be the 2 hour drive back down here.

A Point to Ponder : Hard work pays off in the future, laziness pays off now.

Comments, Almost Everyone Left and 4 In A Row

Ahmeek, MI.

55 deg. clear, no wind.

Forecast = Mostly sunny. Highs 72 to 77. Light winds.

Before I get too involved with today's post, I'd like to comment on a few comments that I've received lately.

I wish we could continue East from here and stop by the shipwreck museum. Jim has wanted to see that for many years, (since he saw a special on it on PBS), and we'd really like to head over to the lower part of Michigan.  But from here, we need to head down into Wisconsin for Linda's family reunion and then into Illinois for the rest of the summer.

Jim and Linda did take CLT and go on the Brockway Mountain drive 2 years ago when they were here and are planning on going on some of the other scenic drives this week.

Thanks for the comments and suggestions, they're really appreciated.

Now, back to today's post!!! : )

Jim and Linda didn't do much yesterday. Kind of just kicked back and watched all the RVs leave the CG. Evidently most of them were here for the Holiday and they have to get back to their jobs today. Right now, there is only 1 other RV, (a travel trailer), in the section that I'm in and there's only 3 tenters across the road in the whole tent section.

It sure did get peaceful and quiet after all of them left yesterday afternoon. ; )

Had another pretty sunset last night. (that makes 4 in a row). It wasn't spectacular, but it's always interesting to watch the colors change as the sun goes below the horizon.

Oh, and Jim did take a few photos of the beach here yesterday afternoon. This first photo you're seeing what the coast looks like to the right.

This one is looking off to the left.

As you can tell, the shore is all rocks here, so hardly anyone goes into the water. I understand that there is a sand beach somewhere close by where people can go swimming.

Today, Jim and Linda's mail should be at the Post Office in Ahmeek, so they'll need to go and pick that up. They'll have to check their voice mail once in town, (no cell phone service out here at the CG), but they may have to drive down to Calumet, MI., (a small town about 5 miles South of Ahmeek), to sign some papers that their financial advisor is sending up here.

Then, as long as they're in Calumet, the plan is to go to a grocery store and start stocking up on groceries for the Family Reunion, plus pick up a few regular items that they're out of.

That should pretty well fill up their day! : )


Did you know that the annual average snowfall for the northern part of the Keweenaw Peninsula, (where we're at now), is between 220 and 250 inches? (Depending on how far north you are and the elevation).

A Little Planning and A Little Shopping

DeBary, FL.

44 deg. clear, no wind.

Forecast = Sunny. Highs in the upper 60s. Northeast winds 10 to 15 mph.


Not a whole lot happened here yesterday, especially in the morning and early afternoon. Linda did a load of laundry, worked on her embroidery and did some straightening up inside of me.

Jim fooled around with the computer all morning. He's starting to think about our up-coming trip out west, so he's been researching the different routes that we could take across the SW along with sights and places they might want to stop at and see.

He also dug out their little Christmas tree to try to find a place where they could set it up for the holiday season. I think he and Linda finally settled on a spot on my dash, but since my dash is not level, the base has to be shimmed up so that the tree is not leaning one way or the other. 

I think they've got it figured out though. ; )

After checking Christmas presents, Linda decided that they still needed to do a little more shopping, so about 3:00 she and Jim left in CLT. They also needed to fax some papers to their financial advisor, so on the way to Kohl's to pick up a few more items, they stopped by a place they knew of to take care of that.

Then, before coming back here, they stopped at a Steak 'n Shake for a sandwich.

The evening was spent watching TV until bedtime.

Did you know that on this date in 1835 - Hans Christian Andersen published his first book of fairy tales?