Why is it that if I goof off for just one day, I’m suddenly two or three days behind schedule? How does that happen? So I spent yesterday making up for lost time.
I started putting the new issue of the Gypsy Journal together as soon as I got up, and pretty much stayed at it all day long. This is my least favorite part of my job. I love the traveling and gathering stories for the paper, I love writing the stories, but putting it all together is more like work. And I am very averse to work, avoiding it whenever possible. I’m not complaining, I still feel like I have the best job in the world, there are just parts of it I like more than others.
Strong thunderstorms were predicted for yesterday, but for most of the day it was actually pretty nice. In fact, it was warm enough that we had to run our basement air conditioner during the afternoon. About 3 p.m. the sky suddenly became dark and the wind started to pick up. Terry and I went outside to stash a couple of items in the motorhome’s storage bays so they didn’t blow away, and she took some pictures of the storm that was coming in. Suddenly a gust of wind blew through, and it felt like the temperature dropped at least 15 degrees in just a matter of seconds. We decided to get back inside.
But as suddenly as it darkened, the sky started to brighten up again, and the wind died down. It looked like the storm was going to bypass us after all.
About 5 p.m. our friend Al Hesselbart showed up, having just driven back from the FMCA rally in Madison, Wisconsin. Al said it was a rough trip, and that just a mile or two from the Elkhart exit, a gust of wind hit his Newell coach and shoved him sideways half a lane on the highway. The same wind gust also tore his saucer shaped TV antenna off the roof and left it dangling down the side of his motorhome by its coax cable.
We visited for a while, and then the three of us went to El Maguey, our favorite Mexican restaurant in this area. We had a nice dinner, talking about the RV industry, our mutual friends who work the vendor circuit at RV rallies, how things are going at the RV Hall of Fame Museum, where Al is the historian, and our winter travel plans. Al is going to spend the winter at a campground in Bushnell, Florida, and Terry and I will spend two or three months bouncing around, from the Orlando Thousand Trails, to the Escapees Sumter Oaks campground, and wherever else we happen to end up. We really like the area around Titusville and hope to get back there, and we also want to get down to the Keys for some kayaking. My Sea Eagle PaddleSki has spent way too much time rolled up and stashed in the back of the Explorer. I am determined to do some paddling and fishing this winter.
While we were eating, the storm finally hit, with lightning flashing and rain pouring down. Fortunately for us, by the time we had finished our meal, the worst of the storm had passed, and there was just a light rain falling on the drive back to the campground.
After saying goodbye to Al, I went back to work, finally knocking off a little after 11 p.m., just in time to think of something to write about for today’s blog.
I got ten pages finished yesterday, which is a pretty good start, and today I’ll be back at it again. Hopefully I will get it finished in time to send to the printer on Tuesday.
Thought For The Day – When tempted to fight fire with fire, remember that the Fire Department usually uses water.
Click Here To Register For Our Eastern Gypsy Gathering Rally! E
Nick Russell
World-Famous, New York Times Best Selling Author, and All-Around Nice Guy!
I couldn’t help noticing the portable satellite dish and the multiple extended awnings on rigs shown in your approaching storm photos. Hope everyone had a chance to stow “stuff”.
THAT wind came through the Indiana State Fair left devastation behind. Lives were lost when the stage that was setup for Sugarland collapsed ontop of many fans. The screams still echo in my ears, as well as the sound which at first we thought was thunder, but now know it to be the collapse.
Our tent was located just outside the Grandstands and we high tailed it to safety so we were not hurt, but the emotions will take awhile to heal.
You were wise to get out of the line of fire when the wind came through, especially in light of what happened at the Indiana state fair.
We did not hear the news about the stage collapsing, our prayers to all the ones who were injured and it saddens us to know lives were lost. Our prayers out the families. We also got caught in the rain and winds while coming home from dinner. One gust hit us sideways and Mike had to fight to keep us straight,it pushed us into the other lane. Very scary time. Glad Mike was driving and not me.
When at Bushnell be sure to take you kayaks over to Homassa Springs area go and kayak with the manatee’s just outside the park boundry. Awesome to float around with them. One lady in our group had one come to the surface under her and she rocked & rolled on top of it until it went back under. Awesome. We launched at the Seagrass Pub & Grill.