A fun filled Friday...on the Island of Cape Breton..

We were preparing to load up and head toward NB yesterday..but those plans got changed...we did move on but not toward home..we left the cg and came into sydney ....spent the night in my cousins driveway..she was a tight squeeze but we managed it...and wow you would think anyone and everyone in this town has never see a coach motorhome....there has been more cars stopping and staring...talk about tying up traffic....

We were definitely a traffic stopper

parked and setup

We headed down to Cheryl's (my cousin's mom and my first cousin) as it was stated she was cooking supper for us all AGAIN!! this time it was cabbage rolls, garlic chicken, rice, breads and all the trimmings...We would not dare to weigh this motorhome today, especially if we are in it... because of all the good food thats been served to us this week..I'm sure we're over weight...now Rick knows where I learned my cooking traits, and why I'm also a 'large portion' server. At home hes forever saying we do not need a 'dutch oven' pot full of potatoes Elaine just for the two of us....I dont' know how to cook for just two people...so now I think he has an understanding as to why I don't.

Hot turkey dinner-with all the trimmings - just one of the many wonderful meals Cheryl cooked-

My cousin Janice and I

Cousin Cheryl-the great cook!!

Andy Lisa's hubby-Breanne and Jamie Lynn hiding her face thats a 15 yr old thing :)

Lisa-she is so much fun!! and so funny

While sitting out on her veranda after supper enjoying our drinks...we watched the sights of the neighbourhood...at the corner was a party of 20+ something year olds...they were all fairly inebriated and of course arguing amongst themselves.
One young lady was in pretty bad shape falling on the cement sidewalk and some guy took her down the neighbours dark driveway across the street. We immediately alerted the authorities...like come on she is someone's daughter...of course when the police arrived (two cars) he took off..and they were forever finding her in the dark backyard and getting her to her feet and into the car. At least we know she was safe for the night.

The police were pretty chatty with us all..and of course Cheryl delivered him some water, and pop to help him thru his long shift~I'm surprised she didn't land out there with a plate of cabbage rolls for him. As a joke I said to him...you should let me sit in the back of your car and get my picture taken.."I'm a tourist" home to visit..lol he said sure...talk about funny...yes we have pictures..but the wifi is too slow to load them up, so I will load up and catch up on all the missing pictures when the wifi is better...he even turned the lights on...now isn't that a story for my grandkids...I always said where theres no fools theres no fun...just seems I'm always the fool..haha...and just so you know it was my first ever experience in the back of a police car....oh well it gave everyone  a great laugh...

I guess theres one in every bunch!

cousin Breanne gorgeous girl

Life wasn't so funny earlier ...Lisa and I had gone to the bank and I wanted to use the instant teller...they are not like the ones at home and I don't know why...at home you don't get the withdrawn $$ until your transaction is complete..here you get it first...due to gabbing with Lisa, when it spit out the cash I took it and left...and you know what happened next...about 6pm I realized I didn't have my bank card..yup it was still in the machine...we did go back and some good honest soul must have removed it and took it inside to the teller because I hopped on line and checked the bank and the only withdrawal was the one I made. The transaction would have been at the stage of 'would you like to make another transaction' when I walked away from it...so they might drink and fight on Friday nite but they're still honest good down home folk. I called the bank and canceled my debit card and will pick up a new one the first of the week..meantime Rick has his we can use.

Its a hot sunny day here in CB ..of course because its a travel day for us..but better to travel in the sun versus the rain...not sure where we will end up tonight, but will update if possible...

Have a super Saturday everyone, and remember

Home is where you park it
Elaine (Rick Tucker and lilly too)

And another Great Day!!!

Yesterday the cousins came to visit us at the rig in the early afternoon...and brought their own containers (as requested by me)..because I whipped them up another 3 dozen chocolate chip cookies...the ones I made from the other day were quite a hit...

After they left we tidied up around the rig...we walked the dogs..and Rick and I headed into town, picked up some supper (delicious chicken) and had supper with my Aunt Betty. She is 80 some years old, and is a walking historian...I could sit forever asking her 'family' questions..there isn't anyone she doesn't know, and not much she doesn't know about them. How I love this..having lost my parents in my late 20's I now have questions...so thank heavens for these elder relatives who have answers. Who thinks in their 20's to ask family historic questions of their parents..I sure didn't ...we were busy raising five kids... trying to work and get through the present and look to the future..there just wasn't time or inclination to think of the past. We had a great visit with her...I do have some pictures..but our wifi here at the park is too slow for uploading pictures....will do so when I have faster speed.

Today, was another super day, we hung around the MH most of the day, I should rephrase that ~most of the 1/2 day..I didn't haul out of the bedroom till after 10am..its been like that all week...who knew I could get past 5am...my usual waking hour...we headed into town to my cousin Cheryl's for a big turkey dinner with all the trimmings...you name it it was on that dining room table...plus 3-4 desert choices...needless to say I came home with a 'here take this lemon meringue pie home with you'!!! Am hoping my clothes still fit next week after this week on the Island. And once again even the fur kids were treated to some tidbits. And my cousin presented me with another gorgeous Cape Breton Island blanket throw.

After arriving back at the Mh we hunkered down (is that a word? we do use that alot in Cape Breton)..and did some blog reading...its now almost 1am so I'm heading up the hall into dreamland..

travel safe yall and remember
Home is where you park it...

Elaine, Rick Tucker and Lilly~living our dream in Ossumer...

A Lazy day!! We are still experiencing rainy weather

Today was a sort of lazy day, I cleaned, went for groceries, got all the laundry done, then baked some. Rick puttered around~and braved the elements to take some pictures for me.

view from the CG this is a gorgeous church

At supper time we enjoyed the delicious cabbage rolls that my aunt sent us home with yesterday. Then it was off for a drive into town~and I delivered the chocolate chip cookies to my cousin. We visited a bit, then came back and took the furkids for their walk.

Tucker talking to the ducks outside the rig~told you it was great weather if your a duck

It didn't rain today, but it sure looked like it wanted to...

If you decide to ever visit Newfoundland~your Limo awaits  you 

a shot of the campground~lovely place

Also our 'congratulations' to Larry and Marilyn Vanstone (the amazing Vanstones)..Larry retired today!! Way to go Larry and Mar...

Time for a hot shower, and early nite...take care all safe travels and remember

Home is where you Park it...!!

Rick, Elaine Tucker and Lilly

A Wonderful Day on the Isle of Cape Breton

Sunday, we had a busy day, Rick worked around the rig, puttering and cleaning the windows and bug grime off the rig. I cleaned inside, and cooked most of the day. We had some of my cousins for supper last evening~I made homemade spaghetti ~tea biscuts~salads and garlic bread for our supper. For desert I baked chocolate macaroons. We ate, drank some wine, traded stories and had quite a few laughs, and thoroughly enjoyed each others company.

Today I arose fairly late (9:45 who knew I could retire and sleep in that late)...Rick had the fur kids out for their walk, fed them their breakfast and had my coffee all ready when I sashayed up the hall. He cooked us a wonderful big breakfast of bacon, eggs and toast. (Hes a pretty handy guy to have around).

We then showered dressed and headed into Sydney to visit my Aunt Betty whom I haven't see in a couple of years, and she is 84 years old. We spent the afternoon with her..she had just put a big roaster full of homemade cabbage rolls into the oven and boy did they smell good. She is as sharp as a tack, and I so enjoy her family stories. By the end of the visit those cabbage rolls were cooked, and being the caper that she is she of course offered us some to take home. I very politely declined (even tho my mouth was watering)...As most of you know they are a pain in the butt to make so I only make there once a year if Rick is lucky~Rick not being as polite as myself piped up and said "sure we'd love to take some home".."but don't put any in there for Elaine because she said she didn't want any"...I almost kicked him under the table.

We came back to the campground (check it out for if you are ever in the area its a great place and very close to the Ferry Terminal to Newfoundland~you can store your rig here while visiting the rock if you don't want to take it with you..www.armofgoldcamp.com)~ we had left the dogs in the rig so we came back to store Rick's cabbage rolls (yes theres some in there for me to but he says there isn't) in the fridge and grab the dogs and head back into town to be at my cousin Cheryl's to have supper with her and her family. What a massive supper we had served to us there. Roast Pork~baked ham and all the trimmings and strawberry shortcake for desert. I could hardly move. It was delicious.

The weather today has been nothing but rain...all day since last evening..and more is expected for tomorrow..but that sure didn't dampen our spirits or hinder our visitation. I so love being home to visit, even tho I do not have any immediate family here, the Aunts and cousins always make us feel special....I always feel like I'm wrapped up in a big cosy quilt when I'm with them.

Tomorrow will be a laundry/cleaning day. I do have to jet to a grocery store because all the cousins love homemade chocolate chip cookies..and everyone knows I make the best. We must be good guests because we are invited back again on Thursday for a turkey dinner..yum yum...

I better get off this island before I sink it, I've eaten so much just since Saturday. Mind you I don't hear Rick groaning or complaining, he eats everything they put in front of him, I gain weight just watching him eat it all.

Have a wonderful Tuesday folks~and if the rain ever clears up I will take some wonderful pictures.

Stay safe and remember "home is where you park it"

Elaine (Rick Tucker and Lilly too)
ps...I even caught one of the cousins giving tucker and lilly tastes of strawberry shortcake after supper...so needless to say Capers feed everyone and the dogs probably don't want to come home with us to NB..

Awww its Saturday-Travel day for us!

As I awoke today to the peaceful sounds of the early morning~I couldn't help but be amazed at the sights around me. All was quiet and peaceful~the sun was shining with the early morning glow, the river was like a mirror with the clouds reflecting in it-my favourite time of day! This is when I love to sit and reflect, ponder and count my blessings for all that we have; I can do so much thinking at this time when the rest of the world sleeps around me..I feel like it is my personal private-special time of day.

But alas, when the coffee pot gave its final beep to let me know it was ready~ the day begins. Lilly awakens then wakes Tucker and its time to set my special time aside and mother the furkids. After their morning potty, and breakfast its then time to re-enter the world and see how everyone is doing..so its onto blog reading and facebook while I enjoy my coffee. Eventually Rick swaggers out with my good morning kiss..and we enjoy coffee together and plan our day. 

Today we are motoring onto Cape Breton to visit with friends and relatives. I love going 'home' it brings back so many memories of growing up there, some good and some not so good..but thats life right? We left 'Cranberry Campground' in Barney's River (just outside of New Glasgow NS) at noon on the dot. It is a gorgeous sunny day with nice temperatures. The furkids are resting in their seatbelts on the sofa how they love to travel. When they see their seatbelts come out they get so excited one would think you offered them a t-bone steak.

You have to love the CB highlands

A little island all by itself

Rick doing a small repair at the Canso Causeway-our tank door which does not open (screwed shut) the screws must have come loose so he is screwing it shut again..(I knew he was handsome and handy)

Entrance to the Canso Causeway

Gotta Love this sign on the bridge on the causeway~this Bridge swings and turns around to allow boats to pass through

The lakes

The beautiful Bridal Party at the back of the campground having their wedding pics done

This is what we see behind our coach

We arrived at the Arm of Gold campground in the Bra d'Or, Cape Breton at around 3:30pm...the drive was beautiful..the sun was shining..the mountains were gorgeous and we were pretty impressed hauling up over the mountain with ease in Ossumer...now I know why Rick had a DP on his bucket list. Upon our arrival a limo pulled into the campground while we were registering..it was a wedding party arriving for pictures. Only a caper bride would want her pictures done in a hayfield ...I just had to take some pictures also. Which I will upload in the morning when I have the wifi code (currently am on my stick because Rick forgot to get the code when we registered)...the wedding party was beautiful...how nice to arrive and immediately see a 'new beginning'...

As soon as we were setup it was off to my cousins house...her daughter knew we were coming but we didn't tell her as I wanted to surprise her..and boy was she surprised...we spent a lovely evening there visiting the family, eating and enjoying the kitchen gathering (Thats what we capers do ~even tho there are numerous rooms in the house we all tend to visit and gather in the kitchen)..Cape Breton is famous for its 'kitchen ceilidhs' (a ceilidh is gaelic for party)..so between the kitchen and the veranda we caught up on the last couple of years. The furkids behaved thank heavens. Altho tucker did find his way upstairs and tried to nap on one of the beds. There are a couple of nice cruise ships in the harbour which we will check out tomorrow after church. The Sydney warf, marina and boardwalk was alive this evening with people..you would have thought it was July 1st and traffic was heavy for 11pm. I figure the cruise ships were docked for the night. But we were too tired to stop~its been a long day...but a wonderful day. What more could we ask for!

 Have a wonderful weekend everyone -I will upload the pictures tomorrow when I get the wifi code.

Stay safe~remember home is where you park it...

Elaine, Rick Tucker and Lilly

Practicing again

It was another full day of practicing retirement from the time Lilly got us up at 7:30 until now at 9:45PM. We did our coffee and blog reads to start off with~ then had breakfast and eventually got around to packing up and getting "Ossumer" on the road for a short 1.5 hr run to Barneys Island to the Cranberry Campground. We actually took about an hour to set up for some reason in the past it was like a marathon setting up we now do the jacks, water, power, dog pens and mats and then have a sit down in the lawn chairs for a bit before going in to run out the slides, turn the seats etc. Then sit for a bit again and maybe have a coffee then set up the satellite might want the TV tonight.You get the picture this is practicing for retirement there is no rush anymore. Life is Good.
We took a drive out to Big Island late this afternoon its called an island but is really connected to the main land by a narrow sand bar that has a road built on top of . Nice drive and lots a nice scenery.

Road to Big Island

Tucker and Lilly are also practicing along with us and so far seem to be getting the hang of it pretty good

Cranberry Campground http://cranberrycampground.ca/ is a first visit for us and its not too bad a place but still a work in progress, good WiFi and good cell service all 50amp, nice view of Barneys River, gravel roads, and fair size grass lots.

"Ossumer" at Cranberry Campground in Barney's Island NS

Its off to Cape Breton Island tomorrow with about a 2.5 hr drive ~have to be on the road early no later than 11:30am its all part of the practicing. Cousins came to visit that live in the area so we had a nice 'catch-up"...On the way back from Big Island we took a run into New Glasgow and pick up some groceries ~wow its been a busy day!!

Until the next time stay safe and have fun.

"Home is where you park it."

Elaine Rick Lilly and Tucker

We have left the building!!!

We left Riverview earlier today motoring on toward Cape Breton (I'm going home for a visit :))...I was a wee bit nervous today which I usually am when we have something new going on!! Today was our first trip with the 'brake buddy' in the car...but it seemed to do what it was suppose to do..so all is well..Rick thought I should take the time during our journey to read the manual on the BB ...but I think thats a not need to know situation. I know for a fact he would have read it a minimum of 3 times before he installed it this week. All I need to know is how to hook it up (if necessary) ...I don't feel I have to know how the guts of it works-as long as it does its job I'm happy. I know how to drive the rig, hook up the car to the blue ox, and hookup the BB..so I figure I'm good to go...and yes I also know how to dump tanks if ever necessary...

We are currently parked in Scotia Pines in Truro and then we will be on our way tomorrow to New Glasgow..for a nite to visit relatives..then onto Cape Breton...yipeeee...I haven't been home to visit in a couple of years..

A little tight for parking

I am 'loving ' our new motorhome...I'm not nearly as nervous as I was in the previous MH..Miss Daisy...I think its the perception...I'm sitting back a bit and no longer have my butt parked right up on the dash watching the road run under me...plus this is a diesel so I don't have the engine sounds under said butt...

The kids are bored waiting to go for walk

Well its past happy hour the sun is shining and I'm sure the furkids and the hubby are getting hungry so I should consider something for supper...

take care all~~travel safe

Home is where you park it
Elaine, Rick, Tucker and Lilly

Finally an update!!!

We have been on the go for sure...our daughter and son in law were home to visit for a week from TN...it sure wasn't long enough but better than no visit at all...the housing situation is finally totally finished and our tenants moved in last Friday...after our daughter and son in law went back home we jumped in the rig and took off for a couple of days of R & R...which was something we desperately needed...we have been going straight out since January with the downsizing and renos. We are loving the apartment reno and getting used to living in a smaller space, altho it does seem strange to hear someone living on the other side of the 'wall' in the main house..I'm sure it will take some getting used to, and we don't plan to be here much.

I am currently researching our winter in Fl...seeking out parks etc. We don't plan to stay put for the whole winter~hopefully we will move around every 3-4 weeks..there is still some planning to do...but I'm sure we will get there..when Rick started the renos in January I thought to my self..wow your starting early..but thank heavens we did or we would be way behind now...

Hope you are all having a good summer..we are planning our next trip to Cape Breton..I have family there and it will be nice to be able to visit and not rush back...

Take care all...stay safe...I still have pics to upload (trying to figure that out with the new camera)...from Ruth and Kevin's visit...will strive to complete that task...

and remember 'home is where you park it'

Elaine and Rick
Tucker and Lilly

We have Blogger Company July 7, 2011

Today has been a busy busy day ...we found out that Kevin and Ruth and their dog Whiskey were passing through our area...I was spending my coffee time this morning reading blogs...I shot off an email...and warned them we are in reno mess but that they were more than welcome to come park here at our home..as we have hookups...They accepted..I whipped a picnic ham out of the freezer, fired it into the oven to bake, grabbed the vacuum and ran behind the boys (they were closing off the doors to the main house today and theres drywall dust everywhere) popped them off an email saying if you can stand our mess we would love to have them visit. Then I raced off the the grocery store..to pick up some potatoes etc...came back...packed up my linen closet (before the drywall sanding starts tomorrow in our bathroom where they closed off one of the doors that used to go into the main house)...and I've been in high gear ever since..:)

Visiting with Kevin and Ruth

Sherman parked in our spare driveway all hooked up

Sherman and he is smiling

Ossumer in our other driveway

Kevin and Ruth...what a great meeting / visit we all had

Darling darling whiskey what a sweetie she is

We had supper, visited each others MHs and then sat on our deck for awhile visiting until the bugs drove us inside...my neighbours surely think I'm crazy I now have to run from my apartment door to the house door to enter the big house...and I wanted to set up the bathroom in there for them as I'm sure they'd love showers in the morning...so I was running with towels etc...

Their dog Whiskey is a darling almost 16 years old...has a heart problem...tucker loves her giving her kisses and lilly likes her...also...

All in all it was a great day (will upload pics when I have more time)...its so much fun putting faces to the bloggers we've been meeting..thats three couples in the last month...how exciting...

Ok its off to bed for us...they are out in their motorhome, all tucked in for the night..and we were able to share our wifi with them...

Take care all have a super evening..and remember

Home is where you park it...
Elaine , Rick Tucker and Lilly