Home for a week and we hope all goes well from now on. When we arrived in Estero on August 30th. we had no cable, no internet and no Vonage phone service. Then to make matter worse our printer of less than a year quit working and we had bugs in the house.
On Friday, Comcast (our internet and cable provider) called at 8:40 am and told us they would be out between 1:00 and 5:00 pm. Tom stayed home and did not attend the meeting at Marsh Landing Clubhouse on Friday at noon as sometimes service people get to your home early and if your not there, oh well you missed your appointment. I attended the meeting to learn what was happening in Villa II's.
That afternoon Charley had an appointment with a local vet to have her stitches removed. I had to take her as Tom still was awaiting the Comcast people. Charley made a hit with the vet's office. She managed to have two poops, and the typical cocker pee's. Yes, we did make a good impression! The vet told me she was in excellent health and the only problem was she had an underbite. That could lead to dental problems later in life.
Charley and I arrived home to find Tom still awaiting the Comcast service person. Wait is sure what we did. At 5:06 we called and were told, yes the service person would be coming, but this was a holiday week-end and we sure did not want to be without internet or cable. At 6:06 when we had not heard back and no-one had shown up we called once again. Yes, they would be coming and not to worry the first customer service person did indeed send an e-mail to dispatch and when dispatch called them back they would call us and let us know just when they would come to repair our service. By 6:30 Tom called once again and they put him on hold to dispatch. Then by 6:45 I called and talked with another customer service person. He and his boss both tried to get through to dispatch but Tom was in the cue ahead of them so he could not hang up. After being on hold for 42 minutes dispatch finally answered his call. By, 7:40 I had to leave to go grocery shopping, when I started to pull out Comcast pulled up. Then I just started down the road and a second truck pulled up to help. I left and went shopping. Tom stayed home and the two persons worked for one and a half hours....finally just running anew wire to the house so we could have service. They are to come back next Monday (10 or 11th.) or Tuesday and bury the wire.
After all that we find our modem for Vonage is not working. So once again we call the service provider to find out that they will send a new modem out, but it will take 5 business days and it is Friday naight of a holiday week-end, so that means we should receive it by the 10th. Luck would be with us and today the 7th. the modem showed up.
Saturday night Tom left his computer on, it was working fine. Sunday morning it would not do anything. Jeff talked his father through a bunch of things to try and get the computer working, with no luck! Tom is going to go with me Monday when I take Mom to the doctor and with luck C.J. and Tom will be able to get the computer working. Thank heavens I turned my laptop off. It still works.
This morning we called the bug guy. He came and said we had little flying ants. He sprayed and all is well with that. Thank heavens the bug guys are just around the corner.
We returned the printer to Costco with the original receipt. They credited back the charge card for the printer. We went to purchase a new one, same type and style number as the one we returned, and guess what it was much cheaper after a year so we did manage to save a little.
Charley is doing fine. She has been meeting all the neighborhood dogs and owners. Everyone thinks she is a darling and I have had offers from neighbors to dog sit her.
As you can guess we are finally back in the swing of things. This morning I went to water aerobics, and this evening we took our bikes out for a ride, the first since getting home.
Friday, September 7, 2007
Sunday, September 2, 2007
August 31, 2007
We are home once again. What a nice thought. But, we find we have no cable and no home phone. The calls are all being transfered to Nancy's cell. Tom calls Comcast and tries to get someone out here. They are to be here between 1:00 and 5:00 today. Tom stays home as we know sometimes they arrive early. At 5:06 pm we call Comcast, to make a long story short, after spending more than two hours on the phone someone finally comes to make repairs on the cable. It takes two guys one hour to find all the problems, then they jurry rig the system with a cable set on the lawn telling us they will be back on Sept. 10 or 11th. to bury the cable. Oh, well such is life. I guess we should be glad we have television service.
Our home phone is a cable phone Vonage. Well, with the cable out we somehow lost our Vonage phone service. We think the modem is fried, and when Tom spoke with someone, probably in India, they will send us a new modem, but it will take 5 business days for us to receive it. With the holiday week-end that means we will receive it on September 10th. Not exactly post-haste is it?
Today Charley has an appointment with a local Vet. He gives a clean bill of health and pulls her staples out. Charley receives the rest of her shots, and she will not have another vet visit until next August 31. unless she is ill. She is licensed and has all puppy shots and her rabies. She also has her heartworm pills so is set for a good time.
Our home phone is a cable phone Vonage. Well, with the cable out we somehow lost our Vonage phone service. We think the modem is fried, and when Tom spoke with someone, probably in India, they will send us a new modem, but it will take 5 business days for us to receive it. With the holiday week-end that means we will receive it on September 10th. Not exactly post-haste is it?
Today Charley has an appointment with a local Vet. He gives a clean bill of health and pulls her staples out. Charley receives the rest of her shots, and she will not have another vet visit until next August 31. unless she is ill. She is licensed and has all puppy shots and her rabies. She also has her heartworm pills so is set for a good time.
Wednesday, August 30th.
Today we leave Larry's heading for Estero. Don't know how long we will be on the road or where we will stop for the night. We just know that Tom is under the weather and Nancy doesn't feel great.
We travel thru Ohio, Kentucky and Tennessee without incident. When we get to the Georgia line, we run into rain. Oh, no not what we wanted to have when driving that big rig. But, we get south of Atlanta and decide to stop for the night. We find a Walmart parking lot and decide to bunk down for the night, there. We get some sleep, but the rain is so hard and steady Tom had enough sleep and he gets us going again. Nancy can't sleep with the rig on the road so she gets up and sits in the passenger seat to help guide Tom seeing in the terrible rain.
We drive and arrive in Florida. We get to the Welcome Center and get out and stretch. Charley has to get out and get fed, plus a little running around. We get on the road again, and of course we must make more frequent stops with Charley. The next rest area we get out and Charley finds Spanish Moss. What a great time she had with that. She rolls in it, then tries to chew it, and runs with it all around her. She is such a happy pup, loves life and is such a joy to have around. As you can tell we are in Florida and it is now the 31st. We arrive in Estero at about 2:00 pm and unload the motor home. We want to have everything cleaned out of it before 4:00 so we can get the motor home back to Highway 31 storage before it closes at 6:00. We hurry and unload everything in the garage and head out before 4:00. Our next few day s will be spent putting things away and getting rested.
We travel thru Ohio, Kentucky and Tennessee without incident. When we get to the Georgia line, we run into rain. Oh, no not what we wanted to have when driving that big rig. But, we get south of Atlanta and decide to stop for the night. We find a Walmart parking lot and decide to bunk down for the night, there. We get some sleep, but the rain is so hard and steady Tom had enough sleep and he gets us going again. Nancy can't sleep with the rig on the road so she gets up and sits in the passenger seat to help guide Tom seeing in the terrible rain.
We drive and arrive in Florida. We get to the Welcome Center and get out and stretch. Charley has to get out and get fed, plus a little running around. We get on the road again, and of course we must make more frequent stops with Charley. The next rest area we get out and Charley finds Spanish Moss. What a great time she had with that. She rolls in it, then tries to chew it, and runs with it all around her. She is such a happy pup, loves life and is such a joy to have around. As you can tell we are in Florida and it is now the 31st. We arrive in Estero at about 2:00 pm and unload the motor home. We want to have everything cleaned out of it before 4:00 so we can get the motor home back to Highway 31 storage before it closes at 6:00. We hurry and unload everything in the garage and head out before 4:00. Our next few day s will be spent putting things away and getting rested.
On the Road, Again
Tuesday, August 28, 2007
This morning we head out. Charley is not happy to be in her crate during the day, but she must be crated while on the road for her own safety. We are in Ohio and call Lucy to ask if she is going to be home. She loved us telling us she would be home and to come.
We receive a call from Larry (Lucy's son) telling us to come to his house, as he has 30 amp service, a shaddy spot for the motor home and we can use one of their cars to get to Lucy's about 2 miles away.
We arrive at Larry's and get settled in. Charley gets to play in the yard without her leash. She is in 7th. heaven.
We get to Lucy's and Danny (her son) comes over about dinnertime. Lucy is in a wheelchair and she has round the clock aides. Lucy receives therapy for a total of about 3 hours a day. She is looking better than I thought she would. We have a great talk, and leave in the late evening for Larry's.
This morning we head out. Charley is not happy to be in her crate during the day, but she must be crated while on the road for her own safety. We are in Ohio and call Lucy to ask if she is going to be home. She loved us telling us she would be home and to come.
We receive a call from Larry (Lucy's son) telling us to come to his house, as he has 30 amp service, a shaddy spot for the motor home and we can use one of their cars to get to Lucy's about 2 miles away.
We arrive at Larry's and get settled in. Charley gets to play in the yard without her leash. She is in 7th. heaven.
We get to Lucy's and Danny (her son) comes over about dinnertime. Lucy is in a wheelchair and she has round the clock aides. Lucy receives therapy for a total of about 3 hours a day. She is looking better than I thought she would. We have a great talk, and leave in the late evening for Larry's.
Day of Rest
Monday, August 27, 2007
Today we wanted to ride down the Lake Huron coastline. Tom was not feeling well, so that was put on hold. Instead we decide to head for home. But, we must cancel our plans for the Labor Day week-end.
We cancel and decide to head to Columbus, Ohio on Tuesday. We call Jacquie and Tim and tell them we will not be coming to Findlay to see them. We cancel our campsite and they tell me it had to be canceled at least 14 days in advance before the holiday weekend to get a refund. I figure they put it on a credit card, that I would fight the charge when it came through if they would not refund the charge.
We start to pack up for a departure the next day. Of course by this time, we don't even remember what day it is or what the date is. We have been gone so long we must look at the cell phones to tell us date, day and time.
Today we wanted to ride down the Lake Huron coastline. Tom was not feeling well, so that was put on hold. Instead we decide to head for home. But, we must cancel our plans for the Labor Day week-end.
We cancel and decide to head to Columbus, Ohio on Tuesday. We call Jacquie and Tim and tell them we will not be coming to Findlay to see them. We cancel our campsite and they tell me it had to be canceled at least 14 days in advance before the holiday weekend to get a refund. I figure they put it on a credit card, that I would fight the charge when it came through if they would not refund the charge.
We start to pack up for a departure the next day. Of course by this time, we don't even remember what day it is or what the date is. We have been gone so long we must look at the cell phones to tell us date, day and time.
Family Picnic
Sunday, August 26, 2007
Today we invited Jeff, Amy, Lindsay, Maggie and Katie for a picnic. They called to say they were coming. We have a playset right in front of the motor home the girls can play on. They come and we cook hot dogs, and hamburgers. Amy picked up potato salad and fruit for Nancy. When Nancy found out they were coming she even baked brownies in the oven.
After a lunch, we all went to the putt putt golf course they have right on the campgrounds. We all played putt putt and had a great time. Late afternoon, the Jeff Milton family left for home and Tom and Nancy thought about the rest of the trip, and made appropriate plans.
Today we invited Jeff, Amy, Lindsay, Maggie and Katie for a picnic. They called to say they were coming. We have a playset right in front of the motor home the girls can play on. They come and we cook hot dogs, and hamburgers. Amy picked up potato salad and fruit for Nancy. When Nancy found out they were coming she even baked brownies in the oven.
After a lunch, we all went to the putt putt golf course they have right on the campgrounds. We all played putt putt and had a great time. Late afternoon, the Jeff Milton family left for home and Tom and Nancy thought about the rest of the trip, and made appropriate plans.
Relaxing day (?)
Saturday, August 25, 2007
We must turn in the rental car this morning. We pack up Charley in her travel case and head into Lake Orion. We arrive at Jeff and Amy's and all the girls want to see little Charley. She is good with children, thank heavens! Tom and Jeff leave to return the rental car, yes it is not a real nice day, A little rainy, but we hear it is going to turn nice.
Nancy goes shopping with Amy and all three girls. Wow, is that ever exhausting, don't know how Jeff and Amy do it. But, I guess if you have to, you do. Katie took grandma all over Kohl's about 3 times. Then from there they went to Target. Again, what an exhausting day. Arriving back at the kids home, the weather has turned nice, so Tom and Nancy decide to ride back home with Charley on the motorcycle.
Tom straps Charley and her travel case onto the back of his bike. Nancy wants to ride behind them in case Charley and her travel case start to wobble to much Nancy can honk at Tom to stop and rejust the cast. No need to worry, Charley settled down in her case and took the ride like a trooper. Great day.
We must turn in the rental car this morning. We pack up Charley in her travel case and head into Lake Orion. We arrive at Jeff and Amy's and all the girls want to see little Charley. She is good with children, thank heavens! Tom and Jeff leave to return the rental car, yes it is not a real nice day, A little rainy, but we hear it is going to turn nice.
Nancy goes shopping with Amy and all three girls. Wow, is that ever exhausting, don't know how Jeff and Amy do it. But, I guess if you have to, you do. Katie took grandma all over Kohl's about 3 times. Then from there they went to Target. Again, what an exhausting day. Arriving back at the kids home, the weather has turned nice, so Tom and Nancy decide to ride back home with Charley on the motorcycle.
Tom straps Charley and her travel case onto the back of his bike. Nancy wants to ride behind them in case Charley and her travel case start to wobble to much Nancy can honk at Tom to stop and rejust the cast. No need to worry, Charley settled down in her case and took the ride like a trooper. Great day.
Visiting Day
Friday, August 24, 2007
Called to talk with my girlfriend Bonnie last night. John (husband) told me she was in the hospital since Tuesday. Well, we packed Charley in her travel case and off we went to see Bonnie. We arrived at the hospital and found her. I was not prepared for what I saw. Bonnie told me she had had a tooth ache and gone to the dentist a week earlier. He pulled the tooth, but an infection set in. She has a bone infection, and while at the doctor's and hospital the doctors found numerous blood clots in both lungs, and they tell her she has a congential heart defect. Not what we want to hear.
We leave in a terrible rainstorm to head back to the campsite about 2 hours away. The rain gets so bad we pull off the highway for a little while. Yes, that is the time we were driving just a few miles of the tornado that went through Michigan that night. We were never so glad to get back home.
Called to talk with my girlfriend Bonnie last night. John (husband) told me she was in the hospital since Tuesday. Well, we packed Charley in her travel case and off we went to see Bonnie. We arrived at the hospital and found her. I was not prepared for what I saw. Bonnie told me she had had a tooth ache and gone to the dentist a week earlier. He pulled the tooth, but an infection set in. She has a bone infection, and while at the doctor's and hospital the doctors found numerous blood clots in both lungs, and they tell her she has a congential heart defect. Not what we want to hear.
We leave in a terrible rainstorm to head back to the campsite about 2 hours away. The rain gets so bad we pull off the highway for a little while. Yes, that is the time we were driving just a few miles of the tornado that went through Michigan that night. We were never so glad to get back home.
D-Day (dog-day)
Thursday, August 23, 2007
Early to rise today. We have to travel to Grand Rapids to get our new pup. Yes, her name is still Charley, but notice we have changed the spelling. It is Harley with a C! We arrive in Grand Rapids, with the GPS giving us directions. Tom, plugged in the wrong house number so we have trouble finding the place. But with a quick phone call we arrive to get our little girl. She is so cute, and ready to go home with us. The house she is in is so terribly stinky from all the animals they have there. Oh well, glad to get her into our loving arms.
We head out to Grandville where Maggie has been with Grandma Sharon and Grandpa Richard since Sunday. We are picking her up and taking her back home with us. Of course, Sharon and Richard love our new pup, and Maggie, well how should I say she loves animals and at the current time wants to become a veteranian. We head out and we are hungry. We stop for a quick bite to eat and then on the road again.
We arrive in Lake Orion and drop Maggie off at day care. Our intentions are to go to the state fair and see Lindsay dance. We received an e-mail at Grandma Sharon's giing us directions and the time Lindsay will be dancing. In the note, Amy put down if it is hot and steamy, please don't come. It is hot, steamy and so we decide to take Charley home and play with her. What a day this has been.
Early to rise today. We have to travel to Grand Rapids to get our new pup. Yes, her name is still Charley, but notice we have changed the spelling. It is Harley with a C! We arrive in Grand Rapids, with the GPS giving us directions. Tom, plugged in the wrong house number so we have trouble finding the place. But with a quick phone call we arrive to get our little girl. She is so cute, and ready to go home with us. The house she is in is so terribly stinky from all the animals they have there. Oh well, glad to get her into our loving arms.
We head out to Grandville where Maggie has been with Grandma Sharon and Grandpa Richard since Sunday. We are picking her up and taking her back home with us. Of course, Sharon and Richard love our new pup, and Maggie, well how should I say she loves animals and at the current time wants to become a veteranian. We head out and we are hungry. We stop for a quick bite to eat and then on the road again.
We arrive in Lake Orion and drop Maggie off at day care. Our intentions are to go to the state fair and see Lindsay dance. We received an e-mail at Grandma Sharon's giing us directions and the time Lindsay will be dancing. In the note, Amy put down if it is hot and steamy, please don't come. It is hot, steamy and so we decide to take Charley home and play with her. What a day this has been.
Detroit Zoo Day
Wednesday, August 22, 2007
Today we picked Lindsay up from day care and toured the Detroit Zoo. When we arrived at the entrance to the zoo it was misty and cool. Lindsay still wanted to visit the zoo so we pay the fees and went in. Our first stop was the wildlife butterfly gallery. As luck would have it one very pretty colorful butterfly landed on Tom and it stayed for quite some time. I did get a photo and it turned out great. We went on to the Free flight Aviary and then headed back to the back of the zoo. Along the way we saw Otter, camels, tigers, lions, apes all before finding the kangaroos. The zoo had a Joey about 5 months old. The day turned bright and sunny and of course steamy from the mornings mists. Lindsay was a real trouper, she wanted us to go all over the place and the walking was long and hard for old bones. But we made it a really enjoyable day. Of course having a 6 and 3/4 year old to take you around the park really wears you out. But it was fun having a one on one with her.
We had to have Lindsay home by 5:00 so Amy could take her for her dance practice. You see the next day Lindsay was going to perform at the Michigan State Fair with her dance troupe.
When we arrived home we picked up Katie and took her to McDonald's for dinner and to get her off Mom's hands. Katie loved grazing on her food and playing on McDonald's playland. When we dropped Katie off, we were exhausted from the day. We headed back to our campsite and fell fast asleep.
Today we picked Lindsay up from day care and toured the Detroit Zoo. When we arrived at the entrance to the zoo it was misty and cool. Lindsay still wanted to visit the zoo so we pay the fees and went in. Our first stop was the wildlife butterfly gallery. As luck would have it one very pretty colorful butterfly landed on Tom and it stayed for quite some time. I did get a photo and it turned out great. We went on to the Free flight Aviary and then headed back to the back of the zoo. Along the way we saw Otter, camels, tigers, lions, apes all before finding the kangaroos. The zoo had a Joey about 5 months old. The day turned bright and sunny and of course steamy from the mornings mists. Lindsay was a real trouper, she wanted us to go all over the place and the walking was long and hard for old bones. But we made it a really enjoyable day. Of course having a 6 and 3/4 year old to take you around the park really wears you out. But it was fun having a one on one with her.
We had to have Lindsay home by 5:00 so Amy could take her for her dance practice. You see the next day Lindsay was going to perform at the Michigan State Fair with her dance troupe.
When we arrived home we picked up Katie and took her to McDonald's for dinner and to get her off Mom's hands. Katie loved grazing on her food and playing on McDonald's playland. When we dropped Katie off, we were exhausted from the day. We headed back to our campsite and fell fast asleep.
The Henry Ford
Tuesday, August 21, 2007
Today we are again glad that we have rented a car. We head into Dearborn, Michigan to The Henry Ford. This use to be called the Henry Ford Museum, now they are trying to tie Greenfield Village and the Henry Ford Museum into just The Henry Ford. Oh well, to us older generation we will probably still refer to each use separately.
Anyhow, once arriving at the museum we were greeted with so much to see and so little time. We started out in the gift shop, ho hum! But from there we found our way into the museum with the dollhouses of old. Some dated back to the late 1800's. Interesting to see. Then we wound our way back to argiculture. Wow, to see some of the old tractors, etc. you wonder how farmers could make a living. Of course there were many more places to see. We found the "heros of the sky", the automobile in American Life and not to be missed were the locomotives. In the museum they have a DC-3 airplane with a wingspan of 95 feet. They have the JFK presidential limousine that Kennedy was assassinated in. Then also the Allegheny Locomotive, it is one of the largest steam locomotives ever built. It weighs 600 tons and is 125 feet long. Yes, we had a wonderful day at the museum. Oh, before I forget you can see an actual roadside diner and one of the original McDonald's signs. Oh, many memories to be had in the museum.
We had visited Greenfield Village many times before so we opted to visit only the museum on this trip. When visiting you can also tour the Rouge Factory and the Benson Ford Research Center, but we just don't have the time for visiting all. We did the museum in one day and one could actually spend about a week in there and see thing really good.
Today we are again glad that we have rented a car. We head into Dearborn, Michigan to The Henry Ford. This use to be called the Henry Ford Museum, now they are trying to tie Greenfield Village and the Henry Ford Museum into just The Henry Ford. Oh well, to us older generation we will probably still refer to each use separately.
Anyhow, once arriving at the museum we were greeted with so much to see and so little time. We started out in the gift shop, ho hum! But from there we found our way into the museum with the dollhouses of old. Some dated back to the late 1800's. Interesting to see. Then we wound our way back to argiculture. Wow, to see some of the old tractors, etc. you wonder how farmers could make a living. Of course there were many more places to see. We found the "heros of the sky", the automobile in American Life and not to be missed were the locomotives. In the museum they have a DC-3 airplane with a wingspan of 95 feet. They have the JFK presidential limousine that Kennedy was assassinated in. Then also the Allegheny Locomotive, it is one of the largest steam locomotives ever built. It weighs 600 tons and is 125 feet long. Yes, we had a wonderful day at the museum. Oh, before I forget you can see an actual roadside diner and one of the original McDonald's signs. Oh, many memories to be had in the museum.
We had visited Greenfield Village many times before so we opted to visit only the museum on this trip. When visiting you can also tour the Rouge Factory and the Benson Ford Research Center, but we just don't have the time for visiting all. We did the museum in one day and one could actually spend about a week in there and see thing really good.
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