Officially on the Market

Stix n Brix
Clayton, NC

 

Yep, we’ve got a sign in front of the house so it’s officially listed on the market!  It’s funny when we talked with the realtor and she said that our cul-de-sac is not found on any MLS listings.  That’s when we realized that all 7 houses here were pre-sales and we’re all original owners.  We were the first on this road so I guess it’s only right that we will be the first to leave.

We took another big step yesterday when Eric came to pick up the waverunners and do the paperwork at the bank.  He has a 14 year old daughter and an 11 year old son whom he was going to surprise.  He’s a nice fella and I’m sure that his family has already enjoyed them since it’s been so hot the past few days.  We decided not to get a photo of them as they were being hooked up to his truck.  Gin had a tougher time letting these go than I did.  They sure did give her a sense of freedom on the water.  We’ll miss them but they were kind of a bumpy ride and made us feel real sore.

We haven’t taken a trip in Wanda in quite a while and we really need to.  Maybe we can sneak away for a couple of nights at the lake later this month.  That might be a good time for an “open house”.

Thanks for dropping by, and enjoy each day of your life’s journey by finding beauty in the ordinary.

Productive Weekend and I Did Not Cry

Stix n Brix
Clayton, NC

My eyes welled up and my nose got a bit sniffley, but I did not shed a tear.  I guess I need to back up a bit.  It was a very busy weekend.  We’ve just about finished with the paint touchups and yard cleanup so the house will look great next week when it finally goes on the market.

We had put the waverunners on Craigslist about a month ago and had not had any interest until Thursday.  A guy contacted us and I called him back that evening.  It turns out that he has a slightly older Yamaha and his brother is interested in buying a pair for his family.  They both work in law enforcement in another town nearby.  They came to our house on Saturday to check them out, and they seemed to like them but didn’t make a commitment at that time.  I told them that I was going to repost it at a lower price but he was still hesitant.  I was ready to sell them.  Well, 10 seconds after Gin posted it Saturday night, Eric called me to say that he and his wife talked it over and agreed to buy them.  A verbal commitment is a relief to me.  We’ll take care of the details this week.

Remember the Miata?  I just couldn’t bring myself to put it on Craigslist until Saturday night.  Gin posted it after I made the deal on the waverunners and in less than 2 hours, it was sold (verbally).  Brian came out here this afternoon with his “20 something” son and gave me a check but mostly, cash.  Since he lives quite a distance away,  he was ready to drive it home.  I felt comfortable with this and once again, we will work out the details during the week.  I asked Gin if we should get the camera for a photo with the new owner driving away, and she thought it was best to remember her as ours.

Since I started the day by washing the Miata one last time, I ended the day by washing the Suki.  It was kind of my way of mourning.  We had that car for 16 years and we took good care of her.  She will be missed.  Brian said that he could tell that she was special just by talking with me on the phone last night.  I think the car is going to a good home so I’ll get over it.  It’s a huge step towards our goal of fulltiming.

I want to welcome the latest followers at this time. Karin is retired and moved to Tucsan from Indianapolis.  She’s looking forward to fulltiming in 16 months.  Phil has a great way to tell his stories.  We met him at the RV-Dreams Rally in April.  I look forward to checking in on them occasionally.

Thanks for dropping by, and enjoy each day of your life’s journey by finding beauty in the ordinary.

Dragonflies are Free

Jordan Lake State Park
Poplar Point CG site #E95
Apex, NC

Tuesday was a recovery day devoted to relaxing.  We mainly hung around the campsite.  I like this site because it’s waterfront and has a nice gravel patio area.  All the sites here are wooded.  I wanted to take a few photos and try to get a shot of a deer.  They were still hiding.  I took Gin’s bike, the one with the electric motor(e-bike), for a ride to the campground’s swim beach.  Not a soul in sight.

If you notice another sandy beach on the other side of the lake, it’s a nice day use area called Seaforth Landing.  There is a nice boat launch there too.  Once again, no one there during the week.  As I rode around, I came upon a private pond within the campground.  There are a few sites that border the pond.  I noticed a fish splash near a fallen log.  There were water lilies all around the edge.  It’s a Sylville kind of place.

 

I noticed several dragonflies but could only get one good shot.  This is for Gypsy G-Mas and anyone else who enjoys them.

Today was "outside pack-up" day.  Of course we enjoyed a couple of hours on the water with the waverunners and pontoon boat.  I think this was our last ride and it was a beautiful day for it.  We got them out of the water before supper.  I plan to take a few photos while they are at the boat launch to put on craigslist in the Spring.  They have been a blast.  We’ll sleep in tomorrow and head back to the house around noon.  It’s getting a little busy here already.  I have to go back to work Friday night so reality will hit hard but I’ll have a nice week to reflect on.  Everyone stay safe and have a good Labor Day.

Getting Wet

Jordan Lake State Park
Poplar Point CG site #E95
Apex, NC

The week end was not that busy here.  I think next week end will be the last hoorah with Labor Day.  On Sunday, we all went on a pontoon boat ride.  We had to get Smudge cooled off before getting in the boat.  She is amazingly trusting.  She never paddled while in our arms.  We did let her swim a few inches between us.

 

Gin’s folks have enjoyed their boat but it is about time for them to let it go.  It can be a lot to take care of when you have so much other things going on in life.

It was an absolutely beautiful day to be on the water.

On Monday, Gin and I got out on the water with the waverunners.  We rode up to the dam and found a nice sandy beach to land and get out to float a while.  We rode some more and floated some more.  It was a great morning.

Her nephew Nick and his friend Chris joined us in the afternoon.  We took the boat and waverunners to the sandy beach near the swimming area and let them ride around a bit.  They enjoyed the speed on the lake.  Since it was Monday, there was almost no one else on the lake at all.  The water was like glass.  After an early supper of ribs and fixin’s, we all went on a boat ride to the dam.  Nick and Chris left before they locked the gate at 9:00.  It was another nice day in Sylville, but we are tired.

I did set up a hummingbird feeder on our first day here.  There are two females that perch in the pine tree and then feed from the feeder.  I did see one more deer today.  I went to the nearby convenience store to fill the gas cans and a deer was in the middle of the road just a few sites from our campsite.  She sauntered into the woods.  I just happened to have a camera and took a shot out the open window.  They hide on the week ends.

Toys

Jordan Lake State Park
Poplar Point CG site #E95
Apex, NC

We finally got all the boats in the water late in the afternoon on Friday.  The pontoon boat was easy and then came the waverunners.  Gin’s cranked up on the first try but my battery was as dead as a frog flattened by a MH.  We left it on the trailer at the campsite and drove to Wally World to get the last battery they had in the proper size.  After it got charged, we all took a boat ride to a favorite sandy beach for a nice dip in the water.  When we got back, Gin put the battery in and we launched it.  Here’s the big boy toys all lined up together at our campsite.

Gin’s folks went back home today for a few hours since family was up from Florida so we took a ride on our waverunners.  The water wasn’t rough but the swells from the weekend boat traffic made for some splashy bumps.  This is probably our last week of riding them.  They will go on craigslist before long.  We’ll definitely sell them next summer.  Each year we can tell that we get sore a little more easily than the year before.

As we rode around, I was thinking of my history with personal watercraft.  My family had a nice lot and boathouse with a pier on Lake Gaston when I was a kid.  It’s still in the family and will always be a special place.  When I was about 12 years old, the owner of the local Kawasaki dealership rode by on a very early model.  This was around 1973.  He offered to let me take a little ride by myself.  I didn’t go far but my heart was in love.  It was only about 4 feet long and was a stand up model with a very small bench with little cushion.  Of course I asked Dad to get one for the family.  He just said you can get one when you grow up.  So I did.  Gin and I had a pair in the latter 90’s for a couple of years.  We sold them when she lost her eyesight in one eye and had mobility issues.  We missed them, so when the timing and health was right, we got this pair in 2007.  Now when we sell these, it will be on our terms and we will feel satisfied about that.

Sorry I rambled on about that.  It has been a great day in Sylville.  We relaxed around the campsite a lot while the weekenders enjoyed their time in the water and finished it up with a game of Canasta with Odie and Judy.  More good times ahead.

Jordan Lake State Park; Apex NC

August 22 - September 3, 2009
Jordan Lake State Park; Apex NC
Poplar Point CG Site #E94
$276 for 12 nights
84 miles round trip, 7.6 mpg

Saturday-Travel day. Gin drove the Suki with the kayaks on top while I pulled the waverunners with the MH. Some folks were still on our site so we stayed at the boat launch parking lot for a few minutes until Gin's folks got there. I took Smudge for a walk down the amphitheater path and we scared up 3 deer. I looked one of them in the eye for a while. He was a young male with budding antlers only the size of my middle finger. It sprinkled some while we all set up camp so we decided to launch the waverunners and pontoon boat tomorrow.
Sunday-Squirrels can run with a hot dog bun. I saw one holding it in his mouth while he jumped into a small tree. We got the boats in the water but had a little trouble with the pontoon launch. The water is so low that one of the trailer tires dropped off the end of the ramp just as the boat floated free. Gin's mom Judy got in her Suzuki while Gin and I got in the water and picked up that side of the trailer. You can lift a lot more in water. All's well that ends well. We saw hummingbirds at our feeder that is mounted on the windshield. One has a yellow top knot.
Monday-It's a work day for me and Gin's dad Odie. I met the work camper at the gate at 4:45am. He works in the Public Utilities Department of Raleigh. Odie drove to Rocky Mount. His work day was shorter than mine. Gin and her mom worked around the campsites. It was very dark at 4:45am. I saw a deer along the roadside as I left the CG but Gin and Judy saw a herd of deer while walking the dogs. They also saw them at the end of the cove behind the MH eating green stuff. They witnessed an attempted theft too. A squirrel tried to steal a pack of nabs. I came home to a nice meal and bed.
Tuesday-Another long work day for me. Gin went shopping with her folks and vacuumed the MH. She saw crows eating the wild grapes at our site. I look forward to sleeping late tomorrow.
Wednesday-Some friends of Gin's folks came to visit for the day and I think they enjoyed it. We walked the dogs around the whole loop but had to stop to stare at some beautiful deer. It looked like a mom, last year's offspring, and this year's fawn. We enjoy our wildlife sightings. :) We rode the waverunners quite a bit. It was a beautiful day with the lake almost all to ourselves.
Thursday-We took the waverunners to the swimmin' hole close to the boat launch. Gin and I were bobbin' as a bald eagle soared over head looking at us as he flew down the cove. It was awesome to hear his wings flap. Gin's folks joined us for bobbin'. I took Gin's mom for a calm ride on the waverunner. We all played canasta in the evening.
Friday-No new neighbors yet. Next weekend is Labor Day so I hope people wait. We all went to Lowes in Pittsboro and Walmart in Siler City. Gin got a nice new water filter for outside and put it on. I did a $4.00 paint job on the Suki. We did the blue tank duties for both MHs. We played canasta again.
Saturday-We all just piddled around the campsites. It had rained overnight so it started off very humid and cleared up nicely. We just needed a day of relaxation.
Sunday-We tried the waverunners since we knew the next couple of days would be cool and rainy. The lake was just too bumpy for us old gals so we came back to camp. We had a neat visitor as we stood amongst the trees at the shore...a black and white warbler. He sang a bit as he perched on the trunk and limbs. We set up the tent top and mat to welcome the cooler weather.
Monday-Deer, deer everywhere. It was a cool rainy day so we hung out at camp. A doe and her twin fawns were on the vacant campsite beside us. She was only 10 feet from the driver's door of the MH! I saw another family of four while Gin and Judy went to get groceries. They said they saw them as they drove away. It was pretty special.
Tuesday-Gorgeous day!! It was in the mid 70's with low humidity. We kayaked and Gin's folks took out the pontoon boat. They didn't catch a fish but Gin caught a crappie. It was windy with whitecaps on the lake so we stayed close. I walked Smudge and had another deer sighting. Three of them jogged across the road. The last one had finger long antlers. We finished the day playing canasta again.
Wednesday-Another gorgeous day! All we wanted to do was lay around outside and relax but it was pack up day. We took the waverunners to the boat ramp. Gin's aunt and uncle visited. After they left, we loaded up the pontoon. I hooked up the trailer and backed it down the ramp all by myself. :) We came back to camp to put the kayaks on top of the Suki and put away both tent tops. Gin put away her computer stuff so we are quite tired. We plan to relax some in the morning before packing the patio stuff. We've enjoyed the hummingbirds and deer families.
Thursday-Travel day. We relaxed outside with our coffee and packed the dish and patio at a leisurely pace. We walked Smudge around the loop one last time and cranked up to leave at 1:30 just as the next camper pulled up for #E94. Hope they enjoy their time there as much as we did.

Jordan Lake State Park; Apex NC

August 1-6, 2009
Jordan Lake State Park; Apex NC
Poplar Point CG Site #E99
$115 for 5 nights
84 miles round trip, 8.8 mpg

Saturday- Travel day. I towed the waverunners with the MH while Gin drove the Suki. It was too hot to bring the kayaks much less firewood. Gin's parents got here with there MH just a little after us. they brought their pontoon boat and stay on site #E93. This is the first year of the reservation system so we didn't plan ahead. They will be next to us the last couple of days. We all paced ourselves during the heat of the day and launched all the boats in the evening. It was a nice time for a wet ride.
Sunday-It was a rainy day so we all went to WalMart in Cary and got Panera bagels on the way back. It was chicken wraps for lunch. Gin's folks grilled chicken for supper. It stopped raining in mid afternoon but we stayed out of the water.
Monday-We rode the waverunners a couple of hours in the morning. Gin visited with her folks while I got gas from the corner store and put it in the boats. Ten gallons for each. The pontoon boat was bone dry. We fixed veggie burgers, cheese fries, and 3 bean salad at Gin's folks. They fixed peach ice cream to top off the day nicely. :) Here's Gin slicing the water.



Tuesday-Loons fly about 40 mph. One flew beside me for a while before he went up a cove. We waverunnered over to one of our favorite spots just past Crosswind CG and soaked in the water. We all watched "Mall Cop" during the heat of the day and waited for our neighbors to leave so we could move Gin's folks to site #E100 right next to us. Here's her mom Judy at their rig.



Wednesday-We rode the waverunners in the morning and met Gin's folks on their boat. We all "swam" a bit (floated). It clouded up so we came in and packed the outside stuff. We ate too much again. I gave Smudge a bath. She is a 100 pound toy poodle...10 pound dog and 90 pound attitude. :) A storm moved in for the night while we packed up some of the inside stuff.
Thursday-Travel day. We slept kinda late but still had time to enjoy the waverunners one more time. We got the pontoon boat and waverunners out. It was a nice trip to the house. Had time to do a couple loads of clothes and get things ready to go again.

Jordan Lake State Park; Apex NC

May 8-14, 2009
Jordan Lake State Park; Apex NC
Poplar Point CG Site #E99
$120 for 6 nights
83 miles round trip, 7.4 mpg, $2.25 per gallon gas
Like sites in Loop E: 93, 94, 95, 98(sunny pull thru), 99, 100, 122, 124, and 121(off water)

Friday-Travel day. I towed the waverunners with the MH while Gin drove Suki with the kayaks on top. She had people smiling and pointing as they drove by. It was a very smooth and relaxingly easy set up day. The waverunners launched great and started right up with their new batteries. We took a short ride on the waverunners in the afternoon. The water was a bit cool when it splashed on us.
Saturday-It was windy and hot(91). Since there were whitecaps on the lake, we didn't take the waverunners out. We kayaked a few coves over to a quiet sandy beach. We sat there on our blue folding stools and swam a bit to cool off. If you caught the waves just right while in the kayak, it was like body surfing. A storm came up at supper so we quickly rolled in the awning and put away the outside stuff.

Sunday-Happy Mother's Day! The overcast cool morning was great for paddling the coves. Gin took her fishing gear but didn't have any luck. It was a sunny afternoon so we took the waverunners for a ride. We found an island geocache. Another is on a bird nesting island. We just drove around it some and looked at all the blue herons and loons. It smelled fishy.
Monday-Rainy and cool. A good day to nap. We had a Panera bagel and coffee. I drove Suki to Parker's Creek CG across the lake and saw 3 or 4 deer bounding through the woods. After July, Poplar Point and Crosswinds are reservation only CGs. Parker's Creek will remain first come but it isn't as nice. While it does have new pavement, there is no electricity on the waterfront sites and big trees are growing in the patio area of many sites. We just spent the day relaxing in the MH. It was cool enough that we needed the space heater.
Tuesday-What a beautiful day!! We rode the waverunners to the dam and did some geocaching. We found one on an island but the log was way to wet to sign in. Gin is better at finding the caches than I am but we enjoy the hunt together. We came back and took a relaxing paddle. The water was so smooth. The crows cawed, the herons screeched their hoarse scream, and the buzzards "woofed" like a protective dog. We ate chicken rollups by the campfire and watched tv outside. This was a great day in Sylville.
Wednesday-It was too cool to enjoy the waverunners so we took them out at the boat ramp. We spent a little time on the kayaks in the afternoon. We enjoyed smores by the evening campfire. Our dog Smudge isn't doing too good. Her hips are hurting and I think I cracked a tooth.
Thursday-Travel day. It drizzled early but stopped long enough for us to pack up. It rained while driving around Raleigh. It was a very peaceful week of relaxation.