5-30-12
Dear Loved Ones,
We left Jackson, TN area yesterday morning.  It was very hot the whole time we were there. Sunday it reached 103.  Thank goodness everything worked in the unit.  The place we stayed at was very crowded for the Memorial weekend.  Didn't have any water pressure Monday morning.  Too many campers trying to take showers and stay cool ( I guess)  We survived and decided we won't tour the South in the late Spring and summer time.  It was very dry.  The hay ground was brown and the leaves on the corn were curling. 
Aunt Bev's party was a great success.  She was really surprised.  They told her she was going to a grandsons birthday party.  She walked in the door carrying the gift and when the surprise registered she said, "What am I suppose to do with this?"
Steven did the cooking, we had pulled pork sandwiches, baked beans, cabbage slaw and potato salad bar be que hamb and hot dogs.  It was a bowling theme with decorated cup cakes and cake.  The hall was decorated so nice.  Joy had put together a slide show.  It was great.  We had a good visit with Aunt Bev and her family.  It was good to see Jan's family from Ohio.  Everyone is busy in there little part of the world:  working, raising there families and everyday routines.  It was so nice to have this little time and reconnect.  Jan told stories about helping Uncle Bob repair cars or things around the house.  She was the one that would have to go for parts. She said, "NO,NO, Dad not parts, let me do something else, not parts Dad"  No matter what parts I brought home they would be the wrong ones and I would have to listen to him get mad."  It was so funny listening to her and we all knew how Bob could get upset.
We all agreed Uncle Bob mellowed as he got older.
We are at a campsite in Baileyton, TN for a couple of days.  It is the Northeastern part of the state.  Hills, trees and pasture land.  The crop ground is gone.  Lots of rivers and recreational areas.  It rained during the night the moisture is very thick this morning.  I would call it fog, it looks like the haze over the Smokey Mountains.  It is cool.  We shut the air conditioneer of yesterday evening and opened up the windows.  It was great sleeping.
When Dad wakes up we will start our day and do some sight seeing around the area.
Greenville, Jonesborough, Kingsport.  President Andrew Johnson (17th President) has a museum, Davy Crocketts birth place, and the oldest town in Tenn. which is also the "Story Telling Capital".  The area is beautiful; with winding roads, streams, trees, rock bluffs and the people are so friendly.  "  You all enjoy your day and come back and see us".  I can understand why they move so slow and talk so slow it so hot and humid some days it would be an effort to get up and go.
We are camped next to a couple from Tampa, FL.  Born and raised there and lived their entire lives there.  They retired 31/2 years ago and have been touring the States looking for a place to retire.  They were tired of the city, people, and running the air conditioneer 11 months out of the year.  They want to experience Seasons with the winter not being too harsh.  They bought a house in Jonesborough, TN. on an acre of land.  The town is 5,000 people and a pasture with cows are behind them.  They have never owned a lawn mower and he was so excited about mowing his grass.  I hope their new adventure is everything they are looking for.  It is so neat to listen to people that have hopes and dreams.  We are never too old to try new adventures.  That should be a lesson for all of us. 
Our campsite has a driving range.  The owners made a driving range out of the pasture.  Dad will have to try it out tonight.  Last night there were a couple of guys with bucket of balls.  When we pulled in some one was out there picking up the balls with a golf picker.  We are pretty close to the golf area of Crossville, TN.  Jack Nicholas has designed some golf courses around here. There is enough room for a 3 hole course, maybe that will come with time.
We are in the Eastern time zone.  It is 9:00 and Dad and Bailey are still in bed.  I best start the coffee and see if I can stir up some life in the bedroom.  Love Mother 
 

5-23-12
Hello Everyone,
We left Davenport this morning at 8:00 and were sit up and drinking tea by 3:00pm in Effingham, Il.  It is about 1/2 way to our spot in Tenn.  "Hoss" did great today, we ave. 13 miles per gal.  It was flat and Interstate driving.  We had to take a little detour getting on to I 57 South.  A semi tractor and trailer had overturned on the on ramp to I 57.  They were closing it off just as we were ready to pull onto I57. " Miss Sassy" (our GPS system) got so confused we had to shut her off and dig out the old map.  We had to go about 10 miles around to find another on ramp for I 57.  Thank goodness Gene never leaves home with out maps, books and all navigation tools.
Our day sure went better than that semi driver's.
While we were at Bob's we made a side trip to Granddetour, IL.  That is the historical site for John Deere.  It is where his original home and blacksmith shop was and that is where he invented the stainless steel moleboard plow(1837).  He was from Vermont and followed alot of other settlers from Vermont to Granddetour, IL.  The farmers brought with them the cast iron plows (which worked wonderful in the sandy soil of the East)  The prairie sod was so heavy and rich that those plows would not scour clean when they tried to plow.  Alot of farmers quit and moved back to the East, saying " The prairie could not be farmed, it was worthless".  He remember his Mother polishing her stainless steel needles to sew.  He would help her polish them and than the needles would slip through the material cleaner and faster.
When he first arrived in Granddetour he befriended a saw mill operator.  He repaired his sawmill and got him up and running again.  The saw mill operater said, " If you ever need anything just ask".  John Deere listened to all the complaints about the cast iron plow and an idea formed.  He asked the sawmill operator for a broken steel saw blade and John Deere made is first steel moleboard plow.  The rest is history.  They found a bill of sale for 24.00 in 1837 for one plow.  That was alot of money so they figured a number of farmers went together to buy that first plow.  It was a very interesting tour, the 6 acres of the historical site was beautifully kept, and a black smith was giving demonstrations.  We really enjoyed it.  Dad remembers greasing the plow bottoms each evening with gun grease so they would not take on moisture and rust.  Rust would cause the soil to cling to the plow and what a pain to clean them off.  So much for my History lesson.  I don't know if you kids would know what I am talking about for sure the grandkids won't.
We are planning on going to The Cumberland Gap on our way to Christines.  It is located in the corner of Tenn. KY and Virginia.  It sounds like a lot of History took place there.
Supper is over and the dishes are done, so I am going to go sit in my chair on our front porch.  It is a lovely evening.  Love Mother