For the 5th of Oct, who could ask for anything more. We are in the most beautiful park I think we have ever encountered in our 6 years of travel. It is called Honey Bend Resort, is in Litchfield Ill, or just north of there. Acre upon acre of grassy park, dotted by 2 good size lakes that I can see, but I have yet to explore it all. Next door to a cemetery, so it is quiet, though a train does run near by, but not loud enough to be a bother, day or night. There are cabins here as well, almost 200 sites, but where I sit and look out right now I do not see another camper of any sort, only trees, an American flag along with a MIA/POW flag surrounded by a little memorial of flags and benches. They just mowed the grass, so it smells of fresh hay and breezy air. Our rig sits completely level under a spreading oak tree, which has not begun to change color yet. There is only one yellow tree in sight, but promise of many colors to come.
We come here for a rest, having just visited my nephew and wife and their son. My brother and wife came for the duration of our visit, as my only 70th birthday was during that time. It was one of the best birthdays of my life. They all outdid themselves to make me feel special, and I will admit, I soaked it up. We parked in front of the house, but the street was quiet, and we slept peacefully. Punkin got a little lonesome as she wasn’t allowed to join the party there being 2 territorial dogs in the house. But she survived, and is making up for lost cuddles now.
Prior to freeloading at my nephews home, we spent 2 nights in a favorite campground called Tin Cup Park just north of Urbana Ill. We rarely miss it, as it too is grassy and peaceful, with lots of trees. We don’t find parks very inhabited again this season, and have made some reservations, but mostly just show up, and there is always plenty of room.
We will go from here to Hannibal Mo for the Mark Twain festival, and meet our club, the Ramblin Recs there. So we are backtracking a bit, but after that will head south and hopefully beat the arrival of snow in the northern climes.
My nephew’s son, Jimmy (my father’s namesake incidentally) is a very intelligent focused college freshman, who has his eyes set on becoming an aircraft controller, and in his spare time listens to the JFK control tower on his cell phone, or IPod or what ever that little companion of his is called. He is taking an intense course now in airplane mechanics, and after acquiring his Assoc degree there, will transfer to Perdue where he will get his BS and be trained in the art and stress of air craft control duties. His grandfather (my brother) started the legacy earning his living breaking turbines and engine parts on airplane motors as a metallurgist. He worked in that field for 30 years or more. Jimmy’s dad works for Rolls Royce building the engines which his dad fractured, now Jimmy will be flying them and telling others how and where to fly them. Quite a legacy which has spanned 3 generations. Jimmy is also learning to be a jazz trumpet player. He shows great promise there too. My brother, Jimmy and I had a few trios on piano (me), clarinet (Wayne) and trumpet which everyone there endured wordlessly, and we enjoyed for the sake of the memories of the many duets which Wayne and I “performed” as children. Before hormones spiked and took us in other directions. What can I say.
So this is the Land of Lincoln, and antiques. The latter is maybe why we are here?? As antiques, not looking for them. We are in the unloading of stuff stage of life, but the antiques shops hold a fascination for the history they represent. Hopefully we will see something of the local attractions here. We have already discovered that Mexican food is not one of their hot items, but the diets have taken enough abuse lately to forgo that one. At least for a day or two. I am just in awe of this campground, so while it would be a shame to miss the local color and attractions, just being here is good.
Sister Caroline tells us all is well at the home front, so we are confident it is in good hands. She had to clean up the rotten tomato I left out in the kitchen, and bless her heart for that. I am sure it was odiferous to say the least. David’s diet has done wonders for him. The doctor told us before we left town that we had done too good a job eliminating the carbs from the diet, and that he could celebrate with a bag of potato chips – once a year. He is leaner and meaner – lookin’ good. Me, not so good. His diet of low carbs leaves me a little energy deprived, so my trying to do both diets leaves me a little pudgier. At least potentially so. If I am not careful the clothes will start to get too snug. Then the hips will complain. But I am pain free as far as the hips go, and grateful each day I get up and walk without pain. I am now walking about a mile. I have a pedometer which Paris gave me, so I can be sure I get in enough exercise to make progress. I still struggle with stairs, but make myself climb foot over foot. Our toad (the car which we tow behind the coach) gathers road tar and needs attention, so will sign off for now, and hope to hear from more of you when you have time.
