June 21 - 29, 2024 - Family Visiting from California - Toilet Tank Repair - Tiger Sanctuary - Group Picture

Friday June 21:

Annie, Adam, Violet, and Wren arrived to spend a week with us before heading back to California. We ordered pizza and after finishing it off relaxed for the evening

Sunday June 23:

We hosted Annie's family and the other two sets of grandparents, both of whom live in St. Louis, and daughter, Alexa, and her friend Aaron. Adam did a great job cooking ribs and pork steaks. Kelly provided the side dishes, Grammy brought a cake, and Mimi brought snacks and dips. It was warm out but we all had a great time visiting. Adam took a picture posed just like the one last year. They are left to right: John (Pawpaw); Aaron, Alexa, Grandma Kelly, Grandpa Mike, Carol (Mimi), Annie, Kathy (Grammie), Wren, Grandpa Jay, and Violet.

I filled up the inflatable pool and the girls had a ball splashing around in it and entertaining Grammie, who was the only one willing to sit out there with them in the heat.

Sometime Sunday evening the toilet flush handle broke in the hall bathroom. Pulling the lid off I found that the plastic retaining bracket for the handle had broken. PLASTIC! I am not complaining though, it was thirty years old.

Monday June 24:

First thing Monday morning I got out the Dremel Tool and began cutting off the old metal handle shaft. It was so rusted there was no other way to get it off.

Of course, halfway through cutting my Dremel Tool quit. It did this before. I had to finish the cut with other tools. Once the handle was off I went to Buchheit's to get a replacement. They had about six different handles to choose from, most of which were plastic. I opted for a metal one. When I went to install it I was glad I picked the metal one because I had to bend the rod quite a bit to get it to fit the shape of the tank. I couldn't have done that with a plastic one.

After that project was completed I had to take the HHR in for an 8:00 a.m. appointment to get the front end aligned, tires rotated, and a tire pressure sensor replaced. Once back at the house we took Homer and put him in the shed until our next outing. By doing this we could move the blow-up pool out of the sun and into the shade for the rest of the week.

Getting back from the repair shop I hooked up the trailer, loaded Kelly and the girls in the truck, and headed to Lake Perry. I dropped Kelly and the girls off at the pool to swim while I got the golf cart out of the shed. Before loading it on the trailer I always like to run it around to make sure it runs well. I then put on my suit and joined them at the pool. The pool felt great with the heat. Once back home we had a long golf cart ride around the subdivision. We stopped near the outer road and the golf cart would not start. (It does that when it gets hot.) I've tried two fixes and neither has worked. 

While we were waiting for the golf cart to cool off I showed the girls how to do a pulling motion with their arm to get trucker to blow their air horns. They did it and were thrilled that virtually every trucker coming by blew the horn. Simple pleasures.

Back at the house I took the Dremel Tool apart thinking the problem may be the switch. I cleaned it, etc. but could not get any power to the motor. I gave up, threw it away, and ordered a Wen rotary tool. I have not had good luck with Dremel Tools over the years and the Wen was half the price of a Dremel.

Tuesday June 25:

In the morning Kelly and I took the girls to a movie in Cape while Annie worked online and Adam went to visit his dad at his cigar shop in St. Louis. After the movie we went to Culver's for lunch. Of course, after eating candy in the movie, the girls did not eat the Kids Meals we got them. A total waste of money. We should have known better. Once home we relaxed until early evening when the girls got back in the pool. They had great fun with their goggles and squirting us with their pump water guns. 

After that another golf cart ride was in order to help dry then off before going inside.

Supper was left-overs and then early to bed for the girls. 

Wednesday June 26:

I walked the park at 5:00 a.m. with a couple of friends. When finishing our walk we could see a beautiful rainbow from end to end at the park. I didn't have my phone with me but when I got home I got this picture off the deck. The trees blocked each end. You can see a slight double rainbow.

It started raining around 7:00 a.m. and continued off and on most of the day. Around 10:00 a.m. I was outside and saw something flying. I looked over and two Piliated Woodpeckers were flying across the yard. They both landed on the fence posts at the back of the lot. I was able to look at them through the monocular but they were too far away for a picture. Cool. I had never seen two together before and only once saw one fly over the yard. We learned they have a nest not far from the house.

Alexa came down in the evening to visit and spend the night.

Thursday June 27:

First thing in the morning Annie opened the back door and a red fox was standing in the gravel next to the house. Literally five feet from her. She spooked him. He ran off but did stop to check us out before heading back into the woods. We noticed he limped a little. In the picture it looks like a chunk of his front leg is missing. Interestingly, while walking in the park this morning we saw a red fox up pretty close as well.

Not long after the fox left I spotted two female turkeys, one with a baby, walking through the yard. Turkeys are very easily spooked so we couldn't get very good pictures. The little gray ball at mama's feet is the baby.

Kelly bought tickets for all of us to visit the Tiger Sanctuary in Ste. Genevieve. I've driven by it a dozen times over the years but never stopped for a tour. Annie couldn't go due to work meetings. Here we are waiting around the for the tour to begin. Wren is busy shooting pictures with dad's phone.

After the rain Wednesday it was much cooler on Thursday, which was great for the tour, which is all outside. Upon our guide arriving we headed down to the tiger enclosures. As we arrived the tigers were being let outside into their enclosures for the day. Each tiger has a separate enclosure.

They have four tigers, two males and two females. All have been given to them from zoos, private ownership, etc. This is a non-contact facility. The workers never touch the animals. The operation is a non-profit organization hoping to expand with more animals in the future. Here are some pictures. I couldn't keep track which tiger was which for pictures. They range in age from eight years old to twenty-two years old. The average age in the wild is twelve. Here is Sebastian eating a half of chicken laid out for him. He picked it up and carried it into the weeds to eat it.

Getting a drink of water before walking around the enclosure.

They like to walk the perimeter a few times before laying down to rest.

Beautiful animals. The largest weighs 450 lbs. Their paws are larger than my hands. Their incisor teeth are four inches long.

Upon returning to Perryville we had lunch at the new Japanese restaurant that just opened about a month ago. The food is reasonable and quite good. The service was great. Everyone enjoyed what they ordered. Nothing was brought home except some rice and noodles the girls didn't eat.

Being totally full from the large lunch, we just had a charcuterie board with freshly grilled shrimp for supper. After supper we watched the first of the President debates. Sad.

Friday the 28th:

While I was taking the car in for an AC checkup. Kelly made sausage and bacon on the Blackstone. I got home in time to make the scrambled eggs. I quickly learned that you need something to "corral" the eggs when you dump them on the Blackstone. In the afternoon Annie and Adam bought me a Blackstone breakfast set which included two rings for eggs, a pancake mix dispenser, and a press for bacon. They also bought me a dome for steaming food on the griddle. I'm really getting set up to cook a lot on this Blackstone. I brought a tote up from the basement to put all the griddle accessories in so I can keep them handy on the deck. It fits well under the Blackstone. 

After breakfast we didn't do much outside. It was too hot. Alexa and Adam drove out to Bob and Ronnie Hershey's farm to get some freshly grown vegetables and to take in their larger garden.

Before bed the girls had another golf cart ride. Annie and Adam spent time doing laundry and packing for the trip home.  Kelly made a great pot of spaghetti for supper.

Saturday the 29th:

The Wiseman family left for home today. They finished packing while I cooked some boiled eggs and toast for breakfast. After breakfast the girls had one last golf cart ride. They drove to St. Louis and Adam's dad drove them to the airport. Their flight took off on time.

Before they left I wanted a picture of Kelly and me with the girls, like the one that was taken of us with the boys the last time they were here. Adam did a great job taking a picture of us and then running around and getting in another picture.

It was a great visit and we hope to see them again this fall before we head to Florida for the winter.

June 15 - 21, 2024 Future Blogs - Step Modification on Homer - Lake Shelbyville Campout

Future Blogs:

In reviewing my old blogs I noticed that the smaller pictures I posted in the past did not do the areas we visited justice. People like pictures. So from now on I will make all pictures larger.

Saturday the 15th:

First thing in the morning I got up and got dressed for church. I was sitting in the living room reading the news on my iPad when Kelly came in. I asked her what she was doing today. When she told me I laughed out loud. I had gotten dressed for church thinking it was Sunday! Wow! I never did that before. 

I changed into my work clothes and started on a project to modify the step treads going into Homer. The steps are electric. They come out but just not quite as far as they used to. I'm not sure exactly why. I've oiled everything, nothing is binding, etc. Neither of us are as sure-footed on steps as we used to be. Several times recently going in and of Homer we each scraped the back of our legs on the door threshold. 

Here is a picture of the steps fully extended.

We need more tread area to step on to. I added a 1 1/2 block of wood to each step to see if that will help us going in and out. With these extensions the steps will stick out a little further but they would not stick out any further than the back bumper. Here is a picture of the wood bolted on each step the width of the carpet runner.

The wood is cedar so it should not rot. Additionally, it is covered by outdoor carpet. The carpet on one of the steps was totally worn out so I went to Walmart and for $5.95 got a thin carpet door mat which I cut to fit the step. Here is a picture of the finished project. I don't like the look of the extended step ends so I may modify it later if it works out as I hope.

Sunday the 16th:

After church we loaded all the food in Homer as well as clothes. I drained the water heater and sanitized it with bleach to get rid of the sulphur smell which is caused by bacteria. I filled the water tank thinking we would not have a water hookup at the campground. After Homer was ready to roll I cut the grass. 

Monday the 17th:

The week started out with an early morning eye specialist appointment for Kelly in St. Louis which went very well. We arrived at the Wilborn Group Camp on Lake Shelbyville about 3:00 p.m. I was soaking wet by the time we got Homer level for the week. For supper our hosts provided a delicious meal of spaghetti, salad, and dessert. There were seven rigs at this camp out and we all visited after supper, forgoing a campfire due to the heat.

Tuesday the 18th:

At 10:00 a.m. we had a tour of IHI Turbo in Lake Shelbyville. They are a Tier 1 supplier of turbochargers and superchargers to most manufacturers of diesel, gasoline and natural gas vehicles. The tour started off with a brief history of the company which has plants all over the world.

During most of the tour we were not allowed to take pictures. Here is a picture of some superchargers ready to ship.

Here are a box of turbo chargers ready to ship.

The difference between a turbo charger and a supercharger is that a turbo charger is powered by the exhaust from the engine. This creates a little lag. A supercharger is belt driven by the motor so the response is much faster and the full consumption is much greater as well. The plant is highly "robotic" with most of the equipment made in Italy. We couldn't take pictures of those. Here is a picture of Kelly posing and we left the building.

From IHI we traveled to Longbranch Grill in Shelbyville for lunch. After lunch we went to a couple's home to see their "Goat Tower". They got the idea from one in Europe. There are only a few around. The structure is brick with an area to lay around in on each level. The ramp up is made of wooden boards. The goats love to climb and watch everything going on in their surroundings.

The goats are are a special milk goat and are very curious. As soon as we approached all but one came down to check us out and to get a back rub. 

This couple also had a sculpture installed which is made of rocks which are cut a certain way so that you can play them like a xylophone. Each rock had a different tone. This was really cool. Jamie and Dennis gave it a try.

Here everyone is listening to information about the artist and her various works of this kind.

At 3:00 p.m. we were back at the campground for some board games. At 5:30 p.m. we headed out for dinner at "Monical's Pizza" in Sullivan. Back at the campground after supper Dennis built a great campfire which everyone enjoyed despite the heat.

Wednesday the 19th:

Dennis and Jamie live next to Lake Shelbyville and have a very nice pontoon boat. They took everyone for a ride to the Findlay boat ramp. There we got off and hiked up the ramp to the pavilion for a picnic lunch which they prepared.  While it was a hot day the boat ride was cool and the pavilion up on the hill caught a nice breeze. Here are some pictures of us enjoying the boat ride.

A great lunch at the pavilion.

Back at the campground just about everyone participated in a game of "Nickels". Kelly and I introduced the group to the game. We learned about it from our Michigan friends a couple of years back. With about ten people playing the winning pots got large. Afterwards two in the group wanted me to send them the rules so they could take it back to their friends back home.

For supper our hosts once again prepared a meal for us of sausages, onions, peppers, and potatoes. Everything was already cooked. You picked what all you wanted, wrapped it up in foil, then put it in over the coals to warm it up. It was delicious. A great idea for a way to fix food for people with different tastes.

After supper, due to the heat, we did not have a campfire but we did sit around and visit until after dark.

Thursday the 20th:

Our hosts provided donuts, coffee, juice, and fruit for breakfast. We then held a brief chapter business meeting, part of which was to line up hosts for campouts next season. Kelly and I volunteered to host a campout next May.  After the meeting we broke up for lunch on our own. At 1:00 p.m. we headed to Sullivan, Illinois, to see a live production performed at the "The Little Theatre on the Square". This small theater has been putting on live productions for decades. I was amazed that they had such a wonderful venue in the small town of 4,200 people. The show we saw was "Honky Tonk Angels". These productions are not by local talent but by national talent brought in for each show. This production included three ladies as the characters and a six piece live band. Here is a picture of the Playbill. We weren't allowed to take any pictures inside.

We were in the balcony and had wonderful seats. The acoustics, lighting, and sound was wonderful. A delightful afternoon show.

After the show we headed to "Rosie & Irl's Smokehouse Saloon" in Findlay, Illinois, for a menu with many different smoked options. Due to the size of our group we had to sit outside on the patio but it was covered and there were overhead fans so it was comfortable even with the heat.

When we arrived back at the campground we once again decided it was too hot for a campfire. After several hours of visiting and swapping stories we all hugged and headed to our rigs. Everyone would be pulling out at different times in the morning so this was our "goodbye". 

Friday the 21st:

On Friday everyone left on their own schedule. Some only had about an hour's drive. Some, like us, had a four hour drive. Even though it was hot all week it was a great campout. Our next chapter campout is in August. The Midwest RV Club is having a campout in July. Kelly and I may attend it. We haven't decided yet.

I was pleased at how well the step tread extensions worked. I'll spruce them up later on when it is cooler to work on stuff outside.

We arrived home around 3:00 p.m. and unloaded everything from Homer. About 5:30 p.m. our daughter, Annie, her husband, Adam, and our two granddaughters, Violet and Wren, arrived from California for a weeklong visit. We ordered pizza and chilled out for the evening. So good to see them all!

    

 

June 11th - June 14th, 2024 New Blackstone Griddle - 75th Birthday Celebration - A Little Tile Work in Homer

Tuesday June 11th:

On Tuesday, for my birthday on June 12th, Kelly bought me a new Blackstone griddle plus a few accessories. When talking about getting one our original thought was to buy one that we could take with us in Homer when we travel. After looking at the size of them in the store, we decided that, even the smallest one, would not be convenient to carry in Homer. (He's just a little guy with very limited storage.) Traveling in him is a lot different than traveling in the fifth wheel with all of its storage areas.

For use at home Kelly bought a two-burner model with stand and hood that was on sale. We brought it home and assembled it. I had a full tank of LP in the garage so we then went through the process of seasoning the griddle. We are impressed with how well-made the unit is, including the legs and shelf.

Wednesday June 12th:

First thing in the morning I tried the griddle out making bacon, eggs, and toast. All were delicious. We both like breakfast.

After the griddle cooled down we moved it to a convenient spot on the deck for it to set. Kelly ordered a cover for it on Tuesday, because we will be leaving it outside, and it arrived on Wednesday! Crazy!  

For my birthday Adam, Annie, and Alexa made reservations for a steak dinner in St. Louis at  Kreis Steak House. Another set of grandparents watched the granddaughters so we could all visit as long as we wanted. We all met at the restaurant and had a very nice dinner after which the house brought me a slice of cheese cake with a lit sparkler on it. I learned you can't blow out a sparkler like you do a candle. LOL

After sharing the cheese cake Kelly and Alexa brought out presents for me! Unexpected. The nice steak dinner was clearly enough. It was compliments of Adam and Annie.  I was shocked that Kelly bought me a new iPad, in addition to the Blackstone griddle. Wow! Kelly and the girls had gotten me my current iPad when I was undergoing chemotherapy about six years ago. She decided it was time for an upgrade! They also gave me "Friendship Lamps". We will have one in all four households. You set one up in each household. When you touch your lamp the lamps light up in everyone else's home to show you are thinking about them. This is all done by wi-fi. This will be fun since our homes are all so spread out! I will wait until next week when the California gang are here in Perryville to set it up. The lamps come in a two pack. (You can't communicate with just one.) LOL 

Aaron Hampton (Alexa's friend) got me a box of "Mike n Ikes" and a t-shirt that reads: "RV There Yet". Love it.  I will wear it next week during our campout.

 

Lastly, the granddaughters made me a sign out of construction paper and pipe cleaners. Violet, the seven year old, made the one that says "I love you". Wren, the three year old, made the one that says "GPA". It was supposed to say "Grandpa" but after the size of her "G" they shortened it to "GPA". Love them. I'll post them on the fridge.

I must say I had a sensational birthday all around. Great presents and a great meal with Kelly, two out of three daughters, Adam, and Aaron. When I told Adam about the Blackstone griddle his eyes lit up. He loves to cook and is anxious to try it out when they are in Perryville in a couple of weeks. It will be fun to experiment with some cooking ideas he talked about.

Thursday:

While we were driving to St. Louis on Wednesday the repair shop called and told me that Homer was fixed. I picked him up this morning. The issue with the cruise control was a blown fuse that was a little burnt on one end. The mechanic indicated that other accessories may be on that fuse so I might watch for anything that could have caused it to get hot before blowing. With a fresh oil change, Homer is ready to roll to Lake Shelbyville next week for another club campout. It is going to be hot all week so I'm extremely glad Gary got the 110 volt AC issue fixed so we have air-conditioning.

For supper I made Tacos and a vegetable medley on the griddle. Both came out great. I'm learning.

Friday:

All of the peel and stick tile I put down in Homer years ago turned really yellow. I hate the looks of it. Here is what the old and new tile look like.

It was a lot of work to install the original tiles because I had to take the dinette seats lose, the seat belts lose, the couch lose, etc. A couple of years ago I purchased another box of tiles and replaced many of the yellowed tiles. The newer tiles do not seem to be yellowing as bad as the original tiles did. Tuesday I purchased another box of tile to replace more of the ugly yellow tiles running down the walkway in Homer.

 

Admittedly, these tiles are cheap. I thought maybe light yellowed them, even though Homer is in the shed half of each year. Upon taking some tiles up today I noticed that the tiles actually yellowed more under the dinette, where it is completely dark all of the time. I installed a full box of tile today down the main walkway. More clearly need to be replaced but I'm not going to buy any more until I see if these tiles yellow. The lot number changed a little so maybe they improved the tile to keep them from yellowing. Kelly said "fat chance". When purchasing this last box of tiles we talked about completely replacing the floor with an entirely different tile but that is a lot of work. First I'll see how this pans out. Keep your fingers crossed.

Homer is plugged up and the refrigerator is cooling down. Over the weekend we will load him up Homer for the club campout beginning on Monday at Lake Shelbyville, Illinois. It is going to be hot. We have a nice size fan to have blowing on us when we sit outside. We will keep Homer closed up with the AC on for good sleeping.