Henry Fonda Tea Rose

Henry Fonda Tea Rose
My Special Rose

Tuesday, July 28, 2009

Young at Heart

My children are questioning our sanity. Five years ago, we sold our home with the big yard to mow, and our 34' motorhome and moved into a pretty little cottage in a retirement community. We have been very happy here, and plan to live here until they take us out feet first. There is just one thing we have missed: Going Camping. The itch got so bad, we made the that fateful first step of "looking around" to see what was on the market. That can be compared to an alcoholic dropping in on a bar just to see if he can stick to Shirley Temples.

So, here we are with an RV again. We aren't supposed to keep a unit on our property more than a few days, so our first problem was storage. Ka-Ching $$!!
We understood that it would be best not to try to tow a car, so we TRIED find a unit small enough that we could park it almost anywhere and not have to bother with towing. That IS possible, but, if you plan to stay a week in a State Park, you naturally want to be hooked up to water and electricity, even if there is no sewer hook up. It's a pain to unhook to go to the grocery store, so you have to pack all you think you will need to cook for a week, and you get yelled at a lot by Husband, who thinks you can live off hot dogs and hamburgers in the daytime and eat out at night. That seems to make the problem go in a circle, because now we are back to unhooking and trying to find a restaurant with an extra large parking area. This is all fun, folks. I mean, we really missed all that.

So, now, we have to start thinking about buying a tow car. KA-Ching $$!! In our infallible choice of good, reliable cars, we have a Pontiac Montana mini-van and a Chrysler sedan (I believe both companies are in bankruptcy) that are both non-towable. Used car dealers don't even want them on their lots. I mentioned to a dealer that I had heard about President Obama's great deal going. That's to get you to trade in your clunker for a non-polluting, gas miser car. I found out it had to be a new car, and not just ANY new car, at that, before you get the discount, and they take your creampuff away for the crusher. (I can't look!!!) Pretty soon I'll have enough material for a Country Western song.

I don't know how this will all play out, but in the meantime, after some searching, I found and bought, Ka-Ching $$ !!, a Ukelele and a self-teaching book.
I know 4 chords now, so when we are sitting in front of the campfire, burning marshmallows and and fingers, I can play, "Down by the Old Mill Stream", "Way Down Upon the Swanee River"and "Buffalo Gals, Won't you Come Out Tonight". Last night, I learned a new one, which will be my theme song: "Standin' in the Need of Prayer". There's nothing like camping to make you feel a kid again and forget your troubles, I tell you.

7 comments:

Brenda Kay Ledford said...

Carol,
Enjoy learning to play the new musical instrument. I'm learning to play the harmonica and loving it. Nothing takes my mind off trouble quicker than music.

Carole Richard Thompson said...

Brenda:
Nice of you to stop by my blog. I am having fun plunkin' away,on my "uke" and as you say, takes my mind off things. Congratulations on all your recent achievements. You must have the ability to swipe all interference from your brain and just write, write, write. Whatever you do, it really works--you are a great writer and a very sweet girl. Love, Carole

Carol Murdock said...

I love to have an RV and go camping but this farm prevents that!Please post about your adventures so I can live it through you?

Nancy Simpson said...

Carole, tell more about camping. It is amazing. You are brave. My sister and I planned to buy a camper when we retired but it was hard enough for us to agree on which stove to buy and which refrig and which brand of paint for the house, so we never could agree on a camper. It was not in the realm of possibility for me.

Sam Hoffer / My Carolina Kitchen said...

So this is how you keep so young Carol. Sounds like fun stuff.
Sam

Glenda Council Beall said...

I loved this post, Carole. Makes me remember how much fun we used to have doing crazy things that made other folks look askance.
But do it all, girl. Do it as long as you can.
And learning to play an instrument is good for your brain, they say.
Before you know it, you'll be too good for the uke and graduate to a guitar.

Brenda Kay Ledford said...

Carole,
Your poetry reading at Coffee with the Poets was fantastic. You may go to my blog to view some photos of the event at: http://blueridgepoet.blogspot.com