Levy Co Quilt Museum and Suwannee Valley Quilt Shop Day

Yesterday, it was time for us gals to have another "Girls Day Out"....   we started the day with blueberry muffins and fresh ground coffee.  Yummmmmm

Once Auntie Lois was ready to roll after her church duties, we gals hopped in the car and headed out to a rural location between Bronson and Chiefland, FL.   Paula's husband Mel came along in his car to see the first stop, but then went back to the house to keep Steve company for the rest of the day.  Steve was back at mom's house to deal with some auto buyers coming over for mom's truck.

Mom and I had been to this museum once before, but Auntie Lois and Paula wanted to check it out....  it's called The Levy County Quilt Museum  and here is their link and facebook page:

http://levycountyquiltmuseum.org/

Facebook link for Levy County Quilt Museum

It is located only a few miles off a major highway, and is situated in a sweet log cabin in a rural location.  The porch has ample swings, chairs and tables for the non-quilting spouses to hang out and relax while the quilter aficionados are able to explore to their heart's delight.

We took the obligatory photo pose on the front porch, 

courtesy of Mel being the photographer.  

They have a big map on the wall with pushpins to place in your hometown, so they know where their visitors come from. Notice all around the top eaves of the log cabin, there are historic members quilt blocks of real fabric covered in frames of plexiglass for display.

Once we got inside and signed the guestbook, we went in four different directions to explore.  The museum has old things, new things, and things for sale!  Lovely old machines, sweet darling craft items, and even fabric pieces to buy to help support the museum (no admission fee but there is a donation box)  There are finished quilts for sale of all sizes, types, and colors.  Tops of quilts that have been pieced and sewn are also for sale. Mom bought six things for the grandtots, but I can not post them here until they get them when we go back home.

Here are some pics of the things we enjoyed: 

I just loved looking at all these old sewing machines.  I sew a lot of my quilt blocks on my old treadle machine, and also I hem my rugs on the old electric Singer that I got from my Grandma Groop.

 The building is huge with a lot of display cases, 

quilt racks and interesting handmade items for sale.

Even for the non-quilter craftsmen, there are a variety of things on display like these model log cabins and some small pieces of hand made furniture.

Other fiber arts are also displayed.  Here was a wonderful old spinning wheel

in front of a case of textile items, tools and implements. 

I especially enjoyed seeing this old jacquard woven coverlet.  The preservation of these old textiles is important so people can appreciate them.  Although it's hung on a wall in an open air display, at least it is not stuffed in a drawer or closet somewhere.  I bet the weavers from long ago would be proud that people can admire their work to this day.

We really liked the display cases of items as well as browsing the shop for things for sale. I got a lot of ideas of quilting designs and patterns.  I took some time to sit and chat with a volunteer at the front desk who told me a lot about the museum, the gals who come there, and she even invited us back to take part in their meetings!

The far west side of the building is a large classroom area.  The gals there joked about these ladies being snowbirds held captive to work and sew in the room and not allowed to leave or go back home!

The far side of the classroom area had fabric for sale, and we all found something to bring back home. I got a stack of some lovely dark rich jewel toned fabrics that will be nice to work with.  Stash Enhancement!

While we shopped, Paula's husband Mel found a comfy spot by the fireplace.  That couch is really cool and covered in a quilted theme too.  I think a lot of spouses end up there or out on the front porch.  Smart museum staff to supply sitting spots for patient partners.  LOL

Mel was looking at maps of other things to do in the area.

We said our goodbyes and sent Mel on his way back to my Mom's house.  Steve and he would keep themselves occupied while we four gals drove further north and east to the Suwannee Valley Quilt Shop in Trenton, FL.

Section after section, room after room was filled with bolts of fabrics, notions, books, tools and even a big cage with a parrot who whistled and cawed to the customers.  We went our separate ways and found things we needed, didn't need, and wanted and bought!!!

 The fabrics were amazing and we really enjoyed the decor and displays of this wonderful shop.

They also had a soda fountain for ice creams and drinks...

and a cafe with indoor and outdoor seating.

We had a nice girly girl lunch and coerced the waitress to snap our pic! 

We wandered on home... and I took a nap!  I think Mom and Auntie Lois were still raring to go go go!~   They wear us youngin's out, for sure.  LOL ....  

Paula made a nice ham dinner with all the fixens and we hit the motorhomes out back early to get some rest.  Today is another day of adventure, we will see what it brings!

One Week in Florida

Well, things have finally slowed down a little bit to get some computer time to blog!  We have been in a whirlwind since getting to Florida with mom.

It's been emotional, with Mom getting settled back in her house.  Without Lowell here, it sure seems strange.  But we are remembering, reminiscing and telling stories of the good times.  With a few tears in between.

After being absent for six months, some things needed to get spruced up around the house.  Plus, for almost a year before that, Mom and Lowell were living up in Georgia and Lowell's brother was living here instead.  Some things fell to the wayside during the brother's stay, and needed to get a good going over too. Stepbrother Dean left a huge mess next door so we are cleaning up that bit by bit, and we are going to tackle the yard today.

Steve has been soooo busy with a "honey do" list on the motorhome as well.  Seems our control board went out on our generator, so he had some fixing to do. Mel let us borrow his board to troubleshoot, and sure nuff, we needed to get a new one of those from Flight Systems.  Shipped to the house in three days, and then Steve also had to replace a wire, which Mel also had an extra of!   Now it's fully operational, and humming along like it should.

On top of that, our motorhome brake lights had only been working intermittently on the way down from Wisconsin. Steve examined the nine different wires, plugs and connections, with Mel helping him test and check and recheck. In and out, up and down, under and out those two guys were working. They messed with it for a whole day, and finally Steve said heck with it and ran all new wires for the brakes, and bypassed the corroded connectors.  There.... all in working order again!

Then some fellow Safari friends were staying in Williston at the Williston Crossings RV park and had some troubles on their rig.  Steve and Mel needed to go over and diagnose and troubleshoot.  Always something needs to get taken care of on these motorhomes. I am so glad Steve is so handy and can save us a lot of headaches, time and money by fixing them himself. What a guy.....

On mom's house, Steve changed locks, fixed security lights, installed all new cabinet knobs, pulled out some dead shrubs, trimmed her bushes, washed the car, fixed her door, and most of all ---- fixed her cuckoo clock!!!!  It had jammed up during moving and now it was fully operational again.  Ahhhhh

Steve also has been getting some of the other vehicles here ready to sell.  Mom doesn't need two pickup trucks, an extra lawnmower, or things like extra well pressure tanks and propane tanks.  So we are taking pics, writing up ads and posting on Craigslist and local Facebook Buy Sell Trade pages.

On my end, it's been my job to help Mom get back into the swing of things.  We got her computer up and running, her phone and dish all set, and get her shopping!!!!

Auntie Lois and Mom LOVE LOVE LOVE their Wal-mart excursions!!!!  Did I say they LOVE it????  Yes!!!!    Those two can make a WHOLE DAY of it!   Paula and I went along for the day, and by 2 pm we were totally worn out.  Those ladies can shop shop shop, look look look, and make many many many laps around that store. 

I have been mostly keeping mom company, helping with meals and fiddling around with her details of budgets, bills, and paperwork.  And Auntie Lois's job is to keep on bringing over goodies!!!!

Auntie Lois also manages a thrift store for her church, called The Angel House. We stopped in yesterday to take a gander around and buy a few odds and ends.  From there, we met up with Mel and Paula for a day at the flea market in Chiefland.  Yep, we marketed a few fleas, for sure! 

We also came home with a nice bag of Florida produce. 

The doggers are getting used to the Florida sunshine and sand.  They are enjoying our strolls along the country roads around this part of the state.  Not too wild many critters... lots of chickens and pit bulls in just about every yard.  All were fenced in so we got in lots of sassy barks, but not confrontations until the other night.  One house had unleashed dogs (big shepherd mix type dogs) that ran out towards us.  We beat a fast retreat, and next time we will have the grizzly spray along if we head out that direction.  Our dogs are always on leash, and safe by our sides.  Just can't control the OTHER dogs advances. 

This is about the only wildlife we have seen.....  

a darling gecko on mom's front porch! 

(it's all of two inches long.. this is on zoom)

We are starting to get into "vacation mode" now after one week.  A bit of relaxing and wine sipping.  Our friend Linda found us these two adult beverage sippee cups, so we don't spill.  How thoughtful!

Evenings out on the deck are extremely pleasant,

with good food, good friends, good wine....

and WARMTH! 

Tonight for Valentine's Day we are grilling steaks and steaming crab legs! 

Yummmmmmmmm

(ppsssstttt back home in Chilton, it's 4 below zero)

Funeral and then Southbound and Down

Sadly our family gathered in Bloomville Ohio over last weekend to say goodbye to our darling stepdad, Lowell Hall.  It was a small family prayer service in a tiny country church..... His long time friend and pastor lead the memorial. Both of Lowell's sons sang and played songs for their father.  The sweet ladies in the church hall put together a wonderful meal afterwards.  Cousins John and Laura brought a memorial service flag as Lowell had been in the Marines... along with a lovely display case and a bible for mom.   We gathered in prayer and said goodbye to a man who was a big part of all of our lives.

Lowell Dean Hall Sr., 78, passed away at his residence surrounded by family, Saturday, Jan. 23, 2016.

He was born in Jenkins, Kentucky, to Elzie and Norma Catherine Hall (Conn).

Lowell is survived by his wife, Rita Mae Hall; three sons, Michael D. Hall, Rick G. Hall and Lowell D. Hall Jr.; a daughter, Tonya M. Miller; 13 grandchildren; six great-grandchildren; and seven brothers and sisters.

He was a revered stepfather and grandfather.

Lowell was preceded in death by a son, Gregory A. Hall and his sister, Charlotte.

He proudly served his country as a U.S. Marine following the Korean War.

He was a member of the Adams Township Freewill Baptist Church. Spending time laughing with family and friends, camping, riding motorcycles, hunting, fishing and restoring vehicles were his favorite activities.

According to his wishes, there will be no formal funeral services.

Donations may be made to Adams Township Freewill Baptist Church in his honor.

Lindsey-Olds Funeral Home, Bloomville, is assisting the family with arrangements.

Steve and I hung around for a few more days, helping Mom acclimate, as well as my sister and her husband.  Lowell's kids all helped with adjusting and details and getting things smoothed out for Mom to deal with the loss.  Everyone felt the loss and did what they could to help.

Mom decided to return to their home in Florida, she said it is full of good memories.  We had promised Lowell that we would get her and her car back down to Florida if that is what she wanted. They had left Florida 6 months earlier to seek better health care up in Ohio.  Lowell's daughter Tonya is in the health services field and set him up with better docs and end of life care than he would have gotten from the VA in Florida.  Thank you Tonya for all you have done!

Steve and I dashed back home up to Wisconsin in our car, and started loading the motorhome.  We got hit with a huge damp wet snowstorm that delayed our intended departure date by 2 days.

I stacked things by the door and Steve hauled them out.  He had a few things to finish up at work the next day, and was able to leave work at noon.  By 2 pm, he said the weather looked like dry roads for Wisconsin until later evening when more snow was predicted. So we hit the road before any more snow came down... as long as the pavement is dry, we avoid the corrosive road salt that eats away at the delicate underpinnings of our motorhome.


We did Milwaukee rush hour of 4pm ... and hit Chicago rush hour by 6 ish.  Only one slowdown, not so bad afterall!   We kept handing out the money at each toll stop and did all of the Illinois, Indiana and Ohio toll ways... Towing a vehicle behind our motorhome adds to the tolls for big bucks, we had miles to make up fast before the weather turned bad on us.

We normally don't like driving in the dark, but Steve recently updated our headlights on the motorhome to some that were much brighter.  Our Safari's are notorious for dim headlights... and many other owners did various work-arounds of adding different wiring or a relay to make them brighter, but it would burn out the headlight bulbs faster.  So instead, Steveio found a farm implement light that had a brighter beam, and had to only bend a bit of one prong to make it adapt to our rig.  Voila!  Problem solved and we could see at night!

Since we could see well, we zoomed along until 9 pm upon reaching Findlay, OH.  We pulled into a nice quiet Walmart and settled in for the night.  Tired, but happy that we had avoided the snow and road salt of the north.  

439 miles 

Early in the morning, we called Mom in the nearby town of Bloomville 25 miles away.  She finished putting her last few things in her car and paid her last few bills, and headed out to meet up halfway.  With a round of hugs, we swapped over where I drove her car, she took over the passenger seat, and Steve headed on out with the motorhome.  Off we went, Florida bound! 

We drove until about lunchtime, and pulled into a wayside to make some sandwiches.  Rut Roh!  Steve saw leaking diesel fuel behind our coach coming from the engine!!!!  We examined the leak and found it to be the high pressure return line about 3 feet long, had a leak near one end.  We had replaced that same line back in 2007.  It had rusted through again. ARGGHHH!!!!   

We called ahead 45 miles to the Cat dealer in Troy, OH.  The parts guy on the phone just said "Nope, can't get the part till Monday" .  Done.   Gee whiz.....  This was only Friday and a possible snow storm was on the way. So Steveio figured the drip was small and far between, lets limp it down 45 miles to the Cat dealer anyhow and talk with the shop guys. Not just the parts guy.  So we did. Whew... I followed and I sure was tense.  

We pulled into the Cat dealer by 2 pm and Steveio headed off to chin wag with the guys. Hmmm wonder of wonders they COULD get the part, IF we paid a courier fee!   Sure nuff!!!  The part arrived by 4:30 pm.  After taking a hit to our credit card of over $200.00, Steve put the part on in 10 minutes flat.  We were on the road by 4:40! 

 What a guy! 

On the road again....

We were able to zoom along down into Kentucky before too late into the night. Whew..... We found a wayside with truck overnight parking near Lexington KY and pulled into a nice corner spot.  We were emotionally drained and tired.  We settled into bed, while Mom cuddled on the loveseat with the doggers....  Finney and Binney were enjoying all of her attention. 

Finney remembered Mom (and all of her treats) and soon she won Binney over her shyness and she learned that Mom was a good cuddler. 

667 miles

Soon semi trucks were pulling in, and the almost empty lot was filling up fast.  About 3 am a big car hauler jockeyed in next to us and kept it's engine running all night.  Our carbon monoxide detector went off, and we discovered his idling exhaust pipe was right next to our passenger window. We opened windows on the other side of our rig, turned on a fan and reset the alarm.   About an hour later it went off again!  We realized that it was not just the one truck, it was combined with all the other idling trucks in the low-valley lot, we were getting gassed out!   

It was time to move on, though it was the wee hours of the morning.  We could barely work our way out of the lot around the car hauler next to us that had us penned into the corner.  We cleared him by mere inches as Steve swung out to get through the lot.  Back on the road in the pre-dawn hours was not fun by any means.  We stopped for some awful tasting coffee, because we hadn't had time to perk any ourselves.  I sure missed my Blue Mountain Jamaican coffee beans freshly ground and perked!   

We put on some miles into Tennessee to get to some warmer weather.  Since our rig was still winterized, we had only been using jugs of water and a teakettle on the stove to wash up.  We knew the Escapees have a nice campground at Raccoon Valley near Heiskell TN just north of Knoxville. It's only a mile or so off the interstate, and we pulled in to ask if we could fill with water.  For a $10 fee, we could pull into one of the sites, and proceed to rig de-winterize, fill with water, and check for leaks that might have developed over the winter.  (none..whew!)   We told them we would be back in March to spend a few days too, as it's near my friend Linda's house.  We had time to make a little lunch, and even take a little nap before hitting the road again. 

Mom was eager to get home....  so we drove on as far as east of Atlanta .... we try to avoid Atlanta at ALL costs!   We scoot around on route 20, but there was some construction that slowed us down.  We hit a nice quiet Walmart near Sugar Hill, GA and settled in for the night.  It was a smaller Walmart that closed down at night, and all was quiet, serene, and we got a GOOD night's sleep! 

1,048 miles 

Sunday was our final leg of the journey.  The "sitting down" for long periods while driving my mom's car was taking it's toll on me.  I have had some esophageal and stomach surgeries that hamper my ability to digest properly, and sitting for a long time really messes me up.  But we trudged on with only 380 miles to go..... 

Our Safari friends Mel and Paula had been camping nearby in Georgia and decided to join up with us at a wayside and become part of our little convoy!  Mom and I followed in third place until we turned off the interstate to the exit past Gainesville, Fl... Then we moved into first place to go on to Williston! 

Whew! We honked our horns as we caravanned past Auntie Lois and Uncle Sam's house on the corner and turned down Mom's road and into her yard.  I grabbed Mom's hand, and led her to the middle of the front yard.  We clasped our hands, we looked up to Heaven and I told Lowell that we did it!  We brought Da Momma HOME!  Just like we promised him during his last weeks of life, that we would take care of her and get her where she wanted to go.  It was his only concern. Tears streaming down my face, I knew we did what we had to do, even if my gut was twisting in knots most of the way. 

1,427 miles 

Quick as a whip, here came Auntie Lois down the road, followed by Uncle Sam (Uncle Poops to me) .... laden with trays of donuts, bags of cookies and lots of hugs! Friend Paula added the kleenix as we all needed it.   This pic says it all.......

Mom and Lois are the only sisters, no other siblings.  They have lived two houses apart here in Florida for many years now.  They need each other and have gone through thick and thin.  And now Mom needed her sister more than ever.

Uncle Sam came over with ant spray and his hoe, and went to work on the huge fire ant hills that accumulated over the last six months while Mom and Lowell were up in Ohio.  Auntie had pre-loaded up Mom's fridge with food, and got the water on, and brought over the newest mail... and welcomed us all with her famous peanut butter cookies!  The guys got the motorhomes parked in the yard and we all got a well-deserved night's sleep..... 

Now to help Mom to adjust to life without Lowell.  This is hard.  

We will stay here for the remainder of our vacation and do all we can to help.