Dec 7-8 - Nevada City and Arlo

First stop was to show me their new house. Such a great spot on the hill and so much more space for them. 

Shan, Arlo and I had lunch in Grass Valley, all set up for Cornish Christmas on Friday. 

After dropping Arlo at Gigi’s daycare for a few hours, we went to the new house to clean. 

Then Wednesday night was Miracle Bar for Shan, Donna and I. Glitz and glamour abounded. 

 After a few cocktails, it was on to the Miner’s Foundry for a Christmas Sing Along. 

Friday was the traditional drive into the forest to cut down their Christmas tree. 

Up and decorated. Shimmering in the dark. 

Friday night was Cornish Christmas in Grass Valley. Weather was perfect and the downtown was booming with vendors and lots of people milling around. 

Had my first pastie, I’m in love. 

Saturday was another night with Arlo. He’s so much fun. We read, and read and played with cars and trucks. 

A drive downtown Nevada City to look at the big vrooms vrooms. 


Then it was time to drive down the hill to Sacramento to stay with Erin and Drew before I fly home. 

Dec 1-6 - Sac Zoo and time in Nevada City

Shan and Arlo met me at the Sacramento Zoo. Arlo loved looking at the animals. 

Drove up to Nevada City to spend the next week with this guy. 

Started off my time with a visit to the new house. It has so much more sunshine and natural light. 

And they have cell reception which is a big deal out here. Before they had to use WiFi calling to place calls. 

Sunsets here are beautiful, right outside the back of their house. 

Shan and I spent some time cleaning at the new house’s guest house. Nice space for family and friends to stay. 

Downtown Grass Valley is all ready for Christmas. 

Yes, that’s sun and blue skies. While I’m here, temps will be I. The high 60s. 

Tuesday Shan, Arlo and I drove to Roseville looking for furniture for the new place. 

Wednesday night Donna, Shan and I went to the Holbrook’s Miracle Mile for drinks. Very festive, lots of red so it’s hard to get good photos. 

Then a rousing Christmas Carolling time at the Miner’s Foundry. 

Busy week and it’s only Thursday. Here’s our little man in his Christmas hat Donna made him. 

Arlo’s music class at the library was fun. Lots of kids and fun things to do while listening to music. 

Friday was the day for the traditional hunt for a Christmas tree in the forest. Successful trip. 

Bandit wasn’t sure the ride back was going to be very much fun in the back of the truck 

A few more days left with the Alsups. Who knows what all will happen. 

November 29 - Off to the west coast

It was a beautiful day to fly, with an sunrise out of State College. The 2 flights were on time and I was in Sacramento by noon. 

These clouds remind me of the batting I use to quilt. 

Getting closer, flying over Nevada. 

Look who came to pick me up … Winnie in her Gryffindor sweater!

First stop was at Urban Roots for lunch and a beer. 

As we walked around Sacramento I loved to see the trees still had their beautiful colors. 

Then home to watch the Penn State Women’s Volleyball team win the BIG Ten Conference title. Fun and exciting exciting match. 

Finally it was time to watch the Christmas festivities begin  at Drew and Erin’s house … putting up lights and decorating their tree. 

October 21-22 - PIAA Golf Championships

Our adventures continue on the Penn State golf course. Gale Miller, Bill and I are volunteer golf cart shuttle service for the PIAA Golf Championships. Absolutely beautiful blue sky days. The grounds keepers have the courses looking pristine and the leaf color just adds the right touch. 

Yesterday, my cart stopped working and they couldn’t get it going … down to 2 carts. Then Gale’s ran out of gas. Good thing we were close to being finished. Andy promised us the carts would be gassed up and ready to go for day 2. Here they are just waiting for us. 

Day 2 all three carts are still working. Good thing because people had to park at the entrance to the golf course … a long way to walk to the Clubhouse. 

October 18-19 - Prince Gallitzen

Today’s adventures started off with a hike that gave us our 10,000 steps by 12:30. 

Then, since it warmed up to the 60s, we decided to drive to Ebensburg to bike the Ghost Town Rail to Trail. This is the first PA Rail to Trail we have risen. 

Banjo is in this basket and Lenny is in the basket on Bill’s bike. 

We rode from Ebensburg through Nantucket Glo and back, about 25 miles. 

Back at the RV, we had quesadillas and a rest!

Tomorrow we leave for home. A successful trip even though it was a little colder than I wanted!!

October 16-17 - Test Blue Belle at Prince Gallitzen

We decided to go somewhere close to home with Blue Belle (Belle for short) to see what worked and what didn’t work. We chose Prince Gallitzen, near Patton, PA. 

Huge lake and large campground. Leaf colors were gorgeous as we drove to the campground and even more so the next day when the sun shone brightly. 

After we set up, we had some hooks we had to decide where they should go. We have so much more cabinet space in this RV but are still trying to figure out the best place for everything. Lenny and Banjo se like they have adjusted. 

On our second day we took a walk to one of the boat launches. Pretty morning but COLD. Glad our furnace is working. 

After a warm bowl of hot soup, we took a hike around a portion of the lake near our campground. As you can see, the colors were very showy. 

Lenny has his warm coat on. Banjo is with us but he didn’t want in the picture!

Too cold to kayak but great day for a hike. 

October 9 - Picking up Blue Belle

As we left home, we could see smoke and light toward Bellefonte but didn’t know what was happening yet. We turned IDa toward state College and promptly saw a fire vehicle in the road with a sign “road closed.”  Still didn’t know anything. Then Linda Zubler texted me that the Fillmore Church was on fire. This is the 3rd church in our area that was burned or attempted to be burnt. So sad. 

We are on our way to Connecticut to pick up our new RV, Blue Belle. Exciting but scary. New things to learn. 

Leaves are changing more here than at home.

We arrived in Danbury around 12 noon at Blue Compass, the dealership. Met with the salesman who told us they were almost finished with the RV. Keep in mind that we purchased Belle at the Hershey RV Show September 10. They had a WHOLE month to have her ready Gresh. No happy.  After 2 hours, Leeann, one of the technicians, gave us a demo. She was great and could answer most of our questions. We aren’t sure that they tested everything because when I asked if they could lower the loft bed, it didn’t work (it worked at Hershey). Still wasn’t fixed when we left. Leeann diagnosed it some and thinks it needs a relay. She will order it and Bill will install. 

Finally we were on our way to our first night’s stay near the dealership, Quiet Time, a Harvest Host. This site used to be a quarry, that’s why the rock wall is there. 

Road was narrow getting to her place but once we arrived it was a good spot. 

We will drive home Thursday to start filling up Belle with our essentials. We have a trip planned to Prince Gallitzen next week.