After six weeks in Washington County, dealing with issues and dilemmas, both expected and unexpected, the window of opportunity for a summer in North Carolina finally has opened. The plan was for Pam to pack the Jeep to the gills and roll southbound, and for me to duplicate a trip I have bicycled before. First, north to Venango County and Franklin, PA, to visit my daughter, Andi, her husband Ben, and our only grandchildren, Carter, 2 years old, and Chase, who just turned 1. Then, after a visit, off through the Allegheny Mountains to visit my oldest daughter, Jamie, and her boyfriend, David, and nephew, Anthony, in Hagerstown, MD. Then, make a bee line to the Outer Banks for the summer and early fall.
The six weeks at home were busy, and we got a lot accomplished. We spent the time living in the motor home, not in our house. It was easier than moving everything into the house, only to pack up again. Our original plan was not to be there six weeks, but events conspired to keep us in town until things were squared away to our satisfaction. Staying in the RV also allowed Buddy the freedom and independence he deserves and has become accustomed to. We spent the first three weeks or so parked in the parking lot at Freightliner Trucking Co., dry camping for free, taking great advantage of our solar panels that we bought in Quartzite, Arizona, and showering and the such at home. They inspected the RV and allowed us to stay there until we decided it was time to move on. The second half of our stay was spent on our property in Claysville, in the yard next to our storage building. Once again, we dry camped, and enjoyed the serenity of a small town while we got some work done at the building.
Time was spent cleaning out our basement at home, the garage at home, both the loft and the workbench in the main area. We also cleaned out a 40 ft trailer where I was storing my parents and grandparents possessions until we could have a few sales. National Pike Days provided the perfect opportunity to sell most of the stuff, and a day at Trader Jacks Flea Market the next weekend got rid of a lot more. I also took three or four pickup trucks full of scrap metal to the salvage yard. Overall, the cleanup was pretty profitable, and the much needed chore was complete before I started to scrape, prime and paint the metal roof on the storage building. It was a huge job, more than I expected, to scrape, pressure wash and put two coats on a 4800 square foot roof, dodging rainy days, and tolerating sunny, hot days on a metal roof. Actually, the job never got finished, because with most of the work done, except for most of the final coat, I fell off the roof, or ladder, or something, and endured a few days in the hospital in Wheeling while my bell stopped ringing. I don't remember a thing, so I missed the fall, and a ride in the E car (ambulance.) memory began to return the the trauma unit, but I have no idea what happened. Pam found me, unconscious, at the base of the building, covered in red paint, which was the color of the final coat. She called the rescue squad, which was located just across the street, and after considering life flight, decided on going to the trauma center at OVGH in Wheeling. I didn't know that Washington Hospital was not equipt to handle injuries like mine, so we didn't go there. I had a pretty beat up head, stitches on my leg, and bruises and cuts all over my body, but no permanent damage. I think I'm lucky I didn't die, or become crippled. But anyhow, the roof will be finished by a pro, and I'm grounded.
The last detail that we had to deal with was getting the garage door opening enlarged, and a new garage door installed, so we could store the RV, which is about six inches taller than the old one. The door had to be ordered, and that took a few weeks, but the work was done as quickly as possible, and the day after it was completed, we pulled the RV in, and it was time to ride.
Oh Come on!! I've got some good pics of dad that were text to me from the hospital that you could show the blog world ;) Just kidding, Love you! It's Andi by the way!
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