LOCK UP

Coffee and donuts this morning in the Pavilion. We met a couple from Joliet, IL. Russ and Beth live on a farm outside Joliet. Their 1200 acre farm has been in the family for 130 years. Russ' son has pretty much taken over the farming. I told him of my limited knowledge as well as my skills of combining. For those who don't know, when I was doing some work for an Ag retailer in Iowa, a very trusting farmer taught me how to run his combine. After some observation he actually allowed me to combine several rows of corn. I don't think Russ was all that impressed. Anyway, Russ and Beth seem like a fun couple. I'm sure we'll be seeing more of them over the next couple months.

After the coffee gathering, I told Mary Ellen to head back while I used the men's room. You have to understand there are two entrances to the men's room. One door is off the pavilion, the other is from the outside. When I went in I noticed they were obviously doing some renovating. They're putting up new tile. Ok, no problem. All the toilets were still there. When I was ready to leave I decided to go out the door to the outside. It was locked. No problem, I'd just go out through the pavilion. Oops. This door is also locked. Apparently the lady who ran the coffee and donuts took 'locking up' to a whole new level. What I didn't know was there was a CLOSED for renovation sign on the door from the outside. Of course the door that I went in was OPEN. Luckily I had my cell phone. I called my lovely wife, and when she finally stopped laughing she agreed, albeit reluctantly, to find someone with a key. Five minutes later I was a free man. Mary Ellen was still laughing when I got back.

We have about a month before our friends Diane and Jeff arrive. We were neighbors last year and will be again this year. We'll be on site 11 and they are on 12. Last year Diane gave me a very hard time because our trailer wasn't perfectly centered on the concrete pads. She thought I should definitely straighten it out. I refused on the grounds that we were all hooked up (sewer line, cable, water, stableizers down, hitch off the truck etc.) No way was I going to move. However, knowing that Diane will be here in a month will give me an entire month to get it right this year. I will pre-measure and chalk the concrete for accuracy. My goal this year is to pass the "Diane Parking Requirements" exam! I WILL PASS. Even though this year I have to back in!!

Today saw us doing several chores including washing windows, fixing a door and a drawer. Of course we had to make a visit to Wal Mart and Walgreens and return a hubcap that didn't fit to the RV store. Busy day.

Till next time (I asked you to remember this last year, but it's even more meaningful this year)."Suppose you were an idiot, and suppose you were in congress, but I repeat myself"!

jim