Subj : Cramping was: Go West To : Ruth Haffly From : Dave Drum Date : Mon May 06 2024 06:34:00 -=> Ruth Haffly wrote to Dave Drum <=- RH> I don't know what my dad used, probably studied road maps. We did have RH> the Rand McNally campgrounds atlas that my parents used extensivly. It RH> listed campgrounds (by city, town, etc) and the amenities they offered; RH> one thing my dad always insisted on was that it have flush toilets. (G) DD> Definitely not a "country boy", then. Bv)= On the farm we had six RH> He rough camped enough with the local boy scout troop that he wanted to RH> be more comfortable on the family camping trips. As long as I can RH> remember, he always used an air mattress under the sleeping bag, both RH> with the scouts and family outings. I only did Boy Sprouts for a couple years since one of the leaders made me nervous (today I'd say "He set my gay-dar off") and later made headlines in the local daily paper. But, I did my share (and then some) of rough camping, some while trouring parts of America via my thumb (hitch hiking) and some by just parking up, often near a stream or body of weater, and rolling uot my sleeping bag. DD> rooms and a path. Baths were taken in a large washtub near the kitchen DD> stove so we could have hot water. It was a matter of great mement when DD> we gor an oval galvanised "horse trough to replace the round wash tub. RH> Dad was a city boy, raised in North Tonawanda, NY. He was active with RH> the boy scouts there, military (WWII) service was in the Navy. Mom was RH> also city raised but camped with the girl scouts--they figured with 5 RH> kids, camping was the cheapest way to go (true) for vacations, tho we RH> didn't start travelling until the youngest was around 7. I split the difference between town and country. My grandparents had the 800+ acres family farm originally deeded to an ancestore for services in the Revolutionary War as a "section" (640 acres). And they had a "town house" which my grandmother preferred. It was a Sears Craftsman in a well known neighbourhood of similar homes. I found pixtures online of the very place (somewhat updated since the 1960s) https://www.redfin.com/IL/Carlinville/929-N-High-St-62626/home/129449353 DD> 8<----- CUT ----->8 RH> We generally try to use the "go arounds". Even tho I don't drive, I RH> keep looking for indicators of what we need to be aware of coming up, RH> especially when we're towing, to help Steve. DD> You're probably worked out a system that suits you. Ordinarily I DD> mislike "back seat drivers". My grandmother was thw absolute worst DD> it's ever been my misfortune to have as a passenger. I told her once DD> "I don't tell you how to run your kitchen .... let me drive the way I DD> know how." And if I was forced to ride with her in her car???? She DD> drove like porcupines making love - slowly and painfully. RH> Don't forget, she was raised when there were fewer cars, trucks, etc on RH> the road. DD> I don't believe that she ever drove a car over 40 MPH in her life. DD> Even on Route 66 which put her in danger of getting rear-ended. Thank DD> goodness it was a 4 lane road. I remember being honked at many times DD> on 2 land highways. RH> But, she got to where she was going safely. Did she drive tractors on RH> the farm? Not hardly. DD> 8<----- CUT ----->8 RH> The grocery store is pretty nice, I'd rate it a few steps above Food RH> Lion. The one we used to shop at regularly has a small clearance RH> were buying. Good reccommendation. (G) DD> Hy-Vee is our Midwest Wegman's equivalent. I only get staple items DD> from their "snatch & grabbit" service. Fresh produce, meat and deli DD> still reuire me to go iside and select personally what I'm buying. DD> The other major stupormarkups here offer similar deals - but I have DD> yet to try them out. RH> Maybe one of these days, but not yet for us. It's a convenience thing for me. Plus they off gasoline discounts of so-much per gallon on some items. If I gather those I let my house mate use my "Perks" card at Casey's (a C-Store chain head-quartered in the same town as Hy-Vee - Ankeny, IA) since I have a Moto-Mart card that gives me 50c/gallon off pump price at their location(s). DD> It's a time-saver. And since staple items are in bags/cans/boxes and DD> the same all of the time I have no problem putting in an on-line order DD> and scheduling pick-up at a convenient time. If one (or more) of my DD> selected items is out of stock I get texts on my phone from the as we DD> try to select a work-around. And if none exists ... on to the next DD> item. RH> We still prefer to do all the shopping. If I don't go out with Steve, RH> I'll send a fairly detailed list of what to get. It's easier for me to parse an advertisement/listing than to trudge all over what is, after all, a Big Box store. Bv)= DD> It's sort of like ordering from Amazon - except you don't have to wait DD> 2 days for delivery. Hy-Vee will also deliver your groceries (just DD> like the old days). Since I'm a Perks Plus member there's a U$25 DD> minimum order - I have only used that service once - when I was DD> housebound on doctor's say so. If one is not a Perks Plus member the DD> minimum for free delivery is U$100. RH> It's something to consider, thought about it during the covid shut RH> downs but Steve went out (with a detailed list) about once a week. He RH> still shops solo from time to time when I either don't want to go or RH> he's out otherwise and swings into (usually Wegman's) to pick something RH> up. Back in the day nearly all neighbourhood groceries had delivery service. Whether a box-bodied truck or a bicycle with a large basket. My granny used it a lot in Carlinville. 8<----- CHOP ----->8 DD> IIRC you were also at the last picnic they held. That was before RH> Nancy DD> fell off of her twig. RH> Yes, we were there. Visited some friends in the Baltimore area RH> afterward; we'd been stationed in Frankfurt am/Main together. We hosted RH> the last picnic, in 2019--doubt there will be any more but would be RH> nice........ DD> I had to give that one a miss. And I fear you're right on the echo DD> picnics. Not enough participants left on this early-times social media DD> platform to make up a viable picnic. RH> Last few we went to had maybe 6-9 people; ours had the Shipps, Michael, RH> Nancy and Mark Lewis for a grand total of 7. DD> Never met Mark in person but I use his BBS daily. RH> Mark Lewis from NC? We point off of Marc Lewis, IIRC now in Huntsville, RH> AL. Didn't know there were two. I'm replying in this packet via his SESTAR BBS. DD> My house mate gave me a "Great Value" (as-if) single serve beef DD> stroganoff yesterday which he had tried and didn't care for. He asked DD> me "What's wrong with this stuff?" Besides being fro Wally World, DD> they used mystery meat, very little spice/flavouring agents, rotini DD> pasta in plsce of wide RH> Sounds very forgettable. (G) Oh, yeah. OOPSI - out of room. On to the next post. .... "All happiness depends on a leisurely breakfast." -- John Gunther --- MultiMail/Win v0.52 * Origin: SouthEast Star Mail HUB - SESTAR (1:3634/12) .