Tues., 9/21/21, Put shelf paper down in camper, got groceries for our camping trip this weekend, went to prayer at church

Bill loaded the bike for the first time

 All went well and it's nice and secure

I love this picture of Eli, so I borrowed it from Kimmy

Bill met Charlie for coffee.  I took my shower, then started the laundry from our camping trip.  Did my morning reading while I drank my coffee.  After the rain stopped, I brought some stuff in from the camper that I won't be needing on this trip and I took some stuff out that I will be needing.  I put plastic shelf lining down in the medicine cabinets in the bathroom.  I went grocery shopping to get a few things I need for the trip too.  

We ate Culver's tonight as I had to get to prayer and didn't have time to make anything after getting groceries.  Bill got the bike loaded in the camper today and it went very smoothly and only took one try.  He fastened it down good and it is ready to take with us.  Pretty neat how it is set up to haul it.  Prayer at church was so good as we all interceded for the church, friends and family.  

 

Hailey had a good check up at U of M.  She got another good report.  Praising God!  

Hailey has been getting her picture in front of Big Bird there since she was a baby!  

Beautiful Amish farms we passed

When Bill put our destination in Mapquest, it took us on very narrow, curvy and hilly roads. Not to much fun with a big camper behind you.  We came to a sharp curve and when we got around it there was a country overpass and a sharp curve the opposite way right exactly when you started coming out from the overpass.  I was afraid we were going to hit it with our camper, but we made it.  Lots of cars coming from the other way on this narrow road.  A car stopped and backed up so we could make it around that sharp curve.  I was nervous.  If I'd have been driving, I would still be sitting in front of that overpass.  Bill did a great job getting us through that.  Yikes!

They sure didn't make these roads for two campers to pass which we had to do a couple of times

Bill with the Blue Gate Bakery and Restaurant in the background

Amish taxi....that's my kind of taxi in the summer

Me in front of the pumpkin archway

The walkway in front of the restaurant was just beautiful

We ate at the Blue Gate restaurant in Shipshewana

Isaac and Peyton enjoying the cinnamon roll.

Pretty Peyton sitting on our big pumpkins

Isaac looking cool!  He grew so much since we've seen him last.

 We slept in as we had decided last night to leave at 9:30 a.m. for Goshen.  By the time we got ready and ate breakfast, the rain had stopped.  They had rain in the forecast for the whole day, but took it out until 6 p.m. there.  We went to Goshen, but the Dutchman Camper Place didn't have enough room for our truck and camper in their parking lot, so we didn't stop.  We headed to Shipshewana instead.  It was quite the journey there as I shared above.  When we got there, we stopped and went through the Red Barn by the Flea Market. We bought a huge homemade pretzel and a huge cinnamon roll to heat up when we get home today.  The Flea Market is only open on Tuesday and Wednesday, so we couldn't go to that.  We found a good parking spot in The Blue Gate's parking lot, and went to the Blue Gate Restaurant for lunch.  Bill had noodles and chicken and I had noodles and beef.  We tried each others and both were really good.  I brought 2/3's of mine home for later as it was very filling, especially with the yummy rolls that came with it.  We headed for home after that.  I told Bill that our friend Roy, who was a truck driver, told me last night he would never go down 69 again until it is fixed.  He went down it after leaving Shipshewana and it was so bumpy, his tire had to be fixed on his camper afterward.  I told Bill he said he would head to Jackson and take that route.  I had directions on my phone and had told Bill what exit, but he went right past it.  He decided this way was shorter so he would take it.  69 was the bumpiest expressway I have ever been down.  Vikki called, and I had her face time me to show her how bad it was.  It was that way from when we got on until when we got off many miles later.  The other way would have been quicker with having to go slower on these awful bumps.  When we got off, Bill did say he would never go on that again until it was fixed.  The rest of the ride home was good and I could actually rest and shut my eyes.  After we got home and parked, it started pouring.  I was so thankful God kept the rain away until we were home.  It would have been awful driving on those roads with it raining hard.  Vikki, Peyton and Isaac came over.  I split the cinnamon roll with Peyton and Isaac as Bill and Vikki didn't want any.  It was super delicious, and almost as good as the Hilltop.  Not as big as theirs though.  We all went out and sat in the camper once the rain was done.  Vikki helped us see what to do to fix our one door in the camper that closed hard.  Now it is so easy and no more slamming it to get it shut.  She also gave us a little end table that fits perfectly next to the couch.  It has a shelf below too.  We had to fix our closet door floor holders since the bumpy road wiggled them loose from being locked and the floor holders came out.  Bill got them ready and I got down and screwed them back in.  All is well now.  We sat out there for quite a while, then Vikki and the kids had to leave to do homework.  Bill and I unloaded some stuff, but since we are going camping again Thurs., we left lots of stuff in the camper.  Packing will be easy this time for sure.  Hailey made Impact at her school.  They travel around and sing and worship at different places.  I am so happy for her.  We enjoyed relaxing in our recliners tonight.  Home Sweet Home!

Sunday, 10/25/21, went to morning church service, packed up and headed to Goshen and Elkhart, went to Wellfield Botanical Garden, Relaxed at campground

Started our walk through the garden

Bill by an origami squirrel

Our favorite spot there! Bill in top picture, me in the other chair in bottom picture!

We loved this circle bridge...each circle moved when you stepped on it. See video below

An origami crane

Peyton and Isaac with their sunflowers from the garden 

This was interesting....the wells from this botanical garden deliver water to the city of Elkhart

We loved this acorn rain barrel set.  

Our camper looks small in this campground...lots of big buses and big toy haulers.  Fun walking around looking at them

We had twin motorhomes on the side of us...just exactly the same except different colors on the outside.  They came together after we got there and the left together in the morning.

Jim, Bill and I went to the morning church service. It was really good!  We packed up and left for Goshen.  We found the Durchman RV manufacturing company and will go to it tomorrow when it’s open.  We took a long country ride to Elkhart Campy.  Bill put the wrong campground in his Mapquest.  We saw many Amish buggies, Amish on bikes going down the roads, and many families just walking down the road.  It was a beautiful drive with lots of hills and curves, but it made me nervous driving down them with the camper behind us.  We were happy to get to our campground.  We ate egg salad sandwiches, then went to Wellfield Botanical Garden.  We saw people swimming in the pool at our campground when we left.  It was beautiful and relaxing walking through the botanical garden.  We went to McDonald’s and got smoothies on our way back, two for the price of one!  When back at the campground, we walked to the pool to swim, but it was closed.  We walked around the campground for exercise instead.  Many huge RV’s in this campground! Made ours look small.  We ate spaghetti, the. Played 3-13. Bill beat me worse than he did last night 

 

Sat., 9/18/21, another day at the Veterans Rally, wonderful visit with Doug and Lela, ice cream and pie in the evening

Beautiful place to sit with friends and eat pie.

     Great visit with Lela and Doug and great pie!

I took a selfie group pic before we left 

P

 Helicopter rides given at the rally. We didn’t ride this year, but sure enjoyed it last year!

Bill and I took the golf cart at 6:30 and went to take showers.  It was a long way from our camper, so we were very thankful to have lights on the cart to see the road.  Started out with hot water, but could tell it was starting to get cold, so finished quickly.  We came back and walked to breakfast with Jim and Bev.  We had eggs and pancakes.  We walked around after breakfast and then went back to our campers.  Our friends, Diane and Steve’s generator quit working right before bedtime, so they couldn’t use their C-pap machines.  Bev and Jim didn’t have any water left and have been waiting for the guy to come since yesterday.  We ran out of water last night.  The guy finally came today and filled their tank and ours so we are all set now.  We had to pump gas into our generator too.  Nice to have the gas pump right in the outside of the camper.  

We ate egg salad sandwiches for lunch and then sat outside for a while longer.  We left at 1 to go visit Jared’s parents, Doug and Lela.  She had made an apple pie and had coffee ready for us too.  We carried it out to the patio to eat.  Doug was an amazing door opener as we took plates, coffee cups, etc out.  We enjoyed a nice visit while we ate our delicious pie and drank our coffee.  It was beautiful and peaceful on the patio.  They are the nicest people, and we feel like they are family now.  They have had quite a year with health issues, but both looked and were doing amazing.  We are very thankful to God.  Many prayers were answered as many  people have prayed.  We walked around the garden before we left and got a great tour.  There are many beautiful flowers and plants. We said our goodbyes and headed back to the campground.  Diane and Steve’s generator wasn’t fixed yet.  Bev and Jim lent their gas can to them and now couldn’t run their generator because it was out of gas.  Jim got the gas can back and went to get gas. He came back and before long his generator was running and the air was back on.  We went to dinner at the ministry tent.  Steve came and said their generator was working now.  Praise the Lord!  Bill bought a flag which is made in America.  It is sewn in several  places across the end which is nice.  We had pie and ice cream for dessert.  Bev picked up a pie. It sure didn’t compare to Lela’s homemade pie.  Bill and I played 3-13 and then went to bed.

Friday, 9/17/21, Second day at rally, went to CMA State Rally and walked around. Nothing going on while we were ther, but we did get to see our friends Al and Lucy.

Bill, me, Bev and Jim

Bill taking a picture of where the service for the CMA rally will be held

Me, Bev, Jim, Lucy and Al

Lucy, Al, Bill and I

Jim and Bev in their CMA Booth by our campers

Hanging out waiting for Lucy and Al to come see us

Bill sharing his vision with Bev and Jim

Bill and I

Bill and I by the goodies store. It was closed

We ate scrambled eggs and pancakes outside at Tim Griffin’s Ministry.  Met an evangelist there who told us his testimony of how he was a wild kid with addictions and a pretty girl at school asked him If he wanted to go out for pizza.  He said yes and later found out it was at youth group at her church.  God used that to save Him and now he’s traveled to many different countries and shares the Gospel wherever he goes.  He is working at this ministry that is serving free food both natural and spiritual.  We went to Indiana’s State Rally and walked around.  There was a bunch of motorcycles pulling out when we got there.  We went in the dining hall an sat and visited. Bill shared his vision from God with Bev and Jim.  Saw Al and Lucy for a few minutes before we left.  

Came back and had meatloaf and mashed potatoes down under the tent.  Sat at our camper visiting outside.  Played 3-13 and beat Bill bad!