The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly

It was a great relief to know the slideout motor on the coach had been repaired. The great feeling lasted until this morning. You'll notice in the picture there's a bar sticking straight up supporting the slide topper awning. Well, it's not supposed to stick up; it's supposed to hold the roller on the side of the slideout, not the top. So when Herb tried to close the slide this morning, the awning just gathered itself up in a bunch. A couple of men at Charger Enterprises came out and helped roll the awning up and secure it. They told Herb there are some broken springs and bent stuff involved and it will be a booger to fix. Oh, well, as Gilda Radner said, "It's always something." Motorhome ownership is interesting. I'm reminded of a little plaque on a friend's boat: "A boat is a hole in the water into which one pours money." Motorhomes seem to have similar characteristics, except they don't float. You'll know that if you've seen Robin Williams' movie "RV."

The true treasure found in this Elkhart odyssey is the service center. Charger Enterprises along with Holmes on Wheels are outstanding for RV repair.

It's the Little Things

Can you see the butterfly on the berries? I didn't until Herb pointed it out. He's much more observant than I. We were walking through the woods here at White Oaks on the Lake in Monticello, Indiana when he observed this dark flyer flitting from berry to berry.

Back in Time

We were in Shipshewana, Indiana recently. This form of transportation was everywhere. Some of the carriages had three rows of seats.

Large farms along the road had clothes drying on the lines and bicycles, horses and carts in evidence; no cars or pickups in sight. Signs advertised handmade quilts, woodworking products and furniture, and fresh produce.

The Amish women in this area dress traditionally but in pale gray for the most part, with white bonnets. A number were working at booths in the huge flea market. Their words were gentle and pleasant. The prices were more than reasonable.

And on the road traffic made way for carriages and buggies of every description with handsome, high-spirited horses trotting along oblivious of the cars and trucks. Despite the crowds of tourists, their lives go on in a peaceful way as they have for many years.