Good Morning to everyone!
It's been sometime since I've chatted with all of you! We've all been a little crazy here in the state of Florida along with my friends in TX. My husband and I did evacuate (along with my daughter and her family) from the hurricane. We had to take the RV out of the possibility that it could get damaged. Soooooo with that thought in mind... we headed to three destinations.... #1 Alabama - to the Tiffin RV Factory. Wow...was that ever an experience... ! What a wonderful company - all family owned and so proud of their employees and products. We got to walk through the entire factory and see how the motor coach is built from the wheels up! They even do their own woodworking for all of the cabinets in the coaches. I think just the woodworking shop was as big as a football field and that is NO KIDDING! I watched men and women sanding and polishing the wood and you could tell they loved their jobs... they treated each piece of wood as if it were going in their own home.
The inside of these motor home has better appliances than in my home!!!!
They are simply GORGEOUS
If you ever get a chance to go through this factory... even if you have no intention of ever owning an RV, it is certainly worth the visit...and it's FREE! Everyday they give tours!
Then we traveled up to our friends - Marti & John in Kentucky. They are so much fun! We stayed for a couple of days and did some antiquing... we have our favorite spots to hit... laughed and hugged each other until it was time to leave. You see... that nasty Irma was chasing us all the way up there. We took off one afternoon and it was a good thing... the storm hit after we left...so we missed all the bad rain and wind.
We eventually ended up at Jack's sister - Linda's home in Indiana. Her hubby and son had just left to drive to Naples, Florida so he could help his brother with damage. They hauled generators, gas, etc. ...what a great guy... .I'm so sorry I missed him. Love him to death!!! However, we had a great time with Linda.... and we got to see her grand babies.
I was so worried about everyone in Florida... I had many a sleepless night. I told Jack... I don't know if it's worse staying and worrying about the damage or being away and worrying about everything.
It's over for us... unfortunately so many of my friends lost homes, had severe damage, and lost contents of businesses. I cried like a baby when I saw the damage on San Marco Street....
My friends at Rusted - A Vintage Market... well they pretty much lost everything in the store that was sitting on the floor. They had prepared for some water to come in... but had no idea it would flood as much as it did. This is where we used to have our items.... and these people are absolutely wonderful and my heart is so sad for them.
However... they are on the top of things and working to reopen soon! LOVE YA'LL!!!
We finally headed home... isn't it amazing how long a trip takes on the return? I thought we were never getting home!!! It was so good to see my sister and her family... and my son and his too.... I was so worried! We were so blessed... our neighborhood had lots of litter in the yards... we lost a pretty blooming tree in the front yard.... but that's all. No water damage... we never even lost power! ( sorry... I
know some of you are cringing right now.... ) Then... My sister Vicky and her honey (Larry) had all of our flower beds cleaned out for us!!!! I was so excited...it was the first thing I noticed! We wanted to replant them and it was going to be a chore to get rid of everything in them. We have a super family living next to us (he takes care of all of the yards here too) and they have a teen-age son and an adorable daughter (Lexie's age) ... wellllll.... he did the cleaning! I'm even going to try and grow a small herb garden in the back. I'll have to put them in pots... you see... I noticed we
have trails of a mole! Dasterly little fellows!!!
Now... I am trying to unpack my house, decorate, hobble around with a sore back/hip/ paint furniture, working on 3 retreats (Camp Blanding, Missouri Star, and Spirit of Christmas ... along with Vicky and Heather's help) sew 2 new quilts for my beds... oh my.... I'm tired already...
and on that note.... I'm off to the sewing machine!
Hugs to all and stay safe. Prayers to all of you that have had hurricane damage....
Gloria, Vicky & Heather
Lisa Bongean - Primitive Gatherings, Wisconsin
