A Pre-Feast…Feast!

The motorhome is parked at my cousin Bob’s and his wife Donna’s home at North Dartmouth, Massachusetts.

Yesterday was a semi-decent day. With a light cloud cover the high temperature was 81 degrees with 79% humidity. Still too hot and humid for my liking.

My cousin Bob’s mother, and my aunt Yvonne…long deceased…had a fantastic talent. In addition to being a school teacher and a world traveler…she was a fantastic artist. I remember, as a youngster, being barely able to walk through her home because she had so many huge paintings. Here are four which are in Bob and Donna’s home…

As always you may left click upon an image to see an enlarged view and then click once again to see an even larger view…

When you visit Bob and Donna’s home…no one goes hungry! Yesterday we enjoyed a New England Feast!

We started with large shrimp and cheese and crackers…

Then we enjoyed a 1 1/4 pound lobster…

The lobster remains…

Then a New England Clam Boil. In this pot are clams, hot dogs, linguisa, sausage, potatoes, and onions…

The corn gets cooked separately…

The clam boil remains…because we were so full…we were unable to eat…

Sasha the Cat took the proceedings in stride…

This afternoon we will drive the about five miles to attend the 99th annual Feast of the Blessed Sacrament…the world’s largest Portuguese Feast! You can read all about it by clicking their official website link…
http://portuguesefeast.com/

New Bedford remains a large fishing port and has always had a large Portuguese presence. You can read about this presence by clicking this link…
http://www.newbedford.com/portuguese.html

See the photos in tomorrow’s Blog!

Enjoying visiting with relatives and friends is another joy in the life of a full-time RVer!

The red dot on the below map shows our approximate location in the State of Massachusetts. You may double left-click the map to make it larger…

Enjoying 65-75 degree temperatures with low humidity most of the year is a primary joy in the RVing lifestyle!

“Life is like riding a bicycle. To keep your balance you must keep moving”…Albert Einstein

On October 27, 2012, I created a two-minute video titled America The Beautiful. The music America The Beautiful is by Christopher W. French. The photos, which I randomly selected, are from the states of Arizona, California, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Mississippi, Montana, New Mexico, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Texas, Tennessee, Washington and West Virginia (not shown in that order)…are mine. Yup, That’s me standing in front of the Post Office in Luckenbach, Texas…Y’all!

Click this link to start the video. Make sure you have your speakers turned on and go to full screen asap.
http://youtu.be/FfZUzEB4rM8

If you have not checked out my Ramblin Man’s Photos Blog, you can do so by clicking this link…
http://ramblinmanphotos.wordpress.com/

All original material Copyright – Jim Jaillet 2013
For more information about my three books, click this link:
http://www.lulu.com/spotlight/panamaorbust

New Windsor, New York

Jim says:

Yesterday I inadvertently reported we had just finished spending 48 days in New England…ooops, my mistake, I meant 78 days. After which my nine-year-old grand-daughter really didn’t want us to leave. While I was hitching the Bronco to the motorhome she laid on the driveway in front of the Bronco. In the below photo you can see her dad gently trying to pull her out of our way.

He finally got her moved and we said our last farewells. Three hours and about 150 miles later we arrived at American Legion Post #1796 where we parked for the evening. Our friends Ginnie and Jim Palumbo drove up from their home in Wayne, New Jersey to spend the remainder of the afternoon with us. On a recommendation from a local American Legion member, we found a great smaller Italian restaurant only about a mile away. We enjoyed a great meal of freshly made pasta. That’s the only downside of the full-time RVing lifestyle…long separations from family and good friends.

Today Mary and I will go on a two-hour tour of the West Point Military Academy about 12 miles distant.

All original material Copyright – Jim Jaillet 2010
My three books may be purchased at http://www.lulu.com
Just enter Jim Jaillet in the search box.

Mystic Seaport, Connecticut

Jim says:

Yesterday Mary and I spent our last full day in New England at a most appropriate place. Mystic Seaport may be New England’s largest tourist attraction. It all began back in 1851. Mystic Seaport, founded in 1929, actively pursues the collection, preservation and exhibition of artifacts and skills related to maritime history and its influence on American life. It is a privately operated, non-profit institution.

It functions as a living history museum consisting of a village, ships and 19 acres of exhibits depicting coastal life in New England in the 19th century. We spent five hours here and did not come close to seeing all the exhibits. It’s a most interesting place.

Here are 11 photos I took while there…

First is a picture of me with my new hat. I lost my trademark white floppy hat in Salem, Massachusetts a couple of weeks ago. I really like my new hat because it’s lightweight, keeps my head cool and the wide brim shields the sun from my eyes. Now all I have to do is lose 30 pounds, grow a scraggly beard, put a stogy cigar in my mouth and I’ll look just like Clint Eastwood! 🙂

To see the other 86 photos I took, click this link…
http://picasaweb.google.com/jimjrver/MysticSeaport081310#

Here’s the official Mystic Seaport link…
http://www.mysticseaport.org/

Here’s a Wikipedia informational link…
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mystic_Seaport

Today we depart New England after being here for 48 days. Our destination for tonight is planned to be New Windsor, New York>

All original material Copyright – Jim Jaillet 2010
My three books may be purchased at http://www.lulu.com
Just enter Jim Jaillet in the search box.

Tanks Alot

Jim says:

The RV lifestyle is made a lot more enjoyable because of the several tanks contained within. Because an RV is not permanently attached to utilities such as water and sewer, the storage of necessary fluids in tanks comes into play. Also conservation of the fluid adds to the time an RV can be away from such utility hookups.

The primary tanks in a modern RV are:
* A tank to hold the fresh water supply,
* A tank to store waste water from the shower and sinks is called a gray water tank,
* A tank to store waste water from the toilet is called a black water tank, and
* A tank to store propane for cooking, heating hot water and cooling the refrigerator.

In our RV, with the two of us aboard, used conservatively, we can generally go 9-10 days before we have to dump our waste water tanks and refill our fresh water tank. Even though we’ve had our current RV approaching one year we’re still learning about it.

For instance, when we arrived at my son’s home a week ago yesterday I knew we were getting low on propane and was hoping to make it until our departure tomorrow before refilling. Nope…we didn’t make it. We ran out of propane yesterday morning and were forced into taking some refill action.

So off we went with my nine-year-old grand-daughter Jaime sitting in Mary’s usual navigator’s seat. Mary sat at the dining room table reading her book.

First stop was at the Town of Deep River to the waste water treatment plant where we dumped our gray and black water storage tanks.

Then to the propane supply place. Propane is expensive here in Connecticut at $4.50 a gallon. It cost us $54.00 to take on 12 gallons which will last us about one month.

Back at my son’s home, we refilled our fresh water storage tank.

Now, you know a little bit more about the RVing lifestyle and, we are ready to depart New England tomorrow and begin our journey back to California where we are planning to arrive during the first week of October.

Last evening Mary enjoyed a peaceful time in the motorhome alone…something that rarely happens for her because I’m always around. My son and I met Mike Morgan, his uncle and my ex-brother-in-law at the Brown Derby Tavern and spent an enjoyable three hours shooting pool and batting the breeze in general. It’s something we three do every time I visit this area.

Today, on our last full day in Connecticut, Mary and I will visit Mystic Seaport. It’s a lousy job, but somebody’s got to do it! 🙂

All original material Copyright – Jim Jaillet 2010
My three books may be purchased at http://www.lulu.com
Just enter Jim Jaillet in the search box.

My Favorite Bookstore In The Whole World!

Jim says:

In preparation for our departure from New England one week from today, yesterday Mary and I returned to my favorite bookstore in the whole world…The Book Barn in Niantic, Connecticut. Shortly after our arrival in New England we last went to this bookstore on May 31, 2010 when I bought 47 books. In many years of travel I’ve been in many a used bookstore and this one is the best!

If you are a regular follower of my blog,you know that I’m an avid reader…reading on average about a book or two a week during the course of a year. As I travel I frequently have problem finding books I like to read and frequently have to pay what I consider to be an excessive price. But…I don’t have those problems at The Book Store in Niantic, Connecticut. They have over 350,000 books and all paperbacks are only $1.00! Yesterday I bought 16 more books!

The Book Barn is my favorite book store in the whole world.

The main building.

One of about six satellite buildings.

Here’s their website link…
http://www.bookbarnniantic.com/

Why is a good book like an RV???? Because both can take you to wonderful places!!!!

All original material Copyright – Jim Jaillet 2010
For more information about my three books, click this link:
http://www.panamaorbust.com

Another Fun Day With Old Friends In Southeastern New Hampshire

Jim says:

Yesterday was a delightful weather day! Instead of the oppressive heat and humidity we’ve experienced in a number of past days, the high temperature was only 83 degrees with only 41% humidity! For a change, the weather wimp (that’s me) was a happy camper!

Four days ago I reported the gathering of old friends at Revere, Massachusetts. Yesterday the same group got together in Southeastern New Hampshire. At out current parking location at American Legion Post #105 at Kensington, New Hampshire we are only (not by accident) about eight miles from the home of Bill and Loretta Gallagher in Hampton, New Hampshire. We arrived there at 10:00 AM.

Upon our arrival Bill showed me the only known shirt remaining in existence from our Road Sharks Car Club of Revere, Massachusetts from more than 50 years ago!

Bill Gallagher with the only known remaining shirt from the Road Sharks Car Club.

Bill, Loretta, Mary and I got in their SUV and they showed the sights us along Hampton Beach for an hour.

Hampton Beach, New Hampshire

Back at the house, Arthur and Dolly arrived at 11:00 AM where we sat for two more hours reliving the good old days. Dolly has lived on the same street in Revere, Massachusetts all of her life and was the Assistant City Clerk for 36 years. She forgets nothing and astounded us with stories about what’s happened to old school friends.

The first two hours we spent reliving the good old days.

All six of us in the SUV with Bill acting as tour guide. He returned to the coast and drove North, the 10+ miles with beautiful homes, to Portsmouth, New Hampshire which is one of the oldest cities in New England. We parked the SUV and spent an hour wandering around Old Market Square enjoying the unique sights and shops.

Accidentally came across this mural of Old Market Square, Portsmouth, New Hampshire.

The North Church in today’s Market Square in Portsmouth, New Hampshire.

Here’s a Wikipedia informational link about Portsmouth, New Hampshire…
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Portsmouth,_New_Hampshire

Back in the SUV once again, we headed South to the Old Salt Restaurant where we enjoyed a nice meal.

The oldies enjoy a meal at The Old Salt Restaurant.

A delightful 7.5 hour day! Normally I get to enjoy only one day with old friends as I pass through a given area. This second day of old friendships was a nice bonus. While Mary was not part of the group many years ago, as normal she fits right in within a few minutes!

To see the other eight photos I took, click this link…
http://picasaweb.google.com/jimjrver/072610#

Today is a travel day as we move the motorhome and Bronco South about 40 miles to Manchester on the Northeastern Massachusetts seacoast.

All original material Copyright – Jim Jaillet 2009
For more information about my three books, click this link:
http://www.panamaorbust.com