Hershey, PA

We spent a week at the Thousand Trails RV park in Lebanon, PA near Hershey and we didn't waste anytime getting to Chocolate World. Frank and I were there 5 years ago and had made several tours of the Hershey area. This time, with Glenna and knowing how much of an addict she is to chocolate, we kept our trips short and 'sweet'. I love coconut, love Almond Joy's and had been told there were Hershey Kiss Coconut candies....much to my sorrow, I will have to wait until next Spring as that is a seasonal candy. I did find a sale at Chocolate World on Almond Joys and bought 5 KING SIZE bars for $5.00....mmmmm mmmmmm good! Glenna loaded up on a variety including different varieties of fudge.

This time of the year we saw lots of signs "Last of the Sweet Corn" so you know we took advantage of that. Frank is now an expert at grilling corn after it has been soaked in water with the husks still on and then rotating it on the grill until all the husks are dark brown....delicious! Lots of cutting down the corn stalks and tilling of ground and we saw the start of leaves changing their colors. Weather was still fairly warm and even humid on some days, but the nights were cool.

We drove to West Chester where the QVC Studios are located. I stocked up on some of my make up products and bought a few pair of pearl drop earrings I saw and liked. Glenna bought some stretchable bracelets that are easy for her to put on over her hands and I bought Frank a new little notebook for him to keep his geocache logs.

So much for the shopping, we were hungry and went out and scouted a place which advertised Shoofly Pie, an area favorite, and had never tried before. I wasn't sure what ingredients were in it and found out it is lots of sugar and molasses. Tried it and found it wasn't as sweet as I thought it would be, very good!

Now we are in South Hero, Vermont waiting on the leaves to change.........

Charleston, West Virginia

Frank, Eddie, Gerri & Lottie at 50th Class Reunion, Charleston High School, Class of '59
Sept. 11-13, 2009

Charleston Capitol

Glenna by her parents gravesite, Carl and Florence Barker

Frank and his mom, Glenna









Little chapel on the Swan lake at Rippling Waters RV Campground

I'm behind again....can't believe a week in Charleston, WV came and went and we're now in Hershey, PA. OK then, here is a short synopsis and a few pics to show you our week in Charleston. The main reason for the trip was to attend Frank's 50th Class reunion. We stayed at Rippling Waters RV Park in Romance, WV (yes, there really is a place with this name there) and Glenna stayed in town with Eddie and Lottie, Frank's cousin (Glenna's nephew) and we drove back and forth daily, 20 miles each way. The rv park is beautiful, I really didn't want to leave the place with the little lake, a small chapel and geese and swans to watch. Most mornings we woke up to fog and then the rest of the day was beautiful. No rain...

We took Glenna to the Barker cemetery one day so she could visit her parents gravesite. The land was given by Glenna's great grandma established 1858 and is now is operated by a board of volunteer trustees who keep the place in great shape. Lots of Barkers buried there. Frank doesn't want to be buried there because it is too cold in the winters! lol

I'm going to keep this short. Posting a few pictures of the RV park, the capitol building, Reunion pictures and cemetery. Still learning to maneuver around here.

Shipshewana, Indiana

Hello again, a week ago Saturday, August 29, we left Celina, Ohio and traveled to Shipshewana, Indiana, a stopping place on our way back to Charlotte, Michigan. Shipshewana had been recommended to us as a place where there is a large community of Amish and Mennonite people, plus shopping, Amish food and and a slower lifestyle. We arrived Saturday afternoon and by 3PM we ventured out to see what was around the area. When we stopped at the shops we were amazed that they were closing up!!! Yep, 3:30 is closing time on Saturdays for most shops and Sundays EVERYTHING is closed all day, including restaurants. Now, I've heard of rolling up the sidewalks when it gets dark, but 3:30??? We were able to find a small restaurant still open. Nice to see so many Amish and Mennonites eating with their families. Some families drove their buggies right up to the restaurant and others rode their bicycles.

Sunday we had planned on going to church but couldn't find a Church of Christ, but like so many times this summer, we listen to our home church on line, at least we get to see some good friends, their smiles, and then sing along with the congregation and listen to the message.

Monday we visited the Menno-Hof Amish-Mennonite Visitor Center, a place to learn more about the life of the Amish and Mennonite people. It took about a little over an hour to tour the place, some of it conducted by a tour guide and then parts of it was self-guided. Very interesting to learn of the hardships of these people from the time they first lived in Switzerland to when they made their way to America. Their first language is German

We stayed at a RV park right on the grounds of the flea market only opened on Tuesdays and Wednesdays. Saturday it was like a ghost town in our rv park, but by Monday almost all the spots were taken so Tuesday before we pulled out we walked through the crowded market. We ended up buying home baked bread, cookies, baskets that were made by handicapped Amish people and Glenna found some Italian Charms to add to her bracelets.

Tuesday afternoon we were back in Charlotte, Michigan for more service work on Wednesday to help correct a overweight problem in the front portion of our coach. Wednesday afternoon we were back in Celina, Ohio to have new shades installed on Thursday and Friday we drove to Wilmington, Ohio for REST AND RELAXATION. No service, no early mornings to get out of the coach....we're free of traveling in circles. I must say I love my new shades.

That's it for now.