Life in the Midwest

Life in the Midwest

Our home for a month

It has been awhile since I last posted. We have just been taking it easy and enjoying time with Elizabeth and Rob. Life in the Midwest is very different weather wise, from what we are used to. There have been several thunder storms in our time here complete with lightning, rain and wind. I think we have had to use to A/C more here than we did in California!!!! It just gets SO muggy out that it is almost hard to breathe. We used the time to tackle some things around Freeda. I touched up the bedroom walls. The paintings had "swayed" while traveling, and had scratched up the walls. The bedroom looks like new again!!!! 

June 10th we explored the campground a bit. It is called S&H, and has been run by the same family since 1968. It is on the banks of the Sugar Creek and there is even a lake. 

Bridge over Sugar Creek

Canoe to take on the creek

One can canoe, paddle boat and fish on and in both the creek and lake.There are a lot of trailers and fifth wheels that stay here all of the time, and the owners come on weekends and holidays.

The lake at S&H campground

More of the lake

Lake view

Our camp site

June 11th, Rob and Elizabeth drove out. We are about 35 to 40 minutes from where they live in Carmel. Elizabeth spent the night with us. Rob had to work, so he couldn't stay. Wig was our second overnight guest. It was AWESOME to have her with us. The bummer thing is that is rained, rained, and RAINED!!!!! We were hoping to have some time outside and even maybe have a fire in the fire ring. That was not meant to be. At one time we had the door and windows open, but the rain was so bad, we had to close up because it was coming in everywhere. We stayed in, played games and visited. I made Wig my pepper jack cheese and green chile quesadilla's. She LOVED them!!!!

Wiggie and Suzy

Suzy on Wigs lap

The next morning Eddie made us a nice big d-lish breakfast!!!! Wig said she slept well except when Suzy decided she wanted to play!!!! When we got to Rob and Wig's apartment, we took advantage of their fast and awesome Internet. The service at the campground is slow and spotty. After checking email's etc, we headed for Carmel's art district. It has lots of shops and galleries. It is REAL nice and a lot of fun to explore. Elizabeth and I checked out a sweet shop while Eddie went into one of the gallery's. He could stay in them all day if we let him!!!!

Wig in front of the sweet shop in Carmel

All up and down streets in the district there are these really cool statue's. Above is one of a dad and son. They look SO real!!!!!

Carmel's Art district

Eddie and one of the streets statues

Another statue

Rob and Elizabeth

Tea shop

After walking around for awhile, we stopped and got a cool drink at a tea shop. Eddie was still visiting the art galleries and net working. We hope to get ideas on how to promote and sell his art, and there is no better place than here!!!!!

All to soon it was time to go. Rob had to get ready for work. Elizabeth's diploma had come in the mail!!!!! That was VERY exciting!!!!

Elizabeth and her "sheepskin"

Rob works at Studio Movie Grill. It is a restaurant/movie theater. It even has a bar in it, and Rob is a bartender there. He got us movie tickets, so the three of us went there for dinner and a movie. There isn't a concession stand. You get your seat, and push a button. Then someone comes and takes your order. You can get the usual movie fare, AND complete dinners!!!! It is TOTALLY cool. If you want a drink or popcorn refill, just push the button. The only reason to get out of your seat is to use the bathroom. No button for that!!!!! Wig treated us to dinner, Rob to the movie and popcorn. It was a fun night.

On the 14th we went back to Rob and Elizabeth's. We did more computer work and laundry. Elizabeth feed us lunch. She is such a wonderful hostess!!! Eddie went back to the art district for an art walk while Wig and I hit the pool at her place. The water was COLD!!! I went in, but she did not. It did feel good, and I was able to get some of my stretching exercises in. The pool at the campground has been WAY to cold to brave. 

Lunch at Wiggies-YumYum

June 15-Happy Fathers day!!!! Our campground neighbor behind us traded use of our electric saw for some pallets. So Eddie moved 4 over and made us a little "patio". It was so wet from all of the rain, so these will help to keep it drier. We then drove to Elizabeth's again. Rob was at work, so we visited with Wig and enjoyed the time with her. Wig and Rob wanted to take us to as burger place they like, so when he got home, we headed back to the art district in Carmel. It is called Bubs (for Big ugly burger) and it was good. The burgers are HUGE. We ate outside and had a lovely time.

Bubs burgers

Big ugly burgers

Dinner time

big ugly burger and fries

can you see the chipmunk?

While there, we saw a chipmunk right by our table. I got a quick picture, hope you can see him. He is in the lower left. Cute little guy. After dinner, Eddie and I headed home. The air was thick, and I was having trouble breathing. 

The next day I was really having trouble breathing. I have had a cough, and the last week it had gotten worse. By Tuesday I was DONE!!!! I hate going to the doctors, but this was getting ridiculous. We went to an urgent care, and long story short, they sent me to the ER. After several breathing treatments, blood work, x-rays and shots later, it was determined that I have bronchitis. FUN!!!!!! The doctor wanted to keep me, but said if I could do a lap around the ER without gasping for air, they would let me go home. I did it, and was VERY happy to go. I was sent home with instructions and medicine for the cough and wheezing. I was also told to take it easy and rest to kick this. I am getting better slowly but surely. The thick muggy air does make it hard to breathe, but the puffer has helped. 
For the next couple of days I stayed in and rested. Eddie did a grocery run at Walmart. The night of the 18th there was another storm. The lightning was constant for a couple of hours. I had never seen lighting like that. It was something else. Eddie took advantage of sunny weather on the 19th to do some painting. He is working on a desert scene that was inspired by the Sedona country side. I made a Parmesan encrusted chicken dish that I had been wanting to try. It came out GOOD!!!! I will defiantly be making it again. 
June 21st, happy first day of summer!!! It was still EXTREMELY hot and sticky out. I now know why everyone raves about the west cost weather. It REALLY is nice there. Eddie and I had breakfast at the Campground cafe. I was really good. One of our campground neighbors, Johnny, joined us. We had a good time visiting with him. Once we were done eating, we headed back home to get ready for Wig and Rob's visit. Eddie ran to the store to pick up a couple of things. While he was gone, Wig and Rob got there. Rob pulled over two more pallets to make our "patio" bigger. Elizabeth being the "decorator and organizer" she is had our patio all set up and nice in no time. When Eddie got back he got the barbecue going. We had brauts, chips, baked beans and a VERY yummy pasta salad that Rob made. Just on the other side of a little hill from our site, S&H campground has a "Family Fun Park". There is a water slide, jumpy house and stuff like that. Wig, Rob and I went over there to check it out. the water slide looked like a fun and cool thing to do. The kids were have a good time on it.

Lunch with Wig and Rob

Bouncy house at the campground

Water slide-looks like a BLAST!!!!

Another fun blowup at S&H

After Checking out the fun center, we went back to Freeda. We had Watermelon and Strawberries for desert. It was a good meal with our wonderful children. All to soon they had to go. Rob had to get home to get ready to go to work. The time with them is has been the best part about being in Indiana. We are getting excited about moving on, but will miss being so close to our baby girl and her warmhearted boyfriend. We are blessed that both of our girls have such wonderful young men in their lives.


Sunday June 22nd we were SUPPOSED to go see Elizabeth drive a race car. For her graduation gift, Rob had got her a racing package at Lucas Oil raceway in Indianapolis. She was really excited about that, and we were excited to be here to see it. She sent us a text with the address, but the GPS said that it wasn't a good address. So we punched in Lucas Oil and headed on our way. We ended up at the Lucas oil stadium!!!!!! Dangit!!!!

WRONG place!!!!!

We finally realized that it used to be called O'Riley raceway, and that address WAS in our GPS. So we headed that way. Where we ended up was the Indianapolis fairgrounds. By that time, we had missed it. We were SO bummed!!!! We spoke to Rob, and decided to just head to Carmel and meet them there. She was still on a speed high when we met them. She had a BLAST!!!! Rob did good on that gift!!!!!! we went to their place to cool down. It was pretty hot and and we were done after all of our running around and getting nowhere. After Rob left for work, the three of us went to Cracker Barrel for dinner. Eddie had never been and I had been looking forward to go since Becca took me to one years ago. We had a yummy dinner and took our time looking around the country store. After dropping Wig off at home, we headed back to our little abode. On the way home the sky looked iffy, but we went top down anyway. There was a bit of lighting, but it stayed dry. The neatest thing though is that I got to see fireflies for the first time. At first I didn't know what the heck it was, but then I realized that is was fireflies. Totally cool moment!!!!
The next couple of days we mostly hung around at home. We tried to go outside as much as possible, but it was to hot and sticky to do much. We did hit the pool to cool off and that was nice. I met the wife of the owner. Her name is Kim. Her and her little girl were cooling off as well. She is a real sweet gal, and I enjoyed my visit with her. Eddie finished up his Navajo women painting. It is REALLY good.

Naaki Asdzani Young women in Navajo

I had been smelling a strange smell, and we noticed that the front A/C wasn't as cool as it had been. We turned both of them off and cleaned the filters in case that was the problem. The filters actually looked pretty good. The back A/C was fine, so we just used that one. We put our little fan between the back and front to pull the cool air up front. Eddie checked all of the fuses to make sure that wasn't the problem. They all looked good. 
On Saturday the 28th, Eddie took the memorabilia box to Wig and brought her back to spend the night with us again. Eddie climbed up on the roof to check out the A/C. While up there he discovered that some wires were catching on fire. We think that our capacitor has gone out and that has caused the wires to burn. Eddie took some pictures, and when finances will allow it, we will get it fixed. So for now we are down to one A/C. 

Burned A/C wires

Front A/C

Suzy and Wig just chill'in

We have the A/C off during the day to save it for the night. I made Elizabeth my Parmesan encrusted chicken for dinner. She really liked it. That with corn on the cob and salad rounded out the meal. We played games, made s'mores and had a real nice evening with her.

campfire

Suzy enjoying the fire

S'mores with Wig

Sunday morning Eddie made us a real nice breakfast. Elizabeth said that she slept well and stayed cool. Eddie finished up a new painting. He was inspired by a scene he saw on his way home from Walmart one day. We call it Summer Storm.

Summer storm

About 1ish, Rob came and got our girl. I can't say enough how much we have LOVED being so close to her!!!!! I was a good mommy and didn't cry when she left. But both of us were sad to see her go. I don't think I will miss the Indiana weather though. The whole time we have been here, it has been muggy, buggy, rainy and stormy. Oh wait, I think that maybe we had about 4 nice days!!!!! Our Neighbor Johnny put up a little "statement' to just how wet and swampy it is here. I call it the Phantom fisherman.

Phantom fisherman

Eddie and I started planing out our route, and Suzy decided to help us!!!!

Suzy the navigator

June 30th we started getting ready to go. The month went by so fast!!!! Both of us are eager to get going though. Eddie hooked up the dolly, took down the window and tire shades, put up both awnings, put away the chairs and mat, and packed up our solar lights. I worked on the inside doing laundry, packing away everything that can be done now and securing the clock and artwork. We wanted to get as much done so tomorrow will go smoothly. It has been an interesting time in Indiana, one we both won't forget!!!!

Indiana Sunset

This is a good place to close for now. Ohio here we come!!!!!
Take care all, Eddie, Darlanne & Suzy.