Taking a Day for Fun, Cooler Temperatures, Mom and Elvis

The Ridge

It wasn’t the best sleep; I was a little chilly throughout the night and kept moving closer to Bill with my cold feet. I should have reached down and pulled the blanket up from the bottom of the bed. Shoulda, coulda, woulda. You know that saying. So, for not having a great 8 hours sleep, I was already awake but still feeling quite refreshed on Tuesday, July 21^st when Bill’s alarm went off.

a very heavy fog

When he came out of the shower, I got up as well even though he said it was really foggy out. Darn! A day off and I was planning a nice long walk first thing. The temperature was cool too, around 14C/56F. Cool compared to what we’ve been having. This is not a complaint; the fresh air is nice so all we need now is the sun to burn the fog off for a perfect day. I had my tea made before Bill left at 7:30 for work in the Hanover area.

By the time I left for Durham, the sky was clearing

I played my online Wordscraper, ScrabbleGo and Words with Friends and checked out comments on my blog posts. It was around 9 when I got washed and spiffed up a bit for some shopping. Hard to know what to wear. I texted Donna but pretty sure I didn’t need to remind her to remember her face mask. She is meeting me in Durham since driving to Hanover to pick her up is out of the way for me. We are going to Owen Sound to shop for a few things, with a stop at our favourite second hand stores.

Doesn't she look lovely?
I'd love to see her smile

While passing the time at my laptop, an email came through from my sister, Cathy. A picture of Mom was sent to her from Rockwood, the first we’ve seen in a long time. Mom looks confused and she isn’t displaying her famous smile, but her hair is done nice and she looks lovely and well-looked after. 😊 ♥ Visitations are opening up with more leniency but I still have to decide if it is worth getting the Covid test only to sit across from Mom and deny her a hug. ☹

Fog does create mysterious designs

There was an unusual bird landing in our service berry tree so with my zoom lens, I tried to get a picture. Looks like maybe a Mom or Dad and baby are in the area. Could it be a gray catbird? If I can get a clear picture, you can tell me. 

This is the best I could do, he didn't sit still for long

At 9:30, I went out and wiped down the back window and outside of Ptooties and then folded the back seats down. I was going to be picking up 2 pumps at Princess Auto. Unfortunately, Bill couldn’t get Gerry’s running.

Not rain, fog

I am married to a really good guy. If he borrows something of yours and it breaks, he’ll replace it. To him, there is no question. So, Donna and I met in Durham and I drove the 45 minutes to city. We found the BurCam pumps and the one that Bill wanted. It was on sale and they had 3 of them. We picked up the ½ HP Jet pump for Gerry, which theirs was, and the ¾ HP for us. Then my sis and I went to Value Village. We had a great time, separately for the most part and then together for a bit.

A young robin foraging for food

After leaving there, tickled with our purchases, we drove across the road to the Mission Thrift Store. Prices were better there and we cashed in on some great deals before deciding to get something to eat. Down the street and back across the pavement again, we went to Freshiis. It’s a neat little place offering all day breakfast, salads, wraps, soups and burritos and we each found something for our late lunch. Donna’s Pangoa bowl was spicy but my Tex Mex burrito was huge and quite tasty. Half of it came home with me for tomorrow.

It was a jam packed burrito

Doesn't that look filling? It was!

We were able to sit outside at their café table to eat. Then I drove back to Durham for Donna to pick up her car. I unloaded my purchases and relaxed in my chair until Bill came home around 4:30. 

Donna's salad bowl was huge!

We caught up on our day and he was pleased with the pumps and a few of the things I bought. He’s never as pleased as I am about the clothes although he did get a pair of shorts for work. Sometimes you never know what you’ll find. I didn't do too bad with just a few items to replace some in my closet. Come on! Who can walk away from 3 pair of jeans for $5?

Chippy out our back window

We started supper at 6, fish and chips tonight. We were cleaned up by 7:30 and done for the night. I guess it is no surprise that shopping is almost as tiring as working. Unfortunately, we (I) picked up the wrong ½ hp pump so I will be taking it back for exchange tomorrow. Too bad but there were 2 on the same shelf and Donna and I obviously grabbed the wrong one. Because his pump was 15 yrs. old, Gerry has offered to pay half. 😊

So, I mentioned Mitch's other job a while ago
This is him quite a few years ago
He sure doesn't look like this when we're sanding vehicles!
Good night everyone!

This was a good day, reaching 23C/73F. Tonight it will cool down to 16C/61F so a nice night for sleeping. I’ll have my extra blanket ready.

Thank you for stopping by!

Lovely Country Walk, Last RV’ers Arrive, Elvis Visits

The Ridge

It was 5:00, then 5:30, then 6 etc. when I woke up on Friday, Aug. 9^th. I didn’t have a good night’s sleep as I was too chilly. If I hadn’t been so lazy, I would have got up and grabbed the afghan on the floor at the bottom of the bed. I knew Bill was appreciating the window at the dresser being open but again, I was too chilly and slovenly to move. My own fault. At 5:30 I put on my flannel pants and crawled back in, snuggling up to my warm body for a heat rush.

We're hoping for a lovely day today

We got up just before 7 and I got dressed for a walk. It was a gorgeous blue sky that I was seeing and yet only 53F/12C. Rob and Pat slowed down to say good morning on their way to Walkerton. 

I had company this morning, my shadow went with me

 By the time I returned, my jacket and safety vest were undone. It is looking like a beautiful day coming our way. Inside I had my tea with Bill and he got washed and cleaned up for the day. Then he disappeared down in the Hangar.

I wiped off my plastic garbage table find and dug out our camping tablecloth and the clips to hold it in place. This looked much better, hiding the leaf stain spots. The winds are up again today so we still may not get the screen tent put up, darn! We all puttered around doing our own thing. George went into town for a bit, Suzie, Kim and Ken sat outside and then it was time to eat breakfast. I managed to eat my eggs and bacon with Bill this morning.

After dishes, I wrote more on this post and then got washed up to go visit Mom. It would be a short visit, since that is what works best for her these days. And for us, who am I trying to kid? I left at 11 with fingers crossed to have a good visit. I found her in the Garden Room and she truly believed that she was sitting in her own room. That she had planted the growing perennials and succulents. What could I say except to say they were very nice.

Ron and Loree and of course sweet Freddy arrived

The conversation went beyond any sound reasoning so I just agreed and laughed along with her and was grateful for her cheerfulness. When she insisted that she’d never married, with no children I had to leave. I know it isn’t her talking but it still hurts my heart. I bluffed (ok, I lied) about an appointment and left her in ‘her’ garden room and told the nurses where they would find her for her lunch. I just wanted to coddle her and correct her but you can’t. Many of you know that.

Their new little Lance bought from CanAm and orienteered by Bill 

From Rockwood Terrace, I went to the LCBO for some Lite Beer (margaritas!!) and some coolers and then drove home. We welcomed Ron and Loree when they arrived around 1:30 and Bill helped them get turned around and situated. What a great group! Freddy was so happy to see everyone and then even happier to be rein-free. He is such a beautiful dog and well behaved. The initial greeting can be a little intimidating but he soon settles down.

Welcome Freddy!

We were all surprised when Elvis/Mitch drove up the lane about the same time and brought me an old galvanized watering can. He knew I was eyeing his new ones. 😊 He was like a travelling peddler and managed to sell a set of Impact sockets to Rob. 

afternoon happy hour

A nice big group

He didn’t hang around too long and after a couple of stories, pulled out wishing us all well. Let the second round of fun begin with a Happy Hour. The gang is now truly all here!

Elvis is about to leave the Ridge
Notice the TCB symbol on his vehicle

At 4:45, Kim and I drove into Durham to pick up a cake that I’d ordered for Rob and we each got some bread. It was kind of sneaky of us as Rob wasn’t aware. Bill lit the Weber and we had the best rib-eye steak, little potatoes, mushrooms and I had cucumbers. Yum, a wonderful meal along with a glass of chardonnay. We know how to eat right – sometimes!! After dishes, Bill lit the campfire and we gathered, hoping the wind would die down some.

Rob and Pat brought me (us) a beautiful huge Hibiscus!!
I've never had this perennial
thank you buddies

A wonderful supper that my sweetie cooked

At 7:30, I cut the cake and Kim provided the plates so we could celebrate Rob’s 70^th birthday. We couldn’t let this annual gathering go by without it even though his birthday was on August 1^st. I hadn’t given him a card and I wouldn’t be satisfied until I did, doggonit! 

Happy belated, Rob

yummy

We surprised him and pleased him at the same time. A special birthday is worth celebrating. Heck! Any birthday is worth that! The black clouds had moved out of the way completely by the time we'd all eaten so the evening was perfect.

So, he slipped in to put his t-shirt on

I finished writing my post, leaving only pictures to add in the morning. For you morning readers, sorry for the wait. (Again) I changed into long pants to join the group. We are certainly having some fun evenings. 

Awesome fire with a chimney
It put Kim into a trance as fires often do

 The fire was wonderful and I added the pack that adds some colour to the flames. That was a fun night and we laughed a lot. I consumed a little more wine than usual; Bill and I finished the bottle of Pelee Island Chardonnay off.

Love bugs sharing the mosquito repellent thingy
Good nigh!

What a great time! Thank you for taking the time to see what we’re up to!

Where Elvis Was Born, Tupelo Town Tour, Looking for Free WiFi? Collage Crazy

Waking up on Tuesday, Mar. 26^th was another new experience. I peeked out my blind. It was 6:15 and I could see more tall trees and a few rv’s. Then it dawned on me where we are this morning. At 6:30 we got up and I knew time would be short this morning so I had my shower right away. Once dressed, I dressed further in my wind breaker (although the trees weren’t really moving) and vest and out the door I went at 7.

My morning walk

 It is cloudy and 50f but according to our weatherman (aka Rob) there should be some sunny skies later on today. Our plan is to head into Tupelo this morning and grab some breakfast (a treat for me to have someone else cook it!) and then go to visit Elvis’s birthplace. I’m prepared to be saddened, if my mind wanders, but I’m very happy to have something else to cross off my bucket list. Bill was here many moons ago, in the 70’s, but never inside the home so we are both looking forward to it.

On my walk, I noticed the cabins for rent. They are so cleverly placed in amongst the trees with a long, paved drive for privacy. I like that a lot. I spooked a couple of white-tailed deer that were eating down in the valley but they also spooked me so I wasn’t fast enough for a photo. I knew then to watch for them on the rest of my walk. Sure enough, there they were, further down so I’m hoping my pictures turned out.

Yay! I-Hop
Rob and I are happy campers now!

Back home, Bill had his shower and we hopped in Black Beauty to go. We each drove so the boys could fill up the trucks with fuel and in case we found a good wifi connection somewhere, I wouldn’t be holding anyone other than Bill up while I posted my blog posts. First, IHop. Yay! I ordered the Colorado Omelette this time since the Southwest was not on the menu……..for perhaps obvious reasons. We are in Mississippi, after all.

Downtown Tupelo, I love the Elvis murals and guitars all along the sidewalks

No matter, I skipped the free pancakes, that come on Tuesdays, and opted for hash browns instead. The waitress was good, the coffee was better and the omelette was the best! Such a lot of food for under $10. We were stuffed and with the exception of Bill, had doggie bags. He left some omelette on his plate but not enough to worry about bringing home. We followed Rob to Kroger where they ran in for something and then back to Historic Tupelo where we found Elvis’s first home.

When I first saw the house, my jaw dropped. OMG that IS tiny! I knew it was small from the pictures but seeing it in person is like looking at 1/3 of a park model trailer. It was the width that got me. Well, how big would a 2-room house be? We purchased tickets to do the 3 ‘tours’, all self-guided and set off to see his childhood church first.  A small clapboard building where the Presley’s attended church services. It has been moved to this site from the original location so we can all see and enjoy it.

Virnons car - exterior and interior
I remember my first car having that manual choke

Sitting in the church, a video is played depicting actors taking the place of Virnon (actual correct spelling of his name), Gladys and Elvis as well as a full congregation. It was well done and because the huge screens were on 3 sides of where we sat on the benches, it felt like you were actually enjoying the service in person. I had to catch myself from clapping and standing when they did. LOL, again, I’ll say it “that was well done”, in my humble opinion. 

From there we went into the story wall inside and outside the museum and read testimonials and portrayals of Elvis as a young boy for the first 13 years of his life. There is a lot of reading, if you care to take the time, and we did. I could feel myself getting drawn into the circumstances of a poor existence and how they reached hard for everything they got. The story of Virnon being imprisoned for writing bad checks alone is a heart-wrenching story of one of their struggles.

Statue of Elvis as a young boy walking with his guitar
A familiar sight in Tupelo at that time

Inside their humble abode, I envisioned their life and it wasn’t until after we left, I wondered ‘where did Elvis sleep?’ The story goes that other than the kitchen wood stove, the furniture is NOT original. However, when trying to bring back the truest replica of that time period, Virnon offered his assistance by picking out the pieces to furnish the home. He directed Museum staff how to place the furniture to make it as ‘real’ as possible. We saw the bed where Elvis came into existence. Cool!

The first of two rooms in their home

The second - the original wood stove Gladys cooked on

We eventually made our way around the ‘Walk of Life’, a concrete circle surrounding his birth home. Dated granite blocks display each year of his life from 1935 to his death in 1977. There is just too much to comment on and some of you have already visited this attraction. The family story changed when in 1948 they took up roots and moved to Memphis for a new start.

Personally, I think this is the back entrance as it leads directly into the bedroom
but it is facing the street

This to me would be the front entrance with the garden and picket fence

Lastly, we walked into the place where Elvis’s dream of a meditation chapel became real. Designed and erected in 1979 with multiple fan club donations, and a bench from Charlie Hodge, this is where Elvis’s bible sits, on the original pulpit from the first church. This chapel is available for personal meditation and rented as a venue for weddings and special services. It was a beautiful little place with gorgeous stained-glass windows surrounding the opposing walls.

Up on the hill, behind the museum and gift shop, was The Overlook. This is where, as a boy, Elvis would take his guitar at the end of a day and play looking west towards the lights of Tupelo. Now, it is a beautiful spot for his friends to visit and admire the 2 statues of Elvis as a young boy and a successful entertainer. Together, they are called simply ‘Becoming’. 

A view to the Outlook before we walked there

Hey! I know these two!

A closer view of the statue and memory wall
And I got to pose with Elvis as a boy and a star

And an even closer view
The detail was amazing

In the gift shop, we all wandered for a bit. I found and brought a souvenir home with me, one that I wasn’t expecting to get. I’m not real big on purses but sometimes when you see something special, it ends up coming home with you. This was one of them and the price was right. I also found a stick pin to add to our collection.

This beautiful area was actually called 'Reflection'
but I didn't get a picture of the plaque

We parted ways there and Bill and I returned home to Clemson. This tour ‘day’ took about 2 hours longer than we expected, no regrets, and he was home alone for 5 hours. You can guess what that meant. No hunt for wifi today. No big deal. Y’all know we’re okay, thanks to George, and we can manage just fine with connections to our family by phone and texting availability.

My authentic Elvis purse
And I didn't pay anywhere near the $40 price because the handles are fraying
I'll replace them and be just as happy

Back home, Bill read for a while and I wrote, Clemson slept. At 3, I took him out for his walk. Not only does the little bum enjoy our 3 pm walks but once I get out there, I enjoy them just as much. I just have to keep the half hour free and then it isn’t an interruption for me. When we returned, I was quite warm and found it even warmer inside the Suite. Rather than opening windows I took my book and water outside and sat at the picnic table to read. This helped me cool down.

My morning discovery is watching me too

And a cardinal watches Clemson and I on our walk

I came inside around 4:30 and took my book upstairs. It is a different story this time by James Patterson called Cradle and All. Different or not, it has me turning the pages very quickly. Bill had the tv on downstairs and if I can avoid the distraction, I do. At 6 I started supper while Bill put some fresh water into our tank for the road. We’ll be on the road for 3 nights. Supper was small pork sausages but if I’d thought about how small they were, I would have cooked the whole pack.

Yum yum

They tasted good all the same with my brussel sprouts and Bill’s corn. After such a big breakfast, we didn’t need a huge supper anyway. This was a great day, seeing Elvis’s birthplace was very touching for me. I won’t forget it. I hope you enjoyed your day.

Goodnight after a fantastic day

Thanks for stopping by.