from cold to warmth

Preparations for my southern journey took longer than expected.
Although I looked forward to being on the road again, a part of me was reluctant to leave the cozy, secure campground to face the unknown again. Yet, it is the unknown that beckons.
How to decide which route to take? As someone told me a long time ago, " follow your heart". For me that means being spontaneous. I can still follow signposts but then decide to "Take the road less traveled" ( a great book by 
M. Scott Peck.)

 seen in a Californian desert, created by female pilots many years ago for direction to an  airport

I left the Ryan Riven campground on Nov 7, wanting to be closer to services and shopping. I have been close to Sydney, NS but driving there has meant unhooking my RV and securing everything in it, then when I got back, spend some time leveling the RV with blocks and hooking up again. ( if the RV is not level, walking inside feels like  being on a ship!). These inconveniences are a reason why so many RVers tow a car.
Sydney has a population of about 32,000 yet has a lot to offer. There are several places I could park including Walmarts, the Casino downtown, and by the Visitor's Centre at the waterfront. It was fun to have a chance to experience life in the city for a while and I used my time to prepare my RV and myself for the journey south. The weather stayed above freezing but still cold and damp. My heater worked very well, although used quite a bit of propane since I had to keep it going much of the time. I decided to "semi winterize" my RV by pouring antifreeze down the drain and into the tanks. There was still some water in the system but it would help. It meant I had no running water and carried jugs of water.

I was finally ready to leave Sydney on Nov 17th, driving about 1.5 hrs southwest to Port Hawkesbury to get my RV serviced and checked.
From there west via Antagonish, New Glasgow, and my old hometown Pictou. I met friends along the way, having missed seeing each other more frequently.
I then drove to Halifax for another visit with wonderful friends and a niece there, and to stock up on the best walnuts and feta cheese I have ever tasted. "Macedonian feta" is sold at a mideastern store I love to visit.
I was then eager to head south and continued to Moncton, New Brunswick where another niece lives. I was fortunate that one of my sisters needed a ride and it was a fabulous opportunity to catch up. My family is very spread out and the times we see each other are precious.

From Moncton, I drove to Saint John then across the US border at St Stephen. After a few questions, 2 guards came onboard to check things. I had previously cooked my vegetables to prevent having to throw them out. I told them I didn't have any fresh veg but forgot about my carrots which are allowed. They were not pleased but allowed me to cross to the US!

The "Airline route" was familiar , having driven that route many times. It still seemed to take forever to get to Bangor, Maine but the sunny day helped.

Until then I had no snow but it continued to be around freezing at night and the skies became overcast and it as drizzly at times. I  was grateful to have my propane heater.
When it is overcast, it takes longer for my solar panels to charge the batteries. Driving long distances helps charge them too.

The experience reminded me of winter camping which I had done a couple of times in the past. I remember a weekend survival course in northern Ontario, walking to the campsite with snowshoes. No tents, but we did have a campfire. Some people built a leanto with branches or made a small igloo. Two of us dug a trench in the snow, put down a few layers of  spruce branches, and crawled into our arctic sleeping bags. It took a while to warm up in the -26C  temperature. ( Yes, minus!). 
The RV is luxurious compared to that but can still get cold quickly because of very little insulation. I had bought a thick sleeping bag to hang between the cab and living area, a blanket over the door, wore long underwear and sweaters, and put a hot water bottle to rest my feet on while sitting at the dinette.

From Bangor, I travelled west and south, often checking the weather. I managed to stay on clear roads and no snow until I got to central New Hampshire and the mountains, including Mt Washington ( seen only from a distance). I had chosen to go west on #2 which had little traffic and pleasant scenery, avoiding #95 which would have been faster but has many tolls and heavy traffic.

From some green fields with my first sight of snow to a winter wonderland when passing through the mountains, the temperature and scenery kept changing but the roads remained clear.

From #2 west,  I turned to #91 south to Massachusetts. Along the way, I stayed at Walmart parking lots. The weather turned nasty when I was in Lebanon, New H waking up to heavy, freezing rain. I waited for it to get warmer before leaving and got a few supplies. I was concerned about my tires which were quite worn and a staff member at Walmart told me of a good tire place nearby. I was impressed by the service there and got 6 new good quality tires ( my credit card almost had a meltdown!) .I felt much better diving after that but it meant leaving late.
#91 is an interstate with heavy traffic and it rained a lot. There was no place to stop for quite some time and it got dark, making it difficult to see. I finally arrived in western Massachusetts, passing  by the city of Northampton and used my GPS to find a Walmart to park for the night. Soon, I hoped to get to warmer weather and more sun.

On I drove, into Connecticut and then stopped in Middleton, New York. The next day ( cold, overcast, and raining) took me past a short part of Pennsylvania and to Hagerstown, Maryland.
Even though I drove about 5 hrs/day, it seemed to take forever to get south!
I continued to Winchester, Virginia where I visited a long-term friend. Luckily, the weather cleared the next day and she took me out for brunch. The fall colours were still brilliant in places and it was warmer, up to high 40's F. I no longer had to worry about my pipes freezing.
Route 81 S , " The Blue Ridge Parkway" was a wonderful drive with the mountains and colours.
The next few days were very wet with rain all day, sometimes a heavy downpour. My RV got a very good wash! I drove south to Knoxville, Tennessee. I had planned to continue west to Nashville but was getting tired of the cold, wet weather and eager to get south, so I headed southwest to Tuscaloosa, Alabama where I stayed at a Flying J truck stop. These truck stops have many services: a store for supplies, laundry, TV lounge, internet, showers, restaurant, dump station, and parking. There are usually dozens of trucks and a few RVs parked overnight. The services are expensive but useful when travelling like this.

On I drove through Mississippi having to be very careful due to heavy rain. 
I finally arrived at Nanchez, in the southwest part of the state and on the border of Louisiana, where I am presently parked at their Walmart. The rain continues on and off but it is warmer. Tomorrow I will continue SW into Louisiana and #10 which goes all the way to California.

fall colours in the rain along the way

.

"Just when the caterpillar thought the world was over, it became a butterfly"

                                                                                --- Anonymous

On a senior man's T-shirt was written this: 
                                                              " I am not 90 years old....
                                                                  I am sweet 16 with 74 years of experience".
     .                                                                                 --- from The Coffee News

"Never confuse education with intelligence"
                                        --- unknown


"Rock bottom became the solid foundation on which I rebuilt my life."
                                                                           --- J.K. Rowling

Did you know....

     Los Angeles's full name is "El Pueblo de Nuestra Senora la Reina de los Angeles de Porciuncula" and can be abbreviated to 3.63% of its size, "L.A."

Dueling is legal in Paraguay as long as both parties are registered blood donors.

                 ---- both above bits of info are from "Look what's cooking" newsletter


Enjoy the winter, whatever you are doing!
Maria

whyknotrvmaria@gmail.com

Fall into Winter

The green leaves of summer slowly developed their fall colours of red, rust, yellow and orange. It was like watching a negative photograph appearing in the developing solution, first subtle, then clear and brilliant.
This year, the colours were particularly beautiful with the fall weather lasting delightfully long, and drawing campers late into the season. 

River Ryan campground

In early October, we woke to a sudden cold spell, down to almost freezing during the night. Then followed many glorious, warm sunny days tricking us into forgetting the coming winter.
Those colours gradually faded, along with dropping temperatures. A major storm with high winds and driving rain stripped many of the trees of their leaves and caused extensive flooding. The Sydney area was hit the worst, with road closures and the public advised to stay home. The hospital was open for emergency services only.

Because of wanting to be close to Sydney, I have been staying at the River Ryan campground for a more extended time. It's a lovely, family run business, along the river and only minutes from the  city and is one of the few campgrounds open longer than to mid-October. It also happens to be on the city bus route.

View from River Ryan campground

even the ditch along the road was colourful!

This is the first time I have stayed at one place for so long and it felt good to stop for a time to catch up on things. Both myself and my RV have had a "tune up", and time to visit with family and friends as well as plan my trip south for the winter. I've had time to clean out my storage compartments, get rid of some paperwork and take advantage of the library and secondhand bookstore in Sydney. I have met some wonderful campers here, particularly a couple from Austria who will become long term friends. When travelling and camping, it is always an unexpected to gift to meet such people.

Staying in one place has its advantages but it didn't take long for me to get restless again, wanting to be back on the road, but first, I need to get a leak fixed on the RV slide-out. This has been a problem for some time and never got properly fixed. I found a good RV place near Sydney and was advised that my slide-out was warped, requiring straightening and then new seals applied, a major job but it would be nice to get the problem of the leak finally solved.

An RV really is like a small house, requiring maintenance.

This is the busiest time for RV services, with many RV's in storage requiring winterisation. 
I hope it all gets done soon and before the snow appears. The goal is to leave Cape Breton on Nov 19th. The weather in NS is affected by the ocean and snow doesn't usually appear until later. Even if it does, I have good tires and have experience driving on wintry roads. Besides, I sometimes miss the snow!
I have a propane furnace and fridge as well as electricity from my solar panels, so should be all right. The worst thing that could happen is if it goes well below freezing and then I would have to winterize my RV ( dump all water, run antifreeze through  lines and tanks and stay at motels along the way).
It is not that far in the US before reaching a milder climate.

Because of the uncertainty of the weather and also the effects of the upcoming US election , I will plan my trip from day to day. 
I may have to change my whole plan if a wall appears across our border to the US!

Things always work out somehow. Life is good!!

" Holding a grudge doesn't make you strong, it makes you bitter-
           Forgiveness doesn't make you weak, it sets you free."
                                                                              ~~~ Dave Willis

                    "Spirituality is the hunger to find truth."
                                                                     ~~~ Mooji

" All our dreams can come true; 
                                                if we have the courage to pursue them."
                                                                                ~~~ Walt Disney

" The purpose of education is to replace an empty mind with an open one."
                                                                                 ~~~ Malcolm S Forbes

" When the power of love overcomes the love of power, 
                                                 the world will know peace."
                                                               ~~~ Jimi Hendrix


Stay warm and cozy!

whyknotrvmaria@gmail.com

Exploring Cape Breton Island

Due to some unexpected things to take care of, I had the good fortune to spend most of the summer and autumn travelling around Cape Breton island in northeastern Nova Scotia. It feels like home to me, having visited family here for over 30 years. During all that time, I usually travelled familiar routes and never had much time to explore other parts of this beautiful island.

Cape Breton is often referred to as "God's Country" because of its beauty. It is a large island, connected to the mainland of Nova Scotia by a causeway. Known as one of the top scenic routes in the world and famous for its history and music, it draws thousands of visitors every year. They come for the scenery, the hospitality, and to drive the famous Cabot Trail, a paved road of approx 300 km encircling the northern part of the island. The road winds it's way along the coast, over mountains, along farmland or forests.

There are frequent turnouts to stop and enjoy the views. Fishing villages dot the coastline and people are welcomed at the stores, restaurants, B+Bs,or gift shops.

Cape Breton island, NS.              

Some tourists continue to Newfoundland after driving the Cabot Trail by taking a ferry from North Sydney. 
Others may want to visit the lovely town of Baddeck on the shores of the Bras d'Or Lake which is the world's largest inland sea and a paradise for sailors.
The lake is accessible to boats via the locks at Peter's which connect the Atlantic ocean to the southern end of the Bras d'Or Lake.

view of St Peter's, NS

At St Peter's, I found a beautiful provincial park where I stayed a few days. It was on the outskirts of town and an easy bike ride to the store or library. I was also able to walk to a small beach for swimming or to watch the boats go through the locks.

Locks on the canal at St Peter's.
Boats line up, waiting to go through.

          

From St Peter's it was a short drive to Isle Madame for their Acadian Festival. Most people spoke French and the atmosphere was festive. Seafood chowder was served for dinner in the community hall. 

I met my sister and her husband at the dock in Louisburg in the southeastern part of Cape Breton. They were doing a sailing voyage around the island on the
 " Double Crow" and I met them at some of the ports.

The Fortress of Louisburg

old technology on display at the museum ( not all that long ago
but seems ancient now! It lasted much longer than our present techno!Ivy)

The "Double Crow" leaves Louisburg

Sailing takes much longer than driving and I took a few days camping at the  Mira Provincial Park which was another beautiful  place to stay. It's situated along the Mira River and has a small beach for swimming. I met several campers who live in the area and enjoy visiting the park for a relaxing weekend with their families. The weather was nice and warm and I was able to tidy up my RV. Because the space inside is so small, it takes time each day to keep it organised.

A common scene at campgrounds now!

some ducks came to visit my camp site

 It was hard to leave that lovely park but I had to get back to Sydney for some errands.

It was a short 20 min drive to Sydney where I once again met Margrit and Fred at a marina. As their visitor,I was allowed to park on the wharf where several boats were tied up.Marinas are great places to be, offering showers, internet, and food. Since they were there a few days to visit friends, I took care of some business and then  went on to explore the eastern part of the island. 

The route took me around parts of the Bras d'Or Lake to a provincial park  at Whycocomagh where I spent a night. The next day I drove to Port Hood on the coast and north to Mabou where I discovered the "Red Shoe" restaurant filled with people listening to some lively Cape Breton music. I happened to be sitting beside a couple who just got back from a sailing trip to Florida and knew my sister Margrit. It's a small world! That night I parked at a look off and watched the sunset over the ocean. The RV lifestyle does have its perks!

the Red Shoe Inn

I stopped to chat with these friendly cows!


        

This distillery of Scottish style single malt whiskey is near Mabou and is a tourist attraction. It's main product is "Glen Breton Rare" but they also produce some other whiskies and rum. They were sued for using the word "Glen" on their label but won the case and the name stays. They are not allowed to use the word "Scotch" which is allowed only on whiskey made in Scotland but a connoisseur may find it difficult to tell the difference (serious scotch drinkers may disagree!)

Can you think of a more beautiful place to park for the night?

On to Port Hawksbury, just before the causeway connecting to the mainland.
I had previously  found a good mechanic there and made an appointment for some routine maintenance on my RV. One challenge with the RV lifestyle is that any service has to be done wherever I end up and it's hard to decide who to go to.  I was in Port Hawkesbury for a few days, able to stay at a lovely park overlooking the ocean. I spent my time cycling around town or driving to a nearby beach for swimming. 

Back to Sydney and on to some appointments then drive around the Cabot Trail, stopping to visit family and friends. There were strong winds at times, as is common on the northern tip of the island but generally the weather was quite good, although I could feel the cold, crisp air of autumn.

From Sydney I drove north then west to Englishtown to take the ferry a short distance across St Ann's Bay and onto the Cabot Trail on the eastern side of the island. This brought me to Cape North where I did a detour north to Bay St Lawrence to visit a few days then back to Cape North to follow the trail west to Pleasant Bay, on the west side of the island; south through Cheticamp and the Margaree Valley.  Several small mountains needed to be crossed and I often stopped to see the view.

Images along the Cabot Trail:

note the dead whale washed up onto the beach on the left side of the photo

Once again I went back to Sydney. While there I usually parked at a Walmart or at my favourite place right by the wharf where there is a visitor's centre and a huge parking lot. There is a beautiful walking path along the harbour and just up the hill to Charlotte St which is the main street. Shopping, banks, restaurants, the library, and a good secondhand bookstore are all within a couple of blocks.
While in Sydney, a friend who is a musician in a band I used to play in, convinced me to attend a music camp in Sydney that weekend. I used to play the clarinet but stopped playing after I got my RV and because I got discouraged while trying to play on my own. 
At first I couldn't remember much but very soon my fingers found the notes and I was able to enjoy the weekend end learning more music. It was also fun and that Saturday we paraded  downtown playing our music. With a police escort we felt like royalty!
On Sunday, we had a concert at the visitor's centre for the passengers  from the Disney cruise ship that was docked there. I had forgotten how much I missed playing music with a band and will need to find a way to do that within my RV life.
  

The Disney Cruise Ship at Sydney

The "Big Fiddle" at the Visitor's Centre

I will be in Cape Breton a while longer and then hopefully head south before the snow comes.

    "Instead of wondering where your next vacation is, maybe you should set up a life you don't need to escape from."
                                                                --- Seth Godin

"The whole purpose of education is to turn mirrors into windows."
                                                                                --- Sydney Harris

" Nothing is impossible, the word itself says  "I'm possible".     
                                                                                                     --- Audrey Hepburn

"A man and woman had a fight. They decided not to talk to each other for several days. Each worked at maintaining this silence, not wanting to be the first one to break the silence.
He suddenly remembered he had a meeting to fly to early the next morning.
His wife usually woke him up but he didn't want to break the silence, so he wrote her a note: " Please wake me up at 5 am".
The next morning he woke up at 8 am hearing her singing in the shower:
" Oh, what a beautiful morning.."
He noticed a note from her at the bedside: "Wake up, it is 5 am!"

Happy Thanksgiving!

rvmaria

Around the bend and straight ahead

As in other lifestyles, the RV life is often not predictable. Something came up and I had to be back in Sydney, Nova Scotia by July 21. Instead of exploring British Columbia this summer, I had to drive back across the country to the east coast. Since I will be in Nova Scotia for the rest of the summer, I wanted my RV there. As a result, my winter plans of visiting Yosemite and other wonderful national parks in the west will have to be changed. I will now be going down the east coast to Florida and other eastern states for the winter. 
It was disappointing at first but then I remembered that no matter what life hands you, make the most of it. Who knows but this winter may end up being the best one yet.

And so, I pointed my RV in an easterly direction but first, I spent 3 days at the RV seminar held at the  Okanagan college in Kelowna. Over 100 people showed up and the days were filled with lectures on various aspects of RVing. I thought I knew quite a bit but discovered many things I didn't know. Amongst other things, I now know how to use a multimeter to check all the things that are using electricity in my RV. My multimeter was a gift from a dear friend I met in Calfornia and is a valuable tool to have.

multimeter

It was fun connecting to many other RVers and sharing info or talking about camping experiences. Most of them live in British Columbia and some are full timers like I am, including several women.
The seminar was fun and very worthwhile. There is always more to learn and seminars like this one are good to go to as often as possible.
We were able to "dry camp" at the college parking lot for the 3 days, so that made it very easy to get to the classes.





On June 28, I left Kelowna for the very long drive back to Nova Scotia. I gave myself 3 weeks to cover about 5800 km!

The drive along the Okanagan Valley was beautiful.

My route made a very big curve north-east past Vernon, Salmon Arm, Revelstoke, and Golden where I spent the night at a motel camping area.
Golden was a friendly town where everyone I met said hello. It was a hot day and I walked to a hotel to ask if I could use their pool. The woman at the check in noticed how hot I looked and got a glass of water for me. You don't come across kindness like that too often. For $8, I was given a towel and able to use their pool. I love swimming, and having access to a pool is always a treat, particularly on a hot day.
At Golden I had to make a decision: continue on hwy 1 east to Banff and Calgary or take # 95 south to Cranbrook then east. I chose going south as had not been on that route before, and completing my big curve or " bend".

Scenes along the way: 

 

Love those mountains!!!

  

At Cranbrook, I turned east on hwy #93 to travel over the Crowsnest Pass.

It was a low mountain pass that crosses the Continental Divide of the Rockies and took me through the town of Crowsnest Pass.

In the early 1900s, this area suffered many disasters including mine explosions, a forest fire, and a rock slide killing 90 people.

Now this area is a popular tourist destination. Some energetic hikers aim for the top of Crowsnest mountain, altitude just over 9000 ft.

After the pass, I crossed the border into Alberta, leaving the Rockies behind and 

reaching more of a flat landscape and large farms.

I camped at a community park and met up with a good friend who lives nearby.

Long hours of driving can feel isolating and it is always a pleasure to visit with someone I know. Instead of a community of people I knew when living in a town, I now have a more disperse community throughout North America. The distances are greater but the connections are just as rewarding.

The drive across the prairies on the trans-Cabada hwy was long and sometimes tiring. Even though I have been across Canada a few times, I still marvel at the immense size of our country. This time of year there are huge fields of grain as far as the eye can see.

the vibrant colour of canola

          

The weather was quite unsettled for some time, hot and sunny with periods of light rain initially. I spent the nights at rest stops or Walmarts. Driving for about 4-5 hrs/day was enough for me.                                                                                                

On July 1, Canada Day, I arrived at Regina , Saskatchewan, in time to see the fireworks that evening. The drive into the city wasn't too bad but parking was a challenge given the large celebration. I finally found a spot for my RV about a 20 min walk from a large  park along the river where thousands of people were already gathered. The mood was festive and I could hear much laughter. It was wonderful to be reminded that most people are peaceful and fun loving.

The fireworks were fantastic and I had a clear view from the side of the river.

After leaving Regina, where I had parked at a Walmart, the sky gradually darkened. There were tornado warnings on the radio and when I saw these clouds, I was tempted to turn back but it was not possible. Soon I came into very heavy rain but no sign of a tornado. It was a relief to get past all that!

scary clouds!

My next stop was another Walmart at Brandon, Manitoba and then, finally "The Pine Tree RV park" ,near Winnipeg, a very pleasant park along a river and a great place to catch up on laundry and dumping the RV tanks.

The days of driving continued as the flat terrain of the prairies gradually gave way to the rocks of the "Canadian Shield", a large area of exposed precambrian rock covering about 1/2 of Canada. Manitoba flowed into Ontario and it was difficult to keep track of the time changes.

I stopped at Kakabeka Falls just north of Thunder Bay, then continued my journey over the top of Lake Superior.

Kakabeka Falls, Ontario

Lake Superior

I spent the nights at rest stops or scenic outlooks, sometimes meeting tourists from other countries, as far away as Australia. No matter where we live, we often want to experience other parts of the world and the various cultures of the people there.

At the tourist centre in Wawa, I came across this large monument of a Canada goose, a definite symbol of Canada. It was created to commemorate the opening of the last link of the Lake Superior section of the Trans-Canada highway in Sept 1960.

Because of my time constraints, I was unable to visit some friends along the way. Driving long distances always takes longer than I expect. 

After Lake Superior, the landscape became much more familiar as I had been in this part of northern Ontario many times. My route took me along hwy 17  east to Sudbury where I stayed at a Walmart,  then south to Wasaga Beach for a wonderful swim in Georgian Bay ( part of Lake Huron). It is a popular beach and quite crowded but the sand and water felt good after all my driving.

 A couple of hours from there, I reached Kitchener for a visit with a brother and sister living there. The drive took me past many farms: wheat, corn, canola, soybeans and also other crops. I stopped at a Mennonite farm to buy some fresh produce. They live very simply and still use a horse and buggy to drive to town. They are often seen driving along the roads in that area.

A canola field and wind turbines in the background

Mennonite transit, environmentally friendly!

It was muggy and hot as is usual in parts of southern Ontario in the summer.

After a good visit, I got back on the road for my journey east. I would have liked to stop for more visits in Toronto and Ottawa but my appointment in Sydney, NS was coming up in a few days. And so, I drove the 401 with few stops. One stop was to a friend I had met while camping in California and who lives in Quebec right near the highway. Alane made me lunch and we enjoyed sharing travel adventures. Perhaps we will hook up somewhere this winter.

From there, it was a pleasure to take the new  bypass route around Montreal. 

I used to dread driving through that city, often getting lost when taking a wrong exit. Now, you barely know there is a city nearby. Instead of the heavily trafficked 401, the #30 and then 20 passed by fields and trees, with brief views of some of the suburbs. It was a relaxing drive all the way to Riviere-du-loup near northern New Brunswick where another Walmart was welcoming.

The drive from there south to Moncton, New Brunswick seemed to take forever and I was happy to park at my niece's place there. She had just bought a house and was thrilled to show me her new home.

On the way to Moncton, NB

On to Nova Scotia and finally to Sydney, a small city on the east coast of Cape Breton island. The casino there offered free parking which was handy as it was downtown. I was able to take care of appointments, business, and get some rest after my long drive. I even went to see the new Star Trek movie but was disappointed as there was almost nonstop action. These days most movies seem to focus on action scenes. I would rather watch an old romantic movie!

"The big fiddle" meets cruise ships visiting Sydney harbour

sculpture at the welcome centre in Sydney

I have been to Cape Breton numerous times but there are still many areas I haven't seen. I decided to spend much of the summer exploring this beautiful island and visiting 2 other sisters who live here.

The famous Mira River in Cape Breton

You can find songs about the Mira River on Youtube. A beautiful rendition  is of Anne Murrey singing "Song for the Mira" while walking along my favourite beach at "Cabot landing" in  northern Cape Breton.

Another version of the song is by Foster and Allen.

My Cape Breton adventures await!

                             "Uncertainty is the spice of life"
                                                                        --- Linda Scott


Did you know... " An 8 yo boy Aman Rehman of Dehra Dun, India is the world's youngest college lecturer. He is a computer genius who teaches digital animation classes at a local art school."
                                                               --- from "The weekly Bean" newsletter

And a bit of humour....

 "I got an A in philosophy last semester by proving that my professor doesn't exist."                             --- from "Coffee news"

" Two men knocked on my front door and asked if I would kindly donate to the new local swimming pool that is being built, so I donated a bottle of water."
                                                                     --- in an email from a friend
Stay cool!

Maria

whyknotrvmaria@gmail.com