Botanic Gardens and a Big Surprise

8/27 Our friends from church (that took us on a pontoon ride) came by today and we went to a fund raiser for the botanic gardens.   They had an  art show, music, something like the taste of the town in fl., and of course the gardens.  we ate at two of the restaurants and walked the gardens. great day!

                                                                     yellow garden

                                                          a garden in shape of a quilt

On sunday we went to return a movie and some folks stopped us to find out about our truck.  We found out they were staying at the same rv park so we invited them over. Found out that they were bakers and there home town is Evansville In.  He wanted  to show us a campground there and went to get the rv book. It was the Good Sams rv book that we were just getting ready to buy. After he showed us the park he asked us if we wanted the book because he just got two of them. What a surprise for us and we said yes.What a blessing!!!!!!!!!!!! 
On Monday we started to prepare for our departure on Thursday.  So I finished making another shelf in the kitchen, Looks really good if  I say so myself.  We cleaned all the walls and cabinets which we hadn"t done yet. So tonite treated ourself to ice cream!!!!!um!!!!
Tues.we went by the rv shop to say good bye to everyone then to aaa for maps and campgrounds.  Tomorrow cleaning and get rid of black water and gray water yuk.

Rv show, BIG Mistake, and South Bend

Thur. was rib day from Old Hoosier butcher shop, a meat store in Middlebury famous for ribs that they make with a special rub and grill all day long..  At 2:45 they start selling ribs till they run out.  We got there at 3pm and they didn't have many left. We brought them home and ate half of them, what a meal .This week we helped our dealer with a rv show in Elkhart.  We talked to alot of folks and I think we may have helped sell two of them to folks
8/22/11 This morning I went to put the sticker on the tag of the truck only to find the tag number on it is the tag for the 5th wheel.  I made the mistake of giving the wrong tag number to the tag office.  The lady at the tag office said she could fix it. It will only cost some money.  She did and it did cost.  But we should get the sticker early next week. Also Linda's rotor cuff is acting up again she is in a lot of pain.  Please pray for her
8/23/11 We went to South Bend today we went to downtown and took a walking tour and saw many different architecture.

 Tippecanoe Place which was the home Clement Studebaker. They have turned it into a restaurant. We had soup and prime rib dinner.

From there we went to the South Bend Chocolate Company yum yum.

Then to University of Notre Dame.  What a great campus.  Very well laid out and big. Saw the Basilica of the Sacred Heart church which was amazing ,the  main building (where the golden dome is. A neat fact is that every two years they peel off the gold and put new upand they take the gold that is peeled off and used in the making of the graduates tassels and used in the gold paint for the football helmets), north side and south side of campus and the football stadium.

This is first down(we forgot)

this is touchdown Jesus

the new stadium that Jesus no longer can over look

Indiana

8/11/11 Today we took the 5th wheel to the Dealership to fix little things.  We got it hooked up and back to the campgrounds with no problems.

8/12/11 From the visitors center in Elkhart In. we got a map and cd tape to take us along the Heritage Trail. It was to be 90 miles we went 140 (missed some turns).  This is Amish Country and we just stopped at a few places.  Our main purpose was to go to a summerfest and quilt show in Middlebury, In.  We stopped just outside of town at Das Dutchman Essenhaus. They have Amish food and bake goods.  We had lunch and desert what a great meal.  They had an awesome  quilt show.  We spent hours there what neat work they do.  There was carriage rides that went thru a wooden  bridge. A hotel, miniature golf, and one  of the many  quilt gardens in Elkhart county. A quilt garden is a huge area that they have flowers arranged into quilt patterns and they have them all over the county and they are judged.

  
We drove from there to Shipshewana  got lost went to Ligonier (they had neat murals on the sides of buildings)  then to Goshen where we went to the old bag factory(in late 1800,s started as a soap factory in early 1900 a bag factory and now has shops, cafes, and antiques) We found another quilt garden and painted elk.

8/13/11 We called around today to see how much slide toppers would be.  We thought that there were awnings above all of our slide outs.  We are going to get this 5th wheel right we hope.
8/15/11 We helped out the dealership today by moving 6 fifthwheels to there show in downtown Elkhart.  We did a great job with the coupling and uncoupling.  After we got down we went to the RV/MH Hall of Fame.  It was very interesting to see the early units to the ones now.

Then we went to Ford to get some info on the truck.  To verizon to pay the bill and get some info on the phone.  Then to a near by  mall for five guys and sears for new sandles for m
8/16/11 yeaaaaaa we got our rv registration we are legal. We also moved two more rvs for the show.  The last one some warning light came on.  Spent the rest of the day getting a fuse for the truck.
8/17/11We got the the fuse for the truck and ordered glass for the dinning room table which we will be putting a map of the U.S. and we will highlight the places and routes we take.  Then we went to Shipshewana went to the flea market and action.  Got some popcorn(sweet and salty),butter pecan home made ice cream, and sweet corn(you can eat with out cooking). Went into a building and about 10 actionerrs were actioning at the same time lots of noise. We walked around downtown.  Many nice shops and went through a musem.  Jim and Linda 8/17/11

 

Our first week

8/5/11 On our way to Nappanee we stopped in Wakarusa to enjoy jumbo jelly beans. yum yum

Then  on to the Amish Acres arts and crafts Festval in Nappanee.  It was HOT we enjoyed the music and a ibc rootbeer

We went to town to the museum where they have a pan for a huge apple pie. 200 pounds of pie crust and 400 pounds of apples

                      After a nice rib dinner on the way home we saw where UPS trucks were made.

     Then to a Amish store this is some of the flour they have and the spices.

                                 
8/6/11 we had our first guest over tonight.  Had blueberry coffee cake and played cards(Linda WON)

8/7/11 After church on sunday night we went to some folks to there summer home on a lake in Mi.

On Monday we went and got all the paper work for the fl. tag.  Afterward we went to a 5th wheel that a drunk driver hit and demolished.  We were able to get two door off of it and brought them home and put two shelves where the drawers used to be.

Today started of good but another melt down.  When we were trying to couple
  and uncouple the 5th wheel.  We went over to the dealership they gave us instructions and the owner came over after work and helped till we felt good about doing it our selves.  Things are a lot better now. Jim and Linda 8/10/11

we left

This is our first campgrounds. We left the dealership tonight at 5 and got to the camp ground sign in and got set up without any problems had wine grapes and cheese and carkers. It is so nice to be on our own with 50 amp. service. We have been on 20 for a week and had to be careful not to do tfwo things at the same time. Enjoy the pictures of the inside of the unit.