Liquor, Liquor Everywhere

Growing up in Rhode Island, one grows accustomed to driving to the local liquor store for all our libation needs.  You are not allowed to drink them until you get home, of course.  You cannot even buy a single beer; only a six-pack or larger.  And, when you get to the store, you have to get out of your car to go inside to make the purchase.


Well, Rhode Island being adjacent to Connecticut, we knew that you could also purchase wine and beer at grocery stores in that state.  But, once we hit Ohio, we got our first taste of Drive-Thru Liquor stores.  Yes, drive-thru.  You don't even need to get out of your car.  Now, of course, that doesn't mean that the person driving will start to drink in the car.  Just as it doesn't mean the person walking in to buy liquor will drink when he gets back to his car.  However, it was still a bit of a shock to see.

While we stayed in Florida, I was amazed, if not pleased, to see that even CVS and Walgreens sold beer and wine in their stores.  Not a huge selection or high quality choices, but, nice in a pinch.

Then, we hit Louisiana.  Just across from our campground is Crazy Dave's Daiquiri Bar and Grill...with a drive-up daiquiri window.  Here's the window below, and the row of daiquiri selections.  Of course, Louisiana has an open-container law, meaning, you aren't allowed to have an open container in your vehicle.  And, of course, the bartender just hands the driver the closed cup with the straw, and of course, you, the driver would never puncture said cover with the straw in order to sip whilst driving.  

Or would you?  The temptation is certainly there.  It is hard to believe that, in this day and age, the opportunity to drink and drive is so readily available and legal.  I don't quite get the reasoning behind it.  I had one of the daiquiris and they taste more like a Dunkin' Donuts Fruit Coolatta than a daiquiri.  Too sweet.  

But, if you decide to venture into Crazy Dave's, and you've had a bit too much to drink, and want to camouflage that fact, just drop into the restroom for some complimentary 

mouthwash.

Pancake Designs

My son bought me a great Christmas gift!  The Good Cook Pancake Creator.

I used it this morning. 

 You fill the creator with your favorite pancake mix.  There are two tips to use; one is smaller to draw an outline and detail and the other larger to fill in the gaps.

Draw your outline.  The longer the mix is left on between pours, the more detail will show.  (As the pancake will be cooked a bit longer .)

Deranged Santa and Stocking

Obviously, I need to practice.  Check out the website.  You can upload your creations.

 http://www.goodcook.com/pancakecreator/

Legos, Legos, Everywhere

Well, I haven't actually counted them all, but I'd say we are pretty close to about 50K.  We started with a lot, then this summer's birthdays brought more, then Legoland and Lego Store at Disney, and now Christmas.  We must have at least a 50,000 Legos.  Fifty-thousand Legos in a camper.

And, of course, when you buy Legos they come in sets.  And when you have to put away your Legos, you want to keep the sets together.  And if you want the sets to stay together, you need to have separate containers for each set.  That is a bit impossible.

Right now we have standard Sterilite containers (Sterilite products are made in the US.)  Each holds, I'd estimate, 10, 000 Legos.  And we have about 5.  And the kids know every piece they have.

I have seen the Lego containers sold that sort the sizes, but they seem too small for what we need.  They also sell Lego Brick boxes, the boxes themselves look like bricks, Lego Head storage boxes, and of course, plastic drawers.  We need transportable, stackable, not-too-large-not-too-small-not-too-expensive solutions.

Around $40

Around $40

Around $50

Around $50

Around $65

So, what do people out there use, in homes and RVs, to store the thousands of Legos your kids have?  anyone have any creative Lego Storage Secrets?

Max, I've a Feeling We're Not in Rhode Island Anymore

This Christmas Day started sunny and mid-70's, quite nice.  We had a great time watching the kids open their gifts.  We were expecting a dicey sort of day with the strong storm/wind/hail/tornado watches of the past couple of days, so we were pleasantly surprised the day was starting so nicely.  Didn't last long.

By 11:30 am we were starting to prep for some pretty scary stuff.  Between the TV, Weather Bug, the Weather Channel app, the WAFB Titan 9 app, and Google Maps, we are tracking the storm as it travels through the counties and towns of Louisiana.  None of  which we are familiar with.

The local news has been on for about 30 minutes, and plans to be on indefinitely as tornado warnings continue to be set.  I am watching the clouds moving from the west, looking for greenish color, or circling...or a witch riding by on her broom.

You can see Livingston and how we are right now (2:30pm) sandwiched between the two major cells.

Constantly referring to Google Maps to see our vicinity to the counties with tornado warnings.

WeatherBug's interactive radar.

LA county map.  Warnings are given by county...we don't know them.

Great app when you are in LA.  

Our "take shelter in the campground bathroom" bag is packed and ready to go.  I was able to bake a pumpkin pie, so at least it smells nice.  I have no appetite to eat it though.

So far, so good, but, I think we will be in a direct path before this is all over.

From http://www.erh.noaa.gov/box/watchvswarn.html

A tornado watch, like a severe thunderstorm watch, means that conditions are favorable for severe thunderstorms to form, but it also means that a few storms may be capable of producing a tornado. 

A tornado warning is the ultimate in severe warnings, it means that a tornado is either occurring or imminent based on radar. You should take cover immediately.

Tornado Safety

What do you do if a tornado warning is issued and you have slight minutes to find shelter that will keep you safe, hopefully?


The Storm Prediction Center of Oklahoma
http://www.spc.noaa.gov/faq/tornado/safety.html
suggest these things:

Know the signs of a tornado: Weather forecasting science is not perfect and some tornadoes do occur without a tornado warning. There is no substitute for staying alert to the sky. Besides an obviously visible tornado, here are some things to look and listen for:

Strong, persistent rotation in the cloud base.

Whirling dust or debris on the ground under a cloud base -- tornadoes sometimes have no funnel!

Hail or heavy rain followed by either dead calm or a fast, intense wind shift. Many tornadoes are wrapped in heavy precipitation and can't be seen.

Day or night - Loud, continuous roar or rumble, which doesn't fade in a few seconds like thunder.

Night - Small, bright, blue-green to white flashes at ground level near a thunderstorm (as opposed to silvery lightning up in the clouds). These mean power lines are being snapped by very strong wind, maybe a tornado.

Night - Persistent lowering from the cloud base, illuminated or silhouetted by lightning -- especially if it is on the ground or there is a blue-green-white power flash underneath.

WHAT TO DO...

 In a house with a basement: Avoid windows. Get in the basement and under some kind of sturdy protection (heavy table or work bench), or cover yourself with a mattress or sleeping bag. Know where very heavy objects rest on the floor above (pianos, refrigerators, waterbeds, etc.) and do not go under them. They may fall down through a weakened floor and crush you. Head protection, such as a helmet, can offer some protection also.

 In a house with no basement, a dorm, or an apartment: Avoid windows. Go to the lowest floor, small center room (like a bathroom or closet), under a stairwell, or in an interior hallway with no windows. Crouch as low as possible to the floor, facing down; and cover your head with your hands. A bath tub may offer a shell of partial protection. Even in an interior room, you should cover yourself with some sort of thick padding (mattress, blankets, etc.), to protect against falling debris in case the roof and ceiling fail. A helmet can offer some protection against head injury.

 In an office building, hospital, nursing home or skyscraper:Go directly to an enclosed, windowless area in the center of the building -- away from glass and on the lowest floor possible. Then, crouch down and cover your head. Interior stairwells are usually good places to take shelter, and if not crowded, allow you to get to a lower level quickly. Stay off the elevators; you could be trapped in them if the power is lost.

 In a mobile home:Get out! Even if your home is tied down, it is not as safe as an underground shelter or permanent, sturdy building. Go to one of those shelters, or to a nearby permanent structure, using your tornado evacuation plan. Most tornadoes can destroy even tied-down mobile homes; and it is best not to play the low odds that yours will make it. This mobile-home safety video from the State of Missouri may be useful in developing your plan.

 At school:Follow the drill! Go to the interior hall or room in an orderly way as you are told. Crouch low, head down, and protect the back of your head with your arms. Stay away from windows and large open rooms like gyms and auditoriums.

 In a car or truck: Vehicles are extremely risky in a tornado. There is no safe option when caught in a tornado in a car, just slightly less-dangerous ones. If the tornado is visible, far away, and the traffic is light, you may be able to drive out of its path by moving at right angles to the tornado. Seek shelter in a sturdy building, or runderground if possible. If you are caught by extreme winds or flying debris, park the car as quickly and safely as possible -- out of the traffic lanes. Stay in the car with the seat belt on. Put your head down below the windows; cover your head with your hands and a blanket, coat, or other cushion if possible. If you can safely get noticeably lower than the level of the roadway,leave your car and lie in that area, covering your head with your hands. Avoid seeking shelter under bridges, which can create deadly traffic hazards while offering little protection against flying debris.

 In the open outdoors: If possible, seek shelter in a sturdy building. If not, lie flat and face-down on low ground, protecting the back of your head with your arms. Get as far away from trees and cars as you can; they may be blown onto you in a tornado.

 In a shopping mall or large store: Do not panic. Watch for others. Move as quickly as possible to an interior bathroom, storage room or other small enclosed area, away from windows.

 In a church or theater: Do not panic. If possible, move quickly but orderly to an interior bathroom or hallway, away from windows. Crouch face-down and protect your head with your arms. If there is no time to do that, get under the seats or pews, protecting your head with your arms or hands.

We will be practicing our escape plan at each new campground.

Getting Used to Tornado Warnings

Growing up in the Northeast, we were used to different kinds of weather warnings and had our own preparation routines for each type.

Hurricane:  Stock bottled water, charge flashlight batteries, make sure gas cans and propane tank (for grill) were full, get the candles ready, put away any potentially flying debris.  During the storm we'd watch anxiously for falling trees and see the rain fall sideways.  Buying that Generac 10,000 back in 2000 from a guy that had wanted it for the catastrophe that was to be Y2K, was the best thing we ever did!




Nor'Easter:  Get the wood into the house to keep the wood stove running, gas for the generator, diesel for the tractor, propane for the grill, salt for the steps, have winter clothes ready, lots of snacks and liquor.



Tornado:  Hmmmmmmmmmmm?


We are learning the preparations for this fast-moving, unpredictable storm.  The preparations we make will be slightly different than for those who live in a sticks-and-bricks house.  We cannot hunker down in our camper...our camper may be air-lifted and slammed to the ground at very, high speeds, which would be not-so-good for us.

Our first encounter with just a tornado warning was our very first night in Louisiana.  We set up Eagle and went to bed at some point.  At 4:00 am, we were awakened by our iPhones alerting us though our Weather Channel app.  The app has push notifications that alert us to changing weather patterns, including dangerous weather.  [Of course, if we lose cell phone service, there go the alerts.] And there went sleep that night!

We wondered where in the campground we would go for safety if suddenly we heard a freight train blowing through.  I had mentioned the bathrooms (which are constructed of cinderblock and have a key code lock) and, so, we grabbed the code and memorized it.  Later that day, I confirmed with the office that this indeed was the place to go.

Luckily, that night was just windy and a tad rainy.  Neither the rainiest, nor windiest, by far, that we have encountered in this rig.  Tonight, December 23, we are following another alert for, well, we think Dec 24th into Dec 25th (the National Weather Service's alerts are difficult to decipher.)  A very restless Christmas Eve and Christmas Night is in our future.  All part of the journey.

Frostproof, Florida

Once we finally got ourselves on the road, we lived for a month in Frostproof, Florida.  Frostproof is about 68 miles south of Orlando, 75 miles from Tampa on the West Coast, and about 94 miles from Port St. Lucie on the East Coast.  Miami is more of a hike at 190 miles south.

The "campground" where we stayed was more of a permanent manufactured home retirement residence with some converted RVs.  But, we had a great site and met some very nice people.  We stayed at Camp Inn Rv Resort on Highway 27.  There were two pools, one which was heated, and quite comfortable.  Right across from our very large corner site was a pond with alligators, although, I think they went to warmer waters while we were there.  We did get daily visits by two sand hill cranes! The place is a little stuck in the past and could use a facelift, but it was adequate, and pretty large.  The biggest drawback was the size of the streets...very narrow.  With our rig being the size it is, it was a little nerve-wracking.

So, what does one do in Frostproof?  Well, not a heck of a lot it turns out.  There are no shopping plazas or restaurants to speak of.  You can drive a little north to Lake Wales or a little south to Sebring and you'll see some civilization.  We spent a good deal of time in Sebring and were treated to some different eateries.  Two places topped our list:  Chicanes at Inn on the Lakes, and Island View at Sun 'n Lake Golf Club.  Both establishments had early bird menus with great prices and the decor was comfortable but slightly elegant.  Chicanes dressed beautifully for Christmas.  The food and service were fantastic at both places as well.

Chef Brendan meets Chef Kevin of Island View.

"Downtown" Frostproof consists of very little; a library co-op with a fairly nice playground; a couple dollar stores, Bank of America, and lots of orange groves.

We chose Frostproof because we were staying in Florida to visit with Steve's dad and had a hard time getting a decent-priced campground closer that would allow kids.  So many are 55+.

Chicanes

Island View

Camp Inn

So, other than wanting to be in the middle of cows, oranges, and a long stretch of fairly empty highway, there's not a heck of a lot of reason to stay in Frostproof.  Our next Florida visit will find us on one of the coasts.

App Review: Splash Math

Math is high on the focus of my homeschooling plan.  Never been a big Math-thinker, or at least, never thought myself one, but I do know the importance of at least basic math skills.  I will never forget the day my dad explained to me how we would cut the angle of a deck we wanted to build (never did) by creating a triangle and doubling the sides, adding them and getting the cut side....a squared + b squared = c squared.  The Pythagorean Theorem! Who knew?  Thank you Mr. Oliva!

So, being a 20-year veteran of first and second grade math, I can safely say, I am freaked beyond belief with Trigonometry, Calculus, and beyond.  In fact, I barely passed Calc...had a wonderful, kind, VERY Portuguese Professor (and I am Portuguese) with a very thick accent which, as the class complained, was far too difficult to understand, especially for a bunch of non-math majors.  Reluctantly, we asked for some help, and URI sent a Professor's assistant; a very, nice Chinese man with VERY thick Chinese accent.  And, so, my math career ended with that class.

Luckily, today, there are several wonderful online programs available for a nominal fee to help kids learn math in a fun way.  One that I have discovered is Splash Math.  I have Splash Math for first graders.  It is 10$ to download the app, but you can sign up to 5 students.          I have my twins on this app.  You receive weekly email updates as to how your child is doing on the skills represented in the app.


I like SplashMath because the format is somewhat challenging.  The questions are not the rote memorization of old math but a challenging, variety of simple, but thoughtful math questions.

The app allows children to think about math in an abstract way, but allowing for concrete visuals.  And, if your child cannot read well enough, the app reads the directions for them.

The app covers addition, subtraction, time, money, and more.

Awards are given for correct answers and good scores.  Kids get to play with awarded prizes.  

Check out first grade here at 

https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/1st-grade-math-splash-math/id463469532?mt=8

Check out second grade here at

https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/2nd-grade-math-splash-math/id463471155?mt=8

Check out third grade here at

https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/3rd-grade-math-splash-math/id432105525?mt=8

  

Artesão Creative and Custom Cookie Molds

This Christmas, I am looking forward to, hopefully, getting a little creative with gift-giving.  We haven't traveled too far yet, so next year may be more interesting, gift-wise, than this year.

I don't have to go too far, though, to purchase some whimsical, creative, and beautiful gifts directly from a family member.

If you have a baker in your family, or love to bake cookies with your own kids, you need to visit my cousin Susan's site.

Artesão Unique & Custom Cookie Molds

Here are just a few...

Saddleback Caterpillars

                             

     IAN'S BUG LOG:

   SADDLEBACK CATERPILLARS

         These little buggers pack a wallop, hurting more than a wasp sting. And I can tell you from experience, they are not very friendly. These little green caterpillars have poisonous spines covering their body, with horn-like flesh stubs on either side. But don't worry, they're not very dangerous to humans. They are painful, however, and will cause swelling and maybe even a rash to occur. I luckily only brushed this little devil, yet it still sent me running. From what I've read, the caterpillars mostly reside under the leaves in gardens and plants. But, if you're in Florida like we are, watch out! I was stung while sitting in a wooden play jeep at our campground's playground. I lowered my hand to “shift gears” when I felt a sudden severe sting, and I yelped and looked down, seeing this creepazoid on my shirt. Eewww.....   If you do get stung, don't panic, like I did. (heh, heh.) Simply wash it with soap and water, and if you think one of it's spines is in your skin, take some tape or the sticky part of a band-aid, and put it on the stinger, ripping it off immediately. Continue with different pieces of tape or band-aid (I used tape, less wasteful) to lessen the spread of infection.  And, don't worry, once again these bugs may hurt but the worse they can do to us is really only give us a rash. So, just a recap; garden, green, spines, hot dog. See you later! Mm, now I'm hungry....                        

                         

Meatless Mondays

So, we have decided to jump on the bandwagon known as Meatless Mondays.  We'll start next Monday.  I have wanted to incorporate more veggies into our diets, so, I thought this might be a good place to start.  Being a carb- and meat-family, (except Chloe who prefers vegetables), I have limited knowledge of cooking veggies other than roasting and steaming. So I will be looking for any and all recipe suggestions, especially for breakfast!  I know I need to stock up on lentils and quinoa.  Pancakes don't have meat in them, so yay for that!

http://www.meatlessmonday.com/

This website has some recipes and other helpful ideas.

So, check back every Tuesday to see what tasty, (or not-so-tasty), meatless wonders we have concocted.

Kicked Out

We have made the decision, or, more-so, the decision has been made for us, that we will be leaving CT on Sunday by 1:00 pm.  We had hoped to anyway, but we HAVE to now as the park is requiring everyone to be out.  Gates will be shut down and no in or out will be possible.  From CT, at this point, not sure where we will be heading.  Wherever Sandy is less of a Bitch, I'd guess.

Hello Sandy

Welcome to the Road, Hall Family!  And to make the celebration even more memorable, Mother Nature has planned a rained-soaked, wind-blown weather pattern in which to drive! And she calls her party Sandy! 

Instead of leaving Connecticut on Oct. 30th as planned (a change of planned from the Original Oct. 31), we are now looking to leave later on Sunday, Oct. 28th, to try to stay ahead of the lady.

We partied with Bertha in '96 at our wedding.  The end of our last summer, 2011, at our house in RI sent us off with Irene.

Now Sandy joins in the transitional celebration.

It will make for interesting writing as we dodge the limbs and overflowing streams to make our way towards PA.

Let's Hope For No Rain

Less than a month to go...we are completing small projects and purchases necessary to hit the road, for real this time.  All in all, everything is going smoothly and with minimal expense.  Climbed into the truck Saturday afternoon to head north to visit family for the weekend, and dear hubby sees the awning was still out.  He wanted to put it in.  Now, if we could go back in time, he'd never have exited the truck.

As I sat waiting with the kids, I hear BANG!  Hoping fervently that this noise's origin was anywhere but our campsite, I was quickly disappointed.  A rapid knock on the window from a surprisingly calm Steve solidified my fears.

The awning arm had just snapped.

Technically, the piston malfunctioned, and the force of trying to close against the stuck rod caused the support arm to crease and eventually, break apart.  This rendered the awning unable to close, causing the weight of the now unsupported awning to hang.  Luckily, it didn't rip from Eagle crashing to the ground in a tangled mess.

Steve smashed it up against the camper as best as possible, and we tucked away the scenario for the next 2 days.  

This morning, upon examination, and several different thought processes, Steve decided that the best thing to do would be to remove the piston completely, which he did, and crank the arm back into place.  Not completely back, mind you, as the arm that holds the whole shebang in place is now in two pieces.  Fearful that the awning's secure placement could be compromised once we hit the road, Steve zipped over to the Depot to purchase some zip-ties (somehow we had none left of the 1000s we had last November).  

The awning company is Carefree of Colorado.  

So, now, we wait a bit to see how we will proceed.  On the way through Pennsylvania, we'll look to get it fixed.  Not a thought I am pleased with...hoping the cost won't be too ridiculous.

**Update.  We traveled from this October 6th, 2012 break until we arrived in Virginia and had it repaired on Nov. 5th.   We pulled into a repair shop in Staunton, VA, and 30 minutes later pulled away with a brand new arm, professionally installed, for free.  All hail Jayco...for this anyway.

Honey Sweetie?

The Egyptians used honey to keep wounds clean.  Honey is a hygroscopic substance, which means that it absorbs water.  It also stimulates the production of white blood cells.  The Egyptians knew nothing of this -- but they did know that applying honey to a wound caused it to heal quicker.

           Our friend the Honeybee.

   

Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Arthropoda
Class:	Insecta
Order:	Hymenoptera
Family:	Apidae
Subfamily:	Apinae
Tribe:	Apini Latreille, 1802
Genus:	Apis Linnaeus, 1758