Parting is such sweet sorrow

"Parting is such sweet sorrow" has been the major theme for this trip. After my visit with my Kansas family/friends (from here on out I'm going to say frams) I headed into . . .

 Eastern Standard Time. Trees have basically shed most of their leaves as owners busily rake them into piles. Grass is still green and the weather is nice. Storms moved through the Midwest just as I exited. Those storms only bring high winds and rain to the Detroit Metropolitan area for a day. But that's OK because I've arrived! My RV Rand McNally GPS once again proves worthy of its purchase as it helps me navigate the multitude of freeways systems of this gigantic area.

I'm so busy visiting, the blog is the farthest thing in my mind. You know you're friends when you can be separated countless of months and reunite to pick up right where you left off. Love, good food, friendship, family, conversation, debates take place as I sit back to relax after traveling 2,000 miles. Five days fly by as I find myself saying goodbye to my dear family who live so very far away. No worries, it gives me a chance to put my Casita to use as I plan new visits in the upcoming year. I love you dearly Isabel, Dalia, and Bassam!

Once again I'm on the road, this time heading south. I pass so many beautiful barns as I drive up and down the gentle rolling hills of Ohio. If I thought the hills were steep in Missouri it's because I never driven the hills of Kentucky. Now, those are steep hills. I know I'm in the land of prized horses as I pass pastures with these beautiful animals grazing. I almost stay at Big Bone Lick State Park. The name makes me giggle which makes me head that way. The state park guide says that it's open year-round, but someone missed the memo as I pull up to a gate saying that it is closed. Well, I may have been disappointed, but you should have seen Cassie and Odin's sad faces. I head over to another campground nearby. I'm tired.

I head to Memphis where I learn from my daughter-in-law's parents that there are 45 pages filled with things to do in the area! Wow! That's a lot of research. Again, I need to visit here again as I settle in and feel like it's home away from home with conversation that doesn't miss a beat. In the morning, the theme of the trip plays in my head as I hug and wave goodbye and drive down the road and over the Mississippi River. The night before, the skies broke loose an ocean of water as I pass flooded field after field after field. Here, I thought listening to the rain from inside my Casita was just a lullaby to help me fall asleep.

Then I face a perplexing problem yet to be solved on my Casita. The other night I checked into a campground and could not get electricity using 30 amp connection. I have a surge protector and it showed juice. I went inside and flipped all the breakers and still no juice. I took off the surge protector connected the cord directly and still nothing. I put it back on. I went inside to check my fuses. They look like new. I tried again. Zip. I connected my 15 amp adapter and I had juice!?! The pole had a 50 amp connection so took off the 15 amp adapter and put on the 50 amp adapter (which steps down from 50 amps to 30 amps) and again everything worked! I woiuld think that my fuses are alright if I'm now getting electricity in the trailer. It was raining so I called it a night and thought that maybe it was the electrical post. Today, I'm at a Corps of Engineers campground. Again, the 30 amp connection does not work yet my surge protector says everything is fine. This place only has a 15 amp alternative so I tried it and I have juice. I can use it, but can only run one big item at a time. Today, I changed out the 30 amp fuses just in case with no result. Any ideas?

Tomorrow, I'm heading to my last 'fram' on the way home. Thanks for reading. I'll post again when I reach home and to let you know what I find out about the electrical conundrum. It's been a worthwhile journey facing my aloneness and my capabilities. Driving with just the dogs has gotten easier. Odin switches from the back seat to the front passenger seat on a regular basis. I hear Charley's voice in my head as we pass areas we've cycled over, look at barns, pretty leaves, skies . . .