WANDERING WITH THE WRIGHTS

June 5, 2019

Will try to keep this blog a reasonable length - it has been two wonderful months of traveling since the last blog.  We did not have great internet connections and then found out a setting got changed somehow on our mi-fi which didn't help our connectivity - hence the reason for no blog for so long.

In the last blog we had just arrived in Andalusia, AL to do a three week mission project.  

As usual we worked with a great group of other volunteers and staff at Blue Lake Christian Camp.

Some of the projects we worked on to help the camp get ready for all of their summer programs -  

Removed old - very heavy wooden decking

 

The guys replaced a lot of old rotting benches

We all worked really hard on scrapping old paint & rust off of lots of metal handrails.

Lots and lots of elbow grease!

They looked awesome when the were finished (and boy were we glad when they were finished)!!

We washed windows outside and 

Inside

We removed older curtains and replaced with new curtains and then rehung the older curtains in another set of rooms

Curtains Curtains everywhere

After rehanging some of the older curtains we found hems that were coming undone - we weren't about to take them down again so just stitched them up by hand right where they were.

And probably the most taxing job was replacing old cedar siding with new Hardy Board 

New VS Old - looked so much better!

We always have each others backs :-)

And of course we went into town for ice cream

One of the couples on the team were excellent at wood working

They built these tables from an old cabin that had been torn down

The camp was selling them and they were very popular

There weren't many places to eat in Andalusia but near the end of our time there we found the Surly Mermaid - a fun delightful little restaurant - the owner was quite the character.
The food was delicious and even if it hadn't been it was worth going for the ambiance.

The front of the Surly Mermaid

Which was a J.C. Penney store at one time

While at Blue Lake there was a Chrysalis Walk (similar to the adult Emmaus Walk but for teens & young adults)  These walks are wonderful three day retreats.  If you ever get the chance to attend I highly recommend it
A pair of mimes did the communion service - it was one of the most powerful communion services we have ever attended.

After three weeks of working together we get very close with our fellow volunteers and saying goodbye is always hard.  We had a service before departing in an old church on the camp grounds.

Lambuth Memorial Methodist Church Established 1823 

One of the team member got the old pump organ going

It was a beautiful setting at Blue Lake

We left Friday morning from southern Alabama and headed to northern Alabama to visit our friends for Easter 

Phyllis & Len East that we met almost 5 years ago in Texas.  At the time they were also full-time RVers but have since bought a home in Cullman, AL and have a place for us to park right on their property when we visit.
It was so good to see them they are dear friends and always make us feel so welcome!

Easter Sunday, very early, we attended their churches sunrise service - it was so beautiful

And then had breakfast at the church

Phyllis & Len's neighbors have peacocks - they can be noisy early in the morning

We left Sunday afternoon to head a little west to Red Bay, AL where we go every year to get our coach serviced.

One morning while they were working on the coach we went to a local restaurant for breakfast and found this sign interesting. 

We were near Tuscumbia, AL so one day while they worked on the coach we drove over, met some friends, and spent the day visiting Helen Keller's birthplace and the town of Tuscumbia

Helen Keller' Birthplace

We volunteered over a year ago in Texas with Carolyn, Rich & Fran - we all happened to be in the area -
We had a fun day together 

Stature of Anne Sullivan & Helen Keller

The actual pump where Anne Sullivan finally got through to Helen that she was feeling water & Anne was spelling water into her hand

After the tour we went into the town and had a delightful lunch.
An old piano sitting outside a store - Fran played us a tune

Beautiful park right down from the restaurant

Loved this little box to share books from

It never ceases to amaze me when they lift our home and most everything we possess up in the air

Some of the work we had done - planned & unplanned.  The planned was the picture above for our yearly oil change, etc.  The unplanned, but all covered under warranty thank heavens, were two issues they found.

Some water damage in the corner of one of our slide outs.  

They moved the fridge and cabinets to the other side of the room

Removed the old floor

Installed new floor

Put everything back in - including new carpet - that we did have to pay for but it was the time to do it

They had a nice waiting room for us to hang out in while they worked - but obviously Teddy doesn't read very well

The last project was replacing cap rails on both sides of the coach - if you want more detail you will have to ask Jerry.
All I know is that if they crack (they were beginning to show wear) it can allow water to leak in the sides of the coach - obviously didn't want that so they replaced those under warranty.
Our coach is almost 10 years old so after 10 years of driving around all over on bumpy roads this is not uncommon.

Because the new cap rails had to be painted there was a lot of work in protecting the rest of the coach.

We now have shiny new cap rails!!

No blog would be complete without a picture of Vincent

I just loved this!!

 This blog covers just about a month and I am tired of working on it and am sure you are tired of reading it so that is it for this time!!  Next week I will catch us up the rest of the way.

Thanks for Wondering With the Wrights - Jerry, Carol & Teddy