Under construction

Our Winter Home

This is our new rig we got last spring and now we are spending the winter in it on a private leased lot here in Summerdale Alabama.

The rig is 35 feet long Denali 5th wheel  and has 2 slides for more room in the living, kitchen and bedroom area. The rig is 8 feet wide and the slides add 40 more inches to the width,

Joel and Linda

Linda’s Bic, but I have to change the seat so I can use it and take off some of the things the previous owner had on it.

Linda was cat sitting for our neighbor before Christmas so she decided to dress them up

Linda was also Dog sitting and Buzz here got all prettied up for Christmas

Joellen and Bob in Hawaii

Joel and Linda

We have arrived in Alabama and now we are enjoying the warm weather and will now share all of the things we are doing.

Our fire pit we are enjoying

Goldie enjoying her perch in the top shelf of the closet

Beautiful view of the waves on the Gulf Shores

Murphy enjoying the Gulf air from the window in the truck. Dogs are not allowed on the beach so he has to stay in the truck.

Me at the beach and enjoying the sun and sea breezes.

Thought I’d look at the camera from a different angle.

Linda enjoying the sun and sea breeze at the Gulf Shores.

Ladies in the craft room enjoying a few hours making bead projects.

Well here we are on the road heading south to Alabama. One of our favorite stops is Effingham Illinois and we are staying here for a week. Thought I document a few pictures of the camper and area of the camp ground called Camp Lakewood.

Joel and Linda

Well last month we had posted pictures of our new camper and it is a pretty awesum rig. I was out in the back yard digging around in the barn and I ran across a small box of slides that were of little value until I got to the bottom and wa-la there was a picture of our old Shasta camper from 1973. It was our first rig and with Joellen and Sara being very young this was a perfect rig for a small family of 4. It had a small bed in the rear that opened up to a table and a couch that made into a small bed for the kidsand believe it or not a bathroom. It had all of what one might need to do basic camping except no air conditioner. Darn! The picture had yellowed some and I took it to the local photo shop and had it made larger and copies made. I thought after everyone seeing the new rig worth $28,000 and here is the old 72 Shasta we paid $1500 used for it.

Looking at the car well it was to cool for its time and was a 73 Olds Vista Crusier station wagon that had windows in the roof so that the kids could look out at night  see the stars in the sky. I remember the many nights we would drive up north to Mercer Wisconsin to spend the weekend and the kids would fall asleep counting the stars in the evening sky.  

Joel and Linda

Well been getting a little behind with the upkeep of the blog as I have not had much in the way of anything that was of any interest.

This month I have a late start and there has been some things going on and I thought I’d post a picture of the new camper and truck connected so you can see the length of the rig as it is in the range of 50 feet. It has been warm as you know and we want to do some work on the rig with the introduction of a operating desk for the radios, laptop and printers. I did find a nice desk that would fit in the back of the rig and it looked real nice but the wood was a little dark but that isn’t a problem. Linda wants to clean the carpet and I have cables to measure and cut for the antennas and tuners for the Ham Radio and Cell Phone equipment. It has been so hot to work on and around the camper and with Linda working we have not found it condusive to go and spend any time in the rig. Lots to do before we leave to the south this fall and want to make sure I have all the tools and stuff I need for work that needs to get done once we get back to Alabama. Maybe with a little cooler weather and Linda finishing up her work at the Hill we can make some trips to Mercer where the camper is stored to allow us to work on it.

Well here in the neighborhood they are working on the street and they have removed to top 3 inches of the old street, that I understsnd is over 70 years old, and then they are installing the new fire hidrent across from our drive way. Finally after living here for the past 7 years we can get a nice street to drive on. There are many streets in the city that need resurfacing but that I am sure will take time and budgeting by the city.

Murphy has finally settled down after barking at all the activity in the street. He has a birds eye view of the work in progress from his perch in the front window on the love seat.

Well Linda and I are celebrating our birthdays on the 6th and although we don’t have anything special planned we just might go out for dinner and maybe have a few drinks. Linda is excited about getting her Medicare card and new supplemental health care insurance now as of the 1st of the month. On the 5th the TV station in Duluth posted our birthday announcement on the morning broadcast.

I got good news from my cancer doctor with regard to the additional skeletal xrays he wanted done. I have had Multiple Myeloma for a number of years and the new oncologist at the clinic looked at my old history and needed to get up to date on what was going on. Well after 22 xrays that he reviewed with the old one of over a year ago he said one of the 3 holes in my head, yes in my head, had disapeared and I only had 2 that they could find. He said at my age and because I have an abnormal protien in my blood tests he wanted to make sure there was nothing major going on. He said because nothing has advanced for many years now I should out live this cancer and just have to watch this by getting the xrays every 3 years and yearly blood work to watch the protien in my blood.  Looks like I will be around now to keep this blog up and enjoy our travels south and watch the grand kids grow up.

Joel And Linda

Well after spending 7 months in Alabama in the new 5th wheel it is nice to be home in Ironwood. We have been working on the yard and getting the house and yard cleaned up with cutting the grass and raking leaves then trucking all this off to the dump. Spent time cleaning out the camper and sorting out all the containers and boxes and trying to figure out where to put it all. It is like putting two homes into one. Linda was the work horse behind this effort and she has been really working hard to put everything away and also sort and store what we will need for the return trip in the fall.

Had some problems with the new camper with little repairs and things but the thing that really stalled us was when we tried to disconnect the camper from the truck the power jacks didn’t work and we had to use the 120 volt power to the rig to get the 12 volts for the operation of the jacks. Then we could disconnect. All it turned out to be was a poorly crimped wire on the power panel. Now to relax here at home till it is time to spend the coming winter back in Alabama.

Sara Fritchen

Well Grand Daughter Sara has been busy with parties and end of the year school activities like the Horlick High 2011 prom. Then there were the concerts and get togethers after.

Sara and her Oreo

Sara and Chase in prom dress 5/2011

Sara and Soprano 5.11

Sara and Sara band awards

Sara at the German Club Graduation Party

Fritchen Family at Sara’s Graduation

Fritchen Family at graduation 

Our New Duchman Denali 5th Wheel

Now we are enjoying the new camper here in Alabama aftere spending the winter in our 24 foot 5th Wheel. It is quit a change with 2 slides and a large bedroom and livingroom. I finally got my lazy boy, as a matter of fact we got two, and an ottoman. The cat is enjoying all the neat hidding places and the dog loves his spot in front of the fire place. We spent three days transfering all our personal effects and beading stock. I have to take all my antenna mounts for my radios off and removing all of the power cables. I am lucky that the old mount will fit on the front of the new camper but have to make longer cables for the radios. The windows are tinted to keep out the hot sun and the rig has a large AC unit. The new rig is 7 feet longer then the old one for a total of 31 feet. The 2500 HD Silverado  still can tow this 5th wheel and with the tow and haul feature in it have the power. We sure are enjoying the room from the 24 foot 5th wheel we had before.

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Touring Florida

Well it was a nice day for a tour and we decided to go to the Naval Air Station Museum in Pensacola

We took many pictures but we are only posting a few here from inside the muesum

The different aircraft were from all eras of avaiation

Now a few from inside the museum

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