Fare Thee Well, Good Friends - Safe Travels

---

We had such a great ride this past week! Filled with surprises, fun and friendship. Today, we had to watch those wonderful memories roll down the road heading out of town. We have to remind ourselves what Dr. Seuss said: Don't cry because it's over, smile because it happened. We are trying to plaster a big, griny smile on our faces but there is a little quiver to the lip. Breakfast today was at Guenter's Grill. Not as good as Denny's but the company was marvelous. We have known Sam & Sandy for just a few years but our close friendship makes it feel like a lifetime. We are so grateful to be able to call them "friends". Yesterday, we took it easy and hung out at Camp Shongo. Time to show Sam & Sandy the overwhelming excitement offered here. First treat was feeding the varmints at my food station in our back field. Cory made a maze trail that we used when we walked Chip. At one spot, I leave our stale food and leftovers for any critter who visits. Sam drove Cory's John Deere lawn mower tractor as his mode of transportation. I bet Cory was kind of hoping Sam would drop the mower and do that laborious chore for him. No time for mowing when the expectation of the next treat is peaking. This highlight included a tour of my "Store". Years ago, I had the desire and energy to think that we could run a small antique store on our property. Cory bought a small mobile home trailer that had been used as an office at a local trailer park. I filled it to the brim with a million little treasures. Cory wasn't eager to have me run it as a true business (only a hobby) so my "open" days were few and sporadic. Eventually, I closed shop. The excitement and energy had waned quickly. So as Sam & Sandy perused my small, cluttered, claustrophobic den - I found myself finding items I had forgotten we had. Just like Christmas Day! I hadn't been in My Store for a couple years. And to share the experience with Sam the Picker....Tres Bon! The last prize was a journey through Cory's pole barn. Sandy & I took a rain check. As I showed Sandy our cluttered, overpacked and piled high rooms of our "stuff" in the house, her kind and gracious comment was: "it seems organized". What a gem - what a friend! I hope her nose doesn't grow. Sam was equally as kind and gracious with Cory while in his jungled, jumbled, tangled hovel of a building. None of it is pretty but we are truly trying to whittle it down. It is just taking a while. Time for a rest after all this delirious excitement. Our good fortune: the HBO movie, Behind the Candelabra, was on TV. Cory & Sam were thrilled. The final culmination came with dinner at Wellsville's famous Texas Hot restaurant. Their hots are delish. A few wayward movie stars have made their path here and their signed photos decorate the walls of this old diner. Now the final tribute is complete: Sam & Sandy have warmed the old, wooden booth seats at the Texas Hot. Once back at Camp Shongo, Sandy used her expertise on the computer. She updated and transformed our scattered ITunes library into a karaoke aficionado's delight. Muchas Gracias! She's good!

Sam showed his expertise this morning at their departure. Parked in our "campground", he had the site nestled between our pole barn and The Church. Remember the mark The Church left on our RV! Sam swung his RV around with the ease of a Yo -Yo player: zip, zip, zip - this way, that way, this way....not even a glance towards The Church. He's good! And then it was Good-bye - (sniff) ....until we meet again, Dear Friends. Thanks for the memories!

---

Photos

At the Texas Hot
Leaving Their Mark

Site 1: "The Church"
Pulling Up

Backing Up
...towards the church

Slick As A Whistle
Zip, Zip, Zip

Hooking Up
The Pit Crew

Pulling Out
Heading Home

Good-Bye, Dear Friends
Come Again!