It Doesn't Take Much . . .

It's breezy outside, it's cloudy outside, but it's warm and cozy inside . . . just perfect for a little Thursday morning Story.

I don't know about you, but it doesn't take much to make me and The Campmeister happy.  Happiness was found at Wally World yesterday for under $20.  Three simple items in the cart made our day!

Southern Cast Iron magazine . . . Coffee Nut M&Ms . . . new lime green & blue tablecloth

On our to-do list for today is to get my license plate sticker so I am street legal for the rest of 2016.  Short and sweet . . . my Story for the day!  Until I have another one ready for you, always remember . . .

"Peace, Love, & Little Happies"

Our Creative Trio

Greetings y'all and thanks for stopping by again for Storytime!

While Momma Sharon is working on the upcoming Blue Ridge Rally, getting ready to make some soap, and pulling together her tax info for this afternoon's appointment with H&R Block, I want to share three things with you.  It's become a tradition a create a Shutterfly book of our camping trips, make a collage for Momma's Postcards blog, and change our Facebook cover to showcase our fun.   

So here's our creative trio . . .

Cheerio and pip pip!  Until it's time for another Story, always remember . . . 

"Peace, Love, & Camping Creativity"

I've Been MacGyvered

MacGyver:  

v. 1. To use ingenuity to fix or remedy a problem using only the tools available at hand   2. To jury-rig

n. Someone who can regularly cobble together solutions to problems using only the tools available at hand

On the way back home from my Coastal Caravan last fall, my battery/LP box was hanging on for dear life!  Momma Sharon and I have been babying it for years, knowing that one day it will have to be replaced.  The metal struts have broken, screws are missing, half of the latch assembly has been lost on the road, and there are cracks big enough in the plastic shell to see the road beneath.  

Back in February we ordered a new one from Little Guy in Ohio. Momma Sharon had some lengthy discussions with Elsie about our options and in the end, we went with one exactly like we have now. Little Guy has the paint codes from Dutchmen, so we are confident that the lime green one will match. It was supposed to have been shipped with a delivery of T@Bs and T@Gs to the dealership in nearby Lenoir at the end of February, but that date got bumped back to March 25.  We are anxiously awaiting a phone call from Bumgarner RV letting us know it has arrived.

In the meantime, we have had to use a bit of MacGyver ingenuity so we can keep to our 2016 camping schedule…

Red suspenders & duct tape

One of two holes in the plastic where it is attached to the frame

Momma Sharon went to Walmart and got a pair of nylon straps with cinches on them and put one on each side of the compartment.  Then she took the leftover lengths of nylon and added some suspenders in the front for good measure!

Cinched up snugly around the box and frame

Suspenders added up front for extra support

Here's where the biggest hole is located

Our next trip isn't until April 17th, so we are both hoping our spiffy new box will arrive and get installed before then.  I will keep you posted and until then, always remember . . . 

"Peace, Love & MacGyvering"

My DOG Peeps

Greetings on this Easter Monday!  Momma Sharon shared a bunch of Postcards with you last week that showed all her Chef Peeps.  I want to take a bit of time this morning to feature MY peeps who camped with me at Cheraw State Park.  They are a special bunch . . . quite colorful and super fun to hang out with in the campground.

That's T@Bventure peeking through the trees

My friend Lucy, the Short, Short Trailer

I spy Tangerine hosting a little chit chat

Breezin' fits right in beside Lake Juniper

Momma Lois calls this red beauty Shop, Drop, & Roll

That's my Cousin Pod down around the curve in the road

Another snapshot of T@Bvendure with her little blue awning in place

Tangerine's campsite by the water

This is the first time I've camped with Tupelo T@Bster!

What a lovely shot of Breezin' by the lake

Tupelo T@Bster all decked out in yellow

The newest kid on the block . . . I gotta find out his/her name!

Thanks for dropping by today for my photo album from the SC DOG.  Until it's time for another Story, always remember . . .  

Peace, Love & Camping With My Peeps

Happy Easter To You All

Happy Easter Friends and Family!

Momma Sharon, Aunt Becky, and I were camping down at James Island County Park in Charleston several years ago over Easter.  This is the sight we woke up to on that Easter Sunday morning.  It has been and always will be one of my favorite photos.

Have a wonderful day as we celebrate His day and His Story.  

"Simply Peace and Love"

Vintage Card Holder

Happy Saturday friends and neighbors.  Happy Easter Weekend too!

I have an itty bitty Story to share with you today about an itty bitty mod that Momma Sharon made for me.  Back in February when she and Aunt Becky went to Pigeon Forge for Saddle Up, they went junkin' on Saturday afternoon. At one of their stops, she found a set of three bins or scoops that came off a conveyor belt in a granary.  A repurposing lightbulb went off in her brain and she knew immediately that it would be perfect for holding business cards.

Momma Sharon loves business cards.  She has one for camping with me, one for camping with The Coffee Cup, and even one for camping with the CDO Chefs. They are fun to share with friends, newbies, and folks that stop by for a tour.  Anyhoo, we have been needing a place to put those cards so they are easy to grab and hand out.

The metal bins were only five bucks each, so she picked out the nicest and cleanest one, with no dents or rust.  Instead of using nails or screws, my Camper Mom opted for Velcro and had the ideal place in mind for it…right underneath the outlet on my countertop.  It's within easy reach of the door too. Perfecto!

Okie dokie…Short Story over.  Thanks for stopping by and until I see you again (probably tomorrow), always remember . . . 

"Peace, Love, & Cool Little Mods"

Me & Splish

Back in 2009 when Momma Sharon was thinking about getting a new tow vehicle for us, I was secretly hoping it would be a truck.  But she chickened out and got another Honda Pilot.  That was OK, because Pilot was a good SUV, dependable, comfortable, and did a fine job of getting us where we needed to go.

We both started to get the new car itch last summer.  Mom started researching trucks (yippee!), talked to Uncle Rob, chatted with retired GM worker Bob up in North Adams, and visited some Chevy/GMC dealers locally.  In November, she made the big decision!  I did a special Story back on November 22 and introduced you to SPLISH, our shiny new partner in adventure.  Aunt Becky came up with her name and the rest is history.

We were both kinda anxious about hitting the road together last week, but I am here to report that everything went smoothly and our trip down to Cheraw State Park was a breeze.  I didn't drag coming out of Aunt Becky's driveway, I didn't wiggle down the road, and Splish could hardly feel me behind her at all!  We stopped in Wadesboro to eat lunch and the first of many photos of us was snapped.

Splish backed me into site #11 at the campground with ease.  I know it's not a contest, but my Camper Mom likes to slide me right into the site without a whole lot of going back and forth.  She kinda gets into a zen-parking-state-of-mind and that always makes me laugh.  With Aunt Becky's help, we dodged the trees, the water faucet, and short pole to put me in the perfect spot.

Our site was a happening place all weekend.  It was level, graveled, wide enough for the Cottonwood, and was perched above Lake Juniper.  With our wonderful view and spaciousness, we hosted all our CDO cooking events, March Madness activities, and even a Scottish dance.

If you look closely at this snapshot of Splish's hood, you might see the layer of yellow pollen that covered everything at Cheraw State Park.  One morning, we even watched a cloud of it drift across the lake.

Once I got back home and settled into the T@Bport, we checked our gas mileage and were both tickled to death to see that it was 16 mpg!  That was much better than Pilot's average of 13.  Score another one for Splish.

Next up on the camping calendar is a trip back to South Carolina to camp at Lake Hartwell and Croft State Parks.  Lots of my buddies (and some Newbies) will be joining me for a gathering we are calling Carolina Lakeside.

Thanks for dropping by today for my Story about Splish.  Tomorrow I'll have another Tale for you about a little interior addition to my decor.  Until then, always remember . . . 

"Peace, Love, & Camping With My Buddy Splish"