ALABAMA

Our front step has been broken for over a month, and we've had to use a folding step which we had available.  On our way into Red Bay, Al, we missed the turn, and pulled into a service station to get directions.  However, 'the last person' who came into the coach forgot to take the step in, and left it in the middle of the service station. So, we had to then use blocks of wood for the next two days. We spent two nights at the Tiffin campground, and were able to get our front step fixed, but the other repairs will have to wait until the next time we come down here.


We gave our neighbor Linda a call, to ask how much snow was left on our back deck....she took a look and discovered that the cover on our hot tub has blown over. Tony called our other neighbor, Vinny, who went to get a first hand look, and informed us that the water in the hot tub had just about evaporated. Since strong wind is common in this area, before we left, Tony had used a bungee cord, as well as a plank of wood on top of the cover to keep it in place.  The problem is that the heater and circulating pump were still on, but there was only about a foot of remaining water, in the hot tub, and the air jets had ice on them.  Not good.  We probably blew out the motors.  We'll have someone check it out fully, and soon!


So, I am driving, but fully immersed in this conversation between Tony and our neighbor, and I missed the exit for our campground.  I pulled into a service station, which was not meant for a 40 foot rig, towing a car.  After realizing we had to make a U-turn, I turned onto this two lane road, with a dirt embankment on the other side.  Tony was 'strongly encouraging' me to continue into the turn, but I choked, thinking the motorhome would either sink in the dirt, or slip down the embankment.  So now I am stopped, ACROSS THE ROAD, blocking both lanes of traffic, with cars building up on both sides.  You can't back up while towing, even though I tried a little bit, but the towbar and car looked jackknifed, so I bit the bullet and listened to my husband, and continued into the tight turn onto the dirt.  I held my breath and prayed, and ........yes! we made it!  I'm sure this was very comical for all of the onlookers, but I was not amused, and neither was Tony.  We both needed an adult beverage when we got to the campground!!


And if my nerves were not frazzled enough, after I checked in at the campground, the owner tells me that a bad storm is headed our way tonight ......and tells me if she needs to reach me, she has my number.  I asked,  "How bad??"....she replied: "Maybe a tornado".  (WHAT???)  "We had one in the next town last week", she added. (GREAT!)  She continues with: "Oh, don't worry - My house is 75% underground, so ya'll can come over and hang with us for a while".  All I could think about was the tornado scene in The Wizard of Oz, and instead of a house, our motorhome flying up in the sky. Hopefully, we'll get out of here in one piece tomorrow.  Stay tuned!


PS - No tornadoes......just lots of rain.
Heading to Myrtle Beach for a few days.


UPDATE:  The hot tub has been re-filled and is HOT!!   Woo-Hoo!