OH

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 Under a spreading chestnut tree
The village smithy stands;
The smith, a mighty man is he,
With large and sinewy hands;
And the muscles of his brawny arms
Are strong as iron bands.

Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

Every September a couple of thousand blacksmiths convene in tiny Troy, Ohio. The annual convention is sponsored by SOFA (Southern Ohio Forge & Anvil), and is the signature event for those who like to beat upon hot iron.

We’ve attended for several years, camping at the fairgrounds where the Meet is held. It’s a great event – smoking forges, hammers ringing, rusty implements for sale. If you’re interested in the hobby, this is the place to buy and sell all the tools of the trade.

 

Guys (and gals) who come to this meet tend to be a bit grizzled, whether they are young or old. All display great guns (muscles), and are generally convivial and anxious to talk shop. Demonstrations and competitions are held all weekend, with lessons by expert forgers.

 

Steam Engine

Fire-Breathing Dragon

My Tatted Medallion

Canton, Ohio
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Tim got stoned in Ohio. Gall stones, that is.

Sunday morning he woke up very ill. We packed up in a hurry and took him to a regional county hospital. Mind you, we were way out in BFA (Bum F–k Amish) country at the time. And while I’ve got nothing against the Amish, I don’t have a clue about the quality of their medical services. I was a little worried they might tell him to put zee lime in dee coconut and drink it all up.

Turns out they were competent and efficient at preliminary rounds of tests, and told us immediately Tim needed to go to the “Big Hospital” — I’m thinking Cleveland, but they meant Canton.

So here were are in Canton, Ohio for the last two days. Tim went by ambulance; the driver shouted “Follow me!” and peeled out. I lumbered behind by a good hour, going horse and buggy speed in the motorhome.

By the time I found him on the fifth floor of  Mercy Medical Center (yeah, it really is a big hospital), they were already mumbling about surgery. Having just lost his mother only a few weeks ago to the same procedure, the anxiety knob got turned to 11.

Fortunately the Calvary arrived. My parents made the four-hour trip in just under three and a half, and saved me from a complete melt-down. They took a hotel for the night, and the dog & I camped out in the vast and empty hospital employee parking lot in the motorhome. It was a nervous and sleepless night, followed by a rude rousting at 5:00am by security, who told me I had to move the coach because first shift was coming in.

Which brings us to today, Monday. Tim looked a bit improved today, the meds kicked in overnight, but he’s still really sick. They’re doing more tests and keeping him another night at least.

I found a campground a few miles away (to save the poor dog from baking in the parking lot another afternoon), Enterprise delivered me a car, and we’ll see what tomorrow brings.

Kidron, Ohio
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We got a jumpstart on Friday and headed a few hours north, stopping for evening to visit to my folks. We celebrated Dad’s birthday a bit early and camped in the driveway under a steady rain. This morning we were off to a leisurely start, after making omelets with his fancy new egg appliance.

 

 

My Size Coffee Cup!

We picked up a great selection of weirdo sodas, including Tim’s favorite – Moxie. It’s made with quinine, and if you’ve never tasted Moxie…well, in my opinion, you’re better off!

This evening we are camped at the excellent Evergreen RV Resort. They’ve got outstanding amenities here, including a Dog Wash station. More on this property tomorrow, as we’re staying here two nights before saddling up for our next destination.

Wyoming, Ohio
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There’s many reasons we love RV’ing, and the list got a little longer this week. In the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy, many RVers have offered their rigs as temporary shelter to embattled East Coast residents. Power, heat, refrigerator, and sleeping quarters all in a rolling relief package. Bravo to the kind souls who lent out their campers to those in need!

In our own little corner of the un-flooded world, a similar need arose this weekend. Some family members drove in to check on their rental property in Cincinnati. The house was empty, no furniture or belongings inside, and they needed a place to stay for the weekend. Easy solution!

I drove the coach up north, and we had a cozy camp-out in the driveway. No need for a hotel or restaurant when all the luxuries are in one park-able package.

Our RV runs on 30 amp power, and we can plug into house current in a pinch. As long as I’m careful not to turn on too many lights or run the microwave, we can function pretty much business as usual.

We stayed comfy and warm, prepared lots of meals & snacks, and watched movies every night. It was our own little hotel in the driveway.

A couple of curious neighbors dropped by and I gave the usual tour of our coach. One gent said he’d been looking at boats recently, and we compared similarities of the amenities. There’s lots of shared design between boats and RVs – judicious use of space, folding tables & sofas, locking storage bins, propane appliances, etc.

But when the need arises, be it natural disaster or just a family visit, I’d sure rather have an RV at our disposal!