Headin’ South… More South

Dear friends,

We be packing up today, March 12th, getting ready to go farther south to our next Georgia job at Douglas, GA. I have tried to take the last week off, hard as it is to quit working when still in the job park, so I feel pretty much up to taking on General Coffee State Park. We learned a lot here (translate to “hard job”). When we signed this park up we figured we could sell ads because it is one of only two parks in Columbus. Well, the reason there are only two parks in Columbus is because nobody knows anything about RVs and nobody cares. Two of the ads I sold were to new business owners who don’t speak the language – I had to fill out the check for them! I don’t feel bad because I lowered my price and I know the ad will bring them business, but I was glad no one was looking when they handed me the check book (I filled out the stub real carefully). Gawd.

We especially enjoyed Columbus because we got to spend time with our friend Angelo Cacciatore. Those of you on the Oregon Bike Rides will remember Angelo; Dave rode with him on the Ride Across America and the Mississippi ride also. Even more fun, we got to meet Teresa, Angelo’s bride. Teresa still lives in Manhattan and works there. Angelo just finished up a job here and now is on his way to Columbus, Ohio for a 9-month or so consulting job. We shared a meal with them and couldn’t help but bask in their love. Angelo lights up around her and it’s easy to see why – Teresa is a perfect match for him, pretty and petite and really smart. She laughs a lot and calls him “Ang.” They met on e-harmony.com and have very good things to say about the service. They could do the TV ads!

We did some sightseeing this past week. Went to Calloway Gardens and enjoyed time in the butterfly enclosure. It is full of exotic plants and equally exotic butterflies, most of them from south Asia. We also took Davey out for his birthday, to the Springer Opera House for a production of Guys and Dolls. The Springer opened in 1871 and it is testimony to the interests of Columbus society that they have maintained it so beautifully. I particularly enjoyed mingling with folks in the huge, ornately furnished “saloon;” the women looked like they just stepped out of Talbot’s catalogue. There are lots of little sweater sets and pearls in Columbus and the women like a title in front of their name, like “Mrs.”

We have been awakened more than once by machine gun fire from the nearby Ft. Benning Military Reservation. Also cannons and other explosives, but the machine gunning has been particularly unnerving. Those are boys out there in the dark, shooting those guns in conditions not even remotely like what they will be if they have to use those guns for real.

Hard as this job was, I didn’t have to call on a new classification of desperation: the tombstone cleaner. Am still running into the southern stall … respond with good cheer and positive comments, promise to call back and don’t. Real estate is not a big thing here. Three pages of pest control and only two pages of realtors in the yellow pages.

Seems like everything has burst into bloom or will within the week. Along with the blooms are a few bugs. It is in the mid-eighties today, slightly sticky, but still nice. A ladder-backed woodpecker has joined our sparrows at the feeder tree. Davey rode the annual “Wheels of Fire” ride yesterday, doing 48 miles in Harris County, home of Pine Mountain, Warm Springs and FDR Park. Somehow he managed to get 3,000 feet of climbing in. The ride is a fundraiser for the volunteer firemen of Harris County and drew about 400 riders. More than a few dips in the road, obviously.

Love to all,

Sam