I FEEL LIKE A STRANGER!

The last time I posted I was four days post surgery.  This Tuesday, I will be three weeks post.  I have had a cast change.  We have hit the road for Asheville, N.C. to do a show which was hugely successful and are now taking about ten days to chill.


The show  in Asheville was a challenge.  The second day out I suspected that John was getting a cold.  For many of us catching a cold is an inconvenience.  For John, at the FIRST sign of a cold, he must call his lung specialist and get on an antibiotic.


Of course, denial is his first action when mine is to immediately make the phone call.  So, being the obedient, submissive wife that I always am, ahemmm, I deferred to his judgement.  


Two days later, I insist on the phone call.  The prescription is ordered. It is time to set up our booth for the show.  John can't stop coughing and is having trouble breathing.  So much for being submissive to a man with emphysema. 


Thursday, it takes twelve hours to set up when  a normal set up takes four or five hours.  Great start to a huge three day show.  He both works in the booth and goes back to the motorhome to rest.


Sunday, our break down was much smoother than the set up.  The motorhome was packed with much less than we took out of it - thanks to my loyal returning customers and all the new friends we made.


Monday we made three stops.  The first was for lunch with friends Bob and Deb Cline at 12 Bones!  My, oh my!
  The best barbecue I have ever had.   


After lunch, we visited a pottery studio then were off to the Antique Tobacco Barn where there are so many antiques to pass by since they do not  fit in a motorhome.  


I did find a beautiful yarn swift to resell in our booth. But, that's okay since I sold an antique spinning wheel, a rigid heddle loom with stand and a portable spinning chair.  Three things out and only one in!


After saying good-bye to the Clines, we programmed our new Garmin to take us to Mt. Pisgah National Forest campground.  


Garmie got confused.  It was almost dark in the mountains. She took us on a wild goose chase and a harrowing misadventure.  We looked at the "road" she wanted us to take and said NO WAY!  So on down the road we go and she is giving instructions on a U turn.  She says "make a left"  John makes a left.  What the heck!  This sure is narrow!  Yep, she took us up a steep drive that ended in someones driveway.


There was no room to turn around and John started backing down.  The incline was so steep that applying the brakes was hard to do.


I am hanging out my window giving directions to keep him off the lawn and to get us down the hill.  As we are moving down the hill,
I am saying bring the rear my way and suddenly he says there's a drive.  I will back in there. (the opposite way I was telling him to turn). No sooner that was out of his mouth, the motorhome tipped to my side.  Really tipped.  I have never been so frightened. 


He tries to pull forward.....no go.  The owner of the house comes out and says we have knocked down a stone wall and he will pull us out with his tractor.  Nope, didn't work.  Time to call Sam's Roadside Assistance.  We discuss what they need to get us out of this mess. 


Upon closer inspection, we did not knock down the wall, but had we gone a couple feet further, we would have been a teeter totter with front end on the lawn and back end suspended in the air.  I have a picture of this on john's phone (he does not know it).  If anyone can tell me how to transfer it from his Motorola Droid to mine, then to post it here,  let me know!  I'm sure you would like to see the picture.


They send out what seemed at first to be the wrong wrecker.  It was the kind that they pull a car on the bed instead of towing.  They hooked the chains from to the motorhome and inched it back up the hill.....over and over again.  All the while, the motorhome will not start to help out with the climb.


After many pulls and thugs, the wrecker's wheels start spinning on the blacktop drive.  It can go no further.  


The tractor to the rescue!  The tractor is hooked to the wrecker and they, together tug the motorhome back up the hill while my mind is racing----saying we want to go DOWN NOT UP!!!!!!!!!  But up the hill it went.


The wrecker driver from Danny's Towing tries to start the motorhome again and announces that the gas tank has been damaged and possibly the fuel pump.  He takes a can of starter fluid, sprays it someplace in the engine compartment to start the engine in order to have brakes and power steering to back down the hill.  It worked. 


After he gets us down the hill and on the road, he leaves us to go get the BIG DADDY to haul us into the shop for repairs.  I now feel like Judy and Emma.


We spent the night in their lot and had electricity.  We were sung as a bug.  We awoke Tuesday and they went to work.  


Oooohhhh, how I wanted to say I told ya to listen to me!  Instead, we didn't talk much until late yesterday. Let's see, Monday through Thursday afternoon, humm---not good.


Well, we are up to Tuesday.  Typing left hand only is tiresome and this post feels too long.  I will save more for tomorrow.