Red Bay Alabama, Oct 4, 2008

I am working on my Fall resolution to work on this blog once a week.

Last Monday we left Lyons Colorado and spent three days driving to Red Bay, Alabama. These were, for us, long driving days --- leaving around 7:30 to 8:00 am and arriving at a campground around 5:00 (or 6:00 counting the time zone change. We would have perhaps an hour rest for fueling or lunch. Anyway roughly 8 hours driving time, fairly equally split between Madeline and me.

We arrived in Red Bay, AL, late Wednesday afternoon. The campground, which is located by a now defunct airport, was full, so we spent a night boon docking "On the Runway". We are here to get an air conditioner worked on and one or two other minor repairs. Although the work schedule here is largely first-come, first-served, there are several "Express Bays" for jobs taking less than three hours. We were happy to hear we qualified for that, so we expect to be out of here the middle of next week.

We have been here several times, so we have pretty much seen the sights around Red Bay. However there is a house in nearby Florence, Alabama that was designed by Frank Lloyd Wright. This home was donated to the city of Florence some ten or so years ago. it was in poor repair, with leaking roofs, termites, etc. The City spent considerable effort in restoring the home, and it is now open for guided tours, that last about half an hour. (A picture of the house is at the beginning of this blog.) The inside of the house was interesting. there was a lot of dark wood, and a lot of indirect lighting The kitchen was remarkably small. The owner had Wright design an addition, to which an new kitchen was added. Even the new kitchen was quite small.

It was a thrill to be able to walk through the house and see the various rooms.The furniture in the house, which while interesting, had lots of straight lines and did not look very functional (read comfortable). Much of the original owner's furnishing were still in the house. The furnishing were mostly of Japaneses design, which added to the beauty and simplicity of the home.

Tomorrow, we will probably stay around Red Bay -- walk around a bit , read the NY Times on the computer, watch the talking heads on TV and perhaps watch a football game - or two. The campers here are having a get-together, where everybody brings about a half pound of food -- meat, vegetables or pasta -- to be cooked for three hour to make hobo stew. I think it is the same thing as slumgullion stew.)

Oh yes, I am now a member of Facebook. If some of you readers wish you can contact me there as well, leave a note here.

I am also happy to report I am starting my 76th year this week. I never thought I would declare my youth my saying I don't feel a day over 60! But I do feel pretty good, and don't feel my age. (Knock on wood!)