Maple Heights, Ohio

Arrived in Maple Heights Monday October 22nd.  Dad drove to the police station and talked with a lieutenant and we got permission to park in front of his house for the week - both the trailer and the truck.  Went to dinner at Pat's house Monday night.  This picture was taken when we visited Mom & Dad Balach in December 1982.

The dogs are having a field day chasing squirrels and deer - there are so many up here.  They treed a squirrel in the apple tree that sits in his front yard. 

Took the dogs into the woods the other day and boom, they were gone chasing deer or rabbit.  Took a while but they eventually came back.  This morning they saw some deer out the back window and of course the minute I opened the door they took off into the woods after them.  Took a while for them to come back this time as well, but at least they do.  I worry about them in the woods because on the other side of the creek is a train track and then a train and shipping yard, which runs 24/7.  

Tuesday we went to LabCorp to get our drug tests for Amazon.  Went to the closest location and they were having maintenance problems with their toilets (they would not flush) so we had to drive another 25 minutes to another location to get them done.  Could not do it another day as we are coming down to the wire to get them done.  Tuesday night we hung around the trailer with Dad and ate left over's from Monday night's dinner.  Jim also worked on the mudflap that came off at one of the campgrounds.

Wednesday was a beautiful day (up to 75) so I took advantage and did all the laundry and cleaned the trailer, and Thursday was even nicer (77) so we washed the truck and the trailer. Boy that was a chore for us old folks.  The truck wasn't so bad but the trailer was really hard.  I got up on an old wooden ladder and washed the roof while Jim worked on the sides of the trailer.  They look so pretty - white and clean.

Looking up the street

Friday the cold, rainy front came through. Skyped this morning with Josh & Karen - Dad & Pat came down to the trailer and were able to talk with Josh and see Ellie.  They thought that was quite something being able to see them so far away.  It was nice being able to talk with them again. We are looking forward to seeing them in January.  Hopefully we will survive Amazon. Got an email from our workamper friends, Terry & Evelyn, who helped us get the job at Amazon and Terry said they are being worked hard by Amazon.  Friday afternoon we were going to do some shopping but all we got to was the bike shop where we got rid of an old Huffy that Josh bought years ago; are having the guy tune up a bike we bought for Jim but is too small for him, which I am now going to ride and bought Jim a new/used Schwinn.  Stopped in at Jim's old high school Chanel and he went in and walked the halls a little bit and talked to a few people there.

Friday night we had dinner with my brother Mike, his wife Diane, and their daughter Kimberly and her boyfriend Matt.  It was a nice evening at Applebee's - good food. We discussed our workamping, Mike's biking and of course, Dad and his vertigo and what the doctor's are (or aren't is a better term) is doing to help.  I think Mike & Diane will now jump in and see that he gets checked for more.  The doctors are trying to tell him that his imbalance is not due to anything in his ears - now, what sense does that make?  Our balance comes from our inner ears and they are trying to tell him there is nothing wrong with his ears and is not the cause of his vertigo?

Took some walks in the woods that I grew up in.  Sure is different and nothing like I remember it.  The old paths are not there anymore and some that I seem to remember are overgrown.  The hill that we used to sled ride down is full of weeds and grass and trees at the bottom that have fallen over.  The creek bed is dried up and has moved, just like it always used to do.

Looking down the street

Had a nice visit with Emma Katula Saturday afternoon.  It is always nice visiting with her - she is a pleasure to talk to.  Fixed her two smoke detectors.  Put another battery in the one on the main hall and put it back up; but then we kept hearing another one chirping.  Heard it the other day and mentioned it to her; thought the man who came to clean her house was going to fix it, but he did not.  So I went upstairs and took it down and put a new battery in it for her. Finally no more chirping - I am sure Chamile will be happier now.

Jim's friend Nick Klasovsky came over Saturday afternoon too, to visit with Jim for a while.  They had a good visit - it is always good seeing old friends.  

Sunday afternoon we went to visit Jim's Uncle Frank & Aunt Martha.  They sold their house and are now living in a facility in Strongsville.  I guess they like it OK, but I think miss their house. 

After that we went to see Dan Kellner, a friend of Jim's from high school and college.  Jim thought he had died since he had not heard from him in so long; Dan said he was out of commission for about 30 years and finally got back into life.  Went to dinner at Longhorn and talked some more.

The weather has been horrible the last few days as well.  The storm that just came through is now being pushed back onto us because of Hurricane Sandy that is barreling up the east coast.  Calling this the storm of the century and for New England to expect flooding.  Maple Heights is calling for lots of rain the next three days with heavy winds Monday through the night.  Have not decided which day we are leaving - not Monday.  Probably Tuesday or Wednesday at the latest.

Met with Barry & Marlene Edelstein for dinner Monday night.  How wonderful it was to see them again.  We had a great time catching up with each other's lives. I just wish we would have kept in touch more over the years and visited with each other more often.  But now that each of us are empty nesters and we are traveling around the country, I am hoping they and our other friends will come visit us while we are workamping in Tennessee next summer.

We also got together with Jim's old classmate from high school, Gary Jun.

Hurricane Sandy has brought so much rain and wind Monday and Tuesday as well as snow south of Columbus toward Cincinnati, that we decided to put off leaving until Wednesday. Wind gusts were up to 60 mph. The dogs are very tired of the rain - they run outside a little bit then are ready to head back inside.

Emma Katula cooked some food for us - potato salad and something else I don't know what it's called (but it's good!) noodles with cabbage.  Jim and I took her plates back to her this afternoon and sat and talked with her for a couple of hours while Dad went to a church outing.  We always enjoy talking with her and miss talking with George as well.  Next time we come up here we will be parking our trailer in her driveway, which she had offered this time but Dad forgot to tell us that.

Jim is enjoying a new Clive Cussler book - a gift from Marlene, and by coincidence is one that he did not have.  I am trying to get back into reading my book - somehow I just have not found a lot of time here. I have a lot of books to read, plus keep this website updated, and sometimes I just cannot find the time. I will just keep on going.