It’s T minus about an hour before I get to sit down to my first traditional US Thanksgiving feast! I have been nearly fasting since last night. 😀 This meal will definitely make up for the last one I had while in the US on their Thanksgiving!
I know we are having turkey AND ham (Virginians seem to have a thing for ham), but the sides are going to be a surprise to me. I may report back later if I haven’t fallen into a turkey-induced stupor.
I’m already falling into a semblance of a routine here. It helps that I’m staying with family who can show me the ropes, like the best places to buy groceries and get whatever I need.
My friend and I went out for dinner last night to a place called Ruby Tuesdays. I remember eating at one of those restaurants eons ago. It was very good! The US has so many nice chain restaurants. When I got home, I crashed. I didn’t realise how tired I was!
Today, I went into Suffolk to get a few groceries. It was a mob scene with everyone getting their Thanksgiving supplies.
Okay, okay. The Applebee’s is right next to the Walmart, so I stopped there for lunch first. I mean, you’re not supposed to get groceries on an empty stomach; right? And two full meals for $12 including the tip, can’t beat that! 🙂
Discovery of the day: you can buy beer right in Walmart in Virginia!
My spot is pretty good. I have access to power and water, but we’re on a very busy main road so it’s noisy and the rig shakes when anything bigger than a half-ton truck roars by. I think I will be able to get used to that steady drone, though. The most irksome thing is the most irksome thing everywhere I park: leveling. I didn’t even try to get level last night figuring I would sink deeper into the spongy ground overnight. I was right. This morning, I got myself acceptably level side to side, but the nose is a little lower than the rear end. It’ll do, though. For one thing, I’m out of leveling boards. Plus I spent the whole summer with the nose being slightly higher than the rear end, so I know I’ll get used to it.
It’s grey and damp out, but definitely on the warm side of the temperature scale!
I had a number of packages waiting for me today and one contained something I have promised to buy for myself for four years and haven’t because I had more serious upgrades to make. It wasn’t the money but the principle. As soon as I had my rig all made over, I could start adding frivolous little niceties, such as this beauty:
This showerhead not only has an on/off switch (so no more wasting water because I don’t want to lose the temperature), but also rain and massage options. I’m off to try it out! 🙂
I landed safe and sound and without any real incident in Suffolk at about 11:45 this morning. The drive from Stafford wasn’t bad, but some of the back roads to get here were a little rougher than I remembered them being when I drove them in the rental car.
A combination of fatigue, rum, and Applebee’s fajitas got me to bed at the unholy hour of 9PM last night, so I was up and at ’em very early. I decided to take advantage of the early hour to leave the Walmart while the lot was empty and very manoeuverable. It was too early to be hungry or even want coffee (!) so I chose to drive for a bit before stopping for breakfast. Once I got underway, I decided I wanted a Cracker Barrel breakkie.
As it turned out, I hit the Cracker Barrel in Mechanicsville at about 9AM. I knew I’d have no trouble finding parking in that area, especially so early on a Sunday morning when most stores would still be closed, so I had no qualms making the impromptu detour.
I didn’t take that many pictures on this trip, but here are a few:
My new rig sitting proudly in St Clair. Miranda looked so forlorn alone there last time!
Coming out of a lunch break, I found this handsome fellow admiring the view.
They are called RV lanes, idiots!!! (Thanks for the RV lanes, Flying J!)
This impressive setup was plated in New Brunswick. It’s rare to see RVs plated in the Maritimes. I wish I had enough hitch rating to be able to do something like that and get a little scooter!
I just got in from a visit with my friend. She has been sooooo ill this week. 🙁 But today she felt up to a short visit (and, most importantly, she was no longer contagious!). I treated her to a late lunch/early dinner at Cracker Barrel. We wound up having very little time together on this visit, but I’m grateful that we had some time. I am planning to spend the American Thanksgiving with her and her family. If those plans fall through, then we’ll know for sure we’re cursed.
My last Amazon package arrived yesterday, so I was able to pick that up. She also gave me fun present that is going into Miranda’s cab: bacon-scented air freshener. Isn’t she hilarious? There is a bit of an inside joke to that, with my being a new convert to bacon and her being a lifelong fan of the stuff.
I’m not sure what’s going to happen tomorrow with the rig repairs. I’m going to pack the rig tonight since I’m sure Miranda will be ready for a road test by tomorrow afternoon (well, a captain can hope). I’m staying home in the morning until the mechanic comes so I can get a status update and ask that the tire pressure be checked.
Once Miranda comes back from the mechanic’s road test, I’d like to take her out myself and get fuel. The nearby dump station is closed, so heading that way is out of the question. I also need to look for propane, but I think that is going to happen en route.
If I can be underway first thing Tuesday, then my ETA in Quebec is noonish Thursday. I’ve got the route planned out and have done all of it before except the bit between Albany and the border. So I know that the first bit will be a little challenging while I get out of the Richmond/DC corridor, but once I get to I-81 (from route 17 at Fredericksburg to I-66 to I-81), it’ll be smooth sailing.