A Productive, A Fun, An Informative, An ODD, A Wow and A Finally!

Well, the past several days have been busy ones, and as the title alludes to, we have had events that were: A Productive, A Fun, An Informative, An ODD, A Wow and A Finally!

Saturday was quite the productive day, We sorted and boxed up everything we will be selling at the CVA Flea Market next Saturday. We have six or seven bins of goods as well as several bigger items hopefully finding new homes. With all the twisting, lugging, bending, stretching, lifting I did, my body got quite the workout! Two things accomplished at the same time, Now That's Productive!  If anyone is interested the Flea Market is Saturday, April 13 from 9 - 3, at the CVA Clubhouse, 33 Galewood Drive, Cheesequake Village.  Stop by and say hi.

  Sunday found us at the Hunterdon Land Trust Farmers Market.. Wound up there to meet Phil as he picked up some plants from ToadShade Wildflower Farm. The farm is located in Frenchtown and all their plants are native to the area. What a great service. There were several other vendors including Pickle Licious of Teaneck. They had lots of samples of their wares and were they good! Next time we go we will remember to bring a cooler!  There was bread, cheeses, meats, fresh produce, honey and much more. We could have had a lunch feast right there!
    There is a walking trail behind the farm, so of course, that's what we had to do. Fun trail through woodlands, swamplands, meadow and marsh. Lots of bird life, fish in the brook, and early spring flowers. Several families with young children were playing in the shallows trying to catch a frog or two. Love to see that. Always feels good to get out and hike.
    The Land Trust is located on the Historic Dvoor Farm, 111 Mine Street, Flemington. This 40 acre site is listed on State and National Registers of Historic Places. Having barns from the 19th century and a 1798 stone farmhouse makes it a interesting place to stop to see, with the Farmer's Market it becomes a destination.
   Following the market was a lunch at Cracker Barrel, then helping Phil plant his plants. Any day spent with him is a special day for me and with the weather what it was, just perfect.

One has to cross a bridge when you see one! 

And then came Monday!

First was a trip to Trenton to gather information about applying for retirement and pension benefits. Lots of good information, even if I do dislike going into Trenton. Paul drove in with me which made it a lot easier, one of the perks of him being retired! Looks like I am all set to pick a date, submit my application and letter of retirement. Rather exciting.

Right outside Trenton is an area called Duck Island. I have seen the sign for it since, gee, who knows and have wanted to check it out. The day was lovely and we had no set plans so decided what the heck, let's go. I knew there was suppose to be a walking trail somewhere, so off we went. Well certainly didn't turn out to be the experience we were expecting. The road (yes, only one) wound around several factories, warehouses and the like, not the sort of area we thought it would be. Several No Outlet signs had us second guessing whether or not to continue but onward we went.till we got to the end of the road which dumps one into a parking lot. And when I say dumps I rather mean it. Quite obviously this is an area that doesn't see much, umm, tending to.  We saw a trail sign toward the end of the lot and hesitantly got out and headed over to it. The trail itself looked at first inviting as it followed along the waterway with wooded area to the other side. BUT, as we got closer Oh MY. There on the ground was the carcass of a canine looking animal. Couldn't tell much from the neck down as all that was left was bone,but the head, well, could have been a hybrid. Without getting to close, it looked like across between Shepard, wolf and coyote. Man did that give us pause. Talked about Odd feelings. Okay so this is starting to feel right out of the movie Deliverance. Any moment the Banjos were going to start.  Needless to say we decided no, not going down that trail.  So anyway, I can now say I have been to Duck Island and tain't going back!

We then headed to DMV. We recently paid off both cars and were going to see about getting clean titles. WOW, what a nice surprise when the woman there told us she would take the lien holders out of the computer but we didn't need a new physical title. That just saved us $60 a piece! NICE! 

Was such a beautiful day and having done what we wanted to accomplish, we decided to head over to Sandy Hook Lighthouse. I have found it quite ironic that having seen and climbed so many lighthouses both here in New Jersey as well as many other places, the one I had never been up was the one in my own backyard. Every time I have been there, the lighthouse was closed, private tour being held, closed for renovations, etc. Well, today was the day, Finally I got to go up. Loved it!
 For those who don't know, the Sandy Hook Lighthouse house is located, well, at Sandy Hook, Gateway National Recreation Area. I shall write a bit about it another time, I'm rather done for today.

Ta
                                                                 

A wonderful abundance of what looks like small Yellow Water Lillies!

  

I'm In Love

Paul and I went to the Greater Philadelphia RV Show held in Oaks, PA at the Expo Center. This is the third RV show we've been to this year and so far, the best. There were lots of dealers with many different makes and models. The two in NJ, Edison and AC, had the same dealers and mostly the same models, that in itself made this one better. There were also so many more to see. Knowing we have narrowed the field down to a Class C or small Class A, we focused on those. There were three good possibilities and a couple of, "well, it could work". Thing is, this is where we plan on living for the next, oh who knows, at least a year and hopefully, five or ten. We don't really want a "well, it could work", we want a, "Yes, This is good" And, we found it, if it were six months to a year from now, we may have drove out of there in a new RV.

What, you may ask, set it a part from the others, many things. Having looked at so many different units, we know more and more what is important to us. Two concerns are on the top of the list: Small enough to get us in the State and National Parks yet big enough for Paul to be comfortable. Believe me, this is not an easy find. Paul is 6'4" and most Class C so called queen size beds are 74" long. That is several inches to short for him and no, he is not going to forfeit being able to stretch out in bed. Speaking of beds, so many of the smaller unit have corner beds so one of us would have to crawl over the over and slide out the bottom or the bed is on a slide and folds when the slide in is. That leaves the mattress with a horizontal ridge across the middle. If you ask me that is going to get uncomfortable real fast, rather like sleeping on an old sofa bed with that wonderful bar across the middle! The other issue most units have is the shower is to short for him and the ac unit, which is mounted on the roof hangs down into the living space and becomes a nasty head banger.  He could just crawl around on his knees, but that's not really a option.

Along comes the 27QB Freelander by Coachman. It hits all the marks. It has enough head space for Paul to walk freely and stand up in the shower. The bed is a true queen size and not only that but is a walkaround, which means you can access it from the bottom and both sides. It has a couch as well as a dinette, which gives you more seating space and if we have the families along from time to time, can sleep 7 - 8 people. Two in the back in the queen, two in the space over the cab that coverts to a almost queen, two in the dinette converted into a double and one (or two small kids) on the sofa bed! With Sara and Kevin having three boys, that is a bonus. It has nice storage and is well appointed, not flashy and glitzy like some of the Class A's. Another big bonus, it has over 3800 lbs of Cargo Carrying Capacity!!! Many of the Class Cs have just over 1000 lbs and when you consider the weight of the people, water, propane and all your stuff, it adds up fast. We also like that it has no slides. Slides are nice in that they give your more room when out, they are one more thing to go wrong and sometimes you can't walk from one end to the other when they're in. Yep, just about perfect and that's pretty much the best you can get with any RV. Just about perfect for you.

So this is my some day soon!!

Yep, Nice fit!! 

The Poet Of Matawan

Recently, I had the pleasure of meeting a friend for dinner at a local restaurant, The Brass Rail, located along a stretch of Route 79 also called Freneau Avenue in Matawan, New Jersey. Good food, good prices, and welcoming atmosphere makes it a worthwhile stop. I did a bit of reminiscing as I was leaving, thinking of all the different names the building has had over the years. The one that stands out: The Poet's Inn.

The Poet's Inn opened in 1961, with the name honoring the memory of Philip Freneau, who lived in the original house at that location, circa 1700's. Philip Freneau was, among other things, a poet, and newspaper editor. He was often called the "Poet of the American Revolution". Through his newspaper he a strong critic of George Washington and was close friend of James Madison. 

The area surrounding the restaurant is also known as Freneau and has a Fire Company, cementary (where Philip Freneau is buried) and several parks with that name.

One of those parks is tucked in a quiet area where Matawan, Marlboro and Old Bridge borders converge, off Monastery Lane. Freneau Woods Park, part of the Monmouth County Park System, covers 209 acres of wooded land which once belong to a Basilian monastery, the Basilian Fathers of Mariapoch, as well as the Freneau family. There is a 1.6 mile trail with more trail development planned in the near future.

We went to explore the park over the weekend. We were disappointed that while it boasts a Visitor Center, it was closed. 

Visitor Center

Chapel

Love this old tree

We did walk along the unmarked trail, which was easy to follow until we came to a fork. Going to the right, we found, leads to an large swath of land following the electrical power lines. There were further paths along this but the area was so swampy at this time we couldn't go far. Backtracking, we picked up the park trail which loops around to the parking lot once again. Perhaps, one day we will go back to visit the center and see what progress has been made on the other buildings. We didn't see much but did get to listen to a woodpecker and watch a nuthatch climbing around a tree.

It could be considered one of those little known gems.

Not much green this time of year but this tree like moss was pretty.

We decided not to take this path!!

On the Death of Benjamin Franklin
By Philip Freneau (1752–1832)
(April 17, 1790)

THUS, some tall tree that long hath stood
The glory of its native wood,
By storms destroyed, or length of years,
Demands the tribute of our tears.

The pile, that took long time to raise,      
To dust returns by slow decays;
But, when its destined years are o’er,
We must regret the loss the more.

So long accustomed to your aid,
The world laments your exit made;      
So long befriended by your art,
Philosopher, ’tis hard to part!—

When monarchs tumble to the ground
Successors easily are found;
But, matchless Franklin! what a few      
Can hope to rival such as you,
Who seized from kings their sceptred pride,
And turned the lightning’s darts aside!

First No Show

So had my first no show through the Marketplace. Frustrating, but from what others tell me, to be expected. Why? If you change your mind, no problem, let me know and I'll put it back up for sale. Can't make it at appointed time, again, no problem Life happens. Send me a message and we can reschedule. I don't understand people who just don't show up and don't let you know. This should be a nonissue. Oh well, moving on. I certainly can't complain as most things are moving fast.

2 small tables awaiting pickup
another bag of clothes drop off to charity
several books going to library.
2 index card boxes going to library
Rest of our Santas and Snowmen have a new home to go to
Several books, a blanket, and other misc items found a new home
Sewing notions and such have been relocated and rest are awaiting pickup or delivery.
Complete contains of Kitchenware spoken for
Lighthouse collection awaiting pickup

WOW perhaps one of these days the house will look like it's getting emptier.

My Foray Into Facebook MarketPlace

Wow, What an initial experience. We have so much to get rid of between now, selling the house, and hitting the road. We decided it's time to start moving things along. Facebook MarketPlace was a recommended possibility as well as several local Facebook Groups. What's nice is when you use MarketPlace you also post to the local groups at the same time as well. Easy Peasy. Took some picture of several items, decided on prices and posted two of them. Bing Bing Bing went my phone, had people lined up to grab them in less then 10 minutes. Whoa. Posted 2 more and Same results. Crazy! Three of the items were bought and picked up in the same day. If this is normal then shouldn't have as much trouble as I thought! One item still out there but that's okay, if it doesn't sell in a couple weeks, I'll rethink the price and try again.
  Also easy to make the post. Go to Facebook, there on the left hand side (at least on mine) under Newsfeed is Marketplace. Clicking through on that will bring you to first screen, again on the left hand side in bright blue is +Sell Something, clicking there up pops a screen with three choices, Items For Sale, Vehicles For Sale, Homes For Rent. My choice was Items For Sale, which brings you to a form to fill out with the information about what you are selling. Category, Item you are selling, Price, Description of item, and where you can upload photos. Seems you can upload up to 10. After filling that out click next to choose where you want to have it posted. Click post and you're on your way. Now you just wait until someone contacts you. This will be in a private message and you can go back and forth to make arrangements for pickup and/or negotiate a price. Sometimes people will initiate deal but not follow through, that's okay, just wait for next person. I am truly impressed by how well it worked.
  It is recommended you either meet the buyer in safe location or if large item, have someone home with you when pick up is scheduled. I'd want someone with me in either case.  Looks like I may be putting more items up soon!

Went to the AC RV Show this past weekend. Had fun exploring the different rigs but was disappointed there weren't more of what we are actually interested in. There were lots of TTs, 5th Wheels, and super big rigs, but very few of the 24-28 foot Class C. Oh well, maybe the Philly show will have more. It was a beautiful day so we took advantage of the nice weather with a walk along the boardwalk. The show, the walk and a nice dinner out was a perfect way to spend our anniversary weekend.

Ta for now!

Stuff Moved Along:
Curio Cabinet
Dress Form & Customizer
Serger
3 coats to friend's church for their giveaway table
bag of clothes
3 boxes of herbal supplies
Older sewing machine and some sewing supplies boxed and ready for delivery on Thursday

A bit about Cheesequake

Paul and I were chatting the other evening, discussing plans and doing some dreaming. We agree as we travel to a new area we'd like to do a bit of research, finding out a little history about the town and perhaps an oddity or two about it. It's something we will be posted here in our blog as well as any touristy type places we visit. So we decided to get a head start on it and write about different areas here, as well as places we go and what we find there. Shall we begin...

We live in a rather quirky corner of the world, fitting since it is us who live here. The area is called Cheesequake, NJ which is a section of Old Bridge Township, which is in Middlesex County. Our mailing address is Matawan, which is in Monmouth County. Are you shaking your head yet, I do regularly. No, it doesn't make any sense to me either. 

There several different camps as to where the name Cheesequake comes from. All agree it is from the Lenape Indian language but differ in original meaning. The Lenni-Lenape, which means "Original People" or "Common People." inhabited this region for more than 6,000 years. Some say Cheesequake derived from chickhake, meaning 'land that has been cleared.'" or "Cheseh-oh-ke", meaning "upland", and yet others claim Cheesequake is named after a sub tribe/band of the Lenni Lenape called Chichequaas.

Cheesequake doesn't have a centralized town area but it does have a great Fire Station and First Aid Station. 

The largest portion of Cheesequake belongs to one of my favorite places: Cheesequake State Park. The park is on 1,610-acre and one of the oldest in the country, opening on June 22, 1940. Open fields, saltwater and freshwater marshes, a white cedar swamp, Pine Barrens, and a northeastern hardwood forest are the main characteristics of the park. It is has a great nature center, hiking, biking, fishing, boating, camping, picnicking, and several playgrounds. In the winter months, if enough snow, one can find sledding, crosscountry sking, or snowshoeing. The varied environment is home to many different birds and animals: Deer, raccoons, fox, as well as Great Horned Owls, Osprey, several species of woodpeckers and so much more. In recent years has even become home to a pair of Bald Eagles. Paul and I have spent many an hour hiking, swimming, camping, and enjoying this special place. I love taking early morning walks there.

Foggy Morning Walk into the park

Clinton Station and Spruce Run State Recreation Area

   Went up to visit with our son, Phil, today. Decided to have lunch at the Clinton Station Diner, Clinton, NJ. The Diner opened in 2004 and has had a booming business since. A couple of things set it apart from other diners and restaurants. The first thing you will notice is the refurbished, 1927 Blue Comet Train Observation Car attached to the side of the diner which actually offers seating. The Blue Comet Train once ran from Jersey City to  Atlantic City.
   If you go to The Clinton Station Diner  website, you can watch a video of the train car being delivered. At their site are also photos of the car being refurbished. What fun it must have been to see that traveling up the highway.
 Once inside the diner, you will soon notice the amazing dessert case, which is located right along side the cashier so as to tempt you upon leaving. Even better than the over fifty dessert options, is the menu. While in itself quite extensive, you must check out the burger section. There you will enjoy reading about the Greek God Burgers with choices from the 4 oz. Nano Bites right up to the 8th Wonder burger containing 50 lbs of meat!! There are several challenges for the massive burgers including: you and 8 friends finishing the 8th Wonder in a certain amount of time, it is on the house and you could win 2,000!  Needless to say, we did not partake in one of those!

The Clinton Station Diner (photo found online)

After lunch, we took a brisk and chilly walk at the Spruce Run State Recreation Area, also in Clinton. The park encompasses 1,290-acres and surrounds the Spruce Run Reservoir. The reservoir is the third largest in the state and one of the first water supply facilities to be constructed and operated by the state. It is a popular site for boating, fishing, swimming, camping and picnicking. It also offers a variety of historical and natural interpretive programs seasonally. During the peak summer season there is a small entry fee, the rest of year is free. Remember, if you are over 62 or disabled, you can get a special pass entitling you to free admission and parking at most NJ State Parks.
  Today, we didn't stay too long as it was cold and windy. Long enough to take a nice, brisk walk along the shoreline of the reservoir. Wildlife was quiet but there were lots of dog walkers enjoying the park. Was a pleasure to get out in nature if only for a short spell. And, of course, spending time with Phil is always a good thing!.

Check out the icicles hanging from the branches!