The Perfect Birthday Card

I celebrated a birthday yesterday . . . it happens this time every year!  Becky finds the coolest birthday cards and I always know I'm going to get a doozie from her, Roger, and Sophie.  Yesterday was no exception because her card was perfect and priceless!

Take a look . . .

Enjoy your last day of 2014 my friends and Happy New Year to you all.  Thanks for stopping by and until I see you again, always remember . . .

"Coffee, Camping, and Cool Birthday Cards . . . Life Is Good"

Merry Christmas Eve

Merry Christmas Eve everyone!  Here's the perfect combination for this day . . . a hot cup of coffee and a couple of gingerbread cookies.

I hope you and yours have a wonderful Christmas Day filled with love and joy.

Fa La La La La

Merry almost Christmas everyone!  Until the big day arrives, always remember . . .

"Camping and Coffee . . . Life Is Good"

Holiday Cheer, Coffee Cup Style

December greetings!  Once again the days have slipped past since my last coffee note.  The Coffee Cup is tucked away for her long winter nap in her Javaport dreaming about trips in 2015.  We were both thinking that you might enjoy a little holiday drink to celebrate another camping year coming to a close.

Freeze leftover coffee in ice trays

Fill a glass with equal parts Bailey's and Vanilla Vodka

Add the coffee ice cubes, stir, and enjoy!

Until the next time, whenever that my be, always remember . . . 

"Coffee and Camping . . . Life Is Good"

Goodies From SOTF

Each year after Sisters send in their annual dues in August, we eagerly await a large envelope from the mother organization.  In that envelope is always a letter from founders Maurrie and Becky, along with Sister goodies.

My envelope came Friday and I couldn't wait to open it and see what they sent.  There has been chatter on Facebook about it all week long with Wranglers asking that we not post photos or comment about what the goodies are.  It takes a while for 5000+ envelopes to make their way all over the country and around the world and they didn't want us to spoil the surprise.

This is your  Spoiler Alert!  Don't go any further if you don't want to see the happies!!

2014-2015 annual patch

Sisters on the Fly decal

Cowgirl Hat silver charm

Big red SOTF bandana

I have already taken the charm to my local jeweler to have it added to my camping charm bracelet.  Next thing to do is to get the patch sewn on my denim jacket with all the others.  I will also put one decal on Splash's door with all the others I've collected on Sister camping trips and the other in The Coffee Cup.  The bandana will get washed and added to my Sister stash.

Until we chat again, always remember . . . 

"Camping and Coffee . . . Life Is Good"

Happy October

Happy October everyone!  I just couldn't resist sharing this photo with you because the colors are so Coffee Cup-ish.  I hope you have a wonderful month of camping!!

Until we chat again, always remember . . .

"Camping and Coffee . . . Life Is Good"

National Coffee Day

Happy National Coffee Day my friends!  For those of you who are not coffee drinkers, I will take your share.  For those of you who are coffee hounds like me, pull up a chair and I'll pour you a cup! The Coffee Cup and I tip our cups to you and wish you a happy happy day!!

On our special day, always remember . . . 

"Camping and Coffee . . . Life Is Good!"

Two Rescued Stools

A year or so ago, my next door neighbor had a yard sale.  There was a pair of sturdy little yellow stools that didn't sell and when I expressed an interest in them, she said I could have them!  They sat and sat and sat inside the storage shed out in the carport gathering dust since then.

During my recent carport cleaning frenzy, I pulled them out and decided that a Coffee Cup project was called for.  So I cleaned off all the dust and spiderwebs, made a trip to Lowes, and picked out a caramel color to match The Cup.

Not wanting to get paint on anything, I did my spraying in the yard away from the house and simply balanced one on top of the other.  Despite a steady breeze, they were easily covered.

My options for the top included a coffee-themed mosaic pattern, painted pattern, or papered pattern.  I really was leaning towards the mosaics because I love the whole process of breaking up plates and turning them into art.  Knowing that would add considerable weight to the stools and time to the project, I dismissed that option.  Drawing and painting a design on top would have been fun too, but lots of work and time would have been needed once again.

Then I remembered the coffee calendar pages that I have . . . 36 of them to be exact.  It was a matter of thumbing through all and narrowing the choice to two.  Out came the Mod Podge, out came the polyurethane, and the project was completed in two short days.  

I took them with me to Mountain Stream last weekend and used them not for sitting, but for side tables. They were the perfect height and weight I might add.  For the price of one can of spray paint, these two little rescued stools were a sweet addition to The Coffee Cup's decor.

Thanks for dropping by today and until we chat again, always remember . . . 

"Camping and Coffee . . . Life Is Good"

Drip, Drip, Drip . . . Not Good

I had a bit of a hiccup last week at Mountain Stream RV Park while camping with my peeps.  While I was down the mountain at a doctor's appointment on Thursday, a rain shower came up.  It was a good thing that Becky was sitting inside at the time, because she noticed a drip, drip, drip from above the front windows.

Upon investigation, she determined it was coming from the screws that attach the window guard.  With Sue's help, they figured out that each drip corresponded with a screw . . . not good, not good at all.

Later in the day, another rain shower popped up and I stood in front of the windows for nearly two hours with paper towels in hand mopping up water!  Finally it eased up a bit and I went to the office to ask if Ron had tarps for sale.  He said no, but he had one he would loan me for the weekend.  So with the help of Geo and Rich, we covered the entire roof and scotched the tarp down with big rocks.

It wasn't a pretty sight but it did the trick and kept us dry for the rest of the weekend.  When the sun was out, I folded the tarp back on itself so the area could dry off a bit.

After talking with Geo and Rob, I know the kind of caulk I need to correct the problem.  But first, it needs to dry out completely here in the Javaport.  I will be cleaning out the V, taking out each screw one by one,  putting caulk in the hole, and finally laying a bead of caulk in the V.  Here's what the problem area looks like . . . 

I don't know if The Cup will be ready for Jordan Lake State Park next week for my outing with the NC Fly-ers, but I have my fingers crossed.  Until then, always remember . . . 

"Camping and Coffee . . . Life Is Good"

Collage Time

Despite a slight wet hiccup on Thursday, I had a wonderful time with my camping peeps at Mountain Stream.  I'll give you the lowdown on the problem tomorrow, but for right now, it's time to share my traditional camping collage.

I'll see you back here tomorrow and until then, always remember . . . 

"Camping and Coffee . . . Life Is Good!"

Greetings From Mountain Stream

Greetings from Mountain Stream RV Park just south of the Blue Ridge Parkway!

After a soapy bath this morning, The Cup and I were on our way about 11:30.

We had to make a quick detour to the local camping center to get a tail light checked out.  Turned out the bulb was burned out.  So after getting a new one and a spare, we were back on the road for our hour and a half trip up I-40.

We got camp set up quickly and we are ready for the weekend!  If you'd like more details, just scoot over to Postcards From The Road for the whole story.

Nite nite from site 13 beside Buck Creek.  Until we chat again, always remember . . .

"Camping and Coffee . . . Life Is Good!"

I'm Going Camping

I'm headed to Mountain Stream tomorrow for some long overdue camping with my peeps!  The Cup and I will be chatting with you tomorrow evening from beside Buck Creek.  This bumper sticker says it all . . . 

"Camping and Coffee . . . Life Is Good"

Spic & Span Floor

Yesterday while out running errands, I stopped by my local tile and carpet place, Midway Carpet, to get some advice about cleaning and protecting the linoleum floor in The Cup.  This has been on my to-do list for several months and in preparation for upcoming trips, I wanted to get it checked off.

Jane asked me how The Coffee Cup was doing hardly before I could tell her what I needed.  She sure has a great memory, because it was over two years ago that I was there picking out complimentary colors of flooring tile!

I explained to her what I needed and she told me she had just the thing:  a cleaner and polisher made by Congoleum for my type of tile.  I wasn't in the market for a shiny bright floor, just a product to take the scuff marks and dirt off and then a liquid sealer and polisher to protect it.  I've given a fair amount of tours this past year and know that there will be many more, so I want the floor to withstand some traffic.

After mixing the cleaner according to instructions and finding a clean sponge I got to work.  Of course it didn't take very long since the square footage of the floor is minimal, but I still worked up a sweat.  Here's what area under the dinette and in front of the gaucho bed looked like after the cleaning:

After waiting a couple of hours to make sure it was absolutely dry, I applied a thin coat of the polish over the entire surface.  It's really hard to tell much of a difference in this photo, but I can definitely see a difference in person and it certainly qualifies as spic and span!  The instructions say to put a second thin coat on after 45 minutes, so I'll do that later this afternoon.

All my bedding and towels have been washed and dried and the last two remaining tasks are to give the interior a good cleaning and the exterior a soapy bath.

I hope you all are having a wonderful Labor Day holiday and until we chat again, always remember . . .

"Camping and Coffee . . . Life Is Good"

Wishing You A Beautiful Saturday

Mornin' everyone and happy Labor Day weekend!

The Coffee Cup has returned from her little trip up the street to Newsome Tire Service and is safely tucked under her Javaport once again.  I was under the impression that the trouble was with her passenger side brake, but actually it was the driver's side.  

The tremendous heat build up on the passenger side hub wasn't due to the brake hanging up, but from that lone brake having to do all the work to slow down the Scotty.  Unable to replace just the defective magnet, Jimmy ordered a new brake assembly for the driver's side.  They got her all buttoned up yesterday and took her for a test drive.  Jimmy called to say that she was ready to brew some coffee and I could pick her up at my convenience!

I'm looking forward to getting her all ready to hit the road on Wednesday for my little Meet Me @ Mountain Stream gathering. After another cup of coffee on this beautiful Saturday morning, I'm going to pull out the vacuum cleaner, some dust rags, and get to work on her interior.  

Here's wishing you a beautiful Saturday morning and always remember . . . 

"Camping and Coffee . . . Life Is Good"

Getting Those Brakes Fixed!

These are not the kind of photos I'd like to be sharing with you concerning my sweet Coffee Cup. They are however, the photos that document the work being done on her that is totally necessary to get her roadworthy again!

With less than 3,000 miles under our belt together, a problem developed with the passenger's side brake.  I make it a habit to touch the hubs when I stop on a trip to check for a normal warm temperature.  The last time I did this, that hub was HOT and I knew something was amiss.

Only a mile away is Newsome Tire Center where Jimmy, the owner, can diagnose and fix anything related to tires, brakes, bearings, hubs, etc. That's where we headed on Monday to get this problem remedied.  I was pretty sure it was the brake, but Jimmy said he would check everything while she was jacked up.

Off came the baby moons, off came the wheels, and the investigation began.  Jimmy determined it was the magnet on the electric brakes that was defective and he ordered a new one for me.  The part will be in tomorrow and The Cup will be as good as new in no time flat.  While he's at it, there will be a thorough inspection of the driver's side brakes, bearings,  and hub also. 

After a bath to get her spick and span and some quality time inside doing some cleaning, the Coffee Cup and I will be hitting the road one week from today for a little gathering at Mountain Stream RV Park with friends and then again two weeks after that with the NC Sisters at Jordan Lake State Park.  I CANNOT WAIT!!  Sorry to yell at you, but I'm pretty excited.

I appreciate you dropping by again despite my lack of posts, but at least know you know the reason for the long silence.  Talk to you later friends!

Frozen Caramel Coffee

I always look forward to a change in seasons when it comes to my coffee indulgence.  Summertime ushers in a switch from hot coffee to iced coffee!  Here's a sweet coffee treat for a hot afternoon called Frozen Caramel Coffee.  Give it a try . . .

Ingredients:

1/4 cup strong brewed coffee, chilled

5 tablespoons caramel-flavored syrup

1 tablespoon vanilla-flavored syrup

1/4 cup cold milk

1 1/2 cups ice cubes

whipped cream

Directions:

1.  Place coffee, caramel syrup, vanilla syrup, and cold milk in a blender.  Cover and blend on medium speed until combined.  Add ice cubes.  Process until thick and slushy.

2. Pour into tall glasses and top with whipped cream.  Drizzle with caramel syrup.

 A variety of flavored syrups that enhance coffee drinks can be found in the coffee aisles for a change of flavor!

Drink up my friends, enjoy your summer days, and always remember . . . 

"Camping and Coffee . . . Life Is Good"

I'm A Bit Embarrassed

I can hardly believe I haven't posted anything here on The Cup's blog since March.  The two trips I had planned for me and my Scotty in the spring fell through and that's the biggest reason I haven't been heard from in three months.  That, and the fact that there's something wrong with her passenger side brakes, has kept us both at home instead of having fun in a nice campground somewhere.

I have a fellow who will get her all fixed up and road worthy again. I just need to hitch her up and pull her a whopping mile to Jimmy's for the work to be done.  This is kinda embarrassing and now that I've shared it with you, I need to get 'er done!

Thanks for being patient and checking by from time to time to see if anything new has been posted.  Gotta get my sweet Cup on the road again soon!  Until then, please remember . . . 

"Camping and Coffee . . . Life Is Good"

The Coffee Cup Trilogy

With the very first footstep onto YNOT Camper Restoration property in Michigan, I had my camera in hand snapping photos. That documentation of my sweet little Scotty has never stopped.

I knew that I wanted to create a trilogy of books beginning with the very first photos I took, the photos that Tony took during the re-frame, and the photos of The Coffee Cup arriving home and of my first  outings with her.  There were great lulls in between each of the books, but with the arrival of an orange package this past week from Shutterfly, The Coffee Cup Trilogy is now complete.

"Book One . . . love at first sight" featured all the photos I took of this 1973 Scotty Gaucho as she sat on the lot in Jackson, MI.  If you have followed along here, then you got to experience those two days as I made decisions that would lead me into the second phase of the Java Journey.

"Book Two . . . back to life" chronicled the long, long process of The Cup's reframe.  It was a frustrating experience and to be perfectly honest, I had my doubts that I would ever receive the photos that were promised to me.  Eventually, Tony did send them to me and I was able to create the second book in the series.

"Book Three . . . finishing touches" tells the story of the designing and decorating of her interior.  It also includes the very first outing to Cousin Rob's rally and the first official Sisters on the Fly trip to Jekyll Island.  The last photo on the last page of Book Three features a picture of her license plate and a quote that simply says, "And the adventure just begins."

Thanks for dropping by today and until we are out on the road with another Java Journey, just remember . . . .

"Camping and Coffee . . . Life Is Good"

Fuel For A Daydream

I'm looking outside at the Bradford pears in full bloom, The Coffee Cup sitting contentedly under her Javaport, and the sleet.  Yes, SLEET!!  With Spring being only three days away, there's just something wrong with this picture.  With all the nastiness outside, the only saving grace is to stay inside and daydream about sunny coffee-filled camping days to come.

Here's an interesting coffee cup and recipe to fuel your own daydreams today . . . 

As you daydream about hitting the road for the first trip of the season but are grounded by Mother Nature, just remember that someday soon we'll be saying . . . 

"Camping and Coffee . . . Life Is Good"

Birthday Coffee

Today I made a trip down to Fort Mill for a belated birthday celebration with Jessie.  She turned 21 last Thursday, March 6, but we weren't able to get together until today.  Being the chip-off-the-coffee-hound-block that she is, I filled an embroidered canvas bag full of java goodies for her.  That included a big 24-count box of Southern Pecan K-cups, another one of Butter Toffee, a gift card to Dunkin' Donuts, and a cool sleep shirt that I picked up in Florida a couple weeks ago.

Then, much to my surprise, she told me there was a belated birthday present for me too.  Can you guess what it was?  Check this out . . . 

Woohoo . . . Dunkin' Donuts coffee.  We both did a happy little coffee dance and declared that . . .

Life Is Good With Coffee!