Merry Christmas!

Home From The Holler After Part I

The Coffee Cup is back home in her Javaport after spending 42 days up at Raccoon Holler.  We sure did have a grand time camping and making up for all the lost time because of water leaks.  We thought we had them all taken care of, but in fact, I found a wet mattress, pillows, and sheets when I went back over Memorial Day Weekend.

Cousin Rob suggested we put his Easy-Up over The Cup to keep any more water intrusion at bay.  I even went so far as to buy a tarp, cut it in half, and attach it underneath the tent with zip ties. I simply dropped the panels down before leaving each time for home.  It did the trick and we stayed dry for the next two months!

The blue tent was the perfect solution for leaks!

June and July were spent visiting, cooking, and exploring with Rob and Trisha.  We made numerous trips to Walmart for needed supplies and did a construction project on the deck.  I tried out several variations of lights and seating on the deck, took Gracie the Camper Dog on long walks, added some decor to site 86, and enjoyed the cool days and nights in The Holler.

Lights, bunting, & life on the deck

Nighttime was a festive time in site 86 

Gracie & I enjoyed strolling to the lake

In early June, Good Gollie Miss Mollie the golf cart was added to our Holler family.  It didn't take long to realize how convenient she would be when we went over to Rob and Trisha's for meals or taking garbage to the dumpster or enjoying an evening cruise around the campground to look at the lights.  Rob designed some stickers for our inaugural season!

Test driving the soon-to-be-purchased cart

I bought the snazzy yellow cart from Dennis 

Summer of '18 in The Holler

Good Gollie Miss Mollie joins the family

We enjoyed several outstanding meals in June and July with the Cousins . . . Memorial Weekend, Seafood Supper, 4th of July ribs extravaganza, and so many more shared meals.

Burgers on the grill

Seafood Supper with crab cakes & grilled shrimp

4th of July ribs with roasted corn & onions

BLTs & cucumber sandwiches

Independence Day feast

Gracie and Sophie enjoyed their time in The Holler too with many sleepovers.  It was good to have Bec join us!

Gracie enjoying the camping life

Sophie wasn't too wild about the fireworks though

All in all, I had a terrific time camping in The Coffee Cup during Part I of our season in The Holler. Tomorrow Rob and I pull out bright and early for the big trip to Hohenwald, TN where I will take delivery of Mollie (Murphy's Ollie) on Tuesday.  Part II of our grand 2018 adventure will start then.

My sweet Coffee Cup is back home now with all her leaks fixed, looking forward to our next adventure together.  Until then always remember . . . 

"Camping & Coffee . . . Life Is Good"

Projects In The Holler

Having The Coffee Cup set up at Raccoon Holler Campground has been very interesting.  Not packing the truck, not going through my camping checklist, and trying to remember what needs to go and STAY there is a work in progress.

On this Memorial Day weekend, despite the forecast of rain every day, I headed up to The Holler because Cousin Rob and Trisha were going to be camping too.  Rob and I had several projects to complete that we have discussed and planned on for weeks.

I loaded up my new plastic Adirondack chairs and tables from Bed, Bath, & Beyond along with the leaf blower from the Wee Cabin and hit the road about 11:30 yesterday.  A quick stop for gas and a comfort food lunch of a corn dog and Fritos (don't judge), and I rolled in about 1:15.

I zipped Rob a text that I had arrived and he drove over from Row 6 with all our supplies.  The first thing I noticed when I pulled into site 86 was the tarp I had over The Coffee Cup had shifted way forward, exposing her back end.  I knew that wasn't good and dreaded looking inside for wetness.  Boy oh boy did I find it!  The back window had leaked and my mattress, memory foam, pillows, and sheets were soaked.

I stripped all the bedding and headed to the laundry to wash and dry everything while Rob got started.  First order of business was to locate the source of the leak and get that fixed.  It didn't take long to see that the caulking over the back window was totally gone!  Out came the caulking gun and it was Rob to the rescue. Thank goodness yesterday afternoon was a sunny one.

Then it was time for our two scheduled projects: rewire the deck, adding an outlet beside my soon-to-be-constructed cooking table. Rob had purchased all my supplies and brought his tools along in order to compete the electrical work.

Project number two was to construct a table with a shelf so I would have a place to cook outside on the deck.  Rob said that he had run the plans over and over through his head so he knew exactly what to do.  Once again, he had purchased all the wood and screws and brought along the necessary power tools.

We used three leftover pieces of wood to add to the back so I could string up a set of "kitchen" lights. I think he did an outstanding job!!  While he was busy measuring, cutting, and constructing, I put out the big camping mat I brought up, arranged the chairs and tables, and swept off the deck. The weather totally cooperated and by 4:30, we were finished!

You probably notice the blue easy-up tent over The Cup.  That was Rob's suggestion to prevent any further water infiltration. GENIUS and a perfect fit!  We also put up my green easy-up on the deck over the chairs. After supper, we turned on all the lights and declared our day a total success!!

With the threat of heavy rain today, we got out early to Lowes and Walmart with a long shopping list of items to get before the rains arrived at mid-day.  I will report on those projects later when it's not pouring and I can snap some photos to share with you.

Thanks for dropping by this evening for a Java Journey update from The Holler!

"Camping & Coffee . . . Life Is Good"

First Seasonal Night & Morning

Greetings everyone and happy Sunday.  The Cup and I had a terrific first night in our seasonal adventure.  New sheets, a new pillow, and a warm fleece throw resulted in a good night's sleep.  That is until the storm rolled in at 5:00 a.m.  Thunder, lightning, and a downpour woke me straight up.

I laid in bed wondering if the work that Rob and I did several months ago on the front window was resulting in no leaks.  I turned on the light to find not a drip, but a couple trickles of water running down the inside.  Luckily it was right over the dinette cushion and I was able to catch it with a towel so it didn't travel any further.

You know, some people say they love to sleep in their trailer in the rain and find the sound of those drops on the roof soothing.  Not this camper!  The rain lasted about 30 minutes and knowing that there was nothing I could do about the leaks, I was able to get back to sleep until 8:30.  I woke to sunshine pouring in the windows and that's what I love.

If you have a camper named The Coffee Cup, then you know the perfect
way to start the day!

I got dressed, then headed over to Rodie's Cafe for breakfast.  I didn't bring any food with me this weekend, so I was perfectly happy to let them cook for me.  The azaleas were in full bloom beside the parking lot and I just had to walk around the garden to take in the beauty.

Toast, grits, sausage, & a scrambled egg . . . I will return!

The mountain azaleas are everywhere & gorgeous

Next I headed back to Walmart in West Jefferson for more supplies.  Top of my list were bungee cords to secure a tarp over The Cup to keep her watertight until I get back over Memorial weekend.  I picked up a flashlight, a solar light for beside the steps, and a lock for the shed while I was there too.  What I really wanted to find was an outdoor thermometer, but every time I asked someone where they were, I got sent to a different location.  

Back in The Holler I snapped a few random photos, put things away in the shed, and got the tarp bungeed on The Cup so I don't have any water damage before Rob and I can investigate and find the source.  Site #86 is going to be a great site and I am soooooo looking forward to camping there off and on until late October!!

Our version of wind chimes

New solar light for the steps 

Our great shed tucked under the rhododendron

I really hated to leave, but the Blue Ridge needs me

Tucked under a tarp until I can return

Now it's time to knuckle down and get ready for the Blue Ridge Rally.  Splash will probably have a Story or two to tell as we get ready to welcome our friends next Saturday in Virginia.  Thanks so much for following our Java Journey!

"Camping & Coffee . . . Life Is Good"

From 6th Street To 5th Avenue

Hello everyone and greetings from Raccoon Holler Campground!  If you have been following my Postcards and Splash's Stories, then you know all about me scoring a seasonal site here for 2018.  It has been a whirlwind series of events that have led up to this day. One of the pieces to this crazy puzzle was to get The Coffee Cup back in tiptop shape and camping again.

At 8:30 this morning, Rob and Trisha pulled into the driveway with Levi, the big and powerful blue truck, to help make this day happen.  Because I don't have a brake controller on my truck, he volunteered to tow The Cup up to Glendale Springs for me.

Other than the sway bar falling off (I forgot to put the cotter pins back in) just after pulling out, we had a terrific trip up the mountain.  We arrived at The Holler about 10:30 and I got a big ole hug from Helen, my good buddy in the office.  She handed me my seasonal pass to make everything official.

I followed Rob up the hill and we made the turn onto Row 5, better known as 5th Avenue.  It was my first choice of rows and I still cannot believe my good fortune in getting a spot here.  Site 86 will be our mountain home until mid-July when Mollie rolls in from Tennessee to finish out the season.

Neither Rob nor I could believe how level the site was . . . side to side and front to back, we were almost spot on.  Rob suggested that we park near the back of the site to have the shortest distance to the top of the deck and also that we make sure we are a door's width away.  He backed the Scotty in perfectly and got her the correct distance from the deck so the door would open and close.  

Buried in the leaves, Rob found three cinder blocks that were the perfect height to transition from The Cup to the deck.  We got the new tires chocked, cranked down the rear stabilizers, secured the leveling jacks in front, and in no time flat, my Coffee Cup was ready to camp!

Rob and I discussed our plans for Memorial Weekend when we will both be back up here.  He's going to do some electrical work on the deck for me in order to get my two outlets working and also add a third outlet.  We are going to build an outdoor cooking station too.  My deck is 27 feet long, so I have room for the picnic table, four chairs that I will be bringing up, and even an easy-up tent.  Rob brought his big blower from home and made quick work of getting my site spic and span.

We grabbed a bite of lunch over at Rodie's Parkway Restaurant before they headed back down to Claremont to pick up Miss Anne who was having some AC work done.  I started in on unpacking Splish and setting up house.  I quickly realized I needed some stuff, so I took a break and headed to Walmart for supplies. Everything is now in place and I am tickled to be camping once again in the old gal.

My water supply is in the bottom cabinet

Trisha gave me this terrific coffee sign as a
camper-warming gift

The dinette is decorated & ready for meals, games, & computing

Maxwell the Coffee Hound is back in his spot

Life in the Coffee Cup is darn near perfect!

I've made my list of things to bring back over Memorial Day Weekend and I am looking forward to an evening of reading and then a good night's sleep.  Thanks so much for dropping by and letting me share the next adventure of me and my Cup.

Camping & Coffee . . . Life Is Good!"