Hidden Valley Camping Resort - Mifflinburg, PA

August 13, 2010

We were up early and ready to load the RV for our weekend in southern Pennsylvania with our SMART group. We had been having problems with our step retracting on our RV and had an appointment in Williamsport to have them serviced. It was raining gently when we arrived for our appointment. It took about an hour for them to assure us they had been repaired and we were on our way, with a quick stop at Mickey D's for a salad. As we traveled down the road we noticed our steps had once again come out and wouldn't retract. So much for that service call. Lou drove very carefully to avoid any obstacles that might pop up. We arrived at the campground and got set up just before it stated to rain and rain it did. I believe the total was close to two inches.

Due to the heavy rain, we did not venture out to the clubhouse, we stayed in the RV and enjoyed our books. At 8:00 it was still raining and we decided to make a quick trip into Mifflinburg to look for a place to eat. This actually w as Lou's birthday and I couldn't really think of celebrating his birthday with peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, although that is my favorite sandwich. We ended up at Perkins for dinner and had a delicious dinner and for desert we split Hershey's Choc. Kiss pie that was very rich and tasty. We later found out that the SMART Club had a birthday cake for Lou, and we enjoyed it the next day.

Friday it rained most of the day and we again stayed in for the majority of the day. We did have a pot luck dinner that evening and we were able to gather with the whole group and have a good dinner and for enjoyment that evening we learned a new card game. Hand and Foot. It came easy for me, as it was very near Racehorse that I used to play with my parents and that game is close to Canasta. With Racehorse and Hand and Foot you use six decks of cards. It made for a fun evening.

Saturday morning we were around early and back to the clubhouse for a business meeting. The Pennsylvania chapter (The Keystoners) are hosting the National Smart Muster in September and we have over 120 rigs coming for the event, so as you can imagine there is much planning underway. This event takes place September 6th at Centre Hall Fair Grounds. We will be there for nine days and nights.

After the business meeting, we had lunch and were off to find a place Preston was aware of called Street of Shops in Lewisburg. There are 125 shops located in a restored historic Woolen Mill. This was a dream of a place for me. We spent three hours there and I could have stayed much longer, as we were getting ready to leave, Preston told us there was another set of shops downstairs, so I just had to see it. This was like different antique shops set up. I could not believe my good fortune to find a framed print of a picture that hung in my first grade classroom in Charleston. That picture has been a favorite of mine since then. I had never been away from my parents except, to stay with my Grandpa and Grandma, until I started school at a very tender age of five years of age. I cried for days after I started school, however, I found that the kind gentleman in this picture resembled my "daddy", so as time went by, when I missed my "mommy and daddy", I would look at this picture and it seemed that it was me in the boat with my daddy and I would do a bit better that day. As time passed I learned to love school and did up to the day I graduated.

While at the shop, I also found pieces to go into my Village collection of Pfaltzgraff. This has been a collection later in my life, I started out with Americana and Pfaltzgraff decided to make that a collector's set, and no longer make those pieces. I then purchased Heritage and gave that to my daughter and she tired of it and gave it back to me, it was a large set, service for twelve and I ended up shipping that to my son and daughter-in-law in Florida. I then purchased Folk Art and just wasn't happy with the colors, as my true love was for the Americana. Then I started picking up odds and ends of Village from Goodwill and darn, I really have grown to like that, so after Lou and I were married, we have used that and I found the complete and unchipped canister set there for only $25.00. I also found some small plates and saucers, I almost have a complete set of service for eight. I was delighted. Lou said, he could hear me on the other end of the store, and knew I had found something great. I came away feeling darn good, but we had to leave before seeing the whole area, as we had dinner reservations at The Country Cupboard at 5:00 and we still had to change.

We all had the buffet dinner special at the Country Cupboard, one of my favorite restaurants to eat at and the table chatter was just wonderful. I love to hear other travelers tell of their stories. I sat close to Bernie and Betty Brown, and they were telling me of their adventures traveling for eight months to Alaska. The evening went much to quickly.

It again rained while we were braking camp to come home and rained most of the way home. We arrived home to find that only one half inch of rain had fallen here. Much more is needed.

Today, Monday is going to be catch up day, ironing, completing the laundry and want to fix a nice dinner tonight with some fresh peaches that we purchased at a farmer's market. Tuesday, I am off to Elizabethtown with my granddaughter to see her new college. School starts soon. sss