Are you getting tired of reading this boring blog? There seems to be more entertainment being had by comparing verification words than by my brilliant writing. It isn't easy having the discipline to sit down and update this thing after a long day of screwin' off. I only have about three and a half weeks left of this sojourn, so you will be spelled soon.

We are so overwhelmed with history right now that my brain is about to explode. I can't absorb or recall much anymore, so this is frustration. We are in a KOA right next to Harper's Ferry, WV. If you are like I was before this visit you know the name, but not the significance. It was and is a cute little town on the confluence of the Potomac and the Shenandoah Rivers where rifles were made for the government pre-Civil War. John Brown got the idea that he could raid the town, steal the armaments and give them to the slaves with which to start a revolt. He had already purchased hundreds of pikes with Philanthropic monies from the North, but decided that rifles were needed as well. He invited the famous freed slave Frederick Douglass along for the fun, but Douglass said "No Thanks!" The attempt failed and John Brown was hanged in December of 1859, 18 months later the Civil War started. Most agree that this action by Brown was a catalyst. There is the history lesson about Harpers Ferry in a nut shell.

We had a "nice" time in the Shenandoah park. We have been to just about half of the National Parks in the U.S. now, so we are critics. Shenandoah is packed full of turnouts with nice views of the valleys which I am sure are breathtaking in the Fall. The hikes we went on had some relatively nice water features, but a lot of felled timber and clutter. Recent storms of ice and hurricane winds have tipped many trees and the summer green hadn't come in yet to disguise any of it. I can only imagine how busy this park is in the summers as this weekend saw 90% occupancy already. The main campground was big, clean, and well organized. We got the best spot in the whole place with a commanding view of the valley. I just wanted to say "commanding view", but the sight was really the best.

My little "Schmee" as I have been calling her is sick in the back of the R.V. right now. We had the most beautiful spring weather the last two days, but I am afraid that the pollen is flying and Kim has allergies bad, so she is feeling miserable while this weather is so nice. She is convinced that she is going to be all better by morning, but I'm afraid misses glass-is-half-full is going to be disappointed.

It feels like we are headed to the home station of Fayetteville at warp speed. We have got used to seeing so many things and doing it at our leisure, I could do it for another two years, but the funds have run out, so it's back to work. I will let the sniffly girl blog about D.C. I am getting a headache just thinking about the Smithsonian museums and all we packed in.

Hey, what do you know. My word verification is TAJNTGAL. Tagent gal or Tuna and Julie Need To Get A Life. Just kidding, I know at this point if it weren't for the ACRONYMS you probably wouldn't even log on to this boring @#$!.

Love you-ins all.

James

Jees, I had 8 misspelled words with spellcheck. It would be nice if this had grammar check to save me too.

1. Kim on Rose River log crossing 2. Dark Hollow Falls - Shenandoah 3. Lewis Falls - Shenandoah 4. In light of Kim's prior driving record I was eager to buy this shirt for her, but she said she wouldn't wear it, so I had her model it instead. 5. Catholic church on the hill in Harpers Ferry, WV