December 2020 - March 2021New Year, New Adventures
After nearly a month of my being in Scotland, the UK government announced that a new strain of the Corona Virus was discovered in the country and that a new strict quarantine would be enforced the day after Christmas, so I decided to return to the United States. In order to be allowed back into the U.S. I had to test negative at London’s Heathrow airport at a pop-up testing site before boarding the flight to Dallas. Once back home in Louisiana I self-quarantined at a friend’s empty house for two weeks and into the new year. In mid-January at our family’s 200 acre camp in Arkansas, several of us helped plant about 500 “10-year” pine trees. By February I started a vintage RV trailer restoration project spearheaded by a friend with plans to live in it while helping at another friends’ campground in New Mexico for the rest of the year. Meanwhile, a record-breaking winter storm hit us so everything and everyone stopped because there is no such thing as a snowplow in the Deep South. The week of no driving anywhere ended up being a special gift of time with my 95 year old Oma and my mother, as Mom and I took care of my grandmother so her Hospice and other caregivers could stay safe in their own homes. After enough snow melted work was able to resume on the camper and by the end of February I left it to be completed by Steve and went on ahead to New Mexico. March started with learning the ropes of outdoor-oriented hospitality at Midtown Mountain Campground & RV Park, my college roommate and husband’s business in Ruidoso. After the damp cold of a Scottish winter it feels good to be back in the Land of Enchantment and so much sunshine. Add to that a week in my old stomping ground of Taos, complete with earthships on the windy mesa and trail running buddies of yore. Even though the equinox has passed, winter doesn’t seem to be quite ready to leave the mountains, so gotta go make sure all those RV water hoses are detached from the spigots. Stay tuned for more vintage camper renovation updates.
“If we could read the secret history of our enemies we should find in each man’s life sorrow and suffering enough to disarm all hostility.”
— Henry Wadsworth Longfellow
Glenfinnan Monument at the spot where the 1745 Jacobite uprising began on the shores of Loch Shiel, just one train stop from Lochailort, Scotland where I lived in December. The Cameron Clan was heavily involved in this conflict. It seemed like I was the only person in Glenfinnan on this cold lonely Boxing Day.
The one weekend in December it was possible to visit Fort William I found several instances of the Cameron Clan's influence there.
Harry Potter fans will recognize this scene. From the same spot where the Glenfinnan Monument can been seen at the top of Loch Shiel, turn and look in the opposite direction to view the Glenfinnan Viaduct which is part of the West Highland Line railway on which I traveled in Scotland.
Lochailort sheep protected by an ancient moss covered stone wall. There are so many vibrant shades of green and heather in Scotland.
In the West Highland hamlet of Arisaig lives a friendly farmer and her shy Scottish ponies.
A few of the 500 trees planted by Jones Valley family members at our camp. How cool is that!
Nephew John-Michael Cameron plants a "10-year" pine in mid-January at Jones Valley, our family's nearly 100 year old camp in Caddo Gap, Arkansas.
God bless my dear sweet Oma, Marjorie "Margie" Fanta Owen Ward. I love her so much.
Meet "Margie", a 1971 16-foot Terry camper, named for my grandmother and currently being renovated.
Margie the camper required a complete gutting. Luckily I have friends whose hobby is building and renovating vintage campers so we started the project together. First things first, new floor framing. Notice how I'm balancing on the framing because there is no actual floor on which to stand.
Jose Pech helped rip out Margie's old ceiling, certainly the funkiest part of the demolition and for which I wore an old flight suit (thanks Mike Bibeau), goggles, gloves, as well as a face mask.
Margie is insulated and ready for ceiling and wall installation.
Vintage RV Renovator Extraordinaire Steve Shelburne installs Margie's birch veneer ceiling with recessed 12 volt lights.