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A wonderful evening and the one good thing about Fieldridge

Saturday May 25, 2013
Fieldridge Acres
Charlotte, North Carolina

 

 

We’re on a roll of let downs since the COE parks of Alabama and Georgia but I think we just hit the nadir with Fieldridge Acres.

 

Can’t tell you our site number.  They don’t have any.  They are just all back in sites in a row on both sides of  this short street.   At the end, about 4 coaches up from us, is the busy Wilkinson Boulevard.  Right there just beyond that last 5th wheel.  Or what is that thing with the arms?  Overhead we  have the flight path to the Charlotte airport.

Friday in Charlotte 003

 

Here is a closer shot of cars going by on busy Wilkinson.  This is pretty early in the morning so there are only two cars visible.

Friday in Charlotte 005

 

 

Our front yard is the road.  Our back yard is  single line of trees separating us from a construction site where they vrooom and beep beep all day.  Our side yard is Ruby.  Luckily, we won’t be here most of today and we leave in the morning.   Two days here has been quite enough.

 

Friday in Charlotte 007  

 

 

BUT in addition to all its many charms, there is actually one good thing about Fieldridge Acres. 


There are no rules against washing your car or RV.  SO FINALLY both Ruby and Winnona get a bath.   That will take the top layers of grime off before we get back to Charlottesville to give them a wash and wax, an oil and filter change and a general spiff up.

 

David & Heather 002

 

 

About 1:15 we leave for Dave and Heather’s about 30 minutes away from us. 

 

They have a beautiful home in a lovely golf community.  Dave plays golf and Heather tells me she’s trying.   I’m a miniature golf player and not much of a one of those.

 

 

David & Heather 008

 

Dave gives his uncle a tour of these mighty fancy digs.  I get this picture of the two of them. 

David & Heather 004

 


Dave’s the chef this evening and he’s doing his famous Carolina pulled BBQ’d pork for us tonight.  I think he knows that pork was our favorite meat.  We’re looking forward to this foodie time out.

David & Heather 005

 

 

It’s a beautiful day and we sit around in the driveway near the grille so the chef will be close.  We chat most of the afternoon away.  At one point the guys go off to 201 Central for a little craft brew and wine shopping.  I warn Heather how long this might take.

 

David & Heather 006

 

 

Matthew comes to get me to see if I’d like to meet a puppy who lives next door.

 

  Well you bet I would.  Who wouldn’t.  Seems the neighbors have a bulldog puppy and he’s about the cutest thing I’ve ever seen.  His name is of course Winston.  Aren’t they all named Winston??

David & Heather 025

 

Matthew is trying to help us get a good picture of Winston and forgets to look at the camera himself.

David & Heather 028

 

But here’s a great picture of Matthew and his Dad.  Heather’s boys!!
What a great looking pair they are.

David & Heather 037

 

 

OK enough handsome men and cute puppies, let’s get back to that food.

Heather makes up some delicious home made slaw.  She and Dave slice potatoes into french fries.  These nearly disappear when Heather takes the first batch out of the fryer and invites everyone to help themselves.  She makes a second batch too but we need to get that BBQ on the plates before those fries are all gone.  I think you might need to fry up an entire bag of potatoes for this group.

 

David & Heather 014

 

 

Now seriously doesn’t that Pinky’s shirt look much better on Heather??

David & Heather 022

 

The two Davids test the BBQ just before serving it.  What do you think?  Are they in heaven?  We actually do sit down and eat this great meal but I am too busy stuffing my face to even think about taking pictures.  mmmmm good!

 

David & Heather 038

David & Heather 039

David & Heather 040

David & Heather 041

David & Heather 042

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

And now for a family gathering.  Some folks show movies, Heather has pictures.

After dinner, Heather has a box of pictures she’d been given of Dave as a kid.  She wants to show them to David and see if he can identify some of the people and times they didn’t recognize.  Even Matthew has a great time seeing pictures of his dad as a little boy, at school, in Halloween costumes and of his “great uncle David”, as he calls him, on his Harley motorcycle.   HA – how did you get to be so old - “great uncle”??

They discover that David Jeffrey was the cutest curly headed boy ever, that Matthew looks amazingly like his grandfather Jeff at his age, that I didn’t recognize one picture of Dave’s mom, David’s sister Gail and swore she was someone else.   And I knew Gail well.  Is it my eyes?

 

David & Heather 045 

David & Heather 046

 

But all good things must come to an end even nostalgic picture looking.

They are all still going at it great guns when I look at my watch and it is nearly 11:00.  How did nine hours disappear??  We have a half hour drive and need to get on the road tomorrow morning for Virginia.   David probably would stay until the wee hours of the morning, that’s like him.  Be forewarned, if you invite him over, you may have to throw him out.  What is that thing about fish and house guests??

As usual, I get to be the party pooper.  Not a favorite role of mine, but somebody’s got to do it.

 

We had a great time and wonderful food. 
Heather and Dave are terrific hosts!
Thanks to you two and Matthew too!!

High 5 is exactly right!!
See ya next time.

David & Heather 013

20 comments:

  1. I think I would have had to stay overnight. I don't drive after dark, and 11:00? No way. :) Great visit you had there.

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  2. What a score for a bath for your home :O) Then partying to the wee hours with family...so happy to see all the smiles!

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  3. Glad to see you made the best of this park and had a great day with family nearby. I am afraid that I am like David and always have a hard time leaving the party. Poor Vic has to give me the eye and then I am usually convinced it's time to go. That puppy is too cute!

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  4. It's so strange to see Winnona in a structured park setting, especially one like the above! Glad she had a semi-spa day and that you guys had such an AWESOME visit!!

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  5. That looks like good times!!! That bulldog puppy looks just like Carl USED to look!!!

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  6. What great fun you had!!! Nice that you could help identify some of their history:o)

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  7. Sorry to hear the RV park was so dismal. You've stayed in such great places so it was doubly hard to be in a place like this one. The meals sounds great and made me hungry after I've eaten a big dinner, and seeing old pictures is always a favorite thing to do, I think.

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  8. Good time visit's a trade off for crappy RV Park. Moving on....

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  9. I'd say welcome back to civilization, but I know better...

    At least you had a grand old time visiting Heather and her two boys! How cool that you got to eat some of that vegan pork, too... ;c)

    Did you smuggle Winston home with you? I'd bet the thought must have crossed your mind! :cD

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  10. Sounds like a great visit with family. Real BBQ too. Hard to beat that.
    Syl

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  11. I'm with Betty..Winnona doesn't look the same in cement surroundings. Least you have a place to wash her up!

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  12. Glad you had time with family to soften the blow of leaving Mother Nature. I've been down south of Atlanta staying with my grand daughters now that they are out of school and their Dad is traveling. Their Mom is away so it was time for Gramma to visit. I felt badly because I would have tried to get down to LaGrange to meet you in person if it wasn't for this obligation. I think of you whenever I walk out into the garage. There are three kayaks staring right at me. Michael, my son, takes the girls to explore the many little lakes nearby. A week or so ago, he and some of his friends were dunked in a swift current up near his cabin.

    You and David have fun no matter where you are. I'm anxious to see you back in a forest or at the beach, though!

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  13. That park had to have been a shock after the great parks in Mississippi and Alabama! But sometimes we have to do what we have to do for a good shower :) Looks like a great time with family and great food too. You can't get much better than that!

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  14. That RV park really looks awful. But getting to wash Winnona was a big plus. It's so hard to find a place that allows you to do that.

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  15. The park isn't much, but the BBQ sure looked good. Can't wait for some North Carolina style BBQ.

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  16. the bbq looked wonderful..and I hope you smuggled Winston out of there hes so cute..nothing like time with family!!!

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  17. ah ...handsome men and cute puppies ... and food... my kind of blog post... ;)

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  18. Looks like some good BBQ. Always good to spend some time with family even if you have to stay in a parking lot.

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  19. Fun pictures! Looks like a great time - wish I'd been there too - food, family, puppies - my kind of afternoon :) The campground, on the other hand, looks less than the best.

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  20. What a great picture of father and son. Looked like a nice kick-back day with family and lots of good food. And of course that puppy is cute, cute, CUTE!

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