Has it really been 9 months?

     This our journey of 2018 is now a month old and we can report one thing for sure, that it's rained 60% of the days since we left Phoenix.  After visits to family in Des Moines and Davenport, Iowa and now visiting old friends in Superior, WI. we're looking forward to some clear and dry skies and /hmore golf.  Once again it was great visiting our families and now we are looking forward to visiting uncharted parts of this great country of ours.  The objective of this years journey is to complete our map of visiting all the lower 48 states of the USA.  We have six state the our motor home has not been traveled to and we are hoping to complete those visits this trip.  The remaining six are in the New England part of the country, Maine, NH, Conn., RI, Mass.and Vermont.  This will also make all 50 states for me and 49 states for Beverly (she will still will need Alaska) as far as states we've been in ourselves.

     Seems our country is in a pretty good place right now, and we've been seeing the proof of that ever since we left Arizona.  There has not been one state or one city we've driven through that we haven't seen "Help Wanted", "Now Hiring", "Hiring all positions" signs on a majority of businesses large and small!  HyVee markets with signs on the doors listing positions they are seeking to fill, not just one but a list of 6 to 10 department positions.  Construction companies, large and small manufacturing companies in big cities as well as small towns, retailers, you name it and we've seen the signs.  Just yesterday we passed a 3M company building with signage on a complete wall of the building proclaiming "HIRING" and things like this have been the norm and not the exception!  Drove through a small town in Minnesota yesterday and I notice two things, one population 125 and second a block later a Kubota (small tractor manufacturer) dealer with the marquee flashing "Hiring Tech's" immediate openings!  Bottom line............if you are not working you really don't want to work.  Another example would be a billboard advertising Anderson Windows Co. somewhere near St. Paul, MN. not just Now Hiring but listing an hourly wage starting at $22.19/hour.  Yes our economy is thriving and you take tax returns of young folk with children, those crumbs of $500 to $2000 and record breaking low unemployment for minorities and women we have really good time.

     There is one negative we and I'm sure you all have noticed also, the lines and waits at restaurants is out of control..........no one eats at home anymore!  Not just on Friday nights anymore, but each and every night of the week it's the same thing and yet there are still long lines at the markets.

     We will be in the Duluth, MN. Superior, WI. area of the country until after July 4th and then heading East and from then on more information about where we're at what we've been up to on this journey of 2018.  I look forward to blogging this year and hope a few folks will enjoy reading and following our progress.  I still can't believe it's been 9 months between blogs.......Yes, I know some of you have been cheering these past months and are now cringing in pain! 



   
 
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