Like Lightning Striking Again

A long (make that very long) dash across the good old US of A came to a safe and happy conclusion Sunday as we pulled into Thousand Trails- Hershey, our home base when we are here to visit family. It's a beautiful and comfortable and friendly park. Those of you who have followed the blog for some time, and some of you who have enjoyed it well enough to go back and pick it up from the early days, will remember the "Cosmic Cousin" post, where we unknowingly and unwittingly pulled into a parking slip at this very camp a year ago, almost to the day, and happened to be parked right smack next to Marilyn's cousin - out of a possible 400 or so spots to pick. Something had brought us together. We have enjoyed their friendship and camaraderie at every turn when we meet up on the road since.
So we greeted the gate guard with "Honey, I'm home" and drove on in to pick out a spot that looked good. Found one in short order near the lake and close enough to the club house to get a good wifi signal, but the angle for pulling in was the wrong direction from the direction we had approached it, so as we always do before making a move in a big rig, we stopped for a moment to formulate a plan. A camper parked in that neighborhood walked over to point out the drop between the road and the slip; said he had seen some others come and go and scraped bottom on that spot. I had already noted that drop and decided to drive around the loop and back in from the other side. Thanked him and proceeded around. Once I was in position, Marilyn assumed the position at the back of the slip to signal me in and keep a watchful eye- a procedure we follow religiously for safety- and also in an attempt to avoid the major humiliation of backing into the power pole or something similar while everyone is watching. Once I had positioned the coach where we wanted it, I checked procedure for shutting things down. But before I could even shut the engine down and start to level, a woman from the coach parked directly across from us started walking toward the coach and the drivers side window. Was there something else about this site that I should know? I opened the window.
"Yes?"
"You're Greg; your wife is Marilyn"
Well I already knew that! Obviously I was talking to someone who knew us. But I couldn't place her, so it was almost as much of a mystery to me as when Bob and Susan had posed the same questions a year ago.
Hearing the conversation, Marilyn let out the now familiar Luckraft family reunion battle cry. Had it actually happened again? Does lightning ever really strike the same spot twice? Apparently it not only does; it had.
So with the big diesel still running, hugs, greetings, introductions all around as Cousins Ken and Linda announced their presence. It goes on... They had earlier been in another site, but moved to this one. We had assumed the last site in the H loop that remained open in the area we preferred. THERE THEY WERE!
We had a short visit before heading off to Senior Gundyville for the parents 64th wedding anniversary celebration! A formal dinner of "ARBYS" out of paper bags at the table in the solarium on the back of the house made for a nice informal first visit with the gang.
Later, back at camp, some Luckraft family chat around the propane camp fire was a nice way to end the day and kick back after a long trip and no one had to haul firewood that night.
Like Bob and Sue before them, Ken and Linda will head to Florida later in the winter. See you in Orlando, guys.....but don't park in our favorite site this time. I mean it!!!! (not).

Abby's "cousin" Barney came over for some biscuits and a get acquainted session as well. Cute little rascal is just starting his "full time" life on the road. Way to go, Barney! (I'm still not seeing the family resemblance between Abby and Barney though.)