Forest City, IA - Magic Moments

The theme of the day was from an old Jay and the Americans’ hit ‘This Magic Moment.’ Every day has some magic moments which stand out and form the fond memories that make up a lifetime. Some moments are not so magic but these also form memories that, unfortunately, also stand out. But, as time passes, those not so fond memories fade while those magic moments and the good memories stick. But, what were our magic moments today?

Was it the ‘garage sale’ in the morning? Yep, each section of the campground had a day in which everyone in that section could put our a table with things they wanted to sell. I had some RV things that fit our last RV but not this one. The lady at the table next to me had lots of craft items she makes all year for this opportunity to sell. The woman on the other side had some antique kitchen items she wanted to get rid of before she whipped them off to the thrift store. Now, we might have sold most of our items but a garage sale, by its very nature, for me, can never qualify as a magic moment. 

Was it the RV Care seminar yesterday? This was a very good seminar and both Gary and I learned a lot. I’ve got 4 pages of notes and my handwriting is pretty small. But, somehow, an RV care seminar, while it might be a learning moment, is not a magic moment.

Was it when we learned that our two bar had ‘worn out’ right after we found that our tire sensors had let the air out of 2 tires, one on our Jeep and one on the RV? Ouch. We signed up with the tow bar company for a routine inspection. At the inspection, the tech told us that our tow bar was wearing out and should be replaced. Then we have a tire monitoring system with 10 sensors in which 3 have been giving us some trouble and, when Gary spoke with the reps here at their booth, they told him to put them back on and try again. Yesterday he did and - voila, we woke up with 15 lbs of pressure in one of the Jeep tires and a slow leak in one of the RV tires. Having to buy a new tow bar and a new tire monitoring system? Nope, this was definitely not, by any stretch of the imagination, a magic moment.

Was it Wednesday evening when Cathy, Tom, Gary and I strolled around the campground visiting where many of the states had set up with food, games, displays and good conversation. Cathy hit the target 4 out of 4 times. Remind me not to get into a tangle with her. But it was great fun and definitely a magic moment.

Was it when Marie in the golf cart spied us walking back to our RV with heavy cumbersome loads and asked if we would like a ride? This comes pretty close to being a magic moment. She came at the right time, after 2 flat tires, a worn out tow-bar, several times walking the 1/2 mile between the sales building and out RV, problems getting the tow bar to work and missing lunch because we were trying to solve these problems. Marie was certainly a magic moment.

Was it walking along the tree-lined biking path towards town and finding a neat suspension bridge with every board donated by someone in the community? At one point we saw five boards, all nailed in a line across the bridge with the name of 5 family members, 3 for the kids and 2 for the parents. I can see the kids in the future returning to their home town with their families and looking for their board. Ah, this was a magic moment.

Was it sitting out side Cathy and Tom’s RV in the evening watching the sun set over the trees and hills beyond and enjoying the quiet conversation of close friends? A magic moment for sure.

OR Was it the Jay and the American’s Concert Wednesday evening?

This magic moment, so different and so new,

Was like any other until I kissed you

And then it happened. It took me by surprise

I knew that you felt it too by the look in your eyes

Sweeter than wine (sweeter than wine)

Softer than a summer night (softer than a summer night)

Everything I wanna have (everything, everything)

Whenever I hold you tight.

This magic moment (this magic moment) While your lips are close to mine

Will last forever. Forever till the end of time

Oops, this is not the group we saw. Hardly, We’ve all aged and Jay and the Americans has had 3 different ‘Jay’s’. The concert was good however, since I knew most of the words to most of the songs they sang. It was a perfect night with no clouds in the sky, temps in the 70’s and a large crowd clapping, singing and enjoying the music. Yep, this could be a fun moment, an enjoyable moment, a nostalgic moment, but maybe not a magic moment.

And, thus are days made: some magic moments, some not so magic moments.