President’s Report February 1, 2014

January has been cold in the Carolinas. I’m sure not as cold as International Falls, MN but still plenty cold. I was going to be good this year and get the Aqua Hot serviced like we are told. I finished the service on December 31 and everything was good to go. The silly thing quit after our second night at four degrees. I had drop cords and light bulbs through all the bays. I was not winning the freeze war until Martha dragged out an old under the desk heater. That saved the day until I could get a new pump installed. It works pretty well now but it was 50 degrees here today. Off to Florida tomorrow where I won’t need it again until next winter when I forget to get it serviced again. I am working on the Hilton Head Island rally for the Fifth Annual Family of Friends Rally in fall of 2014. We will enjoy a Lo’Country Boil at water’s edge one evening. The Concours d’Elegance of Hilton Head Island will be happening all that week. I am sure the car nuts among us will attend at some time. We will have another group meal or two;; some others will be a’la carte. There are 210 restaurants on the Island. There are so many attractions that it is really hard to decide a schedule. Watch for more in the next Bird Tracks. Remember Joe and Susan Crocker’s Lower Alabama Rally and the James and Scott’s Durango, Colorado rally the first week of June. Jim Miller, the new president of Vintage Birds is hosting the Oswego New York rally in July. 2014 dues are due, same form as always, same address as always. It is on the chapter website: bluebirdchapter.org. Call me if I can help in any way. Travel safely, Charlie

Bird Tracks Technical Tips - February 2014 by: Greg Peterson

For this issue of Bird Tracks, I thought I would share with the Family of Friends two simple, inexpensive and very handy additions that I have added to our coach. Several members have seen one or both of these additions and have remarked that they should be shared with other members. One of the first little handy-dandy's that I added to our coach was very simple and cost less than $50. I use it frequently and I am thankful for it every time. It is a retractable extension cord housed in a reel housing. I purchased mine at Sears back in 2002. There are many sources for these retractable reel extension cords. I would be sure to chose one of high quality to ensure durability and trouble free operation and be sure that the cord extends far enough to reach to both ends of your coach even when tossed under the coach to reach the other side. I mounted mine in the second (from the front) storage bay on the curb side. Blue Bird already had an

outlet mounted there. The only installation required was to mount the reel to the top of the bay and plug it in.

We own a 1999 LXi. It has AquaHot heating with one of the heat exchangers located under the sink in the Throne Room. (AKA, Water Closet, Toilet room, Head, Reading Room) This heater is on the same thermostat and zone as the heater in the hallway. This heater always generated too much heat for the small area in which it is installed and also made a lot of noise. Hence, we either kept the hallway cooler than desired or we roasted our privates in the "special room." I thought of two ways to better balance the heating. One way was to install a separate thermostat in the toilet area to turn the fan on the heater on and off. This would prevent the room from overheating, however, the fan, when activated, would run at full speed, thus, making a lot of noise, distributing heat very quickly and therefore frequently cycling on and off. The second way was to control the speed of the fan on the heater. In order to protect the fan motor and to reduce its current draw, I opted to buy a solid state 12 vdc motor speed controller. I found many such devices for sale on Amazon and purchased mine for less than $15. I mounted the controller's control knob just below the sink and the controller inside the cabinet underneath the sink. I had to use some plexiglass to build a base for the controller module, drill a hole in the cabinet for the control knob and run wires between the controller module and the heater fan. My total installation time was less than two hours. Now our hallway and our toilet area are heated to a comfortable and consistent level. The heater fan in the toilet runs at a very slow speed and is difficult to hear.

DID YOU KNOW? By Sharon Kirby Did you know that you can get help for sinus problems using holistic treatments?

There is a book written by Robert S. Ivker, D.O. called “Sinus Survival – The Holistic Medical Treatment for Sinusitis, Allergies, and Colds”. The first part of the book explains sinuses, what makes them sick, and the difference between acute and chronic problems. He also discusses other common respiratory diseases, and conventional medical treatments. In the second part of the book, he explains holistic medicine, candida, and discusses how your physical, mental, emotional, spiritual and social health plays a part in your sinus condition plus how to change things in these different areas to improve your condition. There is also a guide to holistic specialties (like reflexology, homeopathic medicine, naturopathic medicine, etc.) and answers to frequently asked questions. The fourth edition is currently available, and I believe if you or your loved ones have any type of respiratory diseases that this book will help get you back to better health! Robert S. Ivker is a board-certified holistic physician (ABIHM), a Fellow of the American Academy of Family Physicians, and healing touch certified practitioner (HTCP). He has been practicing medicine since 1972. For the past 20 years, after curing his own chronic sinus condition, his holistic medical practice has focused on the treatment of respiratory disease. Dr. Ivker has also written six other books including Asthma Survival, Arthritis Survival, Headache Survival, Backache Survival, The Complete Self-Care Guide to Holistic Medicine, and Thriving: The Holistic Guide to Optimal Health for Men. He lives in Littleton, CO. For more information he maintains a website at www.sinussurvival.com

Sunshine and Mists by Brenda Rogers. We send get well wishes to Carolyn Greer. She had hip replacement on January 29. She moved to Spa Rehab February 1 and is doing better every day. Cards may be sent to 509 Ashmede Court, Arlington TX 76013. Please remember her in your prayers for a speedy and complete recovery. Olvie Beech passed away Monday, February 3, she and Mack were frequent visitors to the Bird’s Nest and enjoyed the many rallies they attended. Our sympathy to Olvie’s family. We have received news that Ann and Paul Ward are currently in assisted living, we send our get well wishes to both of them. Martha Rowe Vaughn has been battling a sinus infection but has just been cleared by her doctor to travel. She and Charlie are now headed to warmer weather. If you have any other information on members, please let me know! I miss seeing everyone and wish all of you a very happy 2014.

Alternative Uses (by Martha Rowe Vaughn)

Not one of us will dispute that our Blue Birds are wonderful when we buy them. In time we learn that they are indispensible in other circumstances.

“I’m hungry!” I greeted Charlie when I came in the door. “Boy, that’s a long trip at night with all the traffic.” I had been to Raleigh to visit my cousin.

I pulled out all the leftovers from the refrigerator and put them on the counter, selected my choices and placed them in the microwave.

“Listen!” Charlie got real still. “The shingles are flapping. Was it windy when you came in?” “No, well a little bit. I saw leaves blowing across the driveway, but nothing much.”

I pulled the food out of the microwave and sat at the bar near Charlie. Overhead the shingles kept flapping. Outside the bird feeder was blown sideways. “Wow! That’s a lot of wind. It’s raining! Crazy. The moon was bright and shining when I came in.” BLINK! We were sitting in the dark.

Charlie rushed to the closet and began pulling out flashlights—seven of them and not one would light. He went to the bedroom and brought back a new one. He turned it on and I dove into my meal.

“Guess I better call Duke Power.” Charlie pulled out his cell phone, looked up the number, and punched it in. “Seven minute wait.” He commented. “Why don’t you drive up the street and see if it is only us. We live on a dead end road in a woodsy area plagued by electricity black outs due to trees falling on the lines. We’ve had several fires. With the wind still blowing and the rain already over, the chance of another fire was good.

I drove out the street that was littered with limbs and pine needles, but no trees on the lines. By the time I got back, Charlie had reported the outage. We sat in the near dark wondering what to do next and how long we would be without power. Already the temperature was dropping in the house. The landline phone rang and I answered it. A taped message said it would be 8 to 10 hours before the power could be restored.

“Time to move to the Bird.” I announced. That’s exactly what we did. A few trips from the house to the coach and we, including the cat, were set. What a relief to have a generator and a furnace. We spent the night in cozy comfort.

Several years ago before we got smart enough to go to Florida for the winter, we had an ice storm that took down electricity lines all over North Carolina. That time we spent five days in the Bird before power was reestablished. We were able to save all the food in the house refrigerator and cook it.

My grandchildren think the coach is the neatest place to play. They pretend it is their house and love to set the table and play the musical horn. They know there is a drawer with books and games just for them. Spending the night is a special treat. They snuggle into the sofas and go right to sleep. The trips we have taken with them are such wonderful memories.

At Christmas the Bird takes on another use. It becomes an extra kitchen while I prepare numerous suppers and desserts for the family. Our house refrigerator has a tiny freezer so the bigger refrigerator/freezer in the Bird holds all the extras. It is a good place to hide the raw cookie dough that seems to disappear when it is in the house. I can put it in the refrigerator in the Bird and it stays safe until I bake it.

I’ve also used the Bird to hide presents. No one thinks to look there for gifts. When we visit the grandkids in upper Virginia, we park the Bird in their neighborhood and use it as a bedroom

and a quiet place to rest when the activity in the house becomes too much for us. The neighborhood children love to tour the coach, as do the adults. For a while, the grandchildren are the most popular kids on the block.

Last Christmas we had so many people and animals in the house that Charlie decided to stay in the Bird. My son was upset. He wanted the isolation and quiet the Bird provides. There have been other occasions when we, or some combination of children, stayed in the Bird when the number of beds in the house was less than sleepers.

On one occasion, we used the Bird as a party house. Our friends had been asking to see the Bird so we decided to take them on a short trip. Every one piled in and we showed them the interior. Then we settled into the chairs and sofas for a trip up the mountain. We took Highway 52 up the winding steep road to the top. Taking a short road to Interstate 77, we headed down the mountain to a winery. There we enjoyed a wine tasting and returned to the coach for snacks and birthday cake.

Little did we know when we bought the Wanderlodge that it would become an asset in many ways. It is a home, a motel, an extra kitchen, a playhouse, and a party house. How did we manage without it?

Cooking is for the Birds: by Rozanne DeShazer Butterfinger Dessert (Weight Watchers)

Ingredients: 1 prepared angel food cake 1 (1 ounce) package fat-free sugar-free vanilla pudding mix (larger size)

2 (8 ounce) containers fat-free cool whip 4 (2 1/8 ounce) size butterfinger candy bars

1 1/2 cups skim milk Directions: Spray a 9 x 13" pan with cooking spray. Tear angel food cake into bite size pieces. Prepare pudding with 1-1/2 cups of skim milk and mix with 2 containers of Cool Whip Free. Crush candy bars. Layer 1/2 cake, 1/2 of pudding mixture and 1/2 of crushed Butterfingers. Repeat layer. Nutritional Facts for Butterfinger Dessert Weight Watchers 4 Ww Pts Serving Size: 1 (82 g) Servings Per Recipe: 15 Amount Per Serving Daily Value Calories 185.0 Calories from Fat 28 15% Total Fat 3.1 g 4% Saturated Fat 1.5 g 7% Cholesterol 0.4 mg 0% Sodium 254.0 mg 10% Total Carbohydrate 36.2 g 12% Dietary Fiber 0.4 g 1%S sugars 19.4 g 77% Protein 4.2 g 8% ♥♥♥ For more fun and amazing ideas... recipes and motivational weight loss tips Click and join us here===>Www.Facebook.com/groups/HealthyTheNewSkin

RITA'S POPPY SEED CHICKEN (by Brenda Rogers)

8 Chicken breasts 8 oz. Sour cream 1 can cream of chicken soup 1 can cream of celery soup

3 tubes Townhouse crackers, crushed 1 ½ sticks butter 1 tablespoon poppy seeds

Cook chicken and cool. Cut in bite size pieces. Mix with sour cream and soups. Crush crackers and mix poppy seed and melted butter. Stir and pat half of mixture in bottom of baking dish. Put chicken mixture in and sprinkle rest of cracker crumbs on top. Bake at 350 for 30-40 minutes or until it bubbles. Very, very good!

Upcoming Rallies: Lower Alabama Rally – April 21 – 26, 2014 Hosted by Joe and Susan Crocker

Durango, Colorado Rally – June 1 – 6, 2014 Hosted by James and Scott Oswego, New York Harborfest - July 24 - 28, 2014 Hosted by Jim & Sherry Miller

Family of Friends Annual Rally – October 28 to Nov. 4, 2014 Hilton Head Florida Rally March 2015 Hosted by Richard & Sue Ramsey

Susan Crocker takes pictures at each rally and makes a DVD for the attendees. Anyone interested in a DVD can contact Susan at secretary@bluebirdchapter.org Check out the web site for information on rallies, news, and events. If you have an item for the Bird Tracks, please contact Karen James: karen4247@aol.com

or vicepresident@bluebirdchapter.org Watch for an occasional “NEWS FLASH” when information cannot wait for the newsletter!

Durango, Colorado Rally ~ June 1 to June 6, 2014

Make your own reservation at the Alpen-Rose Campground. 27847 Highway 550 North, Durango, 81301. Call: 970-247-5540 email: camp@alpenroservpark.com. Rally is listed under Wild Bunch/Blue Bird. (Camp ground fee not included in rally fee). Included in the rally fee: A welcome dinner, round trip historic train ride, Mesa Verde National Park, Durango Mountain Resort and authentic Chuck Wagon Dinner and Show and a farewell breakfast. We will ride the historic Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad. This historic train has been in continuous operation for 131 years, carrying passengers behind vintage steam locomotives. Come and relive the sights and sounds of yesteryear for a spectacular journey on board. Also included is a trip to Mesa Verde National Park and the four corners area, an authentic Chuck Wagon Dinner and Show, and visit to the area attractions such as Honeyville Farm and the Ute Indian Museum and Cultural Center. While in Durango, you can take a scenic drive through the San Juan Scenic By-way, kayak or canoe, hike, fish, take a Jeep or ATV ride, shop the historic downtown area or enjoy the amenities. There will be a ranch or farm tour available as well as zip line or alpine slide and chair lift. Rally fee will be $320.00 per coach. Mail your rally fee to Dennis James, 677 S. Carr Ave. Lafayette, Co. 80026 Check out the campground on their web site: www.alpenroservpark.com Call Karen James at 303-859-3822 for more information or email: Karen4247@aol.com or Neat at neatscott@aol.com We hope you can join us in the Beautiful Rocky Mountains! Dennie and Karen James and Jon and Jeanetta Scott

Registration for Durango, Colorado Rally

Name: ______________________________________________________________________________

Address: ___________________________________________________________________________

Phone: __________________________________ Cell Phone: ___________________________________

Email: __________________________________________________________________________

Amount: $320.00 coach with two people _________________ $160.00 coach with one person ________________

Extra person $160.00 _________________ Names of those attending: _____________________________________________________

Mail your registration fee to: Dennis James, 677 S. Carr Ave. Lafayette, Co. 80026

Happy February Birthday! Happy Birthday to those born in February! Your birthstone is the Amethyst. Commercial

sources of amethyst are Brazil and Uruguay; while in the U.S., most amethyst is found in Arizona and North Carolina.

The amethyst has a rich history of lore and legend. It can be traced back as far as 25,000 years ago in France, where it was used as a decorative stone by prehistoric humans. It has also been found among the remains of Neolithic man.

It’s said that the signet ring worn by Cleopatra was an amethyst, engraved with the figure of Mithras, a Persian deity symbolizing the Divine Idea, Source of Light and Life. It is also said to be the stone of Saint Valentine, who wore an amethyst engraved with the figure of his assistant, Cupid. Saint Valentine’s Day is still observed in February.

The word amethyst comes from the Greek word “amethystos” meaning “not drunk,” and was believed to prevent its wearers from intoxication. The following is a story from Greco-Roman mythology, as quoted from Birthstones by Willard Heaps:

“Bacchus, the god of wine in classical mythology, was offended by Diana the huntress. Determined on revenge, he declared that the first person he met as he went through the forest would be eaten by his tigers. As it happened, the first person to cross his path was the beautiful maiden Amethyst on her way to worship at the shrine of Diana. In terror, she called upon the goddess to save her, and before his eyes, Bacchus observed the maiden changed to a pure white, sparkling image of stone. Realizing his guilt and repenting his cruelty, Bacchus poured grape wine over her, thus giving the stone the exquisite violet hue of the amethyst. The carryover to non-intoxication was quite logical, and in ancient Rome, amethyst cups were used for wine, so drinkers would have no fear of overindulgence.”

The early Egyptians believed that the amethyst possessed good powers, and placed the stones in the tombs of pharaohs. During the Middle Ages, it was used as medication, believed to dispel sleep, sharpen intellect, and protect the wearer from sorcery. It was also believed to bring victory in battle. In Arabian mythology, the amethyst was supposed to protect the wearer from bad dreams and gout.

AREA DIRECTORS AREA NAME TELEPHONE Alabama Central Teddy Taylor 334-451-0566 Colorado Dennie James 303-859-3904 Colorado Maurice & Rozanne

DeShazer 720-352-6835

Colorado Denver Jon Scott 303-278-0272 Connecticut Greg Peterson 407-973-9304 Flordia South West Arnold Friedenreich 239-537-3153 Louisianna James Weatherford 225-665-1689 Michigan Jack VanDenBerg 269-217-3338 Minnesota Jim & Lynne Olds 612-961-9838 New York Up State Harney Davey 518-569-7740

New York Jim Miller 607-898-4701 cell 607-423-1747.

Ontario South West Len McLeod 905-845-9147 Pennsylvania South Central Ken & Victoria

Curry 717-880-8952

Pennsylvania West Jim Thompson 814-598-2524 Tennessee East Tom & Sandi Bay 352-361-9001 Tennessee Middle Bob Cortner 931-580-2998 Vermont Harney Davey 518-569-7740