Ione and Manfred Woog

On the west side of Allan's house live neighbors, Ione and Manfred Woog.



They also have a sandstone cliff in their backyard ...

and some lovely gardens.



Manfred is originally from Germany and a bit of a 'crazy scientist'. But he is also a gardener and very proud indeed of his garden's production.  His favorite crop is his golden raspberries, a berry I have never seen or tasted before. I know why he is so proud, they are delicious!

Ione stays busy being a friendly neighbor plus keeping up with Manfred's latest adventure. 

You see, Manfred has a cave in the sandstone that he has turned into a laboratory.

  

And I got an invitation to go inside.

At first it seemed like a standard office, though in 'slight' disarray.

A Rock Star.

Then I spied this...he wasn't kidding about 'creating stuff'. 

The cave actually went back much further than the office...

and occasionally I wondered about the construction.  (Note the onions from the garden that are hanging to dry.)

Manfred tried to tell me about some things he has invented but he was talking to a science illiterate.  When I let it be known that my 12V system in the RV was acting up again he jumped at the chance to cure my problem.

The one thing everyone learns when they tackle anything in the RoadTrek is that there is no room to work--and whatever is wrong will be impossible to get to unless you are a contortionist. 

But Manfred found one thing that was very, very wrong.  It seems a fuse had received an extra large jolt of electricity--and caught on fire!  

The RV could have burned up!

I don't know when, or where, or even why.   I never smelled smoke.  The only clue was that the 12V battery had ceased to gain or hold a charge unless I was plugged in to shore power.   Manfred replaced the fuse and the 12V is working. But could it happen again? 

 

The Woogs were a delight and Allan is very lucky to have such fun neighbors.  And I was pretty lucky to meet this 'mad scientist'.