Much About Nothing

It’s up an’ at ‘em this morning.  Yep, we’re getting an early start on things today.  That’s the way life should be.  Early to bed, early to rise and your girl goes out with other guys. 

Well, are you ready for it?  Are you ready for a “Gummint” shutdown?  It looks like Washington, D. C. is still in deadlock.  A power struggle that is going to leave “we the people” caught in the crossfire.  The problem is that there are too many politicians in “Gummint”.  Mark Twain said, “I never vote for them (politicians), it only encourages them.”  Oh well, we’ve got the best crooks money can buy.

Today the Martins and the Paynes will be pointing their noses toward the Big Bend National Park.  We’re sad!!  We wanna go!!  But, it just not in the cards for this year.  Bon Voyage and Safe Travels – see ya next fall.

We just have the oil to change and the storage shed to close-up before we’re ready to roll.  Then we’ll get out the ol’ check list and start completing the pink and blue jobs in prepping the Little House on the Highway for travel.  Can’t wait to see those smiling little faces in Tennessee once again.

Well, as you can see, I’m struggling to find something to write about.  You pretty much knew everything that I have mentioned this morning so you might as well pour another cup of coffee and pick up the Times to see what’s really happening in the world.

May God Bless You And Keep You Until Next Time - - - - - -

Just A Social Day

The day started with church as usual.  We made a quick pit stop at Wally’s on our way home and then it was off to the Shrimp Basket where we met up with Randy, Terry, Dick, and Pat.  Man!!!  ‘Em shrimp were gooooood; not as good as Market By The Bay’s, but gooooood none the less.  And, as always, it was good to have dinner with friends.

On our way home from the Shrimp Basket we stopped by Clyde and Sarita’s house.  They used to be neighbors here on East Traveler Street and moved to their new home last spring.  It was good to see them in their new environment.  Clyde now has the woodworking shop of his dreams.

After sitting outside and reading for about an hour, we headed over to the clubhouse for the Ice Cream Social where we visited with Don and Gloria.  They had returned to their home in Indiana for a few weeks and have come back to the Plantation.  On Tuesday Norm, Linda, Don, and Gloria are heading for Big Bend; the trip that we had originally planned to go on with them.  That was before we counted our shekels and realized that the budget didn’t have much wiggle room.  Also, we haven’t been on a trip without some sort of incident in the past two years and we’ve gotten a little “gun shy” when it comes to our equipment and long trips into “no man’s land”.  Hopefully this will be an event free year.

On our way home from the clubhouse we joined our neighbors around the “camp fire” at Bob and Pam’s new home.  They, too, were East Traveler Street neighbors and bought a home right behind the ERPU lots.  It was nice to see everyone; we’ve not sat around the fire with these people in forever.  However, Judy is still battling that sinus “thang” and we needed to make a beeline for the house as the dampness began to fall.

Like the title says, we had “Just A Social Day”.  Now it’s back to “packing” for our summer travels.  The schedule has changed slightly as we will now be getting underway on Thursday.  Grand child fix on Friday – Yay!!!

Take Care Until Next Time - - - - - - -  

Marching In Place

If you remember right, a few days back I posted that I didn’t know of a good hockey game song.  Well, a friend of mine wrote informing me that there is a hockey song and here is the chorus:

Oh!
The good old hockey game!
Its the best game you can name!
And the best game you can name,
is the good old hockey game!

Here’s a link just in case you’re interested in hearing the rest of the “Good Old Hockey Game” song:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uZWxErEbQkY.  Thanks Tom.

While I have been washing and taking care of a few maintenance items on the rig, Judy has been busy working on a quilting project.  She’s building a scrap quilt – that’s where you dig out all your remnants and just start making squares out of them.  It’s kinda like a box of chocolates, you never know whatcha gonna git!

The truck has been washed and while I was washing the rig I found some caulking issues that needed to be repaired.  Between today and tomorrow I should have those fixed as well as finishing washing the rig.  Tuesday it is supposed to a rainy day.  Wednesday I will change the oil and filters in the truck and spray the storage shed to keep the bugs away.  Somewhere in there we need to do a grocery run to Uncle Wally.  The bottom line, I will not get the waxing work done while here at Rainbow Plantation.  I’m sure that Chris has a ladder that I can use for waxing once we get to Wild Duck Campground in Maine.

We’re going to meet up with Randy, Terry, Dick, and Pat after church today for an “all you can eat” shrimp dinner at the Shrimp Basket.  Not exactly in line with our dietary needs, but yummy none-the-less.  I’ll leave the French fries and other gunk for the kitchen crew to deal with while I just eat the shrimp – sounds like a plan anyway!!  Tonight we’ll totter over to the clubhouse for desert, the Ice Cream Social.  Can anyone say, “lot’s of WW points today”?  Let the good times roll!!!

Take Care Until Next Time And Remember To Give Thanks - - - - - -  

Be Prepared!!!

Wow!!  Our good friends, Mike and Peggy, went through a hair raising experience yesterday when the base plate broke loose from their toad.  Fortunately it happened at a Love’s truck stop and not at full speed on the highway.  We thank God that no one was hurt and that everything can be repaired.  You can check out their version of the event on their blog:  Maineiacs In Motion. 

It’s time like those that make you double diligent in checking and rechecking your equipment.  Mike stays on top of maintaining the motorhome and the car.  He is fastidious when it comes to preventive maintenance and takes action before things fail, but sh-, eh, stuff still happens.  For instance, I’m “Johnny on the spot” when it comes to tire maintenance, but we’ve still had two blowouts.  I crawl under the coach and inspect axles, shackles, welds, etc., but our water tank still broke loose.

The hitch is something that stills scares me.  Even though I inspect it, I often question what the tensile strength of the bolting after eight years of use.  Everything looks just fine with no wear, however, not everything can be seen with the naked eye.  Can you imagine what would happen if the hitch broke loose?  Perish the thought.

That’s why you just do everything you possibly can and leave the rest in God’s hands.  You could scare yourself to staying right in the back yard and not doing anything; what a shame that would be.  So, just be prepared to encounter problems on the road.  Hopefully they will be manageable and you’ll be up and running in short order.

Be Safe, Have Fun, and God Bless Until Next Time - - - - - -

Just Doin’ It, Doin’ It

The real countdown begins now – it’s just days now before we pull up our stakes and leave.  As you can really, really tell, from our past couple of blog entries, we’re waaaaaay overdue for a grand child fix.  We need to get up to Murfreesboro more often, but it takes 42 gallons of diesel fuel to make the trip.  That’s 42 x 4 = $168 one way, times 2 plus $20 per night site fees means $500 for a one week’s trip.  Throw a couple extra trips into a year and that’s an additional thousand bucks.  Grandkids are more than worth it, just not sure we can afford it.

Basically, I’m rambling because it’s hard to find all sorts of different ways to write about the fact that we are getting ready to hit the road.  I can tell you that I washed the coach’s roof yesterday and will finish washing the coach today after the katts get their shots this morning.  I purchased the oil and filters for the truck yesterday and will be accomplishing that task shortly.  Also, I need to mow the lawn, but the lawn mower was broken - “they” have a new one now so I need to throw that into the mix.  But, all that may just be TMI or at least more information than you want or need while swilling down your morning cup of coffee.  Anyway, we’re just doin’ it, doin’ it.

May God Bless You and Keep You Until Next Time - - - - - -