Sunday, November 30, 2008

Chilly, Blustery Day. External Hard Drive

I didn't even open the patio door to the screen porch to let Bobcat out this morning, it just looked too chilly. MaeMae just ran quickly part way up the pathway to do her thing, as the north wind was blowing in the back yard.

I had some food that I wanted to give the ducks and catfish at the lake, so I took MaeMae with me so that she could run around the field at the lake. I had a container of watermelon that Jay had left here a few days ago, and he knows my hands won't open that brand of container, so I stopped there to get him to open it for me. He wanted to keep MaeMae for the few minutes that it would take for me to go to the lake and back, so she got some play time with him. She absolutely adores him as he feeds her people food. The minnows at the boat dock were waiting for me, and they enjoyed the watermelon and scraps. Part of the food chain, as I guess the catfish and ducks will eat the minnows.

The rest of the day it just got windier and chiller, so we just stayed indoors and I researched some more things on the computer. I wanted to buy an external hard drive, as I thought that would be the best way to store the pictures that I have on AOL's Picture Storage, which is closing down. My pictures were transferred to the site that AOL recommends, American Greeting's Photoworks, but if it is like Picasa, I can only see them on this computer and not the laptop, too. With AOL Picture Storage I could see them on either one. So, in my feeble computer illiterate mind, I thought that would be one way to see them on either computer. I hope I am right, and that I can figure out how to work it.

A quiet day.

Saturday, November 29, 2008

Big Contrasts from Thursday in Town

It was almost 60° on the screen porch at 6.00 this morning, I let Bobbiecat out there, but left the patio door open so that she could change her mind. I hadn't looked at the forecast but
I knew that I would have to make my weekly trip into the next town.

The stores that I needed to go don't open early, so I just did a few odd jobs before I left. I brought Bobcat in so that I could lock that patio door, and made sure that MaeMae went out for a last call. I couldn't get what I wanted when I was in town on Thursday as everywhere was closed for Thanksgiving.

I couldn't believe the difference as I was driving down the freeway. Last Thursday all the mall parking lots were empty. I pass three on the way. There was plenty of space to park in front of stores everywhere in town, but today the whole town, and freeway, teemed with traffic. Some drivers were acting really crazy and racing along weaving in and out of the traffic. One just absolutely ran right across in front of me through a red light. I guess it will get worse before Christmas, with more Christmas 'spirits'.

Jay's mother is going to stay in Houston at her daughter's house so that she will be closer when they beep her that they have a liver for her. She is getting weaker and there might not be anyone around to drive her into Houston when the time comes. So that meant that I had to be prepared to take care of MaeMae for a while.

I went to a pet store and bought her some really good dry food, "Royal Canin for Mini Dogs over 8 years old". She is 5 lb. and 11 years old. Bobcat is doing so well on the "Royal Canin Cat Food for Cats over 10 Years", and has had no more digestive disturbances since she has been on it, so I am trying it on MaeMae. I had bought her some really good canned food the other day, and she likes it, but she needs to have some dry to scrunch on, just like Bobcat, and the foster cats. It is good for their teeth. They all have a little canned food morning and night. Mostly just to show them that I care.

A stop at Lowes to get some tiny dowel for a little bamboo stool that needs fixing. At first it looked like it was just going to be simple job of stapling the bamboo strips back on, until I looked at it. I saw several things there that I was tempted to buy, but restrained myself. One thing that intrigued me was that ShopVac had come out with an upright. But I have an upright for the house, and a commercial upright Hoover for the workshop, plus all the other ShopVacs, and the Shark, so I didn't need it. Though it was very light, only 7 lb. and would have been easier for me to use than the Commercial Hoover that I have for the workshop rubber backed mats.

It got colder as the day progressed, and I had to run the heater on the way home. The windshield was misting up with such a very light drizzle that it didn't even need wipers. By the time I got home it was downright chilly, and then started raining. It had been so nice the last few days having the house windows open, but I had to turn the heat on again.

Then I watched "Change Your Brain, Change Your Life" on PBS. That was interesting. You are what you eat ! And what you do ! I must remember to drink more water that hasn't been run through the coffee maker.

Just a shopping day.

Friday, November 28, 2008

From Colons to Christmas

Yes, that is a strange title isn't it ?

I was looking up some medicine that I have, on a health site. I wanted to make sure it was for my symptoms. My cold has settled in my chest, and I wanted to make sure it was a decongestant, before I took it. I happened to see someone mentioning the show that Dr. Oz did on Oprah called "Everybody Poops". I hardly ever watch Oprah, but I had seen that show, and it was informative.
http://www.oprah.com/slideshow/oprahshow/slideshow1_ss_yourbody_digestion/1

One thing link lead to another, and I was on Oprah's site. I had never seen Oprah's site before, but there in "What Everyone's Talking About" was the subject "Jesus Was not Born on Christmas", and that intrigued me.

I was amazed that so many folks really think that they are celebrating Christ's birthday at Christmas. He was 33 1/2 years old when he was put to death, so that made him born around September or October, when the shepherds could watch their flocks outdoors. If they had the census in December, no-one would have shown up, as the traveling conditions would have been too harsh. The only birthday celebrations that are mentioned in the Bible are not Jesus', as it was considered that the day of one's death was more important than the day of birth.

Then there is Santa Claus, or Father Christmas, or St. Nick, who was dressed up in the modern red and white clothes by the Coca Cola Company.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Santa_Claus
and this custom doesn't seem to have anything to do with the birth of Christ.

Then the Christmas trees. They were cutting down a tree out of the forest and decking it with gold and silver back in Jeremiah's day. Jer:10.2-5 http://kjv.us/jeremiah/10.htm which was written 600 years before Christ's birth.

Just a lot of traditions that have no Christian basis.

A researching day.

Thursday, November 27, 2008

Quiet Thanksgiving with Mindi and her Family.

Injun and Pilgrim for Thanksgiving Day.
It was warm when I got up this morning, and Bobcat was out on her screen porch at 6.00 am. It was lovely all day, and I could keep the windows open.

I read my mail and drank coffee, and then thought I would do a free 'Microsoft OneCare.Live' scan like Chris of Geeks on Tour suggests doing every month or so. That turned out to take about all morning. It said I had to un-install my McAfee, or they would conflict. I did that, and then the OneCare scan takes quite a while, but it is supposed to fix things, too. Then I clicked on another place, and it checked some other stuff in my computer, then it started the scan all over again. There was no way to stop it without it checking some other stuff on the list, that I wanted checked after the scan, so I let it run it's course. Then I had to un-install the OneCare, so I could get my McAfee back in here. But at least I know that it is all checked out now. I nearly put AVG in here instead, but the McAfee has been doing alright and comes free with AOL.

Mindi, the flight attendant who I have been babysitting her dogs for 10 years, called last night and said that she had been working too many hours and just didn't feel like making the trip to her deceased mother's family, so I wouldn't be taking care of her dogs today. She invited me to eat with them in Conroe, and we settled on Golden Corral at 2.00pm.

About 5 months ago Mindi and her husband had adopted her 16 month old 2nd cousin, Noah. The baby had been put in permanent foster care because of some trauma with the birth mother and father, prison and/or drugs, I think. Mindi had always wanted to have a people baby and never had one. Her 5 poodles are her babies. I had seen Noah in their truck when they picked up the poodles, but I had never really been around her with Noah until today. He was a joy to be around, not like some of the screaming brats that one encounters in restaurants.
I should have known that the baby would behave. Her poodles are loved to pieces, but they are all voice trained, and very obedient. I could take them anywhere, not even on a leash, and they would obey me. In fact when I first used to take care of them, I didn't even have a fenced yard. I would take them out, let them do their thing, and then clap my hands to get their attention and say "Come On", and they would all run back into the grooming room. Mindi and her husband absolutely dote on Noah, and are just tickled pink with every little thing that he does, but they also make him behave. The poodles love the baby too. So that is one big happy family.

A Happy Thanksgiving Day.



"Lord, as I sit down to a Thanksgiving table once again, I want to thank you for Your goodness to me.

Thank You for meeting my needs every day--for food and shelter and clothing. And for the many extras You provide that I so often take for granted.

Thank You for family and friends who make my life complete. Thank You that even when we are miles apart, we are bound by the cords of Your love.

And I thank You that I live in a country where I am free to worship You and to read Your Word.

Most of all, I thank You for Your Son, Jesus Christ, who is the "light of the world."

When I turned to Him, He flooded the darkness of my soul with the light of Your love.

Thank You that He not only died for my sins, but that He is alive today at Your side--hearing my prayers and preparing a home for me in Heaven.

Thank You that He came into this world and took up residence in my life as Savior, Lord, and God.

Thank You for all that You have given me as a Christian: the Holy Spirit who is Your presence in my life, the Bible that is a light to my pathway, Christian friends who encourage and help me.

Thank You that I can face tomorrow with hope because Jesus is living for me. O, Lord, how truly rich I am! Thank You for all You mean to me.

"Be thankful unto Him, and bless His name. For the Lord is good; His mercy is everlasting; and His truth endureth to all generations" (Psalm 100:4-5)."

Wednesday, November 26, 2008

Another Class A, Airstream 36' Landyacht.

Today, even though it wasn't really cold, I couldn't get warm.

I didn't do much except research stuff on the computer, and normal everyday tasks. Like feeding the animals, and me and cleaning up the house.

Little Sheba, Mindi's very old little poodle with the collapsed trachea will be here tomorrow, and I hate to hear her coughing all the time. I can still hear her coughing after she has gone home! I thought I might find out how to relieve her a little bit. I feel so sorry for the little thing.

I was asked about the Class A Airstream that I had. It had been a mobile X-ray unit, and even though the front was left intact and used as a waiting room, the rear bedroom had been gutted and made into the exam room. The shower had been made into an other vanity, so that the staff would have a separate place to wash their hands, away from the regular toilet and vanity. When they took all their equipment out to sell it, they really marred up the oak floor.


Because of the way it had been made originally, I could see that it had been a twin bed arrangement by the way the tanks, water pump, etc. were laid out, so I had to go back with that. This is what we did to the bedroom, but we also made it so that the twin beds could be made into one king size bed. We added a computer desk at the foot of one bed, and a chest of drawers at the foot of the other.

We tore out the extra vanity that they had installed, and I bought a shower pan the right size, shower surround and a concertina shower door, gold faucets to match the other part of the bathroom across the aisle, and made it made back into a shower.

The outside was covered in purple vinyl, with a bit of white, and the rose swooping graphics in the front. There were letters all
over it advertising their clinic, and this was the best we could do with the outside. The whole back part was purple with white writing, but we managed to steam most of that off, and at least make it mostly white.



We refinished the oak floors and changed all the drawer pulls and closet handles to match. Put a door on one of the closets, and quite a few other things.

I had it down at a consignment place for sale, and it got broken into down there and the AM/FM/CD was ripped out of the dash, and someone had hit a building with the top of it, and it started leaking.


We had to bring it home, really clean it up, and work on the bedroom all over again. Eventually just traded it for two vehicles, as the Property Owner's Assoc. doesn't really allow RV's to be parked here, unless they are on a separate lot.

The guy that got it, turned it around in the cul-de-sac at the front of my third lot, when I had already told him that I would lead him around the streets to get that big thing turned around, as there wasn't room in that cul-de-sac. Silly sod, he got it really hung up on someone's culvert, and I had to call Good Sam ERS to bring out a big wrecker to get the front end out of the culvert.

A reminiscing day.

Tuesday, November 25, 2008

Pugsy, Class A. Raked Some More.

It was chilly again this morning, when I went to get Jay. I bundled up in a scarf, coat over a cardigan, over a T-shirt. Optimistically I had a tank top under all that, hoping that it would get that warm, but it didn't.

One of the first things we did was to get out a jack and straighten the front bumper on the front of "Pugsy". Pugsy is a 1968 19' Venture, made in Banning CA, molded fiberglass Class A that I have owned for years and years. Being molded fiberglass it has stood the test of time, and doesn't suffer from roof leaks, like most RV's, which is what usually 'kills' them. It has a side door, and a rear door, and a wheelchair can turn around inside, the aisle is so wide. My son borrowed it for an extra bedroom, and I only just got it back. The bumper is on an adjustable vertical slide, I don't know why. We had to jack up the bumper to get it straight, and then tighten up the bolts. That meant getting out the 'big guns'= the half-inch drive deep sockets, ratchet and a cheater pipe. Now it doesn't look lopsided any more, so I need to take a new picture !! It has more cabinets, closets and drawers than you can ever imagine in 19'. I will take pictures of the inside, too. I won't drive it, as it doesn't have a driver's door, so I need to sell it next. It runs like a scalded cat with an Industrial Wide Block 318 V8 in it. I have had the transmission and brakes rebuilt.

We also sprayed the motor on the Puddle Jumper with engine cleaner, so that the mechanic might be able to find the water leak easier.

We strung all the hoses out to the burn pile and set it alight, and raked up most of the pine needles on that lot, too.

My cold is making me short of breath, and I can't do much today.

Monday, November 24, 2008

Roofs Cleaned, Yard raked.

Just everyday stuff on a sunny warm day.
Bobcat spent a lot of time on her screen porch basking in the sunshine.
When I went just the mile to pick up Jay, the car steamed again. Jim hasn't looked at it yet.
Jay got up on the roofs, blew the pine needles off, and we raked them all up.
It was a bit breezy, so not safe to burn them.
I was 'nummy' for meatloaf, so I made one tonight, and baked a potato while the oven was on.
MaeMae is still here, her "mom" is out of the hospital, but still not well enough to drive back up here, so she is staying with her daughter in Houston.
Snack, the gray cat, and Pepper, the little black kitten, are still here, too.
I am still here, too, though maybe not all 'here', as I still have my cold today.

Sunday, November 23, 2008

Nice Warm Day. Heaters Off. Windows Open

It was in the 60°s, and sunny, when I got up this morning.
Bobcat could go out and survey her kingdom from her screen porch.
Also I could wash my hair, and wear a tank top instead of being all bundled up.
MaeMae spent more time in the back yard, instead of a quick pee and run back into the house.
Even the transmission in the washing machine made the agitator go at a happier beat.
It just makes everything so much nicer when it is warm again, and the sun is shining.

A great day.

Saturday, November 22, 2008

RVport Finally Cleaned Out.

It started out in the windy 40's, and several of layers of clothes were in order. I couldn't keep warm, even in the house, wrapped up in turtleneck and cardigan, and then I felt like there were goosebumps of cold all over me, I guess that is the effect of this head cold.

I spent the morning doing some odd jobs, cleaning, laundry, searching the web for the 'perfect' RV, answering emails, etc. It was too dreary and cold to work outside.

After lunch, with the sun shining it had warmed up into the 50's, so Ray and I tackled the RVport. We got all the door slabs, buckets, and yard sale boxes put away, and got the RVport ready for the motor home to come back in.

With finding the gas cap off it and thrown on the ground the other day, we looked for signs of sugar, or something, having been put in the gas tank. No signs. I still haven't climbed up in it, and turned on the ignition to see how much gas is missing.

Maybe it won't be so upsetting, if I do it on a nice, sunny, warm day.

Friday, November 21, 2008

More Donated. Lunch at Sams.Locked Out of Car. Eeek, a Mouse.

Just another chilly day, it didn't even crawl out of the 60 degrees, today. Bobcat went out on the screen porch this afternoon as the sun was shining in there, but she didn't want to stay out there long.

I picked up Jay at 8.00am. He had an appointment at the beauty school to get his hair cut at 10.30. His son is coming from Houston to pick him up for a weekend visit. His mother is still in the hospital, and MaeMae is still here.

Ray came over and asked if I had some Great Stuff, (expanding foam insulation in a can) as he had found a place behind his toilet where a mouse had got in the guest house. His cat had it corralled in a closet. I found a mouse trap, loaded it with peanut butter, and we snuck it in the closet. Jay and I loaded the Puddle Jumper and took off.

We stopped at WalMart to get some Great Stuff, and I bought a humane mousetrap, the kind that catches it unharmed, and then you can take the mouse and re-locate it. Catch and Release, but in a different location! I bought a wax ring, too, in case we had to pull the commode to fix the gap, as it is in a very tight space.

We had lunch courtesy of Sam's Club, next to WalMart. They had a bunch of demos there today. Beef, shrimp. salmon, cheesecake, etc., just a lot of lovely samples.

As it was still in the 40's when we got on the freeway to go to the next town, I had the heater on, first time this year. When we got off at our next exit, after stopping at WalMart, and Sam's, the car had steam coming out from under the hood. I pulled into a gas station, but they had no hose, so we had to use three vases that were going to be donated, to put water in the car. We filled them up and went on to the beauty school very carefully, so as not to spill them.

While Jay was getting his haircut, I went into the Goodwill Store close by to see if I could buy something with a lid for carrying water. They said they had a little jug without a lid, and I could use to put water in, but they had to have it back. There are no grocery stores in that area, so I couldn't just go buy gallon water bottles. I usually carry 1/2 gallon jug of water in any car, but with all the milling around lately, someone must have thrown it away. A gal from the Goodwill, and a guy from the beauty school both perused under my hood and seemed to think it was the thermostat sticking. The guy said, "Well, it is chilly come on in the school, and wait there", and locked, and closed my driver's door. The keys were in the ignition, as I had started it up to put water in the hot car, to make it circulate and get everywhere.

I spent over 20 minutes on hold to Good Sam ERS on my cell phone. By the time I got a people instead of a recording on the phone, Jay had borrowed a metal hanger, got it in a partially open window, and rolled the window down enough to unlock a door.

Jay kept his knee against the three vases of water wedged against the inside of the car as I gently drove to drop off our donations at the Assistance League and Angelica. We did add some more water at one stop. I had turned the heater off, as I thought it was something to do with that. The car didn't steam again, maybe because it was a leaking heater hose or maybe because we left the radiator cap loose so as not to let the water system be under pressure. We got the car back up the freeway and home, the mechanic can check it tomorrow.

Steaming on a chilly day.

Thursday, November 20, 2008

Jay's Mom in Hospital. More Sorting and Putting Away. Got a Cold.

I picked up Jay at 8.00am. I hadn't slept much last night. I had this tickley feeling behind my nose, and I just knew that I had caught a cold. All this changeable weather, I expect. Also I had gone out in the cold one day, without a headscarf on, and that will do it to me. The draft goes in one ear and out the other, as there is nothing to stop it !! LOL

We unloaded the clothes off the racks, and put a bunch of them in the donation depts., again different items to different charities. We dismantled the racks, and Jay took them up to the storage attic. Some of the clothes were hung up in the attic on a rod up there, as they will be OK for the Spring sale. Many are just too nice not to have one more chance of getting some money back on them, and they will be great items to attract customers.

The last big yard sale table was relieved of it's burdens, folded and put up, a chest of drawers and some tables that are for sale, were stacked on top of each other. The mesh playpen full of what is left of the blankets and comforters that are for sale, were taken upstairs and packed away in big boxes, the playpen folded up, and put up. Thank goodness the wooden playpen got sold. Now all that is left is the tables made out of door slabs on buckets all along the right side of the RVport, and that is where all the donations boxes are right now. Another run into the next town tomorrow.

This morning, Jay's mother was taken to the hospital as she has been in such terrible pain from her gall bladder. They were going to take it out when she had the liver transplant, but they didn't know when that would be. She has to carry one of those beepers to alert her when one will be available. That must be terrible waiting for someone to die, so that you can live.

Little MaeMae was all alone in Jay's mother's house, and she came out of her doggie door whining to come with us, so we brought her up here. She is used to being here, because she was my late DH's dog. She hadn't been groomed for a while, and her hair was getting quite long, poodles don't shed their hair, that is why it has to be cut. So I bathed and groomed her this afternoon. Pepper, the little black kitten, was playing with the cut hair at my feet, and had a great time. Right now, MaeMae is content, fast asleep in my late doggie's bed, under my bed. I don't know if Jay's mother has been able to tend to her, as she was very thirsty and hungry when she arrived. She went straight to the water dish, and then danced and pranced where her food bowl used to be, asking me to feed her. So of course I gave her breakfast and dinner, and dry food to scrunch on. Jay can't be trusted to take care of her, as he might get to drinking in the evening, and MaeMae is terrified of him then, so she stays here when her "Mom" is gone.

The Puddle Jumper and truck could finally be parked in their respective places in the RVport, but the RV can't be brought back in until all the RVport is cleared out..

A sniffling, coughing, sunny day.

Wednesday, November 19, 2008

Third Donation Run.Gas $1.76! Bacon Drainer

We didn't go back to the Conroe to pick up the Puddle Jumper from M & P Alignment yesterday afternoon, so that had to be done today. I called and found out how much the two vehicles were, and Pete, as honest as the day is long, was not charging me for parts that they didn't need. Just the two alignments. That's why I have been going there for so many years. If they had needed anything, he would have told me, not like some places that charge you for all kinds of parts, and labor, that are not needed.

I picked up Jay in the truck, and we loaded his dryer that needs repair, came back here, and loaded more boxes. These boxes had to be taped shut, so that clothes and things wouldn't fly out on the way. Ray, who has a license, Jay and I, all piled in the truck, and Ray drove the Puddle Jumper back home for me. Jay and I dropped off the dryer, and saw Valero gas for $1.76, so I filled up the truck. Then on to St. Mark's Thrift Shop to donate the boxes. They are only open Wed-Sat.

Of course we had to browse while we were there, and I found something I have been wanting for quite a while. The top picture is of a little thing that I have had for years. It clips on the side of a 10" frying pan or pot to keep things drained, or warm, while you are cooking something else in the same pan. It is really supposed to be a bacon drainer, but I hardly ever eat bacon. But I do like to sautee onions, and tomatoes, and they can drain, and keep warm, while I cook something else, like salmon patties, or what ever. I wanted one for the RV, and even posted a picture of it on eBay's "Want It Now".

But this one on the bottom will be better, as it will elimate carrying around a 10" skillet in the RV, which is too big for lil ole me anyway. The pan part of it is only 6-1/2", and even though it is sturdy, and Teflon-coated, it isn't that heavy. The handle is missing, but they let me have a skillet back that I had donated, so I can attach that handle. OK for 50 cents!

After lunch, Jay and I took more packed boxes up to the attic over the store room, and moved more stuff into the donation dept. One more big yard sale table was folded up, and put away.

After 1.00 pm, it was a T-shirt day.

Tuesday, November 18, 2008

Door Seals. Second Donation Run. F/E Alignments.

I started out all bundled up in turtle neck and coat, but down to my t-shirt by 2.00 pm. At 7.30 am I was outside loading more boxes to go the second charity thrift shop, this one is closed on Mondays, but it could be donated today.

Both the Dakota truck and Puddle Jumper were going to get their Front End Alignments checked today. Ray is used to driving the Puddle Jumper, so I drove the truck to the front end mechanic in the next town, and Ray followed me. We dropped off the truck, but the thrift shop didn't open until 10.00, so after a quick visit to Home Depot to get a new little bell battery for the outside part of my wireless door bell, and some more door seals, we just came home.

There was a message from Jay that he wanted to work, and also needed a ride to the next town to do some business, so I picked him up. I told him that I would be driving back to the next town to switch out the Puddle Jumper for the truck, so he could go with me then.

First, Jay fixed a drawer on a wooden chest of drawers that I use for office stuff. The back of the drawer wasn't as tall as the front, and papers kept on falling behind the drawer so that I had to remove it to find papers that I just knew were in there. Jay added a strip of wood to the top of the back of the drawer.

The marmalade tabby cat, "Orange Glow", who has made his home here, likes to sleep under a desk in my storeroom, which is joined onto Ray's utility room. The storeroom doesn't have a door on it, but it is at the back of the left side of the 42' RVport, so no rain gets in there. But it is on the north side, and I found a place that could be drafty in there, so Jay screwed on some boards to fill in the gaps. I am going to make Orange Glow a nice bed under that desk for the winter. I hate drafts, I always say that if a mouse twitched his whiskers in Ruby's yard, (my neighbor across the street), that I would feel the draft !

Jay and Ray helped me move some stuff around, (a dryer, stove, and cabinets that I have for sale), so that we can stand up all the folded big yard sale tables where they belong, and get them out of the way till next spring. We did manage to get one table folded and put up today. Three more to go. Still a lot of stuff to donate, and some to be put up till spring.

Ray replaced the insulation strip on opening side of my front door that had got mutilated by Maggie, Belgian Sheepdog, who I used to foster. It goes in a groove in the door jamb. Then we needed to get Ray's outside back door to his utility room sealed. It is the only door on this place that faces the harsh north winds, up on this hill. Blackie, Shay's cat, sleeps in there at night, and also who wants a drafty derriere when they are doing laundry. Ray installed the new rubber strip in the threshold. We had tried to seal that door with that old timey copper strip, but this time I bought something that seals it better, and nails on, outside on the jamb. It should be a lot warmer in there now. Also Ray has a back door going from his bathroom going into that utility room, and needed sealing, too.

My back door going out of the side of the workshop, which is attached to my house as it was a garage, wasn't installed right by the contractors. I can see a daylight gap on one side at the top of it. Now we are talking about a pre-hung steel-clad door which was put in not quite square. So we might have to take the whole thing out and square it up. All the doors that my late DH and I installed are fine, but when he got sick, a contractor added the last room and garage under the roof that Jay and I had already built. So we will have to see what it takes to fix that side door.

As soon as the mechanic said my truck was going to be ready, Jay and I went back to the next town in the Puddle Jumper. I dropped him off to do his business and went to the Assistance League Thrift Shop and dropped off the whole station wagon load of boxes there. I picked up Jay and we switched out into the truck at the front end place.

We visited a couple of thrift shops that were nearby, and I bought some red jeans. Never had RED jeans before, Gee, you will see me coming a mile off. It will be cheery on the few cold days we will have. Isn't red what you are supposed to wear in the snow, which we don't have here? I bought a nice white jacket-type top to go with them, too. It has long sleeves with blue and red flowers, with pockets and cosy red knitted cuffs. I gotta have pockets. Also found a really nice quality heavy like-new teflon-coated frying pan. Jay had to buy that for me, as he has ruined two of mine by running the gas full blast and burning them. I don't fry much, but I do love to make hash browns sauteed in light tasting olive oil once in a while. Then one needs a frying pan to make salmon patties.

Another busy, sunny day.

Monday, November 17, 2008

First Charity Thrift Shop Run

It was chilly, but not cold when I picked up Jay. But too cold to let Bobcat out on the porch, until the afternoon.


We loaded up the Puddle Jumper, (little station wagon) and packed it to the gills, and off we went to the Angelic Thrift Shop to donate our load there, when they opened at 10.00 am.

Then to Lowes, to buy some door seals, and plumbing parts. Of course they are at different ends of the store. Off to Walmart for quite a list of stuff. I just can't find anything since they re-organised, so I am always at the wrong end of the store for what I need, and have to go back looking for where they have moved that dept.


I still have folks coming to buy stuff they had seen during the yard sale.

I walked a lot of miles today.

Sunday, November 16, 2008

Well, It's Not Quite Over Yet, Still Clean-Up

When I picked Jay up I was all bundled up in a T-shirt under a cotton turtleneck, then cardigan, scarf and coat. But as soon as we started clearing up and sorting the yard sale stuff, off came the coat. I even took the cardigan off for a while, but I still needed my turtle neck. Bobcat did go out on the screen porch later, and laid out there in the sunshine for a while, but she didn't want to stay out there long, as it wasn't very warm.


We got the front yard cleaned up, and got all the buckets and door slabs that we had used for tables, put up. The RVport still has three 7' tables full of stuff, and 4 long racks of hanging clothes to go through. All the stuff that got sold, but there is still so much here!


Tomorrow we will go to the one charity thrift shop that is open on Mondays to drop stuff off there. It will be back in the 70 degrees then. Like they say " If you don't like TX weather, just wait a while".


We made a quick trip into town to the bank that is open on Sundays in the grocery store. I wanted to get the yard sale money deposited. They asked me to put the change in that machine that counts it. It came up 10c short of the $200 that I had counted out and rolled up last night. I knew that I had counted it right, as I have worked at two major banks, then I found a dime under my desk chair when I got back! So my faith is re-newed in the machine, and me.


Then a lazy Sunday.

Saturday, November 15, 2008

Oh, Well. That's Over Till Spring

I picked Jay up, we untarped the yard sale tables, and folks came alookin' early.

It was a nice day, but chillier, than yesterday. Didn't get over 60 deg. Bobcat wanted to stay warm in my bedroom, and was only on the screen porch for a short while.


We had some high winds during the night, but all the tarps stayed put. Just a steady stream of folks all day. You never know what they will buy.
Thank goodness I won't have to contend with the old wooden playpen, and the big jogging stroller any more. They went to new homes.

I sold a lot of comforters but strangely, no blankets. As always, there is a bunch of stuff left over, so I started sorting it out into boxes to go to the different charities. Each charity has things that they seem to specialize in.

At about 3.00PM Jay and I put the tarps back over everything as it was getting colder, and folks had stopped coming. They wanted to get home before it got cold.
It is supposed to go down into the mid 30's tonight. We quickly drove the rounds of the surrounding streets, picked up all the yard sale signs. When we got back we carried the loaded tables back into the RVport, condensing the contents as we went, so we could fold up some of the tables.

Tomorrow will be a packing up day.

Friday, November 14, 2008

A Steady, Busy Yard Sale Day

I drove the truck down to Jay's before 7.30 am. He loaded his sawhorses, plywood, and more stuff on it, and we got it set up at my place. He was in charge of his own stuff, as I had enough to do getting the rest of my tables all ready.

Jay was peeved because he thought that his stuff was what people wanted, and hardly sold a thing. I had a lot of little cheaper "junque", and did a lot better, as mine is really priced to move.

Ray helped me move some more of my loaded tables out in front of the RVport, and he finished the stove-top, so that is done.

It was perfect T-shirt weather, a bit cloudy, but not hot or cold.
Tomorrow, it starts all over again, but it will be a colder, windier day.

Thursday, November 13, 2008

Just Getting Ready For Yard Sale

Another nice sunny day, but we will be putting away our tank tops and shorts again on Saturday. It is supposed to go down to 34 deg. on Saturday night. Then it will warm up to the 70's again.

Ray got on a step ladder and got the criss-cross of Ike tape off one of my bathroom windows. I was able to reach all the rest of it a long time ago.
Then he worked on the stove-top, in between helping me move the loaded tables back out of the RVport. A whole bunch of different stuff to sell, as well as some of the old stuff, this weekend. Starting it on a Friday makes a big difference, as that seems to be the busiest day for yard sales. On Saturdays everyone is running around doing things with their families, but last Saturday's sale wasn't too bad. I can only have 2 a year, and this is it, until next Spring.

Jay was cleaning out his mother's shed that had a tree fall on it during Ike, so we have brought two Puddle Jumper loads of stuff to put in the sale. He will have to bring his own saw horses and plywood for his stuff, my tables are all full.

We just put out the signs along the roads coming to this area,
so I hope tomorrow will be a busy day.

Wednesday, November 12, 2008

Be warned. The USA has so much to offer....

“Be warned. The USA has so much to offer that only the foolish would expect to see it all in a single life time.”
The RV Fulltimers have so much to see, and I like to look at the pictures of all the places that I will never visit. Thank you Fulltimers.

Now let me think, what went on today.... I emptied all the trash cans in the workshop and put it in bags in the Puddle Jumper and took it to be picked up down at Jay's, as I had missed ours on Monday. Some things had to be in those expandable, stretchy trash bags, like they used for the piano on the commercial ! So then the puddle Jumper was vacuumed.

We raked up a bunch of pine needles and tree twigs from last night's hard rain, wind, thunder and lightening, and had to start a burn pile all over again. I hate that.
The guy across the street starts up his gas blower early in the morning if he has a pine needle in his yard. Against Property Owner's Rules, before 9.00am! Gee, we are in the country, right next to Sam Houston National Forest which is full of pine needles. I like to keep them raked up, and I am not that fanatic about it, but then I have other things to do.

Jay and I both had some sacks of Ready-Mix cement that were getting old, so he buried them in the ruts that the cars and motor home had made going into the RVport, that might save a twisted ankle during the yard sale.

Jay remembered where he had put my folding clothes racks, and we moved all the pants and jeans on to them, as they are easier to see. The rack they were on, was too high up.

We went into town to get more stuff for Ray to work on the stove top tomorrow, and picked up some Anti-Seize and an Easy-Out while I was at it. You always need them when you don't have them. Then mailed a package at Post Office, and bought some Anti-Freeze for the vehicles. Very rarely that we need it here, but better safe than sorry. We did have a couple of days in the twenties one year, you never know.


This afternoon I spent a lot of time researching a couple of Agave plants that I have, as don't know much about them. I had to find out their high-falutin pedigree name to advertise them, as I don't want them.
Agave parryi var. huachucensis.

Another clean-up day

Tuesday, November 11, 2008

Veteran's Day. Odd Jobs, Mostly Vacuums.

A lady with a dog, Benji, that I haven't groomed for a while, had called me last week about getting him groomed. She was supposed to arrive at 8.30 today, so I picked Jay up at 8.00am, as he wanted something to do. He knows there are lists of stuff to do here, held up by magnets on the fridge.

Jay and I were moving the big work table that Kenya had borrowed, back out into the yard outside the side door of workshop, when he noticed a gas cap laying on the ground behind the TransStar motor home. Yup, it was from it. I assume someone syphoned gas out. I haven't turned on the ignition yet to see how much. I didn't need to be enervated today, grooming some dogs does that to me enough.

We needed that work table back in it's place, as yesterday we had made a template for cutting up the big boxes that cat litter comes in, into triangular tubes for shipping the aloe. It hurts my wrist to do that much cutting with a utility knife, so Jay cut out several of different sizes for the various lengths of aloe that I sell.

Benji's "mom" didn't show up, and Ray did, so we all got busy with different things. Ray was working on a camper stove top in front of the workshop. Jay dug up and re-set the landscape timbers that border the walkway down the side of the house to the dog's back yard. All that rain and turmoil from Ike had made a couple of them lift up above the level of the walkway. All I needed was to stub my hurt foot, or any foot, on them.

I checked out the upright Bissell vacuum cleaner Jay had brought for me to sell in the yard sale. Found out it needed a belt and a bag, which I had in my vacuum parts dept. Jay tried it out in my house, and I think I like it better than my Panasonic. I vacuumed the workshop with my Commercial Upright Hoover that we keep in there for the big rubber-backed mats in there, like the mats they use at the stores. Then I cleaned and oiled it. Two shop vacs had been brought to sell, too, so I cleaned them and tried them out. I don't need any more shop vacs. We have two in the workshop, one for wet and one for dry, and then another in the grooming room. For little jobs, like computers, I have a little handheld Shark with a special attachment for sucking crumbs out of keyboards. I wonder how they get there ?

Every now and then I would help Ray carry the smaller heavy work table that he was working on, back into the workshop, as it would start raining. He was using chemicals on the stove and so we had the big garage doors open for ventilation. As soon as it would stop, we'd carry it back outside again. Then the rain got really bad, so we closed the big door, and Ray and I put up a florescent light over the vice on the work bench. I hadn't been able to find new halogen bulbs for the one that was there. As I said, just odd jobs today.

When I took Jay home, it was pouring, and it did that for the rest of the day.

Monday, November 10, 2008

Day Off.

It was blowing and drizzling most of the day, but that didn't stop me from packing up the aloe plants that had been sold, and getting them to the Post Office. Jay wanted to go with me as he had to pay their water bills in town, and his mother just isn't up to driving.

Then we drove to the next town so that Jay could pick up some prescriptions, and some things at Lowes. We had lunch at Casa Ole, and dropped off all the paper and cardboard for recycling.


On the way home we stopped at Kroger's as I needed to buy some more canned food for Snack and Pepper. A great big can of peaches fell off a shelf on to my foot, which is now black and blue, so I am a little shoeless gimpy.

That was it for today !

Sunday, November 9, 2008

HiLo Gone. Seems I am a Listing Agent!

The HiLo Guy arrived just about on time, at 8.00 AM, and I showed it to him. I was hoping that he wouldn't take it, so that I could return his deposit, as I really could have got a lot more for it. He said it was in a lot better condition than he expected, that it was really nice. I showed him that the fridge was working, and all the original manuals for everything. I put a sewer hose in the square bumper for him, and showed him where the lever is to raise and lower the top of the trailer.

I had the truck and the motor home parked in front of it, because of the yard sale, so I had to crank them up and drive them out of the way. There was one hitch, the power jack suddenly stopped working, and we couldn't get the trailer on the ball of his SUV. I crawled into the HiLo with it in the lowered position and tried to plug in the converter, but I knew that the new battery was charged up, as I had just unplugged the trailer. As it is such a tight fit to have the converter plugged in whilst lowering it, I had unplugged it. As I couldn't plug it back into the outlet in the trailer easily, with it lowered, I ran a cord from the house and plugged the converter into the cord. Still nothing on the power jack, never had a problem with it before. I found out it was an in-line fuse, so I had to get back up into the MH and get one from my stash that I carry in there. I just keep the new U-type fuses for the car and truck, all the old glass kind of fuses I keep in the MH, as it uses them. It blew again, so I put another one in, and got it done. I was pretty frazzled by this time, all that getting in and out of vehicles. I don't know why, but the whole thing left me feeling very antsy and on edge all day.

Jay wanted me to take him to the lake with some fish and duck food, plus he had some vacuums he wanted to put in the yard sale. I wanted to see how his mother is anyway, so I went down there. She had been back in hospital, and they can't find out why her liver is hurting her so much. I hope she can get a transplant soon, as she is in misery. I took this, there are a couple of boats out there, fishing I expect.

Jay really wanted to get out of the house for a while and wanted to go to Willis with me. The bank doesn't open until 11.00 AM on Sundays, so we tidied up the yard while we were waiting. We moved most of the loaded tables into the RVport, and put the tarps back over them. It won't take too long to get it going again next weekend.

I took Jay home when we got back from town, and I stopped at Sam's place to see it he wanted me to take him to the driver's license place tomorrow. Oh! Was Mikey, Sam's poodle, pleased to see me, I don't think that Sam is always that nice to him. Mikey knows the sound of my little Puddle Jumper car, and he is always there at Sam's gate looking for me when I drive by, hoping that I am going to bring him back to my place. Anyway, Sam said that he found out that they will not renew his license. He managed to get his Explorer insured, through someone he knows, but that's it. So now he wants to sell the van.

I listed it on some local sites for him, and emailed some folks that had shown an interest in it. That is the least I can do. I would not have sold it to him if I had known that his license had expired, and couldn't be renewed. He even has a boat that he tows behind the Explorer, so how was I to know ?

I had just got home from Sam's, and I still had groceries in the car when another neighbor drives up. He wanted to know if I would sell this enormous keyboard piano thing in my yard sale, or online. It is nearly as wide as the bed of his full size pick-up. I took some pictures, and said that I didn't want to be responsible for it, and asked him to keep it at his house. I wrote down the brand and model, Radio Shack MD 1700, and that it had 232 Tones, 130 Rhythms, 10 BPS, whatever all that means. I have never had one, don't need one, so I don't know anything about them. I emailed Radio Shack about a manual, as Rocky didn't have one, and I listed it on some local sites, too. Gee, I am becoming the subdivision's listing agent!

Not hot, not cold, another nice sunny day.

Saturday, November 8, 2008

Yard Sale Slow, But Steady All Day.

Well, I got it done. I have hardly sat down since I opened up at 7.30 this morning. So I am beat. I covered up all the tables at dusk, and drove around taking up my signs. As soon as I got back I fed the cats as I knew when I did sit down, that I wouldn't want to get up any time soon.

I am just going to clean up the yard tomorrow. But while I have it all out and sorted, I might just have it again next weekend, too. This subdivision only allows two yard sales a year, but when I do have one, it is huge. Then most of it will get donated. I have plenty more summer stuff to sell for Easter, and Spring, which we left up in the storeroom attic. Maybe that attic will get empty one day.

Thank goodness I had made some shrimp gumbo for tonight, as I knew I wouldn't feel like cooking. But Bobcat is hovering around me as she wants some shrimp.

HiLo Guy is supposed to be here at 8.00 AM, and it is all ready for him. I plugged it in and turned on the fridge so that it will be cold for him to check it.

Cold this morning, in the 40's, but turned into a sunny warm day

Friday, November 7, 2008

Got Boxes Unpacked. Now I am Committed.

Now that the HiLo is done, I can concentrate on my next endeavour. The Yard Sale. The weather is forecast to be sunny and mild, no rain.

Ray and I unpacked the rest of the boxes on to the makeshift tables we had made out of door slabs, plywood, on buckets, milk crates, or anything else we could find. It was sorted out, hung up, and all the empty boxes are stored in the storeroom.

We covered the "tables" with tarps as in the "Closed " mode, and each went to have a late lunch, while I thought about it. I didn't know if I was up to having it this week. I am so used to having a three day yard sale, as once it gets it all set up, I might as well sell as much as I can.

Kenya called to say that she was bringing back my ten yard sales tables. Then I realized that today is Friday so I really only had one day of yard sale, tomorrow Saturday. I knew I could handle one day, so I advertised it locally, and I am now committed. Ray went with me to put out the signs as at a most of the places the sign posts have to be pounded into the ground with a mall, and I didn't think my old injured wrist could handle that today. It is illegal to fasten signs to telephone poles, and injurious to trees to put screws or nails in them.

I hope tomorrow will be a busy day.

Thursday, November 6, 2008

Two little Jobs Took Ages

Early this morning the TV said we could get some heavy rain later, so I shelved the laying out of the yard sale stuff, until we had two small jobs done. It did eventually drizzle a little bit, but not enough to do the grass and plants any good. I never did get to the yard sale stuff, the small jobs ballooned into bigger ones.

First thing I was on to Computer Live Chat for help with this machine, and that took forever, but I think some of my computer issues are resolved. So much easier if you have been raised around these technical things. As you can see, even my digital camera gets the better of me, and don't even get me started on my new camera cell phone !

I was trying to get Snack's House turned upside down. Every time she used her box, litter would scatter in her water dish, so I wanted to put a hanging dish in there, so that couldn't happen. But the carrier would have to be upside down to do that. By the time Ray was here, and I had dug her out of there, she loves her house, and she had run to her other hiding place. Here she thinks she is hiding, if we hadn't put that board up the other day, she would be behind this furniture instead of in it.
As the carrier was going to be upside down, it meant the door would swing the wrong way, so that meant taking it apart. The carrier is now in the middle room, which is much more convenient, up on something and against the wall, so the swing of the door is important. But the carrier's screws had rusted to the wing nuts. We wrestled with it for a while, then sprayed them with penetrating oil and went outside to our next job while the oil did it's thing.

This is the curtain that I thought should be on the door, even though there are some on the inside, each side of the door. The tie-backs' color doesn't look right in the picture, but they are made of the original HiLo's 40 year old avocado floral fabric, and it does match in real life. Then we encountered more frustrations. We decided to install the tie backs with snappers, and getting everything the right way around, the right length, the flowers the right way up, and finding parts to snappers that fit, took us a while. The HiLo is finally done.

So, back to Snack's House. The oil had done it's job, so we got it all apart, turned the door around, and put it back together, this time with "anti-seize". Snack couldn't wait to get in there. The carrier's door is open during the day, sometimes she just goes to her alternate hiding place, and Pepper tries to play with her. But I have to keep the little bathroom door closed, as I think Snack was kept in a bathroom, as her favorite place is behind the toilet. She isn't a sociable cat, but she sure loves to be petted and held, but you have to go to her, she won't come to you.

As she has to get used to it, Pepper got her nails tipped today.

Wednesday, November 5, 2008

Little Drapes Done. Yard Sale Stuff Sorted.


I finally got the little curtains made for each side of the AC in the HiLo. Gathering the avocado part, and sewing on the white top with a rod pocket takes a while with these old hands. Getting them both the same wasn't easy either. A picture of them open , and then closed. The reason I wanted to make these is that when the AC is on, you can't lower the blind. I also finished the extra one for the door, but it isn't hung yet.

Ray and I went through all the boxes from the other attic, but there wasn't much spoiled from the leak. We spent a couple of hours sorting everything out, and then covered it all with heavy plastic in case it rained, even though it is all in the RVport.

I had to turn the AC on tonight, it is humid, after a lovely sunny day.

Tuesday, November 4, 2008

FD Halloween. Ins. People came.

Here are some of the Halloween pictures from my son in law's Fire Dept party. First, my grandson as bloody Dr. and my son in law as patient. Second, my SIL's rear view, and my daughter as a nurse. I guess a good time was had by all !!

Ray and I worked a bit more on getting the curtain rods installed in the HiLo. We also got the yard sales signs down, but I still don't know if I am up to having it this weekend. It was a good thing that we had brought the yard sale stuff down from the other attic, as I discovered that roof had leaked during Ike, too, so I need to go through all the boxes. Unfortunately, I had a 4'x8' sheet of birch veneer that I had bought to put on a wall in Pugsy, underneath the boxes, and now it is moldy and ruined. That was the one place where I knew I could keep it flat, dry, undisturbed, and unharmed, I thought. Pugsy is my vintage motor home.

The insurance folk came to look at my Ike damage. I had kept the broken turbine that flew off the roof for them to see. They got up there and took pictures of where we repaired the roof. They took pictures of the damaged sheetrock and carpet in my bedroom, then some of the insulation in my attic. Then more of the other attic over the apartment. They said that I should make a list of everything that was damaged, and I have up to two years to make a claim on that stuff. I was just going through those boxes when they arrived.

The HiLo Guy is now coming early Sunday, because of traffic, so I had a bit more of a reprieve, but I wanted to get it done, so I have been sewing the extra drapes for the HiLo today. They are all done. I think the one for the door will be too full, and get in the way, so I haven't hemmed one side, in case I have to make it narrower. Now, I just have to make some tie-backs !!

I saw some of those cutting mats and roller cutters when I was at Hobby Lobby, and I remembered that I had bought a cutter at a thrift shop. I found it in my sewing drawer with the 25 cent label still on it. Gee, I wish I had thought of that sooner. As long as I can keep the material straight, I can just run that roller cutter down my yard stick, and make a straight cut. But I like my old way, I fold the fabric where it needs to be cut, pin it to the recliner, hold it taut, and cut along the fold with my scissors. Works for me !

Jim the mechanic aired up the inside duals on the TransStar. You have to take the outside wheels off to get to them. I had bought some extenders but they didn't fit. I just need to take it somewhere and have 6 new tires put on it, with metal stems and extenders.

No AC needed again, a really nice sunny day.
(But the election results might put a cloud on that.)

Monday, November 3, 2008

Gas $2.08. I am a Billboard.

I woke up early again, and got the day going. I called Austin DPS, and found out that Sam has to go into the local office to renew his driver's license. So loaded up some food I had been saving for the ducks and fish at the lake, and drove down the street to tell him.


I did remember to take my camera
with me this time. It must have been the early morning light that made the pictures come out orangy, as when I took another one facing in the other direction, it didn't do it. This is our boat ramp and fishing pier on Lake Conroe.

The new drape that I made last night, fits just fine, and I just have to make another smaller one for the other side of the AC in the HiLo.

Ray washed the Puddle Jumper, my little station wagon, and we stuck a decal on the back window. It says "I love ConroeYardSales.com". By being a member of "The Decal Club" I get a free Premier account, normally $10 a month, and I can list a bunch of stuff on there, instead of the Basic, where I could only list 10 items. I sent them the picture, and I am all set to go. I also get a free thumbnail picture on the ad title, and can have four big pictures on the listing. To sell, you must tell.

When we had lowered the HiLo with some of the drapes in there, we noticed that they kind of bunched up. Originally they had been fastened top and bottom, but a lot of the plastic tracks had got old and disintegrated, so we couldn't do that. So I thought that if we had a string of elastic going across near the bottom of the drapes, that would solve that. I went into the next town to Hobby Lobby, and bought some elastic, and avocado ribbon to thread the elastic through. We will see how that works out tomorrow.

Gas sure is going down. Nearly like it used to be. I have an old gas receipt from 2/25/06 when it was $1.98 ! I thought that was going to be something to show my great grand kids in 2010 when gas would probably be $9.98 a gallon !!

So I did this week's trip to the next town, today.

Sunday, November 2, 2008

Re-making Drapes, and Mindi's Dogs Gone

It was slightly chilly when I woke up at my old usual time. I am not adjusted to the clock change yet. But I used up every minute of that extra hour.

I had to take the dogs out first thing, then skimmed through my emails while drinking my coffee, and got ready for the day. Starting it out with six little breakfasts, (3 dogs, and 3 cats), and getting Sheba's medicine down her. Pour little thing, every time she moves, she starts coughing again.

A couple of the little jobs that Ray and I did yesterday were to fix a table, and one of the book racks that I use for the Yard Sales. I hadn't loaned this table to Kenya for her yard sale, as it won't take a lot of weight, as it is the wallpapering table. Jay had put a new piece of Luann in the channel around the table, but it had gaped and was starting to fall in. Ray and I clamped it back in place, riveted it through the channel and Luann, and added a strut underneath. On the book rack we added the back slats, made out of an old wooden blind, and Plexiglas on the sides, as I was tired of the books falling through.

Sam came up here, and we tried to renew his driver's license on line. It came up with "call Austin, TX" to find out why. Of course they weren't there on the weekend, so I will call tomorrow.

Ray and I were going to hang more drapes in the HiLo, but the one I just made was too short, I should have checked the measurements myself. I will use it on another extra drape that I want to fasten on the inside of the door window. Oh well, "These things are sent to try us", as my grandma used to say. So I spent most of the evening making another one, but longer. If he doesn't pick the HiLo up on Wednesday, I will have some better pictures to re-advertise it with all the drapes in place.

Mindi came and picked up her three dogs, and I was so happy not to be responsible for Sheba for a while. Even after she was gone, I could still hear her coughing ! All in my head.

Another sunny day.

Saturday, November 1, 2008

Poor Sam. It Could Happen To You.

I went to the bank to cash Sam's check for the Little Van, and went down my street to his place to give him the title. It is such a shame. He had a stroke some time back, and is difficult to understand him, but he manages to get things across to me. That is why I groom his dog, Mikey, keep Revolution on Mikey, and try to do other things for him. Like getting his cats their shots and neutered. He was one of the folks who got a tree through their roof, and because he couldn't make himself understood, he didn't have insurance on his trailer. He can drive, take care of himself, and do things like fixing his plumbing, he just loses some of his words, so he points to things, so that you can prompt him. That doesn't work too well on a phone.

I called the insurance co. that he has for his Ford Explorer, to tell them to add the van, and they want him to drive all the way to the other end of Houston to do it. Then I found out that his driver's license had expired. He said that when he went to re-new it, they couldn't understand him, and he said they laughed at him. I called my insurance co. and they might be able to help him. First I am going to take him to the driver's license place on Monday, or try to do it online. Don't take your faculties for granted, and be tolerant of those who don't have them all. .... It could happen to you.

It has been back to shorts and tank tops, as this cold spell is over. The daytime breezes are great with the windows open, but we have to run the ACs at night.

Ray and I did a few odd jobs around here, and got some more stuff down from the other attic. I was kept busy making a couple of little drapes to go over the HiLo back window for when the blind is up and the AC is running. The little Sheba takes up a bit of time, as I watch her so closely. Getting some of her medicines down her is fine, but she is crafty, and as soon as you turn your back she spits out the red liquid. So I go armed with a big red towel, as she gets that red medicine all over her face and neck. At least her appetite is good. Her collapsed trachea causes her to cough a lot, and her little ribs must be so sore. The dogs were supposed to be picked up tonight, but they got back late, and they will pick them up in the morning. I always worry about little old Sheba, and I will be glad when she is back with her 'Mom", as I don't want anything to happen to her on my "watch".

I turned my 'world clock' off Pacific time back to Central, as they will change the clocks tonight. At least one clock will be right when I wake up.

A leisurely, but busy day.