Just Cleaning and Calculating.

My barometer has moved ever so slightly towards the "stormy" setting. I guess it knows that we will have storms from Hurricane Gustav.

I picked Jay up at 9.00 am., but we didn't get anything done outside today. My back was still hurting from yesterday, and Jay didn't feel like getting on the roof again today.
He helped me vacuum in the house, vacuumed the floor and some cobwebs that were in the workshop. He changed out the sheers in the living room, so that I could wash them, as I am not supposed to get on step ladders when I am on my own. Then he cleaned up some spots on the carpet with the little steam cleaner, as he had caused them, then I took him home.

This afternoon I spent a lot of time emailing back and forth with a lady wanting to buy a lot of my very large aloe plants. That is fine by me, as they take up a lot of room on the porch. She had got in touch with me through eBay's Message Center, and it is against eBay rules to sell things off eBay if the buyer found out about them through an eBay listing. It might have been someone trying to trick me into doing something not "comme il faut". ("As it should be" in French)
I had to figure out the best and cheapest way, to send them. So that meant knowing how much they weigh, her zipcode, what size box they would be in, and figuring it all out on the USPS postage calculator. These are big, 28+" tall, spread out plants, so they can't be stuffed in a little shipping tube, as the fat juicy leaves would break. When the plants are that mature, and full of gel, they are very fragile. Oversize boxes cost more to ship. In the end I got tired of fooling with her, and as I had it all figured out, I listed them on eBay. If she wants them she can bid on them.

A hot muggy day.

Getting Ready for Gustav. Primed the fence.

One of the items I bought yesterday at a thrift shop was this barometer, 50 cents. I thought it might tell me when the barometric pressure changed, and if we were going to have storms out of Gustav. It hasn't moved yet, maybe it doesn't work ??

I am 100 miles north of the western edge of the red line. I am not good at it, but I put a little blue splotch about where I am on the white part of the hurricane's projected path. If it veres westerly we could get a lot of high winds, and torrential rain.

I picked up Jay, and he went up on the big metal roof of the RVport, and storage area. I had a bucket ready with cordless drill, washered roof screws, hammer, and little patches of Eternabond already peeled and stuck to the outside of the bucket. He pulled it up on the roof on a rope. He screwed down any places that looked like they might need it, and I was underneath looking for any old nail holes. Some of this metal roofing was re-used from my old carport that drowned, with my house, the other side of town in the flood of 94.

I was trying to direct him from below: .... " Over the truck, eight ridges past the second skylight, and six inches up from the cross beam near Ray's" type directions. Apparently, you can't see the nail holes when you are up on the roof. He would clean the area with some lacquer thinner, and stick a little Eternabond patch on it. It got hot up there on that roof, and we didn't get it all done, and my neck was in a spasm, and my back hurt from looking up all the time. So I took him home.

While I was trying to direct Jay to the holes, cutting, peeling the little patches, and sending up more stuck on buckets, Ray started priming the outside of the subdivision's fence. It borders two sides of my property. Not all of it had got pressure washed the other day, as the pressure washer hose had come undone. I have more parts to fix it, and.....

Tomorrow is another day.

Just went to town

Jay had to get some plywood and shingles to fix the roof over his mother's porch. They don't have a truck, and I do, so off we went.

We stopped at some thrift shops and got a few things. At a yard sale we each got little stuffed birds in cages. Won't have to clean up after them !

While we were at Lowes getting the plywood, I bought a 5 gallon bucket of exterior acrylic paint for the fence, out of the "Oops" dept. for $30, normally $115.

I should have had my pedometer day !

Phones. Tidied Carport. Weed-Eated Bridge.

First thing was to get the new phone mounted on the wall, and find a place for it's twin. Now I could carry it around in my little pouch while we worked outside. If I just clip it to me it would get turned on accidentally or would get scratched or lost.

Years ago, Jay and I had to bridge a ditch at the entrance to my side lot. Because of the shape of the lots I only have 16 feet width for a driveway on to that lot, and because of his mudhole my neighbor would park the arce end of his SUV in my way. I couldn't get anything in or out because of the ditch there. Everytime I had to move my 36' Airstream motorhome I would have to go knock on his door and ask him to move his SUV. We got tired of that so we put in a culvert, filled it up with rock, rebar, welded wire and cement. We are holding it all together with some landscape timbers. Since then my neighbor has built a carport and filled in his mudhole, but the "bridge" still has to be 'Weed-Eaten'. Temporarily, we have a burn pile there right of it, as we had to clean up from the storm. It takes a lot of water hose when we burn, and a lot of cord for my electric weed-eater. Now we may have more storms coming. We got as much as we could done today, as the Weed-eater ran out of line. Our cement has grass trying to grow on it now.

We unloaded the truck, and put the dryer and stove in the storage area in front of Puddle Jumper's (my little station wagon) carport. I will order a belt for the dryer from Sears, and get it advertised.

While we were at it we tidied up the area, and took a lot of things upstairs over the storeroom. As you can see, it is a big area, out of the weather, and there is a lot of yard sale stuff stored up there in another area off to the left, and RV parts to the right. The right side it is carpeted, as you have to go on your hands and knees !!

A catch-up day.

Mostly Just Shopping.

Jay and I loaded the Kenmore apartment size 220 volt dryer, and the little stove in the back of the truck, and took off for Conroe. This little Princess 110 volt stove by Seaward came out of a cabin cruiser, and it might be nice for a boat owner or hunter to have. These boat stoves cost over $1000 new. We were going to take them over a repair place in Cut-N-Shoot, TX. Mark, the owner of the store, went to different trade schools to learn how to fix any appliance, and I have known him, and his parents, for many years. As the stove is 110v. he didn't have easy access to parts for it. I will have to get in touch with Seaward. He thinks that it is the switch for the burner that is out. He didn't have the right size belt for the dryer either, so I guess I will get one from Sears. I have the number off the broken belt, and it is in stock. If we don't want to fool with putting it on, he will do it for me. I used that dryer for 7 years, and it was always a good one. I have the shelf so that it can be put over a washer, so it is a great space saver.

We also went to some thrift shops. At the first one I got 8 new CDs for my computer for 50 cents each, and a 50 cent little rectanglar bucket for the RV. I like square things as they seem to take up less space, or at least pack easier. I also got one of those little stoves that run on a 1 lb gas bottle in a little case, $10, handy for use on a picnic table. Jay got a nice shirt, and some wooden curtain rings for his wooden drapery rods. Next thrift shop I got three mugs, and a black leather purse. Jay got another shirt and a big bag of wire nuts. When we stopped at the Budget Chopper grocery store, because we were looking for a restroom, they were putting out a whole mess of stuff on a bargain table for $1.00 each. I latched on to a lot of stuff, including a big spray can of Lysol. I use that a lot.

We crossed the road and went to Radio Shack, as my old little tiny cordless house phone that I carry in a little holder on my belt, was on the blink. I never know if I am going to be up in the guest house attic, storeroom attic, working in the front or back, so I carry it with me. I have looked for another little phone that size for ages. Radio Shack man put a new battery in it, and it was $19. They were $9 just a few months ago. I looked at the display of cordless phone batteries as I couldn't believe they had gone up that much. And there it was !! A new little 1-3/4 " x 5" phone that would fit in my little phone holder. Better yet.... it is twins, two little phones, two chargers, and it was on sale. He took back my battery, and I got the phones. I have them charging now.

Jay had a coupon for the Kolache Factory, so we found it, and got some. They were too "bready", and only had little tiny cocktail sausage inside. I don't know how they got to be such a big franchise, as we won't go there again.

Next thrift shop was having a sale on clothes. I got some navy shorts with the new label still intact, 50 cents, and some jeans, $1.50. Jay got another Azteck pillow sham. Fourth thrift shop I got one more duck basket, more jeans, and Jay got a ceramic cube heater for $5.

Just a shopping day.

Copying Post Office with Litter Boxes ! Puters.

No, NOT Letter Boxes. Litter boxes. I had to send some aloe plants today, and I was out of mailing tubes, the new order was back-ordered. I have the big long ones that the Post Office gives away for Priority Mail, but these weren't going Priority. As long as they are under 13 oz. they can go by First Class, which is about the same transit time, and half the price. These were smaller plants anyway. I knew I had some sturdy cat litter boxes, so I copied the Post Office ones and made some little triangular mailers, just the right sizes for the plants that were being mailed. The Post Office frowns upon you using their free boxes, as they get their money back with the Priority charges, starting at $4.

It takes me about 5 minutes to cut the litter box up with a sharp utility knife, fold it into a triangle inside out, fold and tape the ends, so I could make up to 12 mailers an hour. Each box makes 4 mailers. Considering the mailing tubes that you buy cost $1.50 - $2.00 each, I am saving money. The bigger the box, the more it weighs, and so by making smaller boxes the shipping charges are less, too. Maybe I have found a new career !

I had to go into town to put the cashier's check in the bank, and mail the plants. I think that they will get there safely in their strong little boxes. Gas was $3.39.

When I got back, I messed with these puters for a long time. I received my new Windows XP Pro SP2 with COA in English, from Germany the other day. Half the price than the ones here. But it has to be a clean install. So now I am bewildered by all the things I have been told to do, so that I don't lose my 'stuff' in here. I fired up my laptop, and let it do all it's updates, as it does have a good XP Pro in it. I just don't like to use it. I finally figured out how to get it to work on Broadband, too. Getting cleverer and cleverer. I got my digital camera disc thing loaded in it with the Wizard, and put some new pictures in the laptop. But when I looked at them, I realized I didn't have my picture re-sizer in the laptop. I will have to try to remember how to do that now. When I switched the Broadband back over to this PC, the pictures aren't in My Pictures ? So I don't know where they are now. I do have one of those hub things where I can have them both on line at the same time, but I have forgotten how to use it. It didn't work last time I tried to use it, years ago. Probably didn't have it hooked up right. And it would be just one more complication to confuse me.

I figured that if I did something wrong with this PC, at least I would have the laptop to answer folks inquiries about the things I have for sale. I still don't have this one ready to do the install, and I am scared to do it by myself. It says I have to back-up first. But back up what ? The instructions I was sent mention Data Folder, Organize Folder, and other places I had never seen before. I never knew there were so many nooks and crannies in this machine ! It is a wonder they work at all. This would be easy for you folks that have been brought up with computers, but for an old fossil like me who was raised in the days of manual (not electric) typewriters, it is all Greek.

A frustrating computer day.

Lake Palestine. Truck Trek to Tyler, TX.

Try saying that title six times !!!

It had been bothering me all weekend that they partially paid for the Class B with a check. They weren't supposed to take the signed title with them, but when I gathered up all the papers off the table, it wasn't there. My knees and hip were bothering me so much from climbing in and out if the Class B, that I wasn't thinking straight. Their bank, near Tyler, doesn't have an in-store branch, so there was nothing I could do over the weekend. I called my bank and there was no way that they could put a hold on their account. I knew I would be on pins and needles for days waiting to know if the check had cleared. So I thought I would just go cash it, and save myself some stress and worry.

The weather was good, and Jay wanted to go on a road trip, he was feeling like his old sober self again, so we decided to go to their bank. I printed out the directions to the bank, and also from there to their house, in case I had some kind of a problem with the check. I asked Ray to keep an eye on Bobcat, and feed her tonight, if I was delayed. She would be quite alright in the house, and he has a key. I checked all the fluids in the truck. I took my new little ditty bag on wheels with a few necessities in it, in case I got stranded somewhere.

Jay packed some sandwiches and cold soft drinks in the cooler and off we went. The truck ran fine, cruise control set at 65 MPH a lot of the way. After we got off the freeway at Buffalo, we went through some quaint little communities and towns with names like Pert, Dogwood, Coffee City, Noonday, Tucker and more. We crossed Lake Palestine, and it looked beautiful, a lot like Lake Conroe.




http://www./.tpwd.state.tx.us/fishboat/fish/recreational/lakes/palestine/

I saw some gas for $3.31, and I remarked, "That is where we are going to fill up on the way back". Against my rules, we didn't stop on the way, but went straight to their bank. Fortunately there was no trouble with the check, so I bought a cashier's check there, so I would be carrying thousands of dollars in cash.

We looked for the $3.31 gas station again, and didn't find it. We meant to stop in Tyler to eat, but didn't stop until we got back to Buffalo and ate at the Longhorn BBQ. There was another name brand BBQ place almost next door with no cars, but this one had several outside, so we figured it must be better. Jay had chopped brisket, but he didn't like the seasoning. I wasn't going to take a chance, so just had salad bar, anyway we had already eaten the sandwiches, so I wasn't that hungry.

Just an easy 358 mile drive in the country today, looking at the scenery. I know one thing, that little truck of mine is a lot nicer to drive than that Class B. Maybe I will get a little pop-up slide in camper for it, or a little Casita type trailer.

A traveling day.

Everything Sells, Eventually !

I picked up Jay this morning. I had a nice surprise when I checked my email this morning. A lady answered my ad about this 5 tinted glass shelf unit. I have had that advertised for a couple of years on our local 'Yardsales' site. I can advertise 10 items at a time for free. No one had even emailed about it before, let alone looked at it. It had to be brought down from the attic, and cleaned up, and put together.

Fortunately I knew where all the parts and glass shelves were stored, so while I was cleaning them, Jay went up on the roof and fixed the gutter over the workshop. The rain had been pouring on us as we went in and out of the door, dripping down our necks, for a couple of years now. He was in one of his "Well it is better than it was" moods, which he gets into when he is in a hurry to drink. I hate that, I want it done right.

He slapped the shelf unit together in the carport, and it looked all loppity, as he hadn't fitted the cross pieces in right, so I took him home. You can't buy beer until noon on a Sunday, so he must have had some stashed already.

I got Ray to help me get it on level floor in the storage area, and he painstakingly re-adjusted the screws, leveled it with the adjustable feet. They came and wanted it right away, and didn't even bargain with me. My kind of folks !! She has a beauty shop and wanted it to display goods for sale. I am so glad to have that gone.

It is nice to see that big space in my yard where the Class B used to be, too.

A good day.

Fixed Genny. Then Sold Class B.

The TranStar, B+, was in the way, as it had been backed out of the RVport for Nell to get the door yesterday. So Jay and I quickly put the new piece of fuel line on the generator. The genny will start, but I am looking for a new fuel filter for it. I know it will run better then. It still isn't up to par. Got it back in the RVport, and the truck behind it. Now we don't have to walk around them.

Then Jay mowed as it wasn't raining. But that didn't last long, it poured shortly after that.

A couple came to look at the Class B, and it was one of the few times that someone didn't want to tear out the new entertainment center and put a bed back in the top. Or say that it was too big, or too small. They really liked it, drove it, and of course as with all buyers, they nit-picked and offered me a lot less that what it is worth. But the way things are NOT selling right now, I thought I had better take it. I am sick and tired of it being here, so I accepted their offer and they drove it away. I just hope it isn't "funny money" !!

One thing accomplished today.

Sold Door. Genny wouldn't start

I had Muffie and MaeMae for the night, and I board them in the house with me. MaeMae sleeps in my late dog's bed, under my bed, and Muffie sleeps at the foot of it. So MaeMae and I went to pick up Jay, I can't take Muffie as she cannot be trusted not to dash out of the car, and she is not voice or leash trained. We just got our thoughts organized as to what we needed to do today, when Nell arrived to buy the big heavy door. We got it in her minivan, and off she went. She didn't get the storm door at this time. The stove and dryer will need some attention before they can be sold.

The 4KW Onan generator on the Class B+ has been starting regularly for 12 years, and even powered an AC and other things in the house for three days during Hurricane Rita. This time, for it's monthly exercise it wouldn't start. The gas guage was at about 1/4 tank, so we went and got some gas, as generators shut down when the tank gets down to a quarter full. With the gas gauge needle way over 1/4, it still wouldn't start. This was mystifying. Then we saw that a gas line had a bad crack in it at a bend, so the genny was sucking air. Jay cut a piece off the fuel line and we went into town. We got 6" of fuel line, a barb fitting and some stainless steels clamps. We did a bit more shopping and came back.

MaeMae needed a quick haircut. She has one eye that weeps and it puts a matted spot on her face if it isn't tended to. I didn't do a full groom, not enough time, I just tidied her up a bit, clipped her neck and body. Then I took her and Jay home, as his mother should be home by then.

So not much today.

Getting Stuff Ready for Showing, Then More Rain.

Jay's mother and neighbor are out of town, gambling again, so his little doggie, Muffie, arrived at 7.30 am, and then I picked up Jay and Mae-Mae. I am supposed to groom the dogs, if I have time.

A lady named Nell had been emailing me for a week or so now about a solid wooden oak door I have for sale. She has been trying to come to see it whenever we quit having these sudden torrential downpours. Then she asked me if I had a 36" storm door, which I do. Then she asked if I had an electric stove and a dryer for her neighbors. Which I do. She was going to come to look at it all at 2.00 pm.

The wooden door is in the back of my RVport, so I backed out the pick-up and TranStar so we could get at it. Then Jay and I got the stove and dryer out of the storage room, and dragged out the storm doors from the side storage. I had a new belt for the dryer, and we struggled trying to put that on for a while, and then got Ray involved too. The belt they had sold me was the wrong size. I finally found the right one on Sears' site. Ray and I hooked up the electric stove and one burner was out. One side of the wooden door looked ratty from being stored for so long, and so Ray brushed a coat of poly/stain over it, and cleaned up the little window with the wrought iron over it. Jay washed the storm doors, those were the only things that didn't need anything else done to them.

I put Jay's jumbo shrimp on skewers and broiled them on a rack over a foil lined pan in the toaster oven. It is easier to turn them over when they are on skewers. I sprinkled them with lemon juice, lemon pepper, non-fat spray margarine, parsley and Chef Paul Prudhomme's Seafood Magic, and we had veges on the side. Jay likes to eat here when is mother is away. Jay put on more Seafood Magic and made it too spicy for me ! But even the sauce in the bottom of the pan was good drizzled over the shrimp. So, no mess in the kitchen, just a rack and some skewers to wash.

Nell had called to say it was too rainy today !

Phyllis' Place in Yuma, AZ. Pressure Washing Again.

In the RV-Dreams chat room last night we were talking about Phyllis and Bob's place in AZ.


Here it is:













From left to right:
Bob, Phyllis, Russ (RCooper) and Sandy.








More later.


Today, Jay and I attacked my little back yard that is on the front of the subdivision, along the road. My lots are in a pie shape, narrow at the front, so to get the width of the house, and still allow for the easements, it was built 10-15' off the road. Most of my space is in my front yard.


The fence is supposed to be maintained by the Property Owner's Association. I have replaced boards at my own expense numerous times, and painted it twice, but they supplied the cheap paint. Now the POA says that they are going to repair and paint the whole fence. That will be the day ! The subdivision is 169 acre corner tract on Lake Conroe, and the fence is on two road sides, so there is a lot of fence. We pressure washed my 120+ feet of it today, and the back of my house, as all this rain and the trees had everything green with algae. No, not green with envy. The pressure washer hose gave us some trouble for the first time. I guess I will be painting the fence again, while I wait for them to do it.

The hedge is my addition, as it cuts down on the north wind, and traffic noise from the road. Also stops boarded dogs from trying to climb the fence. There is wire fencing stapled to it on the inside. The two windows on the left are my bathroom, and the right one is my grooming room, which also has two more windows on the side. The grooming room and it's little bathroom are a separate part of the house, even though it is all under one roof. Gee, my pretty blue shingles have got grubby under these trees. But I would hate to be without the trees.

A pressure washing day.

Rain, Rain Go Away. Crystal and Duck Baskets

It has rained most of the day. I had to go to Conroe, and so Jay wanted to go with me. I knew that if he went, he would want to go thrift shopping, but that was alright, as there wasn't much we could do around the house, or outside.

Yesterday, with Minkie and Kashy back at Kenya's, Jay and I had given the house a good clean, vacuumed, and put things back that the kitties, mostly Minkie, had knocked down. We put the cat toys and the German Shepherd cage back in the grooming room. I used to lock Minkie up in it when I was gone, as she is so mishievous. I even caught her up on this shelf, tip toeing through the crystal. Good thing it is held steady with museum gel.


So today, we went to Conroe, and to the sewing machine man there to get a new belt for my machine. We went to a few thrift shops, and Jay got some fleecy sheepskin boots for the winter, and I got two more duck baskets. I used to have an enormous collection of duck baskets, but it got stolen. I haven't seen any for sale for a long time, so getting four in the last few days is unusual. This is how many I have now. Some of my shell collection is in the cabinet, the biggest ones won't fit in there.

Finally got to WalMart, trying to find stuff while they are re-modeling it, so it was a lot of walking today.

Casitas !!

This is the third time that I have shown the Class B, and they have said that it is too big, and that they think they really want a Casita.
People used to say that a Class B was too small !

It must be a sign of the times, and the gas scrunch.

I bet it is making them happy up at

the Casita factory in N. Texas.

Again, a rainy day

Gutter Screwing, and Pegula Washing

Jay likes to stay busy, as it keeps him sober, so I picked him up so that he could screw the gutters back on the band-board on the RVport.

Then we realized that the pergula really needed cleaning. It has been there all this time, and never been cleaned.


We sprayed it with Super Clean and bleach in the pump-up sprayer, and let it sit for a while. Hosed it down, and it didn't clean it, so I drug out the pressure washer. Jay sent the hose back down, I tied a piece of rope to it, and sent it back up so that we could hoist the pressure washer up there.


It took a while, but it is a lot cleaner. But all the flowers on it need to be replaced.

Now, I need a flower day.

Didn't Need Windshield Shade Today !

We weren't working on anything today. Jay was helping his mother, and Ray was helping his father-in-law.

Today was Adoption Day again. My young cats, Minkie and Kashy are really wearing my old back out. I asked my SPCA boss if she could take them for a while. She said yes, if two of her foster cats got adopted today. Bobcat is not doing well with them here. She gets into their food, as well as her own prescription diet, and it upsets her tummy. Minky often knocks things down, and I have to bend over and pick stuff up. I have to find out where Kashy is and crawl on my hands and knees to look for her in her 'sanctuary' under my bed. Then there is the stooping for the box cleaning, and it seems that I am getting more sore every day from all the bending over. But I can still touch my toes, I just need a crane to get me back up !

As I had the morning off, I actually got to read the RVNewsletter that arrives in my email on Saturdays, on a Saturday ! I spent some time listing things on eBay and Craigslist until it was time to take them. I got Kashy loaded in a little soft-sided carrier that I have. Getting both regular carriers full of cat, in and out of the truck, was hurting my back. I took Minkie, who is a bit larger, in Kenya's carrier that was used for Kashy to get here, so I had to return that.

After getting my little cats settled in at Petco, and I went to do a couple of errands while I was in Conroe. I knew not to go to Wal*Mart as it is tax-free day for school clothes. It was overcast, and suddenly it started to really rain. The kind where the drains can't keep the lakes off the sides of the roads. Some cocky drivers were splashing through the high water, and drowning out their distributors. I had an umbrella with me, but I still got soaked to the skin. The bags of groceries got all wet. I was worried that this much rain would bring high water to the road going to my house. It is on the highest point around, as I lost everything in the Flood of October 94, so I moved to higher ground, but the road to it does flood. I didn't even come home on the freeway, as when it rains it often has wrecks, and traffic tie-ups. I came north old State Hiway 75, and had to turn my wipers off....It hadn't even rained in my town. Oh, well the truck got a good rinse.

After changing into some dry clothes, I took a nap while I waited for Kenya to call me to let me know if she was taking my furbabies to her place. She did take them, so Bobcat and I will feel a lot better, even though we will miss them.

Not a dog-gone day, a cat-gone day.

RV to the Rescue to fix RVport Roof

We didn't get started until about 9.30 am, but it was clear that the old TranStar motor home would be needed to help with replacing the one bad band-board on the RVport roof. I backed the TranStar up where it would be a good position for Ray to sit on top of it, while he held a flat bar over the new board we put up there the other day, and hold up the rotten board, while Jay unscrewed it from the posts. We had jammed a 4x4 diagonally to hold up that end of the pergula, and screwed it in place at the top, so that it couldn't fall on us, and put a lag bolt in the deck to stop it from kicking out at the bottom. Jay had to go on top of the roof to unscrew the gutters off the old band board, while Jay sat on the roof of the TranStar. This was a lot better than him teeter tottering on a ladder to do it, and having to constantly move the ladder. We got the old board down, and the new treated one screwed up in place. We took out the 4x4, and we were done by 11.15 am. The gutters still need to be screwed back on, but it was so hot and humid that we had had enough.


The clear space you see between the pergula and the RVport roof is a clear panel. This RVport is 42 feet long, so there are clear panels here and there, for light. Because of the angle of the lots, it is 14' wide at the back and 10' at the front, with 8' wide carport on the left of it, and a store room at the rear. I can back the TranStar out of the RVport just like I know what I am doing, but I have tried to back it in, and it just isn't as easy. There is a fence all along the house side of the RVport, and there is a paved walkway between it and the house, for any dogs that are here to get into the back yard from my front door. The grooming room and the living room both have glass doors into a hall, and people's dogs never have to come into my living area.


Yesterday, they were paving the road behind my house. Unfortunately, a car was going by right when I took the picture of Bobcat sitting in my bathroom window, watching the roller roll the new asphalt. She loves to sit there and watch the traffic going by, but this was something new for her.

Now it is a rainy day.

War Ended 1945. Other Side of the Class B.

Today 63 years ago WWII ended. I remember it well, even though I was just a school girl. I didn't really know what it meant, as all I knew was war. But I was told that peace would mean no more bombs being dropped on London. No more having to take shelter when the sirens went off. No more sirens to wake you up in the night. No more seeing which of your school pals had been killed in the night. No more wondering if I would ever see a banana again. And no more rationing. Well, that took years for that to happen. And most of all I could see my father again, home from the RAF, and live with him. That didn't happen for a long time either, and then it was only for three years in Paris. I was going learn what peace time is. Please pray for our troops in this new war.

I picked up Jay again this morning. I knew that Ray would be here, too, and I was hoping that Ray and I could get the other side of the striping done on the Class B, while Jay worked on the RVport roof.

Jay cut off the sleeves, and cut a big V in the neck of one of the T-shirts he had bought yesterday, and wanted me to hem it for him while we were waiting for Ray to get here. Well, my sewing machine was still strung with burgundy from making the Class B drapes. So I filled a bobbin with white, and restrung the machine. I tried to sew the T-shirt, but the belt on my old machine, my favourite, had stretched and it wasn't going to work today. We got out the newer machine out, but I knew it would have to be oiled as it hadn't been used for a while. But Ray arrived, so that had to be shelved.

Jay spent a long time with my seam ripper undoing the Aztak pattern pillow sham he had bought yesterday, while I taped up the Class B and Ray painted it.

Here it is, all done.

Jay mowed the yard. He had wanted to do it earlier this morning, but he couldn't understand that it is not good to mow it when it is wet from dew, or maybe it was a very early morning rain. Anyway it was damp until 11.45 AM.

It was getting too late, and hot, to start on the RVport roof. So I took Jay home.


Maybe we will get it done, tomorrow is another day.

No Work Today. Shopping, then Bacon.

I picked Jay up, and I stopped to put Revolution on the back of Mikey's neck, on the way back. It will stop him from having fleas, ticks, heartworm, earmites, mange, etc. It has to be applied the day after a bath, or two hours before. His "Dad", Sam, isn't able to go anywhere to buy anything, as you can hardly understand him since his stroke, so I get it for him. Sam also has two playmates for energetic Mikey, two white and orange young cats. Sam found them when they were really tiny kittens. He got it across to me that he wants me to arrange to get them neutered. But first they will have to be vaccinated. So I have to remember to get that done.

Ray wasn't going to be here today, and I knew that I would have to go to the next town in the next couple of days, so Jay and I went today. I bought some good strong deck screws for treated lumber at the Mom & Pop store in our town, when Jay went in there to get his cigarettes. So much stuff is cheaper there.

We went to a couple of thrift shops in the next town, and Jay bought a bunch of work T-shirts, and some work jeans. He was also looking for something in an Aztak pattern to put over the back of his plain beige sofa. We found a pillow sham, and when unpicked and hemmed will give his couch some color.

I bought a new-looking blue, red and yellow little suitcase with a pull-out handle, and wheels for $2. 20"x12"x8". I know it will come in handy as I am getting older. Even the "ditty bag" that I keep packed down with toiletries, spare clothes, first aid kit, binoculars, flashlights, batteries, Bobcat's harness and leash, etc. is getting heavy to carry to the rig. This has several pockets and compartments in it, which I like, as I like to keep things in "departments", just like my workshop and purse ! I must have been a filing clerk in a former life. It will be my "72-hour kit" in case of emergencies. I got another cart on wheels for moving stuff around here. Also I found a couple of little wicker ducks for my duck-shaped basket collection.

We took my 110v/12v. TV to Radio shack to buy an end to a 12v. cord that I had, that would fit the TV. They didn't have one, and suggested that I buy an 75 watt inverter from them. ($30) Not much sense in having a 12v. TV ! They looked in their parts list for a 12v. cord for this Magnavox, and didn't find one. So I will have to research that some more. I have a 300 watt inverter, but I would rather use the two 110v. outlets on it for other things. Like my laptop, and maybe a printer.

Then we went to Lowes and I bought another 2x8x10 treated board. I need to get this RVport fixed before Fall, as I never know if Jay will be around then. He could pull another wing-dinger, and wind up in jail before the roof gets fixed. It has happened before.

Jay had brought some bacon to my house, and wanted to cook it in the little toaster oven, as he knows he makes a splattery mess when he fries anything. He hasn't learned that you have to turn the heat down ! So I covered a baking pan with foil, and we put the bacon on a rack in the little oven. There was way too much bacon to fit on it, so I fried the rest with a bacon weight on it and a splatter screen in an iron skillet. There was a big difference in the taste of the two. I would have thought that the oven baked would taste better than the pan fried. But it didn't. I know I don't like the taste when it is done in the microwave. We were making BLT's, but the "L" would be baby spinach, as I usually get that, as it is more nutritious than lettuce. Then I can always cook it in a quiche or with some other vegetables, which I wouldn't want to do with lettuce.

Finally, I bought a new Windows XP Pro SP2 with COA, in English, from someone a British relative of mine knows in Germany. It was a lot cheaper than the ones for sale here in the US. That should straighten out this computer. This one doesn't have the SP2, and can't be upgraded. I know, I know, I was told there will be no more support with the XP after next year. But by that time, I will probably have a newer computer, and have Vista.


In the evening I paid some bills, so it was a money recirculating day.

Groomed, Gunked and Raked.

Today I picked up Mikey for grooming on my way to pick up Jay. I didn't know if Jay would be ready, and I wanted to pick up Mikey on time, as his "Dad" has had a stroke and he likes things to be predictable.
Don't we all, stroke or no stroke ?

Here are some before and after pictures.

Mikey is a very energetic dog, and his "Dad" likes him really short. Mikey will go straight to rolling in the dirt to wash off the "clean".


Now that my camera is working again, here is the first side of the rear of the HiLo painted. I took the round tail light off.

While I was grooming Mikey, Jay sprayed Gunk engine cleaner in the truck engine compartment, so that the mechanic could find the power steering leak. Even the valve covers and everything was grubby, and it all needed cleaning, except the few things that we taped plastic bags over, like the air breather, coil, distributor.

Then Jay raked up some more of the pine needles and bits of branches, and took them to the burn pile. I didn't want him to light it as there was a wind coming up.

It was very oppressive, like it was going to rain, and it did. Quite a shower.

Jay had brought some filet mignon with him to cook here. The stove in his house is not hooked up yet, and he is "throwed out" of his mother's house next door to his house, right now. He cut it up in small strips like a stir fry with some onions and things. I made him clean up his mess.

We took the truck down the street to the mechanics when the rain stopped, and he brought it back a short while later. It was so clean that I am going to have to drive it some more, to make the position of leak show up.

My Mikey-fix day.

More Cleaning Up From The Storm, and Shopping.

The truck has a power steering leak and as it goes into the shop tomorrow, I thought I had better get a few things that I needed. Never know when you will get your vehicle back. Jay went with me as he wanted to eat at Sonic, and then we went to Krogers.

I bought more batteries for my camera, and it still didn't work. So I sprayed the contacts with dilectric grease, then it worked. Second time that stuff has saved the day this week. First time was when the fan wouldn't work on the Class B dash air conditioning, but fuse was good. Sprayed it, and voila, now it works, too. When in doubt, spray it with dilectic grease !

It wasn't windy, and so Ray cleaned up some more pine needles and branches, and was able to light the big burn pile and start burning them. He strung a water hose out there first, house rules. When I got back, the front was just about raked, so I started in the back yards and I raked some more into piles. The fire was already big enough, so we spread it, watered it down and let it smolder. It was just getting too darned hot out there, even though the back yards are on the north side, so they are mostly shaded by the house, guest house, and RVport.

A bonfire day.

Installed board. Painted rear of Hilo

We started out this morning, by screwing the 2x8x10 board up in the RVport. We braced everything up with a long 4x4, and had two ladders, Ray on one, and Jay on the other, and I was 'gopher', (go for this, go for that). Jay didn't want to take the old board down right now, so this one is screwed to the inside of the post, to give the roof support, and we will take the old board down off the outside of the post when the weather is cooler. The metal roof, and gutters are attached to it, so it will be a job to do in about October. The only reason the old band-board failed is that it is the only one that wasn't treated lumber in the whole structure.


I took Jay home, and when I got back I taped up the left rear side of the HiLo. Ray primed and painted it that side of the window, and we will do the other side another day.

I went to take a picture and my camera wouldn't work, even with new batteries, I hope it hasn't bitten the dust after 3 years.

We didn't do the stripe on the other side of the Class B, either. The folks that want the Class B are coming back with their Volvo wagon that they want to trade. That striping job is something that needs to be done precisely and not rushed.

I had been doing a lot of research on what their Volvo was worth, and I had come to the decision as to how much cash they would have to come up with to get the Class B, OR just trade for the Little Van. I went to start the Little Van, it has been sitting for a while, and people had been playing with the power sofa/bed in it, and the battery was dead. So I strung a cord and battery charger out to it. That fixed that.

They arrived, so I drove the Volvo. I took them down to the lake and around the subdivision. It has some problems, like engine light staying on, a year older than what they said, more miles than they said, leather seats showed wear. There were places on the body that needed attention, like stuff broken under the front bumper. I think where a fog light is supposed to be or something. Front end was making bumping noises, but not a CV joint noise. On top of that, it was lower down than my other Volvo wagon which was rear wheel drive, as this is front wheel drive. Very difficult for me to get out of. Nice, but not really want I want, and I would have to do things to it, to sell it.

They didn't want the Little Van, and I didn't really want the Volvo.

Another day.

Just Bought a Board, and Showed the Class B.

That is just about all I did.

Jay and I went to Conroe, and went to one of the two thrift shops that we had missed the other day. The other one is closed on Saturdays. Jay bought several matching switch and outlet covers made of antique brass to go on the front side of his kitchen bar. I bought a little Tupperware sugar bowl thingy for my RV, and a red mug. I have lost one of my red mugs, somewhere on this property. When I drink my two cups of coffee in the mornings I put it in a red mug so that I know it is regular coffee. If I make any more during the day it will be "unleaded" coffee (decaf) and I put it in a white mug. I just can't sleep if I drink regular after noon, so I am very careful about that.

Near that thrift shop is the biggest Dollar General store of the three in Conroe and the one in our town. I don't even have to move the truck to go there, so I picked up a few things.

Then we went to Lowes and bought the treated 2x8x10 board for repairing the RVport. As we hadn't left until about 10.00 am, we were back by about noon, and we decided that it was too hot to start on the work today, so that will be a tomorrow thing.

The couple from Waller, TX came on a motor cycle to see the Class B. They want to trade in a 99 silver Volvo station wagon, which they said they will drive over tomorrow. We will see...

My youngest son stopped by as he had a job to do in my subdivision. He said that he might even get my fiberglass Class A motor home running, and bring it back to me. He has been using it as a spare bedroom for the last couple of years. We will see....

Not much for today.

Re-striping the Class B

Before all this storm scare started, Ray and I had removed the top striping on the Class B. It had got old and ratty looking.



I had managed to get to Tasco (pin striping place) yesterday while I was in Conroe, and they could order 150 feet of this 3/4" wide burgundy, for a price, but I didn't need that much. I was already prepared for that, and I had bought several different burgundy spray paints. This one matched perfectly.


Today, Ray and I made a scaffold with two ladders and some long 2 x 6's across them. I taped off all but where the stripe goes using another piece of tape as a straight guide line. Then we got the newspaper taped up to protect the rest of it.


Here is Ray painting it.






Here it is !



I think a successful day.

Shopped Till We Dropped

I needed to get some lumber to replace a beam in the RVport, and some other things, so I knew I had to go to Conroe today, and Jay wanted to go with me. He wanted to go thrift shopping, and I hadn't done that for a while so off we went. We went to our town to go to a little Mom and Pop grocery and hardware store there. I can get paint thinner, denatured alcohol and lots of other things there for half the price that they are at Lowes and HD. They also sell cigarettes cheaper, so Jay wanted to stop there anyway. Three more stops in our town and then off to the bigger City of Conroe.

It started out being a nice day not too hot, and not much humidity, but golly, did that change. We didn't get started until 10.00 am, and by the time 1.00 pm came, it was stifling hot outside. Each time we stopped we put the sunshade up inside the windshield to keep the heat out, and would start the AC and cool down the truck before removing it. The windshield would be so hot, that you couldn't touch it. I even remarked that I need to bring the vinyl windshield cover to the MH to keep the heat off from the outside at each stop. August in TX, no wonder I like winter here, and always wanted to be a "sun-bird".

There are seven thrift shops in the area where we go, and we only went to five. Jay got some Aztek pattern pillows for his new couch, an Aztek pattern Drylon shower curtain, and some other stuff. I got several doggie, (or kitty blankets), a container the right size to go in the slot where we keep the used, but still good, sandpaper, a white sleeveless summer dress and a small color 110v TV. I have my 110v/12v. TV in the kitchen and I have to move it into the RV, so now it can stay in the RV. Jay had eaten some meat that wasn't cooked to the proper temperature the night before, and he wasn't feeling too chipper. But he had also eaten some raw jalapenos, and everyone says don't eat them raw right now with that salmonella scare. He thought that if he ate he would feel better, and so we stopped at Taco Cabana and had a late lunch. By then we just felt like it was just too hot to go into a store and come back out to a hot vehicle, so we just came home. We both had been on our feet for quite a while. So we skipped two thrift shops, Lowes, and WalMart. No lumber, I still didn't get everything I needed, and didn't get home until 3.00pm. Another day when I should have worn my pedometer.

Really just a goof off day.

Yard Cleaning after the Storm

We finally assumed that all was over with Hurricane Eduard, so Ray, Jay and I started the big clean up. Jay was bored and wanted something to do. As he is the one that always cleaned the roofs of the guest house and the RV ports, and he was sober, I let him do it. Jay and my late Johnnie had built them many years ago, and Jay thinks that he is the only one that knows where to step up there.

The gutters were a mess, Jay hadn't been up there for a while. As he cleaned them out the old dirt and black, old, ground up pine needles splattered my white house, so we had to hose that down, too.
Jay got all the pine needles off the roof that hadn't blown off the other day, and all three of us just got the front yard of the first lot raked up into a pile. Two more lots, and the back yards still to do !

For me, an Aleve Day.

Hurricane Eduard and Knick Knack Day

There was no use cleaning up the yard as Eduard's remnants were supposed to make their appearance this far north today. It rained, but not like it had the other day, so Ray and I just got some indoor 'catch-up jobs' done. We didn't know if we would get another torrent of rain or not. We didn't, it was nothing like the other day.

We had wanted to hang a fan in the workshop for quite a while, so that we could pull the air through there on the days that we are working in there. It was always in the way if it was on one of the work tables. So we hung it up on a cross beam with some chain. We took the front off the fan and drilled holes in the top, and attached a chain at each end with nuts, bolts, and lock washers. Then screwed it to beam. It works great.

There is a shop light on that beam also, and we fiddled with it for quite a while, as it quit working. There is power going to it, we checked that, but the ballast must have gone out. This light was just replaced 6 months ago. I guess I will have to take it back.

Next job was to clear some of the things off the work bench where the vice is. They were all things that needing fixing, some, like heaters, were put up for another day, and some were finally fixed, or thrown out. But the main thing was that we finally got a light installed over that work bench. Now we don't have to use a clamp light !

It was getting hot and humid by then, so Ray did some caulking in my bathroom. About a year ago, Jay and I had to take up my toilet where the contractors had not re-installed my toilet properly. We had to replace the flange and the floor around it, it had been leaking under the linoleum and I didn't know it. We had carefully pried off the quarter round and peeled back the linoleum, sliding a strip of thin metal under the lino to loosen it from the mastic, rolling the lino on a piece of 4" pipe so it wouldn't get crimped. After we had repaired the floor, we re-glued the lino, and nailed the quarter round back on, but it still needed caulking to make it look neat, so as that is Ray's forte, we got caught up on that job. Now I won't have to look at those cracks.

A hot humid knick knack day.

Muratic Acid and Tomato Paste

Ray and I thought that we would try out some of the aluminum cleaners that I had bought for cleaning the window frames on the vintage HiLo.

The marine store where I buy the Zinc Chromate Primer for the aluminum said that they use Muratic Acid on aluminum, so I had picked some up on Saturday, being very careful to carry it in the tool box in the back of the truck, not inside with the kitties and me.

This morning the saga began with trying the Muratic Acid on the aluminum step ladder. We suited up in rubber aprons and gloves, applied it with an old paint brush diluted to 20-1 as directed, and it didn't do diddly-squat. So we made it 10-1, ...nothing, so brushed some on full strength, and it bubbled a little bit, but made the aluminum a funny looking color. As you can see it didn't even try to take off the old stain and paint on the ladder. I hate it that my ladders are so yucked up. So we rinsed that off with baking soda water and hung the ladder back up.

We tried Nevr-Dull, Mother's Mag & Aluminum Polish, Mother's Power Metal Polish, on a little inconspicuous corner on the trailer. Nothing. Then I tried vinegar, Brasso, Chrome Polish, Lime-Away, Drano, Murphy's Soap, Barkeeper's Friend, EasyOff Oven Cleaner, TSP, rinsing with baking soda each time. You can tell I was getting desperate ! No difference at all.

The ladder is all aluminum as I touched it with my magnet, and it didn't stick. The aluminum window frames on the trailer do have something else in them as the magnet did stick.

I had Zephyr Pro 40 recommended to me so I looked up the Zephyr site and talked to Rich there, and he said Pro40 should shine the window frames. But I have to drive to either Houston, or Cleveland, TX to get some, or get it shipped to me.

Blue Magic Metal Cleaner was also recommended, but they didn't have it at our WalMart.

Then I remembered that when you have an aluminum cooking pot that has got dull and discolored you cook tomatoes in it to make it shine again. So tomorrow, Hurricane Eduard permitting, if you see a vintage HiLo with tomato paste slathered on it, it is mine !! LOL

Now to get ready for Eduard, we cleaned the windows and front of the HiLo, and cleaned the dirt and algae off the front awning, and battened it down. We used to keep it up so we could have the front window open, but we have AC in the trailer now. Doesn't take long for things to get grubby in this humidity under these trees. Then we secured the rear window that is over the AC, and made it so that it can't flop around. We got all the masking tape and newspaper off the trailer so it can't blow around.

The yard is a mess from yesterday's storm, but with Eduard hovering near Galveston, there is no sense in cleaning it up yet.

It is hot, bright and sunny again, and I have power and water.

Such a different day from yesterday.

Storm

I am sitting here in the near dark, the power is out, writing this on my laptop, with a little battery light clipped on the top of the screen. I have my battery powered TV going, and I can cook as my stove top is propane. Thank goodness I put a new tank on last week. I got the box of different size new batteries for flashlights out of the workshop. I don't like to use candles as the cats could knock them over and start a fire. I got what I call my 'gas' coffee maker out of the RV and I am all set.

I know this laptop battery won't last too long, so I had better get off here. 4.15 PM

Update: The storm has gone by, and it is lighter in the house now. The power company doesn't know when the power will be back on. 5:30 PM

Another Update: Finally got the power on at 6.30, but now the broadband and TV cable is out, so I am on dial-up, and using the little battery TV on 110v now, and just getting the channels I can get "by air". I have the laptop plugged in and charging, as the power might go out again. I can hear thunder in the distance. But at least the AC and water is on now, and I am back on my desk top ! 7.00 PM

When that storm was going through, as dark as it was outside, I could still see some pine trees were really bending over. I was afraid one of them was going to drop in my yard. There are pine needles everywhere that blew off house's roofs, and the streets are littered with branches and twigs. And Eduard hasn't got here yet ! 8.00 PM

A really stormy day.

Debken on Ha'penny Bridge. HiLo Final Paint.

Here is Debbie Kendall on the Ha'penny Bridge, Dublin. She used to work on cruise ships, so she has been all over the world. The sights she must have seen. Now she and her husband Rod fulltime in their lovely 5er (Fifth Wheel Trailer) traveling this great beautiful USA.

Here are the pictures of the final coat of paint on the two sides of the HiLo. There were a couple of places that had to be done over on the passenger side, so I quickly taped them up and Ray sprayed them.

Now we just have to do a couple of places on the rear.

It is Adoption Day today, so I will be going to the next town,

so I can pick up some more Zinc Chromate Primer.

With this cyber war going on between Blogspot and IE, I had to do this through Firefox. Now I remember why I don't use it unless I have to. I am lost without my AOL 'carousel', where I have places stored that I need to go to quickly, with their icons chosen by me.

Then I miss the little red heart that is on each web page that I can click on and send that whole item in an email, IM, or Favorite Places.

It must be an AOL thing. I use that little red heart to send myself items all the time, and then store those items in folders on AOL Email Storage. I try not to keep much in this machine, as it did a nose dive once before. That way important stuff can't go down with the ship.

I hope my foster kitties get adopted today.

Ha'penny Bridge. Final Coats of Paint on HiLo

Last night, Deb of "Keeping up with The Kendalls", http://debandrod.blogspot.com/ was in the RV-Dreams chat room, and she mentioned the Ha'penny Bridge in Dublin, and sent me a picture of her on the bridge. She sent it as an attachment, and I don't know how to get it out of my download manager, and into 'My Pictures', so I can't show it to you. So I did a search and came up with these pictures of the Ha'Penny Bridge. It was a toll bridge and the toll was a half penny.

There is even a Ha'Penny Bridge Pub in Boise, Idaho.

Here is a picture of the inside of it

Well, as a "Texan with a British Passport", I am all too familiar with the terms 'ha'penny', (half a penny), 'farthing' (quarter of a penny) , 'tuppence' (two pennies), 'thruppence' (3 pennies), 'shilling' (used to be 12 pennies), 'bob', (slang for a shilling), 'dollar' (slang for 5 shillings), 'quid', (slang for one pound, used to be 20 shillings to a pound), guinea (21 shillings). Since I left England in 1963, the money went metric, and now they have Euros. But when I went to school it was like adding up feet and inches here. 12 pennies made a shilling, 20 shillings made a pound. I am sure that once they got used to it, the Brits were a lot happier adding up money when it went metric.

Just like it is so much easier to add up centimeters and meters, instead of feet and inches.

We got the final coats of paint on the HiLo, but you have enough pictures for today.