Technically, we awoke still at Branson at the Ozark Country Campgrounds but today was moving day. We went out for a walk after getting up at 7:00 am. I did not know that time existed, but it was nice and cool outside. We wandered around and said “Hi” to several people including the Hispanics waiting for their transportation. Sandy was in 7th Heaven with so much attention. I said “Goodbye” to several of the Camp Staff who had been very pleasant to us during our month of extended stay.
Back at Quatro, the little white kitty was making a fuss so I gave him the entire can of food so he can remember us. Try as I might, it is a Ferral cat and although getting much braver at the end, was not going to tame down in the little time we had spent working on him. Maybe, other campers will feed him and gentle him up.
I fed the dogs and myself and worked on the blog for a bit posting yesterday’s writings along with some pictures before turning my attention to the move which we have down pretty well now. Things went as they should and as usual, the last job was to hook up the Jeep. It too went well, and one camper walked by and commented that I had saved the hardest for last to which I agreed. We finally left the camp around 11:00 am, a bit later than planned but it is only a short trip of a little over 110 miles to Rogers. AR.
Most of the trip was simply fine with a few mountainous hills to negotiate in both directions, up and down. The RV handled well, and we made good time until we hit Rogers. Then, everything went wrong. I was following the directions on RV Trip Wizard until in the small town of Rogers, it turned me down a street that was completely blocked with construction. The Trip Wizard was not to know that of course. One of the workers came over to chat about it and said that I would have to unhook the Jeep and turn around going back in the same way we came in, which we did. He did not offer an alternative route to the RV Park, and we had to rely on the phone and Trip Wizard which at once sent us down another dead-end street. This time, we were really stuck as the road ended in a dirt track that also ended in a garbage dump. There was nothing else for it but to turn around which I tried with the Jeep still attached. Big Mistake. The Jeep jackknifed into the rear corner of the RV and both vehicles sustained damage. I thought I heard air escaping from the Jeep’s front tire which would have meant, changing the tire for the spare but upon inspection, the tire was still inflated. I disconnected both vehicles and eventually was able to get the RV away and facing in the right direction. This was not the classic 3-point turn as taught by driving instructors. No this was at least a 10 or more point turn as I went forward and then back just a few feet at a time. I eventually got the monster turned around and back on level ground and then drove the Jeep up to reattach it after a very thorough inspection and bit of body work, yanking on the fiberglass and framework to clear the tires and turn space.
If this was not bad enough, the next set of instructions sent me down a road that had a turn circle at the end which of course, was just not large enough for the RV which does not have a good turning radius. Nothing else for it but to unhook the Jeep, again and then turn both vehicles around and re-hook them. A couple of the owners came out to watch, wondering as I was, what the hell I was doing on their street. Eventually, the program got it right and we ended up on a decent highway for the last few miles. Altogether, I hooked and unhooked and then rehooked the Jeep 7 times in a few hours not counting when we did arrive at the campsite that added, one more time. It was hot and humid out and the sweat ran off me.
I pulled into the Monte Ne RV Park to be met by Cristen who led me to the new campsite which was long. It is really a double site meant for two RV’s parked end to end but currently, we are alone with enough space away from any neighbors on the one side and the park road on the other. We sat for a while after setting up which did not take very long before going out to walk the park for a bit, returning to sit some more.
What a day. I am really mad at myself for damaging both the Jeep and the RV and it could have been avoided by disconnecting the Jeep. Instead, I chose to try to drive my way out and caused all kinds of problems. It is a funny thing, but I had been having thoughts that something was going to happen on this trip. Maybe a premonition but of course, I had no idea what it might be.
I sat and wrote until 7:45 pm before feeding the dogs and then myself. Prior to that, I took a shower and changed clothes glad to get out of the dirty, sweaty things that I had on. The TV reception is good, and I was able to watch my current ongoing crime show, Cold Case.
We rolled out of bed after a good night’s sleep and went for the first walk of the day around the park. The little white kitty was waiting for us, and I carried out a can of cat food for it before we went walking. By the time we got back, the food was gone, and the kitty was sleeping contentedly although quickly awoke as the dogs approached.
Inside of Quatro, we had breakfast and sat and wrote for a while. I thought about our upcoming journey and what preparations I could do today. This got me active, and I started to put things away where they go when we travel. Much of the kitchen stuff like the toaster and indoor grill, sit in the shower and other stuff goes into cupboards and drawers. Then, wherever I could, I installed some expanding rods that hold things in place and stop them moving as we travel. I cannot finish inside until tomorrow when breakfast and such is out of the way.
I put on my outdoor shoes and headed outside. The first thing I did was to drain the tanks, both Black and Grey and unhooked the black tank hoses. One of them has a leak so I placed it into a large plastic bag, and it will only get used in case of emergency or if I need an added hose. I still have two more, one of which is brand new and still in the box. The last time I was in Walmart’s a couple of days ago, I had spotted and then bought two sets of end caps for these hoses which I applied to the good hose. I had also sent away for a set of carry bags for the black tank hoses, the water hose and the electric cable to keep things neat and tidy while we are travelling. Some RVs that have a square back bumper that allows for a hose to be stored inside while travelling although Quatro is not equipped like that due to a different design.
I also took down the Shepherds Crook bird food hanger along with the feeders themselves, emptying the remaining feed onto the ground. The birds and squirrels will quickly clean it up. While I was on this side of the RV, I took off the wheel covers and put them away. With everything done, I moved to the other side of the RV where most of the work was. This involved in first lowering the carrier on the Jeep and then placing the folded up outside mats and the wicker couch and table on it and finally lashing it all down with the tie down straps that I have for this. The final act was to remove the wheel covers on that side and store them away. There are still things to do like pick up and store the wheel leveling chocks, but I cannot do that until I lower the jacks. Not a big job anyway. With one final check around the RV to make sure that we had done all we can outdoors, I harnessed up the dogs and we went out for another walk around the park.
The Hispanic workers were back from their early morning shift and as they usually do, were outside talking on their phones. Some had already hit the pool to relax. Prior to that, the new shift had all congregated by the office to await their transportation to their respective workplaces. I wonder if this is seasonal employment as I imagine that the Tourist industry drops off a lot in the winter. Some said hello as we passed or made a fuss of Sandy who lapped up the attention. Mikey, of course, was hiding behind me. Such a funny little dog. Aggressive one minute when he chooses to be and a chicken little the rest of the time. Back inside of Quatro, we have done as much as we can do for today in the way of moving preparation, so I sat down to catchup on the blog for today as on moving day, there is very little spare time for writing.
I have enjoyed our stay here and apart from Henly, which is my home base, and one other place, this is the longest we have stayed at one campground. Usually, we stay a week or two but this time, as we had paid for a month because it was cheaper than paying for two weeks, is why we extended the stay. The Staff are all very pleasant and if I have any complaints, it is the lack of good walking trails and the barking dogs and literally, incessantly screaming kids from the adjoining neighborhood. The dogs bark for hours at a time as do the screaming kids and when I first heard them, thought that something was wrong. It got better as the kids went back to school but the dogs kept on barking.
I will miss the little white kitty and I do believe that given more time, I might have gentled it down and brought it indoors. Maybe, my next-door neighbors to my left that are here full time, will take over the feeding. As for Branson, it truly is a strange little town, and the only industry appears to be show business. I have never ever seen so many theaters and showplaces in such a small and congested area. As the population is only 12,600 or thereabouts and every other building is either a Theater, Showplace, Hotel or Restaurant, no wonder they need the Hispanics to come in to do the hard work.
We went out for the final walk of the day although it has warmed up considerably at least compared to the past few days. We wandered around saying hello to whoever we met. Sandy is really good at that as she gets lots of petting. Mikey is just being Mikey. We wandered around knowing this would be the last evening walk here at this campground which is always a bit sad when the campgrounds are nice as this one is.
I had really bad dreams in the night and was thrashing around and kicking out at whatever was attacking me. The dogs either usually take to the hills or climb up onto the pillows to get out of my way and I spent time in calming both myself and them down before we were able to drop back off to sleep. My fear is that I will harm them in my wild defense of whatever is attacking me. I have no idea why I have these occasional nightmares as I live a very quiet life. There is probably some Freudian reason for it. Maybe my mother dropped me on my head when I was a baby or that I have secret thoughts about women or worse yet, that I am a fearless fighter getting into all kinds of trouble defending some maiden’s honor. Probably none of those but something I ate before going to bed. Or the glass of wine, darn it…
We went out walking around and it was nice and cool. The temperatures have dropped into the high 70’s to mid 80’s and it is much nicer to walk around even with the sun shining. The campground was quiet with little activity and when we arrived back at Quatro, the little white kitty was there to greet us. That is until he saw the dogs and then he retreated to a safe distance. I fed him again and tried to entice him to come in. He climbed the steps and stuck his head in but would not come in all the way. Probably was aware of the dogs. That and his natural fear of humans. I will keep working on him, but we are running out of time.
I sat and did the usual news and email thing with nothing of major importance in either cases or at least that I could influence in any way before turning my attention to the blog. I had some problems with the headings out of order and had to go back and make corrections which brought us back into sync and then thought about what I should do the rest of the day. I have thought about doing the laundry tomorrow, so I decided to go to Walmart’s to stock up on a few things. I want to be ready to break camp and move to pastures new which includes food to eat when we get there.
Like I commented in an earlier post, this Walmart’s is absolutely huge, and I walked around as much as I could. I did not walk the women’s or kids’ sections as there are nothing of interest in it for me. I managed to take a few more pictures of the weird and wonderful sights in this city and I thought about a Starbucks and decided against it not wanting to follow the twists and turns of this strange place. Incidentally, it is only strange to me because it is one huge entertainment center and I have never seen any other city or town, like it. I wonder how they get the patronage to stay open although, the parts that are not show places are either shops catering to everyone’s wishes or Hotels and Motels for them to sleep. Obvious that the entire town is centered around tourism. I have never seen anything like it, anywhere else.
Back in Quatro, the dogs helped to put the groceries away as they usually do and then I harnessed them up and we walked around for a bit. Nothing much was going on around the park except when I walked past the pool which was occupied by a bunch of teen-age kids, all having a good time. They were supervised by an older lady and her friend, probably someone’s Mother. She caught sight of a group of the Hispanic males watching and she lit into them, telling them to look the other way as “these are teen-age girls”. Needless to say, the boys did just that and quickly moved away as did I not wanting to be classified as a peeping Tom or maybe worse, a pervert and all I was doing was walking the dogs and not even close to the pool.
We sat outside and listened to an Audiobook just relaxing the coolness as the evening slowly crept in. We went out for one more walk around before returning for the usual evening’s entertainment. The little white kitty showed up again and has the most plaintive meow way too hard to resist. I fed it again and it hung around for a bit, but I still cannot get close to it. It looks like it will need to find another camper to mooch off when we pull out.
Ozark Country RV Park, Branson, MO Day 30 Tuesday 8/23/2022
More of the same…
No dreams last night. Just a peaceful night’s sleep. So peaceful in fact that we did not wake up until a little after 10:00 am. So, what, I’m retired. I took a shower and a change of clothes, and we went out walking the park and managed to cover a half mile. When we got back, I had a couple of outside chores to do, one of which was to repair one of the bird feeders where the squirrels had chewed a hole in the plastic. Again, duct tape to the rescue. Wonderful stuff, duct tape…
I fed the little white kitty who was making such a plaintive wail and the only way to shut him up was with food. Clever cat! I am close enough to it now to give it a quick stroke but only briefly and I noticed that it is probably a Persian mixed with a ginger cat. Definitely has the Persian eyes. I would bet, that given enough time, it could be gentled enough to live indoors although we do not have that sort of time.
I had already decided that I was going to do laundry and gathered everything up. I drove the Jeep over as I wanted to empty the outside trash container at the same time, and I could not carry both the laundry bag and the trash bag. I started the laundry and drove back knowing that I had time for breakfast while it washed before I went back to put it in the drier. This time, I walked the 50 yards to the laundry room, placing everything in the drier. I had made sure that I had enough tokens from the last wash for this one. A couple of young female Hispanics walked in and said hello as they went about doing their laundry.
Back in Quatro, I finished breakfast and drank the lukewarm coffee, too lazy to heat it up. I enjoyed it anyway and it hit the spot although I did not notice any sudden rush of energy and such. Probably I have drunk so much coffee in my lifetime that I am immune to any caffeine effects and now, it is just a habit. When I figured that the laundry was dry, I walked back over to the washroom and started to fold it. I heard a car siren going off and looked out the door and saw that it was the Jeep. Probably the little kitty had jumped on the roof, setting it off as that is where I saw him sleeping, yesterday. I finished folding the laundry and all the time, the horn was blaring away until I walked back and shut it off.
Back inside of Quatro, I remade the bed with the clean covers. It is not too bad doing this as there is enough room to get around the bed and I can reach every part of it. Not like a couple of the other RV’s I have owned where bedmaking was a real chore. I put the clean clothes neatly away in their individual drawers. No one can say I am a slob although, the table I use as a desk is bit crowded. Still, for all my neatness, I cannot find anything when I need it. Too many drawers and cupboards and way too much small stuff. Maybe I need to label the drawers and boxes and such.
Another RV pulled in alongside of me and it looks like our period of being alone is coming to an end. Does not matter much as we are leaving in a couple of days. I thought about getting out to help but they seemed to have it under control with the wife as the backup assistant on a walkie talkie. It took several attempts to get the trailer into the space as the trailer is long, and the space is tight, but they finally managed it. Offering help is a bit of a quandary. Some people, especially if they are driving alone, are very grateful to have another set of eyes to help back into a parking spot which is usually the most help that anyone needs. Setting up is straightforward unless the site is very uneven and requires a lot of blocking. Then again, help is very useful as the RV’s wheels have to be set on blocks which is much easier with a spotter. I know there have been more than a few times when I wish that I had help. Backing up, getting out and checking, backing and adjusting and getting out again and more checking, gets really old, really quick. Incidentally, getting out of Quatro is not like getting out of truck or a car as the entry door is not found by the driver’s side steering wheel but back halfway along the RV on the opposite side of the coach. Many Class A’s do not have front doors, neither driver nor passenger and my Jayco happens to be one of those. There are other brands that do have drivers doors of course especially the longer and more expensive models.
I wrote for a while and then we harnessed up and took another walk checking on the RV’s that have arrived and saying hello to all and sundry. Back at Quatro, I fed the little white cat again before we sat outside and listened to an Audiobook for a couple of hours. It was cool and peaceful just sitting there. Eventually, we adjourned back inside for the rest of the evening.
I sat and stared at a blank screen searching for words nowhere to be seen hoping to stir a poem from my brain or words that rhyme which is the same the longer I stared the worse it became I have no poems in my brain in fact, I have nothing to write all my thinking is out of sight this is very unusual for me I have no problems with poetry for that is the way my brain works thinking my thoughts all in verse writing them down so all can see my twisted thoughts in poetry.
When I got up and looked out of the window, the first thing I noticed was that at least 2 RV’s have pulled out and a third was preparing to do so. We too will be doing the same thing in a few days. We wandered around under a cloudy sky and nice cool weather with a bit of a dew on the grass, just enough to make the dogs feet wet. The little white kitty showed up and was hanging around, so I gave it some canned dog food. Hope it doesn’t start to bark instead of meowing as it greedily ate it. I have not seen the little black kitty after that first visit. The walk was uneventful, and we did not see any other dogs walking their Hooman’s.
We did the usual mandatory things like breakfast, coffee and then emails before settling down to write in the blog. As we have nothing planned for today, I worked on a couple of photos I had taken and tidied up the RV putting even more stuff away. Of course, I will not be able to find anything I want without going through everything that I have just put away. Currently, I am missing a package of plastic doggy doo bags and can’t find them anywhere and am making doo, excuse the pun, with the regular plastic shopping bags which work just as well but are much bulkier to carry around. Such is the story of my life and my ageing brain but at least I remembered the plastic shopping bags. Hard to miss those as I have so many of them. I re-use them mainly as trash bags as they fit very nicely on the hanger that I have or in the trash can on the floor. Now, they have another use.
Today was another of those quiet days with nothing planned other than the things we routinely do every day, dog walks, breakfast and coffee, RV cleanup and maintenance including emptying the tanks, reading and trashing emails, writing the blog with the occasional posting of pictures, listening to Audiobooks while sitting outside or sometimes inside if it is too hot out, evening meal accompanied by a glass of sweet chardonnay and watching television until it is bed time. Every 3-5 days, I go into town to Walmart’s for groceries and any other shopping and about every 2 weeks, we do the laundry. Basically, that is our life in a nutshell. Boring, maybe but very relaxing and I always find something to get up to even if it is as simple as to take a short nap. I have two unwritten rules and they are, never watch TV during the day and try to walk at least a mile every day. The latter has been difficult here as there is nowhere to walk except around the campground which usually includes dodging from one patch of sparse shade to the next. Invariably, I will leave my phone behind and so never really know how far we walk.
I could see that many of the younger generation would find this very boring as I probably would if this was 20 years ago. Then, walking trails and taking pictures was a necessity and a major hobby and prior to that, actually, many years before that, physical activities, especially playing, coaching and refereeing soccer, were the norm. Now, the body has aged and even the spirit is not as willing, and I gladly settle for a good book and many quiet moments. I no longer think I am wasting time sitting around and listening to an Audiobook or feel like I must do something productive all the time. I have long ago come to grips with the fact that Nature is pursuing it’s normal course and that we slow down as we age. The key word here is age as the alternative is not so good although it is inevitable in the end.
A storm blew up out of nowhere while we were watching television late in the evening. My first thought was to bring in the awning. It is nice to use it to keep the rain off the wicker couch and the floor mats, but I did not want to take a chance on it getting damaged again. We went to bed and listened to the storm as it flashed and roared all around. This time, there were no lightning flashes that seemed to be on top of us and eventually, it receded into the distance. All that remained, was the sound of the rain as it pelted down on the RV roof which amplified the sound even louder.
We dropped off to sleep lulled by the drumming of the rain and slept the sleep of an old man, content with his lot.
Ozark Country RV Park, Branson, MO Day 28 Sunday 08/21/2022
Page 2 of the map of Branson
The storm had passed when we crawled out of bed to face the day. I didn’t know if I was ready but figured we would find out very soon. After the usual morning ablutions, we harnessed up and wandered around the park going in whichever direction, Sandy wanted to lead us. I let her think she is in control and all I do is redirect as necessary until eventually, we end up back at Quatro.
The white kitty was hanging around and although, still very skittish, allowed me to put some food down without running away. Definite improvement on its behavior. It appeared to still be hungry with the first bowl, so I gave it more and it finished the whole thing must have been starving. It must be tough to be a feral cat and hunt for food, literally. If I had more time to gentle it down and get to know it, I might consider adopting it but only if the dogs also accepted it.
Back inside of the RV, I fixed breakfast for us all and tidied up before settling down in front of the computer for the inevitable browsing and writing. Thinking about it, if I did not take pictures and work on them, or spend time writing, then I probably would be bored with this life as I take at least 3 hours a day and sometimes more working on the blog. Not only that, all of this is very stimulating to my ageing brain which needs all of the help it can get. I am not like one of my dogs that can curl up in their favorite spot and snore their fool heads off although, there are many times when I envy them.
I sat there pondering about the day ahead. This is moving week as we pull out on Thursday which leaves us essentially, Today, Monday and Tuesday to go to Walmart’s to stock up and also do laundry as Wednesday will be spent with moving preparations like storing things in their proper places for the journey and loading the Jeep with the wicker couch and table and the outside mats. I like to be so prepared that all I have to do on moving day is to pull in slides, lower jacks and disconnect the power and water and hook up the Jeep which, as I have mentioned many times before, always takes the longest. Altogether, about an hour’s work before we actually start to drive wherever we have planned to go. Our next stop is only a little over 100 miles away, about 2-3 hours’ drive depending on the mountainous terrain which always slows us down.
I wrote another poem this time about the gloomy day that we are currently having although I was quick to point out that without these sorts of days, in the end, nothing would grow. Gloomy days sometimes turn into rainy days which might interfere with our plans or be considered a nuisance but in truth, we cannot live without the rain, ergo, a cloudy and gloomy day.
We went out for the afternoons walk just to stretch our collective legs and just wandered around with no particular direction in mind. We eventually ended back at Quatro to be greeted by a very hungry Kittie. Very skittish too because as soon as the dogs did their barking thing, it quickly ran off. I put out some food for it but as we were sitting outside, the cat chose to stay away for a bit until we finally went inside. This took some time as we sat and listened to an Audiobook. The last 3 that we have listened to, have all had Australian actors reading the parts and I got to hear the Australian accents first hand. The stories were all based in Australia, and it was just a coincidence when I selected all three.
Back inside of Quatro, I fixed food for us before I settled down to watch TV for the rest of the evening.
We all slept really well with me waking to the call of Nature. I took the opportunity of being up to stay out of bed and showered, shaved and shampooed with a clean set of clothes, ready to face another of the hard days that we have to put up with. Our walkabout was as interesting as they usually are watching and listening to the other campers as they walk by. One young couple reminded me of a TV series I have been watching with the tall muscular, shirtless and well-built man arguing and chastising his significant other, wife, girl friend or whoever she was and telling her that he did not mind her buying or spending her own money, but she had to ask him first. They walked the park for two entire loops, and I could hear him going on and on for almost the entire two circumferences of the campground. Wonder why she puts up with it especially if maybe they are not married? Then, what do I know as I do not have a wife/girlfriend/significant other problem unless you count the dogs, and they are easily mollified with either a treat or a walk or just by me making a fuss of them. Incidentally, I think I have already mentioned that a lot of the Tiny Houses hold Hispanics and other young people that work in Branson and are bussed in, two or three times a day by a van driving service.
The Park staff worked on cutting back the branches and growth that had expanded into the empty campsite next to me to make it safer for the next RV that came in. They finished the work and moved on and I was sitting inside writing when the Jackdaws, Ravens or Crows or whatever the proper terminology is for these large, black birds, started making an awful racket calling to one another. Maybe they were complaining about their woods getting cut to pieces. Then I heard them on the roof and went out to shoo them off and met my next-door neighbor. She had come out to see what the racket was, and we got to talking. We chatted about RV’s as they have a very nice Class A which she said is a 2010 model and that they are here permanently as their travelling days are over. Both her and her husband are not in good health. I commented on the fact that their Class A RV is an expensive way of staying anywhere permanently and she said that they have been thinking of a permanently parked 5th wheel which would be ideal for them.
Back inside of Quatro, I researched the next campground and decided to go literally in a different direction and managed to find one which had the space for me to register. So now we are all set for the next move tentatively for 11 days but maybe longer if I like the new site. My pleasure is not in the driving as the driver does not have the time to sightsee as a passenger would, getting only fleeting glances of things as they flash by. What I like is in staying at the different campgrounds, meeting new people and exploring new sights.
The little white cat showed up again and is probably from the houses the other side of the woods. It is very skittish and dashed off when I brought out a bowl of food for it but when I peeked out, it had returned to eat. I know that a lot of people travel with cats as their pets, but I have not done that yet. The last two cats I had, died several years ago. Besides, the dogs are too possessive to share both me and the space. A while later, a different and this time, a black cat with one white spot on its chest showed up. This one is not as timid as the white cat, and I almost got to touch it before it headed for cover. True to form, I brought out some food and left it and it too disappeared.
The rest of the afternoon was spent writing before harnessing up for another walkabout. We wandered around chatting to whoever we met and wanted to talk. Most campers may say “good morning,” but not all of them want to spend time talking. It is actually quite pleasant walking now, even in the sun as it has cooled off considerably. Back at Quatro, we sat outside and listened to the end of yet another Audiobook. This one was different and sounded more like the soundtrack from a TV show not narrated like most Audiobooks are. I think I prefer the narrated style over this new one with all of its sound effects. Must have been one of the freebies as I never buy an Audiobook unless it has at least 8- 9 plus hours of listening.
Back inside of the RV, we finished the evening off in the usual fashion.
Ozark Country RV Park, Branson, MO Day 26 Friday 08/19/2022
More of the park.
The squirrels were busy tap dancing on the roof which woke me up. Got my own living alarm clock with them but I wonder how I set the proper time for them to start dancing? Better stick with the old fashioned alarm clock for the few times we set the alarm, usually only on moving day.
We wandered around and said “Good Morning” to the labradoodle who was also out walking. As we approached the pool, one of the groundskeepers who had been weed whacking along the drainage ditch, pulled up in his 4-wheeler to tell me that I had some mail to pick up. I thanked him and we headed to the Office where I stood outside to make myself visible as dogs are not allowed inside. The clerk saw me and brought me out a small parcel and asked me about a dollar that she owed from not making the correct change for ice. I told her it was not me as I did not buy any ice and thanked her for the package, and we went back to Quatro.
The small box held some medication that I had ordered for which I was grateful it had arrived before we move on. I fed the dogs with the usual result, before preparing to feed myself. For some reason, I did not place the milk container under the coffee spout and turned it on to do other things. When I turned back, there was hot steaming milk everywhere and I realized what I had not done. I perform this same ritual every morning and this is the first time I have messed up. Cussing and swearing out loud, which did nothing to help the situation but did make me feel better, I cleaned up the mess from the countertop, coffee machine, cabinet and floor before starting over with remaking the Latte. Damn, I am losing it….
With the place cleaned up and my fried egg (fried in the microwave) sandwich on a plate in front of me along with a watered-down latte as I reused the coffee grounds, bad mistake, I sat down to read the day’s news which as usual, is so depressing. I read about individuals shooting or beating up on one another and other random acts of violence and wonder if the world was always like this, but we just never heard about it. Nowadays, with the age of the computers and lightning-fast means of communication, we get to hear a lot more stories about this sort of thing than from years ago. Maybe they happened but were kept local. On the other hand, this country and maybe the World, is changing as parental discipline begins to fall away and kids learn about and practice violence at an early age. The one thing that really puzzles me is why these individuals have so little self-control that they allow it to happen. They must know there are consequences. Maybe, this is how the World as we know it will end, as people turn on each other. What a gloomy thought but well within the boundaries of possibility. At least, it will not happen in my lifetime.
I answered emails and trashed most of them as I am currently getting bombarded by companies trying to sell me things that I am not interested in. They are very tenacious and even though I unscribe, they keep on coming. On the ones that are obviously fakes, I do not even unscribe for fear of getting a bug in my computer. The down side of the Internet. The last time that happened, it cost me $790.00 to clean the computer and rescue the contents. Why not just buy a new computer you may well ask, and the answer is that I would lose everything on the hard drive as it could not be transferred without shipping over the bug.
I turned my attention to the blog catching up from yesterday and starting today. Some days are so quiet, nothing exciting or of interest happens. Other days like today, I already wrote half a blog, and it is only 12:00 am. I had some small projects to do around the RV which I took care of and then decided that another walk was called for. We wandered around the park and chatted to a couple of the campers before returning to sit outside and listen to an Audiobook for a couple of hours. It was very pleasant just sitting around especially as my neighbor had pulled out giving us more space and a better view.
We took one more walk before adjourning back inside for the usual meal and the evening’s entertainment.
It was still raining when we awoke although just a gentle drizzle. Nothing compared to last night’s storm which was a real doozy. We harnessed up and the first thing was to check Quatro for any damage and as there did not appear to be any, we went out for the walk. I noticed that my neighbors to my right had already pulled out. This is the second or third time this has happened when RVs parked right next to us have moved without me knowing or hearing them pack up. Usually, because I am sleeping but even so, you would think I or even the dogs, would hear something. Maybe, RVs are more soundproof than given credit for or there again, it could be because I do not have my hearing aids in when I sleep, and I am pretty deaf without them…
We made friends with a little dog taking its master out for a walk. Well, Sandy sort of made friends while Mikey hid behind me as usual. I chatted to the puppy’s owner who had already told us the dog was 11 months old and was a Goldendoodle. Sure, was a cute little guy. We continued the walk for a bit before returning to Quatro for breakfast which the dogs, as usual, ignored. They only want what I eat and that is not going to happen.
With the weather outside gloomy, we did our usual morning ritual of reading and trashing emails, unscribing from as many as I could from companies trying to sell me stuff that I have absolutely no use for or Associations that I do not wish to join and have no interest in. It is a gloomy sort of a day, very overcast with the promise of more rain. It has cooled down and the outside temperature is currently at 67 degrees with a high forecast of 75 degrees. Quite a contrast from a couple of weeks ago. Fall is definitely here at least in Branson, MO
I spent time on RV Trip Wizard looking for the next stop and researched a lot of campgrounds both yesterday and today. I always read the revues to see if they have what I am looking for. Some are instantly discarded for various reasons. Others are marked as interesting, and I called a couple whose answering machines said they would get back to me.
We went out again to wander around and chatted to a couple of other campers before returning for the usual evening repast.
After a very peaceful night’s sleep, we took our first walk of the day just wandering around. It was not too hot for us to walk the grassy areas, the best spots which the dogs prefer to do their business. We had no plan in mind and just walked for a while before returning for breakfast and coffee. Back in Quatro, I put some pork and chicken cutlets on the indoor grill to cook while we did other things and the RV filled with the aroma of cooking meat. Not an unpleasant smell at all. I also had outside chores to attend to like emptying the tanks none of which are difficult or take very long but are extremely important.
I settled down in front of the computer and immediately had trouble logging on to programs that normally are just a snap. I ended up having to change passwords which is so frustrating as nowadays, I barely know what day it is let alone remember hundreds of passwords, well maybe 25 different ones but even so. I do have them written down of course but it is a bother when the computer will not accept one that I know it has in the past. The miracles of modern technology can be very frustrating at times, no wait, ALL the time. I do keep them updated which is why it is so frustrating. I may be forgetful but there is nothing wrong with my reading and writing capabilities.
I eventually logged on, but I may as well not have bothered and avoided the frustration as there was nothing of interest except my postal service telling me that I have mail. Today is one of those days when I am all caught up with everything including the blog and am sitting around wondering what I can get up to.
In fact, I never really did anything of value or productive. After finishing posting the blog for yesterday, I sat around just relaxing and listened to an Audiobook for a couple of hours. Incidentally, the story was not one of my better choices, but I stuck it out to the end as it was just a short 6 hour one.
We went out walking and wandering which is the only way to describe the way that Sandy walks around. Mikey and I follow obediently behind although he often pulls us in a different direction if he finds a particularly interesting smell. Altogether, we took four separate walks today, none of them long but still entertaining. On our last walk, we stumbled into someone else’s campsite which is generally considered a no-no, but the lady of the RV was sitting outside, and I asked if we could come through. She cheerfully said, “Of course” and then made a big fuss of Sandy. She would have petted Mikey except he was in his usual place hiding behind me. We finally went on our way back to Quatro for the rest of the evening which we spent in our usual fashion.
We went to bed and just before I dozed off, I remembered reading about possible thunderstorms overnight accompanied by gusts of wind. This brought me wide awake, and I got out of bed and brought the awning in for its protection. As it happened, it was a quiet night but better safe than sorry.
Ozark Country RV Park, Branson, MO Day 23 Tuesday 08/16/2022
There are 20 of these Tiny Houses.
It turned out to be a quiet night with no thunderstorms or wind gusts, and we slept very peaceably getting up at our usual time. I quickly showered and then we harnessed up to go out for our first wander around. It is a dull and overcast day with a chance of rain, but we have nothing planned. We passed the bird feeder, and it was covered with small birds. I do need to go into town and get more bird seed as I only bought a small package this last time not knowing if the feeder would be used. It was very pleasant walking as the sun was hidden behind the clouds.
We returned to Quatro for breakfast which, as usual, the dogs ignored. I enjoyed my bacon sandwich and coffee and had no qualms in eating it in front of them. They do OK foodwise and some people would consider then spoilt. So, what! They are my friends and my only companions and of course they are spoilt. With what the nutritionists say is the most important meal of the day, out of the way, I settled down in front of the computer. As usual the US news is very depressing and when I read some of these comments, I must ask myself, ‘Are these people for real”? Many of these same comments come from Politicians and others in high places, and I really wonder about them. What is their motive and what game are they playing because the words that come out of their collective mouths are not from stupid people? Or are they? What is their ulterior motive and what are they really saying?
I turned to e-mails which are easier to handle as I can always and mostly do, trash most of them unscribing from as many as will allow me. I have reached that point in my life where I have lost contact with most of my previous friends and acquaintances from both my Sporting days and my Ponding days. In both cases, I no longer have the ability of youth nor the interest of ponding to be involved and because we are not in any one place for long, do not make friends on the road. Besides, who wants to befriend an 86-year-old nomad.
A comment on one of the blogs caught my eye as it was from a camper who had been parked next to us at this campsite who came across the blog, quite accidentally. Small world. We finished with the days updates and posted yesterday’s writing, in the blog. I am running out of pictures as we have been here for three weeks and there only just so many pictures to take of each campsite before they get repetitious. Must be getting close to moving on time…
I decided to go into town and this time to a different Walmart’s as Branson has at least two of the stores. This time, I was directed to a part of town we had not been before and found it with little trouble. This Walmart’s is HUGE, I mean ginormous, gigantic and any other adjectives that describe something big. The store alone probably covers an area bigger than quarter mile square and I covered almost 1.5 miles walking around inside. It had everything that I needed and a lot more although I held off making any unnecessary purchases. Definitely, a better and almost twice as big store than the first one I visited a few days ago. I found a Starbucks and then drove back to the campground where my two little helpers continually got in the way as I unloaded the groceries. I had bought more birdfeed and filled the feeders while I was outside.
The rest of the day was spent sitting around a lot and listening to Audiobooks. I did some work on RV Trip Planner but could not get through to the campsites I called. Try again tomorrow. We went out walking around the park before returning to listen to more Audiobooks, this time outside on the wicker couch as it had cooled down considerably. I sat outside for a bit and then adjourned back indoor as the skies were beginning to darken over with an impending storm. We knew it was coming as I received a warning on my phone. Everything was battened down outside, and the awning was in and all we had to do was wait.
I fed the dogs and myself and then the storm blew in accompanied by remarkably close lightning that lit up the sky. The thunder cracks made the dogs jump and their nearness seemingly right overhead. Of course, they were probably 100 miles away. It started to rain and just fell out of the sky beating on the roof and windows and making an awful racket. Luckily, the television was still working and so we sat up listening to the storm and rain and watching TV until almost 2:30 am when I decided that we might as well go to bed and hope to sleep through it. The lightning and thunder had abated and all we heard was the steady beat of the rain on the RV which helped us to drop off to sleep.
I wonder what we will see when we get up tomorrow?
We had a good night’s sleep and woke up at a respectable hour (for us) before taking that first walk of the day. It was still relatively cool outside and the first thing I noticed when I opened the door was that we were alone, again. My next three neighbors who had arrived as a group had all packed up and left early leaving us all by ourselves as the neighbors on the other side had also left yesterday. I do not mind being secluded as I am always worried that my TV at night, bothers others close by. I do not go to bed until midnight and sit with the remote in my hands controlling the sound as the stupid music grows louder. I have complained many times before aloud why the producers think it necessary to include music in the quiet places which always rises to a loud tempo as the drama unfolds. Certainly not made for RV’ers.
When we were walking last evening, a couple of the men had been working on levelling the Class C, a part of that group. Seems strange to bother with it knowing they were pulling out the next day. Maybe the fridge did not work is why they fussed with it as it had been sitting there for 4 days. I also noticed on our walk that a couple of other RVs have left and the place is beginning to look a bit empty with just us “regulars” in our row.
Back in Quatro, I made breakfast which at least, I enjoyed. Who knows about the dogs as they did their usual thing. I sat and wrote keeping the blog updated writing and posting on a regular routine. I started thinking about us RV’ers in general and the 3 that had left this morning. They came as a group and mixed in their activities both during the day and in the evenings playing horseshoes and other games. Obviously, friends who do this often. Other than groups like them, most of us keep ourselves to ourselves except for the usual hello’s when we see each other. Very rarely do I strike up a conversation unless someone needs help and neither do others with me. I usually complement an owner if they have a nice rig or make a fuss of their dogs and such, but it ends at that. Are we all such a special breed that is comprised of self-isolationists? More to think about…
I had to change the location of the plug that powers the toaster and all-important coffeemaker as the fuse appears to have tripped for some reason. No big deal except I cannot locate anything resembling a fuse panel anywhere. I even went online to no avail and as a last resort, contacted my salesperson to see if he can help. He responded and gave me the number of the service area who told me that I should look for a GFI (Ground Fault Interrupter) switch on one of the outlets somewhere. He did not know exactly where to look as the models are different. I thanked him and started searching around and managed to locate what I was looking for in the bathroom of all places. I reset it and we have power again. It is trivial things like this that are both interesting and frustrating at the same time, but I learned something new and that by itself, is an achievement at my age.
I made an exception to my unwritten rule of not watching television thru the day because as I was scrolling through the news items, I came across one that said one of my favorite teams, Manchester United, had lost to Brentford by a score of 4-0. I could not believe this and just had to watch the game to see for myself. The score was correct and deservedly so as Man U played very poorly.
We went out for another walk and just wandered around the park. The only activity was at the pool as several of the Hispanic workers were enjoying themselves after their days labor. We returned to Quatro and sat outside listening to an Audiobook accompanied by one of the little bottles of wine and I mean little. The Audiobook story is not particularly good, but it is one of the short ones, so I plan to stick it out to the end.
Deciding that the evening was drawing to a close, we walked around one more time before adjourning back inside for the evening meal where I watched my other most favorite team, Brighton and Hove Albion or the Seagulls as they are known, managed to tie with Newcastle in a close fought game. My Great, Great Grandson, Solly March, played exceptionally well and the announcer mentioned that he has been with the Brighton club for 11 years, a long time by modern standards. That includes time growing up through the Brighton Youth system before turning pro. Go Solly.
The rest of the evening was spent in the usual way.
Ozark Country RV Park, Branson, MO Day 21 Sunday 08/14/2022
There were no surprises when we got up this morning. No one had moved out or arrived in the early hours. We went out for the all-important, first walk of the day and wandered around wherever both dogs took us. First one would smell something interesting, and we would get dragged in that direction. Then, the other would discover another yet more interesting smell and off we go in the other direction. It is all fun and all I do besides picking up their poop in the little plastic bags I buy for such occasions, is gently nudge them in the general direction we need to go. After all, we are walking for them, not me although I need the exercise as much as they do. I noticed my new neighbor outside as we walked by and I stopped to say, “Good Morning” and then inquired if my TV was too loud. He assured me that they do not hear it which made me feel much better. He did not appear to want to hold a conversation and we adjourned to the RV for breakfast and coffee.
After breakfast, I did the usual checking emails, responding to a couple and trashing the rest before turning my attention to the blog. I posted the latest one or at least prepared it to post but it is the weekender where I try to post both Saturday and Sunday on the same blog. Even so, I am falling behind again and will need to post a couple more doubles this coming week to play catch up otherwise, my friend BJ will get on to me about the age of the posts.
I had been keeping an eye on the washroom and decided to do a load of laundry. I gathered everything up and put it in the Jeep along with the outside trash bag as the dumpsters are also close by and drove over. There were a man and a woman already there holding a conversation that although I did not want to be a part of, could not help to hear what they were talking about. Apparently, they were exchanging their own individual version of trips to the hospital both having had heart attacks. I got on with the laundry trying hard not to hear what they said but they were at each end of the room so I could not help but listen.
I had to exchange dollar bills for the tokens and the change machine kept on spitting out my dollars. Just would not take them and the next bill I had was a $20.00. It gobbled that up and spat out 80 tokens. With the washer doing its thing, I drove over to the office and asked to exchange most of the tokens for dollar bills. At first, the clerk was very reluctant to do it, but she made a call and got permission and I walked out of there with $14.00 in bills and enough tokens for this wash and one more before we leave.
By this time, I figured that the wash was done and walked back over to the Laundry Room and put everything in the dryer which took another 40 minutes. In the meantime, sat with the dogs before heading over with the last trip, folded the laundry and came back to Quatro. I quickly put the laundry away and as I had my outdoor shoes on, took the dogs out walking. On the way, I stopped to chat to a couple with a Class A who were in the process of attaching their Magna Shield covers to the front of their RV windows. These covers and others like them, I had looked at when we were in Henly but had not gone ahead and purchased them because I did not want to drill into the RV. These were all magnetically attached, and I stood and watched as the owner installed the front and two side window covers in no time flat. He told me that he had installed everything himself and the inside magnets are held on by a glue backing and extremely easy to install. I thanked them both for their information and after having gotten the details from them, we went on our way.
Back in Quatro, I immediately looked up the information under Magna Shield and found the exact product. They are not cheap at almost $700.00 but after the miserable time we had at Henly, would be well worth it. Something to think about. Maybe a side trip to their factory in North Carolina? No, way too far off the planned trip.
We sat and listened to an Audiobook, and I found myself nodding off to sleep so we harnessed up and went out for the final walk of the day. The walk was uneventful, but it was too hot and humid to sit outside as we sometimes do. Back inside, it was food all around followed by the usual food, drinks, and television.
I thought about the past few days and of our life as we travel around me and my two little dogs whose company I find so profound they cannot drive or do the chores and are no help from day to day they cannot even fix their food relying on me in every way and yet they are so dear to me important in so many ways ready and eager for me to say it is time for walkies in the Sun’s rays they give me love and attention too and are the only company I know and if only they could talk it would be easier for them to show just how much we are a team me and my two little friends as we travel around in our RV driving around until the end.
Some of the entertainment that I took from the car. This is only a fraction of what is available.
The first thing I noticed when I opened the door was how cool and fresh it was outside. The air was clear with little humidity, and it was a pleasure to walk around. I hope this is a sign of things to come for a while as I like this cooler weather. That is until it gets too cold then I always wish it were warmer. No pleasing some people. I watched as one of the camp personnel mowed the grassy areas although, the grass is barely an inch high in most places. Yesterday, they were weed whacking on the longer stuff where the mowers cannot reach. They certainly do maintain the grounds very well.
We wandered around as we usually do, not going in any real direction before returning for breakfast and coffee for me. Others were also walking their dogs and we made sure to avoid any confrontations because they are both noisy and embarrassing. The campground is almost totally full up with all, but two spaces occupied.
After breakfast and coffee, I sat and read emails for a bit with nothing of any importance to really concern me, then spent time on writing and posting. We are completely up to date with everything and consequently, I am, almost waiting for something to write about. I decided to take a drive into town to the small Walmart’s that they have here. It has everything that I need if I am not looking for something too exotic or unusual. I bypassed the liquor and wine section having stocked up sufficiently the last visit. I found all the food items that I needed which was not hard as there was nothing out of the norm and then wandered through the hardware section looking for something to prevent the new cutting board from sliding around on the marble surface. I managed to find some special pads that I think will work and if they do not, then back to the drawing board. I remembered that there was a Starbucks just down the road from the first time I was here and paid it a visit to get a long-awaited Latte.
As I was driving around, I tried to take a few pictures when the opportunity arose but discovered that the 300 lenses on the camera is too strong and I need to put on the 150 model which of course, is in Quatro. Oh well, live and learn, I hope…
The short drive back was uneventful, and I was met by my two little friends all excited and wanting to help with the groceries as they usually do. I managed to get everything put away despite their help and we went out for a walk around the park, so they could relieve themselves and stretch their little legs before returning to write for a while.
I sat for a bit with nothing pressing to do and made a fuss of both dogs. They vie for places on my lap but get it worked out if I do not pet one more than the other. When they perceive that to be happening, I get dirty looks from Sandy and a lot of nose pushing from Mikey. I went back to finish the blog for the day before we went out for one more walk around the park. It was dusk and had cooled own a lot making the walking extremely comfortable.
As is our habit, we sat outside for a while and listened to the noisy neighbors as they cooked and then ate their evening meal outside. They have two younger kids that can be a bit raucous which is OK as they are enjoying their young lives. Never let it be said that I am a miserable old fogy. Old yes, but still a cheerful sort of a guy.
Ozark Country RV Park, Branson, MO Day 19 Friday 08/12/2022
There are at least 20 of these cabins
The clear weather is still holding and the morning walk around the park was very enjoyable. I noticed that one of the huge Class A’s was gone and the other looked like it was preparing to leave. When we arrived back at Quatro, my neighbor to my left, was also preparing to move on. Later, the other of the huge Class A’s pulled out. What a beautiful RV and much more expensive than my RV. Still, we are incredibly happy with Quatro, and he will do us very nicely for what time we have left travelling. If I can no longer drive this big rig and am still capable of living alone, we will park full time somewhere, only then I will trade him in for something cheaper and more permanent.
We looked at the emails and then I spent time in finishing off the insurance business cancelling the other two policies that I have and getting a hefty refund in the process. I wrote in the blog and was just sitting there thinking and it occurred to me that I did not buy bird seed yesterday at Walmart’s. It was on my list but what good is a list if I do not look at it. I jumped in the car as the Walmart’s is only 3 miles down the road and drove into the Walmart’s parking lot. Of course, I ended up buying more than just bird seed although I could not find what I wanted and had to settle for Budgerigar seed instead. I wanted Wild Bird Seed but this store, does not appear to carry it. I could not find any Hummingbird liquid or mix either. Go figure, not catering for local wild birds.
I found the Starbucks next door and bought my usual Latte and then drove back to the RV. Before that, I tried to locate a Men’s hairdresser, but no one would answer the phone, so I gave up on it. Hell, let it grow, who cares. The dogs do not, and it is not like I need to impress anyone.
Back at the RV, I filled two of the bird feeders and hung them on the Shepherd’s Crook that I had managed to pound into the ground, enough for it to stand on its own. I thought about going out for a walk with the dogs and then remembered that I needed to drink the Latte before it got cold and put off the walk much to the dog’s disappointment.
I sat and wrote until I finished the drink and by this time, the dogs were fast asleep again. I considered waking them and decided to wait a bit until Sandy, in her own quiet way, will tell me it is time to “Go Walkies, Dad.” We did the final walk around of the day stopping to smell the roses or whatever it is that dog’s smell, every two steps. Consequently, we do not cover a lot of ground while we are out but that is not the purpose at this campground as there are no trails. The success of each walk is measured in terms of them doing their business especially Mikey as he is prone to “accidents” in the RV.
We returned to Quatro and sat outside for quite a while enjoying the peace and quiet which was occasionally broken by the sounds of other campers and their kids having fun mixed in with the bark of their dogs. I listened to an Audiobook and the story was bit of a stretch but as it is only a 6-hour book, I am determined to stick it out to the bitter end.
We finally adjourned back inside for the usual evenings repast of food and television.
I slept late and as the dogs have learned that nothing happens until I get out of bed, they slept right alongside me. The sun was shining bright and cheerful as we walked around the park for the first walk of the day. It had not warmed up enough to be uncomfortable, so we walked the grassy areas instead of leapfrogging from one shady area to another as we usually do. Just give it time although the forecast has a definite cooling pattern to it…
Back at the RV, I carefully extended the awning hoping that my repair job would hold. Luckily for me, it did. So far, so good. With everything outside shipshape again, we adjourned indoors for breakfast followed by the usual catching up and trashing of emails before writing in the blog. I am at the point of not trusting anyone when it comes to email notification and always check the senders email address before opening them. If I have any doubt, they are at once discarded, unread.
I check the news first thing in the morning, but it is so darn depressing filled with murder and violence so much of which seems so pointless. Another reason that I like the RV life where I can keep myself to myself unless I am in the unfortunate situation of confronting an irate Walmart’s shopper with an AK 47 looking for vengeance for some supposed wrong done to him or her. This is a violent country that we live in and some of the people have lost all sense of reason. How can you be so angry at someone enough to kill or hurt them knowing you could be locked up for the rest of your life. What has happened that a person can no longer control their temper without thinking of the consequences. I just do not get it. Drugs may have something to do with it but not in every case. My own personal view with those of the younger generation that act this way is that we are in the age of “spare the rod and spoil the child” syndrome and child upbringing has changed so much that every teenager or young man or woman thinks he or she is entitled. Do not get me started…
I spent time online and with a lot of research and time spent, by switching Insurance Companies, I managed to save almost $6000.00 on my combined RV and Jeep insurance. A good afternoons work.
We went out for another walk and wandered around going in every direction at Sandy’s whim before coming back to sit outside and listen to an Audiobook for an hour or so. When the story ended and as the dogs were still harnessed up, we walked again around the park. We wandered around and walked over to the office where I was able to get someone’s attention enough to point in the general direction of the mail stand. One of the staff came out with the final package that I had been expecting and I thanked him profusely and we went on our way back to Quatro. I tied the dogs up and opened the package and got out the new cutting board we had ordered. Not wanting to trash up the place I weighted the empty carton down ready to take it over to the dumpsters.
Sandy was in seventh heaven with so much outdoor activity although she began to tire and flopped down on the ground with her tongue hanging out a couple of times. Back at Quatro, her first thing is to drink a hall a gallon of water. Well maybe not that much…
We sat outside for a while before going back inside where it was the evening meal followed by television and then bed.
I awoke after a restless night worried that the RV might be damaged after the storm or that a tree branch had fallen on us but when I stuck my head out the door, everything looked OK except the wicker couch cover had blown completely off and was hanging by one strap to the leg of the couch. Good thing too as it might have blown into Branson city. I put it on the table to dry where I also put the cushions as without their cover, they too were soaked.
I let the awning out only to discover that my worst fears that it had sustained some damage in the storm were true. How much, I will determine when I get up close to it. It still operates but looks like it has come loose at the bottom corner and whether I can repair it remains to be seen. Always something.
We went out walking checking out the other RV’s and buildings, but I could not see any other damage. The 5th wheel across from me has an arrangement whereby he has a see-through canvas extension attached to his awning when it is extended which is then anchored to the ground to provide a secluded area for them. This additional cover was laying on the ground, but it looks like the awning is rolled safely up. That is one of the problems when a sudden gust of wind or a storm rolls in. One reason to never leave the awnings out if you are away for any length of time. We wandered around the park surveying for any other damage before adjourning back to Quatro. I did a walk around outside of the RV and discovered that the strong wind had blown over the new aluminum sewer hose supports which I quickly righted. The park personnel were driving around doing cleanup work and picking up all the loose branches and such that the wind had brought down.
The damage to the awning bothered me and I got out the collapsible ladder that I have, extended it, and got up close and personal to inspect the damage. The awning has torn for about a foot where it is attached to the roll bar. I think I can repair it with duct tape, but the canvas needs to dry first which may take a while in these cloudy conditions. Longer still if it comes on to rain. There was nothing I could do except wait so we adjourned back inside of Quatro.
I looked out the window and observed a 5th wheel pull into the slot immediately to my right and I hustled out to move the car to make it easier for the owner to back in with the Jeep out of the way. While I sat and waited, three more RV’s pulled in behind the first one. I parked the car out of the way and let them through and they all individually set up along our row. Now, there are only a couple of vacant spaces left.
I continued to write for a while and posted the latest version of the blog. I do not suppose that too many people bother to take the time to read what I write unless they are interested in the outdoor life, but I write to keep my brain active and if anybody else enjoys my writing then for me, that is a bonus.
It was still daylight enough for me to climb the ladder and repair the awning. And at the same time, hoping that the canvas had dried out enough for the duct tape to hold. It went well but the test will come when I close and then reopen the awning to see if it holds. I put the folding ladder away which, incidentally, collapses much quicker and easier than it opens, hoping that I will not need it again for this job. It was growing dark, and I was listening to an Audiobook trying to decide if I should bring the awning in overnight. I checked the weather forecast and it said rain showers and wind gusts and that did for me, and I pushed the “In” button until the awning was fully closed. The test will be in the morning when I open it again.
With the excitement of the new arrivals, we went out for a walk just being nosy and checking on the different units. There are now, only three open spots in our row, such is the nature of an RV Park. We wandered around for a while before returning to Quatro for the evening’s entertainment.
The day started off well as I awoke just like I was expecting that I would. It would not be a particularly effective way to start the day if I did not as I am not ready for that. Thinking about it, few of us are ready to move out of this world but we have truly little to say in the matter as it happens to everyone eventually. Sooner but hopefully later, everybody dies.
My first action after crawling out of bed and welcoming a new day was to throw on a few clothes and go outside to open the valves to drain the black tank first followed by the grey tank to wash everything out. I knew this needed doing as the bowl in the bathroom was slow in draining after brushing my teeth last evening. A sure sign that the tanks are full. It is a simple task but one that needs doing on a regular basis. If it is not done, the sinks keep filling and eventually overflow.
I went inside and finished my morning ablutions before taking the dogs out walking. We wandered around all over the place which is OK most of the time unless Sandy gets it in her head that she wants to go to the areas that are off limits to her and then it becomes a tug of war. Of course, I win eventually but only because I am bigger and stronger than her. If she really wants to go in somewhere different, she lays down in a stubborn pile of inert dog. It is all a part of our walking ritual and amusing most of the time.
Back inside of Quatro, I fixed breakfast for us but as usual, the dogs did their thing of ignoring it. I ate mine and really enjoyed that first cup of coffee but then, I usually do. I tidied up a bit although there is not a lot that needs doing and then settled down to write. I noticed that two of the Class A’s have pulled out this morning including the other Jayco Precept. Many campers choose to travel on Monday’s rather than over the busy weekends.
I searched around on Amazon for a collapsible dish holder in which to stack the dishes to dry on the counter. Currently, they sit on a dish towel and tend to not be very secure, slipping all over the place. I am taking this opportunity of being in one place for a month to buy the things that need to be mailed to me and this is the third thing getting delivered this week from the same company. I like buying things from them as they not only have a wide selection but also deliver very quickly and mostly for free plus they have a good return policy. I have only had to return one item, a set of maps, and that was because it was way to detailed for what I wanted. I found a return store and they took it back, no questions asked.
Amazon notified me that I had a delivery, so I called the front desk to confirm and then drove over to pick it up. This package did not contain anything glamorous but more of something practical like a metal expanding support for the black sewer hose. I already have a set of plastic ones, but it keeps falling apart so I opted to go for something more substantial. Like I said, nothing glamorous at all. The other things I have coming are not glamorous either. Not much room for glamour when you live and travel in an RV full time.
We went out for the afternoon walk and wandered around for a bit. The sky is looking dark and ominous ad there is rain in the forecast. We did not stay very long walking and headed back to Quatro where I worked on making things secure and covering the wicker couch. I left the awning out intending to pull it in if it started to rain as it was in the forecast. I should have known better as suddenly; a gust of wind sprang up from nowhere and the rain pelted down. I quickly closed the awning, and we settled in for a wet evening. The rain continued, and wind blew accompanied by thunder and lightning and we ended up with quite a storm.
Everything had calmed down by the time we went to bed.
We got up at a reasonable hour after a bit of a restless night. I dropped off to sleep and then woke up around 2:00 am, used the bathroom and just could not relax enough to fall back to sleep. I suppose I eventually did as when I awoke again, it was 8:30 am. I crawled out of bed and after the usual bathroom rituals, we went out walking staying in the shade as much as possible. We wandered around going this way and that as both dogs had their own ideas where we should walk based on the next interesting smell and finally ended back up at Quatro. My new neighbor was working outside, and I stopped to chat with him for a bit.
Following breakfast, I settled down to write for a while after checking the emails most of which were the usual junk. There was not even one that required my attention which is both good and bad but then again, it is Saturday and most people have today off. I wonder collectively, how many working hours are lost because of employees checking and answering their mail on company time? Twenty years ago, it would have been unheard of but as modern humans which includes women and especially kids, cannot live without their phones, it is accepted as the norm. There is an awful lot of the world passing these people by if they were to just look around at it. I know it is the modern way and a sign of the times, but I personally find it frustrating and yes, even annoying to see this. These people do not observe what is happening both in Nature and humanity and I pity them as they are a slave to modern technology.
My RV is facing the Laundry Room and I watch the comings and goings and decided that as there had not been any activity in the past hour, I might as well do a load of laundry. I gathered everything and telling the dogs I would not be long, climbed the grassy hill that leads to the laundry room about a 50-yard walk. When I opened the door, I was lucky as not a single machine of either variety, was in use. I selected the one I wanted and loaded in the wash and again, had to make use of the change machine as the washers and dryers do not take quarters but tokens. With the washer doing its thing, I wandered back to Quatro and listened to an Audiobook until I deemed it was time to make the trip back up the hill resulting in placing everything into one of the dryers before returning to Quatro to wait another hour.
While this was going on, I had placed some chicken cutlets onto the indoor grill, and it too was merrily cooking away. The grill will only hold just so much so I cook things in shifts and altogether, it will take 4 cycles, two for the chicken and two for the pork cutlets. Talk about multi-tasking but what a straightforward way to prepare the food…. Man, I am outdoing myself with all this burst of activity. Hate the cleanup though. I could let the drill cool down and then the dogs can lick the it clean. Just kidding.
It was time to wander back up the hill fold the laundry and bring it back to put it away in its respective drawers and such, you know, socks in one drawer, underwear in another and so on. This way, I can locate things without having to think about them because if I open the wrong drawer for socks and can always try the other 4-5 until I hit the right one. Who said my memory is fading, I did not say that…
On my trips backwards and forwards, I noticed that two more class A’s and a 5th Wheel have pulled in although we are all nicely spaced apart at least for now. My guess is that at least the Class A’s are probably full timers as most weekenders do not splurge out for the cost of a Class A. I watched as the latest Class A unhooked his tow car and backed it off the separate trailer and then unhooked the trailer itself. I complain about hooking and unhooking the Jeep but at least, mine is a one-time deal and I do not have to do it twice. I like our system best, moans and groans and all, although we are getting much better at it and have learned a few tricks to help us like using a hammer for a few gentle taps on the pins to help them in and out. Incidentally, one of the Class A’s is the same make as mine, a Jayco Precept but it probably a little older and does not have the wonerful paint job that we have.
The cooking was finished except to clean up the grill and it needs to cool down before tackling that project, The laundry was done for at least a couple of weeks and folded and put away, so I returned to the blog, fighting the temptation of watching a Premier League game as the season started yesterday. I will save those for the evenings. Instead, I opted to listen to an Audiobook continuing a story that I have already started. All about Secret Service and spies and such by a very well-known writer, Tom Clancy.
We went out for the final walk of the day and wandered around. We had quite the tussle on the walk as I wanted to go in one direction and my stubborn little girl was determined that it was opposite to where she wanted to go. She is quite strong, and she adds to it by laying down in protest. Unless it is a matter of life or safety, she always wins these arguments. After each episode, Mikey gives me his version of “the look” as if to say, “Why do you let her boss you around, be a man like me and stand up to her.” It is all in playful fun though and they know it.
When we got back to the RV, the little white kitty appeared, and I quickly opened one of the cans of cat food that I had bought and set it out. He must have eaten some of it as it was half gone. As I watched the Crows ate the rest. Nothing wasted in my world.
The evening’s entertainment was a bit different as the English Premier League started this weekend and now, I get to watch 11 games a week of the best football (soccer to you lesser informed) in the World through next May 2023. Cannot ask for more than that.
Ozark Country RV Park, Branson, MO Day 14 Sunday 08/07/2022
Some of the cabins
The first walk of the day was uneventful except for the Madam wanting to go in the other direction to what Mikey and I want to go. Our direction is usually the shortest route in the shade while hers consists of zig zagging all over the place as she gets a whiff of the next inviting smell. We generally tag along unless there is some sort of danger then of course, we all change direction.
Back in Quatro, I fixed us all breakfast. Mine consisted of two slices of precooked bacon that only requires 30 seconds in the microwave to heat, on toasted bread. Talking of bread, I do not know if it is my tastebuds changing as I age, or it is that things are made differently than from years ago. Bread does not have the same consistency as it used to and is mostly tasteless. I have even switched several different varieties but always end up disappointed. Oh, for the good old days of hot baked bread fresh from the oven. I guess I could make my own but that seems like a lot of trouble as I do not eat it every day. Just saying…
I turned to the latest news to see if anything happened overnight that I should know about, but it seems that apart from the usual murders and violence, nothing earth shattering occurred. When I read about some of these things, I wonder just what on earth caused these people to crack as they do. What is with all the violence from every day “normal” citizens, both men and women and sometimes both combined. Why do they do what they do as they must know that it will be the end of their own lives as they know them when they go to jail for the rest of what time they have left. It is not always about guns although they do play a big part but about people not being able to control themselves. Unfortunately, violence is the modern way of settling an argument or dispute so there must be psychological reasons creating the problems. Is our modern way of living to blame, the grand age of computers, internet, and information?
Knowing that I could not solve the problem, I turned my attention to much lighter hearted things like answering emails and writing in the blog realizing of course that my gloomy thoughts of the world are in black and white for all to see. Sometimes, this age of instant information is not always a good thing. Either that, or I should keep my thoughts to myself. Nah, that ain’t no fun….
I worked on the blog and a little bit in RV Trip Wizard looking at our next stop along the way. It is too early to make reservations as I am staying here through the 25th of this month. That was not my original intent but as it was cheaper to pay for a month than for two weeks, who can pass up that sort of a deal. Besides, one place is much like the same if the campground is OK as that is where we spend most of our time. There is nothing that says I cannot leave early but why waste the money.
There are now 4 Class A’s that have pulled in these past few days. The last one is huge and must be 45 ft long, something I would have liked to have if I were at least 20 years younger as they take even more skill in driving than Quatro does at 35 ft. Interestingly, one of them is the same make and model as ours but looks a bit older. It has a different paint job and even though I am a bit prejudiced, I like ours better.
I had a few chores to do like moving some boxes from the outside storage into the storage under the bench seats that I had recently discovered to redistribute the weight a bit more evenly. Right now, there is too much in the back-end storage area which creates a bit of a sway when we are travelling, especially when the tractor trailers go by. I also spent a bit of time reorganizing and putting the spare wheel chocks and levelling boards in one compartment. Now all I got to do is remember which compartment…I figured that if I do this a bit at a time, I should be organized by Christmas. Just kidding,..again. I also dug out the Shepherds Crook thinking of hanging the bird feeders but the ground look like concrete and it might be impossible to drive it into the ground without a jack hammer. Besides, I do not have any bird seed.
As I was already dressed for the outdoors, we went for a short walk staying in the shade as much as possible. Just prior to that, I had driven the Jeep to the dumpsters to empty the outside trash bag as somehow, we had managed to fill it again. I use the plastic shopping bags from the stores indoors and collect the full ones in the outside trash container. When it is full, we make that trip to the dumpster. These are the sort of normal activities that campers must do regardless of what it is you are camping in from a tent to a Class A RV.
Back in the RV, I had a couple of items to take care of before settling down to continue writing for a bit and listening to an Audiobook for an hour or so. By then, it was time for the final walk of the day around the campgrounds. Apart from the swimming pool, there was not much other activity and those in the pool were the Hispanic day workers who reside at the park.
The evening was spent in the usual way except this time, I got to watch my Great, Great Grandson, Solly March, who plays for Brighton and Hove Albion in the English Premier League, beat my other favorite team, Manchester United 2-1. Way to go Solly and the Seagulls.
Most people are the very best when it comes helping out and will do as much as they can to help with one another’s plan that we have set our goals in life different from the guy next door who works his job from nine to five coming home his body sore and even though he wants to rest drink a beer and sit a while he will get up and lend a hand which is not what he had planned you never know when you need the help as things do not announce themselves something happens and before you know you become part of the show we help because life is a chance when you are on the receiving end and then you will ask the guy next door hoping that he is still your friend true to form he gets out of his chair leaving his beer still getting warm and he lends a hand where it needs and does not take thanks as he proceeds for that is what friends and neighbors do in times of need they rally around for they know there may be a day when they ask for help in their own way and those neighbors who he helped out will rally round as quick as they can for neighbourly love is a bond so strong that everybody sings the same song.
I slept well and woke up at a reasonable hour, for us anyway. After a quick shower and change of clothes I was ready to face another day. The dogs are always ready, so we harnessed up and out the door we went. We have this system whereby I stand on the top step of which there are six total, with the RV door closed and put on my outdoor shoes, grab my keys and if it is sunny, my straw hat and sunglasses. Then I harness up the dogs in no particular order although if I do not harness Sandy first, she is constantly dancing until I do. When we are ready to go, I turn and brace myself holding tightly onto the leash and open the door. Both dogs immediately fly down the steps and if I were not prepared, I would end up in a heap at the bottom of them. We have this ritual every time we go out for a walk. If their double leash were a foot longer, we would not have this problem but as it is, they almost jerk me down with them in their haste to get outside. All part of the fun.
We wandered around and looked for the white kitty but did not see it anywhere. It has cooled off considerably and quite pleasant walking even in the sun. Sandy, as usual leads the way and dragged us all over the place with a gentle nudge from me, here and there, to keep us in some sort of direction. We walked alongside a travel trailer with the man and wife outside talking in loud voices. I stopped and enquired if everything was OK as apparently, they were getting ready to move out. They explained they were having trouble with their awning and were having to use an electric drill to close it. I stopped to see if I could be of help and offered them my ladder, but it would not work so I suggested they use the table that is at every campsite to reach the awning to wind it in with an electric drill, which they did. They were arguing the entire time the way that long time married couples do and at the same time, talking to me telling me that they were heading for Arizona for the winter and complaining bitterly about the fact that the RV was brand new, and they have had nothing but problems with it. I sympathized and told them that is why I buy used RVs with the bugs already worked out. I did not tell them of the one new one that I had bought that also had problems through both poor workmanship and even worse, quality inspection.
I mentioned that I was eventually heading for Texas and as there was nothing, I could do to help them, I wished them a safe journey and we went on our way and a bit later, they passed us on the way out. I started thinking about them and how they react with each other talking in raised voices as they worked to fix the problem and wondered if their entire existence is like this or just in times of stress. Dismissing those thoughts, I told the dogs that I was incredibly grateful they do not answer me back or question anything I say or do and leave it to me to make all the major decisions, right or wrong and if I get it wrong, I never hear a critical word out of either of them.
We had breakfast and settled down to answer a few emails. It seems that as fast as I delete and check the unscribe box, just as many more new and different ones appear usually of things that I either have no opinions, no interest or plain, do not care about. Some even look suspicious and are quickly erased without opening them. You just cannot trust anything or anybody nowadays.
With today being Friday, I would think that the weekenders will be coming in later. It is getting close to when the kids go back to school so maybe their camping is over for the season. As though to prove me wrong, a Class A pulled in a couple of spots away from me and I watched as the driver expertly backed it in directed by one of the campground attendants. His rig is bigger than ours and is nice looking. Turns out to be another older couple.
I decided to go into town to the nearest Walmart’s which is one I have not been to before. It is the smallest of these stores that I have been in yet, but it did have everything that I needed. I had to do a lot of searching as things were not where they were supposed to be according to the aisle labels. The clerk that checked me out, an older and very talkative lady gave me a running commentary on the articles I had bought which I found amusing and I paid up and walked back to the car. Again, she asked for my ID because of the wine in the cart which I found amusing.
After putting the groceries into the back of the Jeep, I did some research for the nearest coffee shop and it gave me directions to Starbucks but as I was pulling out of the parking lot, there was a coffee shop right in front of me, not a Starbucks but coffee is coffee, and I took full advantage of ordering my usual Latte. When I drove back onto the road, I passed a Starbucks no more than 200 yards away. Keep that one in mind for next time although the Latte that I had in my hand tasted perfectly fine and as a bonus was a bit cheaper. I did have to dig out some cash though to pay for it instead of using the Starbucks card. The drive back to the RV was not far and although I had brought my camera with me, I was not able to take any pictures of the various weird and wonderful offerings because the traffic kept on moving. I need a co=pilot to do that. It is not as though I could easily pull off as these places come up quick and fast and are just as quickly in my rear-view mirror
Back in the RV, I was greeted by my two little friends who insisted on helping to put the groceries away. Or at least, they had their nose inside every bag as I unpacked them, checking out all the new and wonderful smells. With everything stored away, I harnessed up the dogs, grabbed the bag of plastic shopping bags that I had just collected to take to the dumpster as I have so many, I will never use them all. On the way, I noticed the new arrivals sitting outside and said hello in passing and jokingly asked if they needed trash bags waving the bundle at them, at which they smiled and shook their heads. We continued our walk with the dumpster being the first stop and wandered around staying in the shade as much as possible before returning to Quatro where I sat and caught up on a few things including the blog.
When I passed my neighbors rig, I noticed that they had already covered their tires to help prevent the sun from damaging the rubber and remembered that was one thing I had not yet done. When we got back after the walk, I pulled out the tire covers and placed one on each wheel. It made sense to do this as we are here for another couple of weeks. Yesterday, I had started the motor of the RV and let it run for 5 minutes or so to make sure that the batteries are charged and that things stay lubricated, something another camper had told me I should do. Not all camper’s advice is sound as some is either a whim or something they heard along the way, but the tire thing is for real as I have also read about how the sun can cause the tires to deteriorate as starting the RV to keep the engine lubricated also makes sense. If I really wanted to do it right, I should lower the jacks and move the RV forward and then back to its original spot to lubricate everything. Nah… that is way too much trouble…
The sun was going down when we went out for the final walk of the day not that I needed the exercise as I got mine walking around Walmart’s with the added bonus of being in the air conditioning. The dogs like to go out and who am I to spoil their little bit of fun…
It rained hard in the night enough to wake me up to bring in the awning. Not that it matters if the awning gets wet but there could always be a sudden gust of wind that could damage it. Better safe than expensively sorry plus the factor of having to find a repair shop IF the damaged awning could be closed enough to travel to it. The drumming of the rain helped me to drop back off to sleep and we woke around 9:00 am. I pulled up the blind in the bathroom and discovered that my only neighbors have already moved out. I did not hear them go so they must have been incredibly quiet in hooking up their unit. That leaves me, all by myself on this row. Used to that though as it has happened several times before in other campgrounds.
We went out for the morning walk, this time staying on the grass as much as possible as the limestone gravel was wet and muddy in many places. The grass had already dried off, so their little feet did not get too dirty. We returned to Quatro for breakfast following which, I had a few household chores to attend to like blowing off the leaves and trash from the carpet and around the site of my little bit of the campground. Luckily, I am right next to a wooded gorge so that the leaves, twigs, and branches that I blow can go safely into it to continue as Nature intended. I made sure not to blow any trash along with the leaves. With the outside chores taken care of, I called the office to tell them that my moved-out neighbor had left a bag of trash. They promised to come on over to pick it up and at the same time, informed me that I had mail. I dropped everything to pick it up just in case it is important. Turns out to be one of my prescriptions. At the same time, I carried my trash tote over to the dumpsters and emptied it. When I returned, there was a small white kitty sitting in the spot that the previous campers had left. I have seen it once before, that time, down in the trees and have no idea if it is a feral cat or one left by either the last camper or previous campers. I tried to approach it, but it ran off, so I left some food out for it in the hopes of at least feeding it.
Back in Quatro, I settled down to read emails and write in the blog. Again, we have no plans for today, but I do plan to hit Walmart’s tomorrow. I made a couple of phone calls catching up on things I have been putting off and posted the last episode on the blog before we harnessed up again for yet another walkabout and wandered around in every direction at the whim of Her Majesty. It does not matter as the whole purpose of the walks is for the dogs to get their exercise and do their business. It is not like we are trying to get anywhere in a hurry.
We finished off the evening in the usual fashion. All in all, a quiet and peaceful day.
Our first walk was uneventful as we strolled around the park. Our walking mileage has dropped here quite considerably, and we are not even making a mile a day, which is our usual goal. Most of that is due to the heat and lack of shade plus one circuit of the park is less than a third of a mile. Besides, most of the time we are dodging from place to place trying to find the shade to walk in with not much continuity. Even if there were trails, I am not sure I would walk them with the dogs because of the bear warnings.
Mikey had another accident overnight and I spent time on cleaning up the RV. A couple of the mats I washed off outside with the hose but had to take time inside the RV with some special cleaner I have bought for the purpose. I gave him a stern lecture and he was worried enough to know he had done wrong but if he connected the two, I have no idea. Not his fault if he cannot hold it until morning but it is frustrating for me when he does not “go” when we are outside on our walks. Sandy has no problem in fulfilling her duties.
Following breakfast, I did a few chores before settling down to the usual routine of emails and writing. I must decide if I want to move on or stay here longer. I am not much into town type of activities or shows and restaurants and very rarely make any efforts to sightsee. Some of that is old age, other is lack of company but a lot is due to my lonesome disposition preferring my own company to that of others. I am no longer interested in,” the ladies,” except to view the pretty ones from afar, mostly due to the same old age and many previous disappointments with the fair sex. Now, I prefer the company of my pet dogs. If only they could hold a conversation although I might not like what they have to say about me.
I called the office to see if I had any mail and Florence, told me that I did. As I cannot take the dogs inside the office, I drove the car over and picked up my mail which when I got back to the RV, comprised of a check that BJ had forwarded on to me and a package of mail from my postal service. I took the dogs for a short walkabout as I was already dressed for the occasion with my outside shoes already on. We did not go far but enough for them to get some exercise before returning to Quatro to cool down as the humidity was high again. Incidentally, while I was in the office talking to Florence, I asked about my current reservation. As I pointed out in an earlier blog, when I registered the first time, she told me it was cheaper to register for the month than for two weeks which I did at the time which meant that I was registered through the 25th of the month. I told her we would be staying through that time. As the park is almost empty on my row of RV’s, I will not have to move for the rest of the stay here.
With our future secured for the next 21 days, I spent more time on emails and on the blog before Sandy reminded me that we should go out…again. We wandered around in our usual fashion with Sandy making friends with whoever stopped to pet her. That girl just loves attention…Upon our return, we sat outside of Quatro and listened to an Audiobook. It was humid enough to be uncomfortable, so I brought out the big fan and set it up in front of us. While I was searching around for an outlet, I discovered another compartment that I had not yet opened. Inside is a very large TV screen and a couple of outlets, one of which I used to plug in the fan. I doubt very much if I will ever use the outdoor TV as it just not my thing to watch television outside. I think of that as an indoor pastime but who knows with the Premier Leagues Season starting this Friday.
We sat for a while and the fan helped tremendously although the humidity was extremely high, and I did not really cool down. I even had to change clothes when we did eventually go back inside as the ones, I had on were damp with sweat from sitting on the cushions on the wicker couch. We listened to a new Audiobook story as we sat outside.
We retired for the evening for the usual repast of the evening meal followed by television and the all-important and refreshing glass of wine.
Our first walk of the day took us around the usual places we have found in this park. We vary it by going in the opposite direction or sometimes heading across the big patch of grass that houses the swimming pool and outside shelter. This is in the very center of the park and is bordered on all sides by RV’s. There even a few parked in this area but they are completely out in the open and devoid of any shade whatsoever. Our main goal when we are walking it find as much shade as possible and you can find us skipping from one place to another quite at random. We did get a new addition to our row as another small travel trailer pulled in.
I had a few outside maintenance chores to take care of before adjourning inside of Quatro for breakfast followed by the usual email scan and discard. I have a couple of maintenance programs that the subscription has expired, and I do not want it renewed and they have been bothering me now for weeks. It has now become a contest to see who can outstay whom. Them, with their constant barrage of reminders or me with my erase button. They are very persistent to the point of being downright annoying. Certainly not particularly good PR on their part.
I turned to the blog and wrote for a while posting the latest of them after adding pictures. I am up to date with everything including the writing and my system of posting Friday/Saturday and then Sunday/Monday blogs together is keeping us within 3-4 days of the actual date that they happened.
Today is another of those days with nothing planned. I am working on a grocery list for Friday when I plan to go into town and also spent time on RV Trip Wizard. I have the next stop located but have not yet made the reservations choosing to wait until later in the week. We went out for another short walk before settling down to listen to the end of Dean Kootz ‘s story “Lightning.” It was unusual and more science fiction that I first thought that it was. Still, as I am also a science fiction fan, I had no complaints.
Later in the evening, we went out for yet another walk around the park. By now, the shadows had lengthened, and it was not difficult finding places to walk as the most activity in this park is around the swimming pool during the day. There is also a shuttle service that runs people into town and several younger ladies that live in one of the cabins and that work downtown. ride it to their place of employment. They are all attired in the same uniform and are probably working in the fast-food or Hotel industries. There are a couple of other people that walk their older dogs, mostly of the big, old, fat, and cuddly variety. The dogs that is, not the people who too are on the overweight side and definitely old but not cuddly. My observation is that people in general all tend to add on weight as they age. With the men, it is usually in their belly for eating and drinking too much. Women tend to get fat all over and end up as misshapen blobs due to the rigors of childbearing and its after affects. None of it is helped by the luxury of eating well all the time and complete lack of physical exercise. Lifting a bottle of beer is not considered exercise.
I found another police program, “Cold Case Files” which proved to be interesting enough to watch although I did go to bed early, for me.
