These Live Oaks are magnificent and old.

I rolled out of bed at the usual hour, and we went out walking the park and the road at the bottom of the campground. The wind was a bit brisk but if we kept moving, we were OK. Hard to do with Sandy sniffing every other blade of grass. 

Back in the RV, I fixed breakfast and this time, as I had not had one in a while, a bacon sandwich. I have really got the hang of the new coffee maker and in no time flat, had brewed a Latte. I was sitting in front of the computer enjoying my sandwich with Sandy sitting at my feet with her big brown eyes imploring and hoping that I would “drop” something. I had the door open with just the screen door keeping in the dogs and I heard Daniel call me from outside. I got up to talk to him and as it happened, he wanted to borrow a wrench, which is a switch. Usually, I want to borrow stuff from him.  

I rummaged around in my tool section, which is extensive, and came up with one which he took back to his shop where he was working. I kept looking and found another one and walked over with it. Daniel was installing an in-bed tow hitch on his truck which was why he needed the wrenches. 

Another RV came in and he went to greet them, and I returned to my bacon sandwich. Yeah, right. My sandwich had disappeared and in its place was an empty plate and a guilty-looking Mikey. He had left me a piece of crusty toast though which was nice of him and at least, I still had the coffee. Obviously, he does not like the taste, or it would be gone too. 

I sat and wrote for a while trying hard to keep a straight face so as not to give the little crooks more encouragement. Mikey, as usual, sat next to me as he usually does as if nothing had happened, having already forgotten that he stole my bacon sandwich. I knew it had to be him as I left him sitting on the seat right next to it. I wonder if he shared it with Sandy? 

I read the latest news which was not good. The gun problem is getting worse, and I read about a 6-year-old boy that took a gun to school and shot his teacher. Something like that raises all kinds of questions. He was not alone in his actions as there were other reports of the same sort of thing only with adults and not 6-year-old kids. It seems that like the old Wild West, the modern approach is shoot first and ask questions later. 

I went into town to the Home Depot as I wanted to get another carpet the same as the two, I had just bought and at the same time, the special nonskid tape to put under them. I got lucky and they had just one matching carpet left which I grabbed along with two boxes of the tape. I can always return one of them if I do not need it. 

On the way back to Henly, I stopped at Tractor Supply, the same one I used to visit a lot when I had the fishponds and searched around and managed to find a 30lb Propane bottle, the second size up. I need it to save using the Propane out of the main tank when we are parked for a long while. It is easier to get that small tank refilled than to move the RV every time I run out. I looked at the next size up but when filled, it would weigh 55 lbs. and if it is not empty when and if we moved to travel, I would really struggle to get it into the storage compartment. The smaller tank is not only easier to handle but should still last me about a month of continuous use. Then, all I need to do is set it out by the park road and Daniel will fill it and then return it to me. 

Back in the RV, I took the dogs out walking just around the park. We stopped to talk to some new arrivals who had a French Poodle. Sandy, as usual, just had to say “Hi” so we wandered over and spent some time socializing before moving on only to run into the little French Bulldog who is just a bundle of energy with me and Sandy. Mikey, of course, is hiding behind as he usually does. 

We wandered around for a bit before returning to Quatro to write and finish the Latte that I had bought while in town. When it was gone it was time to put to good use the non-slip tape and attach it to the bottom of the three rugs, I had bought in the hope of stopping them from moving around all over the floor. With this done, Sandy was giving me “The Look” meaning that she at least wanted to go walkies. Mikey, not so much but he certainly was not going to allow her to have me all to herself. 

We wandered around the park stopping to chat to a couple of people on the way. It was starting to cool off and I was glad of the shirt I had the sense to put on. We took the bottom lane with the intention of just walking the length of the park before re-entering it when I spotted the big dog from further down the street, that we had made friends with a couple of days before. The problem was that he was on the wrong side of his fence and out in the street and although it is not very busy, I was worried that he might keep wandering and get lost. 

Instead of turning back into the park, we kept walking the lane until we drew level with the dog. I had no fear that it was aggressive from our earlier encounter and true to form, it just wanted to smell and make friends with both Sandy and Mikey. We had no alternative other than to walk the dog back home, which I remembered from our earlier encounter. When we reached the large farm gate, it had an electronic controller on it making it almost impossible to open. I grabbed the dogs collar wary that it might turn on me and was able to push the gate open just wide enough to squeeze the dog through. 

We continued back to the park and when I looked back a couple of times, the dog was just standing there staring after us. I do not know if it was an angry stare for being forced back inside or a grateful one for the same reason. We felt good about it that we had returned the dog to his home. 

Back in Quatro, I sat and wrote for a while and then it was time for the evening meal and to watch another football match but instead of the English Premier League, we watched an FA Cup game. Incidentally, it cooled off enough that we were glad of the electric heater. 

I managed to cover 3.0 miles for the day. The dogs a little less as they did not have the Home Depot trip. Wow. 

Written January 8, 2023. Read my other blog at https://pondblog2011.com