It was another bright and sunny morning as we wandered our usual half mile around the park. Other than Daniel, we did not see any other patrons or their dogs. Back in the RV, I fixed breakfast and coffee before settling down in front of the computer to catch up on world events.  

I posted the latest blog feeling incredibly sad as I read what I had written about the dog from down the road and viewed his picture. Who knows what his future will be if his owners do not claim him. 

On our walk at Reimers Ranch a couple of days ago, I had taken my “real” camera with me and spent time working on those pictures. I have had many happy hours hiking at that park and it is one of my favorites. The pictures do reflect that it is the winter season as everything is brown. They have been having controlled burns of the dead vegetation which they do every year, and it always comes back green and healthy each spring.  

We had walked about 2 miles on the top of the bluff but that was a mistake as that is where a lot of people walk their dogs. Sandy was in doggy heaven with all those delicious smells, but it meant that we had a tough time making progress going forward. She did not want to miss one of them. Next time, I will take one of the other trails on the loop with a lot fewer doggie smells to distract her. Maybe, that way, we can have a better time. 

I drove back to Quatro, and we sat outside for a bit listening to an Audiobook and rewarding myself for walking with a small bottle of wine. Daniel stopped by and we sat on the wall talking and spending time. He likes to chat and has some remarkable stories to tell that go well with his Texas drawl. 

The dogs were still harnessed up and we walked around the park for a bit just to make sure we covered our 2 miles. We adjourned back inside the RV, as it was cooling off and I fixed the evening meal for us all except they had their usual stuff as did I. This evening, it was the second third of the Ham and Cheese roll that I had bought from Walmart’s a couple of days ago. I can make one of the big ones last for 3 days. 

The rest of the evening was spent in the usual way. 

Written January 11, 2023. Read my other blog at https://pondblog2011.com  

The Diary of an Old Man and an RV. Henly RV Park, Dripping Springs, TX Day 43, Thursday 01/12/2023

I got up a little earlier than usual because I had a midmorning doctor’s appointment in Dripping Springs. Even then, I was a little late getting out the door for that all important first walk of the day. It is important for both me to wake up and get started and the dogs to do their doggy thing. We did not hang around as it was very brisk outside but still walked our normal half mile. 

I had a doctor’s appointment and jumped in the car for the 11-mile drive into Dripping Springs and entered the Doctors building only to wait around for about 15 minutes, watching other patients as they were called before me. As there are several Doctors, I did not doubt that mine was busy, and I just had to wait my turn. 

It was not long, and the Nurse called me, and it was my turn to get weighed, height measured and answer a bunch of questions before it was the Doctors turn to do his thing. Incidentally, I am shrinking now even with boots on, I am 5 ft 5 inches tall down from my glory years of 5 foot 8 inches when I was in my prime. Probably the rounded shoulders cause that or the shrinking brain. 

I have been coming to see the same General Practitioner for almost 30 years and he has seen me through a lot of bumps and bruises and other miscellaneous illnesses. Luckily for me, nothing of too major importance, except for Prostate Cancer which occurred 15 years ago. Then all he did was refer me to the Specialist who managed it from there. The Specialist has done an excellent job and so far, there has not been any recurrence although I still go for annual checkups. 

Following the Doctor’s visit with its usual pokes and prods and many questions, the Doc signed me off for at least another 6 months and I left the clinic. I was in the same block, almost, as the Great Clips hairdressers and thought that I should get a haircut and went in. The receptionist asked if I had an appointment, which I did not, and put my name down saying it would only be about a 15-minute wait. I sat around and 15 minutes passed and there was a steady stream of clientele coming and going and I still sat there. After at least another 15-20 minutes and probably longer, and the next customer came in and was seated, I had just about had it by then but controlled my temper and walked up to the desk. I politely pointed out that my first information was, “Should not be long” and that was more than 30 minutes ago. I wanted to tell them to “Shove it” but discretion told me not to say that and I walked out. I understand that I should have made an appointment, but they should have pointed out just how busy they were, and I would have made one instead of telling me “Not long”. I have been lucky before and walked in and sat straight down and if I had planned on the haircut, then I would have done it right. Next time, I will go to the Dog Groomers… 

I needed something to cool my temper down and as we were right across the street from, you guessed it, Starbucks, I ordered a Latte and a breakfast sandwich as I had fasted prior to the Doctors visit. At least, they got it right and I enjoyed both on the way back to the RV. 

I took the dogs out for a walk just around the park before returning to work on the computer. I spent time on Good Sam straightening out the insurance mess which involved both computer and phone conversations before taking the dogs out for the final walk of the day. We chose to walk the bottom road mostly in the hope of seeing that the big dog was home behind his fence and that the escape route under the gate was taken care of but no such luck. On the way walking back, we ran into Jeanette walking her little dog and she said that the big dog has been back in the RV Park today, probably when I was out. She did not know what happened to it after that. I wish I had been around because I would have walked it back and then blocked the bottom of the gate to stop him from digging out. 

I completed the walk and went back inside Quatro which felt nice and warm after the cool temperatures outside and finished writing today’s blog. The rest of the evening was spent in the usual fashion. 

Written January 12, 2023. Read my other blog at https://pondblog2011.com