I awoke early and got up although not straightaway choosing to laze around for a bit. We crawled out to discover that it was gently raining, more like a heavy mist than rain but still freezing when it hit the ground. My metal steps especially were ice covered and dangerous to an old fart like me. 

The dogs slipped their way down and I followed only much more carefully holding on for dear life and safely made it to the bottom. We wandered around the park and and did meet a couple of other dog walkers before heading back to the RV.  

Daniel stopped by and asked me to ride with him as he had some chores to perform plus, he wanted Quatro to be winterized. I grabbed my heavy jacket after putting on my boots and we headed down to the RV storage area. It was freezing and the drizzle was turning into ice. Our first move was to start up Quatro and drive him to an empty space. There, we hooked him up to the services and drained all the tanks and other sundry stuff as part of the winterization. While doing this, I let Quatro idle hoping that the frosty ice-covered mirrors would clear. 

We had a couple of other chores to do while we waited for both the mirrors and the tanks to get drained and then turned our attention back to Quatro and I drove it around the block so that I could back it into the assigned storage space. It was an interesting park job as I had to keep fighting the urge to look in the frozen mirrors and instead concentrate on the directions that Daniel was giving me from the front of the unit. Between Daniel, Malinda and I, we had it parked in no time flat. 

Both Daniel and Malinda took turns hooking Daniels truck to the remaining three other RV’s one by one and moved them closer together to make room for a couple more coming in. With that done and Quatro winterized and stored, our work down at the storage area was over and we turned our attention to more pressing things like filling propane tanks for this current cold snap. Before doing this, we adjourned to the break room for a well-earned cup of coffee both for something to drink and to warm up. I forgot to mention that this whole time, the temperature had dropped to around the freezing mark, enough that the drizzle was turning into ice rain. 

Our first move was to drive around the park and between Malinda on one vehicle and Daniel and I on the other, in all, we picked up 15 tanks needing Propane refills. With Daniel doing the filling and Malinda working the power switch and noting tank owners for later billing, me, the grunt, placed the empty bottles to be filled and then hoisted them into the two ATV’s that they both use, for deliveries. 

With both ATV’s loaded with Malinda with the small bottles and Daniel and I handling the big ones, we drove around the park and delivered them to their respective owners. In only one case did Daniel stop to hook up the refilled tank and that was to an older lady who lives by herself. 

With those chores completed, we each made our way back to our respective RV’s, Daniel and Malinda both driving off in their ATV’s after dropping me off.  By then, it was something like 2:00 pm. All in all, we had carried out a lot in the freezing cold, winterizing Quatro, moving RV’s around to make more storage room and finally filling and distributing propane bottles to needy RV guests. 

I was sitting in the warmth of the RV writing the blog and there was a knock on the sliding door. It was another camper doing a very good deed by going around and asking if my steps required salting. When I replied in the affirmative and told him how close I was to breaking my neck, he went ahead and salted them. I thanked him immensely and he went on to the next RV. What a thoughtful man. 

I had no more than settled back down in front of the computer and heard another knock. Incidentally, Mikey always barks like crazy at any such interruptions, especially now he looks at the intruders almost on eye level through big glass sliding doors, so I am always forewarned. This time, it was one of my neighbors bringing me another loaf of bread from her baking business. We chatted for a bit, and I invited her in to see the new RV which impressed her with the amount of room it has. She has a husband and two teen age daughters plus a medium sized dog all living in an Airstream. 

She left and I turned my attention back to the blog trying to recall everything that has happened on this very miserable day, weatherwise but otherwise very busy and productive. I was glad that I was able to help both James and Malinda as they went about their chores. 

I finally settled down and completed the blog. With the interior heating running, it is nice and cozy here. Sandy kept nudging me and giving me “the look” this time, interpreted to mean, “I am hungry. Feed me”, with no thought that Mikey might be hungry too. Dropping everything to suite her majesty, I filled their bowls. Sandy at once ate hers and Mikey sniffed his, saving it for later. He will probably eat it right in front of her… 

I spent time on the blog after fixing myself a frozen dinner. Fitting for the weather outside, don’t you think? As I still have not yet got the TV working, I watched a movie on my computer. Same picture but on a smaller screen. 

We went to bed, glad to snuggle under the covers where it was warm. 

Written 01/30/2023 Read my other blog at https://pondblog2011.com

The Adventures of an Old Man and an RV. Henly RV Park, Dripping Springs, TX Day 61, Tuesday 01/31/2023 

The last day of yet another month. We have been here two months already which is hard to believe. 

I awoke because I was cold and had to dig out the heavy woolen coverlet which improved the situation no end. By then though, I was wide awake and crawled out of bed to face the day which was not a pleasant sight when I looked out of the window. Everything was covered with a frost giving the appearance of snow. It was also bloody cold out. 

Daniel stopped by to check on us and we discussed the Propane problem. He looked at the bottles and made a couple of adjustments and lo and behold, the furnace kicked back on, and we had central heat again. Good thing too as my two space heaters were struggling to keep the place warm. 

I harnessed up the dogs and we ice skated around the RV to check on the Propane cylinders. Then, when I was ready to take that walk, Sandy surprised me by going back inside of the RV and refusing to come back out. One sniff of the cold was all she needed to decide she did not want any part of it. 

I unharnessed the dogs reminding myself to keep a close eye on them in case they do have to “go”. Incidentally, I forgot to disconnect the freshwater hose last evening and now the hose is frozen solid resulting in us not having any water at all inside the RV. I have not filled the freshwater tank on this RV before and had to do a bit of research figuring out the right moves. 

I wrote for a while, all the time thinking about the water problem or rather, lack of it and decided to go outside and look. While I was kind of staring into space, deep in thought, Jeannette’s boyfriend from the RV next door stopped over and inquired if I needed any help. I explained the situation and that I was about to undo the frozen hose and attach the spare one to fill the tanks. Without another word, except, ‘Wait a minute”, he went back to his RV and came back with an adjustable wrench and went ahead and unhooked the hosepipe. Then he found the tank fill and went ahead and filled the freshwater tank for me. Prior to that, he had called out to Jeanette to ask her to bring a pot of boiling water to unfreeze the valve. He had asked me to get it, but I explained to him that I did not have any water, let alone any of the hot variety. 

I thanked them both profusely for their help and they went back to Jeannette’s RV. With a full tank of water, we are all set for the next couple of days of this nasty weather and hopefully, by then, I can hook the water hose back up. If not, we refill the freshwater tank again. The hoses will need to be disconnected for the next few evenings anyway when the temperature drops down below freezing. 

Back inside, I had just settled down to write and Daniel texted me to come over for coffee in the breakroom. I texted back and wandered over, a distance of maybe 50 yards. Much of the ice had melted so walking was not too bad. Malinda and James were already in there and had a hot cup of coffee waiting for me. We spent the next hour just shooting the breeze and both had some very interesting stories. Turns out they have been in the RV Park business for several years at different places. About an hour later, I told them I had to walk the dogs and bade my farewell. They also had chores, like filling propane bottles. 

Back in the RV, I harnessed up the dogs and we wandered around the park for a bit. Taho was outside and was in high spirits playing with his ball and even barking at nothing. His owner came out and we chatted for a bit, and he said that Taho prefers outdoors to being in the RV even when it is cold. He certainly appeared to be enjoying the cold weather, but he does have a thick coat. 

We moved on and eventually ended up back in the RV where it was nice and cozy. I sat and finished the blog for today as we welcomed in the evening by drawing all the shades and shutting out the very cold weather. 

Written 01/31/2023 Read my other blog at https://pondblog2011.com