Today is October 1st as the time flies quickly by along with what is left of my life.

This morning was a little different as there was a gathering planned in the Commons. The owner, Sarah and the Park hosts Amber and Joshua put out food and coffee and many of the park guests stopped by to say hello. After walking the dogs who always come first if there are any conflicts, I wandered over to join them. I sat chatting to my usual friends and met a couple of new ones before heading back to the RV to get out the feeders which I had forgotten to do.

With that project taken care of, I looked around for other things to get up to but with nothing outside needing my attention, adjourned back indoors to work on the blog. It was much cooler and more comfortable inside anyway.

With the blog complete and posted, I decided that I needed to go into town to the HEB store. Not that I needed very much and my list only had four items on it. Saying goodbye to the dogs, I jumped in the Jeep and drove the short twelve miles into Dripping Springs to the HEB located there. A couple days ago, I visited the Home Depot which is located right next door in the same parking lot.

I wandered around and found this and that and list of four rapidly grew to twenty or more. Oh well. No good hoarding money if there is a use for it.

I thought about a Latte but decided I wasn’t in the mood and drove on by. Good job too as the line stretched for a 100 yards or better. OK, maybe 10 cars long.

The drive home was fast and trouble free so my timing must have been just right. Back at the RV, I was met by my dogs whose noses were going a mile a minute as they checked out the bags on the deck. Then, they helped to put the groceries away and we were all done grocery shopping for a couple of days. Then we went back out on the deck with a mini bottle of wine in hand to sit and ponder.

Delores stopped over and we chatted about the state of my arm. I had already taken the time to change out the dressing and as the wound itself did not look too bad, figured we were doing things right. Incidentally, bandaging with the left hand if you are a right hander and on your own arm is difficult, to say the least.

We adjourned back indoors where it was cooler and I continued work on the blog finally catching up to date and looked around for other things to do. We went out for another walk this time to check the mailbox just in case I might have some mail. Nowadays, with the advent of cell phones, letter writing is becoming a lost art. Such a shame as I used to be pretty good at it. I can’t remember the last time I actually mailed a letter. On the other hand, I can always count on the bills coming in on a regular basis.

I sat on the deck with a mini bottle of wine as I usually do and enjoyed the world as it passed on by. The dogs love it when we sit around outside and are always vying for my attention which is freely given.

Today, because it is a school day, I did not get any tiny people visitors and had to bring in the feeders by myself. Of course, I am well used to that as it is only this past weekend that the kids have been helping. With everything put away, we adjourned back indoors for the evening meal and a soccer game on the Television. What a life…

Today is the last day of this month as the year is quickly passing along. Time flies when your having fun as the saying goes but in this case, time just flies as we all grow older.

I slept very well and when I awoke around 8:00 am, was ready to get out of bed and get the day started. As usual for Texas, it was another beautiful, sunny day and promised to be hot as the sun rose in the sky although the daytime high is starting to drop. We have not had any rain in quite a while and are way overdue.

After the usual morning ablutions, I harnessed up the dogs ready for their first walk about. When we got back after taking Henly Loop that leads to Hwy 290, I worked on the hanging the bird feeders. Where were my little helpers from yesterday as I could have used some of their efforts?

With the birds all taken care of for another day, we adjourned back inside The Caboose for breakfast. Well ,I got the breakfast and as usual, the dogs ignored what I put down for them to eat. Then it was play catchup with the blog and I completed and posted yesterday before turning my attention to today. I happened to glance at the clock and was surprised that it was already 12:30 pm and I have no idea where the time has gone. Thank goodness we have nothing planned for today.

We sat around a lot as we usually do especially when it is hot outside. Who wants to be outside in near 100 degree weather? I really need to get an indoor hobby to keep my brain active…I used to write poetry to pass the time but for some reason, the poetic part of my brain is not very active any more. Darn growing old. I hate it…

I was sitting outside as it had cooled off a bit drinking a can of wine, yea, that’s right, wine in a can! when my new nine year old friend, Celia stopped by as she has just started to do. She likes to sit and talk and most of the time talks so much that I do not need to answer and when I do, it is usually a yes or a no. Actually, she is a pretty smart little girl and talks sensibly about different things.

We sat outside with her chattering away and she said she had to go. She meant home and off she went. She was gone 10 seconds and came back with her younger sister Addie, in tow and I was stuck with two kids and trying to think of ways to amuse them. Luckily, they both liked to chatter and with my occasional yes or no, we got on just fine.

Eventually, when Celia asked, I explained it was too early to bring in the feeders as so many of the birds eat late to stock up for the night. They both left and I sat on the deck wondering just what the heck young kids see in an old man that makes them want to spend time together.

I eventually did bring in the feeders as I always do and we all moved back indoors for the usual evening meal. The it was time to relax from the busy day!!! with a glass of wine and a couple of English Soccer games.

I slept very well and was not ready to get up. So I lay there for a while before rolling out of bed. After the usual morning rituals were complete, we harnessed up and went out walking around the park. We even hit the road leading to Hwy 290 but walked half of that distance before turning back. It was a disappointing walk as we only covered 6/10’s of a mile. Still, we have the rest of the day to make it up.

We adjourned indoors for breakfast and coffee for me. I fed the dogs but neither of them was into eating. Sandy didn’t eat yesterday either so I need to keep an eye on her in case she is getting sick. I have tried every conceivable dog food that I can find plus several different human foods for her but she is a very fussy eater.

I sat down to work on the blog and bring us up to date and then sat there wondering what else to do today. It was one of those days with nothing planned but a couple of options available but none of them were very appealing so we ended up doing a whole bunch of nothing, We sat around a lot and every now and then I would have a brain fart and think of something to do. I had pork chops on the indoor grill so had to keep an eye on them and was doing some clean up work and of course, sitting around a lot.

One of Peggy’s Grand daughters, Celia who is 9 years old, stopped by and spent the next hour entertaining me as we sat on the deck. Then she went back home and I thought that was the end of the visit but no, she came back with her younger sister, Addie. So now, I had two of them to keep me amused.

We sat on the deck chattering away or at least, the girls chattered. Me, I just sat and listened wondering how such young kids could talk so much. They were never without a conversation going on. Finally, it was time to bring in the bird feeders and Celia helped me to take them down and put them away. She is a smart kid as she understood that it was a sign that she and her sister should go home even without me telling her.

That little interlude with the kids was a great ending to the day and I was very grateful they spent some time with their Papa Frank as they call me. Even though I am a Grandfather in real life, through circumstances beyond my control, I have never spent any time with my own Grandkids or Great Grandkids all of whom I have never even met.

The world is a funny old place.

I awoke at a respectable hour and rolled out of bed. Both dogs were snoring away and neither of them got up when I did. Sandy eventually rolled out but Mikey was still snoozing as I put on my clothes. Then he realized it was morning and was bouncing around all happy and excited.

I harnessed them up and out the door we went for that all important first walk of the day. Both for them and for me as it helped me to get the juices flowing. We walked up Henly Loop all the way to Hwy 290 and managed to cover 1.7 miles. That’s what I call, a really good start to the day.

On the way around the camp ground, I noticed that Cheryl and her boyfriend were preparing their RV ready to tow it somewhere. I stopped to chat and to say goodbye as they left for pastures new. That is what happens in an RV Park. People come and people go all the time. It is to be expected for most of them as after all, one of the reasons for owning an RV is so you can get up and go when you feel like it. There are many of us that stay at campsites for a long time and have very little intention of moving on unless circumstances dictate it. I have nothing that can tow my RV if ever I want to go anywhere as my Jeep is not up to the task and I sold my tow truck.

We are the lucky ones who have discovered that living in an RV is generally a very good experience and after all, most RV’s come fully equipped. Many, like mine even come with their own washer/dryer unit. When I owned a house, back in the day, I had spare rooms that were never used except to store junk. A lot of wasted square feet. There is no wasted space in an RV and much of the space is used in very innovative ways.

Back in The Caboose, I fixed us all breakfast and for me, the all important coffee to get the day started and sat down to work on the blog. As far as I know, we have no plans for the rest of the day although I did forget something the other day when I was in Walmart’s. Now if I can only remember what it was I could drive in and get it.

I spent the rest of the day doing a whole lot of nothing, sitting around out in the sun. One of my neighbors little girls, Celia, who is nine years old, stopped by with her bike and saw me sitting on the deck. She asked very politely if she could join me and we spent the next half hour chatting about things. It was interesting talking to a nine year old kid only this one is pretty sharp. Incidentally, the rest of the family is comprised of Lyla who is the oldest at 11, Addie who is 7 and the youngest and still a baby is Evelyn and boy is she cute. The older ones call me Grandpa Frank. Incidentally, Celia helped bring in the bird feeders and put them away as it was about that time.

She left to go back home and I adjourned back indoors for the rest of the evening. I fed the dogs and then myself and settled down to watch a couple of English Premier League games before heading off to bed.

I awoke and looked at the clock and it said 6:30 am. I didn’t even know that anything that early still existed but to people that lead normal lives, I am quite sure it does. It used to for me many years ago but as I have been retired over 23 years, I like the lazy life we live. I earned it. I put in my time, so to speak.

I rolled over and went back to sleep and consequently, never awoke until 9:30 am. Not that it matters much as I have nothing planned. After the usual morning ablutions accompanied by two dogs who both had their legs crossed we went out walking. We were late based on their built in time clocks and when you gotta go, you just gotta go.

We wandered around and walked down the hill outside of the campground and I happened to glance at my phone and saw a message from Malinda saying the Bug man would be here at 10:00 am. It was already almost 11:00 am so we did a quick about face and hurried back to The Caboose.

Delores called me also to remind me about the Bugman as well and I told her to let him in if he arrives before we got back but as it happens, we all arrived simultaneously. The Bugman went about his business and Delores went back to her RV and I waited for the work to be completed which didn’t take very long. Hopefully, we are in control of the Roach situation instead of them controlling my life. I haven’t seen any signs of roaches in quite a while.

I fixed breakfast but as it was almost noon time, it turned into lunch and I got out a frozen dinner to eat. It actually hit the spot along with the all important coffee and then settled down in front of the computer to catch up with the blog.

The rest of the day was the usual mixture of sitting around, walking dogs, more sitting around and on and on. We had nothing planned and the A/C was so comfortable compared to the almost 100 degrees outside and it didn’t take much for us to stay indoors.

Living in an RV Henly RV Park Friday 09/27/2024

It used to be when I was a working man that I just loved Friday’s coming around as it signified that yet another work week was complete and I had two whole days to do with as I pleased. Nowadays, of course, every day is a holiday and except for the occasional Doctor or Dentist appointment, my time is my own to do with as I please.

I got up at a reasonable hour for me around 8:00 am and we went out walking the Park and the outside roads and managed to cover 1.4 miles on that first walk. It was not so hot and much more bearable to be walking and even the dogs enjoyed it more. Signs of things to come.

Back in The Caboose, I fixed breakfast all around and as usual, neither dog ate it. So it sits in their bowls ready for that moment when one or the other gets hungry. I had a bowl of corn flakes which for once, hit the spot. I spent time working on the blog and noticed that I had an email telling me that my new glasses were in. That means we have somewhere to go and something to do later today.

I finished working on the blog and as I didn’t have anything else that was pressing, decided to go into town to get the new glasses, My Optometrist is located on this side of Austin which is a big help and 45 minutes later, I pulled up in front of his office.

I walked in the door and one of the staff that fits the glasses spotted me coming in and had the new glasses ready. I didn’t even have to try them on and thanked her and walked back out. As with all new glasses, it takes the eyes a while to get used to the new prescription but I knew that was not going to take too long.

Just for a change, on the way back, I drove around different roads and neighborhoods that I had never been on before. It was interesting discovering new areas of Austin. Finally, I ended back at the camp ground and was greeted by my two little friends who immediately wanted to go out walking, We wandered around with me getting used to the new glasses with every step.

Back in The Caboose, one of Peggy’s Grand kids, Celia, stopped by and helped me with the bird feeders and a couple of other things around the RV.

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

I lay in bed with a headful of thoughts as I tried to figure things out. The only thing I was sure of was that today was Wednesday, September 25th and I had to look at my phone to determine that was the date. I crawled out and went through the usual morning ablutions before putting on clean clothes ready for another day.

We went out walking as we usually do especially first thing in the morning when the dogs need to do their thing. Generally, we are not in it for distance and just wander aimlessly around until both dogs have satisfied the call of Nature. We wandered back to the RV and I fixed them breakfast which of course, they both ignored.

I cooked up some bacon with the intentions of a bacon sandwich but for some reason, the bacon did not taste very good plus it was nearly all fat which melted away as it cooked leaving me with very little to eat. I am about ready to give up on bacon sandwiches…

I sat and worked on the blog and brought it up to date and came across some older blogs which made interesting reading and brought back memories. They actually were not that old and focused on the time I was sick and had not been posted.

I moved on to other things like walking the dogs which is always a good way out when I am in a mental bind. I decided to go into town because I had a medicine pick up at HEB and of course knew I would wander around the store. There is always something I need. Even with a small grocery list, I still spent $100.00.

We sat on the deck for an hour or so just watching the traffic, of which there was very little, go by. The rest of the evening was spent in the usual way

I slept very well and only had to answer the call of Nature just once which is very good for me. I even got up early as I knew that both Peggy and BJ would be stopping over as they played Nurse and doctored my injured arm. I wanted to get our morning walk done by the time they got here.

The walk was uneventful which is the way I like them and we just wandered around, I stopped to chat to my next door neighbor about the University of Texas flag he has on display. Turns out, he is an ex Student so we have something in common as I worked their in a Managerial capacity for 22 years.

I fixed us breakfast which of course the dogs just sniffed at before turning away in disgust. The plan is to leave the food in their bowls on the floor and usually, by the end of the day, they have eaten it. The big problem is that I crush up Sandy’s medicine which is in the form of a large pill and sprinkle it on her food. Therefore, it is important that Mikey doesn’t get to her food and she does. We play this game every morning. Luckily, he is not one of those dogs that scarf the food down without even tasting it and his food sits as long as hers.

Then it was time to work on the blog and I finished and posted yesterday before turning my attention to today. It would be really great if I could write what I want to happen and it magically does. Yeah right. Wishful thinking.

Today was a really quiet day and the only thing of consequence was going out walking the dogs. Even that is not very energetic as neither dog is into distance and really only interested in all of the smells we come across.

I decided to go into the Walmart’s in Austin as I needed a few things. Emphasis on few. I said goodbye to the dogs and hopped in the car for the thirty mile trip which was straightforward. I wandered around the store and found the few things that I needed and of course, a couple more that I could probably have done without and then made the drive home.

I experimented and found a different way back home which was a bit longer but interesting because I had never been that way before. Eventually, I recognized my surroundings and completed the trip back where I was met by the dogs demanding to know why I was gone so long.

I rewarded them by going out walking around the camp site and then we came back and sat on the deck just watching the world go by until it was time to shut up shop. I brought in the feeders and put them away and then we adjourned indoors for the evening meal and entertainment.

The Mondays keep on rolling around which is a good thing as on the one hand, everything is normal. On the other, time is marching on.

We went out for that first walk of the day and just wandered around not in any hurry nor very interested in distance. After all, we have all day to get in the required steps for the day which incidentally, is a very arbitrary number. Anything longer than one mile is good.

My very good friends BJ and Peggy stopped over and cleaned the wound and changed the dressing. I think they like playing Doctor. Again, I thanked them profusely and got back a hug from each of them in return.

We wandered around the park even though we did not cross paths with any other campers and returned to the RV for breakfast and coffee. Then it was time to work on the blog and bring us up to date. It was one of those days when I didn’t have anything much going on and it didn’t matter how hard I looked, I still could not find anything to do.

I thought long and hard about going into town to buy groceries and maybe make a trip to Walmart’s as they sell all kinds of other goodies and I can always find something to buy whether I really need it or not. In the end, I decided against it and we stayed home.

I did a lot of sitting around with my eyes closed although not asleep and then had a brainwave deciding to do a load of laundry which of course, gave me something else to do. I loaded the machine and added the soap capsules and was back to staring into space again as I waited the two and a half hours it takes to do a load of laundry.

By now, it was getting later in the afternoon and almost into evening, We went out for another wander around and when we got back, brought in the bird feeders. I have noticed that the birds have generally finished visiting the feeders about 30 minutes before it gets dark so I felt confidant that by bringing them in was not going to take away any birds supper. There is always seed spilled on the ground under the feeders as birds are a wasteful lot. The deer clean up all of the wasted seed.

I fixed us all supper and this time both dogs managed to eat all of theirs and then spent time helping me eat a bowl of ice cream. The dogs just love ice cream as do I.

Then it was time for a glass of wine and watching television before crawling off to bed.

I awoke at a reasonable hour and crawled out of bed. The cold water on the face treatment completed the wake up process and I dressed ready to face whatever the day would bring. Considering how much skin I had peeled off my arm but was still attached, it was not that painful and I was able to do what I wanted without too much discomfort.

Years ago, when I first started work as an apprentice bricklayer, I was learning the trade hands on starting as a laborer. I was sent to work with an older tradesman named Ernie Baker working small one man jobs around Hailsham and the surrounding countryside. The idea was that he would show me all the tricks of the trade he had learned over the years. As time progressed, he often was the laborer and I was the tradesman as we switched roles so I could get hands on experience. Eventually, after a couple of years, I was moved onto the bricklaying crew as a fully fledged bricklayer. Incidentally, I was very fast and could lay a lot of brick in a day. Ernie was a great source of information and I learned more than just how to lay brick, from him as I was a very impressionable 18 year old. Ernie was a good man.

We went out walking as we usually do but did not go very far or very fast and still managed a mile before heading back to The Caboose for breakfast which as usual, was not very appetizing. The coffee hit the spot though and feeling wide awake, I thought about the upcoming day.

There was a knock on the door and Peggy and BJ were standing there with their first aid kit in hand. They had come over to change the dressing on my arm. Such wonderful ladies and I can’t thank them and Donna enough. The arm didn’t look too bad and the peeled skin was already re-attaching so they treated the wound and then re-bandaged it back up, told me to be careful and see ya tomorrow. I thanked them over and over as they walked out the door. It’s truly great to have such wonderful and caring friends and neighbors. Funny, now that Daniel (and Malinda) are no longer around, my best friends are all women.

I sat writing to bring us up to to date and wondered what else to do for the rest of the day. I have no plans and don’t need groceries although we could go out for a drive. We haven’t done that in a while probably because Mikey steals the prime space on my lap and leaves just a tiny space for Sandy to squeeze onto with not enough room for her to lay down. She has to stand for the entire trip. A gentleman he is not.

When all else fails or if I am bored enough, walking around the park or on the outside roads is my answer. The dogs just love it when we go walkies although distance is not really a factor to them. Now smells and scents are a different story and their idea of a walk is 20 feet of nothing but interesting smells. To them, distance is unimportant but the smells, they are everything. Glad I’m not a dog…

The rest of the day was spent sitting around doing a whole lot of nothing until it was time for that last walk before bringing in the feeders again. Incidentally, I haven’t seen any Hummingbirds in a while as they have probably already begun that long trip they take every year. I will see them next Spring. Two less feeders to worry about. Yay.

We went out for that final walk and just wandered around before heading back to The Caboose for the evening meal and then television. And so ends another day.

I awoke to another bright and sunny day which is not surprising seeing as how Texas has an average of 230 sunny days per year. No wonder we love the rain so much as we don’t see that much of it. I crawled out of bed and finished my morning ablutions before the dogs even showed their faces. What a life they have. Me too, if I am being honest about it.

As usual, we harnessed up and wandered around the camp grounds and then took the outside road that leads to Hwy 290. It has a lot of shade at this “early” hour. Well. OK. early for me. We managed to cover exactly a mile on that first walk. We have nothing planned for today but I might go grocery shopping later on.

I settled down to work on the blog with Mikey insisting on being on my lap. I know it is not the most comfortable place to sit but he likes being there anyway until my legs start to ache in the uncomfortable position of knees squeezed tightly together for an extended period. When I can stand it no longer, I make Mikey move back to his chair which he does very reluctantly giving me “The Look” as he does so. He thinks I’m a wimp.

I sat here looking out of the sliding glass doors which are the main entrance to the RV, There is another single outside door to the bedroom, I guess just in case I have to exit in a hurry. I can watch the main bird feeders from my chair sitting at the table that I use as a desk. As I watched, the friendly squirrel was helping himself to yet another meal at my expense.

We went for a walk so that we could visit the mail box, another of our afternoon routines. Usually, I do not have much in the way of mail unless I happen to order something on line and the occasional official letter Today I had both including a couple of goodies I had ordered.

I made the mistake of trying to carry too much and climb the stone steps at the same time plus having the dog leashes in my hands and somehow, managed to trip on something and fell on my side. All my years of keeping goal had brainwashed me on how to fall and I curled up and hit the ground. The only problem was that I managed to scrape my right arm in the process and peeled back a large chunk of skin.

I cursed and moaned and finished going into the RV throwing my packages onto the deck in disgust. I knew that I did not have any first aid material and called the girls. Ten minutes later, Peggy and Donna were at my door with first aid stuff and attended to my wound and finally bandaging it up so that at least, I could use the arm.

With the girls gone, I got all kinds of help from Mikey and Sandy as I opened envelopes and plastic bags. They quickly gave up when they discovered the contents weren’t edible.

I had ordered a new phone holder for the car and spent a few minutes checking it out and then put it to one side to work on later. I had also ordered a tiny vacuum/blower cleaner that I know will be very useful. I love gadgets…At least my new goodies took my mind off my throbbing arm.

We sat around a lot as now I had an excuse to do so (my arm) and I could certainly play it for all it was worth but I finally decided it was time to go walkies again. I harnessed up the dogs and off we went into the wild blue yonder. Well OK, we walked around the park and managed to get in a little over a mile.

We sat outside on the deck as the evening drew to a close and then brought in the bird feeders for one more day before adjourning back indoors and the evening meal.

I got out of bed around 9:00 am thinking it was like any other morning until I remembered that Delores and I were planning on a trip into Luckenbach, Texas. Well she was planning the trip and dragged me along to keep her company. I didn’t mind as it made a change of scenery for both of us. I managed to finish with the shower and had just put on clean clothes and walked the dogs when she pulled up. I hustled around and got out the door pretty smartly so as not to keep her waiting.

Delores has a heavy foot and it did not take much more than an hour before we reached our destination of Luckenbach, Texas. On the way, we were planning the next adventure which would be to visit Daniel and Malinda.

Let me start off by saying there is not much to Luckenbach which comprised mainly of beer and food all contained in ramshackle old metal buildings. The place looks like it has been there forever and probably has. Of course, people visit Luckenbach, for the music which doesn’t start until later that day and we knew we would not be staying for it. We stopped at one of the food booths and ordered a burger which comes in several different forms and flavors Still, basically, a burger. Instead of coffee, we both drank a beer and it all went down very well.

We wandered around for a bit although there was a not a lot to see until Delores decided it was time to race back home. Dee got a call from Malinda as she drove and now we are working on the next trip to visit Malinda and Daniel.

Back at the RV, the first thing was to walk the dogs after telling them how much I missed them. We wandered around not going anywhere fast because there were just way too many great smells around. Not that I can smell them but the dogs sure can.

Even though I was not very busy, the time just flew by and before long it time for us to go out walking again on that final walk of the day. While we were walking, we bumped into Peggy who was making her way over to the commons where her extended family had congregated. She invited me over to join them for a slice of Pizza, We finished the walk and I put the dogs back on the deck of the RV so they couls keep an eye on things and then wandered over to the Break Room where the family was gathered. First a beer and then a couple slices of Pizza were thrust into my hands and I sat enjoyed the meal and the company. Incidentally, we covered a huge age gap with a 6 month old baby at one end and an eight-eight year old man on the other’

We sat and chatted and of course, the baby was the center of attention and obliged with lots of smiles. She is just starting to crawl which makes her all the more amusing.

I finally decided that I should go home and thanked everybody for another great evening. Back in the RV, I fed the dogs and then settled down to watch a movie. Big mistake as it was almost 1:00 am before I went to bed. Not like I need to get up early or anything but even so. I should know better.

Incidentally, BJ who has Covid is on the mend and should be back among the living pretty soon.

I slept like the proverbial log only waking once in the night for the call of Nature. I lay in bed all nice and cozy with the dogs still asleep at my side and thought about the upcoming day although we have nothing planned.

I finally and very reluctantly got up and went in the bathroom for the usual morning ablutions and just as I was brushing my teeth, the dogs appeared both having decided to crawl out of bed.

The first thing was to bring out the bird feeders although I did not refill them as they all still had seed in them. I did refill the two big feeders hanging in the trees as the coons had emptied them overnight. Has to be coons as squirrels are not active at night and they are too high for the deer to reach.

Then, it was time to go out walking around the park although we did not go very far. For some reason, my right knee and hip are sore and I preferred to stay off them as much as possible.

Back in the RV, I fixed the dogs breakfast which neither dog ate. I looked around for something to eat for myself and thought a pot pie would be good.. Big mistake, as it just did not taste right and most of went out the door to feed the birds. The coffee hit the spot though. Breakfast and food in general, is becoming a real problem for me as I can’t seem to find anything very appetizing to eat.

By now it was 12:30 pm and I was all caught up with the blog and the few chores that needed taking care of and wondered what to do for the rest of the day. I sat on the couch with the dogs for company and thought and thought and thought. By the time I finished thinking, it was time for the afternoon walk so we harnessed up and out the door we went.

When we got back, I put the dogs indoors and jumped in the Jeep to drive into Austin. The original plan was the HEB in Dripping Springs but I drove on by and ended up in the Walmart’s in Austin. I managed to convince myself that the extras I needed and could only get at Walmart’s, were important enough to warrant the change in plans.

I took the long way home because it took me by a Starbucks except that somewhere, I took a wrong turn and never did find it. Oh well, guess I didn’t need the Latte anyway.

I was met at the door by the dogs who are always pleased to see me. Thank goodness someone is. So we hitched up and went out walking. The humidity was very high and it was not comfortable out and our walk was short. I could tell that neither dog enjoyed the conditions.

Back at the RV, I put the bird feeders away at the end of another day and then watched TV as I ate the evening meal along with a glass of wine.

I awoke with something nagging at me. I lay there for a bit and grabbed the phone to see what was on the calendar and breathed a sigh of relief to see that the Bug man is scheduled to come tomorrow and not today. Not that I am really expecting him to be at the door at 8:00 am as the message suggested. Incidentally, the Bug Man will be treating the RV to get rid of any roach critters’ that might have snuck in. Currently, the RV is pretty clear of the darn things and I want to keep it that way.

I crawled out of bed and jumped in the shower to wake up and then dressed ready to face the day although we have nothing planned. We started off with our usual walkabout but did not cover much ground. The dogs were more interested in smells than walking. It was already hot out and was going to be another scorcher. Typical Texas in the summertime even if it is the tail end…

Back in the RV, I fixed us breakfast but nothing tasted right from my perspective and I threw mine in the trash. I did finish the coffee though but mainly to take the pills that I swallow every morning. Then I worked on the blog and brought it up to date and wondered what else I should do. I have nothing planned and no reason to go into Dripping Springs or Austin. Such a lazy life we lead and the dogs are not much better preferring to sleep if I am not making any moves.

It really was a very slow day and I spent a lot of time doing nothing. I sat on the couch with the dogs and just stared out of the window. I realized I was being extremely lazy but I really did not have anything that was pressing and it was too darn hot outside to stay out there for very long. Apart from dog walking a couple of times, we really did not do anything active.

Incidentally, since there has been a couple of active Covid cases in the park, people are being more careful and are not socializing as much. Probably a good thing at least until this outbreak is under control.

Living in an RV Henly RV Park Wednesday 9/18/2024

I had a restless night probably because I knew the Bug Treatment man was coming that morning to treat the RV. This is a continuation of the original treatment and he comes every couple of months to follow up with it.

I got up and after the usual cold water routine, managed to get sufficiently awake to figure out what I was doing only this time, I could not go back and crawl under the covers because of the Bug man. He had a two hour window so I felt fairly safe in taking the dogs walking. We wandered around and was walking at the bottom of the park when I got a message from Malinda saying the Bug man was here.

We hurried back to the RV to let him in apologizing for keeping him waiting although he had been working on the outside. He went inside and wasn’t in there five minutes and came out to say he was done. I thanked him profusely and went inside. Luckily, whatever he sprays does not smell. I think that the treatments are being successful as I have not seen any roaches in a few weeks and there are no visible signs of them.

With him gone for another couple of months, I fixed us all breakfast. I wanted a bacon sandwich but when I opened the package, the bacon was nearly all fat and not much meat, I cooked some up in the microwave but could not get it crispy so slapped it between a couple pieces of bread and sat back to enjoy it. Yeah right. It was horrible. I didn’t know it was possible to mess up a bacon sandwich but somehow, I managed it, I will know next time to be a little more picky over my choice of bacon and try to find some with very little fat or at least, less than this particular bunch has. Maybe, I should actually cook the bacon in a fry pan and over the stove instead of the microwave.

Actually, I couldn’t have done that this time around as none of the stovetop burners are working. For some reason, they are not getting any propane and yet the bottle is full and turned on. Another thing for James, the Travelling RV Repair man to work on.

I sat and worked on the blog playing catch up . Actually, I was not that far behind and the only catch up was to complete yesterday and then start today. I sat there trying to recall if anything special happened yesterday and came to the conclusion that no, nothing did. Just a regular plain old day at the campground. Because of the Covid outbreak here, campers are not mingling and mixing as they usually do for fear of either catching or passing it along. I haven’t sat and drank beer with any of my friends for quite some time, well at least two days.

With the blog all caught up as far as I could go, I looked around for something else to do and came up with nothing, Nada, Zilch. Heaving a big sigh. I closed the laptop as I had nothing to write about.

We did a lot of sitting around and then went out for the final walk of the day. We managed to cover 1.7 miles total. Not bad when you are walking with a couple of reluctant dogs who primary goal in life is to smell all of the glorious scents left by other dogs and their hoomans,

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I was in a really lazy mood and just lay in bed snuggling with the dogs. They, of course, were in no hurry to get up if I don’t. Eventually, around 9:30 am, I rolled out and headed for the shower where the cold water quickly cleared up any semblance of sleep that might still be there.

I got dressed and had a couple of small chores to take care of before harnessing up the guys for their walk. The sun was already high in the sky and it was getting hotter by the minute but we went out and just wandered around so they could stretch their legs and do their bathroom thing. I was not interested in distance and we only covered a mile. Still, that was enough to get the blood flowing and bring us wide awake by the end of the walk.

My very good friend Peggy stopped by in her car as we were walking and I have to say, she looked like something the cat dragged in. I asked her why she was not at work and she said that both her and B.J. have Covid and to not come too close. My automatic reaction was to take three steps back and to start running in the opposite direction. I didn’t of course but I stayed away from the car. I got to thinking about it and if Peggy has it, then it is a safe bet that her family has it. Peggy left and I walked on but my brain was working overtime and I remembered that my Doctor practices out of Dripping Springs and maybe it might be a good idea to pay him a visit and get my shots up to date.

I put the dogs back in the RV and jumped in the car for the eleven mile trip to the Doctors office. I walked in and registered at the counter and was given some forms to fill out. The place was busy and I resigned myself to a long wait but as it happened, it was only about ten minutes and the Nurse called me back.

I got a shot in each arm, one for Covid and the other for for flue and she told me to go sit for a while to let the shots take effect which I did amusing myself by watching the many people come and go. After about fifteen minutes, I was allowed to leave and hopped in my car heading for Starbucks and a Latte which was right across the street.

I had already decided that I should go into Walmart’s in Austin as I needed a couple of things that I knew I could get there. So, with no after effects from the shots, I pointed the car towards the big city and ended up at the Walmart’s which is located on the very outskirts of the town. I had a list and pretty much stuck to it although there were a couple of things I should have bought and missed. Oh well…

The drive home was straightforward with no complications and I was greeted by the dogs on my arrival where we harnessed up for a quick walk around the block. Then, I turned my attention to the blog and worked on it for a while. Incidentally, there were no after effects from the two shots.

I steered clear of mixing and mingling and spent the rest of the day listening to an Audiobook until it was time for that final walk. The we adjourned back in The Caboose and watched television. Well, I watched and the dogs slept, at times with both of them on my lap. What a life…

I awoke at 8:00 am but lay there sort of dozing until I considered it a respectable hour to actually get up. Thirty minutes later, I crawled out and headed for the bathroom and splashed cold water on my face, Currently, my Optometrist has prescribed drops in each eye and that really wakes me up. After the usual matutinal ablutions i.e. cold water on my face and then a shave with my electric razor followed by a generous application of hand/face cream. I kid myself that it helps with the wrinkles but I doubt it. Only a new face would do that or winding back the clock 30-40 years.

The first thing after harnessing up the dogs was the previously discussed bird feeders and hanging them in their respective places. I have two more big ones that I had to glue back together because of that darn squirrel, that I am considering hanging in the tree along with the other two but I need to work on it before I can use them.

With the bird feeders all situated for another day, we went out walking the grounds. We just wandered around not caring about distance but more for activity which both dog’s enjoyed. It was quiet out and we only got to see a couple of other people which included Olive, the bull terrier, who was busy walking Jeff. Olive is such a funny little thing and is usually carrying a big stick most of which are bigger than her.

Back in the RV, I fed the dogs but as usual, neither of them were hungry so it will sit until they are ready. In Sandy’s case, its important that she eats her food as her daily pill is crushed up into it. Maybe that it the reason that she doesn’t eat the food, she can smell the medication. I picked up the hard food bowls from the floor in the hope of making them eat the soft food.

I stuck a load of laundry into the washing machine and let it do its thing while I worked on the blog. The full cycle which includes drying takes about four and a half hours but my machine is an all in one so I don’t have to transfer the clothes anywhere. When the wash cycle is finished is when I add the nice smelling drying sheets and then forget it until it is done. When it comes to folding the clothes, I get a lot of help as I do this on the bed and the dogs are always ready to help out.

Then it was time to work on the blog and I spent the next hour doing just that. The old memory has a hard time recalling the details of what happened yesterday and sometimes, I have to sit and really think about stuff to recall it. Stupid brain…While I was sitting and thinking, I remembered that I had a large check to deposit and quickly took care of it. I just love being able to do that through my computer and modern technology.

With the blog up to date, I looked around for other exciting things to get up to but could not come up with anything. It is so hot and humid out that it is just not comfortable being outside without good reason. Yesterday, I braved the heat and watered the outside plants in the garden and on the steps leading up into the RV as they all needed it.

I did a whole lot of absolutely nothing, just sitting quietly with the dogs and staring into space for an hour or so before getting the dogs ready to go walking again. We wandered around but no one was out to visit with so we just walked.

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

I awoke and glanced at my watch and it said it was 7:10 am. This is way to early for us to crawl out so I promptly rolled over and went back to sleep. The next thing, it was almost 9:30 am and I knew that I was just not meant to get up early. The dogs were still snoring.

I crawled out and wandered into the bathroom which is all of five steps away and said “Good Morning” to the individual looking back at me. As I looked in the mirror at the aged old man that was staring back at me I noted how much the years have taken their toll. It was hard to recognize that once handsome man that was never short of a lady friend. Nowadays, not so much although I do still have lady friends although the emphasis is on friend both for them and me. My days of courting the opposite sex are long gone, disappeared along with many aspects of my physical life. I can still get around and for this I am very grateful but that once very athletic lady killing soccer player no longer exists. Oh well. At least I am still alive and in comparatively good health.

Before we went walking, I hooked the dogs to the table and brought out the bird feeders. While I was in the mood, I refilled the two big ones hanging in the trees. Then, with the dogs already harnessed, we went out for the usual morning walk around the park. Sandy wasn’t really into walking and plonked down on her belly a couple of times and just lay there. Keeping in mind that she does have a bad heart, Mikey and I stopped and waited until she eventually got up and started walking again. We managed to cover a mile on that walk before returning to the RV where I fixed us breakfast which didn’t taste very good. Even the coffee was off. It was just one of those days…

I turned my attention to the blog and worked on it for a while bringing us up to date and thought about the rest of the day. It was already 1:00 pm but I could not think of anything desperate that needed taking care of. I had no reason to go into town as I was still fully stocked food and booze wise.

We sat around a lot and listened to an Audiobook. The couple of times I did poke my nose outside and as soon as I opened the door, the hot and very humid air hit me with a blast. Unless it was an absolute necessity, like dog walking, there was just no sense in being out in it.

Later on, after it had cooled down a bit, we went out for the last short walk and managed to cover two miles for the day. Not bad considering how hot and humid it was. Incidentally, like in the mornings only in reverse, I bring in the bird feeders at night because something, maybe a coon but probably the deer, empties them all and then I have a refill job the next morning.

Friday the 13th. Back in England where I am from, tradition has it that this day is the Devil’s Day. Any time the 13th of the month falls on a Friday, one has to be on one’s guard or the devil or more probably your own workmates will play some trick on you. I don’t know if it is a part of American tradition or not. Incidentally, it only applies through and up to noon time.

As usual, we went out for that first walk of the day mostly around the park and didn’t quite make a mile. We still have plenty of the day left to make it up. When we got back, I brought out the bird feeders after tying the dogs to the table so they can watch.

I looked at the outside carpet that I have under the storage unit and small table, and it was totally worn out. Without further ado, I started to unload the toolbox and move the other things off the carpet and then with it cleared, I cut off the damaged portion and turned the carpet around, so the good area was now to the front and the damaged area to the back and under the table and sofa. The carpet is an outdoor straw type and is wearing out fast. Next time I go into town, I need to buy a new one from Walmart’s.

It was very hot out there and the sweat poured off me as I worked. Probably because the humidity was through the roof. I managed to finish and re-arrange everything and for now, the remaining unused portion of the carpet is in view, but it won’t last very long.

I came back in and did a complete change of clothes as those I had on were soaked. Then it was breakfast time for both me and the dogs followed by writing in the blog to bring us up to date. I glanced at the clock, and it said it was 4:00 pm and I have no idea where the day went.

Incidentally, the dogs supervised while I was doing all of the work. For them, this consisted of stretching out in the sun and sleeping. We harnessed up and went out for another walk around the park and then up Henly Loop towards Hwy 290. We didn’t go all the way but enough for the dogs to get some exercise. I put the dogs back indoors and then wandered over to the girls to mix and mingle with them and Peggy’s family who were also over there. I stayed for an hour or so and then wandered back to my own RV.

The rest of the evening was spent with food and then television.

I knew that I had an early Veterinary Appointment and so, set the alarm to wake me up at the ridiculous hour of 7:00 am. The dogs looked at me as if to say, “Where you are going, stupid. do you know what the time is?”. I ignored their sarcastic looks and went about the business of waking up and getting ready to face the day.

We took a short walk about the park, and I hurriedly attended to the few early morning chores as I needed to leave the RV by 9:00 am for a 10:00 appointment at the Vet’s Office. I knew that it does not take an hour, more like 30 minutes to drive in but I wanted to be safe just in case we ran into any accidents along the way, or the traffic might be heavy.

As it happened, the drive in was straightforward and we made good time. It’s interesting to see the dogs as they vie for a spot on my lap. Mikey is usually the first up there and then Sandy tries to find a spot to squeeze onto. Mikey curls up and goes to sleep while Sandy is spending her time in balancing on my knees.

We arrived in good time, and it wasn’t long before the Staff whisked Sandy away to take her back to the innermost regions of the office where the examinations and x-rays are done. Mikey and I patiently waited with Mikey casting curious glances at the door that she disappeared out of as if to say, “Where are you girl”? Eventually, they brought her back no worse for wear and she made a big fuss of us.

Incidentally, Dr Varga stopped by to say “Hello”. He owns the clinic now and is the only remaining Vet from way back when along with Dr Donop, who has long since retired. The original owner whose name escapes me, has been retired for many years. This has been my Veterinary Clinic for at least 40 years.

The latest addition to the Staff, a veterinarian, stepped into the room and introduced herself as Dr Camacho. We chatted and she explained what was wrong with Sandy. The biggest problem is that she has a heart murmur and needs medication for it which I have already been administering from the last visit.

We left the clinic and drove back to Henly making good time. I thought about that Latte again but in the end opted to not stopping and drove all the way home to the RV park. There, I put the dogs indoors after a walk around the park and checked the bird feeders which were all OK before adjourning indoors to work on the blog.

I wrote for a while until we were all caught up. My next-door neighbor, Delores called me and said that food was on the table and to come on over. She had made a stew which tasted pretty good and being the nice person that she is, she even gave me a bowl to bring home to eat at a later date. We sat and chatted and drank a couple of beers. A very pleasant way to spend the evening. She is such a nice lady.

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

I slept very well and the extra blanket I had put on the bed worked out just fine. The dogs ignored it as Sandy slept on the other pillow and Mikey slept on mine leaving me just enough room to lay my head.

I got up and sloshed cold water on my face which completed the wake-up job. After dressing, it was time to go out for that first walk of the day. This time, we took Henly Loop, the part that leads directly to Hwy 290 although, we did not walk all the way as we normally do. Sandy kept looking back so we about faced and walked back home. We covered a little less than a mile which is not bad but not our normal amount. Blame Sandy as she is the one not into walking, Me and Mikey were doing just fine.

Back at the RV, I brought out the bird feeders and spent some time repairing two of them where the darn squirrel had destroyed a couple of the seed openings. Another reason I don’t like the thing eating seed as it is so destructive.

I fixed us all breakfast and as usual, the dogs did not eat theirs’s. Doesn’t matter what I put in front of them, nothing is good enough. At least my coffee tasted good and hit the spot.

Then it was time to work on the blog to bring it up to date. I have an Eye Doctors appointment in Austin later this afternoon so am marking time until it is time to leave. I found things to get up to but in all honesty, did not look that hard and was quite content to sit around and listen to an Audiobook.

I took the dogs out for a short walk and promised them I would be back and drove into Austin. Luckily, my Eye Doctor is right in Oak Hill which is the last outlying built up area before hitting the roads that lead out to the Hill Country and Henley via Dripping Springs.

I have been coming to see Dr. Tybor for a long time and in fact, back in the day, coached his son at Soccer. We have known each other for many years. He spent time running tests and doing the things that Optometrists do and eventually told me to pick out my next pair of glasses. I opted for a pair very similar to what I have which are rimless hence the need for the new glasses and not reusing the old frames as there are no frames. They should be here in a couple of weeks.

I said my goodbyes to the Doctor and his Staff and made the trip back to Henley. I thought hard and long about a Latte but in the end, decided against it. The drive home was straightforward and for a change, the traffic was light.

As usual, both dogs went nuts when I opened the door and were jumping and barking in obvious doggy pleasure at the fact that, “Dad’s Home”. We harnessed up and then went out walking checking the mailbox at the same time. The two letters I got were just junk stuff and not important at all except to whoever wrote them in the first place.

We wandered around the park and then took the outside road leading down towards the giant Oak Tree for a change. Every time I look at that tree, it fills me with awe at the size of the trunk. If it could talk, some of its stories would be very interesting. I would be willing to bet that it is way over 100 years old.

The rest of the afternoon was spent listening to an Audiobook sitting outside with a glass of wine. Then it was time to bring in the bird feeders and put them away and adjourn indoors for the evening.

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With the evenings getting a little cooler, I had added another blanket to the bed and last night was the first for making sure it was not too much and made me hot. Notice I wrote me because both dogs sleep outside of the covers and have their usual spots. In fact, Mikey shares my pillow except in his case, it’s not just his head but his whole body on it. I usually squeeze my head into the little space that he leaves for me. His idea of sharing…

I slept very well not even waking up for the call of nature until the morning which by then, I really had to “go”. The bedside clock said it was 8:00 am and we lay there for a bit before rolling out and jumping in the shower. Before getting in, I carefully stretched the towel out on the floor to step on when I got out but when it was that time, Mikey had also just as carefully scratched it into a more comfortable lump for him and was laying on it. I told him he had to give it up so I could dry myself and he very reluctantly did so.

I was dressed and ready to go so out the door we went to wander around. We managed to cover 1.5 miles for that first walk. This time, we chose the outside road leading down the hill all the way to the end. It was slow going as both dogs had their noses to the ground the whole way and if either of then found a smell, the other had to check it out as well.

Back in the RV, as it was almost noon time, I opted for lunch instead of breakfast and opened up a can of soup. It was something I had never tried before, Tuscan style vegetable and potato soup and I had a hard time in forcing it down, it was so spicy. Remind me not to buy that again.

Then it was time to work on the blog. I finished yesterday after a lot of heavy concentrated thinking and started on today up to where we are on the clock. Darn memory…They, whoever they are, say the memory is the first thing to go and mine has certainly started walking off somewhere.

We went out walking again around the park and this time, we walked down the hill. Of all of the four different walks available to us, this one is the toughest. It is OK going out as it is all downhill but of course, that means all uphill coming back. Still, we are in it for the exercise and although it may be harder work on the return trip, health wise the benefits are enormous.

I sat around a lot and listened to an Audiobook when we returned for the rest of the afternoon. Then it was time to walk again just for the exercise.

Back in the RV, I fixed the dogs food and then my own and spent the rest of the evening watching a series on TV.