Are these “our” Zebras? If so, they have a new permanent home? Actually, I know they are not as I got to see our Zebra pair yesterday.
I tossed and turned all night long and must have eventually dropped off to sleep as the bedside clock told me it was almost 9:00 am. I jumped out of bed straight into the shower to wake myself up. Cold water will do that pretty quick.
Then it was time to go out walking in the park and we wandered around meeting Daniel and Jeff along the way. We chatted for a bit, and they both returned to work, and we continued walking. We did our usual 7/10’s of a mile before returning for breakfast and coffee. As far as I can tell, we have no plans to do anything special although fate has a way of changing that.
Back in The Caboose, I made breakfast for us all and Sandy ate all of hers. Mikey is saving his for later and I ate both pieces of toast I had made. It was a cloudy and overcast day and a good one to stay inside in the warm.
I had already brought out the feeders and the birds amused me with their carryings on. I took a quick glance at the two flowering plants I had purchased yesterday and said to myself, “Later, I will plant you later.”
Back in the RV, I completed the blog and brought it up to date. Good thing too as I was a couple of days behind, again. Incidentally, the park is full up in anticipation of the upcoming eclipse due to happen on Monday, April 8th. The weather forecast is not too good with clouds forecast but hopefully, we will still get to see something. We will know it is happening even if we cannot see it happen as it will still grow dark.
I found things to do to keep me amused which included watering the garden. We also sat around a lot which the dogs really enjoyed, one on each side of me on the couch. Then it was time to go walking again and we wandered around inside the campgrounds saying “Hello” to anyone we happened to meet.
Back in the RV, we sat outside for a while with a bottle of beer for company. Besides the dogs, that is. I would say, we were watching the world go by but there is not a lot of activity in that direction in the campground.
It was almost dark as I had to wait that long for the birds to stop eating before bringing in the feeders for yet another day. The rest of the evening was spent with food and TV in that order.
When you have something on your mind even subconsciously, it can interfere with getting a good night’s rest. I seem to be doing that a lot lately with little niggly things that keep popping into my head. Eventually, I drop off, but it may take a while and it is very irritating. Last night, I was laying there but just could not fall asleep and one of the thoughts really registered. I got up and made a note of it so that I would remember it in the morning. This thought was quite legitimate and was something I needed to follow up on.
I finally fell asleep and awoke this morning around 7:30 am unaffected by the sleepless night. I even got up early, well, for me, and opened the blinds to let the new day in. We went through the usual bird feeder ritual and then went walking around the park and onto the outside roads.
Back in The Caboose, I sat for a bit outside as it was such a beautiful morning and watched the world go by. The birds were remarkably busy working the feeders as we sat and watched. The Grackles, as they are in large numbers, tend to take over but the smaller birds still find ways to get to the seed. The area on the ground below the feeders is always a good spot as much of the seed gets dropped there. Incidentally, the Hummingbirds are back and have found the two feeders filled with their special nectar. They are amazing birds to watch as their wings are buzzing at around 80 times a second,
Incidentally, the Grackles are also great birds to watch. Usually, they just fight and argue amongst themselves when they are on the ground but if something scares them, they become a thing of beauty. They all take off at once and head in the same direction swooping and changing flight in absolute unison. I have no idea how they communicate the flight path but somehow, they do. Then they all land in the nearest tree and come back in one by one and resume feeding until the next thing scares them flying off in that same large group.
I decided to drive into Austin to the Jeep dealership located there to pick up the part I had ordered almost a month ago. I had already paid for it to the tune of $460.00 and I wanted to make arrangements to get it installed. It controls the raising and lowering of the Jeep body to give it more tire clearance when travelling on rough ground.
I chatted to the counter man and made arrangements for this coming Monday to have the unit installed. Now, I need to work out the ride situation. From there, I drove over to Walmart’s and did some shopping to the tune of $220.00. That did include two large bottles of wine and a 12 pack of beer. Oh yes, I bought a couple of Tee shirts and some undershorts, so it was not just all food and drink.
I drove home and back in Dripping Springs, stopped for a Latte, which incidentally, did not hit the spot. For some reason, coffee just does not taste the same and I never finished this last one.
As usual, I got a lot of help unloading the groceries as the dogs explored all the different bags with their noses going a mile a minute. Even with the dog’s help, I managed to put everything away and we harnessed up to go out walking again.
As we usually do, we just wandered aimlessly around the park and on the outside roads before returning to sit outside on the deck. I had bought a couple of different plants that I need to stick in the ground but held off on that for another day. They are currently in their own pots so there is no immediate hurry to get them in the ground.
Altogether for the day, we covered 3.1 miles but walking around Walmart’s accounts for most of that.
The rest of the evening was spent a little differently. It started off with us walking around the park and Sandy led us to Larry and Crystal’s RV as she usually does. Crystal likes to give my dogs treats and the dogs know it. Anyway, long story short, both Delores and Malinda were sitting around the fire and must have been there for some time drinking wine as Delores was not feeling any pain. Malinda has this astonishing capacity to drink a lot and it does not have any outward signs that it affects her in any way.
I sat with my own glass of wine and joined in the conversation, which was both interesting and amusing, A couple of glasses later, Delores was starting to feel the effects of the stuff and was more than a little tiddly. She ended up sitting next to me and after nearly falling into the fire and spilling her glass of wine, announced she was going home.
About this time, both Crystal and Larry were also not feeling any pain and were having difficulty in talking straight. Delores decided that it was time to go home and as she was already hanging on to me, I walked her back to her RV.
Through all this Malinda had been keeping a watchful eye on the goins on and had followed Delores and I back to Delores RV where she took over and walked Delores back inside and put her to bed. Thank you, Malinda, as it was not something that I would have wanted to do but would have if I had to and, in my case, Delores would have gone to bed fully clothed.
I returned to Crystal and Larry’s RV to chat and drink some more but it was obvious that both had drunk a little too much and should also go to bed. Neither were making much sense and Malinda and I left to go back to our respective RV’s.
I was sitting and watching the TV when there was a knock on the door and again it was Malinda with “the girls” in tow. She knocked to inform me that the Jeep was running although I do not know how it started. I located the keys and turned the Jeep off all the while, trying to figure out how it happened.
Earlier, when I got back from town, I had unloaded the groceries and several times, had walked past the Jeep through the course of the evening and had not noticed the motor was running. Another mystery to work on.
Back in my RV, I sat in front of the TV to watch a game with a glass of wine. The next thing I knew was waking up with the wine untouched and the TV still going. It was almost 1:00 am and the game was long over and just to make sure; I went back outside to check the Jeep once more. It was switched off, so I assumed it was time and a good thing to go to bed.
A cat on a leash. The owners walked around the park this way.
I had a funny old night waking and sleeping very intermittently. I had no idea what the problem was although I had things on my mind that I was subconsciously worrying about. All to do with car insurance which I spent some time on yesterday. I must have been able to blot them out eventually as I awoke around 7:00 am. I paid a visit to the bathroom with the typical old man’s complaint and thought about staying up, but the bed looked way too inviting, and I crawled back in and cuddled the dogs for 30 minutes.
I eventually got up and harnessed the dogs so we could attend to the bird feeders and then we went out walking around the camp site. We covered almost a mile on that first walk which was surprisingly good.
Back at The Caboose, I tied the dogs up so they could watch and went to work watering the plants. I found one plant that I had to stick back in the ground but overall, the deer have not been too destructive…yet.
One of my neighbors, Greg, stopped by and we chatted for a bit as I was working on the watering, then he continued his walk, and I went back inside having done all I could do outside at least for a bit.
I fixed us breakfast, but Sandy had one of her “moods” on and would not eat hers. So, I picked up all the hard food that was in bowls on the floor and put it out of her reach. The objective is for her to get hungry enough to eat what I give her which contains her medicine. I wish I knew of another way except using food for her to take her pills. They are crushed up to a powder and sprinkled over her other food. Sometimes, she just gobbles it down, other times, not so much. Dogs…
I fixed breakfast for myself, and Sandy had a tiny taster, but it did not help in encouraging her to eat her own food. Big sigh. Then it was time to work on the blog. Luckily, I was caught up with yesterday and only had to worry about today and as most mornings are the same, it was not difficult at all.
I sat and watched as the birds visited the feeders. I have a lot of Goldfinches and they are so pretty to watch with their bright yellow plumage. Then of course, there are the Grackles in large numbers. I even had the squirrel stop by to eat his fill which is not much, so I do not mind him coming. He was bold enough to come up on the deck to get a drink of water out of the dog’s bowl. BTW, the new seed appears to hit the spot with the birds as there is not half as much waste most if which was crushed corn. I guess that the smaller birds do not eat corn in any description as it is probably too hard for them to break up. Besides, it makes a good filler for the manufacturers to dump in the mix. More corn and less seed.
On the whole, it was a very quiet day with not much of anything going on. I worked on the usual household chores that we do every day or two. Normal things to keep the RV running smoothly. We also sat around a lot either making a fuss of the dogs or trying to doze off which, by the way, I am not particularly good at. I close my eyes and try to relax and that is it. No naps. Still, even without dozing off, it is still very relaxing to sit there with my eyes closed shutting out the outside world.
In one of the odd moments my eyes were open, I found them staring directly into Sandy’s eyes which had a” Gotta go” look. That brought me out of my reverie and back to reality as we harnessed up to go out walking.
We wandered around but neither the dogs nor I were into walking, and we only covered 1.3 miles for the day. Still, better than nothing…
The rest of the evening was spent in the usual way.
At times, I slept great last evening but there were other times when I lay awake worrying about this and that. I do not worry intentionally but the thoughts sneak in and are hard to get rid of which keeps me awake. Eventually, I drop back off to sleep.
I woke up this morning around 8:00 am and crawled out. The first thing was to wander around raising all the blinds to let the heat of the sun in to warm the RV. Later, I lower the ones on the sun side, or the RV will warm too much, and the A/C will come on sooner than necessary.
RVs are built both for economy and to save as much weight as possible in the construction. Consequently, the walls are only 2 inches thick with that space filled with insulation. When you compare that to a house with four or more-inch walls and at least 3.5 inches of insulation you can see the difference. Consequently, the RV’s A/C must work a lot harder and is nowhere near as powerful a unit as a house A/C.
Mine has two A/C’s, one in the living area and one in the bedroom, both set on the roof and they both operate independently. Incidentally, there is only one heater unit for the entire RV, but it does the job plus the electric fireplace throws out a lot of heat besides being pretty to look at.
Modern day RV’s compare well to a house on many counts plus they are moveable. So, if you do not like your current site or have noisy neighbors, then it is extremely easy to get up and leave.
Daniel was debugging the RV and was spraying both inside and out and told me to be gone for an hour before returning. We just kept on wandering wherever the dogs’ noses pointed and had no rhyme or reason to walk. He wanted us out of the way so the bug spray would dry before we got back.
We eventually returned and there was no smell or anything and we went about the business of breakfast. Mikey did an excellent job on his, Sandy, not so much and did not eat hers. I have moaned about it many times before, if she did not have a pill to take, I would not serve her breakfast. As it is, she usually eats the same bowl of food later but then she gets only one pill when she is supposed to have two. I crush the pill up and sprinkle it on her food. I try to choose stuff that I know she likes and usually it works but there are those days…
I worked on the blog bringing us up to date and looked around for something else to do. Not finding anything pressing, we went out walking again. That is one good thing about having dogs is that when and if I am bored or have nothing to do, I can always take the dogs walking and they are always willing to go. Today we covered 2.3 miles.
The rest of the day was spent just sitting around on the deck with a beer just watching the world go by. Actually, I was waiting for it to start to get dark so that I could bring in the feeders, which is generally the last thing I do outside for the day.
The rest of the evening was spent in the usual way eating food while watching the TV.
The donkeys from across the street when they paid us a visit.
I awoke early and when I looked at the clock, it said 7:00 am. I thought about it for all of two seconds and rolled over and tried to go back to sleep. It did not happen, but I lay there still trying extremely hard. In the end, I gave up and got up.
It was another bright and sunny day which I let in by opening all the blinds. As the day progresses, I will bring the blinds back down depending on which side the sun shines to help keep the RV cool.
I harnessed up the dogs and tied them to the outside table and then went about the business of bringing out and filling bird feeders. This did not take too long as most of the feeders were still full.
Then it was time to go walking. We hit the park first and then Henly Loop but for some reason, neither dog was into it. They both did a lot of sniffing and just after we started, both went to poop at almost the same time which was good as it saved a poop bag. This is known as a twofer or two for the price of one. I got tired of encouraging the dogs to walk as all they wanted to do was smell the roses, so I cut the walk short and returned to the RV. We still managed to cover 1.3 miles, a good start to the day.
Back in the RV, I warmed up a Burrito and sat outside drinking coffee and eating and sharing with the dogs. Even though they had both eaten their own breakfast, which was good. Mine smelled better so they ended up with a taster.
I sat on the deck looking at the weeds that had grown up almost overnight around the newly planted garden. In the end, I could not stand it anymore and attacked them with my trusty hoe spending at least an hour on the task.
I also moved a flower I had already planted, that was blooming like crazy, into a sunnier area so that now, it will get sun almost all day. While I was at it, I watered the plants in the garden and those on the RV steps.
With the outdoor chores taken care of, we sat on the deck for a bit admiring our handiwork before adjourning back indoors to write the blog. The birds were really busy on all the feeders including a couple of Hummingbirds. The Grackles are still here but not as many of them as before.
With both the blog writing and posting up to date, I looked around for other things to get up to. As we usually do when I need something to do, we went out walking. This time, we walked the bottom road and managed to cover 2.6 miles for the day.
Then it was food time both for the dogs and for me followed by the usual TV watching until it was time to go to bed.
I had a really good night’s sleep waking only for the call of Nature and dropping right back off to sleep after answering that call. It was a little after 8:00 am when I crawled out of bed almost ready to face a new day. The cold water on my face did the trick and I was wide awake but not necessarily ready to go. I kinda slowly worked myself back into that state of readiness.
First order, just as we do every day, was to walk the dogs and we wandered around and covered a mile. Pretty good for that first walk, then it was back to The Caboose to hang the bird feeders. Again, the only ones I filled are the two that are hanging off the deck as somehow or another, I am trying to get the birds to eat the seed that they do not like very much. Maybe, I will end up giving it to the deer.
BTW, the deer have found the new plants and have been going to work on the small ones. I am thinking that for some reason, they do not like the bigger plants so maybe I need to concentrate on buying those in the future. I still have some open space that needs a few flowers or shrubs in it.
I fixed us all breakfast and the dogs both ate theirs as did I, then it was time to turn my attention to the computer and play catch up with the blog. I had finished yesterday’s blog before we turned in last evening and all I had to do was post it, which I took care of.
Finished with blog work for today, I decided to go into Austin to the Walmart’s store and get a few things. I really didn’t need very much but enough to make the trip worthwhile. I said goodbye to the dogs and drove off trying to ignore “the look” they were giving me.
Traffic was light and I made good time and parked the car. I made a mental note of which aisle we were parked in so that I did not wander aimlessly around trying to find the thing.
Inside the store I just wandered around with no real purpose, occasionally checking my list and satisfied that I had everything plus a little more, of course. I paid the bill at the checkout counter and on the way back to the car, remembered that Peggy had put something on my phone that she would like. So, without further ado, I unloaded the cart into the Jeep and then went back in the store and managed to find what it was Peggy wanted and then turned round and after paying for the new goodies, headed back to the car.
I thought about stopping for a Latte but decided I wasn’t in the mood and drove straight home. Surprisingly, traffic was light but then again, today was a holiday.
The trip home was uneventful and when I reached the park, I stopped at the Girls RV and gave Peggy her stuff. We got into an argument about the cost, and she got mad because I would not take her money. Well, not really mad but she did kick up a fuss. I told her it was the least I could do after all of the meals and drinks the girls had supplied me.
Back in The Caboose, the dogs helped me to put away the groceries, sort of and then we went out for another walk around the park. It was starting to cool down again as the evening came on. This time for the day, we managed to walk 3.6 miles, a new record. Way to go Sandy and Mikey.
The rest of the evening was spent in the usual way with food and drinks and television.
We were not as good about getting up as we were yesterday, and it was almost 9:00 am before I crawled out. The dogs were as bad not making any effort to get up if I stayed there. Even after I crawled out, they still stayed there until I put on my clothes and went back to the kitchen. Then they decided to join me, and I harnessed them up ready to go walkies.
The first order of business with the dogs hooked to the outside table, was to bring out the feeders. This time, I only had to fill the ones in the tree as I am still waiting for the darn birds to finish up the seed in the regular feeders. The birds do not like it much hence the reluctance to eat it. I have changed from that particular mix to a different one, but I do not plan on using it until they have finished the first one.
Incidentally, there were signs that the deer had visited overnight as several of the new plants I had stuck in the ground, were uprooted. I spent time replanting everything in the hope that they might grow. At least I know what not to plant now.
We went out for the first walk and managed to cover almost a mile before returning for breakfast which Sandy, by cleaning her bowl made sure she took her medicine. Later, when I was writing, she went after another bowl of hard food and ate most of it. The worms must have been hungry this morning…
I brought the blog up to date and then got ready to drive into the HEB in Dripping Springs putting together a list which at least will remind me of what I really need. It will not stop other things finding their way into my cart though.
I said goodbye to the dogs and told them I would not be long. I think I talk to them to make me feel better about leaving them rather than them being the ones left behind.
I drove into Dripping Springs to the HEB located there. Starting at the door, I began putting things in my shopping cart, most of which were on my list. Every now and then, another item not listed would find its way in and in most cases, they were genuine needs and not frivolous stuff.
I bought Daniel some beer as it was my turn and 4 packs of wine for me. Oh yes, on the way in, I picked up three more plants for the yard and we are not done yet. I noticed just before I left to go shopping that the deer had discovered the new plants and had started working on them. Several were pulled out of the ground, and I replanted them and hope they come back.
I left HEB and stopped and bought a Latte at Starbucks. I just felt like one although I have to say, they do not taste quite the same anymore. The drive home was uneventful, and I unloaded the car before letting the dogs out. Much simpler than having them “help”. Putting things away was next on the list and this, the dogs did help, sort of. Then it was harness up time and off we went wandering around the park. Altogether for the day, I covered 2.2 miles.
With things all nicely put away, we sat outside for a bit just watching the world go by before adjourning back indoors for the rest of the evening. I spent time playing catchup with the blog as by this time tomorrow, all of this would be just a memory and hard to recall. While I was outside, I heard a whistle from the girl’s direction and there was BJ waving at me. As the dogs were still harnessed, we walked over to the girls RV where Donna was also sitting.
I sat and chatted and drank a couple of beers and ate something that BJ had put together. It was delicious as their food always is. Then we said our goodbyes as it was getting late and walked back to The Caboose. The rest of the evening was spent in the usual way, watching television and drinking wine. What a life…
I got up at a very reasonable hour around 7:30 or so. No idea why I was up that early as we have nothing planned for the day. Maybe, my brain is turning over a new leaf and finding some better habits, yeah right. As I was up anyway, I quickly dressed after opening all the blinds to let the daylight in.
Sandy was giving me “the look” which interpreted from dog, means, “Hurry up. I gotta go”. And so, I harnessed the dogs. We stepped outside to another brisk morning, and I was glad of the jacket I had put on.
Outside, we wandered around following our usual route which always starts with a trip to the dumpster and then we go from there. Today was extra successful as both dogs pooped within 10 feet of each other making it simple for me as the clean-up crew, to do my job. We walked 8/10 of a mile for that first walk.
Yesterday, when I was making a fuss of Sandy, I noticed that she has a growth on her belly. It is not that big but this morning, I called my Veterinary Hospital and made an appointment for 4:15 this afternoon so they can take a look. I have been going to that same Veterinary Clinic for over 47 years when I first moved to the Hill Country and have seen a lot of changes. One of my long time veterinarians, Dr Donop, has recently retired and they have several new ones as the clinic has expanded considerably so no telling who we will end up with this time.
The last couple of times I had to leave the dogs for surgery, the dogs did not make it and I got that dreaded phone call that starts off, “I am sorry to tell you….” One died from a Rattlesnake bite that he got in my back yard and the other was for major abdominal surgery. Hopefully, this time is nothing like that. It is always a worry when I take our little friends to have surgery.
I worked on the blog and brought it up to date and looked around for something else to get up to. Having to leave here by 3:00 pm, my day is a bit restricted.
I found other things to do to pass the time and promptly at 3:00 pm, we all piled into the Jeep for the drive into Oak Hill. Our Jeep rides are very interesting as both dogs insist on sitting on my lap wherever we go. Mikey is the smart one and grabs his spot immediately I get in the car. Sandy likes to explore and starts off in the passenger seat before deciding that she wants to get on my lap as well. She promptly pushes her fat little body and wiggles to make Mikey move over just enough for her to sit.
Luckily, it does not affect my driving and I make sure I can do that without the dogs running interference.
We made the trip in good time, and I checked us in at the desk and then we sat and waited for almost 30 minutes before it was our turn. Since my long time Vet, Dr Donop has retired. I had no idea which one of the three new ones I was going to get. As it turns out, it was Dr Sarah Kneupper who introduced herself and was very friendly.
She took a look at the growth on Sandy’s stomach and ran a few tests before declaring it non-malignant and advised that we do not do anything and wait and see how it develops. I thanked her and paid our bill, and we got the hell out of Dodge and headed home back to Henly.
You would have thought that with all of the excitement of the car rides and the Vets that the dogs would be tired out but no, as soon as we got out of the car, they wanted to go walking. We wandered around the park and only managed to cover a mile for the day. Still better than nothing and at least I know that the growth is not as bad as it first seemed.
The rest of the day was spent in the usual way with food and then television and we were in bed by 10;00 PM.
I noticed when I was typing the date that it is already the 25th of the month. Like I have commented many times before, time flies when you are having fun and I have to say that this part of my life is fun.
We went out walking as we usually do and wandered around, covering quite a bit which did not satisfy Miss Sandy. She made us walk even after I had brought out the feeders. Bossy little thing…
Then it was breakfast time followed by the usual blog writing. I did take time out to fold and put away the laundry that I had completed yesterday. That and remaking the bed and we were ready for the next challenge.
My sore elbows were both feeling a lot better thanks to the Bengay ointment and time. What is the saying,” Time is a great healer”. True in my case although I think the saying originated from a broken romance. None of them to break in my current future, thank goodness. I have been single for so long, more than 25 years, that I do not think I could stand living with anyone else except my dogs, of course. Whoever it was would definitely leave after a couple of days and nights of putting up with us.
I was sitting inside and happened to look out of the window and there was the first Hummingbird of the season hovering and looking in. They are remarkable birds. I need to get the feeders back out for them.
I thought about it and decided to go back to Tractor Supply in Dripping Springs to take back one bag of bird seed that I bought that was not the right sort and that the birds would not eat. I had bought two bags of the same mix so was able to return one of them. I bought the right stuff while I was there.
We went out for another walk, making it three for the day and managed to cover 2.7 miles which was pretty good. Daniel spotted me sitting on the deck and whistled me over and “bring a beer” which I did. We sat and chatted for a while before he left to shut up shop for the day.
I sat outside for a while with the dogs until it started to cool off and then we all adjourned back inside the RV for the rest of the evening.
I awoke late and it was almost 8:30 when I got up. I took a shower and threw on some clothes and harnessed up the dogs for our walk. As usual, I brought out the bird feeders and did not have to fill any of them because of the seed already in them that the birds do not like. Where are the Grackles when I need them as they eat anything, well almost…
We went out for the first walk of the day but did not go very far as it was breezy, and the wind was cold. We hurried back to the RV and quickly got inside where it was a lot warmer. I fed the dogs with the usual result of nobody eating any of their breakfast. I heated a Burrito for myself, and it was just OK.
I had been having a conversation with my very good friend, BJ Jenkins about the merits of the vacuum cleaner that is installed in the RV, and I have yet to try. So, just for the hell of it, I got it out of its storage area, found the head part and switched it on. It worked like a charm so maybe, once a week, I will use it to clean the RV. I do not have to worry about emptying the thing as it vents out through the RV floor.
Happy at making a good discovery, Thanks BJ, I sat down in front of the computer to start the daily blog. Luckily, I had completed yesterday’s blog and did not have to wrack my brain trying to remember what happened. Most of the day was focused on the bird feeders and what to do with them.
The problem is with the flock of Grackles that have sort of taken over at least when they are here. The flock is big, I would estimate it to be more than a hundred birds. They do not always visit with all the birds and often a dozen or so will show up. Even so, they are bullies and push the smaller birds out of the way, quite literally. They squabble among themselves a lot. Incidentally, this spring is the first time we have had Grackles that I can remember at least in the large number that we currently have.
I worked on the blog and brought us up to date and then looked around for something else to get up to. Not finding anything important, I harnessed up the dogs and made them go out walking with me. I did not have to work very hard at it as they are more than willing to get out of the RV.
We wandered around the park as we usually do, saying hello to whoever we met. If they had a dog or two with them, then I had to decide to either change direction, wait for them to pass or press on and hope it would not be too noisy as my dogs barked at these interlopers. Altogether, we managed to cover 2 miles for the day.
The rest of the day was spent in the usual fashion of food and then television.
The AC in my RV is as noisy as it can be although it does it’s work very well of cooling the house and you can tell without the unit, we would be toast quite literally we make the most of the cooling it provides so we can live comfortably inside as on a hot summer’s day it enables us to play indoors where it stays cool and the dogs stay inside as they are no fools why go outside out in the heat when staying inside is really a treat to take a nap or read a book or even the TV is worth a look whatever we choose to spend the time the A/C makes it all sublime.
Thank you for whoever invented A/C’s Written 03/01/2024
When I awoke, the sun was shining, and I knew we were in trouble time wise. Sure enough, it was almost 9:00 am and 9:30 by the time I crawled out of bed. Still, it doesn’t matter as we have nothing planned for the day.
My left elbow was incredibly sore and very painful, and I really had a lot of problems trying to use that arm. Somehow, I managed to get my clothes on, and we harnessed up to face the day. The first order of business was to bring out the bird feeders and luckily for me, they had enough seed in them that I did not have to refill today.
With the feeders back where they belonged, off we went walking around the park. As expected, we covered a half mile before I brought us all back to the RV. Then it was breakfast time all around. I decided to heat a Jimmy Dean breakfast which was OK. I won’t buy them again though. I’m not sure if there is any food that I really like anymore except maybe, ice cream and you cannot live on that.
I worked on the blog and brought us up to date and then looked around for other things to do. Not finding anything of major importance, I made the mistake of sitting on the couch and before long, I was snoozing. I napped for about an hour before waking up with a start and wondering what the time was.
By then, it was late afternoon, so we harnessed up to go out walking and wandered around the park before returning to the RV where we sat outside for a while.
I heard a shout coming from the direction of the girls RV and when I looked up, I saw BJ waving at me to “come on over”. Leaving the dogs in the RV, I wandered over carrying the bottle of beer I had just started to be met with all kinds of comments about my drinking habits. It mattered not to them that the girls were drinking the hard stuff which at least, I do not touch. It was all good fun of course.
Someone found me a chair and I sat with them. Apart from “the girls” there was Donna and later on another one of their workmates, Melissa joined us. We sat and chatted, and I had a couple more beers and got used to being the only man in the group and listened to the conversation going on around me. Melissa worked on Donna’s hair which was also the subject of much conversation.
They kept me amused until eventually, I said I was going home which I did around 9:30 or so. It was a fun evening, and it is nice to have friends like “the girls”.
I forgot what time it was and turned on the TV and woke up about 1:00 am. I should know better than to do that late at night.
I awoke after a good night’s sleep and lay there for a while before braving the elements and getting up. My left elbow was a little better and I had more use of it than yesterday which was a good thing.
I managed to put some clothes on, and we went out walking on that all important first walk of the day. We wandered around but it was a bit on the cool side even with a jacket on. It was also very overcast, which did not help so we returned to the warmth of the RV after about a half mile.
I brought out the feeders and refilled just about all of them with some different seed than I normally use. Not sure how the birds will like the change. So far, not too well.
Back in the RV, I fixed us breakfast and Sandy ate hers. Mikey did his usual, “Save it until later” routine.
I wrote in the blog catching up with yesterday which brought us up to date and then looked around for other things to do one of which was to start a load of laundry. My normal system of laundry collection is to throw the soiled clothes in the washing machine when I change every couple of days or so. This way, it keeps the place neat and tidy until there are enough clothes to actually start the washer as I did yesterday. Then, I go about the business of folding and putting away said clothes and they get reused every time I make a change.
Technically, I reuse the same clothes over and over again until something wears out or gets damaged. I am not in it for the fashion so who cares what I look like in shorts and a Tee shirt which is my everyday garb. I have like 30 tee shirts and at least 10-15 pairs of shorts.
My crooked knee caused by kicking too many soccer balls and rounded shoulders from the weight of the world does take away from my charm and good look but at least I have a very nice tan on the parts that show…
We went out for another walk again just wandering around with no real purpose to where we were going and managed to cover 1.4 miles for the day. Not as good as I would like but not bad for someone who was as sore as I was.
We sat outside for a while just watching the world go by and then moved back indoors for the usual evening meal and television, I went to bed around 9:30 tired out from doing nothing all day.
I awoke with sharp pains in my left elbow which was caused by the hoeing I did yesterday. It is really sore and very painful almost to the point that I cannot bend it without it hurting. I thought I was doing so good too when I finished the hoeing. It didn’t hurt then so I guess it was one of those pains that sneaks up on you. Whatever, it hurts now.
I lay in bed feeling sorry for myself and then talked myself into getting up. I was going to take a shower but with my elbow so sore and hurting when I tried to use it, I put that off to another day.
I managed to put fresh clothes on with some very different contortions than normal, and I had real trouble putting my boots on to go out walking. Have you ever tried to put your left boot on with your right hand?
Incidentally, we had the most incredible lightning display last evening with rain and hail would you believe. I mean, it really fell out of the sky, but we needed it. I welcomed it as I was in the warm and dry inside the RV.
We wandered around and covered a half mile meeting a couple of other dogs on the way. Mikey wanted to pick a fight with one dog that was at least four times his size, well OK, maybe two. The other dog just ignored him probably thinking, “Stupid Mut”.
When we got back, I hung the bird feeders and nearly all of them needed re-filling. I am not surprised with the number of Grackles that are visiting. I bought 50 pounds of bird seed yesterday when I was in Tractor Supply exchanging propane bottles. Exchange is not the right word as apparently, no one exchanges used gas bottles. So, for now, it will sit under the RV until I can find a way of disposing of it. Incidentally, the new 30 lb. bottle cost me exactly 100 dollars and that was without any gas in it and the bird seed, another hundred. Feeding birds ain’t cheap. That is why I need the Grackles to move on…
Today, it had warmed up considerably to where it was comfortable sitting out on the deck although it was way too early in the day to do that.
I worked on the blog bringing it up to date and looked at the clock which said 11:30 am. Yesterday, time flew by, and the day was gone seemingly in the blink of an eye. I hope today goes a little slower as that is my life or what is left of it, whizzing on by.
We went out for another walk fully intending just to visit the mailbox and maybe one circuit of the park but somehow, we ended up at the girls’ RV. Mikey and Sandy spotted them outside and when I let go of the leash, they just tore off at top speed to say hello. So funny watching them go.
We sat and chatted along with Daniel and Malinda and of course, Remington who occasionally would poke his head out from under his blankey just to check on things.
Then it was time to go eat at a new Restaurant that has just opened in town. I got to ride with Delores as we followed Daniel and Malinda. Jeff and Terri came in a bit later along with Donna and a new lady who also drives a bus. Of course, the girls were there. Altogether, there were ten of us.
The place had only been open a couple of weeks and they were trying to work out the bugs. Apparently, the food is cooked elsewhere and transported over, and they ask that you call ahead to place an order. Consequently, the food was almost cold by the time we ate it.
As usual, I was not able to finish mine and brought it home with me. I was the only one with a doggie bag…
The bright spot apart from the company were the two male entertainers on the stage. They both played guitars and sang together, and they were very, very good. If not for the food, the entertainment was well worth the trip.
Will we try it again? Maybe when they have the bugs all ironed out. BTW, Jeff brought the beer we were drinking with him as the restaurant does not yet have a liquor license. Incidentally, I was the only one that had a doggie bag. The others all finished their plates.
We loaded back into the various cars we had arrived in and made the short trip back to the campsite saying our goodnights along the way.
The rest of the evening was spent watching TV until I happened to glance at the clock, and it said that it was almost midnight. That did for us as the TV was switched off and we all fell into bed and were quickly asleep.
I awoke and it was still semi dark outside, so I figured that it was probably about 7:00 am. Boy, was I wrong as my clock informed me that it was already 8:15 and I was awakening to a very dull, cloudy and wet day. I lay there for a little bit and then crawled out. The dogs, being much smarter than me, stayed in bed until they heard me take a shower and then they condescended to join me in the bathroom.
They both left and wandered around the RV making sure that no boogey men had gotten in through the night. Satisfied with their patrol, they came back to the bedroom and helped me pick out clothes for the day.
I put my boots and jacket on and included a rain slicker to go along with it to keep me dry and then gathered up the bag of trash to drop off in the dumpster.
When we got outside, I discovered that it had left off raining and what I thought was the wet stuff dripping from the trees was from an earlier shower.
We wandered around just so the dogs could do their thing rather than for exercise and only covered a half mile. Back in the RV, I fixed everyone breakfast which they both ate, Hooray, and fixed myself toast. Not very exciting but it is hard to mess up toast and the three pieces each had a separate topping.
Then, as usual, I sat down in front of the computer and wracked my brain trying to remember what happened yesterday and this morning. Luckily for me, I had finished most of yesterday last evening and only had a couple of grammatical errors to correct plus adding a couple more things that I remembered.
Incidentally, the Grackles are back but not in the same numbers as yesterday. Must be a different flock. They did not stay long, and the regular birds were back in numbers, not having to compete with the larger and more aggressive Grackles.
The gas bottle as usual, had run out through the night but luckily, it was not cold, so I snuggled under the covers to keep warm and then exchanged the bottle with the spare when I took the dogs out for a walk this morning. This propane bottle has a problem with the valve which Daniel discovered when he filled it last, and I need to take it back to Tractor Supply and get a new one.
That got me thinking there is no time like the present, so I loaded the “bad” bottle into the Jeep and drove to Tractor Supply. I walked in and explained that I needed a new 30lb gas bottle and wanted to exchange the old one. The guy behind the counter told me that they do not do exchanges and I had to settle for buying a new unit which I did. I did not get it filled as I did not want to carry a full bottle of propane inside the car.
I mulled things over after buying the new bottle and decided to drive to the Home Depot to see if they would make an exchange, but they only carry the small bottles so that idea was a flop.
I reconciled to the fact that I was stuck with both the new bottle and the old one and decided that I would talk to Daniel to see if he had any ideas. Maybe, he could use the “old” bottle which I would gladly give him.
Back at the RV after the gas bottle excursions, I grabbed my new hoe and went to work on the garden cleaning out as many weeds as I could. Most are caused by the mulch that we put on that probably also had the grass seed mixed in plus the wasted bird seed thrown about by my feathered friends. I hoed as much as I could which would be good for a while and then went about the business of digging holes for the new plants. It was not easy as Daniel, who used to live on my site originally, had covered the entire area of the garden with rubber sheeting under the mulch to stop the weeds from growing and I had to cut through it to get deep enough to plant my stuff.
Eventually, I had everything planted but am short a few more plants for the area under the tree. So, next time I am in town…Incidentally, the hoe I bought yesterday worked just fine for this job of weeding.
We went out for another short walk just to check the mail and then wandered around a bit before returning to The Caboose to finish writing. Incidentally, every time I look out of the window, all I see are the black Grackles who seem to have returned in large numbers. Reminds me of the Hitchcock movie…
We went out for the final walk of the day and just wandered around. We did not see the sun all day and although it did not rain very much it was very overcast. The rest of the day was spent in the usual fashion, food, wine and television.
I had a restless night waking off and on for unknown reasons. Then, when awake, I could not go back to sleep and lay there with my eyes closed but my brain was going a million miles a minute. I must have eventually dropped off as I awoke again at 7:30 am. I kept saying to myself that I should go back to sleep but myself did not listen and in the end, I got up.
Once out of bed, I became all businesslike and took a shower after shaving and put on clean clothes and was ready to face the day…again. I hitched up the dogs and then tied them up outside while I worked on bringing out the bird feeders. I did not have to refill any of the feeders as they had enough seed to last today. Unless the flock of Grackles returns.
I was watching the Grackles yesterday as they congregated around the feeders. Then I spotted a whole lot more perched in the trees and from time to time, those would swoop down and join the ones already feeding. Then something would frighten them and with a whoosh and a flurry of wings they would race for the nearest tall trees. Then the whole process would start again. Without exaggerating, I bet there were more than one hundred birds all gathered either on or in the feeder’s vicinity or in the closest trees.
It was interesting to watch as when something spooked them, they would all fly off in unison in one big black cloud of birds. How they do not run into each other I’ll never know. Then again, I am not a Grackle.
We went for a walk and even before we had gone a dozen steps, both dogs were going about their business, and I was carrying doggy poop bags to drop off in the dumpster. At least, the first dog walk was a success as we measure that by the number of times the dog’s poop not by the distance we cover. Incidentally, we covered our usual 7/10 of a mile for that first walk which, as I said, is more about “business” than distance.
Back in the RV. I did some clean-up work giving the inside of the RV a good sweeping. It is equipped with a built-in vacuum cleaner, but I have yet to use it. It is much simpler to do this the old-fashioned way with a brush and dustpan.
I made the dogs breakfast and so far, neither one has eaten any of it. I fixed pancakes for myself which were very tasty. Then I sat and wrote in the blog until I was all caught up. While I was sitting here, the Grackles returned and as I watched, the feeders were inundated with the squabbling black birds. This time, there were only a half dozen, so I do not know if they are the scouts for the main flock or the ones left behind playing catch up. We’ll see.
We went out for another walk and took the outside road that leads to Hwy 290 which gave us 2 miles for the day. It was a nice day, but the air had a definite nip to it. When we got back, I tried sitting outside but, in the end, had to give up that idea as it was too cold even with a jacket and hat on.
The rest of the evening was spent in the usual way. I even went to bed early at 9:30 pm.
Living in an RV Henly RV Park Wednesday 03/20/2024
I awoke and just lay there in the warmth snuggled under the blankets along with the dogs. I looked at the clock and it said 8:30 am which is really the time to get up. It was so warm and cuddly that I lay there another 30 minutes finally crawling out to get ready to face another day. The dogs did not mind the extra 30 minutes and lay there along with me.
Once up, I was all action as I wandered through the RV raising all the blinds to let in the new day. This was before I had dressed so it was a good job that the girls were not around. Peggy, seeing me with no clothes on a while back except for a very small towel, when I answered the door, probably had nightmares for a week. As it happened, they both did visit bringing along some left-over turkey for the dogs but that was later in the morning and by then, I was fully dressed.
I harnessed up the dogs and we went through the business of filling the bird feeders which had been emptied by yesterday’s large flock of Grackles. Then, we went on our usual walk around the campground and ran into Greg with his little dog, Olive in tow. We said our “Good Morning” from a safe distance not that Olive is a problem. Far from it as she is the friendliest little dog. The morning walk was short at 7/10 of a mile but was successful in as much as both dogs did their business.
Back in the RV, I fixed the dogs breakfast and then made myself a sliced ham sandwich on toasted bread. It went down very well and was very tasty, especially the mustard I had heaped on.
Incidentally, my latte coffee maker is not working. It will heat milk but will not make coffee. Luckily, I have a small coffee maker that works very well so what I do is make the coffee part and then heat a small amount of milk in the microwave, enough to put in the coffee. So, no more Latte’s. Just coffee with milk and sugar in it. I suppose that now I have come to that conclusion, I could take the Latte machine off the counter to make more room but then I would have to find somewhere else to put it. Decisions, decisions…Trash, maybe?
With breakfast out of the way, I sat and wrote in the blog until I was all caught up. Good thing too as my memory as it is now pretty much nonexistent. I can lose a thought even as I am looking for whatever the thought was about.
After breakfast and the bird seeder routine, I sat and worked on the blog for a while all the time thinking that I should really go into town and do some shopping, I made a list and it only had two items on it, neither really very pressing.
So, I threw the list in the trash and jumped in the car and drove into Home Depot as I wanted to buy a hoe to tend the weeds in the garden. I could not find the sort of hoe I was looking for which was a push type and instead, settled for a pull type. Not quite the same but I can adjust.
I did not need anything else or at least, so I thought. I made the mistake of exiting thru the greenhouse and stopped to view all of the wonderful plants that were on display. Two hundred dollars and a whole bunch of plants later, we walked back to the Jeep.
I carefully loaded up the plants and we made the drive to HEB, and I wandered around the store. This time, my spending was a little more controlled although a case of beer found its way into my cart. I can plead that it was for Daniel on that one.
I jumped in the Jeep for the drive home but had a real urge for coffee and made the stop at Starbucks. I settled for a small Latte which I drank on the drive back to the park. There, I unloaded everything and with the help of the dogs, between us, we put everything away.
Then, it was time to take the dogs out walking. On the way, I spotted Melinda and Delores sitting outside of the commons along with Daniel, Jeff and Terri. I had brought a box of mini dog biscuits with me because my dogs would not eat them, to give to Remington. Malinda, as a test for my dogs, handed them each one of the biscuits and they both gobbled them down along with a bunch more.
So, I took the biscuits back at Malinda’s suggestion and hope my dogs will eat them when they are in our house.
We went out for a walk leaving the rest of the group sitting and talking as that was our original purpose anyway. On the way, we met Greg and Olive who made a fuss of Sandy. Mikey, not so much as he was being his stand-offish self.
We continued walking and ended up at the mailbox where we had some mail. Then it was back to The Caboose to sit outside for a bit with a small can of wine. It was a little too cool and we adjourned back to the RV ready to call it a night on the outside world.
Just re-reading that paragraph made me think that any wine aficionados who might read this would probably have a bird if they ever considered drinking wine out of a can. But I like cheap wine and who cares about the can.
Incidentally, the huge flock of Grackles kept us amused as they literally besieged all of the seed hangers. There were Grackles everywhere and every now and then, something would spook them, and they would fly in a big arc and settle in the trees above the seed containers. One by one, they returned back to the seed to resume the squabbling. As I mentioned earlier, there are at least a hundred birds in this group, and it is amazing to watch them fly off in a perfect formation when they are frightened by whatever.
The Grackles showed no sign of quitting for the night but as soon as it started to get dark, they left, and I was able to bring in what was left in the bird feeders and put them away.
The rest of our evening was spent in the usual way.
I got up early a for us, little before 8:00 am but only because as sometimes happens, the propane had run out in the night and the RV was cold inside. It’s funny that it always happens at night time. I do not think I have ever run out during the day.
I put on my track suit and went outside and switched the bottle over to the full one and will change out the gas bottles later today when it warms up a bit. Incidentally, this last bottle seemed to last for ages but maybe that is because it is a bit warmer during the night.
Then it was dog walking time as they both eagerly waited for me to put their harness on. Sandy tries her best to “help” and wiggles and moves as I work to put it on. Mikey is much smarter and has learned that if he stands up with his front legs on my legs, his neck is closer to me making it easier for both of us.
We went out bringing our usual bag of trash with us, making the first stop at the dumpster. Then off we went and walked the Loop all the way to Hwy 290 which gave us a distance of 1.3 miles for the morning, a very good start to the day.
Back at the RV, I brought out the feeders after filling a couple of them. I have two fairly large circular feeders that hang side by side. Every day, one has less seed left in it than the other. For some reason, the birds always prefer the one hanging on the right side. I have no idea why. Identical feeders, identical food and the only difference is one hangs on one side of the arm and the other on the opposite side.
With the feeders out for another day and the first walk of the day complete, we went back indoors, and I fixed the dogs their breakfast. I don’t know why I bother to feed Mikey as he very rarely eats his food in the morning. He eventually gets around to it sometime later in the day. Sandy is a picky eater and sometimes will not touch the food I put out. Other times, she gobbles it down. She could stand to lose a little weight, but I use the food to give her medicine twice a day and at $3:00 a pill, I work really hard to get her to take it. She has been diagnosed with a heart murmur hence the twice daily pill routine. The pills cost $220.00 for a month’s supply. Big sigh…It’s only money, right and her health is important?
The sun was shining, and I wondered what we would do with ourselves for the rest of the day as it was only 12:30 pm. I sat there for a while and then we went out for another walk. While just sitting there, I had figured out that I really needed to go into the HEB in Dripping Springs to pick up a couple of things, mainly groceries.
I said goodbye to the dogs and jumped in the Jeep for the short drive into town. When I pulled into the parking lot, the lady parked next to me also had a Jeep and we struck up a conversation. Turns out she wished she had a Cherokee and not the Jeep she was driving.
I walked around the store finding more things that tempted me and ended up in my basket than I really should have. Still, I only live once so what the hell? Go for it…
My bill at checkout was $120.00 and I didn’t even buy beer. Go figure!
I drove back to the RV but on the way out, I had given a fleeting thought to a Latte but decided against it. Doing really good in the non-coffee department.
The dogs helped me unload and then we went out for the last walk of the day and managed to cover 2.8 miles. Love the Big Box Stores as they are great for racking up the steps.
We sat outside for a brief while, but it was cold and damp and not a bit comfortable, so we adjourned back indoors with the heater running. Much Better.
The rest of the evening was spent in the usual fashion, food and a glass of wine and television before hitting the sack.
I had a really good night’s sleep and only woke up for the call of Nature. Of course, there were several of those calls, the Bain of growing old at least for most men. Can’t speak for the older ladies out there. Luckily, I usually drop right back off to sleep but there are nights of just lying there with my eyes closed wishing sleep would come.
There was one other wakeup call, as we had thunderstorms through the night. The lightning was very bright and at times continuous as was the thunder that followed. I listened for a while and then fell asleep even with the bright flashes and loud noises going on.
I got up early for me around 8:00 am and noticed that it had stopped raining but was still very overcast. The forecast was for a wet day which was OK by me as I have nothing planned for today and we really need the rain. I quickly put on my boots and jacket and harnessed the dogs and off we went walking in between the rain showers and managed to cover 7/10 of a mile before scurrying back indoors in the warm, dry and cozy RV.
It really was a very dull and overcast day, and my guess is that we will not see the sun today. I glanced at the clock, and it said it was 12:30 pm and with the blog already caught up, I wondered what we were going to do all day to amuse ourselves,
I sat around a lot watching it rain. It did not seem to bother the birds as they still loaded the feeders as they squabbled to get at the seed. There are still a lot of Grackles, but they are mixed in with Sparrows and the occasional Cardinal and colorful finches.
There was a lull in the rain, and we harnessed up and went out for a walk and just wandered around. Altogether, we covered 1.7 miles, not bad for a rainy day.
Back in the RV, I broke my own unwritten rule about watching the TV during the day and tuned in to a Soccer match and watched it to the end. Then, I fed the dogs and found something for me to eat before watching more TV but only until 9:30 pm when we all went to bed.
I had a funny old night waking up in the early hours and then having problems in dropping back off to sleep. I lay there with a very active brain which was worrying about my taxes that both Malinda and I had been working on. I finally dropped back off to sleep with the final consequences of not waking up until 9:00 am.
We went through the usual bird feeder routine and walking and managed to cover 0.7 tenths of a mile. The skies were very overcast and there was a chance of rain. I sure hope so as we really need it. Sandy wanted to walk further but Mikey and I outvoted her 2-1 and we turned round to come back home.
Breakfast and coffee were the next thing on the agenda followed by sitting and playing catch up with the blog although I was not very far behind.
As I looked out of the window at the feeders, I saw that we had different visitors. This time, a large flock of very black looking Grackles had taken over and being much larger than the usual sparrows and such, quickly drove the other birds away. Birds are very resilient and just make a circle to come back again or just sit in a tree to wait it out.
Malinda called me to say she would be over to complete the work on my taxes. I had earlier, emailed her trying to figure out where we were, and she had told me that they needed a bit more work. True to her word, she and Remington showed up on my doorstep and she settled down to review where we were. Remington, of course, made herself at home and wandered around the RV exploring every inch of it followed by my dogs who were keeping an eye on her.
Malinda eventually finished and we printed things off for the final work of the afternoon. I thanked her over and over as she and Remington took their leave. I sat there for a while figuring out the next move and concluded there is no time like the present and let’s make that trip into town to the H&R Block office in town.
I said goodbye to the dogs and jumped into the Jeep for the short journey in. First stop was the H&R Block Offices where I handed my package over to the pretty lady behind the counter. It really helps at a difficult time like taxes to have a pretty young thing serving you. Or maybe not…
From there, I headed to the Hairdressers as I badly needed a haircut and as usual, discovered the wait was 1.5 hours. I put my name on the list and headed for HEB where I could spend time walking the aisles and buying the few things I needed. Incidentally, the “few things” cost me $120.00 but it did include beer for the park.
I drove back to the hairdressers and sat outside for a while until it was close to my appointed haircut time and then went inside and sat some more. Eventually, it was my turn, and I was in the Hairdressers chair for the ten minutes it took to actually cut my hair. Even so, I was very satisfied and tipped the hairdresser very well for her efforts.
I contemplated for a bit and decided to splurge on a Starbucks coffee which I drank on the way home where I was welcomed by my dogs who were very pleased to see me. Not sure if it was me that provoked all the excitement or the fact they had to “go”. Anyway, we harnessed up and went out for a short walk, long enough for business and managed to cover 1.9 miles for the day. Thank goodness for large box stores as that is where I really can rack up the miles.
Today, Jeff and Terri were sitting outside with their firepit going and I decided to stop and say “hello”. I had a beer thrust in my hands and we sat and chatted for probably an hour and three beers later. They are an interesting couple to talk to as they have both had to put up with Army life. Jeff was in the service for almost ten years and Terri was an Army wife with all that entails. Jeff told us story after story of his time in the forces overseas and Terry added to it her stories of being that Army wife.
I spent an hour or more chatting to them. I said my goodbyes and we walked back to The Caboose and this time; I remembered the bird feeders. With everything taken care of outside, we adjourned back indoors for the usual evening meal and entertainment.
I awoke and looked at my watch and was surprised to see that it said 9:15 am. I knew that I had slept well but even so…It was a dull and gloomy day, and the air was full of moisture without it raining very hard. Still, everything was wet.
The first thing after taking a shower was to take the dogs out walking and we wandered around covering a half mile or so. When we returned to the RV, I put out the bird feeders and once my back was turned as I headed back indoors, the birds swooped in especially the black Grackles.
I fixed breakfast but neither dog ate any, so I fixed my own which I did eat. After taking care of a couple of items, I settled down to write and spent the next hour bringing the blog up to date.
We went out walking again and just wandered around the park and finally ended up at Daniel and Malinda’s RV. Actually, it was a dog thing as Remington was outside with Malinda and my guys wanted to go say hello. I dropped the leash and they both galloped off and quickly all three dogs were saying their “Hellos” in the usual doggy fashion of sniffing butts. I finally caught up with them and I resorted to the human way by just saying “Hello”.
Daniel invited me to sit down and quickly thrust a beer in my hands and we sat and talked for a half hour or so before we were joined by Greg and his wife, Linda. We sat and chatted for a while and then decided to go to the Crab Shack to eat. We all piled into Malinda’s truck and off we went. As usual, the food was very good although many of the different dishes, I did not recognize so I played it safe and ordered something I thought I recognized at least by name. It actually tasted very good even though I could only eat half of the helping and a doggy box was provided.
We had a good time eating, drinking and talking and not necessarily in that order and then hopped back in the truck for the ride back. I said “Goodnight” to everybody and went back indoors where my little dogs were all over me. Not sure if it was me that they welcomed or the doggy bag they could smell.
We went out for a quick once around the block before it was back indoors and shut up shop for the day.
I got up around 8:30 am after a very good night’s sleep. Last night, I did not go to bed until 11:30 pm… again, and immediately fell asleep and except for the call of Nature, which incidentally is the bane of all old men and pregnant ladies, stayed asleep the whole night. Not that I know much about the pregnant part but again, last I looked I am a still a man even as I grow old. Just not as much to check anymore.
The first thing after making that, “Get out of bed “move was the bird feeders. I refilled a couple which used up the remaining seed that I had. No biggie as I have a trip into town on the schedule. We wandered around and managed to get in a mile before returning to The Caboose for breakfast.
I sat down in front of the computer to a fixed screen. I have two “mice” but neither of them would work so a trip into “Best Buy” was called for. I said goodbye to my little buddies making sure to feed them and drove to Best Buy in Bee Cave which was their nearest store and walked out of there with a brand new $45.00 “Mouse”.
The drive back was uneventful, and I made the stop at Tractor Supply for that bird seed before heading back at the RV Park. First thing, of course, was to harness up and go out for a walk. On our return, I fixed the dogs their breakfast which by now was lunch. They didn’t care and ate it anyway.
I sat in front of the computer and fiddled around until the new mouse lit up and the little arrow showed up on the screen. We were back in business, and I spent time playing blog catchup as I had not completed yesterday due to being over at Daniel and Malinda’s last evening.
After much concentration on my part, I remembered most of what happened early yesterday afternoon. Which brought us up to date. I happened to glance up at the clock and it said 4:00 pm. I have no idea where the day has gone but somehow, it has slipped away. It had turned really cloudy, and the forecast was rain. We can only hope as we need it badly.
We went out for another walk and just wandered around as we usually do. There is never any rhyme or reason in any of our walks as everything depends on how I feel or Miss Sandy’s nose.
No one was sitting outside but as we passed the Commons, Peggy stuck her head out and invited me in for food. Even though I am a light eater, I could not pass up the opportunity of free food especially as it was roast turkey with all of the trimmings.
First, I took the dogs back home as they are not allowed in the Commons and then wandered back to join both girls and Malinda and Donna who were all gathered there. We sat and ate and chatted until almost 9:00 pm when we made our way back to our different RV’s having solved half of the World’s problems.
I switched on the outside light after I remembered that I needed to bring in the feeders and put them away in the storage cabinet.
Then, it was back indoor to feed two hungry little dogs who were wondering, “Where the heck you been Dad?” before sitting and watching the TV before heading off to bed.
True to recent form, I woke up at 9:30 am. It is not that I am dozing and being lazy. I genuinely awoke from a deep sleep at that time. Of course, I was late going to bed last evening which probably accounts for it… I took a shower and put on clean clothes and got ready to go out walking. I glanced out of the sliding door and the first thing I saw staring me in the face were the bird feeders. In all the excitement of visiting the girls last evening, I had forgotten to bring them in.
They were not all empty, just the two big ones. I harnessed up the dogs and tied them up outside to the picnic table so they could watch. Then, I got out the bag of seed and went about the task of refilling those feeders that needed them and topping up others that had not been emptied and were just low on seed.
Then it was time to go out for that first walk of the day. I had put on a light jacket, but it was not cold, and it was not long before it was unzipped. We wandered around the park and covered a half mile on this walk.
Back in the RV, it was the usual fix breakfast for us all and Sandy ate hers and as usual, Mikey saved his for later. I ate mine although again, the coffee no longer hits the spot. Then it was sit down in front of the computer and play catchup with the blog. I genuinely have a hard time with recall and really have to retrace my steps for the day before I remember what I actually did and where I went.
We went out for another short walk and ended up at Malinda’s and Daniels as they were sitting outside. One beer turned into two and then into three as we sat there chattering away. Daniel had the grill going and it was not long before we were feasting on sausage in a wrap. Very tasty of which I had two.
We eventually wandered back to The Caboose and shut up shop for the evening after bringing in the feeders. At least I remembered them this time.
Back indoors, I fed the dogs but did not have to worry about feeding myself as the two hotdogs had taken care of that. Then, I made the mistake of turning on the TV to watch a soccer match and again, it was 11:30 pm before I shut it off and went to bed.
I got up around the regular time and as usual, we went out walking as we always do. When we got back, I put out the feeders and had to refill a whole bunch of them. With that taken care of, I fed the dogs and then said goodbye to them to drive into Austin to pick up mail. I was checking my emails and saw one telling me that I had mail at my Mail Service and when I called it up, it was a letter from the IRS.
For those of you following this blog, you may remember that Malinda had spent a couple of hours working on my taxes and had sent off what she had done. Today’s letter from the IRS turned out to be their response after receiving it and was very positive.
I left the mail service and got lost in parts of Austin I had not been to in years or maybe, never. Eventually, I got back on the Highway and drove home but not before seeing a lot more of Austin than I really wanted to.
The rest of the drive back was uneventful, and I walked in to be greeted by two very excited little dogs. We harnessed up and walked the hill road outside of the park and managed to cover 1.6 miles so far today. It sure seems a lot further than that but, oh well, at least we are moving.
By then, it was almost 2:00 pm and the day was slipping away fast. I didn’t help it by sitting on the couch with the dogs for a while as it zoomed by even faster.
I decided that walking was much better than sitting and we went out for yet another walk. This time, we managed to cover 2.6 miles for the day. When we got back, we sat on the outside deck with a small bottle of wine and just watched the world go by before calling it a day. I remembered to bring in the feeders and put them away and then we adjourned back inside for the usual evening’s entertainment of food and television.
In the meantime, Sandy was rushing around picking on me and Mikey in her enthusiasm to get moving. I let them out on the deck while I put my boots on so they could wait for me.
I grabbed our very small bag of trash and off we went to the first stop at the Trash Container 50 yards or so away from our RV. Then it was wander around wherever Miss Sandy decided to drag us. It was a nice day, but the wind had a nip to it, and we only covered a half mile before returning to The Caboose for breakfast. For Sandy, it was another day to not eat breakfast. Mikey often leaves his until later in the day so no surprise there. I ate mine and to heck with what the dogs do…
I sat down in front of the computer to catch up with the blog. Prior to that, I had read emails as I usually do and trashed all of those that were not of interest to me, which was most of them. The political ones are a real pain in the ass, and it matters not if I trash them and tell the computer, no more, back they come the very next day. I do not know why that is even a choice if it is selective based on who pays the most money. I guess the email service is getting paid way too much to trash anything. They must love any political times of the year.
We had a couple of household chores which we quickly took care of and then I drove into HEB in Dripping for a few things that I needed. The first stop was at the Dry Cleaners to take in a bed cover that the dogs had messed up with food. Then it was next door to HEB where I spent some time looking at flowers and ended up buying a couple that I hope are deer proof. With the flowers in my cart, it was time to wander the store. I still managed to spend $140 and that was without any beer for the gang. I contemplated stopping at Starbucks but decided that I was not in the mood for coffee. I cannot remember the last time I bought a Starbucks coffee.
The drive home was uneventful, and I arrived back to a very warm welcome. The dogs helped to put the groceries away and then reminded me that it was time to go walkies. We harnessed up and wandered around and finally ended up at the girls who were sitting outside along with Donna who also drives a school bus. It cooled off and we went inside and spent time chatting before I headed back to the RV.
We went through the usual evening meal and much to my relief, both Sandy and Mikey ate their food as did I. I watched TV and finally went to bed at 11:30 pm. No wonder I am getting up late.
I got up at a respectable hour, at least for me, and shuffled into the bathroom for the usual morning ablutions. The dogs don’t normally follow me for at least ten minutes after I get in there and then they both come traipsing in for the first attention of the day. When I start to put on clothes, they disappear into the living area and wait for me to appear. I can hear them playing and wrestling each other as they await my arrival. Sandy, being the more exuberant one, lets out growls and barks as they go at it. Really funny to watch.
I happened to glance out of the window which was the first time I noticed that I had left the feeders out all night. What was more surprising was that they were all still full of seed so obviously, we did not have any visitors of the deer kind last night. Lucky me. They were already covered with birds eating breakfast. The feeders in the trees needed re-filling and I took care of that before we went out walking.
Then it was time for that first walk of the day and we harnessed up and started walking around the park. The weather had changed again and although sunny, there was a strong cold wind blowing. I could hear it howling from inside the RV.
I put on my boots and grabbed a jacket and then harnessed up the dogs and off we went into the wild blue yonder. Wait a minute, that is a song and has to do with flying and we definitely were not going to do that. We walked in the park although it was not very comfortable outside with that strong cold wind. We only covered half a mile before returning to the warmth of The Caboose. The dogs did not complain about the shortened walk, so I guess they were cold too or more probably, did not like the strong wind.
Back indoors, I fixed the dogs their breakfast and of course. Miss Sandy decided she wasn’t hungry. Mikey ate his. I made myself a bacon sandwich and was carefully watched by Sandy just in case I dropped something. She did get a tiny nibble right at the end as I could not bear to see those big brown eyes watching me eat…
Then, I sat down in front of the computer to play catch up with the blog although, I was not really behind. Just complete and post yesterday and then start on today.
We really did have a lazy day going and took a couple of hours in the afternoon semi napping. That is, I lay there on the couch with my eyes closed but not asleep, just resting. The dogs would join me for a bit but quickly got tired of the inactivity and jumped down only to try again later with the same result.
After a while as time moved on, I harnessed them up and we went out walking. We wandered around the park and stopped at the mailboxes just in case we had mail, which, as it turns out, we did. I grabbed the letter and continued with our walk until we reached Jeff and Terri’s RV. They were sitting outside with their daughter Cheryl and her boyfriend, so we ambled over at their invitation and joined the party. They offered me a beer which I gratefully accepted and then made a fuss of the dogs and we sat and chatted for 30 minutes or more. Eventually, I decided it was time to go home and we walked back to the RV and this time, I remembered to bring in the feeders. I forgot to do this last night, but I guess the deer were not around as they were still full this morning.
Back in the RV with the feeders safely stowed away for another day, I fed the dogs and then myself. I was glad to be indoors as it was really cold outside.
I awoke early and was up and about before 8:00 am. I got out the feeders as I usually do unless I forget to bring them in as I did yesterday. I went about the business of refilling those that needed it, which was nearly all of them. With that job taken care of, it was time to go out for that first walk. We managed to cover 8/10 of a mile before returning to the RV for breakfast. Sandy ate hers this morning as did Mikey, so I set about making something for me to eat. I had bought some sliced ham yesterday and slapped a couple of pieces between a two pieces of toast which went down well.
I had a couple of chores to take care of and then settled down in front of the computer to catch up with the blog. I posted yesterday, and we were all caught up again.
We sat around for a while as I researched a couple of addresses which I followed up by contacting the owners to place an order. These were for dietary supplements that I have taken for years but ran out and hadn’t got around to re-ordering. I placed an order for 6 months so we will be OK for a while. The thing with supplements is that you never really know if they are working. It is sort of like blind faith in the manufacturer and just because they say they will work, it doesn’t mean they do. Most of us are gullible about such things.
We went out for another walk so we could all get some exercise and walked to the Giant Oak. It was a slow walk, thank goodness, as there were so many interesting smells to sample. For the dogs of course, not for me. In my case, it was walking a half dozen steps, then stop, walk and then stop. I think that is more tiring than if we went for it and walked fast, there and back. Incidentally, I had on a light jacket when we started and was glad of it. Halfway through the walk, it came off and was wrapped around my waist. When we were sitting outside, it was back on again as it had really cooled off.
Back in the RV, we sat outside, me with a beer and the dogs just hanging out hoping to get samples of the cheese crackers that I had. Of the six crackers in the packet, I ate three of them and guess who ate the rest… Spoilt, my dogs, nah.
It got cold enough that we shut up shop and adjourned back to the warmth of the RV to write the blog. The birds on the feeders were extremely busy, coming and going or exploding in a blur if something startled them. They returned very quickly, usually within a minute or two.
When it started to get dark, I brought in the feeders although, for reasons best known only to them, the deer have not been visiting at night. Daniel stopped by and we were chatting, and I made the deer comment to him. He looked at an indentation in the new mulch I had spread and announced that it looked like a deer was sleeping in that spot as it had been hollowed out to make a deer bed. So, keep bringing the feeders in at night. No biggie.
The rest of the evening was spent as most evenings usually are with food all around and then television until either I was tired or had already dropped off to sleep.
