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Saturday, December 17, 2011

GOING ......... GOING ...... GONE!

Yesterday, we began photographing and listing items on Craig's List. What a great response we received.  The first reply was within minutes of the post.  


We have started with equipment from John's woodworking studio.  











He listed his lathe, 






.                         








and a drill press,




            






 a band saw, 














and a very nice work bench.


They have all been spoken for and we have a waiting list if the first in line does not show up.   As I work on this blog, I glance at my email tab and there are three more requests waiting to be opened.  I have a feeling that we priced these items too low, but it is best to just get the "stuff" out of here.  Another step to full timing!


I do have a blog question..... how do it fix the settings so that comments will show following the post?  I've looked and cannot see it.  Thanks all.


And another big thanks to all who responded to my post about what "stuff" is necessary stuff in the kitchen of the motorhome.  I have some items already there, but I was considering what is still in the house.  I received many great suggestions.  Thanks again.


I'm off to list more "stuff!"


God bless your day

Thursday, December 15, 2011

HOW MANY ( you insert a word ) GO INTO THE MOTORHOME?

The time has come to purge "stuff" from the kitchen and the workshop.  Oops!  This is when the rubber meets the road.  


I have a drawer of small "essential?" kitchen gadgets.  Which ones do I keep and which ones to I discard?  What goes?  What is donated?  What hits the trash?  


How did pioneer women make to with only sharp knives, spoons and large forks for turning meat? Did they just have one knife?  I have more than 10! How did they live without potato mashers, and ricers?  How could they live without measuring cups and spoons?  egg separators? egg slicers? egg poachers? potato peelers?, cheese graters? lemon /orange zesters? garlic presses?  cheese slicers in various sizes for various thicknesses of cheese? whisks? can openers? melon ball makers? olive pitters? cherry pitters?  splatter screens?  


How about spaghetti strainers, salad spinners, electric mixers, pizza stones, juicers, bread machines, pasta  makers?


How did she live without Tupperware, Rubbermaid, Pyrex and Corning?  What about spices?  She didn't have two drawers of Penzey's Spices, did she.  Now, do you see my delima? 


Actually, it's now much of a delima.  So much of what I named, I can do without.  It is just deciding what is most important.


Then we come to tools!  What tools can a man not live without in a motorhome?  John already has a large drawer and another toolbox under his seat.  But what is absolutely needed?  We don't know and are looking for suggestions.  


Moving right along, I have done some more painting today.I was able to paint the exterior part of our patio doors....another step closer!  


Right now though, I think I'll go through that gadget drawer and see what I can live without.  Be sure though, to share what you find useful in your RV.


Thanks for coming by.  And thanks goes out to new followers Gene and Judy from Blue Roads and Hiking Trails.  They share their wonderful hikes as the hit the blue roads.  Also welcome are Bob and Sue of Just B S!

Have a safe and peaceful day!  And God Bless!

Tuesday, December 13, 2011

I'M FREE ! I'M FREE !

Well, at least my Dr. DiLella has released me.  He says my thumb joint replacement is working super duper!  Well, I told him that!


The recovery time has been much shorter than the left hand.  Soooo, today I celebrated by going outside and painting trim around our windows.  Now, doesn't that sound like fun?   Not!


Tonight, I am stiff and sore, but the job is crossed off our list.  Let's see, I believe that was item ninety two from the list of six thousand four hundred and twenty seven and a half.  


The Weather Bug said the temperature was to be forty six today.  Without looking at the weather, I went outside and began the fun of scraping and painting.  Man!  Was I cold, brrrrr.  


When I came inside for breakfast at two thirty, the computer said that it was thirty six degrees.  Hum, that's about ten degrees short, my little Bug.  I felt like a Popsicle!  


But, that's not the end of the story!  I returned outside, determined to finish the last six windows and it was WARMER!  I finished to a toasty forty-one degrees.  


I have not decided what I will do tomorrow, but I guarantee one thing, it will be something that will not make by back stiff.  Do I hear any ahhhh's of sympathy yet? 


Maybe I should start my Christmas shopping!  Ya think?  Maybe so.


That's my story and I'm stickin to it!


God bless all!  

Friday, December 9, 2011

BRAIN FOG

Have you ever wanted to blog, but just can't get your head into it? 

It's like wanting to talk to a friend and he/she is out of town.


What's a person to do.....I dunno

Wednesday, December 7, 2011

ARE WE ANOTHER DAY CLOSER?








If only you could see this place! No, you don't even want to. I cannot believe the confusion around here.  This is not a real picture of here, but it gives you an idea of how I feel it looks.  I do not handle confusion well.  Last night I was as jittery as a bowl of jello during an earthquake. 

I can see light at the end of the tunnel.  I should hope so.  The first of January is rapidly approaching, on it's hairy feet, tracking me down.  I just wish I could put a halt to the clock which keeps on tickin the time away.  


Occasionally, that light at the end of the tunnel feels like a freight train coming straight at me.  





When one is going through closets, drawers and cabinets and getting rid of "stuff" everything comes out of those places and hardly anything goes back in. Yippee!  But the ongoing sorting stage creates a colossal mess.


Today, to  top it off, I have to do the laundry.  You know, don't you that laundry waits for no one.  Ohhh, thank goodness we don't spend the rest of laundry day doing the ironing!    I no longer own an iron, but I do have a clothes steamer which will soon be donated.  


When John and I was first married I was crazy enough to iron his briefs and t-shirts.  That ended with the coming of children, thank you very much!


It has been found that man filled pans with hot water and moved them over fabric to eliminate wrinkles.  Sad irons began being used during the seventeenth century.  I think irons should be banned! How about you. 


Oops, I digress!  Back to the subject at hand.... Uhhhh what hand, which hand, whose hand?  


This morning, I read some of the blogs that I follow.  Ohhhh they sound so good.  Even those of the people that are cold in Arizona, new Mexico and Texas.  It's the same here, but they are in their homes on wheels.  Now, which do you choose?  You don't even get more than one answer.  


Well, my break is over, back to the grind.  At least I'm not ironing!  See, there are things worse than getting a house ready to sell.  As RV Sanity says....make lemonade.  


God bless, stay warm and safe travels...





Sunday, December 4, 2011

WHAT'S UP DOC? THIS AND THAT!

Welcome to some new followers.  Jessica and Harry.  They are preparing to enter the world of full timing.  Also we welcome RonTOG  What does it take to become an old geezer?  Am I there yet?  


Sue Castle has joined as a follower, but I can't find her blog!  Sue let me know how to find you!  Donna K from Travels in Therapy has also joined our family, welcome! Miss Lazee, welcome to you too!  What a cute name!  Michael, love your blog!  The simpler life is what we want!


Every time I think I have a closet cleaned out, I find something else I can donate!  What's up with that?   Closets and drawers are becoming the bane of my existence.  I suppose all you full timers out there are giggling right now, right?  


Friday, an antique dealer came.  She named prices she was willing to pay for each piece.  We sold a few pieces and all our books to her.  The pieces we kept, we are going to send to an auction house that is well known for getting the best prices.  That has to wait until the house is sold since all are part of the staging.  The pieces that left Friday were not part of the staging process.


Yesterday, Saturday, we went to our granddaughter Lucy's gymnastic meet.  Watching this thirty one pound, very short seven year old do the beam, floor exercise, vault and the bar was quite a nail-biting experience.  She earned two medals and improved her scores in each of the exercises.  


Lucy, is not really competitive.  She is there to have fun.  This comes as a shock to her mom.  


When Holly, her mom and daughter number three was in middle and high school, she was a very competitive varsity volleyball and basketball player. Her loyalty to her teams was admirable. 


When she was a junior, she started having severe headaches.  I took her to our family physician.  He asked her if she was under any stress or trying to make an important decision.  


Voila!  The answer came out.  Holly was an honor student, yearbook editor, and athlete.  Her senior year was coming.  She knew she could not play in college since she was going to study pre-med.  What was she going to do?  Waste her time and take someones spot who REALLY wanted to play?  Or would she tell her coaches her decision and focus even more on school.  Once she made the decision, her headaches were gone!


She is a good mom, she's a pediatric oncologist and hematologist.  She allows Lucy determine her goals and gives Lucy the encouragement she needs.  No pressure.  


Oops, I digress.


Tomorrow, John works on the guest bath.  He will be installing new hardware at the tub, shower and vanity sink.  A new light will go up and the walls are to be painted.  


It has been raining here since last night.  Flood warnings are being broadcast.  At least it is not ice or snow!  It will be a good day to work inside!  A good day for me to go through all the kitchen cabinets and whittle down the contents.  I had no idea we had accumulated to much "stuff."


People are amazed that I can let go of so much.  I keep saying that it is just things, just "stuff."  It's much more important to lay our treasures in heaven than to try to accumulate on earth.  


While watching the Colt's game today, I noticed the commercials touting the term "you deserve."  What makes us deserve?  The fact that it's time to spend money on Christmas presents?  I don't get it.


And the message that we must have the biggest and best and newest cell phone, car, truck, clothing, diamonds cuts me to the quick! Oh yes, don't forget to charge everything on your American Express, Visa or Master Card!  (so they can charge you interest if not paid in full.)


We forget that Christmas the celebration of Christ.  And this Christ then gave us the most valuable Christmas gift.....eternal life.  Even though we do not deserve it, he gave His life in order that we have eternal life.  Now THAT is a true gift... that is grace.  


As we enter another week of travel, of work or whatever is on our schedules, keep in mind that we are offered the best of the best!


Thanks for visiting.  I have enjoyed your comments.  


God bless you in His season!  

Wednesday, November 30, 2011

A BUMP IN THE ROAD

Since the last post I have had the stomach "flu."  That means I have not done much to help prepare for the listing of the house.  January 5, 2012 is marching toward me like a swarm of ants heading toward sugar!  


Monday, I went to therapy for my hand and felt fine.  Chris, my occupational therapist was pleased with my progress and gave me more "work" to do.  


You can see that she just LOVES to have her picture taken!   She is sooo good at what she does, she was stolen from another facility.  It is her work that makes the surgeons work look and work marvelously!  


After OT, John and I went to lunch...I felt fine....then we went to GFS to purchase chicken breasts and "buffalo wings."  BW's are my fav snack or dinner accompanied with a huge salad.  Fattening, but good.  


Then, leaving GFS, IT hit.  So here I am today, three days later and finally feeling kinda fine.  Why do these "24" hour bugs now take three days to work perform their damage?  Could it be age?  Nahhh!


Oliver, Olivia, and Noah's vet took three of our large plants / trees today. 


The Ficus tree had been with us for thirty seven years!  Can you believe that?  That's 37 / thirty seven!   It was seven feet tall and about the same in diameter so you can see how much larger the room is going to look without that monster in there.  


I have two more plants to re-home.  One is a Pony Tail Palm also in our family for thirty seven years.  Hopefully Holly, our youngest will take this one.  She has always seemed to like it.  The other is a  Charlie Brown that will probably go to the trash bin.  


Well, that sure wasn't much news, was it.  That is about all I can come up with!  Such an exciting life....well unless you want to purchase a Bernina 1000 sewing machine!  (Stop laughing,,,,,right now!)


God bless you all...have a wonderful Thursday.  






  

Sunday, November 27, 2011

WOW! WHY WAS I SURPRISED?

Yesterday, Saturday, was a day of answered prayer.  It was the day that John had been preparing for.  It was the day that he would try to sell his twenty five years worth of HO train, scenery, structure,  building, and collecting.


Friday, I was so concerned that he would be parting with his beloved hobby and that he would not be compensated enough to make him feel good about letting it go.  I prayed about it asking God to bless John's day and that He, God, be in control.


We  got up bright and early and left early.  Arriving at the location of the show, other professional vendors were setting up and they had all kinds of train "stuff."  


John had rented one table.  I don't remember if it was six or eight feet long.  Other vendors had as many as seven tables.  Hummm,  "we are sure going to get lost among all the professionals."  But,  he did bring a bookshelf, which saved our lives!  


Walthers - Superliner Lighting Kit - HOWe should have filled three tables, but had only that one. We had to make the best of the situation at hand. I arranged his trains on the shelf.  Boxes of railroad cars totally filled each shelf to the bottom of the shelf above it.  John laid out the displays and boxes of supplies on the table, under the table and on stacked crates behind the table.  


We barely had a place for us.  I sat stuffed in a corner and John stood at the side of the display.  
Bachmann - Spectrum 4-8-4 N&W #608 HO
Before the show opened at ten,  vendors passed by the booth and started to buy some of the good bargains.  That was encouraging.  Those sales to vendors placed us at twenty percent of John's goal.  


When John told me his goal, I thought "sure,  sure."  But those first sales were encouraging.  We still had 80% to go though.  I was sure we would never make it.  


Ten o'clock came and shoppers were allowed in the area.  Of course everyone must walk around a scope out everything so they can decide what purchases they will make.  They began to filter back.  


An eight dollar sale, and another for the same amount.  Then, twenty five dollars, then four.  "It's going to be a very long day."  The sales came in off and on and I would tick off each one hundred dollar increment.  


When the crowd begin to thin out about two hours before the end of the show, we were within twenty five dollars of John's goal.  Surely, we can do that!  But the room only seemed to have a handful of customers sprinkled among all the booths.  Will we do it?  


We were so close to the finish line!  We chatted with the vendors around us feeling good about being close.  But no cigar!  


Did I ever tell you that I am a firm believer in setting goals and then working to meet those goals?  BUT, you just cannot force people to your booth and buy.  


Later......a vendor came to us and said "set your price for what you have left."  Say what?  


After deliberation, John gave him a price and after a terrible low ball offer............................ the vendor and John settled on a very fair price.  John had then exceeded his goal by over 100%!  
Bachmann - 36' Wide Vision Caboose Erie Lackawanna HO
We feel very blessed.  God does answer prayer.  Sometimes his answer is no, sometimes it is wait, and sometimes he says yes and sometimes he blesses with more than we have asked for.  Yes, we were very blessed indeed and He get's the thanks.  


Today, that room that was full of train "stuff" is much roomier.  The closet is almost empty.  Only clothes remain.  There is no train parafanelia under the bed, on bookshelves or anyplace else.  Just space.  


Now, the next challenge is to sell the tons and tons of quilting supplies, fabric and other equipment that once belonged to John's mother.  Here we have about thirty years of accumulation!  I wish there was a quilt show someplace close, but maybe on Ebay?  Ebay seems so confusing to me though.  
Dresden Plate Quilt Top

Is the confusion due to my dyslexia?  I can learn something much faster by seeing, reading and doing all at the same time.  Translating from the written page to action is not easy.  


Today we take pictures of products for Ebay.  Hopefully, I can muddle my way through.  Just wish I had a tutor here at my shoulder.  


That's the news today...another step to full time living.  


May God bless you today, the day that many of us worship Him, the first day of Advent.

Wednesday, November 23, 2011

THERE IS SOMETHING HIDING IN THAT CLOSET!

It is Thanksgiving eve.  One Turkey is done and the other is now in the roaster.  I have read about brineing a turkey, so that's what we did today.  We will see how they taste tomorrow.  Nothing like experimenting on family.  Right?


The majority of the day has been spent getting rid of "stuff."  I cannot believe how much stuff we have.  It is mind boggling.  It took one day to sort through my closet!  Did you know that closets can grow?  Mine sure has.  Not only can I walk into the closet, I could have a dance in there!


We have bags stuffed to go to The Refuge. The Refuge is a Christian organization that provides food, clothing, furniture, training,  counseling and encouragement to people in need.  Before people can be encouraged spiritually, they must have their physical needs filled.  We try to support The Refuge as much as we can.


I have one more closet to go through.  The coat closet is going to be more of a challenge for John than for me.  He has way too many winter jackets and coats.  I have just what is necessary.  He probably has three or four times the clothes that I have.  Now, this guy has some major decisions to make since the motorhome will hold only so much "stuff."


I am more of a minimalist.  He is a gatherer.  But I do have a few things in the closet that I must make a decision whether to donate or keep.  They are the most recent clothing purchases prior to my gaining back the lost weight.  The problem....they are in perfectly good shape.  Hardly worn.  What's a person to do.....I dunno.  I am sure I will make a decision between now and when we list the house.  


I surely do like the lack of clutter in closets, drawers and cabinets.  Tomorrow, I will see a niece who has and collects Fiesta Ware.  I have Fiesta only because I got it when we moved John's mom from her home to ours.  Fiesta -  Another bunch of "stuff" that will not fit into the motorhome.  


We have decided that instead of selling our antiques one at a time, we will call dealers, get quotes and sell to the dealer with the highest bid.  


Now to find a way to sell all of MIL's quilting fabric and supplies.  I did join a Yahoo quilting group with the intention of posting items there.  



THEN there is John's HO trains.  He was building a layout, collecting and constructing trains etc. and has more stuff than a train store!  He is going to sell this "stuff" at a show/sale Saturday.  He has packed quite a few plastic tubs and is working on more.  Oh my.  


I know this is hard for him to "let go."  He has worked on this hobby for at least fifteen years.  It has been a labor of love.  I have left him along to sort, price and to say good-by.  


It is really sad, because I can take my fiber with me and continue creating my art on the road.    I will have both my spinning wheel and my circular sock machine.  They provide the fun money for our trips.  


But!  He is now tying flies for fishing and is becoming interested in rock hounding.  So, he is saying good-by to some thing and welcome to two new interests.  


Yesterday,  our granddaughter, Megan, came by for my sewing machine and brought along Harper, her daughter and our great grand!  Wow! so much fun!  


Her capau took time out from his trains to play with her and they were having a grand ole time!  


She said that she wants to go on a trip with us.  But I don't think Meg will let her go yet.  Rats!  


Maybe she can come along when she's a bit older.  Yesterday, she was six months old.  She's a tiny thing.  


Well, the turkey is five degrees from being done.  Then I can go to bed!  Tomorrow, comes the rest of the cooking.  


Happy Thanksgiving to all.  Let's remember the soldiers who are away from their families to help protect us from harm.  Let's pray that they will be safe and return home quickly.  


God bless you and your families.  

Saturday, November 19, 2011

THE NEW FAMILY ADDITION, AND WHAT HAVE WE BEEN UP TO???

Two weeks have flown by since I last blogged.  I guess I am posting a blasted, belated blog.  Or something like that.  

Other than our new family addition, life has been crazy, hectic around here.  

Let me introduce you to Olivia.  This little girl came into our lives in a very unexpected way.  

Many of you know that we have one Shih Tzu, Oliver.  He and his brother, the Noah, the cat have been in our family for two and eleven years respectively.  This picture is of the two boys on the dashboard of the motorhome as we traveled to Joshua Tree National Park in California.

John felt that we were the perfect size family with these two critters.  I was thinking that one more Shih Tzu would complete our family.  You see, we have three grown daughters.  Doesn't it make sense to have three pets?    We have been accustomed to a family of five.  So why not?  Right?  

On our way to our trip to Asheville, North Carolina to do a show, we stopped at the bank to make a deposit.  

Oliver goes to the bank with me.  He runs in and they all make over him and give him a doggie treat.  Everyone loves him at the bank.  I do not dare enter said bank without him.  They would deduct from my account if I didn't take him, I'm sure.  

As the teller was taking my deposit, she remarked that earlier, a customer came in and said they needed to find a new home for their grandmother's Shih Tzu.  Nuff said. Right?  Right!

She gave me the telephone number of the person. I made a bee line to the motorhome and my cell phone.  I punched in her number as John sat in the drivers seat trying to figure out what was happening.  

As the person's phone rang, I filled him in on the situation.  

We are now driving down the highway as I talk to the person.  She says.  She had just taken the puppy to the county animal shelter!  

OH NO!  They put dogs down after a time!  This is an emergency!  We've just GOT to turn around and rescue this poor creature!  

John rolls his eyes, makes a left turn and winds through neighborhoods to finally get to the road that the shelter is on.  

We pull up in front of the shelter and I head in to claim her!  Now remember, this is sight unseen!  When she is carried from her "prison:" - cage, she looks at me and almost jumps out of the attendants arms to get to me.  Oh, oh, I'm in love.

After the papers are completed, I carry her out to the motorhome and Oliver greets her at the door.  It's like he was saying "what took you so long to get here?"  They were best buds at first sight.  They played all the way to North Carolina.

She had no idea that she had a sticks and bricks home.  She thought this box on wheels was home.  And that leads to the rest of today's blog.  

WHAT HAVE WE BEEN UP TO?

While we were gone, we decided we were serious about full-time motorhoming.  Is that a real word?  

We came home with a goal in mind.  Be ready to list the house December first.  Whoa!  That's a lot of work in a very short time.  

We have been upgrading the house over the last year.  But, it was at our own pace, not with a deadline.  Suddenly, we pop from first gear to fifth!  

We have adjusted our December goad to hopefully, January first.  We still have a ton of work to do.  John is working hard.  With his emphysema, he has to stop and breathe often.  My body is sore from all the work.  We SHALL overcome!  

This is way too long already.  More to come when I wake up at 4:30 a.m. and can't sleep.  (this is becoming a habit)  But who wants to start laboring at that hour?  It's like let's gear up with a cuppa tea or some hot chocolate first.  

Until next time......

God bless you all




Thursday, November 17, 2011

AN IMPORTANT ALERT FOR ALL!

Some of this copy and paste did not come through so I am also providing the link to the form in case you want to participate.
http://www.rvact.com/rvact/issues/alert/?alertid=56500581

Action Alert





Consumers: Protect the RV Home Mortgage Interest Deduction


RV Owner:

Late last week a proposal from the members of the Super Committee (Joint Select Committee on Deficit Reduction) included the elimination of the second home mortgage interest deduction (MID). Since negotiations have been kept confidential, with only a few details slipping out, there is no way to know whether this provision will be in the final Super Committee deficit reduction plan until after the plan is finalized. NOW is the time to act to ensure the MID is not included in the final plan, or any future tax reform plan.

Retention of the federal second home mortgage interest deduction is a substantial benefit to RV owners. In order to preserve it, RV owners must start TODAY to participate in an e-mail campaign asking their US Congressional members to oppose the elimination of the MID. This campaign must be started today because the deadline for the Super Committee to vote on a plan with $1.5 trillion in deficit reduction is Nov 23. Further, since the Congressional Budget Office must score the cost of the plan before the Super Committee can vote on the plan, we need to start and finish our e-mail campaign this week.

The very real problems of federal deficits and debt growing to unsustainable levels prompted the creation of the Congressional Super Committee. If no legislation from the Committee is enacted by Congress by early next year then the law, which created the Super Committee, mandates across the board cuts in defense and non-defense spending totaling over $1.0 trillion. Consequently, there is tremendous pressure on the Super Committee to identify a package of tax savings and spending cuts. The final package will be very difficult to influence as the law requires the plan to go to the floor of the House and Senate for an up or down vote. Congress cannot amend the Super Committee's recommendations. Consequently, we are reaching out to the Super Committee and key tax committee members (Senate Finance and House Ways and Means) this week.

Please contact your members of Congress NOW.





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Thursday, November 3, 2011

THE CAST IS OFF AND WE HAVE A NEW FAMILY MEMBER

Three weeks post surgery and yesterday, the cast was cut removed.  Ohhh, what heavenly relief!  I could rub the spot that was sending itch signals (very gently).


Now, I have a brace for three more weeks.  This is a critical time with the limited freedom that I have.  The wrong move and the tendon snaps and retreats into the arm. (my own terminology).  If that would happen.....more surgery so I am being a very good patient.  I have the brace off to type this and then it goes right back on.  


We stayed in Townsend, TN for an extra day and then we headed for the Daniel Boon National Forest.  We did not quite make DBNF, but found a Wal Mart RV Campground in Oneida, TN.  


There we began to see that each region, each city has a personality of it's own.  In Oneida,  we saw hard working people, older cars and trucks on the road.  People were proud, hard working and friendly.  Another impression was the loud mufflers and what sounded like 3, 4 and 5 speed manual transmissions that rumbled up and down the highway until about ten thirty in the evening.  


While in Louisville, we noticed that huge loud Boom Boxes were the rage.  As we drove down the street, the vibrations would begin to rattle our teeth, then our seats as we grew closer to the "entertainment".  


In Asheville, NC, we found quiet.  No road music, just Southern hospitality.  I love the south.  Men are true gentlemen and women are more regal.  


Then there is the Gatlinburg area.  If you like bumper to bumper traffic, wild lane changes, road construction to handle even more traffic, this is the place.  Not for me!  Too commercial.


On the other side of the mountain is Townsend, TN.  (the peaceful side of the Smokies).  They truly live up to that motto.  Life is quieter there.  No bumper to bumper traffic, but you still have the potters, the art galleries, great food, great people. Gatlinburg, Pidgeon Forge, Knoxville and the University of Tennessee are all close by if you want a day trip. Ya gotta love it!


Monday was spent at the Kentucky Horse Park.  It is a lovely place with plenty of varried activities.  Of course horses are the center and reason for the park.  Many of the horse associations had their headquarters there.  


The campgrounds were quite nice.  Each site had a large lot for parking on a very narrow pad. We cozyed up to the side of the pad in order to have room at the bottom of our steps.  Toads had to be parked on the grass as there is not room on the pad.  Each of the 260 sites have a picnic table, fire ring, 20, 30, and 50 amp service along with water.  There is no sewer hook up on the sites, but they have two dump stations at the entrance/exit.  


Well, we are home.  Now to put finishing touches on the house so that we can have our realtor  list it on the MLS.  I hope there is someone out there that wants a house with two barns and five acres.  It is a suitable place for horses, etc.  We will see.  


Tomorrow, I'm off to the paint store and to look for the perfect stove for our "new" kitchen.  Have I told you that I really do not enjoy shopping?  Ya gotta do whatcha gotta do!  


This is long enough, I will tell you about our new family member tomorrow.....


Till next time


God bless and keep you in the protection of his loving arms.





Saturday, October 29, 2011

MORE OF AS THE WHEELS TURN

if you have not read yesterday's post,  go there......this is a continuing saga

Around four o'clock Tuesday, we pulled out of Danny's shop that is located behind the Pilot Station in Waynesville, N. C. and headed to Mt. Pisgah National Forest campgrounds.  It was a fairly short drive and we were settled before the sun dropped behind the mountains.  We had a bite to eat and fell into bed thoroughly physically and mentally exhausted.

Wednesday greeted me with cool temperatures and sunshine.  John slept. I think he was a bit depressed and embarrassed.  I let him work through it  in his own way and time.  I fixed my breakfast and the dogs and I went for a long,  long walk.  

It was strange,  The only animals I saw was 2 squirrels.  And only one bird ventured my way!  So much for bear country. 

 I thoroughly enjoyed the walking up and down the paths.  It is the exercise I need now that I am living wheat / gluten free.  A month ago, I would not have been able to complete such a hike!  Who needs wheat, rye or barley?  Not me!  That "stuff" is poison to me.

We stayed one more night and then yesterday (Friday) heading for our present location, The Old Mill RV Park in Townsend, Tennessee. The park is located on the Little River and is at a  dam where the mill was located.

Today we went to explore the  Tuckaleechee Caverns a AAA top-rated cave in the Kentucky, Tennessee area.  We trekked the mile long underground pathways viewing the stalactites, stalagmites and the large creek that runs through the cave.  

In addition the Tuckaleechee Caverns house seismic equipment that monitors earthquakes throughout the world.  The equipment was built by Nanometrics and is embedded in solid  bedrock, which gives it a more accurate reading.  It can be viewed in the visitors center.  Today, all was quiet around the world, but Turkey's earthquake made the needles dance.  The equipment only  indicates an earthquake, not the location.

I was totally awed by the size of some of the rooms.  One room was the length of a football field.  Another room had a multi-story waterfall.

How did we fare?  John had to stop often to breathe  and there were times that i was thankful that he made those stops!  The climbing was a stretch, but really good for us.  We can tell that we have lost
some of our umph since returning from the southwest in the spring.

We hope to head back to the SW the first of December, so we have a lot of walking to do.  At least the heat and humidity is gone making it possible for John to be outside.

Tomorrow morning we are off to Muphresboro, TN to a fiber festival and whatever else floats our boat.  We are slowly inching our way home for my Wednesday appointment with the cast removal and to see Dr. DiLella of Ortho Indy, my hand surgeon.

Until later.............

God Bless




Friday, October 28, 2011

I FEEL LIKE A STRANGER!

The last time I posted I was four days post surgery.  This Tuesday, I will be three weeks post.  I have had a cast change.  We have hit the road for Asheville, N.C. to do a show which was hugely successful and are now taking about ten days to chill.


The show  in Asheville was a challenge.  The second day out I suspected that John was getting a cold.  For many of us catching a cold is an inconvenience.  For John, at the FIRST sign of a cold, he must call his lung specialist and get on an antibiotic.


Of course, denial is his first action when mine is to immediately make the phone call.  So, being the obedient, submissive wife that I always am, ahemmm, I deferred to his judgement.  


Two days later, I insist on the phone call.  The prescription is ordered. It is time to set up our booth for the show.  John can't stop coughing and is having trouble breathing.  So much for being submissive to a man with emphysema. 


Thursday, it takes twelve hours to set up when  a normal set up takes four or five hours.  Great start to a huge three day show.  He both works in the booth and goes back to the motorhome to rest.


Sunday, our break down was much smoother than the set up.  The motorhome was packed with much less than we took out of it - thanks to my loyal returning customers and all the new friends we made.


Monday we made three stops.  The first was for lunch with friends Bob and Deb Cline at 12 Bones!  My, oh my!
  The best barbecue I have ever had.   


After lunch, we visited a pottery studio then were off to the Antique Tobacco Barn where there are so many antiques to pass by since they do not  fit in a motorhome.  Antique Tobacco Barn


I did find a beautiful yarn swift to resell in our booth. But, that's okay since I sold an antique spinning wheel, a rigid heddle loom with stand and a portable spinning chair.  Three things out and only one in!


After saying good-bye to the Clines, we programmed our new Garmin to take us to Mt. Pisgah National Forest campground.  


Garmie got confused.  It was almost dark in the mountains. She took us on a wild goose chase and a harrowing misadventure.  We looked at the "road" she wanted us to take and said NO WAY!  So on down the road we go and she is giving instructions on a U turn.  She says "make a left"  John makes a left.  What the heck!  This sure is narrow!  Yep, she took us up a steep drive that ended in someones driveway.


There was no room to turn around and John started backing down.  The incline was so steep that applying the brakes was hard to do.


I am hanging out my window giving directions to keep him off the lawn and to get us down the hill.  As we are moving down the hill,
I am saying bring the rear my way and suddenly he says there's a drive.  I will back in there. (the opposite way I was telling him to turn). No sooner that was out of his mouth, the motorhome tipped to my side.  Really tipped.  I have never been so frightened. 


He tries to pull forward.....no go.  The owner of the house comes out and says we have knocked down a stone wall and he will pull us out with his tractor.  Nope, didn't work.  Time to call Sam's Roadside Assistance.  We discuss what they need to get us out of this mess. 


Upon closer inspection, we did not knock down the wall, but had we gone a couple feet further, we would have been a teeter totter with front end on the lawn and back end suspended in the air.  I have a picture of this on john's phone (he does not know it).  If anyone can tell me how to transfer it from his Motorola Droid to mine, then to post it here,  let me know!  I'm sure you would like to see the picture.


They send out what seemed at first to be the wrong wrecker.  It was the kind that they pull a car on the bed instead of towing.  They hooked the chains from to the motorhome and inched it back up the hill.....over and over again.  All the while, the motorhome will not start to help out with the climb.


After many pulls and thugs, the wrecker's wheels start spinning on the blacktop drive.  It can go no further.  


The tractor to the rescue!  The tractor is hooked to the wrecker and they, together tug the motorhome back up the hill while my mind is racing----saying we want to go DOWN NOT UP!!!!!!!!!  But up the hill it went.


The wrecker driver from Danny's Towing tries to start the motorhome again and announces that the gas tank has been damaged and possibly the fuel pump.  He takes a can of starter fluid, sprays it someplace in the engine compartment to start the engine in order to have brakes and power steering to back down the hill.  It worked. 


After he gets us down the hill and on the road, he leaves us to go get the BIG DADDY to haul us into the shop for repairs.  I now feel like Judy and Emma.


We spent the night in their lot and had electricity.  We were sung as a bug.  We awoke Tuesday and they went to work.  


Oooohhhh, how I wanted to say I told ya to listen to me!  Instead, we didn't talk much until late yesterday. Let's see, Monday through Thursday afternoon, humm---not good.


Well, we are up to Tuesday.  Typing left hand only is tiresome and this post feels too long.  I will save more for tomorrow.



Saturday, October 15, 2011

OH BOTHER!

Four days have passed since my hand / thumb surgery.  my recovery has been quite different since the left hand was done 2 years ago.  


i am sooo tired this time and sleep much of the day away.  i am thinking that is due to waking up often during the night.  i have been off pain meds since wednesday night.  that pleases me!


being right handed and having only my left to work has presented a few challenges, created a few "oops" moments, and has made me laugh at myself a lot.


things i have learned that i cannot do left handed:  

  1. zip or unzip a zipper
  2. open the envelope containing my tea bag
  3. remove the lid from a wee, small bottle of my liquid stevia
  4. comment on blogs with a cuppa tea in my hand
  5. get the covers properly arranged around my chin at night so i can cozy down.
  6. seal my right arm in plastic so i can take a shower
  7. pick up anything larger or heavier than my laptop
  8. fold clothes
  9. brush oliver's hair and fix his pony tail
  10. use my camera!
  11. spin yarn on my spinning wheel
  12. make socks on my circular sock machine
  13. felt
  14. set  up my booth by myself
  15. write a receipt
  16. put on my bra!  whoopppeeeee
  17. cut my own food
  18. i cannot be frustrated
what i CAN do with only one non dominant hand is:

  1. wear my robe unzipped and stay warm
  2. pull up my jeans
  3. dress - with one exception
  4. open that tea bag envelope using my teeth and left hand
  5. after having the stevia opened the first tine, do not close completely
  6. put on my socks - that was a challenge!
  7. carefully lift my computer
  8. learn to type with left hand only
  9. stay positive.  this will last only 2 weeks
i am sitting here thinking of a friend whose child was born with no hands and only a partial leg.  her mom sent a video of her doing a gymnastics routine of jumps, flips and tumbles.  the same routine done by her classmates!  She writes.does artwork and her writing is better than many with two good working hands.


with that, have a great day everyone!


0h,  right now, i do not capitalize  due to long stretches of 1 hand.


god bless your coming and going and may he hold  you in his hands.

Wednesday, October 12, 2011

THIS IS NOT GONNA BE PRETTY!

This isn't gonna be pretty but here i go.

OK, it is done.  After 3 hours of surgery then the recovery room we headed out for a bite to eat and to Home Depot to get a water filter for the frig. The thumb is fixed.  Dr DiLella told john that i should have had this done earlier.

Now 4 the recovery.  Ice is my bestest friend right now right next to pain med. Except the RX makes my nose and lips itch like crazy - no hives of an allergy reaction though.

I expect to be much better tomorrow.  Nothing more to write about since i'm sleeping a lot 2day.  

take care 

God bless!

Monday, October 10, 2011

PROBLEMS AND STRUGGLES

Welcome to Mike and Pat!  They have been full timing for sixteen years!  I wish I had thought about it sixteen years ago!  


Fellow Hoosiers, Don and Gayle have also joined our journey down the road.  So glad to have you on board.  Hopefully we will be able to meet everyone that follows.  


This was posted on Facebook.  I am not a huge fan of Facebook, but occasionally, something comes to my computer that is worth sharing.  


We all are having one kind of struggle or another.  Some are minor irritants and some are huge, life threatening.  This put things in perspective for me.


Take a close look at this photo from National Geographic.  Really look at it.
\
LOOK at the camels first and then read the message below.

This is a picture taken from directly above these camels in the desert at sunset. It is considered to be one of the best pictures of the year. When you look closely, you can see that the camels are the little white lines in the picture.
The black images you see are just the shadows!

Sometimes, our "problems" seem to be as big as the shadows...but they are little. Have a lovely day!
LOOK ONCE MORE. YOU CANNOT BELIEVE IT, RIGHT?

You know, I cannot "get" this picture, but I do get the message.  


Tomorrow is the  "S" day for me.  The thumb surgery.  I'm ready.  John is fixing tomorrow's breakfast for dinner tonight since I cannot eat until after I get home.  


Every time I felt an "ouchie" today, I would think ..... hehehe .... you'll be gone tomorrow!  Not the thumb but the "ouchie".


I sewed grass seed today, groomed Oliver and did some housework. It sure takes longer to clean the house than to clean the motorhome.  Another reason to full time!  


Tomorrow, Oliver goes to the real groomer for the works.  I was just working on him to get some tangles out.  He'd rather I did the pulling than the groomer.  


This time of year, he picks up leaves, grass, seeds etc and then his coat tangles.  I know it would be easier to have him in a puppy cut, but we like him in full coat.  The full coat takes more work, but it is also prettier.  Here he is with Noah, our cat.  Looks like we like long hair doesn't it.  


These guys love to ride on the dashboard of the motorhome, especially at night.  I think Noah comes up to tell us it's time to stop driving and to go to bed.  He has an inner clock that works no matter where we are.  


Have you noticed that Noah is larger than Oliver?  That cat weighs twenty pounds and Oliver weighs in at a whopping eight, but looks much larger with his long hair. 


I was looking at the selling prices that houses in our area.  We are fortunate to live in an area that houses are still selling.  I just hope it continues until we sell our home. 


Ok, dinner is over.  I am heading to bed.  Hopefully, I will post tomorrow night.  


Have a great day tomorrow and stay safe!