Happy Boxing Day

Here we are on Boxing Day, the day after Christmas.  Spent a good chunk of ours getting a jump for a dead car battery and then over to the Ford dealership for a new one. 

Dealership doggie has the right idea, soaking up some rays.

This was the original battery, so it was just time for a replacement.  We have complementary road assistance with Ford, and it was prompt and courteous.  Opted for a slightly “bigger” battery than the factory-installed version.  So, our Wee Beastie is happy again.  It, and us, will be happier once we score a garage, but there have been no vacancies, so we remain 3rd on the waiting list.  Since our temperatures are consistently subzero now, the Ford tech recommended running the car about 30 minutes each day when we fall below zero.  I have been running the car for a while, but not every day, and even doing it 30 minutes/day probably wouldn’t have helped the old battery.  It was just time.

So we’re on day 3 of our 4 days off for the Christmas holiday.  Wow.  Christmas Eve I spent making goodies, and snacking was enjoyed instead of a proper meal.  So nice to have a larger kitchen and big oven again, although I did all this in the RV for about 7 years. 

Christmas was the major cooking day, turkey breast and the usual side dishes.  Didn’t do this at Thanksgiving, so made up for it this holiday. 

Our tree turned out pretty well, and we’re enjoying feeling festive this year.

Figured out the bindings on the snowshoes, but haven’t had a chance to try ‘em out yet.

Visions of snowshoeing, taking walks and other outdoor activities over the holiday have not been made realities, as it’s just too darn cold.  Yes, too cold.  Warnings for dangerous/life-threatening wind chills and really low (even for MN at this time of year) temperatures have kept us inside for the most part.  It’s just 6:30 pm, and the outside temperature is –18F with a wind chill of –33F.  And it was warmer today than yesterday! 

Early morning – December 21, 2017.  We’ve had snowfall just about every day, often for hours or even most of a day, but tiny flakes. None since the temps dropped into the deep freezer, though.  No big storms yet with significant accumulation, but we’ll see what January and February bring.

Oh!  On Christmas Day morning, we had sundogs!  I couldn’t get a decent angle for a photo, but you can read about sundogs here.  Pretty darn awesome.  Just a gift from Mother Nature for enduring the harsh Winter.

See the 2 specks on the roof peak?  Work has continued on the new cancer center down the street, even in the cold weather.  And snowfall.  And winds.  Gotta admire these guys!

It’s so nice to feel festive again for Christmas, this is the first time since 2013.  Last year really was a nonevent, with only having 1 day off and having lost our wee Maggie in October 2016.  I can’t even recall last Christmas.  We were still in Texas, so I imagine it was warm hot.  This year, however, we are in a much better place – geographically, financially and spiritually.  What a difference 12 months can make!

I do still miss our Maggs and having a doggie around, but did get out to the shelter to donate the dog sweaters.  That helped a bit, and they seemed glad to get the sweaters.  One of these days when I ever have spare time again, I’d like to volunteer my time. 

We sent out Christmas cards again for the first time in a few years and received some.  Certainly isn’t like “the old days” of receiving a lot of cards.  Everything and everyone seem to have transitioned to electronic greetings.  Don’t get me wrong, that’s nice, but there’s just something about Christmas cards.  I miss that.  Received some holiday phone calls, and those were very special.

My annual viewing of White Christmas took place on Christmas Eve; it’s just not Christmas without seeing that movie.  I’ve been watching it at this time of year since childhood.  Tonight It’s a Wonderful Life is on tap, and I’m looking forward to that.  It’s another holiday tradition in our home.

I don’t know that anyone really reads this blog these days.  It’s different now that we’re not full-time RVers.  Its purpose is more of an exercise in recording our life … I just don’t seem to have the creativity to even write … just write … at this point.  Probably because I’m too dang busy living life.  Working, my life with Dave, routine chores/housekeeping/cooking/errands … by the time I think of something to write about, I just don’t have the time or ambition to do so.  Too, it’s easier to toss out a simple post on Facebook vs. putting together a blog post.  I know I’m not the only one experiencing this, but I do miss those evenings of purely … writing.  Oh well. 

If you have made it this far, thank you so much for stopping by! 

Wherever you are and however you celebrate, I wish you the peace, magic and joy of the season.

Autumn Is Coming. But Wait …

Autumn here in northern Minnesota is definitely making its presence known.  Well, except for today and tomorrow with highs in the upper 80s.  Even at that, it has been a stunningly gorgeous day out.  One evening a couple of weeks ago, I noticed a touch of Autumn in the air.  You know … that feeling that’s hard to describe.  Is it a change in humidity?  A slightly different scent to the air?  Not sure.  All I know is that it is a feeling, and it was there.  Sure enough, since then our weather has definitely been trending towards Autumn.  Except today and tomorrow but, even so, the warm temps have a different feel to them.  Mr. Sun comes to us from a slightly different angle these days, too.  Ran the A/C for a wee while at one point this afternoon, but other than that … we rarely have anything going having to do with temperature control in the house.

Windows open a lot of days lately.  How wonderful is that?

This year’s first spotting of winter-rated gear in Walmart last week.  Yes, those boots are rated for –25F.  Winter’s coming!

Scored my parka since last post, too.  I knew what I wanted – a Columbia parka like the one I had years ago when we lived in Hibbing.  Wasn’t sure I could find one locally and was prepared to order it from Columbia if I couldn’t find one here.  At the very least, I hoped I could find similar Columbia jackets to try on in order to get a feel for sizing. 

We have an L&M Fleet Supply here, so a couple of weeks ago I thought I’d go check them out.  Hadn’t been in one before but … yay!  It’s like Tractor Supply!  Woot!  We really, really enjoyed Tractor Supply up in New Jersey and picked up some quality clothing there, including winter wear.  Although L&M had not officially put out winter gear yet, I noticed a rack of Columbia men’s jackets.  Again, thought I could at least get an idea of sizing. Looking through the rack … wow!  There was the jacket.  Okay, so it’s a man’s jacket, but that’s fine.  It’s the same thing.  Best thing yet?  It was on sale at a price that would be less than if I ordered straight from Columbia.  Tried it on.  Checked it out thoroughly – took out the inner jacket and put it back in (it’s a 3-in-1 – waterproof outer with a removable fleece inner jacket, removable hood, etc.), tried all the zippers and pockets.  That puppy came home with me.  Score!

We also had a bit of celebration recently with the newest member of the Barnes clan making his appearance!  Weighing in at a bit over 8 pounds, Lachlan Joseph came into the world over in London, the first child of my youngest stepson and his wife, and my third step-grandson.  He’s sure a cutie, and we’re looking forward to our first Skype video chat with the new family tomorrow.

Isn’t technology cool?

I kept vigil from afar the past couple of weeks for friends and family first in Texas – specifically the Houston area- during Harvey and then again during Irma’s visit to Florida.   Everyone came through safely, although with some property damage from flooding in Houston. 

Say what you will about Facebook, but it does serve a purpose during times such as Harvey.  I was able to look up a post with rescue extraction phone numbers at 3 AM while on the phone with relatives in Houston in need of leaving their home due to flooding.  They were having no success with 911, but were able to reach someone at one of the Coast Guard numbers and were able to safely leave their home.  So yeah, Facebook and social media has its flaws, but … it can also provide a valuable service.

Cookie jars in the window of Raphaels Bakery Café in downtown Bemidji

Can’t say I have anything terribly exciting to report.  Life has been going on to the hum of our usual routine.  We look forward to our “weekends” and are grateful those two days can actually be spent relaxing.

Last Wednesday I spent just about the entire day in the kitchen cooking up Dave’s meals for the coming work week and … I made a cake!

Spotted this kit at the store and thought I’d give it a whirl.

Dave and I don’t eat a whole lot in general, and a regular-sized cake would just go to waste between the two of us.  This seemed like just the size, so thought I’d try it out.

It turned out pretty darn well!  Yes, I still have a plastic cake container(?) – not sure what the correct term is.  It’s not exactly a stand, but it has the cover and is definitely designed for a cake.  Hadn’t used it since the Montana RV rally in Lancaster, PA back in 2012.

My outdoor Autumn decorations.

I think that about wraps up this post.  My days are full and I rarely have quiet time to simply write.  Oh well.  One of these days …

Until then, Life is Guid, indeed!  We continue to be grateful every day for being up here in the Minnesota Northwoods!

Thanks for stopping by!  Be safe out there, okay?

Vacation Days 1 and 2

Dave tagged on 3 vacation days to our usual Tues/Weds, so we’ve officially been on holiday starting yesterday.  Yay for us!  Although we were off almost 3 weeks when we moved here from Texas in April, that was a relocation, and it was work.  Now that we’ve been in our usual routines for a bit, a relaxing real holiday was in order.

Dave had a nice bike ride yesterday morning and I hit Hobby Lobby, which was having a 50% sale on just about all decorative items.  Plus, I had a 40% coupon.  I’ve been keeping an eye out for a couple of things for blank walls, one in the bathroom and one over the kitchen sink.

A bit of Gecko whimsy and good vibes for the bathroom

And some Celtic good vibes for meals in the kitchen, which is often the heart of one’s home.

One of Dave’s projects is putting place 3 new bookcases, the first of which is on the right. We’ll end up with 4 units on the really long living room wall, and the grouping will be staggered a bit in height.  The shelves are a mess in the photo, in transition.  Hope to have the other 3 complete by the end of our holiday.

Although we said “No cooking, we’re on vacation,” we had pasta here at home last night, followed by chess on the front porch.  Well, it’s our only porch.  It was remarkably chilly in the evening, especially considering we’re used to sweltering Texas evenings in mid July.

This morning saw Dave out on the bike again, while I took my time doing a few things around here (houseplant therapy, hanging the item over the kitchen sink, changing bed linens).  Once he was home, showered and changed, we headed out to Lake Bemidji State Park, which is about 7 miles from our home.

Dave cycles through here all the time on the Paul Bunyan State Trail, but had never explored the park proper. 

Dave, the intrepid explorer

There are walking trails all around the lake.

Access to the lake from one of the several boat launch areas.

This is where the boats come from that use the access above.

Part of the Paul Bunyan State Trail, a section of the Rails to Trails network.

Don’t have your own bike? No problem! You can rent one at the park.

Another view from our walk.

(The above photos were taken with my “good” camera, a Canon Rebel DSL which I haven’t used in … well, probably since New Jersey days.  Was fun putting it back into service.)

We did have a nice walk about the park, not all of it, but a decent bit.  Went through some of the campground sections with tents and trailers; even saw a Montana 5th wheel.  It’s pretty tight confines, and I really would not want to put a big rig in one of the back-in sites.

Earlier in the week, I made a list of things we wanted to do while off and places to consider for meals.  Noticed C.K. Dudley’s was right on our way to the state park, so we stopped there on our way back, choosing to dine on the deck outside. 

Didn’t notice until I downloaded the photo, but it looks like the “Exit Only” sign is a wee drink decoration in Dave’s glass!

We both chose the BBQ Brisket wrap, me with chips and Dave with fries.  Oh my!  It was very good and too much for us for one meal, so we each brought half home.  Service was very good and friendly, meal was yummy, and it was so nice to enjoy sitting outside.  We will definitely return.

Chilling out a bit back home now, with possibly more home improvement projects still for today (or not, after all, it’s vacation) and a chess session later.  There’s supposed to be a decent chance for auroras tonight, but not sure we’ll be up that late.

Tomorrow’s forecast looks a bit dodgy with a hefty chance of rain and thunderstorms.  That’s okay, because our itinerary (loose as it may be) is to drive into downtown, park, and explore on foot.  Downtown Bemidji is … well, pretty darn cool.  There is a sculpture walk, all sorts of wee shops and various cafes and pubs.  We have been downtown on errands with specific purpose, each time saying, “We should come back sometime and just explore.”  Well, I think tomorrow may be the day!  Even if it is raining a bit, we can duck in and out of shops.

Our holiday may not sound exciting and it surely is low-key and inexpensive, but it suits us just fine and we’re enjoying ourselves!

Thanks for stopping by!  Stay safe out there, okay?

Life is Totally Different These Days …

… and I have to say I’m enjoying it!

First apple pie in quite some time

When we were in New Jersey, I did honest-to-goodness cooking.  Well, we left there 3 years ago and I don’t think I’ve made an apple pie since then.  So!  It was about time!  Dave enjoyed having this as dessert with his work dinners.

This is the first time we’ve both had July 4th off work since our Jersey days, too.  Dave had a nice bike ride and I did the marketing in the morning.  In the afternoon, we went to check out the Bemidji Water Carnival held on the shores of Lake Bemidji here in town.  Neither of us had been to a carnival in … well, as the Scottish saying goes … “donkey’s years.”  That’s a long time, folks.

 

Fun to watch from the ground

Another one fun to watch.  The center piece rotated, giving each of the  cages quite a ride.  The screams at the carnival were coming from this ride.

No, we didn’t go on any rides and didn’t give any money to the games hawkers.  We went just to stroll around and enjoy the sights and sounds.  Free event, free parking, a chance to get out and about and relive some childhood memories.  The weather was perfect – Summer has arrived in Minnesota, but it’s rather pleasant – parking was easy and there weren’t tons of people around.  The fireworks display on Lake Bemidji was the final event of the carnival last night, so I bet there were quite a few more folks around for that.  We certainly heard the fireworks quite well from our porch and could see the display reflected in the hospital windows.  Cool. 

Thing is, we’re actually able to get out and do fun things once again!  It’s so nice to have our days off truly be that … days off.  There’s no RV maintenance to deal with, amenities are so close and hassle-free that I can get errands run quickly and without stress, laundry can be done any time, etc.  Oh … and the weather is now a positive contributing factor versus a negative influence.  Yes, summertime is here, but it is not so hot that outdoor activities are unthinkable.  Our lives are no longer controlled by what has to be done within certain times.  We’ve reduced our stress level – physical, emotional and spiritual – enormously with our change of lifestyle and moving to a more tolerable climate.

I know, I know.  I can hear you saying, “Yeah, but what about Winter?”  Well, Winter is Winter.  We know what to expect.  Still, check with me in February.  At least we won’t have to shovel our sidewalk.

Long and short is that our quality of life is much better now. 

So that was Day 1 of our weekend this week.  Dave is off cycling, I’m venturing forth to my first hair appointment since we arrived (and you know that can be either a grand experience or a traumatic one with a new stylist) and then there may be a midafternoon meal at the Mexican restaurant.

Guess I’d best toddle off for now.  How was your Fourth of July?

Thanks for stopping by!  Ya’ll be safe out there, okay?

A Month Ago …

A month ago, we were kickin’ back in a nice hotel in Fargo, ND for our last night on the road to our new home and town.  A month already!

Interesting how quickly one acclimates to not living in an RV.  There were a few times at first when taking a shower or at the kitchen sink, I’d have the fleeting thought, “Hmmm, maybe I better empty the tank.”  Crazy, eh? 

Transitioning from one lifestyle to another, any lifestyle, combined with making a life in a new town can leave one with a sense of displacement, if you will.  Thankfully, I’m not suffering from that feeling.  I do know there are friends in Texas I will never see again, and that tugs at my heart. 

I seem to have the ability to make wherever I am feel like home.  Perhaps it’s being exposed to the RV life beginning as a babe in arms.  Perhaps it’s having relocated several times during my adult years.  Heck, perhaps I’m good at “nesting.”  Perhaps wherever Dave and I am together, that’s home.

Tomorrow will be a month since our arrival, and it seems in some ways as if we’ve been here for years.  Doesn’t feel strange at all.  College Station was bewildering to me with so much traffic, so many businesses, endless buildings one after another … I hated going anywhere and, therefore, ventured out only when necessary.

I towed our rig all over the country and loved it, but going out in a bigger city … no thanks.

Here is completely different.  Landmarks are readily available.  Streets are laid out logically.  There’s not so much traffic that you can’t see around you.  You get the idea.

Back to nesting …

Front section of living room

The basics are in the living room, along with 3 bicycles that aren’t in the photo.  There’s some things still on the floor, awaiting acquisition of another bookcase/cabinet/whatever.  My hoop drums are in those bags; the drums will be hung on the walls, but just not sure where yet.  The bikes … well, the bikes will have to stay where they are until we get a garage.  We have the basics for now, and it’s rather cozy.  Area rug, perhaps a small sofa or loveseat at some point, some type of bookcase/cabinet, hanging pictures/whatever for that loooong wall the living room to the right in the photo … those things will come.

Walking road

Took my first walk a few days ago, along the road that we see from our porch.  That’s the hospital in the distance on the right, including the medivac chopper that just took off.  It has an excellent sidewalk; up and down 2.5 times and I’ve logged my 2 miles.  Not much traffic, and I walk right by the hospital in case I were to keel over for some reason. Ha!  Quite a few folks have the same idea, as this is a popular walking route.

Last Wednesday (our “Sunday”), we ventured forth to Mi Rancho, the (only) Mexican restaurant in town.  I hear you asking, “What?  You went to eat Mexican food in Minnesota??“  I know, I know.  I, too, was skeptical.  Extremely skeptical.  They boast as serving “authentic” Mexican food.  Yeah, right.

All I can say is …

OH MY GOD.

This Texas gal had some of the best Mexican food she’s put a fork to!  Not exactly Tex-Mex, but leaning more towards the “authentic.”  I’ve had both, living throughout Texas, including El Paso, where I’ve enjoyed meals over the Juarez, albeit years ago.  I was totally surprised.  Cute décor, clean establishment, warm chips, excellent service, and food served on a “don’t touch it, it’s hot” plate at a decent price, especially when you have leftovers for a meal the next day.  We both gave it thumbs up, and we’ll go back.

Yeah, blew my mind, too.  Minnesota, of all places.  Northern Minnesota, at that.

We’re coming up on our weekend starting tomorrow with no concrete plans, although I do have a few errands to run sometime during our two days off.  The weather is looking good with highs in the mid to lower 60s, so I imagine Dave will get in some bike time.  We’re sure enjoying the relief of being out of the heat of Texas!

Thanks for stopping by!  Be safe out there, okay?

“It has come to me through the bushes that you are not yet all united; take time and become united.”  -  Big Bear

 

 

 

 

Kept the Balls in the Air Another Week

In my previous post, I visited with you about juggling Life and its activities.  I’m happy to report I kept those balls in the air another week, with my second Sunday evening yoga session.  As the routine I had chosen was only 30 minutes, I followed that up with a 30-minute guided meditation.  I’m thinking about extending the yoga portion out to 45 minutes or an hour; seems like 30 minutes left me wanting more.  I’m still modifying the routine, so it’s all a work in progress.

Outdoor time continued this week, sometimes mornings, sometimes evenings.

Not only did Maggie and I have what I call our “outdoor therapy time” but she got a clip and some extended massage/silly talk time one evening.  This was the result . . .

Silly leg in the air after all that lovin’.

Of course, yesterday was Mother’s Day and my thoughts went to Mom, who has been gone since 2007.  Here’s one of my fave photos of her . . .

Christmastime photo taken by my Dad, probably in the 1950s.

Since we are off on Tuesdays and Wednesdays, Mondays are our Fridays.  Yay!  Lots of folks dread Monday, as it harkens the beginning of the work week.  We, however, look forward to Monday!  No great plans for this “weekend,” just the usual errands, cycling for Dave and hanging out for both of us.

After quite a bit of fine tuning, I believe I have found the right height and screen tilt for my laptop on my wee desk.  Did I mention I was hunting for a pair of prescription computer glasses I had from my medical transcription days?  Well, I think I have found them!  I have regular reading glasses for when I wear contacts, but they were totally ineffective for computer work.  After a grand “scavenger hunt,” I found a pair of glasses tucked away in a drawer.  I’m thinking they are prescription, as they are doing the trick so far.  What a relief.  The ergonomic chair purchased a while back, laptop position, mid-range computer glasses and increasing the magnification of my screen has lessened the eye strain, shoulder tension and general uncomfortable feeling I was having after putting in the hours of working on the laptop.  So far, so good for now.

It has been pretty darn blustery here today, although warm with no rain.  The heat has not been horrible . . . yet.  I have a routine I go through for “cool running” here in the rig after Dave goes to work.  I’ve been staying comfortable in shorts with both A/C units set at 76 and a floor fan going here in the living room.  I do turn them both units down before Dave gets home from work, so it’s really cool in here for him and in prep for sleeping.

“Cool running?”  Yes, that’s closing certain shades and curtains at different times of the day depending on the slant of Mr. Sun.  It’s not cooking during the peak heat time (4:30 to 7 PM) and not having the TV on.  The television puts out a fair amount of heat, actually.  Heck, I’m busy working or doing something else like house chores that I don’t need – or want - television.  What about with meals?  Nope.  I’ve been reading, as was my habit years ago.  (Right now it’s Bel-Air Dead by Stuart Woods.  I always enjoy the Stone Barrington novels.)

Enjoying cooking while it’s not 2000F outside.  Tuna biscuit casserole, a longstanding “comfort food” dish, for my meals this week

That inevitable time in Texas is approaching when the A/C units will be getting a thorough workout, so I’m trying to give them a break as long as possible.  I’m thankful we have not had really hot days yet and that, with the exception of one or two occasions, nights have been pleasantly cool for sleeping.

It is coming, though.  I dread it beyond description, but will soldier through and remember that it will come to an end.

You know what?  This blog post has come to an end.  Let the weekend commence!

Thanks for stopping by!

 

 

Two Weeks and a Day

Wow.  We have been here at Aggieland RV Park 2 weeks and a day as of today.  It sure seems like a lot longer to both of us.  That’s not a bad thing, really, it’s just that we have been busy.  The days seem to fly by and run together.  Dave has Tuesdays and Wednesdays off, so our days get a bit blurred; our “weekend” starts Monday night. 

Let’s see.  He survived Black Friday, although it sure was crazy, especially Thanksgiving evening and Friday, and he did work some overtime.  Crazy.  He’s getting a firsthand glimpse of the retail world during the holiday season.  Yes, he worked Thanksgiving, and so did I.  This was the first time in decades that I did not prepare a typical Thanksgiving dinner.  Oh well.  I did cook bridies while he was off that week, so we had a nice meal.  He is settling in quite nicely with his job, even enjoying it now, and we hope – but not expect by any means – that he will be kept on after the holiday season. 

Although I’m still in training on my MT job, I am making good strides.  It’s not the medical terminology/knowledge part, it’s becoming familiar with and implementing the specs, the software requirements, etc.  Things have changed re: formatting, punctuation, etc., since I was an MT 8 years ago, and the specs of the company/accounts are quite different from the “old school” way I was taught and used back when I worked before.  I am still not enamored with voice recognition and being a medical editor; I really still prefer straight transcription.  Well, I’m giving it a whirl, and it is getting better.

My virtual assistant job is percolating along nicely, and I am picking up some additional responsibilities.  I really am enjoying it!  Honestly, if I had a couple of long-term VA clients with ample work, I would seriously consider ditching medical transcription/editing.

I believe I mentioned my work laptop crashed and burned.  Yep, turns out it needed a new hard drive.  It had been in the shop but is home now, and this evening I have it set up to be put back into service.  I’m composing this post on it.  There is still some additional tweaking to be done – getting things back on it – but at least it’s usable again.  I sure missed my larger screen!

Our gray tank is being ordered, being delayed by some issues pinpointing with Keystone exactly what type of tank is needed.  Hopefully we will be having the replacement work done in the next couple of weeks.  They might be able to do it on-site . . . that sure would be nice, although they are only about 10 miles down the road.  We are thankful the facilities are nice here, so it’s a short stroll down to the showers near the front of the park each evening.  Each is a suite unto itself, so one has privacy when showering.  Nice.

Our allergies are finally getting under control.  Yay!  I was able to actually sleep prone in bed last night for the first time in a couple of weeks.  My recliner is comfy, I slept well in it, and I can watch TV from there if I want, but Maggie sure appreciated me being back in bed.  Me, too, I tell ya.  Dave was suffering equally, with the added frustration of plugged ears.  We both are much better with regards to our noses, and his hearing is much improved.

We are even having evening meals together twice a week, the 2 days Dave is off.  I had taken some Mexican lasagna out of the freezer the other day, so that was last night’s dinner accompanied by a green salad.  Tonight was baked fish, wild rice, and sweet corn. The rest of the week, we’re on our own, obviously because of work schedules.

Mr. Sun finally made an appearance today after being AWOL for 4-5 days.  We have had definitely chilly weather – highs in the 40s and 50s – with miserable, drizzly, nonstop rain.  Ugh.  Sure was nice to see sunshine today.  I made a run to a self-serve car wash and washed off a lot of mud from the truck.  It could stand detailing, but at least it looks presentable again now.

Last week I went over to Suddenlink (the park’s ISP) and purchased a modem and then to Walmart for a wireless router.  We now have a direct “pipeline” into the Internet service here at the park, and it is a secure connection via our own router.  Pretty darn speedy, too.  Yay!  We’re wireless and secure in the rig!  Woot!  This is wonderful, as my iPhone is getting a well-deserved rest after serving as a hot spot for a couple of months.   (Note:  The park WiFi is actually quite good, but not secure.  Getting one’s own modem and router is suggested by the park owner/manager if one wants a direct connection and secure network within one’s rig.  If I wasn’t working online from home or we were just here short-term, we would not have done this.  It is groovy, though, eh?)

We have had issues . . . gray tank, computer crashing, Internet and cable going out for 24 hours, miserable rain, allergies, yada, yada, yada, (yes, all in 2 weeks and 1 day) but we truly are liking it here and thankful that we are both working and have landed in a nice environment for our home.

Have I mentioned I really, really appreciate stepping out onto concrete and not mud?

Thanks for stopping by!

Yesssss!

I am thrilled to be able to share with you that I have accepted a part-time (for now) position as a remote Medical Editor/Medical Transcriptionist! The company I will be working with has a good reputation among MTs. I am awaiting scheduling for training on the transcription platform and then will be under mentoring for a while as I learn the platform, the specifications of my assigned accounts and the dictators on those accounts. Even with prior MT experience, this is the process that takes place.

It was weird/scary thinking about doing MT work again. After refreshing my transcription skills through an online acute care (hospital dictation, which I did before), I felt fairly confident; however, applying for employment and going through that process was a bit nerve-wracking. After all, I haven’t interviewed for a “real” job in 8 years. Narrow that down to a technical/professional position and it has been 9 years. Yoinks!

I always enjoyed MT work. It is fascinating, one learns something almost every day and there is a dark/silly sense of humor that one entertains working in the medical field. I’ve missed that.

You should have seen how excited and hyper I was the other evening after receiving the offer earlier in the day! Dave rode the wave with me in such a supportive and joyous fashion. He’s a good guy.

The profession of medical transcription has changed since I was last working in the field.  Back then, one listened to the dictation voice file and typed the document (known now as “straight typing”), sculpting it into a medico-legal document – correct not only in medical terminology, but in grammar, punctuation, etc. Typing, typing, typing.

Voice recognition – where the voice dictation is interpreted by a software program into a document – was pretty much in its infancy regarding widespread use when I worked in the field 8 years ago. Now, however, VR (or SR for “speech recognition”) has infiltrated to the point where the “medical transcriptionist” has become the “medical editor.” This is exactly that – editing the VR-produced document to match the voice dictation file.

This “old dog” will be learning some new tricks!

So, this week so far has been brimming with activity. A second interview, pre-employment testing, today the tech support guy tweaking my computer (installing the platform, etc.), paperwork, emails, phone calls . . . whew.

The result is one goal realized – land an MT job. Yay!

I continue to work my virtual assistant job, which is also part-time. I am learning new programs and very much enjoy working with my boss.  My vision has been to have 2 revenue streams with 2 part-time gigs, and that is what is coming to pass. We’ll see how that goes. It will be a while before things settle down and I get in a groove; both schedules are flexible to a point, so I see that it may be a really nice thing.

There have been moments of, “My brain hurts.” Bwahahaha!

This is a different type of thinking. With security work, the thinking was more physical (?) or action-oriented. “A strange car just entered the gates and headed towards the back. Better check it out.”  I could expect a phone call from the alarm company when an alarm would activate; we would then need to enter the building and check it out. Those are just some examples of the thought processes involved. Action-oriented. My thought processes are now of a more technical nature, i.e., learning software, reading/understanding written procedures . . . more of an intellectual process, if you will.

Yep, my brain hurts.

I am actually enjoying all this. Yes, in a perverse way, eh?

The focus so far – because it is happening so rapidly – has been on my securing MT work. We have yet to put the same time and energy into finding something for Dave. We are hopeful just the right part-time or full-time gig will come along for him. We know it will. In the meantime, he is enjoying the heck out of cycling here. He deserves that, as he took the brunt of the work load in South Carolina and did not sleep well at all there. In fact, he got very little sleep and was exhausted pretty much from October 2014 until now.  Yes, he is sleeping well now, thank goodness. All 3 of us are!

Hey, it’s early days yet. We haven’t even been here 2 weeks! I think we’re doing pretty darn good to be accomplishing so much in so little time.

We are managing to have some “together time” during the days/evenings, and that is important. I whipped up one of our favorite meals of chicken noodle casserole this afternoon, so we had a nice dinner with leftovers for tomorrow. Yay again!

Maggie is doing well and enjoys looking out the windows

I was working up until almost 10 PM and needed some decompression/fun time, so here I am blogging. It’s a hair past 11 PM now. I’m winding down and so is this post.

Thanks for stopping by! Ya’ll stay safe out there, okay?

Relaxing in Beaumont, TX

We were sitting outside a wee while ago and realized we are finally get the relaxation layover we intended first in Lexington, SC (where we extended our stay due to the rain event) and then in Hope Hull, AL (where loose dogs were an annoyance in the park).

Finally! Yes, indeed!

Yes, Phyllis, there is still construction on I-10. Isn’t there always? Traffic was not backed up westbound, so it wasn’t bad at all. (Check out Phyllis’ full-timing blog here.)

We did get up and out the door in time to mosey over and check out the free breakfast here. It really wasn’t anything to write home about, but Dave got a cup of coffee. I brought a biscuit back, warmed it up and ate it with a bit of butter. Not bad, but not outstanding. It is a nice gesture on their part.

We were out and about before 11 AM, stopping first at Hidden Lake RV Resort not far from here. I certainly would not call it a “resort,” but it was a nice enough park on drive-through and one to perhaps consider in the future.

Our next stop was the Walmart, which was a bit of a drive from our park. We picked up a few items there and then dropped into the H.E.B. for some groceries on our way home.  For those who don’t know, H.E.B. is a Texas grocery store chain. This was apparently a “super” H.E.B., as it was the biggest one I have ever been in, and I’ve been in quite a few. OMG. Was it delightful! We supplemented to our current stock of provisions, so we’re good for meals for quite a while again.

We even have lettuce in the fridge again and we each had a salad with our stuffed salmon for dinner tonight.

Lettuce! The quality of lettuce was so deplorable in South Carolina that we stopped buying it. We haven’t had lettuce in almost three months.  I was in lettuce heaven this evening!

When I attended Lamar University here back in the late 1970s, I had no real reason to come to this west side of town. I tell ya what, though, it sure has grown! “Stuff” everywhere and the traffic to go along with that. We had initially talked (well, I did most of the talking – haha!) about having a meal at Patillo’s (BBQ) today, but after our errands . . . well, all I really wanted to do was chill out here at home. Dave was definitely okay with that, so that’s what we have been doing.

I recognized so many of the street names – Major, Phelan, Fannett, Gladys, Washington – even though I frequented those on their opposite end closer to the university. I sort of wish now that I had scheduled us for a longer time here so I could go exploring a bit. If we were here for, say, a week, I’d be checking out old familiar places, seeing what’s been done/renovated/added. There is a lot to do and see in the area. Oh well. Next time!

I’m just really enjoying relaxing and hanging out at home and the park.

We’ve had some strolls around the park, some with Maggie and some just the two of us. This is a wonderful place to walk, as the streets are paved and the park is well lit and fenced. One feels safe walking here even at night.

We have one more day here, and our friend Rachelle will be coming up to spend some time with us. Yay! Even though she and I talk on the phone frequently, we have not been together since right before we hit the road in 2010. She and I go waaaay back, having worked at Exxon together back in the 1980s/1990s.

So tomorrow should be a fun day, with perhaps a visit to Tyrell Park and the Botanical Gardens (or not), hanging with a dear friend, fueling up the truck and then hitching up later in the day with a view to hitting the road to and through Houston on Sunday. The emphasis will be chilling out. Just be-ing.

We did find our “Welcome to Our Clan” sign and hung it outside, and Dave graciously hung our pictures inside, since we’re having company! Tomorrow is slated to be about 12 degrees cooler than today, with a forecast high of 80F. I imagine there will be a bit of sitting outside time.

We can tell we’re definitely in Texas, as we can hear marching bands and the announcer from a nearby stadium and what sounds like a high school football game. It’s a lovely, almost cool and cloudless night, and the sound carries. I like it.

Speaking of sounds, we did not hear the trains after about 8 PM (I’m guessing) last evening and not at all today. Yay!

Hope your Friday has been as relaxing as ours and that your weekend will continue to be so!

Ya’ll take care and be safe out there, alrighty?

Thanks for stopping by!

Saturday and Sunday

Saturday

While Dave was out cycling Friday, he noticed route indicators on the roads. I hopped on the Internet and found the Glassner Autumn Challenge, taking place today.  Although he did not pay the entry fee, he still rode the 30-mile route, as this is something he would have done anyway. The staging area was at a church about 3 miles from here.

Dave had a whale of a good time being amongst other cyclists of all skill levels. The photo above and the one below were snapped by him at the event.

The Caped Crusader (Batman) was handing out goodies to riders

Everyone was quite friendly and ride hosts insisted he partake of the sumptuous spread of fajitas following the ride. Yep, Dave scored big time!

What did I do while he was gone? I got my feet wet with my new virtual assistant job, taking advantage of the quiet time.

Our Maggie woke up at 6 AM with nausea which, along with another symptom, led us to believe she was experiencing a flare of the slight pancreatitis she was diagnosed with a couple of years ago. I immediately began her on the prescription medications I keep on hand for this. They absolutely alleviate the symptoms but make her a bit drowsy, although this is a good thing. Napping and being quiet is a benefit during these flares. I also held food except for the minimal amount needed to take the meds; this gives her gut a break. She was not appearing distressed or in any discomfort, but not 100% her usual bouncy, perky self. If you didn’t know better, you wouldn’t be able to tell anything was going on just being around her.

After a nice dinner of crab cakes and wild rice, we watched an incredibly bad horror movie in the evening. Dave has commented that we certainly have done well with meals. The only groceries we have needed have been staples such as bread, milk, etc. I’m glad I stocked up the freezer, fridge and pantry prior to embarking on our trip. There’s still several more meals to be had from our current provisions. We have not eaten one meal out so far. We didn’t have dinner at Stuckey’s the other day; I just got the pecan divinity and we ate dinner at home.

Sunday (today)

Maggie made it through the night without stirring, so she and I both had a good sleep. She has done well today and acting somewhat more like herself. She still is on her meds as a precaution to get her through this episode. I am hopeful we caught this early and that she will be able to travel Tuesday.

Dave took off on the bike again today, as the area here is excellent for cycling. In fact, he says it is even better than the Lancaster, PA area, which he really enjoyed. I did some more laundry, which  puts us in a good position in that regard for our departure Tuesday. Got a bit more work done, too!

After Dave’s return, we went the 10 miles north on I-65 to the actual town of Hope Hull and the Winn-Dixie market there for a few basics in the way of groceries. We then stopped at the Flying J near the park to fuel up the truck for Tuesday’s leg of our journey.

View of sunset this evening from our site

The roaming dog saga continues this evening. The total number of dogs that roam freely through this park (but do not actually belong here) has risen to 6, with the latest one being a very large brown dog that just showed up a few feet from us this evening as we were sitting out on our patio.

Earlier in the evening (before dark) I had just stepped out of our RV to take Maggie out – she was still just inside the door on her leash –and saw one of the big white dogs (which belong down the road apparently) just entering our site. It saw Maggie and Maggie saw it. I got back inside; thankfully, Maggs had not started down the steps yet.

Spooked the heck outta me, I tell ya. The best thing for Maggie during these health episodes is to not become excited. Good luck with that here. No wonder my stomach is rumbling, too. Walking her is stressful, especially at night, as there are no lights anywhere in this park. Flashlights and spray bottle at the ready, and we double-team walking her – one walking her and one on lookout.

Yesterday evening the cat was under our rig, sat up on its haunches and grabbed onto the rig’s underbelly with its from paws/claws. We were sitting out and shooed it away.

Management here is very nice and the park is well-maintained; however, the roaming critters are enough of an annoyance and issue that we would not return here except as an overnight stop. The fact that there are no lights in the park makes it a bit more dodgy when walking Maggie. We do have good flashlights as part of our “arsenal” in security work, and we have been using them. We also leave our porch light on at night and our driver side security light on all night.

The evening is moving along, so I’ll mosey out of here for now. Be safe out there, okay?

Thanks for stopping by!

It Doesn’t Even Have a Name

This massive rainstorm doesn’t even have a name, although it is certainly worthy of one. I imagine you have heard about the devastating rain event occurring here in South Carolina. We are in Lexington, which is probably a bit under 10 miles west of Columbia, one of the hardest hit areas. We have been very fortunate so far with no flooding issues whatsoever. Turns out our neighbors across the street used to live in Lexington for several years, so they are quite familiar with the surrounding areas. It was great to get some information about what to expect (or not) here and so forth. We exchanged phone numbers this morning and both turned off city water in case of contamination and disconnected sewer hoses from the ground connection in case the sewer system backed up.

Later today, Columbia was advising residents to boil their water. Lexington has not issued such an advisory so far, but better to protect our rig than be sorry later.

This is what we had for about 10 minutes this afternoon, including a wee showing of sunshine. We started on a walk, as did several others in the park, but the rains came on again, so we headed home. That’s us up front on the left.

Yes, Susan (Travel Bug), I have the AccuWeather app, along with The Weather Channel, WunderMap, FloodWatch (USGS service), iDamage, NOAA Radar, Weather Alerts, the Red Cross, FEMA and a Police Scanner app among others on my iPhone. Conditions on the site in New Jersey necessitated that we be in touch and aware of weather and our environment up there, as we were subject to severe conditions such as Nor’Easters and were parked by a river. Thanks for your suggestion!

Dave went to bed last night a bit before midnight, but I was too wired to sleep and wanted to be up to monitor what was happening since we are in an unfamiliar location. I tell ya, the rains were absolutely torrential. Epic. Biblical. My phone kept sounding with alarms. At about 4 AM this morning, I felt confident enough that flooding was not going to be an immediate issue and I was able to get about 4 hours of snooze time in my recliner with Maggie snuggled on my lap.

There were lights on in quite a few of our neighbors, so I wasn’t the only one keeping vigil.

The rain has eased up today but has been fairly steady, and it has been a bit breezy. Our forecast is calling for possibly 1-2 additional inches through Monday. We have decided to stay Monday night and continue our journey westward on Tuesday, which is looking pretty good at this point.

Amazingly, this morning quite a few rigs pulled out during heavy downpours, hoping for better conditions elsewhere. We watched them leave, hoping they would be safe. Advisories were being issued for people to stay off the roads even this morning. I hope these RVers did not run into any issues on the roads. We know some sections of I-20, I-95 and I-77 (I think that’s the one) have been closed due to flooding. There are numerous secondary roads that are flooded and washed out.

We’re just more comfortable with waiting until conditions improve a bit more and we feel it is safer to travel.

I talked with our destinations in Madison, GA (Tuesday’s stop) and Montgomery, AL to change our reservations yet once again. The park in Madison has not flooded; they did not get the rain that we have seen.

The rest of today has been just hanging out and watching The Weather Channel coverage of the events unfolding here in South Carolina.  Since we travel well stocked with groceries, it was homemade quesadillas for dinner tonight. Comfort food!

We so appreciate the messages here and on Facebook and the phone calls I’ve received today from everyone checking up on us. Ya’ll rock! It’s so nice to know so many people are thinking of us and helping keep us safe.

I hope this has made sense. I’m pretty tired tonight. I’ll have shower in a bit and then I am going to actually go to bed tonight. I bet I sleep!

Stay safe out there, okay?

Thanks for stopping by!

T Minus 1

We ended up having fewer rainy spells today, so Dave took advantage of the wee break and loaded the bed of the truck this afternoon while I gave Maggie a good clip. She relaxed to the floor right from the get and enjoyed the pampering. She is such a funny puppy!

Earlier in the day, we went down the road a bit to the nearby Food Lion to pick up a few staples to supplement our road trip provisions. We had a nice dinner of fettuccini alfredo and a chopped veggie salad consisting of cucumbers, tomatoes, celery, green bell pepper and carrots with a wee dollop of Ranch dressing.  Oh! And a piece of Naan bread for each of us. Yummers!

The guy who is the regular here returned from vacation today and is parked across the street with his bumper pull. He’ll move into this site when we leave Thursday.

Tomorrow I’ll stow whatever I can, leaving just the last minute things to secure prior to traveling. I’ll dump our tanks and Dave will stow the macerator system and water hose, leaving us running off our fresh tank and hooked up to shore power only. We’ll also hitch up to the truck.

I’m keeping an eye on TS Joaquin, although I think (and hope) it will be a nonissue for us since we will be heading westward Thursday. Just a while ago, the forecast for Lexington, SC (where we will spend our first 2 nights) calls for heavy rain Wednesday night with conditions looking better starting Thursday (the day we arrive). Same forecast for here has the heavy rain coming in Thursday night. I am totally okay with this.

Sounds like the disturbance in the Gulf of Mexico has fizzled out, and the longer range forecasts for stops along our route look downright decent with sunshine. Woot! I am really, really okay with that!

Of course, we all know it is prime hurricane season right now and storms can develop literally overnight. One of the advantages of having a home on wheels is being able to sit tight in place or get the heck out of harm’s way.

Speaking of which, looks like New Jersey will take a hit from Joaquin. If we were still there, we’d be prepping the rig for evacuation to higher ground, as we did during storms Irene and Lee back in 2011. We sure had some adventures up there and gained quite a lot of experience and knowledge in living with the Momma Nature.

Maggie is crashed out on a blankie atop a pile of pillows on the sofa bed here in the living room. She is cuter than cute when clipped, and I just know she feels so relaxed after some “spa time.” Did I mention she’s such a good dog? Others might fidget, whimper or even express displeasure with clipping, but not our Maggie. She digs it and gets into a Zen groove.

Well, what would you expect from a Lhasa Apso, eh? Buddhist monks and all . . .

Thanks for stopping by!

Rest Days in Lexington, SC

We are on our second and last full rest day here at The Barnyard RV Park in Lexington, SC

Yesterday was nothing really to write home about or to blog about.  We ended up at a Walmart for a few provisions in the morning.  “Ended up” means we were originally headed for a grocery store I couldn’t find; that doesn’t happen very often.  We were about to say “screw it,” and go home, but did get to a Walmart.  Whoopee.

Seems like we were both kinda tired wiped out yesterday, so we didn’t do much but imitate slugs and two-toed sloths here in the rig.  Pretty darn warm out, so we hibernated.  Too, there aren’t folks around to visit with, so there was no hangin’ outside for long.  Even hit the sheets sort of early for us.

This morning I got a load of laundry going to catch us up before arriving at our work site tomorrow.  Dave did manage to plot out a route for the bike and got 25 miles in, although he really didn’t enjoy it all that much.  The area is just too congested and there’s no ready access to quieter country-type roads. 

I whipped up one of our fave dishes today, a chicken noodle casserole.  We had some for today’s main meal and we have leftovers for dinner tomorrow.  Sweet.  Not long after that, we were under a severe thunderstorm warning and . . . wow.  It did storm!

Folks next door have their awning out and anchored and left it that way, although many of us stowed chairs and brought in awnings.  The gentleman next door came out during the storm and looked around and up at his awning, in what appeared to be contemplation of, “Do I take it in or leave it out?”  He did this a couple of times.  At that point, it was too late to bring it in, as it was blowin’ and stormin’ like crazy.  They were lucky in that their awning looks intact, although one of their chocks went floating a bit away from their rig tires . . .

The storm passed and we went for a stroll around the park just a bit ago.

Have I mentioned that they really need to trim trees here?

Not our rig.  In the back section of the park.  The tree (on the left) split and part came down.  They were fortunate in that it did not hit their rig.

Again, not our rig.  This was just about directly across from the top photo a couple of rows over.  You can see where the tree on the right split.  Again, looks like no direct impact on the rig.

Flagpole at the front (we’re closer to the front) was also a casualty.  It’s not a very thick pole; however, it really was windy for a while. 

You can see in the photo at the top of this post that there are a couple of big trees right next to us; in fact, one of them is one of the tallest in the park.  We were very fortunate not to have anything come down on our home.

Now we’re just hanging out and enjoying our last night of cable TV for a while.  I’d love to see “The Philadelphia Story” with Katherine Hepburn, Jimmy Stewart and Cary Grant, but the air time of 1 AM is just past my bedtime.  Sure wish that was on now . . .

So we’re away in the morning for a short run of about 90 miles into Darlington, SC tomorrow to our duty station.  We’ll be on night shift starting tomorrow. 

I’m so looking forward to being settled for a few months!

Thanks for stopping by!