Thursday, September 30, 2010

Relearning Driving on the Right Hand Side


I'm in a holding pattern. We finished up our last trip, ending in my friend's driveway on the coast of New Hampshire. New Hampshire only has 17 miles of coast, most of it beaches.

Warning, dogs are not allowed on the New Hampshire beaches nor in the New Hampshire State Parks nor in cemeteries. There is already a poop law (clean up after your dog) like there is every where else. But we were stunned when after a long day of travel, we had reached a remote New Hampshire State Park and were turned away, when my puppy hopped up in my lap while we were at the check-in booth.
New Hampshire License Plates Read "Live Free or Die"
Yet Dogs are NOT allowed in any New Hampshire State Parks nor Coastal Beach Areas
So don't plan on camping in your RV with your canine kid in any New Hampshire State Parks

The attendant gave us the name of an RV park, but had no idea of the phone number nor the address. Our phone and AT&T internet would not work. On the drive out, we never came across another RV park. It was late, and my friend said let's just head for his house.

We arrived a tad grumpy, sad to say. Both of us too tried to cook dinner or dine out. After calling several pizza places, one finally agreed to deliver one. That restored our spirits.

The next day, we decided the motorhome could be parked a lot neater in the driveway. Through a miscommunication, we ran right over the electrical plug.  Whoops.

That began an odyssey of searching for RV parts. During our previous travels the pricey toilet seat lid broke off and the seat itself is obviously the original model and has a weird stain on it, that I have never been able to remove. So we bought a new toilet seat, and a 30 amp electric plug to replace the one we flattened out. I might could have straightened it back into use, but I didn't like the way it was corroded and not attached neatly. Perhaps it had been run over before.

Sometimes I visit the RVforum.Net, an electronic bulletin board full of information. I've read about everyone else's electrical problems, also my experience in living on boats offshore, I certainly know all about the importance of good clean connections.

Shopping around also gave us an opportunity to continue to scour for RV junkyards, in hopes of assembling enough pieces to replace the struts on the awning frame that were destroyed in Lake Placid, Florida last June.

Recently, somewhere in Ohio or Pennsylvania, one of the tightening knobs on the awning frame, disappeared. I have no idea how that happened. Another RV mystery. Did it break off while I was hitting a bump in the road?  Did it vibrate itself into unscrewing while I was driving?

This old motorhome reminds me of my sailboat.

Something always to fix.

Southerners are always "fixing to do something".  For instance we don't just make dinner. We are fixing to make dinner. So I guess I am fixing to make repairs.

My friend has also rebuilt a sailboat, like me, so we are both pretty handy. Can we repair the motorhome faster than things break?

We didn't find a knob for the awning yet. But from two different junk yards, I obtained 2 awning struts.  One we got for free, the other we had to buy, even though it was probably 20 years old and well used.

While trying to install them, we had to make some minor modifications, but now I have a fully functioning awning again for my outdoor patio area.

The awning itself, the fabric, needs replacing next, but last April, while in Long Point Park in Melbourne, Florida, we had repaired that with roof tape. I know that sounds weird, but it has worked amazingly well.

Somewhere in my travels, I bought a 4 foot mirror on sale. I envisioned putting it on the back of the bathroom door. I already have 3 mirrors in the motorhome, now I have four. It does help brighten up the hallway area.  But we ran out of double sided sticky tape to install that. Another half done project, waiting on supplies or energy or both.

My friend has a car at his house, so we and the dog, have made numerous trips out to hunt down various things to continue repairing and improving the motorhome.

I've now been living in my motorhome full time for over six months. I just LOVE it. This was the third time my friend has joined me for a week or more in the motorhome.

The first two times, we didn't drive anywhere together, because the initial park we had picked out, to rendezvous in,  was so lovely, we just stayed put, without traveling in the motorhome.

I must admit, it's way more fun to have a human along for the ride. On this trip I drove the first week, but my friend then drove the next 3-4 days. That was heaven on earth for me, to be a passenger in my motorhome. We stuck to the scenic byways, avoiding all interstate roads. The scenery was incredibly awesome.
A stand of large mature pine trees in Hocking Hills State Park, Ohio

Since my friend drives sedately, like me, preferring to  be gentle on the engine, tires and brakes, I was actually able to relax some.

I was a bit jealous, that he seemed to grasp driving it, a lot quicker than I did initially. Of course with the addition of the memory foam steering wheel cover, I couldn't tell if he was gripping the wheel in panic or not. That steering wheel cover is heaven on earth. I highly recommend it to everyone.

I sometimes have severe problems with my joints and hands. This memory foam, does magic. I feel like I am confidently grasping the steering wheel.

Without white-knuckling it. *giggle*

Of course my friend has years of experience, driving a large car on the right side of the road. I have spent the last 2 decades driving a small heap of a jeep on the left side of the road throughout various islands in the Caribbean. So I not only had to learn to drive the motorhome, but had the added complication of relearning to drive on the right side of the road.

I imagine most newbies to Rving, do not have this problem.
Ahoy!
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Wednesday, September 29, 2010

Ever Wonder

What happens when a six ton motorhome runs over a 30 amp electric plug on a c-c-c-cold day?


You go shopping for a new replacement plug and come home with a doggie coat and a pair of shoes.

Then you spend 2 hours removing the old plug and 20 minutes installing the new plug.


Thank goodness for color coded wires!


Ahoy!
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Sunday, September 26, 2010

Honey Help Us

Honey, I redecorated the den for you.
Honey, I got seats for your firepit. 
Honey, I brought home a pet. 
Honey I fixed the air conditioner.

Honey, I trimmed that overgrown hedge.

Honey, you don't need a new mixer, I fixed it for you.

Honey, I fixed the lights for you.

Honey, I strung up the Christmas lights. 

Honey, I fixed the water sprinkler. 

Honey, I borrowed your car to go to the lake.

Honey, I fixed the car window.

Honey, I decorated the Christmas tree.

Honey, you said you were tired of being left alone while I went hunting. 



Ahoy!
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Saturday, September 25, 2010

Drinking Can Give You the Same Benefits as Yoga


Ananda Balasana

This position is great for massaging the hip area.


Savasana

Position of total relaxation.


Balasana

Position that brings the sensation of peace and calm.


Setu Bandha Sarvangasana

This position calms the brain and heals tired legs.


Marjayasana

Position stimulates the midriff area and the spinal column.



Halasana

Excellent for back pain and insomnia.


Dolphin

Excellent for the shoulder area, thorax, legs, and arms.

Malasana

This position, for ankles and back muscles.

Pigeon

Tones the body, and builds flexibility and helps get rid of 'stress'.


Salambhasana

Great exercise to stimulate the lumbar area, legs, and arms.

Ahoy!
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Friday, September 24, 2010

Help Me Go Viral on the Internet




Ahoy!  Here I am putting out the begging cup...


I am humbly asking all readers to help me go viral on the internet. My books are being sold at 15% off at Amazon, so I hope the discount helps sell books.   I have no control over how Amazon prices my book, so when they decide to discount it, I see it as a good thing. But Amazon can take the discount away again without notifying me of their intentions. So, I have no way of telling you how long this discount will last. 


Please ask all your email friends to visit 
http://DearMissMermaid.Com 
and consider buying "Hurricanes and Hangovers".


Everyone needs a good laugh don't they?


If you have read my book, a written  Amazon review, helps me tremendously with Amazon. I need about 50 reviews to seriously get Amazon's  attention. I am up to 27. So I am half way there!  Yippee!  I realize writing a review, takes time and effort. I appreciate all the good words. Bless you. I would be nothing without my readers. 

Viral marketing is informing others, thus infecting them with the information, hence the term "going viral on the internet."


I've tried sensationalism such as:
Pictures of Dear Miss Mermaid Sailing Naked. 


I've tried cutesy video such as:
Dear Miss Mermaid Makes Another Video

I've tried jokes such as:
Today's Funny Koala Bear Joke

I've tried weird news such as:
Interesting News Your Might Have Missed

I've tried unique Recipes such as:
One Pot Okra Jambalaya Recipe

I will just keep trying anything, to get attention.
Even my goofy dog...
Who said I looked goofy?









Ahoy!
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Loose Lies from the
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Thursday, September 23, 2010

The Road Less Traveled




I have not done more than 10 miles of interstate roads in the past two weeks. I prefer the back roads. Having my friend along for travel, means one of us can drive while the other navigates. Taking back-roads may often involve lots of turns and new routes, to get where we are going. I drove the first 7 days, my friend drove the last 3 days. Harley didn't drive at all. 

Somehow, I still manage to get lost, drive off the map, or end up somewhere different. I think my motorhome has a mind of its own, to go where it wants to go, rather than where I think I am going. 

Great. 

A motorhome with a sense of humor. 

Most puppy dogs get super excited to go somewhere in a vehicle. My little poohuahua tends to sleep through the trips, then gets excited when we stop to camp.  At a NY State Park, the manager sent us on a tour of the campground, with a few limited open spots to check and choose from. We slowly circled the park, making a note of the good, better and best spots, based on our needs. Our favorite camp site, may not be your favorite spot. 

I look for a level spot (ha!  don't we all!) followed by a nice play area for the dog. He has to always be tethered when outside. He must be growing up. He will actually play outside by himself quietly with his toys. Occasionally he starts yapping, then I beging the "Shhhhh, it's OK" traning to try to coax and coach him that one bark is enough. I know he speaks Yappanneese, but I want him to respond to commands.

He has learned to give out one bark only, when he is stuck. He often finds whatever is around, to tangle up his tether. I hear the one bark, so I race to his rescue, which makes him immensely happy. Occasionally, he will even take a nap alone outside, but this is rare. He prefers to come inside to curl up in his cat bed. 


After we slowly circled the campground, we settled on one spot that looked rather nice for both humans and canine. Now we had to drive back to the office, to officially register and pay. Little Harley had keenly watched us creep through the campground, his tail busily wagging as he approved of first one spot, then the next. 


As we approached the office, which is of course at the exit, Harley began crying and fussing. He was so excited to see us in the campground after a long afternoon drive, yet inexplicably we seemed to be leaving out the exit, so he voiced his unhappiness quite vocally. 


How do you explain to a puppy we are going back to camp after we pay?


Minutes later, on our way again, Harley was greatly relieved when we re-entered the campground, this time parking in our chosen spot, after stopping by to top up the water tank. 








I enjoyed being the navigator and passenger for a few days. I can be a terrible passenger, getting frightened easily, but my friend drives sedately like me, so I was able to relax.  New York has a state wide speed limit of 55 miles per hour.We seemed to be the only obeying it on these rural roads.  Most of the scenic highways we took, rarely allowed us above 45mph, due to twists and turns plus hills and valleys. 


I discovered the passenger seat not only has comfy arm rests but also reclines so one can prop up their feet.  The dashboard has a wide area that is perfect for holding the Road Atlas.



The latest system, for Harley's quick fix tethering system, is a new 28 foot retractable leash, attached to a bungee cord that has carabiners on both ends. In this picture we are camped at King Phillip's Campground in the Adirondack Mountains at Lake George, New York.


Harley plays with his toys on the patio mat. It's a generous 9 by 12 feet, a lovely birthday gift, we both cherish and use at almost every campsite. It has two folding seams lenghtwise, then once it's in thirds, I layer it accordion style for storage. It's lightweight, woven of UV coated polypropylene material, is breathable, easy to sweep or wash, and doesn't kill the grass underneath, if you are lucky enough to have grass. 

In the picture, to the left of the door, attached to the RV is the red bungee cord and the blue retractable leash. Harley can run 28 feet, though in this picture, he only has about 10 feet of his leash out. 

Ahoy!

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Wednesday, September 22, 2010

Interesting News You Might Have Missed

Interesting News You Might Have Missed









Ahoy!
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Take This Job and Shove It (Video Repaired)

Yesterday, my video didn't appear at all. I have lousy internet service with AT&T, so it's been a monumental battle, to get online and repair it. Sorry about that!


I hope you enjoy this short hilarious video! If you can't watch the video, leave me a comment and I will post it as a slide show or just pictures.

Ahoy!
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Hurricanes and Hangovers
and Other Tall Tales and
Loose Lies from the
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