Answers, Part I

A big thank you to everyone that takes time to make a comment. I do read them every day. Most questions I answer in future posts then sometimes I fall behind. So here are some of your questions and my answers.  I plan to answer more questions in a forthcoming Part II. 


Enjoy!

Mermaids are Timeless living many, many, many years due to frequent hibernating throughout the centuries.
Dear Miss Mermaid by the Sea, circa 1684

I don't know about the rude part. I usually am dumbfounded, and then think of all the things I should have said later on, when I am stewing on it. Anyway, if you leave, make sure they see you driving out, wave and smile as big as you can. Like you're having the time of your life and they are the dum dums. Heh heh heh. Anyway, I haven't seen your picture on the blog and am curious. Is there a reason you don't reveal your famous self? I am just curious to know if you're my age, early 50's. onRunning Afoul


I photograph terribly. I'm timeless and ageless. (Don't I wish!)  Age and illness can sometimes do cruel things. I have so many battle scars it might frighten the camera! Now I am going to pull off my socks to finish counting my age. I've run out of fingers 4 or 5 times now and lost count. (Mermaids grow temporary legs when not at the seashore.)


I truly have seen lots of stuff in my day, but never ever have I seen a dawg like Harley.... I've asked before but didn't get a response... What... I say what... kind of puppy is Harley.. wire haired terrier? I'm with Cyn... glad you checked in. Cyn? Roxanne? y'all know what this puppy dog is? A breed all his own.. HAHaaaa... so cute on Puppy Posts


I adopted him from a classified ad posted on CragisList.org on May 25, 2010.  He was born Christmas Day 2009.  I was told he was a Poohuahua, half poodle and half chihuahua. Someone was advertising they had to get rid of him and wanted a loving home. He was free and my adopt-a-pet budget was tiny, so that was a good fit. I needed a dog that could be comfy in my little old wheel estate and hopefully be my best friend. 


Calling on the phone, I found out the pup had been "voted out of the family" because the father had determined that the family had too many dogs. A male teenager was extremely attached to Harley.  There was no picture of him on the classified ad. Over the phone, I agreed to take the five  month old puppy, sight unseen!  


I drove about an hour to their house. It was busy with a crowd of relatives coming and going. The teenager brought the puppy to the door, handing him over to me. When I asked if he had a harness or leash or toys, the teen looked at me like I was crazy and said "No.  He has none of that!"  When I got back to my camping spot at my friend's house, they poked great fun at us, saying "Could you have picked out an uglier dog?"


On many walks, the strangers we meet, often ask "What is THAT?" while pointing at Harley who often dances around like a flea who can't make up his mind where to land. The next most popular comment is "He sure is a happy dog!"  He is a very friendly, outgoing doggy, wanting to flirt and make friends with most every one he encounters, especially children. I have a dream of having him volunteer to visit children's hospitals spreading cheer. He needs more training, maturity and a certificate. But one day... we will get there. 


When I got Harley, he was so ugly, he was cute and I fell in love with him. He was severely malnourished. A few days later the teenager called to check on him. He told me that they had been feeding him Corn Chips and Doritos. I changed his name for security reasons and did not tell the former owners the new name. I was happy to give the teen updates whenever he called. He  later admitted that Harley had been to a vet once who yelled at them because he was so malnourished and far too weak for his shots. 


Indeed, the first week, Harley had the energy of a sleepy turtle. I thought I had a made a serious mistake!  But day after day, I coaxed him to eat healthy puppy chow. One day he woke up full of boundless energy!  He has been running nonstop ever since. 


Teaching him to walk on a leash was hilarious. He would fall over and play dead whenever I put his harness and leash on him. I ended up carrying him in my arms on our numerous puppy piddle training walks. It was either carry him or drag him, and I refused to drag the pathetic little waif. I would set him down to water a bush every 50 feet or so. He would do so, then cry loudly like a baby until I picked him up again, refusing to try walking the leash. Indeed he was scared of everything it seemed.


One day he was peeing when he saw a squirrel. He ran over to check it out. It was the first time he ever walked on a leash!  I was ecstatic. After that he loved walking on a leash, flitting from side to side, back to back as if I had put a butterfly on a string. 


If I take 99 pictures of him, one comes out cute. Most are blurs of puppy fur, as he seems to be always in motion.  


The grey heron picture is beautiful, you should be proud since it looks like something you would see in National Geographic. Why are all of the campgrounds so full? Is it the retirees living down there for the winter or what? I am sorry you still are feeling so bad. You sounded like you were on the mend for awhile there. I hope it makes you feel better that I read your blog daily and am envious of your RV lifestyle. I also visit Amazon through your website with hopes that every little bit helps! on Missed Mardi Gras


Thank you one and all for reading my blog!  It's now available on Kindle too. 


Florida has been very busy this winter. Last year's brutal winter sent crowd's of part time RV snowbirds scurrying down here in hopes of warmer weather. Many sew up a park reservation for months, rather than travel around.  Some weeks there are so many events going on around Florida, that campgrounds fill to capacity quickly. Many Floridian residents love to camp on weekends too. So in the winter months, finding camping spots without advance reservations can be chaotic so that is why I turn up in strange places at times or move from site to site, because I didn't pre-plan.  I have to go south for the winter too because my little old motorhome doesn't do well at all when temps drop below 45-50F degrees. My insulation was designed for temperate weather. For health reasons, I need to avoid brutal cold weather. The winter of 2009/2010 I spent in my motor home in upstate  South Carolina. Incredibly I ended up with pictures of all the snowfalls we endured that year. Very strange winter indeed. I thought I would never thaw out, I was so cold all the time. I guess mermaids need fair weather too. 


Thank you so much for using my Amazon links for shopping. Those little commissions keep adding up and I appreciate your thoughtfulness wholeheartedly.  You are keeping that crazy little dog, Dear Miss Mermaid and this old wheel estate, well fed.  Bless you!  You make my heart sing. 


Are the cows just walking around like that? What does Harley do, when he sees them? on Random Little Secrets


Yes, the cows are just walking around like that when they aren't riding in their Cowdillacs or Moocedes. Harley yeilds and gives them right away. 


I love the picture of the cow crossing the road. I'm going to let my dog, Lady, buy me a sleeping bag if I ever get my REI dividend! I hate to give her my credit card, though. on Random Little Secrets

Oh look, Amazon carries this cute camping set for pets, it includes a tent, sleeping bag and a camping hat for the pet. Maybe your dog  will buy this and share the sleeping bag with you. I like the optimistic design that includes a zipper on the sleeping bag. (Can a pet be taught to zip himself in?)

Hi, You know those electric sockets that have the red reset button on them? Usually they are located in the bathroom. If you have any of those, push on them. When they trip, they affect more than one socket. Even with all the chaos, sounds like you are in good spirits. PS I bought your book on Kindle last week! on Gremlins

Ah, I wondered about that little red button. I thought it was the call button for the stewardess.  Thanks VERY MUCH for buying my book on Kindle!


The gas tank leak sounds like it could be serious. Never good to have leaking fuel. If it only does it while filling, it may be in the fill line. You can probably just patch that. If you have not already, check the ground fault sockets, maybe one of them has popped. Hope you are not emotionally attached to your computer:( Not to place blame,but Harley does look a bit guilty:) on Gremlins


I was told I could climb under the gas tank with a cigarette lighter and find that gas leak in a hurry.   I don't like to crawl under there, I might get stuck. Something might drip on me.  


I did find the ground fault switch, it's the stewardess call button in the bathroom.  Apparently, I don't have a stewardess.  No wonder nobody shows up when I push it. 


Emotionally attached to a computer?  Not exactly, it doesn't smile, hug, laugh (or even  vibrate.)  If my blog vanishes, you can assume my computer died. (And once I scream, holler, cry and utter unprintable words, I'll be over it...)


Oh those gremlins can just get lost!!! My first car was actually a Gremlin ;-) Really. Hope you find your cord. That sucks. otherwise, it might be a trip to BigLots to see if they have them in stock. Or Radio Shack, but BL is more fun. I'll put a link for your book up on my FB page. on Gremlins


THANK YOU, for mentioning me on Facebook. I am glad you understand the mysteries of the techno social  world. 


I understand Big Lots, Gremlins and Radio Shack, but FaceBook, I just don't understand at all.  Time and time again I read that if DearMissMermaid.Com goes viral on Facebook or Twitter, the books will pay off handsomely. So far that hasn't happened but I am hopeful to figure out such exotic mysteries one  day. 


A friend bought me a folding shovel last year. I mentioned I wanted to find an army surplus store, so he stopped on his way home and bought me one :-) I used to have a telescoping garden tool and  loved it too when I had my house and flower beds. That came from the General Dollar store. I love Big Lots though! on Sandals, Shovels and Hovels


I remember my father had a cool shovel leftover from the Army.  It folded up and came with a nice canvas case. Harley's new shovel has been getting quite the workout, as I cover up the holes he keeps enthusiastically digging. 


I love this post...too, funny! I want to shovel linens! on Sandals, Shovels and Hovels


Maybe this will start a new trend, shoveling linens on aisle four...


Hope you took your Dundee knife with you:) on Weird Wednesday


Amazingly, Amazon sells Dundee knives too. I have a frightening knife, one of many I bought in a $2 box full of knives at Goodwill. It appears to not only skin a crocodile but open up cold beer too. Pictures coming soon. 


Ah yes, ye olde reset button! It sure can make one short tempered for a short while though huh? Now you have me thinking about the nair commercial "Who wears short shorts We wear short shorts They're such short shorts We like short shorts Who wears short shorts We wear short shorts." on Short Story


I want some of what you're smokin' in your short shorts!  ;)


I think I would rather walk on your trail than on the streets where I live. It looks like a great place to walk and think. on Weird Wednesday


I love walking in nature, it is far safer than the streets. I was almost hit twice while coming out of the grocery store with my buggy.  I was foolishly crossing in the crosswalk, when a car suddenly tried to mow me down. It was frightening!  I scampered out of the way,  to narrowly miss getting hit. Then incredibly, a guy on the phone, driving from the other direction, tried to turn me into just a greasy spot in the middle of the crosswalk. When I made it back to the wheel estate, I hugged my puppy, grateful I had survived the asphalt jungle and managed to hunt down food for us too in spite of my narrow miss with becoming road kill. 


How about: The blog today was nothing short of fantastic! Thanks for the laugh. onShort Story


*BLUSH*  Thank you for the short comment on short stuff in the short story.


That actually sounds cool! bright pink shorts with black boots. Isn't that what celebrities wear? on Snake Stomping Boots


Thank to your comment, I now often wear my boots with the hot pink shorts, just to keep everyone wondering if I am a celebrity...






I'm with you! This is a part of RVing, we can leave if things look scary and I'd be thinking on the same terms as you. Hurricanes are the reason I have mine and well, now it's the reason I live in mine...but I have the comfort of knowing that I can leave if needed, taking my little house on wheels and my pets along with me to safe grounds. on Running Afoul


Those daggum hurricanes, make one want to chronically prepare for calamity. Many folks don't get that about me.  After surviving more than my fair share of disasters, I am mostly ready for the next fiasco, which I fervently hope, never happens. But I am more or less prepared for whatever slaps me in my silly face next...  My life has sure been a wild roller coaster ride, lived in slow motion the past two years.  I wonder what on earth is around the corner next for me. I plan one thing but another happens. Funny how that works. 


I see a possible Land Shark story in your future. on Rut Roh


Many land shark stories coming out in the next book... also some sea tales of  life afloat. 


Stayed tuned for Part II, when I answer more questions and thank you for  your wonderful comments made throughout this blog. Thank you for reading my books, blogs and articles. 


You are my ANGELS!  THANK YOU! THANK YOU!  And that ridiculous dog named Harley thanks you too.