Six Years Fulltiming In A Little Old Motorhome

Sunday!

Another beautiful day in paradise.

Next week I hope to CELEBRATE the 6th anniversary of buying and living fulltime in my little old wheel estate. I owe so many earthly angel many many thanks for their love, help and support over the years. I have no idea why I am so blessed, but I am thankful. THANK YOU!

Mileage when I bought the rig 38,505
Current Odometer reading 63,510
Miles driven 25,005
Average miles per year 4,167

What's so funny is that average mileage of 4,167 per year INCLUDES my personal errands and shopping (no car). Occasionally I rode with friends or had a ride somewhere, once even got a taxi, another time rented a car for day. A few times I've ridden my bicycle for shopping, not much since I am usually camping pretty far from shopping.

Traffic is so horrendous, I've just found ways to enjoy life on foot and paw or bicycle wheel, rather than being out and about in traffic all the time.

Odometer Readings on Annual Anniversary
2009 38,505 (bought rig in December 2009)
2010 45,410
2011 49,090
2012 53,074
2013 57,766
2014 60,030
2015 63,510

Here are the annual mileage figures:
2010 drove 6,905 miles (these were done in the last 6 months of 2010, the first six months were barely 200 miles)
2011 drove 3,680 miles
2012 drove 3,984 miles
2013 drove 4,692 miles
2014 drove 2,264 miles
2015 drove 3,480 miles

Total miles 25,005 (11 miles per day average for 6 years or 347 miles per month average)

A bad picture of the rear end of my motorhome in January 2010 a few weeks after purchase.
I had an old tarp over the RV until I could get the roof repaired, it leaked right after I bought it.
I wondered why the sellers had included a huge tarp with the sale.
It was snowing and this was in South Carolina
I was freezing cold. (That's not my car,)

Ironically, when I bought the motorhome, I wasn't expected to live much longer. I didn't get to go anywhere for months, but I sat in the rig wrapped up in a blanket daydreaming and pretending I was going to go places. Four months later I drove from South Carolina to Georgia, then Florida where I rested up another 2 months, then I briefly went back to work, but due to multiple failings, I just couldn't keep up, so I went on a trip to see old friends and careen around while I could. A friend flew into an airport along my route and traveled around with me for a few weeks. By then I had picked up this crazy little dog who is still wildly insane and traveling with me. His birthday is also in December. He will be 6 years old.

Strange but True...
A few weeks after I bought my motorhome, I put up a website with a lot of pictures and lengthy description of the motorhome, so that the person I had left the rig to, could add their price and phone number to sell it after my demise.

In a very strange twist of fate, that person is no longer living and I am super sad about that. However, I am completing their final wishes for them. More on that later.

I am very grateful I woke up alive today, still in my little old motorhome.

Life is goof.

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Thanksgiving In An RV Park

Life is GOOD! I woke up alive, the sun came up and it's Friday already.

The RV park here had a potluck Thanksgiving feast. The owner of the park works super hard hosting potluck every  Sunday at 5pm. Thanksgiving potluck was hosted by the owner at 4pm instead of 5. She cooked this huge turkey and side dishes too to kick-start the potluck. Her family comes to the park bringing more food and joins in on Sundays and of course for Thanksgiving too.

The RV park campers and semi-residents brought dishes too. Thanksgiving had a sign up sheet, I didn't sign up, I was too disorganized and my body hasn't been cooperating with my spirit lately. The spirit is strong, the body is weak. I don't want to commit to something and then be a no-show. I like to keep my word.

The Sunday potlucks don't have a signup sheet, you just show up with food and enjoy but the owner always cooks a  mountain of food and provides picnic supplies or you can bring your own plate and utensils. It's a fun event! We sit at round tables of 8 each. I get to listen to different folks each week, learning about their life and travels.

I try to go every Sunday and take a huge pot of food to share, sometimes two pots. I usually have to make several trips because it's very hard for me to carry much of anything, but I am hoping for drastic improvement.

The RV park owner asked me about Thanksgiving potluck, so I told her, I would make a surprise and come Thanksgiving but later I was seriously worried about this commitment. I felt like dog poop, but I made a huge crockpot of shrimp and yellow grits with bacon, cheese, corn and garlic. I figured there wouldn't be any duplicates of THAT dish.  I could at least send my food over, even if I wasn't able to attend and eat.

Then I realized the crockpot was too heavy.  Some days everything is too heavy. That crockpot felt like a 100 pounds.

Good grief.

I managed to stuff it into a great big cloth shopping bag (with a big rubber band holding the lid on tight) then lug it over early and plug it in on warm setting. I had to stop a few times resting, set the pot down, rest, pick it up and walk some more. I know... I probably could have asked for help, but I hate to bother anybody. I just wanted to get that dish there and go home to collapse in bed.

If I had THOUGHT about it, I probably could have rigged it up on my bicycle like I did one year, I actually rode my bicycle to a potluck with my crockpot strapped to the back of the bicycle. Sometimes on Sunday I fit my smaller crockpot in the front bicycle basket and ride it over, but I had cooked in the big crockpot. A couple of Sundays I had company that carried the pots over for me. PHEW!

But now I have a different bicycle and I scratched up my paint job on the old bicycle doing that with the crockpot because I didn't rig it up right, and well, I forgot to plan ahead and set it up properly on my new bicycle to ride it over in time. Riding a bicycle with a big hot crockpot of food may not sound like the safest thing to do, but it's kind of fun and last time I wasn't injured. Maybe I just couldn't think straight. Sheesh...

Yesterday, I got the crockpot there, by using the long straps on the cloth shopping bag to carry it without getting burned,  plugged it in and left. Back at my motorhome I was still feeling lousy but had to take the doggy out. He was having an off day too. He threw up! Poor thing. He normally has a sturdy stomach and he doesn't eat weird stuff. So no idea why he was sickly too. We both sickly, good grief. Such nonsense we don't need. We use a water purifier for drinking and cooking. Not that my pooch cooks, but I serve him purified water in his inside and outside water dish. Doggy ate his usual food lately, so no idea why he was having a rough time too. Maybe he was being sympathetic to my problems?

As 4pm approached, I wasn't sure I could make it back to potluck to eat, but I finally decided to go anyhow. I am glad I did. I was super shocked that when I walked in, a couple said "Oh we saved you a seat at our table!"  All round tables are for 8. I was super flattered. WOW. A saved seat! Made me feel super duper special. I felt so grateful and humbled.

I figured if I felt too awful, I could just excuse myself and bolt for the exit. I did that one week, I suddenly had a problem and I just said "excuse me" and vanished in an instant. Later when I was feeling a bit sturdier, I went back to apologize. The dinner was long over but a few folks were hanging around cleaning up and the owner, bless her heart, had washed my crockpot! I was very apologetic and thanked her profusely. She was really worried about my hasty exit, wondering if I was OK. WOW! Such caring folks here. I am blessed in oh so many ways.

I sat there grinning, pretending I felt WONDERFUL. No need to tell them I felt awful, scared I might have to bolt at any moment. I raved about the beautiful day, the recent decorations the owner and her family worked hard at putting up all day. When it was time to fetch food, I raved about it all. Nothing weird happened and dinner was AWESOME!

I had just a smidgen of turkey but I piled on a tiny spoonful of all the veggies and salads and then in a fit of frivolity,  I figured I better sample some of the deserts. Oh my gosh. I am so glad I went, it was quite fun and the conversation was lively. My body decided to behave long enough for me to smile and enjoy a wonderful meal with fabulous people.

Awesome!

One day recently I needed to order Harley's dog food from Amazon. They were out of the 7 pound bag I usually buy of Newmans Organic, so I ordered the 12.5 pound bag. That's a 6-7 month supply for my 6.6 pound mutt who does eat a lot for such a little guy. I prefer the 7 pound size because my motorhome is so tiny and severely limited on storage space. But he needed food, so I had to settle for the bigger bag. He loves this stuff, and usually he is pretty darn healthy.

Harley used to eat super cheap dog food, times were tough and we were both scraping by on a wing and a prayer. One day years ago, a super wonderful angel sent Harley a gift of  Newmans Organic food and WOW. His health improved, his fur grew out and he loved the stuff! I figure the healthier I try to keep him, the less chance of vet visits. 

Recently the 12.5 pound bag was delivered to the RV Park office and I couldn't carry the box, I was feeling pretty weak. But then a light bulb came on in my silly head. Eureka!  I rode my bicycle over, tore open the box, hauled the empty box to the dumpster, then came back and stuffed the huge bag of dog food in my bicycle basket and rode home again. If you've been reading my blog, then you know I have an electric assist kit on my bicycle in case I am too weak to pedal, but mostly I do pedal trying to get stronger. 

Life is GOOF.

Give Thanks, It's Thanksgiving!

May your stuffing be tasty

May your turkey plump,

May your potatoes and gravy

Have nary a lump.

May your yams be delicious

And your pies take the prize,

And may your Thanksgiving dinner

Stay off your thighs!

Recipe for a Bikini Tanned Turkey

"I love Thanksgiving turkey… it’s the only time in Los Angeles that you see natural breasts." 

— Arnold Schwarzenegger

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"Thanksgiving is an emotional time. People travel thousands of miles to be with people they only see once a year. And then discover once a year is way too often."

 — Johnny Carson

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I have never once shopped on Black Friday

in my entire life. 

However, I might take an online peek at Amazon...

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Hunting Life

Thanksgiving is around the corner.

I tell myself over and over; Give thanks! 

I am very thankful for mother nature and the wondrous scenes she serves up as delightful eye candy.


Photos from camping at Hunting Island, South Carolina 2015

Lately, I am busy doing all the things I don't want to do that need to be done so I can get to the things I want to do, and do that.

Confused? Me too!

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Meet Theodore

The Hand Knitted Bear

You Need A Real Dog for RVing

Harley Dog

Harley has lived in a little old motorhome for 6 years and much of it on leash or tether. Yet he is 6.6 pounds of pure terror-mix. It seems the training is never over. I try this, I try that. I read books, I went to training with him, I try being nice, I hand out treats, I try yelling (oops!) and still Harley is very willful.

He might. He might not.

Let's face facts.

Harley has a selective learning disorder. One ear up, one ear down.

That explains it! He only hears half of what I am trying to teach him...

Harley learns what he wants to know, just blissfully ignoring the useful commands. Silly things like coming when his name is called just goes in one straight up ear and out the other floppy one. Even his ear is indecisive. Awhile back he suddenly started lifting his floppy ear now and then. Mostly he tilts his head back so the flip flop one appears to stand up straight.

Fun Fact:
If I pedal over 8 miles per hour on my bicycle with Harley riding in his basket up front on the handlebars, his other ear stands up too. When I slow down my bicycle, his floppy ear slowly lowers itself.

It's a wonder I haven't fallen off my bicycle laughing!

Harley can play fetch with a ball and he can play frisbee.

I taught him that when "someone" and I'm not naming names... said "What you need is a REAL dog. A real dog like theirs. They had a big doggy that could sit on command (my ball of fluff couldn't even do that at the time...)

Hmm...

Yes, I was a tad insulted and cuddled my baby, um my doggy, telling him he was too a real doggy. Don't listen to that "someone" say he's not a real baby, oops! puppy dog.

So I figured since the little guy thinks he's a monkey clown, and loves to play, I could eventually teach him to play fetch the ball and bring back the frisbee. Once he got the hang of it, turns out he LOVES to show off playing ball and playing frisbee.

Oh and somewhere along the way, he finally acquiesced to sitting on command. More or less.

More if their is a treat involved, less if there isn't.

I ran into that "someone" and their big dog again. Maybe a year later. They still had their "real" dog and I had my ratty looking little monkey pooch on a leash.

The "someone" made some crazy remark about my excuse for a dog, reminding me his dog was a "real dog".

So I turned my canine loose while casually throwing a ball for him to fetch. We did that a few times when I switched to the frisbee. Yepper, my little boy plays with the real thing. Kept bringing that big red frisbee back every time. Gave me a big goofy grin, you know tongue hanging out, eyes lit up, feet rigid and ready to bolt,  waiting for me to throw it again.

Well guess what.

That "someone" stood there with their real dog.

Both of them had their mouths wide open. I kid you not!

Their dog can't play fetch or frisbee.

I got out a 2nd ball and handed it to that "someone". "Here, have a ball and let your dog play too!"

"Someone" threw the ball and their dog just sat there. No amount of encouragement could get him to go fetch the ball. After awhile he flopped down to rest, as if staring at my puppy who was frantically running back and forth playing frisbee, was positively wearing him out.

So I says to the "someone"  I says... (all in jest, but still it was FUN!)

"What you need is a a real dog!"

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Harley Dog

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Upheaval

Thank you for the wonderful comments and emails. I feel so encouraged!

Tiny Home Living at A Big Wheel RV Park, St Marys, Georgia

Whenever I camp, my site looks huge, because my rig is small with no slideouts and I don't have a car. Sometimes I whimsically wish campgrounds and RV parks would charge by the pound. Just have a big truck scale at the entrance, weigh us with all our junk then figure up the cost for camping per pound.

There are many RV-ers who travel with 10 times the stuff I do and there are minimalists who travel with a lot less than me.

Considering everything I own fits in my little old wheel estate and it's my 24/7/365 home, I feel pretty darn lucky! I have a home. Whee!

Lately I've been making numerous changes in my day to day life. This is HARD work. It's so much easier to be ho hum and make up a ton of excuses. That's easier than actually getting anything done. I tell myself "Just do it, no excuses. Excuses are a waste of time, energy and breath."

I realized I didn't have time to do the things that are very important to me. Hmmm...

Something wrong with this picture.

So I began looking at positives and negatives. What was sucking away at my time or energy that I could control and change?

That is when I discovered my AH HA moment.

So I began contemplating eliminating certain time and energy hogs. A few of them require me to finish up loose ends first. Grrr...

Not an easy task!

So far I'm plowing through at a snail's pace, seeing minor accomplishments hither and yonder. It feel terrific!

It's in my nature to lead a busy life, but these days and times, I need to slow way down for personal reasons. Maybe in the future, I will pick up the pieces and run full speed ahead, for now, I have to be content with a slower but peaceful lifestyle.

The hardest part is remembering each and every day to be super grateful for all the bounty that has come my way. I woke up alive, the sun came up, I was fed and my little doggy tried his best to drive me crazy. Life is goof!

Best of all, I had earthly angels make beautiful comments on my blog encouraging me in so many ways., telling me things I needed to hear. You touched my very soul.  I owe you many thanks.

THANK YOU! THANK YOU! THANK YOU!

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Mistaken Again

When I first bought my motorhome, I was under a lot of silly impressions. But as time goes on, I've learned a lot from my mistakes.

Um... maybe.

Was it mistakes or misinformation or I am I just slow to catch up with the way this country changes policies, laws, rules, regulations, customs and technology so rapidly, it leaves me breathless, mistaken and confused?

More on that another day...

If it's true one is supposed to learn from one's mistakes then I should be a Mensa genius by now!

Yepper, I make loads of mistakes. Just ask anyone that loves me or hates me or ask any stranger. All will quickly point out my numerous errors and mistakes.

Back to RVing and mistakes.

I thought I would happily careen around in my little old motorhome, breezing into campgrounds securing a spot for a few nights or weeks or months. You know, footloose and fancy free. I more or less did this the first year in my motorhome, but I had to rethink this strategy in order to comply with a very efficient budget. Otherwise too much time is wasted on the phone and internet, trying to find a spot to go to that has availability that has a price I can pay. Finding folks that even answer their business phones can be a huge problem these days.

RV parks and campground pricing is all over the place, there is no norm. If you want economical bargains, then plan ahead.

To find these,  many times I need prearranged prepaid reservations. Some of these have to be reserved and prepaid in full a year in advance or else I won't be able to breeze in and secure a campsite at all.

My motorhome was built for two seasons (warm and warmer) but not the other two seasons; blazing hot and freezing cold.

So guess what... the other RV-ers are often looking for that same beautiful temperate weather, so they and their RV can survive. There are times I forget to preplan and prearrange and prereserve and prepay. This has sometimes lead to chaos as I flail around trying to find a camping spot. Then when emergencies are thrown in, the schedule and the budget can start to crumble. Chaos turns to pandemonium. Just ask me about this past summer...

My little old motorhome is designed to be self-contained for super short term boondocking in temperate weather. I have occasionally done that. Anything else and it becomes problematic for me personally. Not going to go into that now, I know there are plenty of healthy folks in more lavish rigs that are able to boondock long term without access to any utilities at all. It's just not for me at this point and time given my own personal circumstance.

In my younger days, I lived in the Caribbean on a sailboat at numerous anchorages, not at marinas. I caught rain water to fill my tanks and used a tiny old solar panel for meager electrical requirements. It was fun! I had a blast, I was living the dream and much of the time I was blissfully enjoying remission, working and playing and living an alternative lifestyle. I had no heat or air conditioning. I relied on the trade winds to cool me off when hot or the occasional use of a 12 volt fan. When it was cold (well cold to me!) I used a blanket and heavier clothing. Of course I don't think I ever had to endure anything below 60F degrees on that sailboat, so that was a huge plus. I rationed my water carefully and designed my own rain catcher to top up my tanks. I am glad I did that when I could! Who knows what life offers up next, I couldn't do that lifestyle now, but never say never, it might happen again.

Well, back to here and now, living in America, careening around camping in my wheel estate.

RV parks and campground have a huge variety of reservation policies. There is no standard norm. Some penalize a customer heavily if any changes are made to a reservation, others are a bit more lenient and hospitable. Some have extra fees and penalties involved for daring to alter a reservation.

Now I know, read the fine print, don't  be fooled, don't assume because one park or campground does it this way, that the next one will be the same. It won't. It rarely ever is the same. Even worse, some interpret their policies in creative manners that don't seem to agree with the way it is written. More chaos.

This summer I survived blazing hot by being parked under a canopy of trees with the AC running full tilt boogie. I also used my outside shower faucet to hose down my face throughout the day. I could liberally spray cold water across my sweaty face without worrying about the mess. Of course the water in the "solar heated" water hose from the camp spigot to the outside shower faucet was often blazing hot, so I had to water a tree with the solar water until it cooled enough to cool my face. I could swab a wet rag on my face inside, but spraying that lush cold water across my face wasn't feasible inside without making a big wet mess. Besides, I wanted to keep the humidity at bay inside.

But freezing weather won't work for living in my motorhome without very expensive modifications. It can be stored if it is "winterized" which means filling the plumbing and holding tanks with anti-freeze.

Matter of fact, my first winter in my motorhome was near Greenville, South Carolina, about half way between Atlanta and Charlotte. It was a nightmare! First off, my plumbing was already winterized when I bought the motorhome in December, so I was forced to leave it that way. We had snow and ice quite a few times in Greenville that winter.

I took this picture from my bedroom window in my motorhome

January 2010 in Greenville, South Carolina.

That particular December, January, February and March, I was very sick, very cold and living without plumbing in the motorhome. I could barely walk and that provided more problems. Finally after 4 months, the end of March, I was well enough to drive away, pointing my compass south in search of thawing out my body and my wheel estate. It took me all day to make it to a campground near Savannah, Georgia. It was warm enough for me to finally flush out the plumbing and holding tanks, for the first time ever, use my indoor plumbing in my cruising cottage.

It was heaven on earth to have a working toilet and running water.

I felt like I had arrived into the 21st century.

Yes, some of the expensive motorhomes are built for their plumbing to withstand freezing temperatures, but mine is not and converting it to that would be cost prohibitive.

This old rig wasn't built for the cold... and neither is my motorhome. 

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Harley's Baby Crawl

This was posted by mistake, but what the heck. I will leave it be for the giggles.

If you can't see the super short video, then click this link:
http://dearmissmermaid.blogspot.com/2015/11/harleys-baby-crawl.html

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10 Reasons Why Those Who Follow Their Dreams Lead The Best Lives

At the end of this is a link to a great article "10 Reasons Why Those Who Follow Their Dreams Lead The Best Lives".



Finding this article while researching something else is serendipitous indeed.

I feel extremely lucky that so many of my  dreams come true.

Like waking up alive.

Lately *AHEM* I've felt like I might be on the wrong tracks or that I've derailed completely, living in denial that a derailment could have happened. Not me. No way. I see tracks somewhere under those overgrown weeds.

Maybe?

Feeling lost, confused and bewildered I stumbled into this article. I think it was meant for me to find it right now.

After carefully reading it, I do feel like I am indeed on the right tracks, covered in overgrown weeds, in a lonely desolate area of frightening hairpin turns and steep mountains that go up and down sharply, requiring my locomotion to slow way down in order to navigate with prudent care to stay on those bemusing tracks.

I wake up alive and feel like I am "living the dream" but oh there is so much work to be done. Chug, chug, chug, I think I can said the little train... But somebody has to stoke the fire, prime the steam, persevere over that mountain. Little old me dwarfed by the big pile of wood.

I needed a shove, a small confirmation that I was on the train tracks after all and not derailed. Amazingly this article magically appeared.  Splitting all that wood to stoke that fire, seems worth it. I'll either get this train over that mountain or huff and puff and blow a lot of smoke trying.

10 Reasons Why Those Who Follow Their Dreams Lead The Best Lives

The link is here:
http://elitedaily.com/life/motivation/10-reasons-why-those-who-follow-their-dreams-lead-the-best-lives/

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Time Will Tell

I survived Friday the 13th (yesterday!).

Time will tell whether or not I am able to continue writing this blog on a daily basis. 

Yes, I want to keep posting daily about the wild misadventures I seem to get into, but as with so many things in life, there are problems and changes too.

At this point and time, I am experiencing multiple changes in my day to day, hour to hour, minute to minute, second to second little old life.

I have to be super careful that stress does not factor in much yet it is sneaking up on me wrecking a bit of bizarre havoc.

I guess for me, stress  is what happens when "alarming things" happen. I can't control outside forces but I am trying to control me (and I am a handful of handling!)

Change is inevitable... but I am plain tuckered out.

Simplicity. 

I woke up alive and I am very grateful for that miracle.

All my needs are met. I have food, clothing, and shelter.

Wishes, wants and dreams are optional, but I am so blessed in numerous ways.

I wish to give thanks to all the earthly (and heavenly) angels that have gone out of their way to make a positive impact on me. Just showing up to read this is certainly angelic of you!

Thank you. Thank you very much. Thank you for being you!

I try (but it's hard!) to remind and tell myself over and over and over to be grateful and rejoice every day.

Life is goof!

If I'm not all here, it's because I'm not all there... 

My critter companion.

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Bless You and Thank You!

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Mini Monsoon Madness

Mini Monsoon

Recently with no warning, a mini monsoon hit St Marys, Georgia. We had something crazy like 5-6 inches of rain in 24 hours, with ridiculous wind gusts. I hobbled outside to throw my outdoor lifestyle under the motorhome awning but not much help, everything was soaked already. Luckily my treasured bicycle was already covered.

I am not strong enough yet (since the river accident) to take my awning down, it is a cantankerous piece of  cobbled up junk I live with but I keep it weighted down with water jugs suspended from the frame. My helping friend (read that Saint and Angel!)  went home some time ago.

I have to figure out newfangled ways to do things... or not do them...

The two water jugs (one at each end) keep the awning from flying away in a storm, such as the mini monsoon. However, the 40 and 50 mile an hour gusts of wind, would hit the weighted awning attached to my motorhome and rock the wheel estate from side to side. If I could have taken it down, the storm would have been a bit more bearable. (Less scary!)

Harley dog and I clinged  to each other inside cringing in wonder, thinking we were sailing some choppy waters at sea.

When there was a lull in the storm, I tried to take Harley for a walk so he could unlock his bladder and do doggy business. He kept running and hiding under the pillows in the bed even tough the rains had briefly subsided. I got out his raincoat and he agreed he would go walking after I put it on him. I carried a huge umbrella just in case.

While out walking, the winds suddenly picked up and it rained twenty-two thousand acorns vertically, horizontally and at every weird angle. Harley was crying for me to pick him up, but I couldn't because the sudden winds had flipped my umbrella inside out and back again. I tried to crouch down with Harley's leash draped over my arm and clutching the wacky umbrella with my good hand and bad hand, no third hand to hold a scared little puppy. The acorns pelted us from every direction bruising us up a bit. Then the rains started back with a vengeance.

I thought we might take flight at any moment and meet Mary Poppins or wave at Dorothy's house flying in the clouds.

After the storm...

Above is my "thing of beauty" I captured to remind me EVERY day is awesome.

Below is my washed laundry hung up to dry behind my little old RV. That is my homemade laundry rack made from the old faux brass frame from old shower door. I think I mentioned awhile that my shower door had to be replaced. Sadly, the beautiful brass frame from the old one could not stay in place.

Waste not want not! Why throw out a perfectly good piece of hardware when it can be upcycled. One less piece of junk in the dump. A hack saw shortened the framing and a hand drill made the clothes hanger holes. It it counter-levered naturally by the built-in rear ladder on the RV.

Simplicity!

My "new" laundry rack goes up in 2 seconds and comes down in 1 second. Even though this RV park doesn't allow anyone to use clothes lines, no one has complained about my personal interpretation of the rules. Yes, the owner has seen it and thought it rather ingenious. I keep an eye on the drying laundry and remove it all promptly. If anyone does complain or if it starts to rain (again!) I can snatch the hangers and run inside to hang them in the shower where I have an overhead rod to hang them from. Mostly folks stop by asking me "where" I "bought" that laundry drying rack.  When I wash towels, I just pin them to clothes hangers, then hang them from the same rack. My compact washing machine (see link) only does small loads, so I only need to dry a small bit at a time.

Before the monsoon, it was so hot, I was cooking outside in a crock pot by the utility post, to keep the heat out of my cruising cottage.

 Happier daze...

I locked up my bicycle to walk the doggy in the deserted state park on a sunny day in the past. I don't own a car, but I have bicycle... will wander!

I decided to take a picture of it before doggy and I went walking. Sadly, I had to stop riding for a week and I miss it oh so much, but I will be back on it soon I hope.

The mini monsoon encouraged lots of fungi to sprout up.

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 A Mermaid and a Dog on a Bicycle

Thanks You for keeping us rolling

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Complications

A thing of beauty.

If I can find one beautiful reason every day, it confirms my suspicions...

I woke up alive and life is goof.

THANK YOU!

Hardy Har Har

Oh be joyful!

Another day in paradise. 

Thank you for stopping by. 

Photo is from Hardee Lakes, Florida in the spring of 2015. 

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Angels are never turned away

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Some Daze

Some days are good.

Some days are better.

Some are just a daze.

Thanks for the memories. 

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My Life is Comedy in a Boo-Boo Way

Lately I am doing one thing at a time and it's very comical!

My friend who was helping me out since I shattered my wrist had to leave and go far, far away. I've learned how to do things in a simpler way, but it all takes a lot of time and creative ingenuity. If I had a video following me around, you could all be laughing along with me as I flail and flub trying to do common tasks that end up in disaster.

Like I was trying to scrape some leftovers from a wok into a small container. I thought I was being smart, cooking extra for the next meal. I was using my new rebuilt wrist and my other hand.  I was using both hands, one to hold the wok the other to scrape out the leftovers. But I dropped the wok.

My new wrist  is not as sturdy as I had hoped.  Food everywhere on the floor. I tried to sweep up the food then dropped the dustpan before I made it to the garbage can under the table. So now I get to sweep up the same food twice, only in a different place now. I was mad at myself for wasting food. Doggy and I walk all over these floors so no telling what germy things are lurking there.

Grrr...

So I went to mop the sticky residue leftover from scattering my next meal on the floor. But I don't have a mop, so I stick a microfiber rag under my foot and mop that way. It's a tiny motorhome. I just never got around to buying a mop. I saw some food on the floor I missed under the table. So I bent over to pick it up, going up under the table. Somehow (no idea) I bumped my big frigging head on the table knocking over a cup of coffee that *somebody* set close to the edge. (Next time I will put my coffee in the CENTER of the table.)

Good grief! The mug didn't break because it rolled down my back spilling coffee on my backside (I was still halfway under the table) and on to the floor. The floor I just mopped. Coffee on my clean shirt and shorts. The clean ones I put on after my shower.

The coffee wasn't hot because I had made it after lunch, then before drinking it I thought I should put away the leftovers first. In the ensuing chaos, the coffee had fortuitously cooled down. More mopping. Then change my clothes, shower again, rinse out the coffee in the clothes.

No wonder I am behind on everything I need to do. I am too busy trying to save time (cook double in the wok.)

Sometimes I bump or pull my wrist the wrong way (is there a right way?) and it makes me SCREAM. I am trying to figure out how to muffle that so as not to disturb the neighbors.

I must look like a nervous wreck at times, because when I am not taking care of pure chaos, I am trying to wiggle and exercise my fingers and wrist to make it super functional and strong again. It hurts but I just grimace and bear it. I mean GRIN and bear it.

Life is goof.

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It keeps me rocking and rolling and writing. 

Bless You and Thank You!

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Out Of What?

I am out of sorts here. 

When I get some sorts, I be writing and posting again. 

Soon come. 

I go to come back. 

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2006 Blast from the past...
This will explain "I go to come back" and some of the island lingo... and why I be talking all funny like some daze.

Below: Enjoy a reprint from 2006, when I was living in the Caribbean writing as a volunteer weather correspondent for StormCarib.com

This post is from http://stormcarib.com/reports/2006/bvi4.shtml

Twick or Tweat, Fan the Heat, Give me Something Cold to Eat

From: DearMissMermaid at aol.com Date: Tue, 31 Oct 2006 12:04:56 EST

946am the current done mash up again 1010am the rains start coming down, gray skies 1017am sun playing peek-a-boo, but rains still falling 1029 rains top but sky is still overcast with sun playing hide-and-seek (19 minutes of rain!  WOW!) 1035 am rains start up with more gusto! 1036 am rains stop, quite abruptly 1046 am DA current done come back on, after only one hour, now daft is pretty quick Typical sort of rains are the norm in the islands. Typical BVI Electricity outage is the norm too. Dat guv-ment keep saying dey fixed our current problems.  But like my friend says,"Da guv-ment here for one purpose and one purpose only and dat is to mess t'ings up for the rest of us!"  And I must admit, I agree whole heartedly. Like many residents I plug-out my t'ings like dat computer and stuff I don't want dat big bad  BVI Elec-tricky to mash up if and when they decide to flip that big switch and bring us back online. Lucky for me I have cellular internet and laptop batt-tree, so I can still communicate even when dat elec-tricky mash up. By the way, the BVI is on Atlantic Standard Time, year round. So for those of you that still honor that semi-annual daylight savings time, we don't!  Folks here are very confused about time. When they say they "go to come back", that means they are leaving and will be back in 10 minutes, or 5 hours or 3 days or 2 years. Many folks do not wear watches or own calendars. I was at the hospital last week and waiting in line in my pilfered wheel chair,  to pay my bill so I could get more X-rays. Several people were scattered around in the waiting room.  The man in front of me pulled out a check book and asked what day it was. Someone said Thursday and he nodded. A lady gasped Thursday?  But my appointment was for Wednesday! An old woman said "What?  You been waiting here 2 days to see a doctor?"   Meanwhile another  said the 25th, a lady said, no  the 26th and someone else said, no it's the 19th.  Eventually we voted for the 26th.  Then he asked what month it was. Someone volunteered September and another corrected them to October. The old man scribbled on his check book. Then he asked and do you know what year it is?  The line was silent for a moment then someone said I think it's either 2005 or 6. Then he asked if we thought it was 2pm yet. Two said no and three said it was later than 2. So can you imagine if we decided to change our time twice a year?  It's confusing  enough that we keep changing the day every 24 hours. The seasons just don't change much here to mark time. Dusk and dawn have very quick twilights, so basically either it's dark or it isn't.  Hence the term dark-thirty.  I must admit, when tourists ask me what time it is, if it is still daylight, I look at my bare wrist and say "It's half past a freckle..." Indeed if you are outside and ask the time, during the day, many folks will look heavenwards and give you an approximation that is very often pretty darn accurate. So why wear a watch?  T'ings start late here, folks show up late and time and watches, are  just something new-fangled that the rest of the world uses.  Rolex  is going to open up a shop here soon. So now we can pay $7,000 to know what time it is. While I am sure the tourists and some of the well-heeled sailors will flock to the new store, it is doubtful they will make many sales to islanders.

Lentil Rice Pilaf Volcano

I was going to a potluck Sunday at the RV park where I am camping for a spell. I like to take one or two big dishes of something homemade to share. This week I decided to make lentil rice pilaf with wild brown rice, lentils, onions, garlic, secret herbs and spices plus tossing the final version  with a pretty good dose of Braggs Liquid Aminos.  That's my secret ingredient.

Well, not much of a secret ingredient now that I've told YOU!

Living in a small motorhome means tradeoffs in the kitchen, so in other words my "big pot" is also my wok. 

A wok is what you throw at a wabbit...

I don't go around throwing woks at wabbits (heaven forbid!) but I think Elmer Fudd did this in Bugs Bunny cartoons. 

An important phone call came in while I was cooking. I seem to have quite a few phone phobic friends. Those types that don't do anything having to do with technology and that includes phones. Seems to be rampant with certain musicians and artists, both of which include some lifelong friends that live in far flung ports. I didn't want to put them off, when a phone phobic friend finally calls me, I want to chat in case they drop off the planet for a few more weeks or months before working up their nerve to make a phone call.

SILLY ME! I thought I could put the phone on speaker and finish assembling my lentil rice pilaf in the wok pot, let it start cooking and sit down in my rocking chair to continue the conversation. 

Well, my friend said something funny and we were laughing. I guess I missed a beat while measuring and counting out cups of rice and lentils. I tossed in the water and beef stock, which I measured too. Covered the pot up then sat down to finish the phone call. 

Later when I checked my cooking pot, I noticed it was sorely lacking in liquids! I quickly threw in more water... and later even more water and this pot of lentils and rice just kept growing and growing and growing like a volcano. I kept adding more water. It was comedy in the kitchen! I was wondering if was stuck in a crazy slapstick dream.

To my horror, I was awake. Life is goof. 

So if you're wondering who brought 4 gallons of lentil rice pilaf to the potluck... that was me. Luckily folks devoured a goodly portion of my massive dish and the leftovers were carted home by some of the campers that really enjoyed it and desired more for future reference. Phew! My fridge is tiny and only so much I can cram in there.

YES!  I still have lentil rice leftovers for myself too. 

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It keeps me rocking and rolling and writing. 

Bless You and Thank You!

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