PART 3 OF 3
I guess May 9th brought the scariest night for me. I'm glad that it was a short storm. It only lasted about 15 minutes -- but that was enough for me! I was so involved with watching the storm on radar, I forgot I had all three parrots out. All of a sudden, I had all three of them on the dining table 'begging' me to put them up! It just rolled in at once and was over as fast as it got there. 70 mph straight line winds -- knocked out the power - toppled utility poles -- took down some of the trees in town square, one block away from the RV park. It was quite the rock'n' roll -- like an eathquake for a few minutes -- rattled the RV enough that it sent the cages toppling to the floor! The cat immediately ran into her riding space and stayed there until morning and Li't Bit stuck to me like velcro! Linda and Ed came by when it was over to make sure we were all OK.
The sounds and lights from outside brought an eery sensation inside - I'm sure every emergency and utility vehicle from Gatesville and surrounding communities were running with lights and sirens. The pulsating glow of the flashing yellow, blue and red lights from the vehicles running up and down the streets resembeled an unfinished artists canvas reflecting from the windows and on the walls. No sense in even trying to check for hail damage until the AM.
Daybreak made visible the exetent of the damage. Major power lines in town are down, trees and utility poles uprooted, snapped off and laying across the streets. Johnnie and Brenda both stopped by to make sure things were OK - how do folks get along when they don't have good friends!
As far as I could tell, the only damage was a few marks from hail on the front end of the RV. The trailer next to me took the brunt of the storm. So the side of my RV and the truck were protected by the trailer. I told my neighbor that was a 'right neighborly' thing for him to do!
Through the power outtages, I found that the Power-Pal I have to run my C-PAP will run for 7 hours if I use the 12V adaptor cord. I was concerned about having my CPAP when I'm on the road overnight and not hooked up to shore power. I had tried it out on several occasions and found that using standard 120V plug I only got 4 hours - it would take two Power-Pals to get me through the nite.
The wings on the TV antenna are bent, but the main pole/support seems to be OK. The carpet in the bathroom is wet. I'm sure it was just the roof vents flapping and flopping all nite and the rain blew in - will have to see about getting some covers over those vents.
Due to all of the power outages during the storms, I found that my Power-Pal would provide electricity for my C-PAP for 7 hours using the 12 Volt cord, but only 4 hours using the regular cord. That's a great piece of news. That means, with my two Power-Pal units, I can easily stay on the road and not worry about having power for the C-PAP at nite! Sure doesn't take much to make me happy!
I'm not sure if I'll ever get used to being in the RV with the winds and the storms, but little did I know that this was just a 'dry run' and 'practice session' for what was to come in Iowa this spring!
Thursday, July 31, 2008
Hail, Hail Rock 'n' Roll - Spring in Central TX
PART 2 OF 3
The weather started warming up as we rolled into April. It actually started getting into the 80s. Of course, that doesn't mean the storms are gone - given all of this heating and cooling of the air and all of these Highs and Lows floating across the weather map, I'm keeping the hooded sweatshirts handy. And I'm getting good at securing the critters for the winds!
Had some more strong winds that fipped up the roof vent in the bedroom -- had some leaking but not the damage like the kitchen vent. And guess who rode out the first close call with a tornado warning!! My "go to" place was across the street in the post office building -- one of those older ones made of granite and marble! But I can't take the critters, so I watched the Doppler radar on the computer and decided to stay put.
Oh, we must have been a sight! When I could see the warning was a little more than just a warning, I took the swinging things out of the bird cages, strapped them in with the ratchet strap like I do when we travel. Tossed my comforter over the cages and we huddled together -- the dog, the cat, and me with the laptop - all under the comforter! We rocked and rolled - hail hit the RV -- the winds, the pounding rain - the actual tornado went south by about 5 miles. WHEW!! But 5 miles is a long way in 'tornado talk.'
Too bad I don't have a pair of ruby red shoes like Dorothy had in the Wizard of Oz!
And the storms just kept coming. Oh, interspersed with the winds and the hail and the rain, there were some really sunny nice days. About the time I was ready to put away the sweateers, along comes April 14 -- I wake up to 37 degrees!!!
But the storms weren't over. The end of April brought more winds, rain, hail and flooding all around. The bright side here is that all of this blowing and raining gets a lot of the dust and pollen out of the air and certainly makes it easier for me to breathe! I can't believe I lived in this crappy weather and pollen for over 20 years!
The weather started warming up as we rolled into April. It actually started getting into the 80s. Of course, that doesn't mean the storms are gone - given all of this heating and cooling of the air and all of these Highs and Lows floating across the weather map, I'm keeping the hooded sweatshirts handy. And I'm getting good at securing the critters for the winds!
Had some more strong winds that fipped up the roof vent in the bedroom -- had some leaking but not the damage like the kitchen vent. And guess who rode out the first close call with a tornado warning!! My "go to" place was across the street in the post office building -- one of those older ones made of granite and marble! But I can't take the critters, so I watched the Doppler radar on the computer and decided to stay put.
Oh, we must have been a sight! When I could see the warning was a little more than just a warning, I took the swinging things out of the bird cages, strapped them in with the ratchet strap like I do when we travel. Tossed my comforter over the cages and we huddled together -- the dog, the cat, and me with the laptop - all under the comforter! We rocked and rolled - hail hit the RV -- the winds, the pounding rain - the actual tornado went south by about 5 miles. WHEW!! But 5 miles is a long way in 'tornado talk.'
Too bad I don't have a pair of ruby red shoes like Dorothy had in the Wizard of Oz!
And the storms just kept coming. Oh, interspersed with the winds and the hail and the rain, there were some really sunny nice days. About the time I was ready to put away the sweateers, along comes April 14 -- I wake up to 37 degrees!!!
But the storms weren't over. The end of April brought more winds, rain, hail and flooding all around. The bright side here is that all of this blowing and raining gets a lot of the dust and pollen out of the air and certainly makes it easier for me to breathe! I can't believe I lived in this crappy weather and pollen for over 20 years!
Hail, Hail, Rock 'n' Roll - Spring in Central TX
PART 1 OF 3
Hail, Hail, Rock 'n' Roll -- what more can I say about central Texas spring weather.
I mentioned my snow-day set up -- and I'm not sure the weather improved much! It went from cold and snowy to rainy and dreary. Horrible winds and blowing rain came through on March 19 and did some damage to my roof vent in the kitchen. Trying to close the vent and the rain was coming in, the little handle/crank broke off and I couldn't get the damn vent lid closed! The wind had really whipped it back and it was just not going to come down. In the process of tring to close it, I put my hand through the screen, it tore like paper - must be an original part of this '93 RV! Horrible, horrible, horrible winds and blowing rain. Rock-a-bye baby in the RV! The "cradle" was rocking and I was beginning to think the "bough" was about to break!
About March 26 we had a 'frost-free' day and the temp got into the 60s but still having 'high wind advisories.' By March 28 we were back to "chilly and rainy" and I'm soooo glad my sister sent me those hooded sweatshirts last winter when I was in Rockport.
Of course, there is a 'shiny lining' to all of this rain and wind - gives me a good opportunity to set in the RV and work on those VHS tapes to DVD. I'd like to get as many finished as I can - since I plan on dropping the VHS tapes off with Johnnie before I hit the road again. What in the world would I do without Johnnie and her family!
However, I must be more attentive to what I'm transferring and watching prior to bedtime. It was not a good choice to watch What Ever Happened to Baby Jane, Psycho and The Birds all in one evening!
Many of the inside hours were spent listening to the weather radio and dreaming -- dreaming of a trip to Montana to see Colleen -- and a trip to Fargo to see Linda -- and a trip to Pennsylvania to see Marianne. In my mind, if I can make the 3-day trip to Iowa, I can go anwhere! But long hauls in this RV are going to require further downsizing. I'm just a damn pack-rat!
Hail, Hail, Rock 'n' Roll -- what more can I say about central Texas spring weather.
I mentioned my snow-day set up -- and I'm not sure the weather improved much! It went from cold and snowy to rainy and dreary. Horrible winds and blowing rain came through on March 19 and did some damage to my roof vent in the kitchen. Trying to close the vent and the rain was coming in, the little handle/crank broke off and I couldn't get the damn vent lid closed! The wind had really whipped it back and it was just not going to come down. In the process of tring to close it, I put my hand through the screen, it tore like paper - must be an original part of this '93 RV! Horrible, horrible, horrible winds and blowing rain. Rock-a-bye baby in the RV! The "cradle" was rocking and I was beginning to think the "bough" was about to break!
About March 26 we had a 'frost-free' day and the temp got into the 60s but still having 'high wind advisories.' By March 28 we were back to "chilly and rainy" and I'm soooo glad my sister sent me those hooded sweatshirts last winter when I was in Rockport.
Of course, there is a 'shiny lining' to all of this rain and wind - gives me a good opportunity to set in the RV and work on those VHS tapes to DVD. I'd like to get as many finished as I can - since I plan on dropping the VHS tapes off with Johnnie before I hit the road again. What in the world would I do without Johnnie and her family!
However, I must be more attentive to what I'm transferring and watching prior to bedtime. It was not a good choice to watch What Ever Happened to Baby Jane, Psycho and The Birds all in one evening!
Many of the inside hours were spent listening to the weather radio and dreaming -- dreaming of a trip to Montana to see Colleen -- and a trip to Fargo to see Linda -- and a trip to Pennsylvania to see Marianne. In my mind, if I can make the 3-day trip to Iowa, I can go anwhere! But long hauls in this RV are going to require further downsizing. I'm just a damn pack-rat!
Reflecting on Spring in Gatesville - March/April/Ma
PART 6 OF 6
May 10th, the day after the storm, was the day of Cathy and Doug's wedding. It was also the day of the big wedding at the a Bush Ranch in Crawford, TX but evidentially my invitation to THAT wedding got lost in the mail!!! I decided to celebrate with Doug and Cathy. It was a beautiful yard wedding. The storm the night before devastated the back yard, took down large tree limbs - all the things high-wind storms do. But they had that yard looking beautiful, like nothing happened. They are really a nice couple and I wish them a long happy life together. Doug is schedule to leave for Iraq within the month.
There is nothing like good friends and good food. A new pasta restaurant opened up in Gatesville so I had to try that out. And I really do have to get "filled up" with friends while I'm here. I'm leaving for Iowa May 19 and won't be back until after Labor Day.
I had to catch up on missed lunches with Brenda. Brenda is a dear friend and is very important to my well-being! She is my mail drop point and my home of record -- she is definitely a large part of my ability to do this wandering in the RV.
Mary Jane put on a spread at her house for lunch on day. WOW!!! Piggy-piggy-piggy coming to the trough! She must have spent the day cooking. I so enjoyed my visits with Lee and Mary Jane. It is because of Lee and Mary Jane that I'm doing this RV thing and enjoying it so much. Their RVing trips started me thinking -- I can do it!
And, Oh, how I missed coffee with Johnnie! I must have driven Bobby and Johnnie totally nuts! I was constatntly walking up to their door. I'd catch myslelf looking at the clock to see if Johnnie was home from work so I could go out! And, the Sunday dinners! She even fixed a whopper of a Sunday meal for my birthday -- all of my favorites -- meatloaf, greens, butter beans, frog-eye salad - complete with cake and ice cream! Johnnie and her family have taken me in like an old' stray dog and given me a home!
Easter Sunday was spent at Johnnie's - watching the grandkids with their Easter egg hunt - and watching them eat way too much candy and get on really good sugar highs for the remainder of the day! Sundays and Holidays just aren't the same if not spent with Johnnie's family.
May 10th, the day after the storm, was the day of Cathy and Doug's wedding. It was also the day of the big wedding at the a Bush Ranch in Crawford, TX but evidentially my invitation to THAT wedding got lost in the mail!!! I decided to celebrate with Doug and Cathy. It was a beautiful yard wedding. The storm the night before devastated the back yard, took down large tree limbs - all the things high-wind storms do. But they had that yard looking beautiful, like nothing happened. They are really a nice couple and I wish them a long happy life together. Doug is schedule to leave for Iraq within the month.Soon to be on the road again and on May 6th, I break my glasses. Well, actually broke the frames. At least they are frames/lenses I got here in town at the eye doc -- so I went over to see if they could get them repaired. Of course, they don't carry that frame anymore! So, as they order a part, and I hope it gets here in time, I'm wearing an old pair of glasses -- like I don't have enough trouble seeing! They came in with one day to spare!
As it got closer to 'hitch up' day, I still had a few errands to run -- need to get by the automotive place and pick up spare fuses for all of my electrical cords and chargers. Still had to close out my lock box. I even emailed my sister to have her check out the 235 by pass around Des Moines, search out the nearest propane dealers, fing out exit numbers from the interestatre! Hey, What are Sisters for??
Reflecting on Spring in Gatesville - March/April/May
PART 5 OF 6
I also had an opportunity to meet some cyber-friends, Lorraine and Sid. I have been emailing with Rain since our chatty days, years ago, at Up At Six live bird chat line. They travel from coast to coast with their RV and were on their way from holidays with the family out east, heading back to Oregon. The made Gatesville a stop. What a terrific visit but like all good visits, way toooo short. Hope our paths cross again in our travels.
One of my first social outings was the Temple Bird Mart agreat time to visit with 'bird friends' from all over Texas. The Temple Mart was a big part of my life twice ayear - spring and fall - for man years. But, a sign of the time, more and more of the folks I know are getting out of the bird business, or cutting back, and not doing the marts any longer.
I also had an opportunity to meet some cyber-friends, Lorraine and Sid. I have been emailing with Rain since our chatty days, years ago, at Up At Six live bird chat line. They travel from coast to coast with their RV and were on their way from holidays with the family out east, heading back to Oregon. The made Gatesville a stop. What a terrific visit but like all good visits, way toooo short. Hope our paths cross again in our travels.
It was quite a month for cyber-friends! For the longest time I had lost contact with Marianne during her move from New Jersey to Pennsylvania - and there she was in my In Box one day when I downloaded my email! What a joy! Marianne and I have been emailing and chatting since the old Up At Six days.
In April I was invited to do a presentation to the Waco Bird Club - a modification of the presntation I gave to the Corpus Christi Bird Club last winter while I was in Rockport. And, as usual, anytime I'm with bird folks, I talk about breeder's lung. It's always nice to be around bird folks - especially since some of the members of this club were members of the old "Waco Bird Club" - the first bird club I joined years ago when I started working with birds. I had a few things left from when I was selling at birdmarts so the bird club seemed like a good place to lighten my load of a few cookbooks and other bird mart supplies.
On my way back from Waco, the truck over-heated - small pin hole in the radiator hose, but gave me a good reason to get in and get the truck serviced. I do need tires on the RV and will be getting those as I leave town in May. I stopped by to see Mr Maaniga at the Gatesville Tire. He will order them and have them on hand so I can pull in on Maonday AM before I head to Iowa and be on the road in a couple of hours. Sounds like a good plan to me!
Reflecting on Spring in Gatesville - March/April/May
PART 4 OF 6
I guess the worse news during my Gatesville stay came with the income taxes....OUCH!!! Seems I made too much money last year (cashing in my IRA kinda screwed THAT up!) and Uncle Sam wanted some extra bucks. I'm talking several zeroes in front of the decimal point big bucks! Put a crimp in my cash flow! Now, if I can just make it until September when the social security checks kick back in - had to stop them when I decided to keep working - so, Fall '08 should see me on the road to financial recovery.
Of course the cash flow -- or should I say LACK of cash flow isn't helping with the price of diesel going so high! It was during that first part of March that I first saw the price on the diesel pump go over $100 when I finished pumping fuel. And, it hasn't been the last time! So, Li'l Bit and I spent a day or two having a pity party knowing that the price of fuel would probably put a crimp in our traveling and then we got back to the tasks at hand.
The best news was definitely the medical appointments! And I got the once-over, medical, lab, cardiac, pulmonary, and of course, a thorough workover for my crazy infected right eye and they recalibrated my C-PAP. Sure glad I didn't need a new one - I had just spent some high dollars for a 12V cord for that one! Isn't it strange how the simplest electronic equipment can cost so much when they attach the term 'medical' to the name of the part.
I still have the infection from the Herpes Virus (shingles) in the right eye so they cannot do the surgery - the chance of rejection is too great. I cannot read with the right eye but can see colors and shadows/shapes. However, when they put a lense over my classes with little pinpoint holes in it, I can almost read the larger print on the eye chart! I know things are getting better slowly, but I'm still quite disappointed about the eye.
I told the doc they better hurry and get it fixed I need to renew my driver's license next year....he laughed and said, "you only need one good eye and you have that!" That's a frightening thought -- only one good eye to drive!
Doc was pleased with the lab work - no more diabetic meds, no more cholesterol meds, and a big cut-back in the blood pressure meds! YIPPEE! She asked what I'd been doing and I told her about the winter in Rockport -- her comment: "You better get back to Rockport and stay!" I think it might have something to do with the amount of fish I ate while I was there. I'll probably blow all of that out of the water this summer in Iowa pigging out on pork and beef!
So, with the completion of details and paperwork on the house (now it is just 'wait'), medical appointments out of the way for another few months, renewed the license plates, filled out the tax stuff - glad to have that done, it was time to kick back and be a social butterfly. I had three months of visiting and coffee drinking to do with Johnnie, 3 months of visiting and lunches to do with Brenda and Mary Jane and a trip or two to Dairy Queen with Brenda and the girls.
I guess the worse news during my Gatesville stay came with the income taxes....OUCH!!! Seems I made too much money last year (cashing in my IRA kinda screwed THAT up!) and Uncle Sam wanted some extra bucks. I'm talking several zeroes in front of the decimal point big bucks! Put a crimp in my cash flow! Now, if I can just make it until September when the social security checks kick back in - had to stop them when I decided to keep working - so, Fall '08 should see me on the road to financial recovery.
Of course the cash flow -- or should I say LACK of cash flow isn't helping with the price of diesel going so high! It was during that first part of March that I first saw the price on the diesel pump go over $100 when I finished pumping fuel. And, it hasn't been the last time! So, Li'l Bit and I spent a day or two having a pity party knowing that the price of fuel would probably put a crimp in our traveling and then we got back to the tasks at hand.
The best news was definitely the medical appointments! And I got the once-over, medical, lab, cardiac, pulmonary, and of course, a thorough workover for my crazy infected right eye and they recalibrated my C-PAP. Sure glad I didn't need a new one - I had just spent some high dollars for a 12V cord for that one! Isn't it strange how the simplest electronic equipment can cost so much when they attach the term 'medical' to the name of the part.
I still have the infection from the Herpes Virus (shingles) in the right eye so they cannot do the surgery - the chance of rejection is too great. I cannot read with the right eye but can see colors and shadows/shapes. However, when they put a lense over my classes with little pinpoint holes in it, I can almost read the larger print on the eye chart! I know things are getting better slowly, but I'm still quite disappointed about the eye.
I told the doc they better hurry and get it fixed I need to renew my driver's license next year....he laughed and said, "you only need one good eye and you have that!" That's a frightening thought -- only one good eye to drive!
Doc was pleased with the lab work - no more diabetic meds, no more cholesterol meds, and a big cut-back in the blood pressure meds! YIPPEE! She asked what I'd been doing and I told her about the winter in Rockport -- her comment: "You better get back to Rockport and stay!" I think it might have something to do with the amount of fish I ate while I was there. I'll probably blow all of that out of the water this summer in Iowa pigging out on pork and beef!
So, with the completion of details and paperwork on the house (now it is just 'wait'), medical appointments out of the way for another few months, renewed the license plates, filled out the tax stuff - glad to have that done, it was time to kick back and be a social butterfly. I had three months of visiting and coffee drinking to do with Johnnie, 3 months of visiting and lunches to do with Brenda and Mary Jane and a trip or two to Dairy Queen with Brenda and the girls.
Reflecting on Spring in Gatesville - March/April/May
PART 3 OF 6
There was still so much stuff left at the house that I hadn't found a place for - either in the RV or with GoodWill or with Friends! (What are Friends For?)
Some of the bird cages found their way to Houston when Christine came up for a visit. I sure missed Lenore, another 'bird friend' and Christine's running buddy. Christine and Lenore would make periodic road trips up to Gatesville to visit. I miss that! But it was great seeing Christine and having time for a visit. And, I do appreciate her taking some of those flight cages. I also have some smaller cages that I think Jan can use for her cockatiels, so Brenda helped me load them up and they were dropped off at Jan's on one of my trips to Temple for VA apppointments. I just hate tossing stuff out if someone can use it! The creed of a confirmed pack rat!
Johnnie still has an old record player so she can play the old 33 1/3 & 45 RPM records I have. I also dropped my old army fatigues and some field gear out there -- I know the older grandsons can use some of them for their paint ball games. Don't you just know people hated to see me walking to their door with a box or a bag in my hands!
The time finally arrived when I decided anything left in the house could just set there and ROT!! I was NOT going back! Brenda and her dad came into town with the trailer and hauled off some of the furniture and stuff that was left. Ya know, you just can't beat good friends! I could not have done this without all of these great people.
At the bottom of one of the boxes of 'unsorted' stuff hauled to the RV was a plastic bag with gold and silver chains. They had just been dumped into the bag (probably when I sold the jewelry box at the yard sale) - anyway, the aren't anything valuable, but I have no idea how many hours I spent at the table in the RV trying to untangle those things! Eventaully I mastered the de-tangling task!
It was getting closer to the time for me to leave central Texas and the house still hadn't sold. Someone stole the For Sale sign! Virginia said the police found it at the bottom of the swimming pool in town! GEEZ, some people need to get a life!
The week before I left, the people at Whole House Properties decided they would take the house on as a rehab and flip project. So it is with a lighter heart and one less worry that I would be leaving town with the house on a Promissory Note! YIPPEE - should have the $$$ in the fall when I return to Gatesville for my medical appointments.
There was still so much stuff left at the house that I hadn't found a place for - either in the RV or with GoodWill or with Friends! (What are Friends For?)
Some of the bird cages found their way to Houston when Christine came up for a visit. I sure missed Lenore, another 'bird friend' and Christine's running buddy. Christine and Lenore would make periodic road trips up to Gatesville to visit. I miss that! But it was great seeing Christine and having time for a visit. And, I do appreciate her taking some of those flight cages. I also have some smaller cages that I think Jan can use for her cockatiels, so Brenda helped me load them up and they were dropped off at Jan's on one of my trips to Temple for VA apppointments. I just hate tossing stuff out if someone can use it! The creed of a confirmed pack rat!
Johnnie still has an old record player so she can play the old 33 1/3 & 45 RPM records I have. I also dropped my old army fatigues and some field gear out there -- I know the older grandsons can use some of them for their paint ball games. Don't you just know people hated to see me walking to their door with a box or a bag in my hands!
The time finally arrived when I decided anything left in the house could just set there and ROT!! I was NOT going back! Brenda and her dad came into town with the trailer and hauled off some of the furniture and stuff that was left. Ya know, you just can't beat good friends! I could not have done this without all of these great people.
At the bottom of one of the boxes of 'unsorted' stuff hauled to the RV was a plastic bag with gold and silver chains. They had just been dumped into the bag (probably when I sold the jewelry box at the yard sale) - anyway, the aren't anything valuable, but I have no idea how many hours I spent at the table in the RV trying to untangle those things! Eventaully I mastered the de-tangling task!
It was getting closer to the time for me to leave central Texas and the house still hadn't sold. Someone stole the For Sale sign! Virginia said the police found it at the bottom of the swimming pool in town! GEEZ, some people need to get a life!
The week before I left, the people at Whole House Properties decided they would take the house on as a rehab and flip project. So it is with a lighter heart and one less worry that I would be leaving town with the house on a Promissory Note! YIPPEE - should have the $$$ in the fall when I return to Gatesville for my medical appointments.
Reflecting on Spring in Gatesville - March/April/May
PART 2 OF 6
March, April and May was a big "catch up" time. Finish doing what has to be done at the house -- but also time to catch up with friends, tend to some business like taxes, license plates and insurance, etc. And squeeze in all of my medical appointments at VA. Getting on WiFi is a problem in the Gatesville RV park, but the phone box is still on the pole near my RV, so I'll do the ol' phone modem thing again while I'm here. I do need to remedy the internet hook up problem at sometime, but sure don't want to have the expenditure of a satellite dish or some of the other high-dollar connections.
My primary mission was that house. I just wanted to get out from under it - get rid of the maintenance and upkeep, get rid of the insurance, get rid of the utilities and taxes....that will be a chuck of extra dollars in the bank account each month.
I thought I had a buyer, but that fell through. So, my first stop was to a realtor. Recommended by Cathy and Kay, I gave Virginia a call, only to find that we had worked together at the prison many years back. How nice to have someone I would be comfortable with for this process. I had also worked with her dad for awhile. Good Comfort Zone!
It didn't take Virginia long -- she had the For Sale sign in front of the place and was
showing it right away! YIPPEE!! Of course, this is not the time to be selling a house, especially a "handyman's special." I suggested she might have better luck calling the guy with the billboard "We Buy Ugly Houses."
She said my house had "curb appeal." Is that like saying the frosting tastes great but the cake sucks???
Spent a lot of time over at the house sorting and tossing. When down to the last few things, I just loaded it in the truck and decided to sort at the RV. With the house closed up, I couldn't stay in there long - actually got sick to my stomach while there -- evidentially I'm a slow learner. I had to be out of air and lung power to quit smoking and half-dead to get out of that house!
March, April and May was a big "catch up" time. Finish doing what has to be done at the house -- but also time to catch up with friends, tend to some business like taxes, license plates and insurance, etc. And squeeze in all of my medical appointments at VA. Getting on WiFi is a problem in the Gatesville RV park, but the phone box is still on the pole near my RV, so I'll do the ol' phone modem thing again while I'm here. I do need to remedy the internet hook up problem at sometime, but sure don't want to have the expenditure of a satellite dish or some of the other high-dollar connections.
My primary mission was that house. I just wanted to get out from under it - get rid of the maintenance and upkeep, get rid of the insurance, get rid of the utilities and taxes....that will be a chuck of extra dollars in the bank account each month.
I thought I had a buyer, but that fell through. So, my first stop was to a realtor. Recommended by Cathy and Kay, I gave Virginia a call, only to find that we had worked together at the prison many years back. How nice to have someone I would be comfortable with for this process. I had also worked with her dad for awhile. Good Comfort Zone!
It didn't take Virginia long -- she had the For Sale sign in front of the place and was
showing it right away! YIPPEE!! Of course, this is not the time to be selling a house, especially a "handyman's special." I suggested she might have better luck calling the guy with the billboard "We Buy Ugly Houses."She said my house had "curb appeal." Is that like saying the frosting tastes great but the cake sucks???
Spent a lot of time over at the house sorting and tossing. When down to the last few things, I just loaded it in the truck and decided to sort at the RV. With the house closed up, I couldn't stay in there long - actually got sick to my stomach while there -- evidentially I'm a slow learner. I had to be out of air and lung power to quit smoking and half-dead to get out of that house!
Reflecting on Spring in Gatesville - March/April/May
PART 1 OF 6
Starting Sunday, May 18th, I would be back on the road. Lee and Mary Jane would come sometime Sunday to help me hitch up this 5th wheel -- plan to be in Iowa May 21.
It seems to be taking me longer to organize and pack up -- maybe because over time I've accumulated more or maybe I just have not learned the true meaning of downsizing??? I've been plugging away at getting stuff stowed, packed and tied down. At least the house is emptied out. I guess you can say I'm officially "houseless."
Getting back to Gatesville in March wasn't much of a problem. Marv hitched me up in Rockport and I cruised right on back into the Gatesville WalMart parking lot for the night. I understand I left Rockport just about the right time -- they had high winds and a tornado hit near Corpus Christi right after I left. WHEW!!! I'm sure my friends down that way figure I had something to do with that weather. Over the years I have made many trips to Corpus Christi for their bird marts; never managed to leave there without some type of storm event!
Didn't have any problems coming back. It was 70 degrees and sunny when I got into town Wednesday afternoon. I should have gone directly to the RV park and unhitched THEN!! But I spent the nite at Camp Wally World with plans to meet some friends for the evening.
By Thursday AM it was freezing drizzle with snow on its way. I turned a little too wide going into the RV park (my brain still sings "swing wide," "turn wide") - and I nearly wiped out their bird feeder and bird bath. But Ed came out to get me out of the jam -- I finally made it into my space just fine - of course, it is a pull-thru! Ed helped me unhitch -- it sure is a lot easier with two people doing it. It was like "ol' home week." The guy next to me came out to say HI, he was glad to see me back, and started pitching in to help. We must have been quite a sight -- three old fools out in the freezing rain and snow! Maybe next ear I'll stay in Rockport a little longer! I've booked my space there from December 1 - March 19 - think I might try to extend until April 1.
Starting Sunday, May 18th, I would be back on the road. Lee and Mary Jane would come sometime Sunday to help me hitch up this 5th wheel -- plan to be in Iowa May 21.
It seems to be taking me longer to organize and pack up -- maybe because over time I've accumulated more or maybe I just have not learned the true meaning of downsizing??? I've been plugging away at getting stuff stowed, packed and tied down. At least the house is emptied out. I guess you can say I'm officially "houseless."
Getting back to Gatesville in March wasn't much of a problem. Marv hitched me up in Rockport and I cruised right on back into the Gatesville WalMart parking lot for the night. I understand I left Rockport just about the right time -- they had high winds and a tornado hit near Corpus Christi right after I left. WHEW!!! I'm sure my friends down that way figure I had something to do with that weather. Over the years I have made many trips to Corpus Christi for their bird marts; never managed to leave there without some type of storm event!
Didn't have any problems coming back. It was 70 degrees and sunny when I got into town Wednesday afternoon. I should have gone directly to the RV park and unhitched THEN!! But I spent the nite at Camp Wally World with plans to meet some friends for the evening.
By Thursday AM it was freezing drizzle with snow on its way. I turned a little too wide going into the RV park (my brain still sings "swing wide," "turn wide") - and I nearly wiped out their bird feeder and bird bath. But Ed came out to get me out of the jam -- I finally made it into my space just fine - of course, it is a pull-thru! Ed helped me unhitch -- it sure is a lot easier with two people doing it. It was like "ol' home week." The guy next to me came out to say HI, he was glad to see me back, and started pitching in to help. We must have been quite a sight -- three old fools out in the freezing rain and snow! Maybe next ear I'll stay in Rockport a little longer! I've booked my space there from December 1 - March 19 - think I might try to extend until April 1.
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