WEDNESDAY, OCT 21 - Day #3 - Texas Just Ahead!

Horrible driving day. I left Guthrie OK about 8:15AM and 20 minutes down the road hit OK City and rain. It was rain, rain, rain all the way down I-35. When it wasn't raining it was foggy; what a crazy day. Actually, I was beginning to think I was the crazy one for being on the road! Numerous accidents along the way and I'll bet my bottom dollar they were all from speeding. I just can't blieve people won't slow down! Took me about 2 hours longer to make the trip than I had planned. I stopped a lot more often and took my time.

Went into the shell station to use the facilities and get some coffee. Never can quite explain why I stop to use the bathroom, then buy a couple cups of coffee. I guess so I can check out the facilities down the road. After I pulled in to the station lot, I realized I couldn't drive AROUND back to come out the other way. Canopy over the pumps said 14 ft..no problem. So I casually mentioned to the lady at the counter I was just going to swing thru the pumps and go out the other way. WRONG -- NEW LIGHT FIXTURES -- SO why does it still say 14 feet! They say confession is good for the soul...well, I've NEVER backed up THIS RV! I did then! Just like clockwork, right out on the highway like I had good sense! Of course, I was headed the wrong way down the road so 13 miles down to some little burg in Oklahoma, turn around in the school parking lot and 13 miles back to the Interstate and I'm back headed south.

Just as I crossed to Red River into Texas, I had planned on stopping at the rest stop. Took one exit too soon and ended up dead-end in a parking lot at an XXX Adult Video business. Would someone tell me why they have to have such a big parking lot in front when all of the customers hide their vehicles around back! So, potty stop at the XXX Adult Video parking lot...back on I-35 Southbound.

I called the RV park in Gatesville to let them know I was a couple hours out and would just be coming in to hook up the electric. Would wait until sunny weather to unhitch and set up!

Finally made it to my little 'home base' RV park in Gatesville TX about 5PM. Gatesville was my home for over 20 years. Now it's time to catch up on the gossip and the coffee-drinking with old friends!

New rig handles OK -- just seem to tow 'heavier' and 'looser' than the old one.

TUESDAY, OCT 20 - Day #2 On The Road

Woke up at 4AM to a horrible thunderstorms rumbling through. The pounding rains and winds had stopped by morning but it was still cloudy and dreary. According to the dopplar radar out of Wichita KS, my next major town, most of the cruddy weather is past. So now I'll just wait for the roads to dry up a little. I don't have a very long day. It's under 300 miles and with it all being interstate and the Kansas Turnpike, it will take 4-5 hours, depending on how many times I stop...and I do stop more often in wind and rain.

Arrived at the RV park in Guthrie OK about 3PM. Fought the wind all of the way; at least it is a WARM wind. Got the electric plugged in and kicked back for some computer time. Tomorrow is a long day, probably close to 7 hours. It could be more if I have to fight the wind like today. Driving against the wind just tires me out and I stop more often so don't make good time. And I'm still not thinking good fuel mileage either!!

Mon, OCT 19 - On The Road Again -- As soon as I get around that tree!

Bea came by to make sure I was disconnected from the utilities and ready to go. Then she 'leads' me out of the park, down the highway over to the 'diagonal' highway that takes me to the Interstate. I think she just wants to make sure I get outta town!!!

Shortly after leaving Des Moines, southbound on I-35, the road construction began. On and off, frequently down to 2 lanes nearly all the way to Kansas City.

Gotta get the swing of turning with the extended king pin hitch -- the RV travels longer behind the truck. But managed to stop for fuel without wiping out the fuel pump!! I'll check mpg when I'm a little braver. The way the construction and traffic patterns were, I'm not sure I'm going to like what I'll see.

It felt really good to get to a point where I could get rid of the wind-breaker and the long-sleeved flannel shirt! Only did about 6 hours -- just over 300 miles. At first I thought the RV was towing really 'loose' and 'heavy' -- but after I got out of the construction and could get some speed (other than 45 mph!), it was much better. Handles really good between 55-60mph.

Arrived at my little privately owned RV park in Homewood KS, about an hour south of KC late afternoon. It is definitely not a 'destination' type park, not a dog-gone thing to do unless you have family there. But the owners are nice and pop a fresh bag of popcorn for ya! The price is right; great for a nite's stay. I take a pull-thru so I don't have to unhitch and only hook up to electric.

Day One complete. Feed the critters and get some rest. Two more to go!

Sunday Oct 18 -- I'm Ready to Roll

Bea and I had one last Sunday Breakfast this morning. Then back to the RV to finish last minute packing and stowing. She brought her super-dooper high-power vacuum out and went over all of the carpeting. Her friend came late afternoon and hitched up me up. I'll unplug utilities in the AM and be Southbound.

SATURDAY OCT 17 - Hitch Itch

I am starting to feel like I’m about to hit the road! Went out this AM and got some 'on the road' cash, filled up the truck with diesel, dropped off the last bag of stuff to Salvation Army and got a couple of gallons of bottled drinking water. I don't like to make my ice tea or coffee from the holding tank!! And, I have my power pals charging just in case I don't get to a place where I can plug in to shore power. At least I can run the breathing machine!

Supposed to be in the 50s today, but it didn’t make it! And the mid-60s tomorrow – let’s hope it makes it so it will be a good day to finish up the outside work and get the stuff stowed underneath and hitch up the truck. Do you see the pattern here – I freeze my @$$ for for nearly a week – so Indian Summer and the warm temps come back the day I leave!

I wish I could remember how far in these slides come. I saw them in once when they moved it but guess I didn't pay enough attention! I can't remember if I can get past the kitchen counter when they are in. Gotta figure what I’m going to do with Tinga for travel so I can get to her. She will probably end up bungi strapped to the dining table.

FRIDAY, OCT 16 -- HALLELUJA!!! YIPPEE!!!

I’m set to travel. Picked up the paperwork for the license/title/registration from the dealer this afternoon. I have the check for the tax and title fees I paid here since I didn't get the plates, the paperwork and an "in transit' paper license plate. Bea and I stopped for a late lunch at the little café there by the RV place. Really good food in there!

So that meant we had to have a late supper! Soup and Sandwich special at The Junction. No wonder I put on so much weight in Iowa!! Eat-eat-eat!!!

Hitching up Sunday PM -- On the road Monday AM -- should be in Gatesville Wednesday late afternoon Good Lord Willin' and the creek don't rise.

Stopped and filled a propane tank so I can keep the furnace going a couple more days. Been using the furnace alot and it kinda 'guzzles' propane -- no one ever said RV furnaces were efficient! Now I'll have one tank so the refrig can work on the way back.

You should have seen me changing out my LP tanks. My old RV had the tanks in the front,under the hitch. I had to practically get down on my knees to switch them out. Then it took a channel lock wrench to get them disconnected. I dreaded the thought of going out in the cold to do that but knew I needed one tank, at least, to get me back to TX. So, I gathered up my stuff - work gloves, wrenches, camping stool I sat on so I didn't have to kneel on the ground. Well, damn! The tanks are on the side, I can stand up to see them, and they have these fancy plastic turn knobs.. no wrenches needed! What a piece of cake! My sister thought I was nutz as I was doing a 'happy dance!'

My list of things to do while in Gatesville is growing. I'm going to run over to the Temple Bird Mart and get a cage for Tinga. I want to look into that prepaid DISH TV. I get cable in Rockport, but that is the only place. With pre-paid I can just pay for it on the months I need it. I also want to go to CURVES and see if they have a 'mobile' plan -- something I could use in Gatesville, Rockport and here in Marshalltown.

THURSDAY OCTOBER 15 -- The Virus!

I've been kissed with some kind of virus -- my computer has -- naturally -- I'm about to hit the road! Anyway, the computer place here in town can't fix it 'til next week. There are 14 ahead of me and the fact that I'm leaving town and the fact that I bought it there seem to have no bearing on the quickness of service! So, I can get email, but I cannot get to any web pages to get web-mail. And yes, I had virus protection – that went belly up on me night before last and I have the disc to reinstall it packed away SOMEWHERE!

The computer guru at Staples thinks it's a virus that is blocking the internet -- Damn! I could have told him that1! So much for Norton! So - back out with the old Acer. GEEZ! What a bunch of crap! Are we having fun yet?

Went to WalMart to get some stuff to make a crock pot of chili for the trip. I can make the chili Sunday nite, keep it warm, pack it in the sink with towels around it while I travel and eat chili all the way back! I found some heavy flannel material with cats on it in browns and grays to put over the chair where Holly sleeps! Tried a towel, but she got her nails caught. This will work fine...easy to wash.

Walking out of WalMart the lady was opening the beauty shop and cleaning razors. I asked if she did razor cuts -- she does. I got her to take the length off so that job is done. I just love a good razor cut!

Went to the tire place to have my tires checked before the trip. If every in Marshalltown IA and need tires, go to McAtee Goodyear Tire store...nice people!

WED OCT 14 -- The Saga Contiues!

44 degrees! I'm still COLD! My lungs got really cruddy Monday -- I'm doing an extra breathing treatment every day. Temp hasn't made it to 50 digress for nearly a week. At least it isn't going below freezing at nite anymore. But I'm really running thru the propane! Been setting the furnace at 50 degrees during the nite -- then up to about 60-65 during the day. Even Holly & Li'lBit are staying huddled up under all of the covers on the bed.

It’s Salvation Army and laundry day. Each bag of stuff going to the Salvation Army is one less that I have to find a place for!
A crock pot of soup has been a staple in this place for several days! I made plenty of chicken soup - in fact, while I was out, I bought a can of biscuits and a bag of green peas and put the soup in a casserole dish with the peas and biscuits on top (the soup got kinda thick from too many noodles!!!) and made a reasonable facsimile of a chicken pot pie.

Mary, the park owner, sent a bunch of pics of the arrival of the RV -- I should have known she was somewhere with her camera!

Brenda, my fried in Texas, called to say that Ellen, her younger sister, is in the hospital with blood clots in the lungs....that's not good! Will have to check again tomorrow and see how things are going.

Still planning on hitching up on Sunday and leaving Monday if the weather cooperates.

You would not believe this comedy of errors trying to get this RV back to Texas!
After setting on the paperwork for the title/license for nearly 2 weeks, my sister called a friend of hers that works at the court house (not in the title/license department) and asked her to walk down the hall and see what she could find out. I don't have an Iowa Drivers License and I wasn't getting one! Wonder how long it would have set there if she hadn't walked down the hall!

So -- yesterday, all of the paperwork was sent back to the dealer -- when they get it, they will call - I'll pick up the paperwork, take it to TX, file for title/license there -- then have the title sent back to the credit union holding the lien.

TUE, Oct 13 -- Another Stumbling Block

I had to go to Newton(about 30 miles away)to the credit union that gave me the loan. Need to get some insurance on the loan in case I croak. My sister doesn't want to have to pay for an RV! And, I really should join the Credit Union!

Need to stop at WalMart. I'm running out of cat & dog food, pee pads for Li'lBit and kitty litter. I had planned on being back in TX by now!

Got a call from Twin Anchors -- can't get Iowa plates. I don't have an Iowa Driver's License. Now, I'm all for state's rights and all that other political state stuff -- but what the hell! If my Texas license is good enough to drive on - if my Texas ID is good enough to cash a check and spend money here - what's the crap about license plates. I can come to Iowa from Texas -- find a man (or in Iowa, I can find a woman) get married and drag them back to Texas with less trouble than I can an RV! GEEZ! The paper work on the title/plates is being sent back to Twin Anchors. I can pick it up from them and take it to TX! Are we happy campers, yet??

Hopefully the paperworks will arrive before the end of the week. They are to give me some sort of In-Transit Tag/paper license to get it back to TX -- get plates/title and have the title sent to the credit union in Newton. Sure hope it all flies!

Bea's friend is coming to hitch me up Sunday afternoon and I'll leave Monday AM. So....keep your fingers crossed that the paperwork doesn't get "lost in the mail!" I just wanna head south and get warm again!

MON, Oct 12 -- The Warm Up Starts - I Hope!

Have no idea why Holly ran out this AM when I took Li’lBit out -- at least she didn't wander from the RV -- mostly stayed UNDER it. I actually think she was 'lost' -- she kept looking UP like 'where do I go back in!' I sat on the steps with her food bowl and she finally figured out that I was at the steps -- she ran right in past the food bowl, over top of me! She's such a good girl!! I don’t think she has ever been out in anything that cold – except for the Christmas she spent in the refrigerator!! Maybe this trip outside brought back some horrible kitty memories of her hours in the fridge!

My lungs are starting to crud up. I'm doing breathing treatments and have my "emergency' meds, but I gotta get out of here! I was holding my own until yesterday outside in the damp and cloudy. I was chilled to the bone when I came in. I haven't warmed up since! But watch...Once I get out of here they will have Indian Summer with nice warm balmy temps!

Just got home from a place called Legends. It is a sports bar (and restaurant) -- I think they are pricey but Bea likes them. They do have some really good "Legend Fries" -- just a different type of french fry. I had a Reuben -- Bea had a prime rib sandwich. I ate my fries and drank my coke and brought the sandwich home. Been having trouble breathing and it is hard to eat and breathe. You'd think I would loose some weight!

Bea thinks I can be on the road by the first of next week. I hope so. Even my nebulizer treatments don't seem to be doing too much good -- and I'm really wheezing. I can't get warm. I don't want to have to fill propane tanks so I keep the furnace at 50 degrees at nite and 60 during the day -- then try to use the electric space heater for the room I'm working in -- but I am not sure I will ever get WARM!

SUN, Oct 11 -- DO I REALLY HAVE TO GO OUTSIDE!

26 degrees at 8 AM and the water is still running! No frozen pipes! The
low was 24 degrees last nite so I guess I made it thru this cold snap.
Supposed to get into the 50s for most of the week. One more nite of
"possible frost or freeze" so I'm not worried about that.

My sister was here all afternoon -- we unloaded some of the stuff I've been carrying around in the truck since I didn't have much under compartment storage in the old RV. Got most of that stuff and the stuff I've boxed for the undercompartment -- my books, holiday decorations, etc etc etc repacked and organized -- even got the boxes labeled!

So that job is done -- and I actually have a back seat now.

I just about froze my @$$ off -- never got above 40 degrees -- cloudy and damp but not raining -- Every joint in my body is frozen! It's been a long time since I've been in this kind of weather! I'm walking like an old lday -- every joint in my body is frozen!

I made two trips to the Salvation Army last week -- and have another bag of stuff to take this week -- will probably have more when I get to these last few boxes.

My crock pot has been a soup pot for nearly a week -- first it was cream of wild rice and mushroom -- then it was a cabbage/vegetable with chicken broth and V8 juice (I love that soup!) -- then yesterday it was sausage chili -- quite good. Think tomorrow will be chicken noodle! I mix it all up - turn it on low and let it go -- takes about 2 days for me to go thru it -- that includes eating it for breakfast!!! Wonder if I’ll ever get food poisoning from letting that stuff cook on low! I’m sure somewhere in the directions it says I’m not supposed to do that!

I'm still waiting on the license plates -- they should be here one of these days.

Bea and I went out to Long John Silvers for supper -- she had a coupon for "two can dine for $9.99" so we pigged out on greasy fish and fries!! Bea doesn't eat the hush puppies so I brought them home for Tinga - but she was already in her sleeping hut when I got back -- she can have one for breakfast!

Critters are adjusting fine -- I've finally got my old recliner (Li'l Bit thinks it's hers!) cleaned off enough that she can get to it. Found the foot stool to put at the end of the bed so she can get up on the bed! She is having a hard time with the steps to go outside -- they are steeper and further apart than the old RV. She has tumbled off the top step a couple of times so takes it really slow. But she is getting used to them. Of course, it doesn't help that she has a cataract over one eye and can't see out of it. I tell her we are just two ol' fat ladies each with one bad eye!

Holly has found her hiding places - I leave the closet door cracked just enough that she can get in the back corner of the closet. I think the shower will be the permanent kitty litter place. I don't need the shower for brooms and mops in this RV so I can put the kitty litter in there and it is much easier to move out to shower than all the other things I had stored in the old RV tub area!

I do need to find a place for food and water dishes -- right now I have them in front of the stove -- but I'm not using the stove much anyway -- been eating out crock potting and microwaving.

36 degrees 7:30 PM -- I'm glad I have extra blankets! When I was in WalMart the other day I almost bought me an electric blanket -- then figured I'd never use it again once I left here!

Weather man says "gradual warming" this week! I just want my license plates for the new rig to get here so I can get on the road! I need to head SOUTH so I can Thaw Out!

SAT, Oct 10 - THE COLD CONTINUES

High today was 41 degrees -- predicting 17 degrees tonite. I didn't go
outside much today --even tho the sun was out. The cold air and my lungs just don’t get along! It may be cold air, but when I inhale it feels like someone is shooting a flame thrower down into my lungs!

30 degrees outside when I got up -- water still running so I guess the 'cold weather precautions' I took worked. Let's hope they work again tonite and then we are supposed to warm up.

Oh, things are rough here -- I can't find my coffee grinder and I'm
having to drink decaffeinated coffee -- the only ground coffe I have in the house! I should have bought a small bag of ground coffee when I was in town the other day but I just knew I’d find that coffee grinder! I do like my coffee in the morning! I buy coffee beans and grind a few at a time -- my coffee grinder is small and I've packed it away somewhere! I thought I had gone thru all of my kitchen boxes - but it must be hiding somewhere.

How can I stay warm when I can't even get the caffeinated coffee jitters!!

FRI, Oct 9 – THE COLD WEATHER IS ONE IT’S WAY!

Freeze warnings for tonite and tomorrow nite -- then the sun is to be back on Sunday afternoon -- then rain! Just can't get ahead of the weather!

Went into town and dropped a bunch of stuff off at Salvation Army. Couldn't find the sewer hose -- it's probably in there somewhere but I couldn't see it or get to the boxes to move things around -- so stopped at WalMart and got a new one with connections -- you can never have too many sewer hoses -- not the way they spring leaks!

Put a pot of chili on the stove. YIPPEE - WARMTH. The damn temp went down 3 degrees in just the time I was outside emptying tanks! Didn't have any hamburger for the chili -- had a pound of pork sausage -- so sausage chili it is! Actually it is going to be sausage chili soup 'cuz I added some extra water so it wasn't so 'spicy.'

Mary or Judy or someone came around and put a rose cone over the water pipe --- I think I'll just leave the water hose hooked up. I put some insulation foam on it and covered that on the ground with some old rugs.

Bea called to say that we would be going out to eat with her secretary and her husband -- went to That Place -- I had their special -- fried cat fish -- it was really good -- came with soup or salad (I had the pasta salad), hash browns, a whole catfish, Texas toast, and a bowl of fried mushrooms, cheese sticks, onion rings, cauliflower. It was really good.....way too much food to eat! I brought home the hash brown, the Texas toast, the pasta salad!! Will have that tomorrow.

10PM and the temp is 36 degrees and going DOWN!

Stimulate the Economy

My sister and I have done our share to stimulate the central Iowa economy – I came up from Texas in the spring in a 1994 RV and will be heading back to Texas sometime this month in a 2008 RV.

Bea called the other nite to say she would pick me up and we could go get a sandwich – and there it was -- a metallic steel blue Ford Escape Hybrid! She had mentioned that she had ordered one but wasn’t sure when it would be in – well – IT’S IN! What a looker! Nice car with all the bells and whistles – I’d have to carry the manual with me to figure out what all that stuff was! Back up camera – routing map on screen – satellite radio, ambient lighting – etc etc etc! WHEW!!

So Folks! Helen Niblock’s Daughters have done their share to stimulate the economy – what are you doing?????

47 Degrees and I'm Still in Iowa!

Heard the weather prediction for this weekend -- possible snow flurries – at least they didn’t say BLIZZARD! Seems like I'm staying a little too late! Actually, went over to the RV place today -- they had to take the electric scooter lift off of the old RV since it was wired in electrically -- and I had to deliver them the title to the old one -- my Iowa plates for the new RV should be here in a couple of weeks -- they don't apply for the new plates until they get the old title -- guess that is their way of making sure they get the title!!!

This park closes the end of October -- so I gotta be outta here by Halloween! Hopefully before THAT - but at least I'm not going to get in a rush -- I'm gonna slow down a little and do a better job of sorting and tossing out -- my furnace works good -- have two full 30 pound propane tanks and two good electric space heaters -- so I'm good to go for SOME cold weather -- just don't want a full-blown Iowa/Midwestern Winter!!!

It's days like this I'm glad my friend Ingrid turned me onto Adagio Teas -- WHEW! I'm going thru those really fast! Right now I'm slurping some green jasmine tea....wish my outside body felt as warm as my inside body!!!

Tinga is a little upset that I haven't let her out to free-fly, but with the boxes all over, if she decided she was going to play ‘keep away' when I tried to put her up, I'd probably kill myself falling over everything piled in the middle of the floor -- so she is stuck in the cage for awhile.

I need to find a food/water place for all of the cat/dog dishes -- this RV has a center kitchen and doesn't have the counter space -- I can't have it setting in front of the sink and stove -- I had it in front of the stove in the old RV -- but I have to have Li'lBit's scratching basket in front of the stove.....can't put it in front of the fridge like in the old one -- the intake for the furnace is there! Just have to figure out where to put the stuff -- right now it is in front of the stove/sink and I'm constantly tripping over it -- fortunately, I'm not doing a lot of cooking (other than microwave or toaster oven) so I'm dealing with it -- using lots of paper plates and bowls so what few dishes I have are just piling up in the sink! Good thing I have a deep double sink!

The kitty litter has found a home in the shower - and I think that is where it will stay-- I put the small shower mat across the door frame so the door won't completely close -- and with all the shampoo, bath gels and bath salts in there it seem to 'mask' any temporary odors – actually, I’ve never really had a problem with Holly’s litter unless she was sick. Now that is probably more than you really wanted to know, right???

Li'lBit and Holly spend most of the day up on the bed under the comforter. They don't like this weather either! It's like pulling teeth to get Li'lBit to go out in the AM! Good thing she is trained to pee-pads!

Went out this AM and did 3 garbage sacks full of laundry - cost me $10 to get out of the laundry-mat! And I know I'll have that much more in a few days. Most of it was stuff I've moved from the old RV - rugs, bedding, linens, curtains, etc. As I was folding it, I figured most of it would go to Salvation Army.

I'm hoping to stay here until the plates come - they will be sent to my sister's address here in town. The park here closes then end of October and I sure hope to be out of here before THAT!!!

This cold, damp, windy air just sucks the air from my lungs! I've used more oxygen this past week or so than I've used all summer!

Dinner tonite, Bea and I met her friend Lisa at The Junction Bar and Grill – had a great bowl of chicken tortilla soup and a breaded pork tenderloin sandwich – can’t get a good tenderloin sandwich anywhere but Iowa! Oh, little ol’ coupon-clipper that I am – I had a coupon for $2.00 off an appetizer – yummy onion ring!

I’ve come to the conclusion I have way too much stuff – as Susan pointed out, I started calling it “stuff”, then it was “junk”, then it went to “crap.” She told me when it got to that point, it was time to get rid of it! And THAT I am trying to do!

And the Move Goes On!

Thanks to Mary Gift for the picture of the 'move.'
September 24th I mentioned that I’d update the blog when the new computer desk was set up --- well, that hasn’t happened yet – can’t even see the desk for the boxes stacked on the floor!

Where to start about the move – what a comedy of errors!

The RV was delivered September 24 and it was trip after trip carting boxes from the old to the new. The weather refused to cooperate – chilly, windy, damp, dreary – sometimes rain, sometimes drizzle – but enough to chill me to the bone!

September 30th I had my last doctor’s appointment – everything is as “OK” as it can be – I did ask for something for some back muscle spasms I’ve been having – got some Flexiril – have taken that before and know I can’t handle more than ½ tablet so find that pill cutter and get them split in half!
Don’t you just love looking thru boxes for something you know you have somewhere!!

Confession time – been having some problems getting the nerves, muscles and joints all going in the same direction at the same time and have taken a few nasty falls in the process of sorting, packing, tossing and toting. Good thing I have enough padding on me so that I bounce and the bones don’t break!

On Fri, Oct 2, Randy came by and hitched up the old one ready to go to the sales place in the AM -- still have to disconnect utilities and get a few more things out -- but it was getting tooooooo damn cold to be running back and forth in the rain. Never got much above 50 degrees and the wind was horrible with that terrible drizzle -- you know those midwest fall rainy, dreary, cold windy days. Hell of a day to try to move. But the 'kids' and I are all snug as a bug in the new one -- of course, will have to move the boxes off of the bed before we can get in it!!!

I won't be hitchin' up the new one and headed south until I get this stuff put away -- we have boxes stacked all over! Couldn't bring the slides in if I wanted to!!

On Sat, my sister and I got the RV over to Twin Anchors RV by noon -- then stopped at the café for lunch - Bea had a tenderloin sandwich -- I had a hot roast beef sandwich -- nothing like canned beef and gravy and instant potatoes to warm you from the inside out! I have no idea why I ordered that -- guess I was remembering the days Mom used to treat us to hot roast beef sandwiches at the Woolworth's lunch counter (or maybe it was Kresge's) in Dubuque when we went up to get shoes! I haven’t cooked or eaten anything other than fast food for several days! Can’t get to the stove and the toaster oven and crockpot are in a box somewhere! I do have a microwave, however!

Came back to the RV and collapsed. It felt like one hurdle was over – now I’m down to one lot rental instead of two! Mary, Judy and the family (owners of the park) have been tremendous during this moving upheaval!!

Took my muscle relaxer and hit the bed for a couple of hours! WHEW! Every bit of my get up and go got up and went. I just couldn't lift or move another box! So Li'lBit and I went to bed for a couple hours nap!

Now it's unpacking, sorting, tossing time. Need to get rid of some of this JUNK! Just packing clothes -- I found night gowns, blouses, sweaters and jackets I haven't worn since I moved into the RV! I'm trying to put things in piles -- bedroom, kitchen, desk, etc. Actually - I'm really looking for my coffee pot!

I’m not sure how Bea is doing all of the work she is – she has to mow her lawn, probably for the last time this year -- with the rain we have had, the grass has really grown and she doesn't want it to winter over that high. She has been doing most of the heavy lifting and toting involved in this move. I don’t know where she gets the energy – but I’ll take full advantage of her inability to be here Sunday by taking it easy!!!

Finally found my coffee pot, coffee and coffee filters Saturday evening-- so I can have coffee in the AM! I've been drinking tea -- I like tea -- but prefer coffee in the AM and tea later in the day.

On Sun, Oct 4, I woke up to 37 degrees!!!! DAMN!!! At least it isn't raining and the sun is out! Bea called to say we will go to breakfast this morning -- haven't done that for a week or so and that has been our ‘Sunday Tradition!” Maybe that's a sign things are getting back to 'normal' -- except for the stack of boxes! I did make SOME headway Friday and Saturday nite - very little -- now it's just a box at a time.

I think I'm going to like it - of course, I'm going to like it!!! It's NEW! Anyway -- just have to organize and sort -- not sure where the feed and water bowl for the critters will go -- need to work out things like that!

Also, since I have so much more undercompartment storage, I need to get some good sturdy plastic bins that I can pack things in some sort of order and not just tossed in! I know things like my holiday decorations can go under there -- extra books, etc. Due to the slide mechanism to extend the bedroom being under the bed, I don’t have the under-bed storage I had in the old one. I I just have to figure out where to put stuff. So much of my storage is so high, I have to use a step stool for just about everything! My sister found a nice 2-step folding ladder for me to use. I almost have to stepp on the lower step to reach the microwave! It’s quite a stretch for me!

Sunday was breakfast at Perkins -- I think I’m too old, stiff, sore to eat! It takes too much energy to pick up a fork!. The rest of the day was spent searching for the RV Title (old RV) -- I took it out of my strong box -- and then evidentially PACKED IT IN A BOX! Unbelievable -- why didn't I leave it in the strong box -- or put it in my truck or somewhere SAFE!

The weather turned bad again Monday -- 38 degrees! DAMN! I want a few dry days so I can sort and organize the undercompartment and see how much room I have under there -- I know it is a lot bigger than in the old RV. Right now all that is in there is the stuff from my old RV undercompartment -- and I think I will have plenty of room for most of the stuff I had under my bed in the old RV.

Monday evening Bea and I met Gene and Vicki at Applebees -- Bea and I had one of the 2 for $20 meals -- we both had huge plates of shrimp, french fries cole slaw and french fried onion rings as an appetizer - that lot's of food for $20. I know there was over a dozen nice sized shrimp!