March 21 -- 27, 2010 Getting "Hitch Itch"

SUNDAY MARCH 21, I woke up to 38 degrees. Early Sunday AM seems to have become my laundry day. By afternoon it finally made it up to 60 degrees - the sun was out but the winds were horrible. Winds sustained are 15-20 mph with gusts up to 35-40 mph. Getting me ready for spring in Iowa, I guess! Not a travel day for RVs and many are hitching up and hitting the road for points north.

A few weeks ago I found a new recipe for cream of asparagus soup and it was really good. Bought some asparagus at the market the other day. Ate the most tender tops for supper the other night. Today is asparagus soup day with the bottom half of the stalk.

The flowers my sister sent are still pretty and really brighten up the RV.‘Tis Spring! Have a problem keeping Tinga out of them, though!

Finished another book. Just too windy to be doing anything outside so kicked back in the recliner and read.

Li’lBit and I braved “45 degrees and a bit nippy” for our Monday morning stroll. Needless to say, the furnace was going and we didn’t stroll too far! But now that the two RVs between me and Ruth & Walter are gone, Li'lBit has to go down and visit their dog, Molly.

I checked my propane and I'm still good to go with one full tank! WHEW! Haven't bought a tank since March 5th! Oh, after this winter, I’m not complaining, but I do miss visiting with the ‘propane man!’

By afternoon it made it to 78 degrees, sunny, hardly any wind. Li’lBit and I spent the afternoon outside. I'm a happy camper! The only reason I came back inside was the crazy eye, the sun was bothering it again. Didn’t hurt, just watered like an open faucet and drove me crazy. I'm wondering if the fact that I'm getting more light and vision thru that mess is why the sun is starting to bother it again. The light doesn't 'fracture' and sparkle like it did before,just gets so bright I end up trying to keep the eye closed again!

Got an email and later a phone call from Judy. Judy and Steve left a couple of days ago for Indiana. They got as far as Louisiana when Judy got sick and ended up in the hospital. Hope things work out for them. Steve had the flu just before they left. It could be a long trip for them. I wish them well and safe travels. Seems they have had a change of plans due to her medical problems and will be delaying Indiana for awhile.

On Tuesday morning during the “Li’lBit Stroll”, I noticed Cleo and Bonnie were hitching up...headed back to Minnesota today. So we all stand around and watch the process (that's a big thing in an RV park...the women stand around,visit and drink coffee and the men tell each other how to do it and HELP!) Bonnie said they plan on being back next year....Cleo told me to get my crappy lungs taken care of!
The way folks are moving out, I sure hope there is someone around to help me hitch up! I may have to make plans to leave out earlier next year.

Just too windy, the sun was nice, but it doesn't take much wind blowing in my ears to make them ache! So, back inside, a pan of scones in the oven warms the RV in a hurry. This may be my last baking project this trip -- used up all of my flour -- except the rye, soy and barley! The full recipe called for 4 cups of flour and I had to mix the last of the whole wheat and white to get two cups! Also went thru the cupboards and poured in all the little left over packs of dried fruit, raisins, dates and nuts. Surprise! They were great and hit the spot! I think they even tasted better since I was reading one of Andrew Greely's Nuala Anne McGrail series, a novel about Ireland.

I do so love being in this RV park. Everyone seems to take care of everyone. Many of us are ‘up in years’ and have some ‘medical situations,’ but that just makes everyone pull together. Today a ‘love offering’ was taken up for a couple to help with an unexpected medical diagnosis and expenses. I just cannot say enough about the helpfulness and great attitude of the folks that come here. No wonder so many of us keep coming back.

Habits do develop and one is emailing with my sister first thing in the AM. When I do not get a response from her by mid-morning, I start reading the Marshalltown newspaper on line and checking the school district calendar on line to make sure they have school! BUT, not wanting to seem like the nosey sister that I can be, I wait until afternoon before I call the school! Today was just another busy day and unplanned school emergencies – things like that do happen, but I still worry when I don’t hear from her. How did we survive before email and cell phones!

I spent most of Thursday morning on the phone fighting with VA, trying to get a medical appointment at the clinic for when I'm in Gatesville. VA Respiratory in Temple wasn’t a problem....but the medical team is giving me a rash of trash about never being there when they schedule appointments! I tell them when I'll be in the area, and then they schedule it for later; I call and tell them I can’t make the appointment I'm no longer in the area, again remind them WHEN I will be in the area, and the circle continues! Don’t think it is worth it.

I think I'll just stop seeing them and transfer all of my care to the doc in Iowa, if he will take me. Been playing with the calendar and I can get close to 6 months in Iowa. If I work it so I can get there in mid-May and stay until just before Judy and Mary evict me when the park closes the end of October, I'll be able to see him every 6 months (just barely!) but that is how they usually like to space the lab work. Will talk to him when I get up there this summer.

John, from Tech Time called, my laptop is DEAD! He cannot get the start up Windows to load...said it has to be the 'motherboard' and told me to call Staples at Marshalltown -- so I did -- waste of time! Exact words, "We see too many to keep track'! WHOOPPEE. I’ll carry it to the Staples in Waco or Temple and let them have a go at it. I'm afraid if I wait until I get to Marshalltown, the extended warranty might be gone.

So,I'll be back on my little slow as molasses in January ACER when I'm on the road. GEEZ! Maybe I should just get a new one of THOSE!

Li'lBit and I went out to Castaways (the thrift shop). I'm looking for lightweight spice racks, something for the wall behind my stove. Can't find any except on line. Probably just go ahead and order new ones from Amazon.com. Then we drove thru the fried chicken place and picked up a lunch to take to the park. A little too windy to really stick around so we ate and left.

It's Friday andSid and Rain are on the road today – hope all goes well for them. By early evening Rain had dropped me an email saying they were ‘in for the night’!

A 51 degrees and sunny morning. Had to water my plants so did that while Li'lBit was watering the grass! That is a new chore now that the weather is nicer. I have two hanging baskets of periwinkle hanging from the fifth wheel hitch.

When I came out of the grocery today, the lady parked next to me bitched that she had to 'crawl thru' to get into her car, I was parked too close. Politely, I pointed out that I was IN BETWEEN MY LINES. After she went into her rant about "You people come here with your dually trucks...." I pointed to my Texas license plates. The people on the other side of me kinda chuckled, saw the 5th wheel hitch in the bed of my truck, and the guy said, "Maybe you need a motor home like us, they don't know we're 'you people' when we are in the car!"

Left the grocery, and about a block later darn near ran over a momma duck and her babies trying to cross the highway, Pulled over and ran into the street to try to shoo them to the water...I must have looked like a mad woman screaming in the middle of the highway. Then another truck stopped cross-ways across the lanes and helped me. I’m surprised we both didn’t end up in jail for hindering traffic, creating a disturbance or causing an accident!

Came home and found out that the crock pot doesn't heat up if you don't plug it in!

YIPPEE! Deryl & Elke are back! Time to arrange some fine dining at Pepito's!

SATURDAY March 27 Definitely getting the ‘hitch itch’ attitude. Started packing up stuff today and really getting serious about eating up the foods in the fridge and pantry!