And February Comes to an End!

Monday Feb 21 66 degrees and sunny in the AM with a high in the upper 70s. Our predicted 'cold' front gave us a low of 58 degrees! Sure glad I have my hoodies for temps that cold!

Finished one book yesterday - one of the Amish books I enjoy reading 'just for fun!' - and started another one. Lots of reading time with weather like this.

Put a meat loaf in the crock pot. One of those really difficult recipes - drop a frozen block of meat in the crock pot, add a dry onion soup mix and a can of mushroom soup and one envelope of brown gravy mix - and let'er cook. Oh, I'm such a gourmet!

This summer may be a little screwed up since I'm still looking for a trailer. I've been watching Craig's List and haven't found anything. When I find one, I’ll head north. Sure hope Mary has a spot for me at Shady Oaks when I find something! I did drop her a note and told her I was still looking for a trailer and looking forward to getting up there sometime this summer - just not sure when.

Tuesday Feb 22 Ladies coffee 9AM; woke to 65 degrees, going to mid-70s, not too breezy - my kinda weather! Guess my life is getting kinda boring!

After so many years with the military, you would think I would have learned, somewhere along the way, to keep my mouth shut and not volunteer. WRONG! At coffee we decided to do a pancake supper March 3, the usual Friendship supper nite. I made the mistake of opening my mouth and asking Pam (from England) if she participated in the Shrove Tuesday pancake races. We started talking about them and Allison thought it was a GREAT IDEA! So guess who is in charge of the race festivities: Pam and Helen! Doubt I'll be running -- can't handle a walker and a fry pan at the same time! Of course, it might make some great pictures for Keith to post to the Park's Blog! Allison suggested we let the men race, too. Gradually it has become a pancake ‘relay’ race.

Three RVs lined up to pull out this AM. Kinda gives me 'hitch itch' but I sure don't want to pull this one anymore. Seems every day another RV or two pulls out and heads back north. Lots of Minnesota, Wisconsin, Michigan, Iowa license plates in this park.

Vegetable soup in the crock pot on Tuesday. That's another reason I have to get back to Iowa. Make a trip to Stringtown grocery over by Kalona to stock up on my dried supplies, herbs and spices!

Wednesday - Busy day! Met the "in town" bunch for breakfast 9AM at JJs. Nice breakfast except there wasn't any place to park in the parking lot so had to park across the street and WALK! At least I had a chance to walk off breakfast going back to the truck!

Then to Castaway to look for (and found) Mardi Gras beads to award the racers. Next stop Action RV - Deryl emailed and said he saw some new additions to their 'consignment' list. Nothing promising for me but will check periodically. Quick run into WallyWorld - cat/dog supplies/feed. Found a couple nice geraniums for the front of the RV. Stopped by to visit with Deryl & Elke for a few minutes. Came back to the park and met with Pam about the pancake fiasco I got myself into! Then it was outside time for me and Li’lBit. They actually used the word HEAT INDEX in the weather report!

Thursday, Friendship supper night. My offering for the evening was a relish tray. Had plenty of pickles and olives in the pantry and I forgot to pick up groceries to make something while I was in town.

Cloudy, humid, 68 degree morning, no breeze – promised afternoon rains never really got here – just a little mist. Headed back into town – couldn’t find any oysters yesterday so back to the fish market. Lucked out this time. Came home with some Dover Sole and a nice piece of salmon, too. Also found a ‘faux King Cake” recipe made out of crescent rolls – think I’ll try it.

No rain but heavy air, 78 degrees, cloudy but with the breeze it is tolerable - Li'lBit and I were back outside. Often, while setting outside at the picnic table with Li'lBit, I think of Mary at Shady Oaks, in Iowa, with her camera. I don't think Mary makes a walk thru the park without her camera and she has given me some wonderful pictures of my rig and Li'lBit.

Woke up about 5 AM Friday hearing rain -- jumped up to close the roof vent in the bathroom - no rain - FOG - so thick it was dripping off of everything and sounded like rain. So much for sleep! Stayed in bed for awhile but finally decided to get up. Took Li'lBit out, watered my outside plants while she watered the sand burs! Critters fed, coffee made, all before 7AM! Too Early! Heard a lot of truck activity in the park. There's no denying the start up of a diesel! It's too late to be going out fishin' so I imagine there are a few more hooking up today.

Made it up to 65 degrees – winds died down some – definitely a picnic table and a book, my coffee and Li'l Bit kinda day.

When we go outside, Li'lBit is chained to the picnic table. She can lay under the table, be on it, lay under the RV or under the truck --whatever! I heard her whinning and there she was setting on the steps by the door, whinning then started yipping! Crazy dog wanted to come in! She's gotta get used to being outside now that it is warming up!

We have to brush immediately when we get outside. It is quite the ritual! I open the door, say "Go to the table," she jumps up on the table. I get the brush and get busy - then she gets down - well I have to put her down - she'd stay up there all day! Then I can open my book.

Saturday was an absolutely lovely day. A little overcast and misty in the AM, but that burned off the minute the sun broke through. It was one of those days that should last forever! Pam came by and we discussed the pancake races for next Thursday. Should be quite interesting!

They had a luau here in the park Saturday evening. Decided I’d set this one out. It sure smelled good outside, however, with the pork cooking!

Sunday 69 degrees and morning 'heavy' air, sun was out so will burn off before long.

I decided to try the old angel food cake pan I found at Castaways. It is shorter than the new ones and doesn’t have the “legs” on it. It fits in my oven and I managed to make a REAL (out of the box!) angel food cake. The cake just barely clears the top of the oven. Could be that this oven is a tad bigger than my old one, too. Anyway, it makes me a happy camper!

Made some really good chicken salad for sandwiches, not a fancy recipe, just mayo, canned chicken, pickle relish, a little onion. Guess it was really more like tuna salad with chicken. Oh, I did add a little dill. But it sure tasted good at the picnic table when Li’lBit and I had our picnic.

Monday I woke up just before 6AM with some severe shake rattle and roll! DAMN! Thought I was in Iowa and my weather radio didn't go off. Cold front blew thru -- dropped us down to 64 degrees. Brrrrr! Glad I have my hoodies! At least the shake rattle and roll only lasted until the front edge of the thing passed. Made it up to mid-80s before the day was done. With a 16 mph breeze out of the north the windchill (guess it's a windchill - the cold front blew thru this AM!) was 76 degrees. Actually quite pleasant if you aren't setting in the sun. Guess that's why I enjoy the weather down here on the coast.

Finally found the dead stinky shrimp I dropped the other day. It was behind the stove. I thought they were dead when I cooked them; guess it managed to WALK back there! Couldn’t have anything to do with a cat or a dog or maybe even a parrot beak helping it along its way.

A perfect end to the month of February!