June 13-19 I Love My Weather Radio!

My weather radio hasn't 'shut up' since I've been here! Wish I could send some of this rain to the wild fires in AZ! Seemed to have dodged the bullet again! One of these nites I'll get a full-nite's sleep! Mary & Judy gave me a key to the bathhouse in case I want to go in there when it gets windy/stormy.

Finally had some time outside to try to clean up my plants from their trip and no care since they left Rockport! Some are in really shabby shape!

Still trying to figure out where I'm going to put stuff in this trailer! It is a good thing the weather hasn't been the best for setting outside - at least I don't feel so bad about having to get the work done inside!

Ron and Connie Perkins, friends from Rockport 35 RV, pulled in this week - nice to see familiar faces! They would be leaving Friday - headed to Montana and then on to Oregon. With the Missouri River and some of the other rivers in the Dakotas out of their banks, I wish them safe crossing.

Wednesday, at least the weather radio didn't go off last nite -- well, yes, it did once. Holly walked across it and hit the "WEATHER" button! Imagine – the one nite since I’ve been here that the radio didn’t go off with a warning and my cat sets it off!

Well, I got the pilot lite lit and the oven going. It makes a little noise, maybe needs an adjustment? I'll check it out sometime when I want to cook something. I hate messing with gas. Now I have to figure why my sewer won't drain! SHIT! Yup, that's the part that won't drain. Grey water drains fine. Oh, how I love getting used to the 'quirks' of a new RV !

When all else fails - read the manual. When I read the owners manual earlier, it said "possible 3rd valve on some models." I didn't think anything of it, figured that had to be for the bigger rigs.

On my way into town to get an additional hose and plumber snake (have both in the 5the 5th wheel but that isn’t doing me much good up here!)I decided to look for that third pull-gate. Li'lBit was already waiting in the truck, ready to go for a ride. And there it was. There are two pull-gates on the black water drain that have to be opened. One is 1/2 way under the darn trailer - I was soooo glad no one was there to see me get down on the ground, crawl under and get back up! I've left that one OPEN and only closed the one closest to the drain! I'll have to make a note for myself to remember to close it before I leave. In Gatesville, I thought everything had emptied just fine – being lazy and in a hurry, opened both drains at once and just ‘assumed!” they both emptied. I know now I can get twice the time I thought on my holding tank! So grateful I don’t have to ask my sister to be my “plumber’s helper”

Li'lBit wouldn't come out of the truck when I told her we didn’t need to go to town. She was going somewhere even if we didn't have anywhere to go! So, in to town we go for a ride. Anything to keep the puppy happy!

I've been sucking on my nebulizer since I've been here -- happens every year -- new pollens, humidity, etc. Normally only do nebulizer treatment 2 times a day -- but here I have to do it 4 -- at least until things dry out a little.

Been enjoying eating out (and not cooking!) with Bea – we’ve done Antigua’s, Perkins McDonald’s, Legend’s. If there is one thing Marshalltown has, it’s plenty of places to eat! Friday nite we went with Jim and Kathy to Montana Mike’s in Newton. Really good clam chowder and plenty of food on the plate. Loved the cinnamon honey butter for the rolls. And I love places that serve enough I can ask for a "box." That means at least two meals for the price of one!

Started working out my first road trip. I think it will be to Adele to see the brick streets - down to White Post Road - Adair, Casey, Menlo, Stuart, Dexter, and then back home. Should take most of a day so will have to pack a picnic lunch for me and Li'lBit!

Saturday I headed over to Knoxville KOA to meet with some campers for the Escapees Iowa group. I wasn't thinking about not being allowed to take a non-registered vehicle onto the camping area. The ladies at the office told me I would have to leave my truck at the office and walk in. I didn't bring scooter, walker or portable oxygen so walking in wasn't a possibility in this Iowa humidity! The ladies tried tobe accommodating. They offered me the use of the golf cart. Having never driven one, I didn't want to practice with theirs! They thought, if I could get my truck off the drive-lanes, it would be OK to go in this one time -- but after looking at the width of the lanes, wasn't sure I could get my 1 ton dually off the drive path far enough so I just came on home. But it was a lovely drive and I did enjoy a nice lunch in Newton before I headed back.