Spent a week in Gatesville and never did get used to hot, dry, dusty. Everything is horribly brown and dry, even Li'lBit didn't want to walk on the dead grass for potty stops. She didn't like the crunching under her feet. Every time she would step and it would 'crunch,' she'd pick up her foot and shake it!
All the way from the TX state line, I could see charred and burned areas from the interstate. In fact, two new wild fires started near I-35 in Tarrant County (Fort Worth) as I was coming thru that area and there was a traffic jam of fire trucks and emergency vehicles.
On and off day and nite, sirens headed out of town. There is no second-guessing a grass fire. Instead of sending one truck and have that truck assess the situation and call for additional help if needed, they seem to send ALL trucks, assess the situation and then send back to the stations those they don't need. Another fire roared up just south of Gatesville.
As long as I stayed inside the trailer with the A/C going, I didn't smell the smoke, and I had 'filtered' air with my respirator and oxygen concentrator. But the minute I opened the door and went outside, the smoky dust would cling to skin, clothes, hair – Kinda like spending too many hours in a smoky bar and wondering why your clothes smelled like cigarette smoke and beer!
Sunday 102 degrees - hot, dusty, I want to go back to Iowa! I took Li’lBit out but didn’t walk her. I stood in one spot and turned in a circle and she walked at the end of the leash -- kinda like walking a horse on one of those merry-go-round things!
Went to Johnnie’s for Sunday dinner with her family and she always has my favorite chicken fried steak, taters, gravy, frog eye salad, black eyed pea salad and on and on and on. That lady can certainly set a feast on a table.
4PM still 102 degrees, water from my cold water faucet was hotter than my hot water! I came south too soon!
Monday I woke up to 67 degrees at 6:45 –again went up to 104! At least I can sleep at nite with my vents open and a fan going. Leave the window open a little in the kitchen area -- brings in some of the cooler nite air. I don't have to worry about humidity! Humidity 39% and dew point 41.
Stopped by the County Offices for my tags for the 5th wheel - $121! Gatesville is always my 'pricey' stay! Stopped by the bank to let them know I was still alive and using the on-line banking. I'm sure they know that but like to check in with one of the 'personal bankers' each time I come thru -- just in case I have to call them for some reason.
As I was pulling out to run errands, here's Brenda! So we did breakfast. Morning coffee with Johnnie! Met Tina and her little boy Jacob at DQ for supper and ice cream, then back home.
As soon as the swelling and itching left my eyes, my nose stopped running, my throat stopped itching and I stopped sneezing and coughing it was a Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood.
I think it is a good thing I decided to move from central TX! I definitely am allergic to Gatesville. Of course the heat and smoky dust doesn't help. I'm leaving this Friday to head back to Rockport -- going to get some of that good salty, fishy gulf. I called them to 'warn them' I'm coming back! Can't wait to get to the gulf coast and smell that fishy, moist gulf air!!
Tuesday 104+ degrees - guess whose truck no longer had a working air conditioner! WHEW!! Guess who was setting at the Dodge Service Entrance at the crack of dawn the next morning!
In Iowa my weather warnings are storms, tornadoes, winds – here in central TX my daily weather warnings are Red Flag Warnings: Gusty Winds And Low Humidity For All Of Central Texas. Winds near 15 mph with gusts to 25+ mph; humidity as low as 10-15%; triple digit temps. Impact: Any Fires That Develop Will Likely Spread Rapidly.
My poor plants were suffering. They get so nice and full while in Iowa. Now they have been outside (and I had them partially under the trailer to keep them out of direct sun) and they are just about dead! I watered them twice a day and it still isn't enough! Of course with the humidity about 15%, there isn't much moisture in the air and triple digit temps most of the time.
Wednesday, $339 later the A/C in the truck was working! Of course $225 of that was labor! I should be in the A/C business. $25 was for "recycle fee' It's still over 100here today - I gladly wrote out the check! Stopped by Johnnie's for some coffee.
Met Brenda for breakfast twice during the week and had lunch with her and Ellen at the Italian place on Thursday. Missed seeing quite a few folks this trip – SGT Broam wasn’t feeling well, just never got around to catching up with Janis and Cindy. Mary Jane and I seem to have a devil of a time coordinating our schedules. And I never made it to Hamilton to see friends up there - and chow down at Storms! Maybe next trip!
About 2 AM Thursday a 'cold front' came thru. Temps dropped about 20 degrees with a little breeze. 67 degrees and a breeze when I woke up -- A/C off, windows open! A much nicer day to pack up and get ready to roll with the cooler temps! Thank You God! He sure does know how to take care of ol' fat ladies!!
Friday, Sept 16, I posted to facebook: Packing up and heading south today - about 5-6 hrs and I'll be back in Rockport. At least it is some cooler - 74 degrees this AM.
Little did I know the adventure in store for me as I pulled out of the RV park in Gatesville that morning!
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