September 19 - 25 - My First Full Week in Rockport

Monday the 19th 68 degrees, humid, rained some more. Guess I brought the rain with me! Went into town to run some errands. Still living on sandwiches and needed bread, milk, staple kinda things! While down that end of town, stopped in to see Deryl & Elke. Didn't plan on staying and I ended up there about an hour or more drinking coffee.

Picked up a couple more bags and boxes of stuff from the trailer. This would become a routine – a couple bags and boxes, off to the 5th wheel put them away – then back for another trip when it cools down later in the day.

With the sun and the heat during the day, I usually limited my loads to two a day – one in the early AM and one in the evening. Gave me a chance to put stuff away as I moved it. Remember, the idea was to leave stuff in the trailer and not have to move it all of the time! But, since it is going into the shop, want to get out all I can.

Most of my plants are dead or dying! I put them UNDER my trailer while in Gatesville and kept them watered and out of the direct sun.....but I guess the heat and wind just got to them. Maybe I need to stop trying to be a traveling gardener and just buy plants when I get where I’m going!

Wish you could see the migration of hummingbirds here. I had two dead in front of my trailer on Monday. They must be starved by the time they get here. The feeders in the park are constantly full with birds, you can almost see the liquid going down in the feeder. You never see a feeding hole empty.

Thank heavens the park has Wifi – my Verizon wifi thingy is not really dependable! Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn’t get a signal. Of course, my Verizon cell phone is just about the same; that’s why I keep minutes on an old TracFone.

The air just about has me down; maybe it's just trying to get the dust and smoke from central TX out of my lungs! Everyone here has been really nice about offering to help. But I just can't work fast enough (get enough air to keep up with them!) so I just do a little bit myself.

I love my little trailer, but it sure is nice having a real bed so I don't have to hi-hurdle in and out! Oh, it's nice to be back on a REAL computer, too!

At 5AM Tuesday, the temp was 57 degrees, humidity 69% but that usually goes down as the day goes on. Up early for an appointment for fasting lab. After a summer of Iowa beef, pork and sweet corn, I’m sure all of my lab values will be just terrific!

Li'lBit, Holly & Tinga are back to their old selves. Li'lBit has the hardest time not being able to see. She still acts confused about where she is and runs into things. But I knew she realized where she was when I put her out on her leash while I was unloading stuff from the truck, and she immediately went under the truck -- that's her 'cool' spot here. Tinga made her first 'fly around' and seems to have her bearings back. And Holly? Well, Holly is just Holly. She can always find food, water, kitty litter and a hiding place. Damn I love that ol' cat!

Wednesday, phone service and Verizon Wifi is still ‘iffy.’ Have no idea what is going on. But my day was screwed up the minute I turned on my computer. Yahoo mail and Face Book changed their formats and layouts and that has totally messed with my mind!

Had lunch at HuDats with Donna on Wednesday. Great seeing her! Ate the rice and other veggies while I was there, brought my shrimp and broccoli home. It ended up in a ‘pseudo-siamin’ soup the following nite with Ramen noodles, carrots and peas!

Went to Action RV to see if they knew someone that would come tow my trailer in since it is really ‘listing’ to the right! I’m just not at all comfortable with the idea of towing it thru town and the road construction in the area. They came out Thursday to look at it, will get the necessary parts and repair it here so I can tow it in. Then they will work on it and tend to the storm damage. What a deal!

Checked my email after coming back from lunch with Donna and there was a note from Elke – they were going to the Butter Churn that nite, meet them at their place at 5:10! Just what I needed – another meal out. But I do love The Butter Churn about as much as I love the food at HuDat’s!

When I came in from The Butter Churn, my gut is too full and it was too dark to work at the trailer. That meant a double loads Thursday AM!

By Thursday mid-morning I had hauled all out of the trailer that I going to do! Swept the floor (did not mop - will do that after the repair guys wander in and out), trash out. I'm finished hauling - for awhile, anyway!

Thursday afternoon John from Action RV came by and decided he needed to get some parts. Told me it might be a few days but when I saw a tire on the wheel, I could hitch it up and bring it in. Needs some part they don't carry....NATURALLY! Definitely made me glad I decided to tow it back to Rockport rather than set somewhere in Victoria!

Friday September 23rd was “I Ain't Doin' SHIT” day! I’m tired of lugging, tired of toting, tired of lifting, tired of packing and unpacking! AND, I haven't had my "collapse" day that I usually have after a trip. I took it Friday! Li'lBit and I sat at the picnic table and enjoyed the morning breeze 'til the sun got in our way! And I finally got around to starting a new book.

62 degrees, nice breeze outside -- maybe it's a COLD front! I can only hope!
I did shut off the A/C and opened some windows! I needed to get some fresh air in here - boy, did this smell like an RV when I first opened the door -- cheap wood and paneling kinda smell!

All the critters seem to be back to normal. Tinga is flying all over getting into things -- Li'lBit is going out side, acting like she is peeing, then coming in and using her paper! YUP, we're almost back to normal!

This brings me to completion of my first full week in Rockport. I miss being in Iowa and spending time with my sister and finding the 'garden fairy' has left me more tomatoes and cucumbers and squash -- but it is nice to be home!