RVSue and her canine crew left the full-time RVing life in spring of 2018, moving into a house in southeastern Arizona. This blog continues their story.
A hot summer with little rain dried up our yard. That’s Roger, the once homeless dog who has become The Master of His Domain.
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The Best Little Trailer needs attention.
Neglected for a year, she sits patiently under the mesquite where she has borne up admirably against snowstorms and heatwaves. Cobwebs cling to her tires and mold defaces her once pristine and glowing fiberglass roof.
Mesquite pods have wiggled their way under the awning. Oh, the shame!
Grass and weeds tickle the BLT’s belly. Sheesh . . . No respect for her distinguished service providing a secure home in wild places across the western states!
Cooler days give me incentive.
It’s high time I did something about this travesty!
Inserting the key into the hitchlock, memories of our old boondocking days are released.
Heightened awareness . . . The sound of the river rolling and tumbling past, the smell of sage, the early morning freshness and light, the happy anticipation, a slight undercurrent of nervousness . . . . “C’mon, crew! Take your places! We’re off to a new camp!”
The lounger remains in the back yard, a reminder of peaceful relaxation enjoyed in remote places during our 7+ years of full-timing.
I soon find that hitching up is like riding a bike.
All goes easily and quickly, my confidence intact. I only move the BLT a few lengths forward to get her out from under the mesquite and within reach of the water hose for cleaning.
Summer comes to an end with the raking of mesquite pods. Reggie, The Sensitive One, keeps by me, not because he’s afraid, but because he needs to know that I’m okay and, thus, so is he.
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I’m very glad I invested in a taller ladder!
The vent cover and power cord compartment door could use some white paint for plastic.
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The house gets a fresh coat of white paint!
I knew it needed painting but it wasn’t until the new paint (“White Velvet”) goes on that I realize how yellowed and dirty the house was. The painting crew and I decide against spraying the paint. A roller works well.
Now you know what I did during my absence from this blog: supervising (aka getting in the way of) the paint crew. Once the white is on, I paint the trim around the windows glossy black. The contrast is lovely.
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This and that
The crew and I take the PTV to places for our walks. Our neighborhood is not ideal for walking dogs, although plenty of folks do it, judging by the many passers-by. This is a dog-friendly neighborhood which means dogs in yards. Oh, do they bark as we walk by.
I like quiet walks. Hence, the boys and I go out into the desert. Here’s Reggie and Roger leading me down a dirt, gas-line road.
Does this pic bring back desert memories shared on this blog?
I’m especially careful about rattlesnakes. A few have been sighted in the area, although I haven’t seen any. I learned when living in Georgia that if one is going to encounter a snake it most likely will happen in March or September.
I don’t know if that holds true in southeastern Arizona, but folks who live on the fringes of the neighborhood have seen a few during the past week. I’m told it’s uncommon for them (the rattlers) to be seen within the neighborhood (none for years).
At last, rain! We had a couple steady rains this past week. Nothing like the deluges of last summer, but I’m thankful for what we got. After the long dry spell, Reg, Rog, and I race out to the front porch to watch and listen to the shower and to smell that peculiar, wet-desert aroma.
What a tease.
A rabbit sneaks into our yard. He digs his way under the privacy fence, and, when the boys sprint after him, he wiggles out through the opening in a flash. I put the dirt back and he digs it away again.
I don’t know why he flirts with danger. The weeds aren’t any greener on this side of the fence. They’re actually browner. Maybe he likes the game of being chased.
Cute little guy. Sometimes he sits on the other side of the chain link fence while Reggie and Roger throw a fit.
Reggie is beginning to ignore the rabbit. Roger hasn’t caught on to the “game” yet or maybe it’s a matter of not being able to override his canine instinct.
Still rocking the 20th century . . . A couple weeks ago I search the thrift stores for a VCR/VHS player. No luck. I can’t find one online either. Everyone long ago switched to DVDs.
Why do I want a VHS? Because the thrift stores have huge collections of VHS tapes, ten for a dollar, sometimes twenty for a dollar. Beats the heck out of the price of new DVDs and I don’t want to do Netflix.
Anyway . . . .
I ask the thrift store volunteers to be on the look-out. At last one comes in, but it doesn’t work. The volunteer man tells me it probably needs a new belt.
“Go down to the hardware store and get a belt,” he says. “They don’t cost much and they’re easy to put in.”
I laugh at this suggestion. “Yeah, easy for you. I’d go to the trouble and end up frustrated and mad with the player all in pieces.” I add jokingly, “I know! How ’bout YOU go down to the hardware store and . . . . ”
I was only kidding, but the next time I’m at the shop, he hands me the player which he has fixed for me! Five dollars for the player, a dollar for ten movies, and I’m all set.
Reg and Rog are happy about this afternoon movie routine. They get in position on the loveseat, one on each side of me knowing I’ll pet them simultaneously as they fall asleep for afternoon nap.
Did I tell you the bathroom repair is done? Dennis and his men did an excellent job replacing the leaking pipe, ripping out the moldy drywall and installing new, then applying the textured “mud” finish.
I paint the entire room with KILZ sealer and white paint. I like a white bathroom with only a few touches of color. Fresh and bright.
Thrift store: Shelf with bar for towels, $2. Cute little clock, 25 cents . . . I came across the clock shortly after I bought the towels. Well, being that color, it had to come home!
I get a smile out of Dennis when I thank him for my “new” bathroom, chortling, “The bathroom is my new favorite room in the house!”
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A plan begins to take shape.
As many of you know, I’m trying to figure out where to focus my energies going forward.
Besides fixing up and maintaining our house and yard, that is.
The crew and I are no longer full-time travelers. This blog, as well as blogging in general, has changed. I have changed. I don’t have the enthusiasm for journal writing as I had when we were camping and moving around the western states.
A vision of a vehicle for my writing is forming that may answer the question . . .
“If not blogging, what?”
Actually it’s something I wanted to do several years ago, but due to the time, effort, focus, perseverance, and resources required, I shelved the idea. At that time most of the seven days in every week — and most of myself for that matter — were consumed with teaching and family responsibilities.
Over the years readers appearing with comments (God bless you!) have helped me immensely with their feedback. From your responses to posts I learned that many of you enjoyed reading about interesting people the crew and I encountered while on the road. Maybe I could build on that.
I don’t want to go into detail right now. Not trying to be coy. I’m easily paralyzed by the expectations of others. I’ll “test the waters” this fall and let you know if anything comes of it.
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Well, dang. This is a long post. If you have read every word all the way to this point, I thank you! Thanks also to those who share in the comment section. I do appreciate you and enjoy the warmth of your interactions.
rvsue
THANK YOU FOR VISITING MY BLOG!
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RVSUE RECOMMENDS . . .
Like Mexican cuisine? Or just like bright, cheerful colors on your table? I ordered these placemats from Amazon and what fun when they arrived! I’ve been enjoying them ever since.
Salsa Stripe Hand Knotted Fringe Placemats
Besides the fun colors, I like how the placemats spot-clean easily. Cloth napkins in the same “salsa stripe” are also available.
NEED A HAT?
Under a previous post a reader recommended Frogg Toggs rain gear. Subsequently someone ordered the boonie hat, so I went to Amazon to learn more about it. Whether Amazon customers used the hat for protection against rain or sun, over 670 rated it highly, averaging 4.5 stars. And the hat is not expensive. I like that!
Frogg Toggs Waterproof Breathable Boonie Hat
Whatever you may order from Amazon’s vast selection of products, I appreciate you starting your shopping at Amazon via the links I post. — Sue
Shop Amazon – Deals & Bargains
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