Trying to make good use of my time

Glad to read your posts Carolyn...have missed them.  Not easy to sit down and take the time when there's so much going on in your life.  Take care and be safe.

Margaret 

I had the old funky fuel valves on the motorhome replaced in Florida.  This was a very very old style noone was familiar with.  They also checked out the system.  So I had it filled at Flying J the other day, no more issues with trying to figure out how to fill it.

Really happy with that.

I am staying in it while working on the house.  Well today we finally got the house up for sale, FINALLY!
I have a few outside windows to wash and a couple of floors and I'm done.

Sue Anne and I have some things to do Monday and Tuesday, may leave Wed, have to see how it goes.

I have never stayed at a Walmart before.  The campground I was going to use on I 30 is closed down.  I found this Walmart and it has a huge parking lot, one way off to the side.  There are semis parked in it.  But I asked if it were ok if I stayed overnight in it and they said yes. They said the truckdrivers were awful.  I hear that all the time and we have stayed in truckstops before and noone has ever bothered me.  Sad to hear that, these are working guys, guessing one or two ruins things for the whole bunch.

The lot is so slopped it was hard to walk in here so I put the back jacks up a bit.  I know, don't do that. But the genny was cutting out once in awhile, now its not so slopped doing well, I have 3/4's of a tank so no issue there.  But I'm way back at the side and out of the way.  The truck next to me has his genny or something running and this way I can, its pretty hot.  Supposed to get 68 later so I'm turning it off and after we go to bed with likely retract the jacks, doesn't matter tonight.

If I could see good at night I would continue to drive.

I got up early and had so much still to do and close up the house took more time.  Also had to air up the toad tires and the only air chuck I had was for the big motorhome tires, so had to run that errand.  Normally we get to Loanoke, Arkansas other side of Little Rock.  I was going to stay at a truck stop or camp ground, left my map at home with campgrounds so only knew about the one.
This is cleaner, less people but I bet this lot fills up later with trucks, so another tanker came in and a guy deadheading. They must use this side lot a lot.  I'm not sure why they built this way out over here, unusual to have an auxillary lot basically like this.  I see the trucks parking at the side of the main lot, I know why its more level, but not doing that.  We can sleep with our heads up, hope it don't hurt the fridge for one night!  And hope the icemaker doesn't defrost.

I decided to raise the levelers, decided that is not wise, might indent the asphalt so did.

Also genny off and on, sounds like that is what the trucker next to me is doing.

I took a shower and cooled down.  We opened some windows, going to get 68 so will be comfy.  I am not leaving windows open at night though, think that is a bit much.

I have a rattle that is driving me even more bonkers then I am

It's the tail pipe of the genny.  Tom has wired it down but I think it had another welded clamp or something.  Sometimes like now it rattles, when  I first heard it thought the generator was knocking, noooo.

There is a shop that put on a new chrome tail pipe and I'm getting him to weld a bracket or fix the one there so this stops.  I hate rattles like that. folks must think its going to fly apart.  Of course with others running around me maybe they don't even hear it, think it resonates worse inside then outside.  And it comes and goes

I was noticing today.  I don't think others do but I like to drive with all my blinds up in the front.  Like to be able to see what is around me, really like the visibility.  Of course I use my mirrors but I still like to see everything. do you?

I open the blinds and curtains on all the windows I can see through by turning my head in the driver's seat - that's all the windows up front and one additional window on the passenger side behind the front door.

The remaining windows I leave the blinds down.  For example, I can't see through any of the windows on the left side of the coach, or in the bedroom, etc.  Leaving the blinds down on these cuts down on the heat load from the sun shining through them.

I do pretty much as Lou does, wanting to see through every window visible from the driver's seat -- I can't conceive of having too much visibility (I love bubble canopies in aircraft), but anything that blocks my view unnecessarily is a potential accident.

Uneventful trip other then rain that slowed me down a bit.  I ended up stopping in Benton, Illinois last night.  It's on 57 south of North Vernon.  I just happened to find a KOA campground, they didn't ask me a thing about age of my motorhome, I saw some in there older but they were in good shape.  Some needed waxing but otherwise fine. 

Nice campground.  It rained again today on the way home so it took me more time then usual but it was still a good trip.

No problems with the motorhome, it hummed right along, a pleasure to drive. But on highway 55 in Missouri about beat me to death, also a section of highway 41 south of Vincenness.  Knocked a panel under the dash loose in front of Sue Anne's seat, and a metal panel in a bay.  We need to do something about some of these roads.  These are easy fixes but still unnecessary.

Now I need to clean the motorhome inside and out, but I also need to sort a move the stuff out of the end of the motorhome garage Tom moved in there.  What a job that will be.  Also work in my garden, needs hoed, the rest needs tilled and I want to plant a bit more.  Will likely put out a row of flowers, my dad always did that, they were so pretty every year.

Glad you arrived home safely.  There will always be lots of things to do...take a break for a day or two and relax.  The things will still be there tomorrow.  And you'll be more rested. 

Margaret

Haven't been here for a bit, busier then a bee!  My garden looks pretty good though is much smaller then I had.  It has rained and rained and rained.  Last year they had a bad drought here and this year looks like flooding instead.  We are ok, as we have sloping property so its ok.

I have planted 3 apple trees, 2 peach, 4 grapevines, and just received my fuyu persimmon, and a lilac. If you ever get the chance to try one of those persimmons, they are awesome.  They get as big as the palm of your hand.  You can cut off the top there are no seeds in them and you can eat the pulp with a spoon.  But they are also quite expensive, $1 to $2 for one in Houston.  We had a neighbor that had one of the trees, I had never seen them before that.  I read unlike apples that need 2, if I plant 2 then they will produce seeds in them, odd.  I also planted 2 redbuds but 1 isn't going to make it so the lilac will go there.  I got grapevines on 2 year stock so I won't be 80 when they start producing. ;D

We are fortunate in that the neighbors down the road raise watermelons and they bring in bees to pollinate.  My garden and yard are full of the little buggers.  If they pollinate all the blooms I have on potatoes, greenbeans, and tomatoes, I'm going to have a bumper crop.

My poor dog is terrified of the thunderstorms we are having and I think he is getting worse, I finally got him doggy tranquilizers and it helps him, poor guy.  I put him in the basement with the tv on and it also mutes the noise.

Well my husband Tom had talked about retiring when this job was done.  The company offered him another contract back in Angola for 2.5 years.  He signed it but figured he would not go as they were not releasing him from this project.  But they told him they will hold the slot for him till he is done, which will probably be sometime this next month.  This was kind of a surprise really, I guess they like these old geezers!  He will be 70 when that contract is complete.  Can't say companies all want to get rid of the old guys. But he does have to pass a physical each year, so at least if he does we know he is still healthy.  Sue Anne passed hers with flying colors even though she is quite overweight.  None of us have high blood pressure.

We have talked about this, both of us kind of didn't want him too.  But then we want to do some other things and not take money out of investments.  Besides we are both thinking that either one or both of us could live to be 100 at the rate we are going and we still have Sue Anne.  I guess it sounds silly, but he likes working and this project will be good. I have plenty to occupy me also and Sue Anne and I will travel some.  He will be gone 8 weeks and home 3.  The transport is a chartered plane all business class and a direct flight and he will have a lot of his friends on this project, so a good way for him to go into retirement.  He says oh I can quit next year, I know this man, he will not leave a project in a lurch, he will be there the full 2.5 years if neither of us gets sick. We were both rather surprised by this turn of events.

I had been very very tired for some time and was blaming my low blood sugar.  I had to find a new doctor up here and went in for blood work, they found I was not producing enough thyroid hormone and started me on levothyroxine.  Already I'm feeling much better, more like my old self.  You know able to leap tall buildings and all that stuff, ha! ha!  But she wants to give me a statin for my cholesterol which is 229, I want to see what I can do with diet and to lose weight first, have to see how that goes.  I have lost about 9 pounds but still Sue Anne and I are going to go to a dietician and to the fitness center at the hospital. It's by prescription so insurance may cover it. Sue Anne really needs to lose.

If Tom doesn't get time between projects to check over my old motorhome will have to take it in someplace, doesn't seem to be much of anyplace here to have that done.  She is ready for an oil change, I think I may have a leak of fluid in the leveling system, need to get that looked at. Also may have a leak in the radiator system of the genny.  It's taking water, still runs fine, so guessing its leaking somewhere, hoses, though they are supposed to be new or radiator itself?  I have checked locally for tires, maybe able to get them at Vincennes, nothing in Terre Haute.  I want Michelans and through the FMCA pricing deal. I want to get a new set before we take off on a trip anywhere.  It will likely be Sept or so before we go anyway. We are still debating on going to Florida for 2 to 3 months this winter and not to Orlando but further south.  Say Jan to Mar, that we shall see about to. Depends on Toms turnarounds.

So that about catches us up.

We have been to a model airplane show, to the drag races, going to a car show tomorrow if it doesn't rain.  Going to the Vigo Country Fair in the next couple of weeks.  I got my fishing license and Sue Anne needs to get hers too, we can go fishing near here.  I bike ride up to the diner at times when Sue Anne is at grandmas.  I'm getting ready to rescreen some of the screened in back porch.  It's at least 9 years old and there are a couple of slits in the screening.  Also want to stain the wood, they used treated but never put anything on it so could look better.

I have the Modutile in the main basement area done and into Sue Anne's extra room down here, but need to get out the saw to do the edge tiles in her room.  Also need to do the sewing room. Looks nice.

We all love it here and are not sorry we moved back.  Just hope we can get in a bit more traveling.

Hope everyone else is doing well also.

You are stealing my share of rain!   My yard crunches when we walk across it.

My yard squishes when you walk across it.  And if you walk in the garden you will sink in. 

Last year they had a horrible drought, now this.

And its raining again right now, has 2 or 3 times today.

Haven't been here for awhile.

We have been very busy, finally got the last of our things up here.

Tom is going to a new project has to leave Wed.  He tried to get them to let him stay home till the 12th, but no go, had
to leave sooner.

We finally got the motorhome garage cleaned out so we can get it in.  That was a positive.  Now I need to wash it and
wax again, has sat out a couple of months.

Tom got the chance to look at the radiator and found out the fan had quit working so he is ordering a new motor.
Also the front levelor he checked and said it needs taken off and repacked.
Then he was messing with the air horn and figured out its problem  cost about $20 for the parts.
We are going to find a local place and see if they will change the oil and do the above repairs.

I see at Vincennes they have a participating dealer with the FMCA for Michelin tires.  Tom said when I get them
have the tierods, etc checked and get a front end alighnment.  Old motorhomes have maintenance issues. 

We ordered new Michelins 2 weeks ago thru Indy Tire in Indianapolis. They said that they had a set back-ordered from the 1st of July. We are hoping that ours get here by the middle of September, since we have reservations in Florida near the end of the month.
The FMCA program saved us about $50 per tire over the Costco price. We have always run only Michelin tires on our motorhomes.
Good Luck,
Indiana Journey

I guess I need to get down there next week and get them ordered then.  We may be taking off later in the winter, likely around the first of January so I should have time.
Tom won't be able to fix the items he is doing till October.

Going to check about the hydraulic cylinder too, Tom doesn't think he will have time to do that one.

I found a drive through truck wash at Carlisle, they have ladders up both side where I can wash the top so that should be really handy.  I can use the wand and not have to climb on the top of it.  Need to clean it good.  It was before I brought it up but sitting out didn't do it any good.  Needs cleaned in and out for sure.

Since we can buy so much fresh produce, picked the same day actually up here I'm thinking of downsizing my garden.  I don't find green beans, carrots, beets, things like that.  But the corn blackberries, blueberries, melons, and watermelon, peaches, and tomatoes are abundant.  We think they also raise some potatoes locally Tom said he saw a potato digger go by yesterday.  Apples will be off soon also, I'm going to make stewed, sauce, and freeze them for pies and things.  I made peach ham and put up at least 15 or more quarts of peaches in the freezer, we already ate 4 quarts in cobblers while he is home.  i'm going to get more.  The Big Peach down south of us has wonderful freestone peaches.  They are just delicious.  I think I need to put up more corn too, he said I did as we are going through it like crazy.

This is what I really missed from here is the wonderful, fresh, abundant produce.  The beef here used to be awesome.  Some of the Amish have told me I can find very
good meat over by them and I'm going over there soon as I get a chance.

I find Laura's beef at Krogers and half the time its on sale.  I can also get small enough quantities of it for Sue Anne and I.  That's about the best I've found anymore.  We had ribeyes last night that melted in your mouth.

I'm finally back looking for my new tow vehicle.  I was going to get a GMC Terrain but now not so sure
I have read some reviews with the pluses and minuses and not so sure.

I've looked online at some others but I found one I really like and also the color selections.  It's a Cadillac SRX, a cross over vehicle in a metallic light blue.  From what I've read its towable all 4 down, I'm assuming the 4 wheel drive one.  Does anyone tow one of these.  We may wait a bit for the 2014 since they are due out soon. This vehicle will have to last me a long time so I'm trying to choose carefully.

I'm looking and looking, may have found what I'm going to test drive.

The new 2014 Jeep Cherokee Trailhawk with sunroof.
The exterior has been redesigned so a nice looking vehicle.
The Jeep active Drive II 4 X 4, has a neutral selection specifically designed for flat towing, states so online in the literature.  I can get a 6 cylinder, this sounds like what I need.  Need to look at it a bit further and see if I can find one to test drive.  Need to check and see what the weight is.

Jeep has lots of different configurations for sure, but I'm not going to be out 4 wheeling more interested in something for snow up here. 

Ouch it weighs 5500 pounds, my little Saturn doesn't weigh much I don't think.

I'm having a really hard time finding what I want, sigh.