RV Blog--Life in a Box. This just ain't 'camping' any more....

Tuesday, January 27, 2004:

What a change a day makes! All that warm, dry weather....and last nite we had lightning and thunder and some really "gully washers"! We actually rolled up the awning yesterday afternoon. Good thing, too, cause there were a few wicked gusts! Woke up to "Lake A-OK" in front of our car! The folks who pulled in last nite and parked their motorhome across the road woke up surrounded by water! Needed WADERS to carry their little dog out to potty! LOL! By afternoon, the sun was shining and the clouds were gone. Supposed to only be up in the mid-50 degree range for a high tomorrow.....
I know, you folks up North are really feeling sorry for us, now, aren't you????
Later....

Dinah // Tuesday, January 27, 2004
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Whee. First place I went was to the Ford dealer to get a seatbelt extender. Mine kept slipping through the hole and disappearing under the seat! I'd watched one of them selling on eBay for $27.50!!! Ford dealerships GIVE them away! I shoulda got a spare to SELL, at that rate! Then, Sunday morning it was 'off to the laundromat'.! UGH. Washed up all Keith's work clothes, just in case he should recover enough to actually go to work! (which he didn't).

I have to admit that Florida is a great place to have the flu in January! LOL! Sunday it got up to nearly 80 degrees! Keith was stretched out on his lounger in the shade of the fifthwheel, sipping his Dr. Pepper and coughing. And watching the neighbor play with his little remote control car--terrorizing the old people and their dogs! (Not really!) He managed to choke down a buffalo burger that we grilled, so I figure he'll make a complete recovery, eventually.....

Dinah // Tuesday, January 27, 2004
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Monday, January 26, 2004:

And now we both have the flu. :( We were too young to qualify for the flu shots they were rationing out down here...so we get to have the real thing! Ugh. Coughing, sore throat, headache.... I seem to only have a light dose of it, thank goodness!

Dinah // Monday, January 26, 2004
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Saturday, January 24, 2004:

UPDATE!

I have a real, honest-to-goodness, RUNNING car. Much nicer than the wagon I hauled kids to school in, way back when.... Now, where shall I go first????

Dinah // Saturday, January 24, 2004
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Nope. Still don't have it back. Ron said he'd have it ready again today.....

So, back to RV related things! Bought an umbrella clothesline yesterday, and next week will be devoted to the washing of clothes--providing I have transportation, of course! Our big 5th wheel has a laundry rack setup on the rear bumper, but this little one has a funky bumper and rear window awning that defy the use of one of those. All I have to do is figure out how to get the umbrella to stay put in all this sand.... I suspect that a bag of Sacrete will be involved.... Landlord should love that! :)
While I was in 'umbrella mode' I picked up a cheap patio umbrella to stick through the hole in our plastic table. Even with the awning out, we have very little shade through the heat of the day. We're pointed East and WEst here, so we get sun all day! Anyhow, the umbrella makes it possible to sit outside and have lunch, read a book, watch the neighbors...all that Florida-in-the-winter stuff.... Sure are going to have a well, loaded trailer when we finally leave here!!!

The "new" wore off the new job. :( Keith was hired as an equipment operator--and can number on one hand the times he's been in the seat of ANYTHING besides a pickup truck! For some reason, there are 3 extra operators and the job foreman does all the 'operating'! But Keith is getting a lot of experience flagging and shoveling and standing around. And getting to know the other English-speeking employees.... And has learned a lot about paving--by watching, mostly! NOT the job he was looking for, obviously!

So, that the way it is, here in Sunny Florida. Supposed to rain tomorrow--we'll be able to fish off our steps again.... LOL!
Later....

Dinah // Saturday, January 24, 2004
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Wednesday, January 21, 2004:

So, I'm going to be forced to open a blog all about the dumb station wagon! I walked up and got it this morning, went to the gas station and filled it up (discovered the gas tank works when it wants to) and drove to the bank, made a deposit, drove on up the street, slowed to make a right turn, and IT DIED. And refused to start. Boy have I gotten my money's worth out of that little jewel! LOL! Called the 'one man dealership' and Ron closed up shop and came after me, pushed it off the shoulder and brought me home. His next move will be to go after it, when it's in the mood to start again, and replace another electric ingnition box thingy! Poor man. He didn't make enough money on that car to cover all the parts and aggravation! Me? I'm cool. My first time out on the streets on my own since we got here.... LOL! Next time out, I'll see if I can find a laundromat for it to die in front of.... At this rate, that tank of gas should last a while.... LOL!

Yeah, so, this blog is supposed to be about living in an RV, but, well, aside from the fact that nearly all our clothes are piled up in the shower, awaiting laundering, there's not much to talk about. We bought the window awning for the bedroom, but Keith hasn't had time to install it.... Speaking of awnings--we haven't had to roll our patio awning up since we got here! This is a far cry from life in SD, where you roll it out in the morning and watch it all day--unless you're going to town, in which case you roll it up for fear that the wind will get gusty while you're gone.... Lots of torn up awnings in the West!

Meanwhile, life with a phone line is WONDERMOUS! I can go online any time I want to!!! Life is good!

Dinah // Wednesday, January 21, 2004
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Tuesday, January 20, 2004:

THE CAR is still in the shop. When the guy came to tow it away, it started right up--and continued to start every time after that. Last we heard, he was going to return it yesterday afternoon--but it didn't show. I'm assuming it failed to start??? LOL!

So, we're puppy-less, still. Looks like her "mommy" has decided to neglect her at the boyfriends house. She picked her up on Thursday and hasn't been back to the campground since. I wish I could imagine that little Snowball is getting attention wherever she is.... Based on past performance, the attention would have to be coming from someone else....

Finally! It ain't DSL, but I have a real phone line, now! I can go online any time I want to!!! :) And make local calls in the daytime--and look up numbers in my very own phone book. :)

Dinah // Tuesday, January 20, 2004
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Saturday, January 17, 2004:

Check this out! I finally reached the limit of how much time I could spend, stuck in a little campground, miles from all services--wheel-less, as it were. So, I hiked to the one-man dealership down the street and bought myself an near-vintage Country Squire station wagon! Wonderful car! And so CHEAP! Drove it home, parked it behind the bigass truck and we loaded up the dogs and prepared to go 'adventuring'. Turned the key, and the car would not start! Not no way, not no how! Called the dealer and in 5 minutes he was there, under the hood. Then off to the parts store and back in 1/2 an hour with some electronic whatsit. Which didn't fix it. :( So he offered us our money back or he'd fix the car. We want that car! So..... I'm wheeless a bit longer. :(

But, what the heck. I'm in the only place in the Country where it's nearly 80 degrees and partly sunny......

Dinah // Saturday, January 17, 2004
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Sunday, January 11, 2004:

HAPPY 2004!

It has been brought to my attention that I've been neglecting my blog. Well, all I can say is that time spent online is time not spent working on my TAN! LOL!
Yes, Marie, we now have a pretty good idea where we are and how to get somewhere from here! :) First thing I did was pay a scary amount of money for a detailed county map! And, just yesterday we "acquired" a brand new local phone book!
Okay, so we went and checked out the Swamp and decided we weren't going to go there any more. Interesting place to visit, but we wouldn't want to live there.... So, Keith took a job nearby--which he actually LIKES--and the commute is unbelievable. 10 minutes on the toll road to the main office--and then a ride in a company vehicle, on the clock, to the jobsite! Sure beats that nasty commute he had for the first job!!!

I've been busy babysitting the neighbor's new puppy--which she never should have accepted as a gift! She got a new boyfriend at about the same time and so, her idea of puppy care is to put out food and water and then tell me I can go get the puppy to play with any time I want. She then disappears for 24 to 36 hours at a time. Occasionally drops by to change clothes and cuddle "her" puppy.... Finally, yesterday afternoon, her boyfriend's daughter talked her into taking the pup WITH her to spend the nite at the boyfriend's house!!! I had given it the only bath it's had in 3 weeks, trimmed its toenails for the first time, picked out fleas, etc. for a solid 2 weeks! If I didn't have to live here, I'd turn her in to the Humane Society! Since I can't do that, we seem to be going to have a tiny white furball underfoot most of the time we're here. OUR dogs are less than amused. Molly is disgusted by the little bundle of energy, and Kizzee is merely puzzled as to what it's good for! LOL!

And now, it's time to get ready to make a run to the Flea Market/Farmer's Market. We're out of fresh tomatoes and green beans and ORANGES! :) Take care....

Dinah // Sunday, January 11, 2004
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