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

Friday, December 26, 2003:

Happy Holidays!

I know that no one really wants to hear about the wonderful Winter weather here, so I probably shouldn't mention that we're enjoying sunshine and temps in the 70s this week. And I doubt if you want to hear about the fresh Florida strawberries, and oranges, and tomatoes and such. Which leaves us with the crowded roads and and towns that overlap, all the way from Tampa to Orlando! And WAY TO MANY people!
The awning has now been up for 3 weeks. It doesn't seem to mind the 'winds' a bit!
Looks like we could be moving again--down to the Swamps! We're getting quite comfy here, but the job that the guys are looking at is down around Lake Okeechobee. We're going to take a run down there and get a feel for the area. They tell us you can ride around on the palmetto bugs.....! Gators, snakes, skeeters and giant cockroaches does NOT sound promising! Gotta go see for ourselves!

We came home the other day to find Santa and the Mrs. riding around in a golf cart in the Park, passing out Christmas gifts to the tenants! That was a neat touch! Christmas day was a quiet one for us. With no family around, it was certainly strange. First Christmas we've spent on our own since before Lana was born. We bought ourselves a new car stereo and installed it in the RV a week or so ago--that was our gift for this year! Sure saved on wrapping paper!!! :) So, I've packed up the Christmas decorations already, and shipped most of them off to Illinois, out of the way until I need them again! Next up is a good housecleaning and a trip to the laundry--dirty clothes are getting out of hand! And I'll have my newest photos back tomorrow! Maybe I'll get the website updated! With my slow connection speed, it may take hours--but I have all nite!!! :)

And so--Happy New Year!

Dinah // Friday, December 26, 2003
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Sunday, December 14, 2003:

Greetings! Today we're experiencing one of the benefits (at least, in our opinions) of living in an aluminum "box". Rain on the roof! Lots of it! :) After all those months in South Dakota, where a typical rainfall measures .04 INCHES, this is a real treat. We'd much rather it wasn't happening on Keith's only day off this week, but we have to enjoy what comes--when it comes! And the temps are in the 60s! :)

Yesterday I got a glimpse of the local flea market/farmers market and came home with an armload of fresh produce. One of the perks of living in Florida in the winter! I can hardly wait to get in there past the produce! The place is huge! It's open Friday, Saturday & Sunday and fenced off and protected by dogs the rest of the week.
So, we're experimenting with the awning--and hoping that the insurance is good if the experiment fails! Left it up to protect our little freezer beside the trailer. We've got it 'guyed' out' and the rain is running off it quite nicely. We just don't know quite what to expect from the 'winds'. Down here the news people panic when the wind gets "up" to 18 mph--and in SD that's classified as a 'light breeze'. The awning should be just fine in the kind of "wind" we've seen down here! We hope. :)

Meanwhile...I think I'll take a nap!

Dinah // Sunday, December 14, 2003
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Wednesday, December 10, 2003:

Christmas decorations are out of their boxes and scattered out on surfaces in our little "box" and there are lights on the awning and a little 'yard tree' lit up outdoors. The campground has one of those big, infaltable snowmen at the entrance. They should make snowmen that look like they're melting to use as decoration down here! LOL! It's in the 60s this morning (at 4:30 AM) and supposed to rain and get "cold" later.... I feel like I've been in a sauna! Bluck!
I know, all you cold people hate it when people in Florida whine!
Monday the boys went job-hunting, Monday afternoon they had jobs. Yesterday we were up at 4:45 and Keith was out the door at 5:15 AM and got home at 7:00 PM. They're not amused. I believe the comment was something like, "It's a lie. Slavery was NOT abolished in the South!" Keith's running a roller, and LD is on a dozer this week. At least the work is easy! They're on the road about 2 1/2 hours total every day, so this is probably a temporary job!
Meanwhile, I'm on foot! LD's truck is cutting up and Shirley had to lend her car to her daughter, to drive to work in Orlando. Which leaves both of us sitting--4 miles apart! I may have to learn how to go back to bed after he leaves in the morning!!! I think that there's a cheap car in our near future, because there's NOTHING within walking distance of where we are! Except more mobile home communities and rv parks!
Maybe when daylight gets here, I'll walk the dogs and shoot up the rest of the roll of film so I can get that website updated! Later....

Dinah // Wednesday, December 10, 2003
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Sunday, December 07, 2003:

And so, yesterday we took off down I-75 through south GA, dragging our little winter home behind us. What a ride THAT was! That stretch of highway appears to have had nothing done to it since the 60s! Rough as a cob! Things that had stayed put inside the trailer for the rest of the trip were tossed around like bingo balls for 120 miles! It's a good thing I'm an experienced packer! Nothing broken, nothing spilled.
We're done traveling for a while, at last. Our 'campground' is a miniature trailer park, in the midst of bigger retirement parks. No mobile homes--just campers. Most of the RVs here have been sitting here for years. The one next door is green with mold, or fungus or whatever! But it's a nice little spot, and pretty quiet, in a low traffic area. It will do nicely! :)
Now for the part where we "spread out"! :) Patio furniture and the mini-freezer out, roll out the astroturf, open the the awning and make it semi-permanent, put up the dog fence.... Make ourselves at home! Oh, and find an income to support us! Minor detail.
And FIND OUT WHERE WE ARE!!! LOL! Our friends led us in yesterday--and we haven't a clue where we are! Good thing there's MapQuest! I saw a Publix on the way in, but not much else useful...not sure we could find it again. So, we'll have to do some exploring! All we know at the moment is that we're south of I-4 and not sure how to get back to it! LOL!

Dinah // Sunday, December 07, 2003
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Saturday, December 06, 2003:

We parked our "Box" in the driveway at the home of some long-time friends in TN--just for the nite. But, the temps dropped, the rain fell, drizzle set it--up in the Smoky Mnts. 8" of snow fell... So, we stayed another nite! :) Yesterday, in the cold, drizzly weather, we pulled out and headed further south!

To warmer weather, you say? NOT SO! Here we sit, in the Walmart parking lot in a little town south of Macon, GA--and it's just as cold!!! BRRRRR! We paused at a Flying J yesterday and dumped the holding tanks and bought more propane--so the furnace is doing it's job and our potty is empty--so life is good!

Did I say "life is good"? I meant "noisy"! A shiny new motorcoach pulled in next to us last nite, and, as near as we can tell, these folks are "green" RVers! Their generator has run since they got here--they appear not to realize that this is just not "done." Obviously, no one told them that their furnace will run off the batteries for a long time. I hate to think how much propane they've wasted, running that generator all nite! Not to mention the NOISE! *sigh* They'll learn.... :)

This evening should find us in Winter Haven...unless we decide to stop somewhere else along the way! LOL! We're only 8 hours away, and we still have friends between here and there! Of course, LD & Shirley, down in WH, keep calling and asking "are you here, yet?".... But them we'll be seeing all winter! :) LD has been job-hunting all week, and has several places lined up where Keith has to put in applications, but there's no definate job to start, as yet. And the bill collectors haven't found us.... LOL!

Guess I'll wander across the parking lot in search of fresh coffee at the WM and do a little browsing, since my computer battery is fading fast.... Catch ya later.... Dinah

Dinah // Saturday, December 06, 2003
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Thursday, December 04, 2003:

No problems getting on down to Knoxville. We had a fun evening with Suzi and her family, and her hubby found someone to unload the rest of his unused reloading stuff onto! Like we NEED another box of reloading stuff to store away in this little cottage-on-wheels.... LOL! Spent the nite surrounded by the rumble of idling semis in a big truck stop!

We were only on the road for about an hour yesterday and are parked in the driveway of more long-time friends. Last nite's "white noise" was the steady sound of rain on the roof--which is still with us this morning. In fact, when I let the dogs out to potty, it appears that we are sitting in the middle of a lake! Something tells me that we're not likely to move from this spot today! Keith had to unhitch the trailer to get it level and I'm NOT getting a mental picture of him out there in the cold, pouring rain hitching it back up! Ah well. "We might not pass this way again..." seems to be our unofficial motto! After all, Florida isn't going anywhere! And neither are we, today! LOL! At least it isn't snowing--yet!

Dinah // Thursday, December 04, 2003
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Monday, December 01, 2003:

DECEMBER 1???? Where does the time go?

Keith is under the trailer and/or the truck, checking out brakes on the camper and the dual range transmission--which seems to be stuck in low range. He figured that while we're sitting on a nice asphalt driveway and the sun is shining and the meals are good--he'd best be doin' some 'wrenching'. I'm carting laundry to the basement and getting it all done before we pull out tomorrow.

We're going to Knoxvilld go meet Suzi, my long-time email pal, and her hubby and kids. They just moved there from southern CA and I'm really excited to finally be able to see her face to face. Yeah, I know. It's old hat for a lot of you, but it's the first time I've gotten to meet anyone! Now if I could just get to Idaho to see KT.....

Dinah // Monday, December 01, 2003
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Sunday, November 30, 2003:

The bird has been stuffed, cooked, eaten and refrozen for leftovers--I hope you all had a great Thanksgiving!
We finally managed to get out of our own driveway and hit the road--as far as Louisville, anyhow! Spending quality time with old friends before we move on down to the Sunshine State. We've had days of pouring rain, followed by snow and cold. One last taste of Winter.... Thank goodness I packed some WARM clothes!

Dinah // Sunday, November 30, 2003
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Friday, November 21, 2003:

EVEN? Did I say "Even"? Walnuts were nothing! I'm totally the winner! We blessed them with a small washer and dryer!!! The units were given to us and we don't need them and didn't get them sold--so..... :) I won.
Finally, on Thursday, they got their truck back and were on the road again! I spent the morning hanging out with the grandson, while marking and loading rummage sale stuff into the car. Granted, a rummage sale was not something I had even contemplated, what with everything else going on, but the opportunity presented itself to rent tables INDOORS. What was I to do? If I have to give the stuff away, it's NOT getting back into my car! LOL!

So, today was moving day. I sent Keith away with the dogs, to get them bathed and manicured and shots and wormed and all that wonderful 'doggie stuff', while I moved bedding and the refrig stuff into the HR. I figure we need to spend a couple of days in there before we pull out, just to make sure I've remembered everything and all the stuff WORKS! keith got the water pump replaced already, and there's fresh propane and the batteries are up, but we need to heat up water, shower, cook....

In the process of mapping out the trip down, I had a chat with my long-time e-friend, Suzi--who has just moved from So. Cal to Knoxville, TN. Next thing I knew, we're re-routing so we can go right past her new home and actually MEET!!! How cool is that?

But first, we have to leave here. Then, Turkey Day with the Snauzer Cloud in Louisville! Aside from our family, they are the people we miss the most, thanks to this crazy lifestyle! It's been fun to be back in Hooterville, doing the ordinary, everyday stuff and seeing all the folks and eating at The Bash instead of cooking! We're not going to be here long enough, of course. But we're enjoying what we can!

And then there's my skinny niece and her shrinking cousin (aka Caffeine Headache and the Yarn Diva)! I have an entire new wardrobe to take to Florida--and our daugher looks adorably thinner! :) And Hope? Looks exacly like me--25 years ago! Hurray for them both!!!

And now--time to 'move' something.....

Dinah // Friday, November 21, 2003
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Sunday, November 16, 2003:

Whew! Definately a challenge. Gotta figure out what's REALLY important enough to take up space! Thank goodness the little freezer will sit outside the camper when we're parked, or I'd be sitting on the floor to eat! Replaced the dining chairs with folding ones. As for the quilt stash??? Not. When I start a new quilt, I'll just be forced to shop for new fabric.... That'll be a terrible strain.... :)

Our South Dakota friends made it in, towing their 40' trailer on Friday nite. Barely. Their bigass truck is misbehavin'! And it's the weekend, of course. So, they're not going to get to Florida much ahead of us!!! We seem to be having a contest to see who can unload the most stuff onto the others! LOL! I think I'm behind.... Shirley blessed me with a bag of flour, a big container of oats, and 2 cans of coffee today. I had to vacuum seal it all into smaller packages and stick them in the freezer! We did load them up with unshelled walnuts.... :) Maybe we're even!
Time to go feed the 'girls'....

Dinah // Sunday, November 16, 2003
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Monday, November 10, 2003:

Moving from a big, triple slide 'box' to a little bitty box! Gotta love a challenge! Ah, minimalism--or is that minimalizm?

Dinah // Monday, November 10, 2003
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Saturday, November 08, 2003:

It was a struggle, but the "Box" has finally come to rest in Illinois! Where the weather basically sucks--highs around 40, lows below freezing.We finally got out of Rapid on Sunday and made it as far as Mitchell--had to spend the nite in Cabellas parking lot, of course. The weather report was a mere 20% chance of rain. Reality was sleet/snow/freezing rain early Monday morning. About 4 inches of it, by mid-day. Had to spend another nite, frozen to the parking lot--with our battery power acting up. Finally, we got outa there on Tuesday and boogied on down the road. First time we stopped for fuel, there was the mighty thump behind us--the gooseneck had jumped off the ball!!! Fortunately, that was all it did and we were back on the road after a fill-up.
Next stop was Big Lake SP in Missouri, north of St. Joseph. Nice park! Filled with walnut trees--forcing us, of course, to collect a bag!
Then we went almost to Springfield, IL and parked at the Walmart in Pittsfield--and discovered that buying new batteries didn't cure our 'power' problem! Turns out that no one had ever run a hot wire to the batteries, in the RV! The wire from the truck was hot, but there was no matching one in the other plug--so the batteries didn't charge while we were on the road, leaving us without a furnace fan or lights in the middle of the nite. We were SO not amused!

But we're here now. Seen the kids and the kids-in-law and little Connor, who is several inches taller now! It's really great to be here--even if it's only going to be for a couple of weeks....
I've started the process of moving the most vital things out of the big rig and into the little Holiday Rambler, which will be our home while we're in Florida for the next 4 months, or so. We're talking minimalism here! The HR has a great kitchen,but only one tiny slide out, with a love seat in it! But, it's so much easier to haul around, and we can't be sure we'll actually stay in Florida once we're there--altho Keith has the promise of a job, and a place to park cheap.
Back to the packing....

Dinah // Saturday, November 08, 2003
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Wednesday, October 29, 2003:

We tried, but we didn't pull it off. In the world of RVs, sometimes things don't always go according to schedule! We took the bigass truck, with the bigass camper on it and the not-quite-so-big truck and went off to switch the camper onto the old truck and store them. But, the camper would NOT come off the big truck! And then a corner jack broke clear off. Then we checked with all 3 RV dealers trying to find one where they could pick the camper off one truck and drop it onto the other one. Nobody had equipment to deal with the dually. :( By then it was mid-afternoon! We were beginning to think we were gonna have to park the big truck and camper and go trade the old truck on a bigger one to haul the 5th wheel (I'm sure we must have had enough room on the credit cards to cover a new truck....)! Finally, Keith went off and bought a bag full of hardware and re-installed the corner jack. Eventually, we managed to get the camper off one and onto the other and got home around 6PM. We started at 8AM.... *sigh* Tomorrow, we're gonna batten down the hatches and get ready for the Big Blast from Canada! Maybe next week we'll pack up and go to IL.....

Stay tuned for the next installment....

Dinah // Wednesday, October 29, 2003
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Monday, October 27, 2003:

Departure date? Did I say, "Departure date?" I knew better, of course. We re-set the date for Wednesday--and then the wind began to howl. Gusts to 50mph tend to slow down the sorting and packing outdoors! We got the truck camper emptied and winterized, the motorcycle into storage, the stuff out of the storage shed and sorted--but jacking the camper up off the ton truck, pulling the ton truck out from under, then backing the other truck in underneath the camper and cranking it back down??? Not in that much wind!!! And then the horizontal rain started. And now the weather geeks are telling us it's gonna snow and blow hard all week--and then get really cold! :( We're not likely to get to IL on Friday....
In other news--it's looking like we'll be in Florida before Christmas. Keith's construction buddy says that's where the work is--and his wife's son has an RV hookup in her fenced in back yard--which she'll rent for cheap. Neither of us can work up much enthusiasm for Florida in the winter, but having a steady income is important....

If an accident should happen and we actually make it home this week, then the following week we have to head for Louisville before the weekend! Pam's got really good passes for the Fall Meet at Churcill Downs! And our friend Scott is flying in from CT--and we haven't seen him since Linda (his wife and one of my best friends) was killed over a year ago. Good thing we're "mobile"!

And now, back to organizing the piles of stuff we carted into the RV this morning....I've filled the basement, so I'm going to have to get creative!

Dinah // Monday, October 27, 2003
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Tuesday, October 21, 2003:

I suppose you've noticed that I've been neglecting my blog since we parked the Road Trip camper. I do have an excuse (doesn't everyone?). The weather has been just too darned perfect and the campground has been empty and I've been packing stuff (sent 4 boxes of miscellaneous stuffwedon'tneed to Lana last week--just to free up some space in the basement! My next move is a trip to the storage unit. Eeeeeeek! Been trying all summer to get that emptied out and haul it all to the Packrat Palace and make it go away! Couch, recliner, bar stools, boxes of random stuff.....

The biggest thing we've done since we got back was the Pow Wow weekend before last. That was cool! I like pow wows anyhow, but we had a balcony view of the dancers this time. :) Being broke helped me resist buying any of the beautiful crafts--except for one Apache spirit wheel for my collection. And, of course, the fry bread! YUM!

We officially have a departure date--next Monday. Which means that we'll be lucky to leave on Tuesday! I'd really like to get back to IL/IN by Halloween and Lana's birthday. We'll see! As soon as we get there and have seen everyone, we have to transfer the necessities to the little trailer and head for Louisville on the 7th! Then back to IL and our kids and grandson. Whew! And then we have to address the question of where the income will come from this winter--Florida, or Arizona, or somewhere else. I've been searching for that money tree, but haven't found it, yet......

Dinah // Tuesday, October 21, 2003
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Saturday, October 11, 2003:

We're baaaaack! What a great road trip! The weather was fantastic, the moon was nearly full, the NF campgrounds were nearly empty and free, and the dogs travelled like veterans! Slept one nite in the Rockies with elk bugling all around! Another nite we slept next to a river in a beautiful canyon. One nite we pulled off the graveled Forest service road, into a meadow, and camped there, in absolute silence.
Oh! We started the trip with a visit to Tantonka, right here in the Black Hills! Unbelievable! Larger than life bronze buffalo, being driven over a cliff by bronze indians on bronze horses....and so much more. Kevin Costner's vision is worth the price of admission.
Anyhow, in a little over a week we covered nearly 1000 miles and saw a LOT!
So, now for another week or two of work on the ranch, and then probably we'll be heading for IL, with our home in tow.

Dinah // Saturday, October 11, 2003
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Monday, September 29, 2003:

The RV is much more organized, and the carpet has been cleaned! Stanley Steemer to the rescue! :)
Now that I have that done, we're going camping! The rancher has to get equipment repaired, which could take all week--so we're taking the truck camper and going "leaf peeping" in Spearfish Canyon, then to Casper, WY, and possibly on down to Laramie. We've not seen that part of Wyoming and this seemed like a good time--a little chilly for camping, with lows in the 20s expected, but, we have a furnace! This will be the dogs' first outing in the truck camper, so we might not be staying out long! Anyhow, if anyone wants us this week--that's where we'll be!

Dinah // Monday, September 29, 2003
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Wednesday, September 17, 2003:

Now I've seen an RV awning being controlled by the wind! YIKES! I only had it rolled out a couple of feet, to keep the sun off that side of the trailer a little longer--something we're in the habit of doing. Freak gust of wind came along and unrolled it and turned it into a 14 x 10 foot sail! Amazing! I ripped a fingernail, got a nasty burn from the nylon strap I tried to hang onto and strained every muscle in my hand! Finally got it rolled back into place--feel like I've been in training for the Americas Cup! Couldn't believe I couldn't hold it down--figured I'd make a good anchor.... LOL! We'd heard stories, but had never seen an awning attempting to take flight! Unrolled it, slapped the hardware back against the trailer and smacked the roof with the fabric twice before I got control! And then the wind went away..... And I went and butchered an aloe vera leaf and dug out the bandaids and an ice pack. Got outa fixing dinner, tho.... :) Ah, the RV life....

So, it's time to start putting my "chatchkees" into boxes and get ready to move the rig to a more winter-friendly spot. Same campground, just a more protected site, where the water and sewer are kept functional all winter. They'll be shutting off the water to this part of the campground within a couple of weeks. Needless to say, after 2 months in one spot, I've managed to 'spread out' to the point where sliding in the slides is nigh onto impossible! Doesn't matter how far you're moving one of these--stuff still falls off the walls and tips over on the shelves and such....
If we were traveling constantly, that stuff would either be fastened down or we wouldn't have it! RVers who move around a lot have a lot less 'stuff'! Meanwhile, I'm running out of online time--it's nearly 6 am, after all! Later!

Dinah // Wednesday, September 17, 2003
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Wednesday, September 10, 2003:

RAIN!Honest to goodness, genuine, mudpuddle-making rain is coming down! We've been counting the drops for 2 months, measuring rainfalll in 100ths of an inch. Not today. :) FALL is here, for sure!

We've sold the little camper!One down and one to go! Of course, today is the day the people are supposed to bring the money and their truck, to pick it up. Not an activity to go into when it's raining and blowing. A 1200lb. box, wobbling on 3 legs in the wind is a frightening thing indeed! I just hope they don't change their minds while they wait for the weather to settle!
Meanwhile, we have a new challenge. Molly B (our little beagle), has decided that going to the bathroom outdoors, on wet grass, is just too much too ask. 2 days ago I watered their play yard--that nite she pooped in the hall and left a puddle in the living room. Yesterday we had a little rain shower and later we found a package and a puddle in the bedroom. This morning Keith put the dogs out at 4 AM, let them in and went back to bed, just as I was getting up. In the middle of the living room were a 'package' and a puddle. I am NOT amused. Obvious solution is a doggie door and a covered 'run'--which is not going to happen in RV world. *sigh* Back to potty training 101 for me and Molly B, I guess. Back in IL, they'd run under the 5th wheel, or head for the shed to do their business. Maybe if I held an umbrella for her......

But, hey--who cares! It's raining in the Black Hills!

Dinah // Wednesday, September 10, 2003
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Saturday, September 06, 2003:

So far today, we've had "lookers", but no buyers for either of the campers. *sigh* But, it's too hot to be doing anything outside except maybe swimming! The pool is still open.... Strange weather--90s for a few days, then 70 for a few days, then 90s again. Anyhow, yesterday's "looker" offered $400 less than our price because he wants to put new 'skin' on it and make it look like a new one. I got news for that guy--IT'S AN OLD CAMPER! It has hail dents. And if I was going to give it away, it wouldn't be to him!
Pretty soon now, we'll get bored with waiting around for those callers to become "lookers" and go pick up our snail mail--mostly bills, of course. And buy some fuel for the big truck--OUCH. And groceries if there's money left after buying the diesel fuel! AND, since I have unlimited weekend calling, I'll have to get the phone charged up and call people! :)
Sometimes Life in a Box is just plain ordinary!

Dinah // Saturday, September 06, 2003
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Thursday, September 04, 2003:

The gypsy life can be a challenge when one is married to a TREE! Worse than that--a tree that insists on collecting "stuff" everywhere it goes! LOL! So, today I am in "Sell" mode! I may have mentioned that we presently are in possession of a 5th wheel RV (where we live), 2 pickup trucks, 2 slide-in campers and a motorcycle??? Got a guy coming today to look at one of the campers! got both of them listed, along with one truck--everywhere. Tried to trade a truck and camper off for a little car, but the dealers don't want our 2WD truck, out here in the wild, wild West! The camper-looker doesn't know it, but I WILL sell it to him--while my beloved Tree is at work! At least I'll be able to run around town in the truck, camper-free!

Meanwhile, the weather continues to be blissfully Fall-like! In the 50s here this morning! I had to dig out a warm housecoat!!! :) Any day now, I'll be going for the space heater! :)

A message for the Yarndiva--KEEP KNITTING!

Dinah // Thursday, September 04, 2003
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Monday, September 01, 2003:

HAPPY LABOR DAY!

I hope you all had a great weekend! Ours was quiet and cool. We mostly hung out, until today. Today we cooked sweet corn and antelope burgers on the grill and enjoyed it with another couple--also gypsies, like us! :) Now the dogs are zonked out on the floor and the couch, the windows are open, and we're being serenaded by the rush of traffic on the Interstate, as folks head homeward. Our only regret right now is that we couldn't celebrate the holiday with our family. Sometimes the gypsy life has it's warts--like when you're 1000 miles from home on holidays.

Dinah // Monday, September 01, 2003
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Saturday, August 30, 2003:

COOL! Blessed cool weather--and damp! We actually heard light rain on the awning today! Back in IL that's a frequent occurance. Out here, it's a rarity--one to be enjoyed. I'm trying to feel sorry for all those 'vacationers' who dragged their boats to the lake for the weekend and have to play in the water in 70 degree, drizzly weather, but I'm failing! This weather is almost as relaxing as that little camping trip woulda been. We stayed home to finish repairs on the little camper--and have a cookout for an injured friend. Poor thing! She tripped coming out of her RV and managed to mangle her right hand on something on the way down. :( She was just recovering the use of her other hand after having torn ligaments in a fall a couple of months ago!

The cmapground isn't as full as I would have expected--cool weather, I guess. The pool isn't very busy! LOL! But, we did have a batch of noisy kids next door last nite, right under our bedroom window--at 11:00PM.... *sigh*

Dinah // Saturday, August 30, 2003
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Wednesday, August 27, 2003:

Labor Day Weekend looms, and odds are that our campground will fill quickly! So, we're thinking it's time to take the truck camper and head for a nice, primitive campground in the Hills--one of those ones that are down 10 miles of gravel..... :) We know one that comes with it's own stream and everything! I hope you're all planning a pleasant weekend, too....

Dinah // Wednesday, August 27, 2003
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Tuesday, August 26, 2003:

The dogs woke me at 3:00 this morning--I swear they just wake up and want to go out and scope out the neighborhood, cause they don't do anything else! So I was up, and semi-awake and decided I might as well log on and do some surfing. I think I can probably go back to bed after Keith leaves for work! IF he leaves for work. He and the boss are doing one of those 'day by day' things....

We came back from our trip to the chiropractor last nite to discover that our half of the campground was without electricity! UGH. At least the temp had cooled enough that, once we kicked on the Fantastic Fan we could sit around in relative comfort! We had lights, exhaust fan, floor fan, and the 12 volt tv! Luxury! The fridge had kicked over to gas, so we didn't have to worry about that. There was still some life in my laptop battery and the cell phone was charged up! Living in an RV has some advantages.... :)

We had a 'meeting' and began discussing the possibility of leaving our nice, big RV out here for the winter--if he ever gets on that highway construction job. At first I thought that sounded like a really crummy plan, but, by shipping clothes and files and a few other things home in boxes, I'm starting to think it would be 'do-able'. It's not like we don't have a place to stay once we get back to Illinois! And we have the truck camper to live out of on the road.... It'd free us up for winter job hunting, too.
We've got so much "stuff" at both ends of our Gypsy Circuit that we don't really NEED to drag this 'Lead Sled' behind us all the time! And have you noticed the price of fuel???? At least this time the diesel fuel is cheaper than gasoline--that's a switch--but it's still darned expensive! Anyhow, we had been talking about going to Arizona for a while in January. It's like the Mecca of Snowbirds! And we have friends that are out there every winter and want us to come see the circus that is Quarzite!

So many possibilities.....

I guess I'd better get out the PDA and start making lists of what to pack, what to ship and what to load into the truck camper--just in case we decide to leave the big rig out here!

Meanwhile, it's time to surf on.....

Dinah // Tuesday, August 26, 2003
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Tuesday, August 19, 2003:

Well, there's a 'change' in the wind for this pair of gypsies! Keith's boss told him he'd have to let him go in a couple of weeks, cause he's not going to be able to afford to pay him. This is Year 2 of a horrendous drought out here--no grain crops again this year. And feeding the cattle will get expensive. So, hubby will be back looking for a seat on a construction job, or something. Times like this I wish I'd cultivated some marketable skills! Not too much demand for an aging, fat farmhand.... LOL!

The good news is that the weather is changing! We've had 2 days of cool weather! Tomorrow is supposed to be hot, but then a major cool-down, I guess! :) Love those Fall cool-downs!

Best yet, our long-time, local friends--the couple we ran around with when we were first here in 1969, are back from their adventures in Alaska! They've been gone since just before we got out here this Spring! They took their truck and 5th wheel, ferried up the coast, stayed a while and then drove back! They'll have some great stories! Love those camping stories!

Dinah // Tuesday, August 19, 2003
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Saturday, August 16, 2003:

I forgot to mention that "hubby" passed a couple of little kidney stones while we were in the mountains--and he didn't heed the warning. So THIS weekend, their big brother followed them! Poor guy--he was miserable for most of the day. Thought we might have to haul him off to the ER, but I had a few 'wonder pill' that helped a lot!
We got a phone call from one of our biker friends-at a campout in Peoria, IL. He walked around the campground with the phone, handing it to people we know, and we got to chat briefly with folks we hadn't talked to for quite a while. It was great! Thanks, Scott!

Meanwhile, the Yarndiva and her hubby were between Philadelphia and Erie, PA when the lights went out the other day! Fortunately, they had reservations in Erie, because the place they were staying had electricity and there were LOTS of folks trying to spend the nite there!

It's still mucho hotto here. Every day the weatherdude tells us the cool-down is coming--one day later than they thought! Tomorrow we're supposed to go to an outdoor birthday party in Hermosa (where the trees are all 3' tall). And it's supposed to be 100 again! :(

We'll ya'll stay cool and keep in touch! I DO enjoy your emails!

Dinah // Saturday, August 16, 2003
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Tuesday, August 12, 2003:

THAT WAS FUN!!! :)

Up and over the Big Horns, dragging hubby's motorcycle behind the truck. Then back down into the HEAT until we got to Cody, WY, where we spent an expensive night 'dry-camping' in the huge Walmart parking lot. (If anyone ever tells you that parking your rig overnight at Walmart is cheap, they have tremendous will power!) This Walmart had a whole ROOM full of clearance priced stuff! And a massive fabric department...
The next morning, we headed UP, on Chief Joseph Highway, towards Beartooth Pass. Gorgeous! Found our campground, and our friends and settled in amongst the pines, with Fox Creek providing the audio to cover the hum of the mosquitoes! No drinking water in the campground--something about it not passing WY codes so they just shut it off, since the campground will be closed during renovations next summer.
On Saturday, I squeezed myself into Michelle's sidecar, Michelle climbed into the driver's seat, hubby got on his bike and we went up and over Beartooth Pass to Red Lodge, MT. An interesting experience, to say the least. It was COLD up there, and raining! I swear, there were a few snowflakes, even! The ride back to camp was much drier, and even sunny, at times.
Saturday nite, we got out our dutch ovens and the 10 of us feasted on buffalo chili, cornbread, fresh roasting ears and peach/apple/nectarine pie!
And then it was Sunday and time to head home.

Back down to Cody and HEAT! And then, up into the Big Horns, by another route--where we spotted an honest-to-goodness bull moose, grazing near the road!!! That night we camped in a totally silent forest of lodgepole pines and shared the leftover roasting ears with a nice young family camped nearby. Unlike the night before, it didn't get chilly enough to need the furnace, but it was a nice night for a campfire--and NO MOSQUITOES! :)
Monday, the trip was all down hill and back into the 100 degree heat. *sigh* But, 'home' was a lot different than the Rally craziness we'd left. The bikers had all pulled out and headed back to their real lives--with their new tee shirts and tatoos and leather.

I talked to my darling daughter, the Yarndiva, after we got back and she's been asking people if they'd heard the joke about the old couple who live in an RV and needed a new camper so they could go 'camping'! She thinks she's so funny.... She who has more yarn than she will ever have time to knit up!

Dinah // Tuesday, August 12, 2003
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Wednesday, August 06, 2003:

Got email from Hope about their 'maiden' camping voyage in their brand, shiny new "Box"! Sounds like they had a good time--which is the point, after all!

We're goin' camping tomorrow! :) Taking the truck camper and the motorcycle on a trailer and going to the mountains! Left the puppies in the kennel, poor little orphan dogs.... LOL! A REAL vacation! :) We finally found an old slide-in camper to replace the popup one that got totaled out in a hail storm last summer. (It still worked, just looked ugly--but the insurance company paid us and I rat-holed the money!) Then the wind tore up the front of the ugly camper--so the time had come. It's pretty cool, for an old camper--got this tiny little bathroom with a SHOWER in it! And I do mean tiny. Especially for my wide butt. But it's a bathroom! :) All the comforts of home, just smaller.... And we get to go hang out with our IBMCfriends--some that we haven't seen for years! And we get to escape from the madness that is the Sturgis Rally! And the 100 degree heat coming here the rest of the week.

So, we'll be up in the mountains, 'roughing it' with no electricity--and probably out of reach of cell phone towers most of the time! Be back online Monday nite--see ya all then....

Dinah // Wednesday, August 06, 2003
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Friday, August 01, 2003:

Yee Haw! Just read Hope'sblog and found out that she and George have their very first RV!!! Blood will tell, ya know! LOL! I hope she writes me a detailed description.... This is soooo exciting! It'd be REALLY cool if she had a website, with pictures..... (hint, hint).

Dinah // Friday, August 01, 2003
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Thursday, July 31, 2003:

Eureka!!! At long last, I have a wireless internet connection! All it took was one very nice young man from Verizon, who STOPPED BY the RV and spent 15 minutes visiting while he got me online.
Nights and weekends, and it's only 14.4bps--but it's ONLINE! :) :) :) Downloads take forever, tho, so please don't send me big files!
So now, "Life in a Box" has ALL the comforts of home. :)

And the rumble that is RALLY is in full swing. The Rally officially starts Saturday and runs through the following Sunday. The campground is filling up with side cars, trikes, Harleys in trailers, on trailers, in pickup trucks....
Over the weekend, we bought some lattice stuff at Menards and put it along the side of the RV. Then we attached the doggy kennel fencing and now the puppies can go out and play without tangling. One tiny little drawback to this has been that there is a gate built into the fence, and you have to step over a 2" piece that runs under the gate.... I was wearing my sandals last nite and forgot that detail. Now I have one less toenail--the biggest one, of course. Hurts like blazes!

Dinah // Thursday, July 31, 2003
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Monday, July 28, 2003:

Ah, life in a box.
So, I finally bit the bullet and signed a contract with Verizon, so I can supposedly log onto the internet with my cell phone, right? I've got the laptop, loaded with the proper software, the connection cord hooked up to my new cell phone and I dial the Earthlink number--only, the phone doesn't dial it! sigh. So I call up Verizon, get a tech--whose English is a 'little' accented--and I spend nearly an hour with him telling me to click this, and click that, and type in this and that. No connection. FINALLY, he calls his supervisor, then calls me back and tells me I need to find a hard line and go download the Windows updates on the MS website AND go to the Verizon store and get a software upgrade--at no cost to me, of course.... Wouldn't be so bad if I hadn't gone thru the same sort of thing LAST summer, only to be told that my whole problem was that I only had a FreeUP phone and I would have to sign up for a regular account before it'd work.
It should NOT be so difficult to get online on the road, in this day and age!!!
MEANWHILE, the circus is comin' to town! The Harleys are pouring in. The rumble is beginning to build! The campground we're in is beginning to fill--with everything from loners with tents to semi-tractors pulling RV/trailer rigs, loaded with shiny bikes. By this time next weekend, we will have peaked and we won't be able to step off our site without bumping into a bike, or a biker! Makes me homesick for the Good Old Days when we did our camping and traveling on a motorcycle....
Keith has promised that today he's going to get some lattice and install it around the bottom of the trailer so we can finish up making a dog run for the puppies. Untangling their leads has nearly become a full-time gig for me. Let them out, go untangle them, they wrestle a while, and I go untangle them, they fuss to come in, and I have to untangle them....and on and on! MAY I RECOMMEND to anyone contemplating life on the road with dog(s)--get one! And pick very carefully! ONE. With a 'laid back' personality, preferably!
Well, Keith's up. Time to head out for Wallyworld before the tourists get up and out on the streets! Later....

Dinah // Monday, July 28, 2003
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Tuesday, July 22, 2003:

Okay, I've got this figured out, now. I log on, bring up the pages I want to work on, log off, and come back home to do the writing part. Duh.
So, our other vehicle is an older pickup with a slide-in popup camper on it. Keith's been driving it to work--until the other day when the wind got in under the front lip of the popup and and ripped open the top. :( Keith got it closed back down and a tarp strap fastened around it until he can find a place to work on it and replace the wood in the front and re-install the latches. So, he's driving the bigass truck to work, and I'm on foot for a while. Not that big of a sacrifice for me, tho. I'm a bit of intimidated by the Rapid City traffic, so going into town wasn't anything I'll miss.
It sure is nice to be in a Park, at last. In the mobile home park, we were 'those summer people', so we didn't have much interaction. And the permanent folk aren't allowed to have dogs--but we were allowed to stay there with ours. And there was NO internet connection! Here we have a pool, and laundry and people coming and going, or not. At least the folks we see here will stop and talk a while!
Looks like I'm going to have to sort through my stash again. We picked up the summer clothes from the storage unit--and I've got no place to PUT THEM! Or, get rid of some of the clothes..... LOL!

Dinah // Tuesday, July 22, 2003
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Sunday, July 20, 2003:

Whew! Finally found my way back in here! We're in SD, roasting away in the unbelievable heat. And amazing humidity--something we don't normally have out here. Not that it's RAINING! It only rains in 'chunks' out here, mostly! Hail. So, Keith is working for a rancher, at the moment. Kinda like farming! He sprayed 100 acres of weeds last week, and dug a septic tank hole, and did some landscaping.... RALLY Week is still 2 weeks away, but the Harleys are rumbling in already. A lot of them are riding in the back of trucks, and trailers, too. Our campground is beginning to fill up! We moved from Black Hawk to Rapid when Keith got this job. But mail still goes to Black Hawk--if I get my box rent paid before the end of the month! LOL! I'm still cranking out quilt-lettes and working on a stack of machine-made place mats to put in the gift shop in the campground. Cross your fingers--I'm hoping those bikers want souvenirs! Well, this is a borrowed connection, so I can't get too carried away. But we're here, alive and well, and I'll be back.....

Dinah // Sunday, July 20, 2003
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Tuesday, June 10, 2003:

I spoke to the wanderers this afternoon and they had JUST pulled in to Black Hawk, SD and were preparing to hook up and run out the slides. They left Kansas City on Sunday and drove all the way up to Mitchell, SD (home of the Corn Palace) and spent the night in the Cabela's parking lot. The camping was free – until they went into Cabela's Monday morning and Dad discovered the giant bargain bin. Sigh. By the time Mom got him out of there, they decided to go ahead and spend Monday night. Then this morning they pulled out and drove on over to Black Hawk, where it's seventy-four degrees and breezy.

Lana // Tuesday, June 10, 2003
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Friday, June 06, 2003:

Ha! Mom and Dad left on Monday, all right: they got a whole three miles, all the way to Jared's driveway. But I talked to Mom this morning and they're south of Kansas City now, hanging out with Sandy and Coralee. They didn't have to boondock at WalMart, either; they got in about 1:00 p.m. so they had to time to find a nice park. Will probably know more after this weekend, when the rates go way down on her cell phone.

Lana // Friday, June 06, 2003
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Tuesday, June 03, 2003:

Schedule? Did I mention a SCHEDULE??? Yeah, well. It rained, or something. We're leaving here today--just not going very far before we stop for the nite. So we WILL be rollin' tomorrow! Headed for JD and Marie and our 'reservation' at Walmart. LOL! Bye now!

Dinah // Tuesday, June 03, 2003
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Monday, June 02, 2003:

So, we're getting close! Still on schedule (?) to leave tomorrow morning--complete with plans to meet JD & Marie in Columbia tomorrow evening. :) My last load of laundry is spinning away in the washer, the rug is rolled up, the freezer is stashed in the corner, fridge is defrosted and emptier (it's too small to ever get clear empty!), the sweeper has been run... *I'M* nearly ready to pull out.... I can't speak for the other half--he appears to have this phantom list of 'farm things' and 'garage things' that grows and morphs hourly.... LOL

Weather dude just told me that rain is due to commence tonight around midnite and we're supposed to get 1/2". Whee. Sounds like Keith needs to maneuver this behemoth down off the the hill this evening....or not.

Time to clean the kitchen and make sure all the stuff that's crammed into the cabinets (both of them), is going to stay there. Then repack the basement, dry the laundry and put it away. And I'm mostly done! Then I have to go find our little grandson and try to get in a little bit more quality time. Gonna miss him even more than our kids--I guess partly because he changes on a daily basis! He's gonna be SIX YEARS OLD next month!

No idea when I'll be able to 'blog' again, but Lana will add an update when there's anything to report. See ya!

Dinah // Monday, June 02, 2003
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Sunday, June 01, 2003:

Enough of that. Time to get READY. Yesterday was 'clean the closet' day. Which I did! Got rid of a little stuff, rearranged what was left.... Kizzee knows something is "up" and didn't get more than 6 inches away from me the whole time I was working! Just like a toddler!

We are definately probably leaving Tuesday morning. Got a dinner date Tuesday nite, 7 hours away in MO -- and a free night's camping at the friendly, neighborhood Walmart.... :) Wednesday nite we should be in Paola, KS, visiting some more of our vagabond friends.

But first, we have to get packed up!

Dinah // Sunday, June 01, 2003
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Wednesday, May 28, 2003:

I decided to lounge around and rest myself, instead! All that packing can just wait! :)

Dinah // Wednesday, May 28, 2003
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Tuesday, May 27, 2003:

YARD SALE is DONE! Yippee! Stuff went away, and there's money.... Life is better! I couldn't have done it without my daughters, tho.
Sure am glad it's done.

Now it's on to the next thing. Bustling around frantically getting ready to leave here on Sunday. NOT that I think we really will, but Keith says we're going, so I'm gonna get ready again, anyhow.... I've already put things away and gotten them out a couple of times--maybe this is the real thing????

Had a great time visiting with Hope yesterday, while we pretended to be re-webbing lawn chairs while we waited for customers! She's disgustingly thinner--looks great!

Dinah // Tuesday, May 27, 2003
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Friday, May 23, 2003:

Truck's done! :) Sure is purty.

Big YARD SALE here this weekend! I figured that if I'm going to be stuck here indefinately, I might as well USE it! I set up tents all day yesterday! The front yard looks like there's a pack of cub scouts living there! LOL! 6 tents, so far.... and a canopy. Tomorrow we'll set up tables and drag stuff out, I guess.

Rotisserie chicken! With a lemon/pepper rub. MMMMMMM! :)

Dinah // Friday, May 23, 2003
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Sunday, May 18, 2003:

Yeah, so, the big-ass truck was supposed to have been done LAST Monday, but it wasn't. Then it was Wednesday, but it wasn't. Then Thursday evening. NOT. THEN Friday noon--at which time, the fellows doing to wheel alignment suddenly discovered they didn't have the equipment to align a dual rear end! No one in the county has such a thing, it seems! So, it has to be driven 50 miles to TH to get that little job done. I sure hope the insurance company is picking up All this extra stuff! We're still running around in the 'loaner' truck--it's getting grimey, but I refuse to wash it! Enterprise has "people" for that!
Went to Smokin' Charlies and had wonderful ribs last nite. :) Yummmmy! Knightsville, IN. Go there if you get close!
Put the 'girls' in the kennel on Friday so we could go spend the evening hanging with our biker friends from the days before the RV. Got up on Saturday and decided that since they were already settled in, they could just spend the weekend. Feels like having the kids away at summer camp! Hubby is whining--says I'm a mean, evil 'mommy'. I prefer to view it as an education experience for them--him too! LOL!
Got the ultimate, absolute LAST RV appliance--my "Showtime Rotisserie--Compact model" Been watching Ron Popeil hawk this thing for ages--and now it's MINE! I can grill anything with this baby! But not today. Still got leftover ribs from Charlie's..... :) '

Dinah // Sunday, May 18, 2003
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Wednesday, May 14, 2003:

Yesterday was fun! Once we got started! First, hubby had to finish sweeping out his very last binfull of corn, then put away stuff, and then stop along the road to chat on his way back home. THEN we left for Lana's house, after dropping the 'girls' off at the 'babysitter's'. (I never dreamed I'd find myself doing THAT after menopause!) LOL! The joy of pet-ownership....
Anyhow, we were taking a huge fish fillet to be grilled for lunch, and hubby was taking his tools and going to move her mailbox. So, 10 miles up the road, I remembered the fish, but figured that was okay cause she had mentioned that she had fish to cook....
Stopped off at Kroger's to get goodies for strawberry/banana dessert and, hubby-who can't go to a grocery store without 'fondling' meat-bought 2 big steaks for "later". Turned out that Lana's fish had been eaten already, so we dined on steak and strawberries--for lunch! :)
Then on to the 'mailbox' moving. Hubby had the posthole digger. That was ALL. Not even GLOVES, since we were driving the rental truck, still. But it was a fun afternoon. Nothing to do with life in an RV--more like life away from the RV!
As for the T.O.D.??? I quit. No more planning. Hubby announced yesterday that we weren't likely to leave here on MOnday, either.....*sigh* Oh, well. Maybe I'll go shopping--for something small, of course!

Dinah // Wednesday, May 14, 2003
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Sunday, May 11, 2003:

Mother's Day 2003...
Thank goodness the storms are done! I can't even imagine what it's been like in Oklahoma and Missouri and such. Every little gust of wind rocks our little world, so I'm really glad there's a little HILL on the north side of our lot! For some reason, sitting through a Tstorm in the Rv isn't as spooky as riding one out in a moble home. Maybe because the Rv is designed for 60 mph winds? I don't know. Just glad that round of storms has ended.
BOTH of our little dogs appear to be sick. They coughed and sneezed all nite long. Mind you, we had them at the vet's office on Thursday and the man said that they look healthy to him.... And of course, they didn't sneeze and cough for HIM! Oh, no. They are much to well-behaved for that! *sigh"
OFFICIAL NEW T.O.D. is Monday, May 19th. If we don't get on the road soon, we'll be too broke to buy the fuel!!!
Sara has been doing great with the baby cats, except for the runt. The last I heard, she wasn't likely to make it through the nite. :(

Dinah // Sunday, May 11, 2003
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Wednesday, May 07, 2003:

Finally got the "dually" into the body shop--and got our 'loaner' truck (paid for by the insurance company). They found us a brand new Ford 4X4, extended cab, 4 door truck to tool around in for the next week. :) And then we discovered that our 4 tiny black kittens have apparently become orphans. We searched every nook and cranny on the place, including a late night run to where we'd parked that trailer full of flea market stuff, just in case the momma had crawled in there. It's looking like the coyotes got her.... Poor little things aren't big enough to be orphans. Lucky for them, we have a wonderful daughter-in-law with a very nurturing nature.... Last I heard, she was off to Rural King to buy kitten formula and nursing bottles. What a woman! ;)

Dinah // Wednesday, May 07, 2003
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Saturday, May 03, 2003:

So, as yu can probably tell, I'm messing with the html, and it's not turning out too well. *sigh* In over my head.....

Dinah // Saturday, May 03, 2003
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Sometimes, living in a box is a steady string of packing and unpacking and shuffling "stuff". Also known as "crap", depending on whose it is and how tired I am! Today I maneuvered our little cargo trailer around to where I could get to it handily, unloaded all the stuff that had collected in it, sorted it, boxed most of it back up, added some more boxes of stuff, a few lamps, a vacuum cleaner, etc. and then drove away with it! I only went as far as our OTHER storage unit--tomorrow I'll drag stuff out of there. And when I'm all done, I'll have a trailer load of goodies to take to the Flea Market/ Swap meet next weekend. And, anything that's left can be hauled back out there by our wonderful daughter-in-law off and on this summer. I'm really proud of this accomplishment, as I've tried for months to get it done! We don't EVEN want to discuss the backache.....

Dinah // Saturday, May 03, 2003
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Thursday, May 01, 2003:

I did good! Carted out a whole stack of fabric to be stored for a later date. Hopefully I won't miss them....

We're still waiting for truck parts. :( I guess the "Box" isn't going anywhere until after Mother's Day. I hope there's a job when we get there!

It's still Spring in the Dakotas--here we are having Tstorms, it's muggy and HOT! Today I can turn on the AC, tho--it's the first of May! No way was I turning it on in APRIL, for crying out loud!

#1 dog is on my list. (I can't remember why I thought having a dog was a good idea...) We left the little darlings in the trailer while we went to town for lunch. Nothing unusual, we do it all the time. Came home to discover that she had leapt from the end table to the kitchen counter, slid halfway across when she landed, knocking off all sorts of things, turning over the BURNING candle (yes, I forgot to blow out the candle...) which laid there and burned, inside it's glass container, until the glass exploded. Meanwhile, the dog walked around on the counter like a cat, and then hopped down and went to play in the trash!!! Now, you're asking how I knew which little dog to blame? Because the other is a beagle mix, and just can't jump! Who knew that rat terriers were half CAT???? If I'd wanted a cat, I'd have gotten a cat.... *sigh* End of rant.

Dinah // Thursday, May 01, 2003
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Tuesday, April 29, 2003:

Well, the box is getting too small...no doubt about it. I started sorting my quilting stash, taking out part of it to make room for clothes! LOL! In lots of RVs, you can pull out drawers and put fabric below the bottom drawer. Not here. They've filled all those spots with duct work and such. :(

Dinah // Tuesday, April 29, 2003
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Saturday, April 26, 2003:

It's a beautiful day! To make up for the steady rain all day yesterday! But, today I saw a MOSQUITO! Yuck. Now I'm sure it's time to move out. But, we'll wait for our truck parts and a week in the shop. Her insurance company already sent us the check, for the full amount of the only estimate we gave them!!! No quibbling--just paid up. AND we get a rental pickup, too!

Dinah // Saturday, April 26, 2003
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Thursday, April 24, 2003:

Too cool! My favorite neice has linked to my blog! :) Now I feel like I belong.... LOL! You can visit her knitting blog and read all about her adventures.

Dinah // Thursday, April 24, 2003
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Hubby and dogs are sleeping peacefully, dehydrater is doing it's thing, the coffee is fresh and hot.... :)

I'm thinking that today I should clean out the basement. For those of you who don't know, fifth wheel trailers have a trap door in the bathroom, over a big storage area we call a "basement". Mine is pretty full, and I'm not sure I need everything that's in there. Bread machine stays, of course. So does the crockpot and the bag of canned goods. But there's a lot that should go. I already sent my sewing machine home with Lana--I'd carried it for 2 years and used it once. I replaced it with one of those little $19.95, battery operated ones. The big Rainbow vacuum cleaner and all it's parts is coming out, too. Now that I have my Oreck, I can live without it! :) I'll replace it with the little Shark car vac that's in storage in SD. (The Oreck being an upright that doesn't do corners and such.) We'll see what else I can eliminate....

Supper last nite was fun. Called Donna and we took a bag of salad fixin's to their house, to go with John's pot of beans. Had a great visit and she got the dishes--but she has a dishwasher, so I don't feel a bit guilty! :) They are among the folks we miss the most when we're out West.

Dinah // Thursday, April 24, 2003
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Wednesday, April 23, 2003:

It sure is quiet with my daughter, the yarndiva gone off to Florida. We do spend a lot of time on the phone--her being one of my bestest friends and all.... :)

Well, it looks like we could be stuck here a bit longer, waiting for parts to fix the damage to the truck. But the good news is that the woman's insurance company is being ever so obliging! I'm in shock! He looked at our dually and shook his head and said, "I don't know if I'll be able to find one of these for a rental, but I'll try. I doubt in Enterprise has one..."! YIKES! I let him off the hook and told him we'd be just fine with a regular truck. :) He agreed to everything on the estimate and anything else that turned up that needed fixed! And I was all ready for battle--and will be grateful not to have to fight for repairs. Maybe the SD license plate did it. He may be thanking his lucky stars that they aren't having to pay for a campground, or to get us out to SD?

Yesterday, Kizzee the Cat-dog came close to a tragic end--when I came home to discover that she had hopped onto the table, knocked down the rubbermaid container fullof freshly made deer jerkey, gotten the lid off and consumed all but 3 pieces. Oh, lordy, I was pissed(pardon my language).She doesn't know it yet, but that little stunt was the last straw. From now on, she gets to wait for us in her carrier when we leave them indoors. Molly-the-good-dog can stay loose in the coach, but Kizzee's days of getting into the trash, onto the table, onto the kitchen counter are finished. Gotta laugh, tho. She has been drinking a LOT of water since she ate the jerky! And I doubt she'll enjoy 'passing' that pepper.

On today's "To Do" list is buying ground beef and making another batch of jerky. Won't be as good as the deer...

Dinah // Wednesday, April 23, 2003
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Tuesday, April 22, 2003:

And so, we will be bugging out around Cinco de Mayo, headed for the Black Hills of South Dakota. Now, you'd think that living a "mobile life" would mean that there wouldn't be much packing to do. WRONG. We've been sitting here for 4 months and our stuff seems to have exploded all over the interior of the rig. *sigh* All the chotskies have to be packed, and the 'extra' stuff stashed in the garage. There goes my dryer. :( And some of my computer stuff goes into a box. Winter clothes have to be boxed and stored in my favorite daughter's garage until she send them out next fall. Busy, busy. Needless to say, I didn't have time for a car wreck yesterday. Bluck! Dumb woman look right at me, going down the highway minding my own business, and then pulled into the side of the truck. Trashed the front of her car, uglied up my dually bed, and really entertained the grandson. No one hurt, but now we have to wait for parts and get the truck fixed. Back to the packing....

Dinah // Tuesday, April 22, 2003
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Sunday, April 20, 2003:

Life in an RV is pretty cool. This is our third year, and, altho it took some adjusting and we still have to have places to store our 'stuff', it's easier than living in a 2 story house! The laundrymat gig has been the worst, I think. But, now I can wash in the RV and I have a nice big dryer on site, so life is way better! :)

Dinah // Sunday, April 20, 2003
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Saturday, April 19, 2003:

I'm not sure what I'm doing here.

Dinah // Saturday, April 19, 2003
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Friday, April 18, 2003:

Hi, here is my test blog! My daughter, the Yarndiva, made me do it! :)

So, I really live in a box. A very expensive, comfortable box, with wheels. We tow it around with one of those BIG pickup trucks with extra tires. We're Gypsies, more or less. Sometimes we live in IL, and sometimes we live in SD. Right now, we're getting ready to head back to the Black Hills so my hubby can drive great big pieces of equipment and build highways and such for the next 6 months.

My main obsessions are quilting and our one and only grandchild. Much more on those later! :)

Dinah // Friday, April 18, 2003
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