A bit of a sunburn....in the shade.

Was a beautiful beach day yesterday. Fairly early I set up my blue umbrella that I got in Falmouth, and used the screw in base I paid a buck for at Hudson’s ages ago. I knew that thing would be useful. I sat in the shade all day, mostly reading and enjoying being at the beach. Took a few photos, and even in the shade, got a sunburn. Of course, I have the truckers tan going on and wanted to even it out a bit, so put on a sleeveless shirt to allow my upper arms and shoulders to get a little sun. Today if I stay out, I will wear sleeves to prevent a bad sunburn, and will have to dig out the sunscreen. I guess it hit 90 degrees, but sitting outside in the shade was very comfortable.

While I was reading yesterday, something wet hit my leg. When I looked down, it was a huge dragonfly. I started snapping pics, then coaxed it off my leg and onto my hand and got some more pics. The little fella never left. After a while, I put him in a basket in the shade where he expired. I will add him to my collection. But am happy I got some pics while he was still breathing and hanging on to my hand. I was very sad when he died, but grateful that he chose to do it with me.

A couple of guys came in with a pickup truck and setup camp and fished yesterday. They stayed the night. Apparently it is better fishing at night. This morning I went over and talked to them. I also wanted to see if they could hear my generator, and I couldn’t hear it over there. I asked them what they were catching and they said something to the effect of gastop. After looking it up, it is actually gafftop. A salt water catfish.  http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/huntwild/wild/species/gafftop/  Supposedly good eating. The fish are huge in comparison to what we would catch in VT. The guys come down here from San Antonio about once a month to fish over night. I may see them again if I come back. 

The sun is out this morning and I already have the umbrella up. Supposed to have showers again today. It is also the last day of the month, so I think it will be a good day to assess my financial situation and pay bills. Do any billing that needs to be done. I will need to use my big computer for that, and I will also have to cough up another $75 for additional internet. Gotta be a better deal out there.  Of course, uploading photos uses a lot.

I’m reaching the point where I am running out of drinking water, the tanks are about half full, and I will need to gas up if I want to run the generator every day. So it might be time to start thinking about moving on. Although, NM has been getting some nasty weather. I could just go to Port Lavaca and deal with the drinking water and tanks, fill the propane and then come back. Just not sure what I would do with my time. Especially if it is raining. But it is supposed to be much cooler by the weekend. That would be nice. I did wake up a couple of times last night  because the breeze wan’t making it inside and I was quite warm. Ended up plugging a small fan into my solar gen and running that dry. Will take longer to charge it up today. I should actually drag it outside and charge it up with the solar panel. Right now I have the generator running with the AC going to try and disperse some of the dampness. I can get another day or two out of what I have left, and I have the filter on the kitchen sink, so I can get drinking water from my tank. I could also fill my bottles at the bath house for “other” water, just not drinking water.

I also spent some time cleaning again yesterday. Vacuuming, etc. Today I need to take out the trash. And will probably vacuum again. Other than that, not a lot going on here. The rig that was here when I got here on Thursday is still here, everyone else has come and gone.

The rest of yesterday's pics can be seen here...  https://plus.google.com/photos/118406578374225960662/albums/6064617296078910913?banner=pwa

Fewer skeets

I moved Ody yesterday. It is much, much better. A constant breeze to keep the skeets away, a great view out my door, and the way I am sitting, actually more privacy. Although it is very damp and I am having trouble typing as my fingers are sticky.

I walked down to the bath house and did a small hand wash and hung most of it outside when I got back. Then it rained. Not just rain, but a deluge and of course I had the door and windows open, so it took me about an hour to clean all that up after it finally stopped. Saw bits of blue sky after that, but really no sunshine. 

Kali Cat did a little exploring. I think she got confused at one point. She was over where we were parked before and Vance’s rig is still there. I had to call to her, and she kept looking at his rig. I’m wondering if her eyesight is going. She did come and hasn’t wandered that far since. She was funny to watch when she checked out the water. I should have had the video going the first time, but only got stills. The video was running the second time. The video and yesterday's pics are in the previous post.

I finally got my feet in the water too. Hoping the salt water will help heal up the ant bites that I still have from last week.

I took a quickie shower yesterday and have enough water for another at least. Washed my hair. I guess it is about time to cut it, it is getting too hard to handle, especially in all this dampness. I’ll take about six inches off it, and it will be easier to wash and rinse.

Today, I am going to hang out, soak up some sun, and just be. I need to figure out where I am heading next at some point. Although, I can hang out here a few more days. I have not taken the bike down, but may at some point.

The sun is up this morning. Got to watch it rise over the water. Took some pictures. 

Time to fire up the generator and get things charged up. I have used up most of my 7 gig and will have to buy another round in the next day or so. :( Gotta find a less expensive internet alternative. This is way too expensive for the amount of time I spend online and uploading pictures eats it up like candy.

Today's photos and a short video

https://plus.google.com/photos/118406578374225960662/albums/6064278172314231729

https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=10203637631633798&set=vb.1006638889&type=2&theater

Rain and mosquitos

Yesterday was kind of discouraging. Warm, humid, rained off and on all day and not a drop of sunshine. PLUS - mosquitos! Lots and lots of mosquitos. I couldn’t step foot outside the door without being attacked by a flock of them. If I stepped away from the door and out into the wind, it was ok. So now I am thinking I need to turn Ody so the door is facing the beach. In fact, when Vance leaves, or someone else does, I will probably take their space on the beach, closer to the water. I really would like to spend as much time outside as I can, but haven’t been able to due to the mosquitos and the rain. I haven’t used the picnic enclosure, so there is no sense in sticking to this spot if there is a better one. When I turn Ody, it will be ass end into the wind, then the mosquitos should just blow right by (in theory). Plus I will get a better view. Maybe there are fewer closer to the water too, away from the little patch of grass, and the big grass across the road.

So, being stuck inside all day, I continued on my reorganizing bent and relocated some stuff, put away a few things that were always in my way, and got the passenger seat turned around and the front a little more organized. I now have some place other than the bed to sit. I even got out the windshield curtain and put that up. Not sure I like it much, and will probably, at some point, make my own. When I ran out of things to organize, I sat in my new chair and read a book. I do need to drag my cushioned foot stool out from under the bed for my feet. Just sitting in the seat for a long period of time with no place to put my feet isn’t all that comfy.

Today is supposed to be partly sunny and clearer. Less rain. I want to walk down to the bathrooms and see if I can do a small hand wash. I also need to take a shower this morning. Since the bath house shower side is locked, I will have to use my own. Ody's floors are impossible to keep clean, but will try vacuuming again today. I’m seeing spots that haven’t been done since I moved a few things around.

The tenters are packing up and leaving. I may take their spot. They came in yesterday morning, setup, fished all day and played music the whole time they were here, including most of the night. I know this because I was awake a good part of the night. They must have had a rough night as it was pouring and blowing when I went to sleep last night, and rained most of the night.

I watched about three hours of TV last night and the solar gen only went down about 50%. I shouldn’t have to run the house gen as long today. I will need the house gen for my second cup of coffee, hot water, and the water pump for my shower. 

Magnolia Beach is located just about center on the gulf coast of Texas. It is northeast of Corpus Christie and southwest of Houston. Not sure how long I will stay here. A lot depends on the weather and if I can cure the mosquito issue. Supposedly, the weather is supposed to improve until Wednesday, then three days of intermittent rain again, then a very nice weekend. I don’t want to spend much more time sitting indoors. Kind of defeats the purpose of being at the beach. I’m also not sure where I am heading next. The balloon festival in Albuerqurque is starting soon, might head in that direction via Roswell, or, I may just bypass all of that and head straight to Quartzsite. I just don’t know.

House generator fired up, electronics charging, coffee made and water heater turned on. Just about time to get the day started.

More rain.

I was thinking about getting out the bike and going exploring today, but it is raining yet again. Has rained every day, at least once, sometimes a lot more, since I hit Tennessee. Texas is hot and humid, at least for now. I have been spending a lot of time inside as it is too windy to put out the awning, and with the rain, where else will I sit? I may get out my umbrella I bought in Maine later and see if that will allow me to be outside. Tomorrow there is less chance of rain. This is a perfect place to ride as everything is extremely flat.

I haven’t been in the water yet. Haven’t seen anyone else in it either. It doesn’t look very inviting. But I do need to at least wade and try to get my fire ant bites healed up. I still have those. Thankfully, there are very few creepy crawlies here, and the worst I have had to deal with so far is monster mosquitos. We thought ours were big, I got out the fly swatter.

Yesterday I cut up the new blanket I bought at WM and made a sleeve for the cushions under the window on the bed, stitched up a pillow cover and there was enough material left over to make a lap blanket. Most nights, I don’t even use a blanket. The one I bought matches one I already had and was on clearance. So I have pulled the quilt off because the seams were ripping out with the daily use. Bonus is the polar fleece doesn’t hang on to the humidity like the cotton does, so it is dry when I sit on it. It is warmer tho. I didn’t see anything there I liked, so this was a good compromise. Was missing my sewing machine, had to do it all by hand.

This morning I pulled the printer out of it’s cubby and put a second UPS in behind it. Now all my electronics are on a surge suppressor, and the second UPS will help keep the printer in place. I also got the in house modem hung and plugged in, so I can network off line now. Relocated the wifi modem so I don’t have to pull on the cord to plug it into the solar gen. And now I don’t have to put the yeti on the bed to charge the wifi. TV works pretty good. Last night it was kind of rough, but it was also raining and windy.

There hasn’t been enough sun since I got my solar generator to charge it up. I ran the generator last night and am running it now to get it charged up for tonight. I can watch a couple hours of TV, run the wifi modem, charge my phone, and if I charge the laptop, it just about empties it. I didn’t gas up before I hit the beach, so I am trying not to use the generator much. It won’t run if the gas tank is below a quarter tank, and I can get just about 100 miles out of a quarter tank. So it isn’t a crisis, just something to be aware of.

Sunrise over a big class A that came in last night.

Kali Cat scoping things out as I take the above picture.

I also need to take a shower, but since there are people around, I have already put on clothes. I might as well wait until tomorrow morning now. It is already much busier around here this morning in spite of the rain. People fish off the shore. I guess it drops off pretty fast (another reason not to go in the water…sea creepie crawlies). One guy had a stingray on his line yesterday… from shore!

Well, time to get some breakfast. Hopefully I can shut the generator down soon. Only 20% more to go on the yeti. Want it fully charged so I don’t have to fire up the house generator again today. Now that I have that, I am going to put my jumper back in it’s cubby where it is hard to get to. I will only use that now for it’s intended purpose. I might even try to turn the passenger seat around so that I can have some place other than the bed to sit. That gets old.

Kali Cat is well. I have the door open, but she doesn’t go out much. Just to pee I think and comes right back in. The seagulls scare her.

The mosquitos are fierce this morning.

Photos of Magnolia Beach, TX

https://plus.ghttps://plus.google.com/photos/118406578374225960662/albums/6063501096284633297oogle.com/photos/118406578374225960662/albums/6063501096284633297

Magnolia Beach, TX

Made it to Magnolia Beach. Got waylaid at Port Lavaca by a thunderstorm while I was in Wal Mart. Had to wait that out. Didn’t get here until 4ish. Left Elgin at 10:15. Forgot to gas up, so I won’t be able to use my generator a whole lot, but have enough gas to get by until I hit the road again.  Have enough food for several days. Had rotisserie chicken and cole slaw for dinner. I forgot charcoal and lighter fluid, but I have other ways to cook. 

Kali Cat did well today. No barfing and no stinky poops. Of course, it is also much cooler than it was this time last week.

I haven’t been out of the rig other than to chat with the guy on the golf cart and his two dogs, it is really too windy. I guess the wind is unusual according to Charlie (golf cart guy).

Only one other RV here with me right now.  And I am literally parked on the beach. I think I will sleep well tonight. 

6AM

The wind has finally died down a little. Still have a steady breeze tho. It is in the 70’s with a fair amount of humidity. 

I watched a couple of hours of TV last night with it plugged into my little solar generator. Barely touched the battery. I also charged my phone and am currently charging my laptop. The laptop is what sucks up the juice. I will hook up the solar panel as soon as it gets light and try to get it full by the end of the day on free solar energy. If that doesn’t top it off, I will fire up the generator later and finish it up. Was so very nice to be able to watch TV without the noise and smell of the gas generator. Should have bought this sooner. After charging the laptop, it is down to 20%. We’ll see how good the solar panel is today.

Kali Cat is very lovey this morning. Has come up and snuggled and purred and just generally seems happy this morning. You should have seen the big eyes and the nose twitching after we parked and I opened up the windows yesterday. She was up on the bed peering out the window. She has never been to the ocean before. We are going to go out and explore a little this morning. She has been laying by the door just waiting to go out.

My first cup of coffee this morning was instant. Heated the water on the stove because when I got up, it was way too early to fire up the generator. I had someone pull in and park just in front of me last night, and it would have been rude of me to start the generator at 4AM. Otherwise, I would have just fired it up and used my keurig.

The wind died down during the night. Now there is just a steady breeze. Last night it was actually rocking Ody. Went to sleep to the sound of the whistling wind and the surf, woke to the sound of surf.

I am parked by the last picnic table enclosure on the beach. Will be using that instead of my awning. The enclosure has a roof, picnic table, grill and trash can. Too windy to put the awning out. Supposedly there is a bath house here too. Will be checking that out this morning. This is the first time I have wished that I had my scooter already. This would be an awesome place to try it out. I could break out the bike I suppose, but then I would have to fight to get it back up on the rack. 

The water here is a completely different color than the ocean in Maine. It is a greenish brown. The wind doesn’t smell the same either.  There is an oil derrick on the horizon, and they tell me barges go thru on a regular basis. The night time skyline is pretty kool, got a few pis at sunset last night. And am anxious to get out with my camera this morning. But there isn’t any rush, am planning on staying here for a while. I wasn’t sure until I got here tho.

Well, it is starting to get light out. Time to get dressed and out with the camera.

Moving day.

My LED bulbs came yesterday. But when I tried to replace the bulbs over the sink, it smoked my light fixture. I have heard back from the place I bought them from after sending them an email, and it looks as if I might be able to salvage the fixture. I will have to bypass the ballast. They were the right bulbs, and he says most of the time there isn’t an issue. Of course, mine had an issue. I will save that project for when I am stationary for a while, but will have to buy some supplies before I do it anyway. In the meantime, if I find I really need that light over the sink, I can pull one from one of the bunks and use that. I also have my clip on lamp I can use, and that already has an LED bulb in it.

I managed another day without AC. It was overcast a good part of the day and didn’t get really hot until about 5 when the sun came out in full. It stayed cooler in Ody again. I guess that fan is making a big difference. Although it has been very nice being hooked up to 30amp and having the ability to use the AC.

Today is moving day. I’m ready. Even tho I am in someone’s yard, I feel very restricted. I don’t wander from the rig due to all the painful or poisonous creepy crawlies here, and it still way too warm to put on boots and wander. I am hoping that both KC and I get to do some of that on the beach. According to Cypher, there is a new big spider right by the front door. I didn’t see it, but I did see a lizard last night. 

I have mapped out the route, and will stop at the super Walmart in Port Lavaca and pick up some food before I hit the beach. I have been having dinner each night with Cypher and Maryellen, so haven’t needed much in the way of groceries. But now I will be feeding myself and need food. I won’t need to gas up until I get there, so I will have a full tank of gas to run the generator on. If I get a spot on the beach with a picnic enclosure I will also have the ability to grill, so I think I will grab some charcoal just in case. On the plus side with all this heat, I am eating less.

After the light debacle, I dug up some eye screws and rigged up a bungee for the newly mounted TV. That should keep it from moving around. And while I was digging for those, I found enough eye screws to rehang the clothes line I put up the other day, so I did that too. Just puttered some. 

It wasn’t sunny enough to charge up the solar generator, so I plugged it in to shore power to make sure it had a full charge on it before I left. I probably should have bought the 12v plug to go with it so I could charge it while driving, but I didn’t. Hoping there will be enough sunshine to keep the thing powered. I also tried charging my phone directly from the solar panel and that worked quite well. Can’t do that with my laptop tho. Need the inverter/solar generator for that or shore/generator power.

As for breaking camp, I will have to do the awning and stuff before I move the rig, but am planning on moving it out to the driveway before I pack up the hoses and power cords. That way I can do my walk arounds without having to worry too much about fire ants and other nasty things. There isn’t much I need to do inside, I try to keep that road ready for the most part. Poor Kali Cat is going to be unhappy for part of the day. I will make sure her box is clean before we leave because she will poop at some point during the ride. She always does. I will be using my new boots for breaking camp. One of the reasons I bought them. Who knows what has moved in under the rig since I parked it here last week, and I am not going to look.

I might even get to swim today. Supposedly it is safe and clean. I still don’t have a suit tho. Will have to come up with something. I won’t kayak because I won’t have the fresh water to spare to wash off the kayak when I am done. I am looking forward to the beach and I hope it isn’t crowded. Campfires are allowed, so I might even do that. :) We’ll see.

Well, the water should be hot by now for my shower, so I guess it is time I did that and start breaking camp. Will check in after I arrive and settle.

Solar generator

Yesterday was much more pleasant weather wise. There was less humidity and the high for the day topped out around 93. It actually stayed cooler inside Ody for a change. I went in and took a nap at the hottest part of the day. Today is supposed to be similar, but it feels a little more humid. I was almost cold last night, it got down to 61 degrees. And I still have my polar fleece robe on. No AC at all yesterday, hoping to do the same today.

My solar generator arrived yesterday, so I got to play with that some. I charged up my ipad and my phone, and right now, have the laptop charging. It is pretty kool and I think it was a good investment.

I am hoping my led light bulbs come today, because I really am ready to move on. (Just tracked them, they were in Austin at 3 AM, a good sign that they might make it.) I saw my first scorpion yesterday. It was tiny, but it died anyway. I hope I never see another.

Kali Cat is well, loving her little dinner snacks that I bring back for her. She’s getting spoiled. But I also think she is bored. Good snuggling last night because it was much cooler. I like that.

Today I will start prepping for moving out tomorrow. If I feel brave, I may get the water tank refilled, but if I am not, will do it tomorrow morning. Need to figure out how to lash the TV to the wall, make sure things are put away. Do a small hand wash, fun things. I did vacuum yesterday while it was still cool. Looks much better now. I also need to make sure my drinking water bottles are full.

Spent some time with the maps yesterday. There is a Wal Mart Supercenter just a few miles from Magnolia Beach in Port Lavaca, so I will stop and refuel and get some groceries and cat food before I hit the beach. Should be good for a few days then. I also have a bunch of canned stuff and a few things in the freezer that I should use, so I don’t need a lot, mostly perishables. I’m still working on the watermelon I bought last week. I have eaten a little more than half and still have a couple of days worth. Maybe I will get another if they have them for $3 again. I like just being able to pull a zipper bag out of the fridge and snacking.

Tracking now says my bulbs are out for delivery. Hopefully they are all whole. At least they aren’t fluorescent.  Might get some changed today, then I can be a little less stingy with light.

The heat is exhausting.

Not much to write about today. Yesterday was 98 degrees in the shade and it rained twice. The second storm was pretty nasty, but it cooled down a little after that, and it was cool enough to turn off the AC before going to bed. I can’t remember the last time I used a blanket of any kind, including last night. It is currently 65 degrees and feels cold! The minute the sun comes out tho, it will warm up almost immediately. If it stays comfortable long enough, I will clean Ody today. Definitely past due. I haven’t vacuumed since the campground, and the broom only gets the big stuff.

I need to think about swapping out my blue quilt with something that will hold up to the wear and tear of daily use. The quilt is unhappy about being used the way it is and a couple of the seams have ripped out. Not sure what I have that I can swap it with, and then there is the issue of the shams, which are storage for other items and cushions for sitting against. I could make a couple of shams if I had a sewing machine. Maybe I will look at Walmart the next time I stop. I would order something online, but where would I have them shipped?

I basically watched TV all day. It was way too hot to move, and was exhausting. 98 degrees in the shade. I did do a load of laundry and rigged up a line in Ody to hang them. They dried pretty fast. I used sheetrock screws and stretch cord to go around the perimeter of the cargo area. I think I will get some screw eyes and make the line a little more permanent. But that worked for what I needed when I needed it.

Today is supposed to be cooler. Mid to upper 80’s and less humidity. If that is the case, I might take a walk…on the road of course. I am avoiding grassy areas like the plague.

Looks like I won’t be leaving here until Thursday. My solar generator is supposed to be delivered tomorrow, and my led bulbs, shipped 2nd day, won’t be here until Wednesday either. I have to say, I am about ready to move on to the next stop. 

It snowed briefly in IP yesterday. Gary sent me a pic. I can’t say that I am going to miss the snow, but I do miss the cool fall air and the foliage.

Kali Cat is much better this morning. Nice cold, wet nose, sleeping on the bed. The heat was very draining for her too, and her nose was warm thru most of it. I’m hoping the heat and humidity stay lower until I can get out of here. At least I am not eating much. Just way too hot to eat. 

Celtic Fair/Music Fest

 Yesterday we went to the Celtic Fair, but it was more of a con than a fair. All sorts of costumes, music and vendors. Lots of food, and lots of hot sunshine. At least it was in a treed area so there was also lots of shade. The humidity was down a bit, which made it more bearable. They did have some highland games going on, but they didn’t interest me. I did the walk about, saw all the vendors on the outside paths, and by the time I got about half way around, I was pretty much finished. I didn’t see most of the vendors on the inside paths, as everyone wanted to talk and sell, and that got old fast.

The booth that Cypher and Maryellen were working was the blacksmith shop, and I hung out there a good part of the day and people watched. It was right by the main gate, so eventually most everyone came to me.  I was asked if I wanted to try it, but I was already too hot and worn out at that point to wield a sledge hammer. Otherwise I would have loved to have tried it. Maryellen gave me a hook that she made. It looked like fun.

I only bought one thing and that was a little dragonfly bottle stopper. I am going to see if I can get the cork out and use it for something else instead. Maybe as a topper on Anthony’s walking stick. I don’t have any bottles to cork.

We weren’t far from one of the main stages, so we got to listen to music all day too. I took a lot of pics, and it took forever for them to upload this morning.

I left the AC going for Kali Cat while we were gone yesterday. I was very happy to see that it was still going when we got back. It was way past her dinner time and she let me know about it. But she seems to be much perkier with the AC going. Her nose was cool and wet last night which made me happy. Again, snuggles off and on thru the night. And I turned off the AC in the wee hours again, and opened things back up because by then it was cooler outside.

I hung out my string of dragonfly lights the other day, but they didn’t come on that night. Last night we saw them come on, but they didn’t stay on. So I changed the battery this morning. Must have cooked it in the sun. Should be good tonight.

Ants! Texas is full of ants. I couldn’t keep them off me yesterday when I wasn’t moving. At least these weren’t the biting ones. But you can’t feel them when they are on you. I am getting a definite dislike for ants of any kind.

Today, everyone has to work so I am on my own. I’m thinking it is laundry day. I am also thinking since I am hooked up to water that I will try out my little washer plunger thingy and do them by hand. There isn’t a dryer here and I will have to hang them out anyway. I haven’t used it yet and it will be interesting to see how it works. I will have to rig up a clothes line somehow, and I dug out the clothes pins when I got the battery out for the dragonfly lights.

Two of the missing ducks flew back last night. Wonder where they have been off to for three weeks. They looked just fine. So they are now back up to seven ducks.

So Magnolia Beach is next. I looked at the weather forecast, and it isn’t much of an improvement over here, but it is the beach. KC will be able to go out, and even if it is only for a day or two, I will have had that experience and will know if I want to go back in cooler weather. Once I get there, I will figure out where I want to go next. Hopefully some good photo ops too.

I only took my new little camera yesterday. I didn’t want to haul around the big one all day. The little one just hangs around my neck and takes nice pics. I also had my phone as a backup. Thankfully, I remembered to bring a spare battery as the new camera uses up batteries really fast.

Here are the rest of the pics, and they took so long to upload and I started and stopped so many times, there will be duplicates. Sorry. :)

https://plus.google.com/photos/118406578374225960662/albums/6061867664267005777?banner=pwa

Spiders and cowboy boots

Yesterday wasn’t quite as hot - most of the day, and the humidity must be down by a few percent, or I am starting to get used to it. Every time I moved, I sweat. I feel sticky and ucky all the time and feel like I need a shower several times a day. It did hit 90, and was 90 in Ody, so I put on the AC for KC. Got it down to about 85, but it was also less humid so it didn’t feel so bad. Still have the fans going too, moving the air around and drying it out some.

Today we are going to the Celtic Fair, so I will leave the AC going for her (and me when I get back). We will be gone several hours during the warmest part of the day, so I need to make sure she doesn’t over heat. We went to sleep with the AC going last night, but I turned it off some time in the wee hours because it was cooler outside than inside.  There was also a skunk in the neighborhood last night. Hopefully they still have five ducks. Something has decimated their flock.

Got the water hooked up yesterday. Yay. I can shower this morning. I had Maryellen go do the dangerous part and turn the water on. I managed to get it hooked up on Ody without any more ant incidents. Nasty bites, going to take a while to heal. Hopefully, I won’t be running into those on a regular basis. No more sandals in the grass…in fact, no more walking in the grass. Period.

Maryellen and I sat a good part of the day yesterday and just gabbed, reminisced, and caught up on 35 years of life in general. Glad we got that time. Was fun.

Later in the day we went to the grocery store to pick up a few things for dinner and hit a couple of consignment shops. I got myself a pair of authentic Texas cowboy boots. I have been wanting a pair for a long time, was hesitant to order them online without being able to try them on. These felt good. I will need to get some sort of cushion/liner for the bottoms since I don’t wear socks. I picked up a few things at the grocery and took some pics of some stuff I hadn’t seen before. Got some dehydrated fruit - hot pepper mango, and a couple others for later. 

This is how brown sugar is sold here, you grate it.

Just thought these were funny.

My new to me boots. They will never be this shiny again.

I have been checking my blood sugar every few days. It is a bit higher than it should be, but better than last week (fewer carbs), and seems to be holding. I do need to make an effort to get it back to where it was when I was cooking for myself. More fruit and veggies.

Other than waking up a couple more times in the night, I seem to be sleeping fairly well in spite of the heat and humidity. I did get out the sarongs yesterday and put up a sun block. I also put out my solar dragonfly lights, but they didn’t come on last night. :( The last time I used them was in the driveway in IP. I wonder if I killed that battery too. Was disappointed when they didn’t light up. Will give them one more night, then will try changing the battery. Maybe the battery cooked in the sun...

Maryellen bought a hummer feeder the other day when a female ruby throated hummer checked out the red knobs on my canopy posts. She was here this morning eating from it. She is pretty nervous and didn’t light, but she will be back and already has been several times.

Cypher grilled some steaks last night and we sauteed up some peppers, mushrooms and onion to go with. I contributed the mushrooms and peppers. Needed to use them up as they were starting to get old. I also gave them some of the apples I bought while I was in Belfast. Maine apples in Texas. On one of my trips out of the house, I spotted this gigantic spider on the eave of the garage. This garden spider is at least four inches from tip to toe including the legs. Wow! Everything is bigger in Texas! I don’t like spiders, and have changed my route too and from the house. Maryellen even put down a board for me to walk on so I didn’t have to walk thru the grass. I have a thing about that now since my fire ant experiences. 

I took some better pics with my telephoto lens from far, far away, but haven't uploaded them yet.

Kali Cat has been getting extra yummies. I have been saving her some pieces from my meals. Chicken, steak, etc. She isn’t eating much for dry food and is getting by on canned food. I worry that she isn’t getting enough to eat. The treats are supplements and she loves them. We had some good cuddling during the night, and got some purrs out of her. Plus her nose feels cooler this morning - a good sign. I worry about her so much. This is really hard on her. I haven’t let her out again. Am afraid to.  She hasn’t shown a lot of interest in going out either. Guess she had enough the other morning. I’m thinking she might have had a run in with some fire ants. But I checked her and didn’t see any on her. I  am hoping to find a spot big enough and safe enough for her to get out and explore. She loves that. I don’t want an unhappy kitty. 

I can still smell the ant killer I put down before I put the rug down, but haven’t had any near the rug or door. I guess I can live with the smell if it keeps the little bastards away. I did have to put some ant traps in Ody because I spotted some of the little red ants. What is it with Texas and ants?

Not sure where I am heading next, thinking about the TX coast before I head to NM. Need to gather some more info first.

The water tower from afar.

Agave in front of the grocery store.

Humidity - Ugh!

Was a very quiet day yesterday. Got the rig turned so that it is aligned with the driveway in their turn around area, far enough that I have the canopy out. No grass, so far, so good on the fire ants. I managed to get it set back up without any bites. I even put my rug down. I spent the day under the canopy reading. 

Was hot and very humid, downpours off and on, and I was seriously not liking Texas much and was reconsidering the southwest in general.  I haven’t hooked up to the water yet, but will  need to this morning. I took a look at where the spigot is, and was just plain afraid to walk over there. I had enough water to get my shower and whatever else I needed for the day and a shower this morning, but will need to hook up after that. Maryellen will do the “dangerous” part for me. :)

The bonus to turning Ody is that I now can connect to their wifi. I couldn’t before. It changes my view a little, but I still have most of the really pretty part.

It is still very humid this morning, chance of showers later. I have had my new vornado fan going since it arrived yesterday morning and have managed without the AC. It is a few degrees warmer inside, but a lot less humid with the fan going. That one fan makes a huge difference. My TV mount also came and I got that up and the TV on it. It is perfect. I can move the TV out of the way when I need to get to my printer, and it is now up and off the table top so that I can use that space for something else. I will still need to find a way to secure it when in motion, but I have a couple of days to figure that out. I am considering getting another TV mount just like that one to hold my laptop when I am sitting on the bed. I think it would work with a slight modification and a whole lot less expensive than one designed to hold a laptop.

I’m still waiting for the solar generator tho. Not sure when that is supposed to arrive, and they finally shipped my LED replacement bulbs for Ody’s light fixtures. Just tracked them both, the generator is already in Ft Worth, so maybe Monday, and the bulbs were shipped 2 day, so possibly Tuesday. I have a couple other little things coming that hopefully will show before I hit the road too.

Not sure if I am going to the Celtic fair today or tomorrow. I will find out shortly I’m sure. Got a few buzzard pics yesterday, and a couple of shy woodpeckers, but nothing really exciting.Was much too warm to be moving around. Any effort created sweating. Ugh. 

Maryellen picked up Chinese food on the way home from work last night, so that was dinner. It has been a while since I have had Chinese food. Years.

I slept in until almost 6 this morning. Not without waking a few times in the night tho. Kali Cat snuggled some, but then we would both get too warm and of she would go for a little while. Looking forward to cooler, non humid nights. Poor baby is still stuck indoors. And she is starting to look her age. This trip hasn't been good for her, but I couldn't leave her behind. I worry about her. Hoping we can find a place for a few days where she can be a cat.

99% humidity, more fire ants

Well, it has been hot and humid, 100% humidity. Ugh! Everything is damp and disgusting. It has been raining off and on for days now. Pouring now and has been for a while. I don’t know how long it is going to last. I have already had a run in with fire ants. Only got a couple of bites while I was hooking up the power, could have been much, much worse.

My campsite here in Elgin.

It has been interesting meeting a friend in person that I haven’t seen since 1977, and that was a brief visit. Maryellen and I were best friends in grade school and part of Jr High. She isn’t what I remembered or expected. It will be interesting getting to know her again. 

My replacement jumper arrived yesterday. My fans and TV mount should be here today, and hopefully my solar generator too. I’m looking forward to playing with that. Take the stress off the house battery when I don’t have shore power. I will also be happy to have the TV mounted somewhere I won’t have to move it constantly. Currently it rides face down on the bed.

Right now I don’t have their wifi out here in Ody. Between the metal car port and the fact that the router is on the exact opposite end of the house, I can get a bar or two, but can’t connect. Cypher tried to set up a repeater last night, but it didn’t work. I have one here I will try to setup later. Will give me something to do while I am stuck indoors.  

I know it is too soon to start making judgements. It will be interesting to see which way my emotions go tho. I am not much of a traveler, never have been, so it is all brand new to me. I certainly haven’t found what I am looking for yet either. For me, this trip isn’t about seeing the country and the sights, but more of a quest to find a place that feels like home. I lost that when I lost Jake. I want it back, although I may not find it.

We made a quick trip to town yesterday. Very different than down town IP, but about the same size (ish), maybe a little bigger. They have an indoor farmers market kind of store that we stopped at, and I finally made it into a Dollar General. I was not impressed with this particular one, it was kind of dumpy. Hoping the IP one is much nicer. But we were in a hurry, so I didn’t get to look around much. Lots of stuff, decent prices. I didn’t buy anything. I’m surprised that the planned opening of the IP store is December. I thought it would be much sooner than that. Hopefully they will get some of the local xmas shopping crowd. Doesn’t give them much time, but the last minute shoppers will love it.

Dollar General, Elgin TX

Downtown Elgin

The next door neighbors here have a bunch of critters. Horses, dogs, chickens. The dogs must be in at night as I haven’t heard any barking, but the roosters have been crowing all night. Dumb birds. :) Far enough away that with the fans going, I didn’t hear them much.

Saturday there is a Celtic fair somewhere. Maryellen and Cypher are working it, and I will go along for the ride, bring my camera and do something fun and touristy. Hopefully the weather will have improved by then. Should have my new vornado fan by then so I can leave that going for KC. 

Guess that is just about all the news I have. I will be posting some pics on the blog along with a good part of this email so I won’t have to write it all over again. :) Maybe with some embellishments. 

The door is open and KC is out. She won’t be out too long, everything is sopping wet. And hopefully the ants aren’t up and about yet. 

I’m looking forward to my shower this morning, even if the results lasts only about five minutes. I just feel so completely grubby and sticky with the humidity.

OK, I guess I am going to have to move the rig. I took two steps outside the rig to look for Kali Cat and already stepped in some fire ants. This isn't working for me. More rain in the forecast, so the powder is pretty much ineffective, and the cinnamon just washed away too.  Kali Cat may have had a run in with them too, she cried pitifully before she came in. Poor baby. Didn't' find any on her tho. Grrr.... I am now afraid to step outside my door. :( But in order to move the rig, I have to take down the awning and unhook the power. So I guess I have to at some point. Wish me luck.

Still hot

Not much this morning. 75 degrees at 5 AM. Was a warm night. Right now I have the door and windows open, fans going and the AC going to cool it down and exchange the air. Severe thunder storms with inches of rain predicted for today. I am hoping that I will miss them. Will be starting early in hopes to do that, although I don’t like driving while it is still dark.

Elgin is my last scheduled stop. After that, I have no idea where I am going. Thinking NM mountains where it will be cooler. Saturday, I will have been gone a month. Wow, time flies. The vacation feeling is waning, and reality is setting in. I don’t like not having a home base. A place to go back to where it is quiet and I don’t have to move around. So I guess I will be looking for something that will suit that purpose. I don’t want to buy the first thing I see, I want to know that it is a place I want to be. So far, I haven’t seen anything that has even come close. I don’t have much money, so it isn’t going to be anything nice. This is where the real boondocking or dry camping will come in. Walmart and Cracker Barrel parking lots don’t really count. I am feeling slightly unsettled. This is where I start wondering if I am crazy and have done the right thing.

I forgot to order a TV mount when I was shopping online yesterday, so I just got that taken care of. Less than half the cost of the one at WM, and it had all the features I wanted. The WM one didn’t have any of the features I wanted. No swivel, no extendable arm.

There are rain drops on the window. I guess I didn’t make it before the rain. Now I will just wait until daylight unless it is pouring. If I have to drive in the rain, I would much rather it be light out. If it is pouring, I will stay right here until it stops. I don’t HAVE to reach Elgin today. And I have everything I need right here. I’m sure KC wouldn’t mind. Wish I already had my solar generator so I could run a fan without the big generator, but I am grateful I have the big one working again. If I end up staying here for the day, I will move further away from the store. I appear to be in the middle of a favorite parking area.

Kali Cat seems to be feeling better this morning. Her nose and ears are cooler, and she has been up for some loving already. That makes me feel better. Still not using her bed tho. I bought some catnip spray yesterday and will give the bed a squirt, see if that works. I had to move her off the dash twice yesterday while I was driving. My visibility is bad enough without having her block more.

I have about four hours to go to reach Elgin. The map says 2.5, but I am finding it is taking me at least an additional hour to their predictions. I can’t do the speeds that theirs are calculated at, add in a couple of quick stops and stretches, and you get a much longer drive. I will also have to gas up this morning. Started out with 3/4 of a tank yesterday, not sure where it was when I pulled in, and have been running the generator quite a bit. That reduces the gas mileage since there is really no way to track what the generator uses.

Thankfully, I haven’t seen any more signs of fleas. KC isn’t scratching and I haven’t seen any on me. Hoping we escaped that bullet. It is time to treat KC again too. But didn’t want to do it when she was under the weather. Hopefully she will be feeling well enough later today.

It is just about time to get dressed and get this day under way. I really don’t like the driving, but having google maps GPS guiding me helps a lot, unless my phone isn’t plugged in and it shuts down without my noticing. I missed a turn that way yesterday. Had to do a U turn and go back. Not the first time, and I’m sure it won’t be the last either. I will just have to make sure the phone is plugged in when using the GPS. It drains the phone battery very fast. I haven’t even pulled out my Nuvi yet.

Crockett Texas

Made it safely to the Walmart in Crockett TX. Mostly secondary roads today. Very pretty country and went thru part of the Davy Crockett National Forest. There were historical markers every couple of miles. I didn't stop.

Kali Cat had a rough time of it this morning, we had a bit of a barf about an hour into the drive, but she just had her snacks and is purring, so all is good.

So, I am still having trouble getting and staying cool. This morning my little jump starter that I was using to power my 12v fan was dead. Wouldn't take a charge.  I'm sitting here in the parking lot at WM in Crockett TX, in the full sunshine, have the generator running to keep the AC going for both me and Kali Cat. 

Went into WM to buy another jumper (that thing has saved me more than once and served me well), and they didn't have anything I went in there for. Not the jumper I wanted, no portable power source that was acceptable, AND... NO FANS! Sold out. Go figure. Ended up with a couple inexpensive very light weight t shirts, coffee, and a new coax cable for cable hookup at campgrounds.

Found everything I needed online from Amazon, a couple more battery operated fans, a vornado air mover, a replacement jumper just like the one that died, and I bit the bullet and also ordered the Goal Zero Yeti 150 Solar Generator Kit with Nomad 20 Solar Panel. Hoping this will save the jumper for it's intended purpose and as a backup to the Yeti. 

I got myself a nap this afternoon. But I had turned off the generator and AC, so it was very warm when I woke up. I'm hoping it cools down for the night. I'm just not used to all this heat.

Here are some new pics from the Dollar General project in IP. Jenn Hanlon posted them today.

Moving on today.

Spent a lot of time online looking for a small air conditioner. There is no such thing as a desk top or table top AC. Don’t need anything any bigger, and don’t have room for anything larger.  Oh well, I guess I can survive another week or two at these temps, but for a northern girl, it is pretty uncomfortable, and KC doesn’t care for it much either. It is also very humid here. Hoping to move away from some of the humidity. I would much rather be outdoors than indoors in this nice warm weather.

I haven’t let KC out the last couple of days for two reasons, I didn’t want to have to go retrieve her, and I don’t want to have to deal with fleas. She isn’t too happy about that. But we move on today, so it will be a whole new experience later.

I won’t miss the trains. Some are much louder than others and a couple of them have made my ears hurt.

My antenna mod came yesterday. Tim had to modify it to fit my antenna, and when we got it installed, I hooked it up and still got zero channels. So I switched it back to the little panel antenna and re scanned for channels. I was surprised when I got double what I got without the mod. So, I guess it does work, just not the way I thought it would. Seems to be a passive antenna mod. Nice to know. I was very disappointed when it didn’t work. Feel much better about it now. I thought I had wasted $40.

Played with my little rubber band loom for a little while before lunch yesterday. That was fun. Made two bracelets. Thinking of all the things I could make with that that aren’t bracelets…useful things. Glasses lanyards, large reinforced rubber bands, etc.

Sandra made a bucket cooler for me yesterday and I tried it out. A plastic bucket with a few holes in it, some ice and a fan. It wasn’t very effective. Added more moisture to the air and didn’t cool Ody down more than a degree or two. But it was worth a try and I appreciate the effort. I will give it another try in a less humid environment and see if it works better then. I spent quit a bit of time searching for my second little white fan to no avail. It is in there somewhere, and will only be found when I am searching for something else or cleaning house. I still need to lighten up. Would like to free up one of the bunks and have a real bedroom and get the dinette back in service. Ody would feel a lot more spacious. 

I depleted my jumper by running the 12v fan. Need to get it charged up again.

Got a load of laundry done yesterday too. So far getting my laundry done has worked out. But that is coming to an end too. Will have to start doing them by hand soon.

Today we hit the road again. Only going about half way to Elgin to keep the driving time down. Will be parking at the Walmart in Crockett. Will look for a TV mount there and a fan that moves a lot more air. My little one is nice, but it is pretty wimpy. And maybe a second battery operated fan for those times that I don’t have hookups and am not running the generator. I hope to be there by noon and maybe get in a little snooze this afternoon. It will also give me a chance to run the cab AC and maybe drop the indoor temp a little. 

Saw my first lizards last night. A couple of geckos and a green anole. Cute little buggers. :)

Still getting a bit of a nervous stomach when I think about driving again. Wondering if that will ever go away. At least it isn’t as bad as it was a couple of weeks ago. Most of what I will be driving today and tomorrow is rural, so there shouldn’t be any issues.

Monica tells me they have been running the heat there already for several days. I don’t miss that. :)

My first 3D Movie

Not much today. Sandra and I went to see Guardians of the Universe in 3D yesterday. My first 3D movie ever and the first time I have been inside a theatre in years! It was a very big place. Was a good movie and I am looking forward to seeing it again on a smaller screen. I had trouble seeing everything.

On the way back we picked Daisy up from the vets where she was bathed and trimmed, and then went and got some Texas Barbecue. It was dollar sloppy joe night at the local joint, and they were good. I couldn’t eat all of mine tho, I have one in the fridge. May have it for breakfast. :)

Yesterday was HOT. Not as hot as it is here in the summer, but warmer than I am used to. It is still very warm here this morning and today is supposed to be hot too. I didn’t let KC out yesterday, tried to keep it as cool as possible in there for her, but it hit 90, and wasn’t any cooler outside. She is just laying around trying to stay cool. She spent the night in the shower which was a little cooler than under the seat. I have two fans going in there for her. I hope we didn’t hit the south too soon. In order to run the AC, I would have to disconnect the shore power and fire up the generator. This is why I bought the portable AC, and I wish that I could have found room for it. I’m going to see if I can find an even smaller one, but I don’t think they make them much smaller. Just looked on Amazon and EBay, no, there isn’t such a thing as a mini air conditioner. :(  If it doesn’t get any cooler today, I will have to disconnect and fire up the generator and AC. I did miss our snuggles last night. 

Today I will do laundry and get ready to pull out tomorrow morning. The antenna mod should be here today, get that taken care of. Sandra did put some blackout film on the window in Ody’s door yesterday. That should help some. At least keep some of the sunshine out, and it also limits the ability to see in when the curtain isn't pulled.

I am only planning on driving a little over two hours tomorrow, and the same on Thursday. That will get me half way there and I can go to Walmart and see about a mount for the TV and look at AC’s. I probably won’t find anything I can use, but want to look anyway. That will also give Maryellen an extra day since she has been gone several days to Chicago and has just gotten home.

I had a flea on me inside Ody yesterday. :( But I can’t treat Ody until I can let KC outside. I am going to use the powder that I used on Alder St. That seemed to take care of the little bastards. Wonder if it works on scorpions too? Guess we will be finding out.

I forgot about the time difference, I am in central time now. I missed the first half hour of Dancing With The Stars. :( Will have to catch that half hour online today before tonight's results show. I got to watch it over the air on my little TV in Ody. I'm hoping I have as good, if not better reception wherever I land for any length of time. Costs too much to watch it online when I am paying per gig.

Two things I would wish for, a mini air conditioner, and unlimited mobile wifi. Something that wouldn't break the bank. In this world of technology, both should already be available. 

I got to take some nature photos yesterday morning. I have missed that. I got some really nice bird photos. Here are a couple of them.

The rest can be seen here... https://plus.google.com/photos/118406578374225960662/albums/6059346110592304625?banner=pwa

Texas Sunshine

A fairly quiet day yesterday. Sunny and warm. Was nice to see some sun after several days of cloudy and misty. Sandra and I put some plastic boards under the mattress where it was sagging a bit in the middle, and she also gave me a water filter that screws on to the faucet. I had trouble installing it, the threads on the faucet are plastic and it kept cross threading. So for now, I have it on the swivel. That isn’t an ideal situation, but it works. I am going to give it another go at some point and see if I can get it installed without the swivel and without cross threading. May need a little piece of teflon tape to do that. I have teflon tape but it isn’t urgent enough to unstrap the rug in the back to get it out of the tool box.

Sandra and I went out to lunch at Salsarita’s. I had the taco salad and queso and chips. Was very good. We also went to two stores, Dressing Gaudy, a really fun clothing store and Tuesday Morning looking for a mount for the TV. I got some craft stuff there and a big package of doggie poo bags. At Dressing Gaudy I got a Christmas gift for a friend and a little red crossover pocket book. Bright red of course. 

I tried hooking the TV up to the roof antenna to see if it would bring in anything, but since it is an analog antenna, got nothing. Then re hooked up the flat antenna and scanned again, this time scanning air instead of cable and actually got some channels. It helps if you are scanning the right feed.  My antenna adapter has shipped from Amazon and will be here tomorrow. I’m hoping it is exactly what I need. I will still look for a small mount for the TV, doesn’t need to be very big as the TV is quite light.

Beans for dinner last night with ham and habanero peppers. Yummy.

Kali Cat got to go out yesterday, but this time I put her in the fenced in back yard with Daisy. Daisy is cat friendly and didn’t bother her other than to check her out and try to make friends. KC didn’t want any of that. I did discover that Northeast Texas has fleas. Yup, had several on me after being out walking, and I am hoping and praying that KC’s meds are still active and she doesn’t get them or that Ody doesn’t get them. Will be more careful now that I know. I still have all my flea chemicals and may have to do a complete dusting/vaccing  and spraying at my next stop.

I spent some time online looking at properties for sale in northern NM. Didn’t find anything that grabbed my attention. I’m thinking it is going to be more of a driving around thing and watching for for sale signs. I can’t spend a lot of money, but would be nice to have a home base. I also considered Roswell. We really liked that town when we were there, and it would be totally kool to get a job at the UFO museum. That would be fun. Plus, I have good memories of being there with Jake.

Today I want to walk to the post office around the corner and mail out a package…maybe two, and then we are supposed to go to a movie. Guardians of the Universe in 3D. I have never been to a 3D movie and haven’t been in a movie theatre in years and years. Tomorrow will be prepping for moving on. Laundry, antenna, etc. It has been great to stop for a couple of days and Sandra and Tim have been wonderful hosts, but I am feeling the urge to move on to the next stop. Not sure how long I will stay in Elgin, after that I have no particular destination in mind. Might try to meet up with some other RV’ers. Or head towards Albuquerque to see the balloons which is the beginning of October. Who knows…it is wide open.

A couple of pics out and about yesterday.

Kali Cat exploring

My solar dragonfly lights. I keep one on each side of my step.