December 28, 2004

December 28, 2004

Rainbow's End & Livingston

DAY 193

 

Today was sunny and warm again. It's supposed to be like this for at least the rest of this week.

This morning after I showered, Bo wanted to go outside, so I let him out, attached to a tie out rope tied to the picnic table. When I went to check on him after about half an hour, all I found was the rope attached to the picnic table, with the clip end chewed off, and Bo gone. Bad dog ! I rushed around the front of the trailer, calling him. There he was, sitting beside the fifth wheel trailer next to us, with about a foot of chewed tie out rope attached to his harness, waiting to be let in the door. Bo is still a little confused about which fifth wheel trailer is his.

I went outside to wash Dee-Dee, and Bo wanted to be outside with me. I attached him to the end of the tie-out that still had a clip, and tied the chewed end to the leg of the picnic table. As I washed the truck, I kept looking over my shoulder at him, as he sat in the sun, looking around, just being a good little dog. No more than a few minutes after I last looked at him, a neighbour from the next road over came by, asking me if I had lost something. There was Bo in his arms, tail wagging, with a foot of tie-out rope hanging off his harness. BAD DOG ! They sure learn their new "tricks" quickly, don't they ?

At noon, we went over to the Club House to join in the weekly communal lunch. After lunch, I headed off for Livingston, to have the slow leak in the tire repaired. As I was waiting to turn out of the Escapees gate onto the highway into town, I recognized the fifth wheel rig turning in. It was Hans and Peta Arends, from Ontario Chapter 18. We had last seen them at the Escapade in Goshen, Indiana. We chatted for just a few seconds through our truck windows.

I went to a tire shop in Livingston, and had the tire repaired. They couldn't actually find a leak, and surmised that it's probably just a leaking valve stem, or valve extender. We tightened up the valve stem, and the cores in the valve stem and valve extender. I sure hope that solves the problem.

As soon as I returned to Rainbow's End, I got Bo and off we went to find Hans and Peta, and introduce Bo to their Keeshond, Tucson. Hans and Peta got Tucson about three years ago, in, of course, Tucson, Arizona. I chatted with Hans and Peta for about half an hour, while Bo explored all over their fifth wheel. Since all fifth wheel layouts are somewhat similar, Bo knew his way around in no time, checking out their bed, and nudging open the kitchen cupboard where Tucson's dog biscuits are kept. Bo sure has a terrier's nose !

At 4:00 P.M., I took Bo back to our trailer, because we all wanted to go to today's social hour. Joanne and I walked into the Activity Centre, looked around to see where Hans and Peta were sitting, and they were right beside Brad and Jan Barnes, a couple that we had met at Rainbow Plantation in Alabama. They were there when we adopted Bo, and were eager to know how it was working out with Bo. They are also from Ontario, although they didn't know Hans and Peta. We all sat together at a table chatting, a trio of couples all from Ontario ! Well ... sort of. We consider ourselves either from Ontario or Manitoba, whichever suits our purpose at the moment. And we still belong to the Escapees Ontario Chapter 18, since there is no Escapees chapter in Manitoba.

Brad and Jan Barnes have been exploring the Cajun culture in and around Lafayette, Louisiana for the last 2 weeks. Hans and Peta have been at Rainbow Plantation in Alabama for the last 2 weeks, arriving there just after we left. As they were leaving there, Sandy and Peachy McGeachy arrived there, and are headed here next. Sandy and Peachy are also from the Ontario Chapter 18. We also saw them last at Escapade. Sandy and Peachy are the couple that were just finishing 2 years of full timing, when we began in June. Sandy's advice and encouragement were very reassuring to us at the Kingston rally in June, just as we were starting.

It really does seem like a small world here in Escapees. Or a big family.

DSK

December 27, 2004

December 27, 2004

Rainbow's End

DAY 192

 

Today was a sunny, warm day. Temperatures are back up into the 70's. AAAAAHHHHH ! ! !

I spent the morning puttering around with some minor maintenance. I discovered a slow leak in one of the truck tires. I'll have to get that fixed tomorrow. I took Bo for a ride in the truck down the highway a few miles towards Livingston. He sure is a good little traveller dog. I had to refill a propane tank. We've had the furnace on for the last few days, and Joanne has been doing some Christmas baking, so we used up a tank of propane in 12 days, quicker than usual.

As I type this in early afternoon, Teddy and Bo are cuddled together on the sofa, napping in a sun beam. When Bo first lay down to cuddle up against Teddy, Teddy started licking the top of Bo's head. Teddy and Toby used to have those mutual grooming sessions lying in sunbeams. Bo seems a little puzzled by Teddy licking him on the head.

Joanne went into Livingston by herself this afternoon to buy groceries and supplies, and pick up our mail, while I worked on a maintenance project, read a book, and napped with the animals. Our November investment mail forwarded by Bruce Petersen in Thunder Bay had arrived at General Delivery in Livingston, but the rest of our November mail forwarded by Sharon still hadn't arrived.

After I finished my maintenance project, I took Bo for a long walk, then Teddy in his sling carrier. Teddy likes to get outside, look around, and get some fresh air on sunny, warm days. I reviewed the mail received from Bruce, updated my investment files, then worked on degreasing and deodorizing the bathroom grey water holding tank.

Joanne seems to have come down with a cold today. She's not feeling great. She made us a "comfort food" supper, we did a load of laundry, watched TV, and went to bed early.

DSK

December 26, 2004

Boxing Day, 2004

Rainbow's End

DAY 191

 

Americans don't call this Boxing Day. I think Boxing Day is a British concept. I recall that we had a discussion about this with Front Desk Deborah at YMCA Of The Ozarks. My understanding of the origins of Boxing Day are different than Joanne's. Hers make more sense than mine.

Today was another sunny, cold day. Today should be the last of the cold days. Yesterday's bright sunshine warmed the afternoon, but the evening and night were cold. We were watching on the TV news yesterday about the snow in Houston, and on the Gulf Coast, at Galveston. It's odd that there is snow south of here, but not here. It's because of the moisture in the air from the Gulf Of Mexico. We're just far enough inland here to have drier air. There was snow in Texas 15 years ago in December of 1989, but this is the first time since weather records have been kept that Texas has had snow on Christmas. You're welcome !

Bo had us up for awhile in the middle of the night as he tried, for quite some time, to vomit. He was unsuccessful. Poor little fellow. This morning he was constipated. Perhaps eating an entire rawhide bone in one sitting wasn't such a good idea. We won't permit that again. This morning he chewed the neck strap on my camera. Bad dog ! It's been a long time since we've had to "dog proof" our home.

This afternoon, we went to the "leftovers lunch" at the Activity Centre. After lunch, George Cantelon invited me to play a game of pool with him. First time I've played pool in over 30 years. That will be my excuse for my pathetic performance. Joanne went with Doris back to their motorhome, and they discussed travel plans while George beat me soundly at the pool table.

We invited them over this evening to watch a movie with us, since George can't remember how to work their VCR. HA HA HA ! Their large, quite new motorhome is filled with electronic gadgets that George keeps forgetting how to program.

We took Bo for a long walk late in the afternoon. The temperature had climbed up into the mid-60's.

We spent the evening watching a movie, and chatting, with George and Doris, who are leaving here tomorrow. We watched "Meet The Parents", because some other Escapees here said we had to see it to make sense of the sequel which is playing in the theatres now. George and Doris are in their late seventies, and are "retired" farmers.Their three adult sons now run their 4500 acre farm just east of Lake Huron in Ontario. George still works on the farm somewhat each fall. Maybe farmers never can retire in a traditional sense.

DSK

December 25, 2004

Christmas Day, 2004

TEXAS

DAY 190

 

Merry Christmas to all y'all !

 

Daniel, Joanne, Teddy, & Bo

______________________________________________________________________________

Besides the obvious, this Christmas was special in at least 2 different ways. Firstly, this is the first Christmas in my life that I did not have waffles for breakfast. Having waffles for breakfast, served with jam and ice cream on top, was / is an annual Christmas tradition in my family. Secondly, this is the first time since 1987 we have had an opportunity to share a Christmas dinner table with other people.

It was a beautiful day to be in Texas for Christmas. It was sunny, and warming throughout the day. No snow, no wind, bright sunshine, green grass, and warming temperatures. Dreaming of a white Christmas ? ? ? I don't freakin' think so ! ! !

We got up, fed Teddy and Bo, walked Bo, and went back to bed. When we finally got up, I made pancakes for breakfast. Not waffles, but similar enough. After a late breakfast, we unwrapped our gifts. The only surprises were the 2 small gifts we received last night at the gift exchange. Teddy's main gift was a bust. A catnip sack from Wal-Mart. I guess Teddy's taste in catnip is quite refined, after our years in the pet supplies business. Wal-Mart catnip apparently isn't good enough for Teddy. I suppose the differences between high quality catnip and lesser catnip must be similar to the differences between B.C. Bud and North Dakota Ditch Weed. Did I really just say that ? ? ? Bo's package of Wal-Mart rawhides, on the other hand, was a huge success. We gave Bo one of the little rawhide bones, and he spent the next two and a half hours devouring it, scarcely coming up for a breath of air occasionally, until it was gone.

Early in the afternoon, we phoned our sisters. Cell phone reception here at Rainbow's End is poor. We lost our call to Sharon about 3 or 4 times. We never lost the call to Lorri, but the reception was pretty bad.

I had to go outside to do a bit of maintenance. Yesterday, while I was emptying tanks, the handle broke off the kitchen grey water holding tank drain valve. I had to fix that today.

At 3:00 P.M. we went to the communal Christmas dinner. It was very pleasant. Lots of good food, lots of good company.

After Christmas dinner and chatting with our table mates, we came back to the trailer, put away leftovers, and took Bo for a walk. We walked with Bo over to George and Doris Cantelon's motorhome and visited with George for awhile. Doris was out for a walk. On our way back to our trailer, we met Doris walking home. Joanne and Doris went over to the Club House to each pick out a video from the video library, and I went home with Bo. Teddy wanted to come outside, so I put Bo in the trailer, and took Teddy out for a short walk.

Today we listened to the "smooth jazz" radio station. Very mellow Christmas music all day.

We spent the evening watching a movie ... by candle light. A "feel good" movie about a boy and his dog. I felt more relaxed tonight than I have felt in ... I don't know ... two decades ?

DSK

December 24, 2004

Christmas Eve, 2004

DAY 190

 

Today is the second of three cold days. It should start warming on Boxing Day, with temperatures increasing daily until it's back in the mid-70's by the middle of next week. When Joanne walked Bo early this morning, a few little pellets of snow were falling. Now we understand why stores down here in the south use little polystyrene beads to simulate snow in their window displays. What passes for snow this far south is actually little ice pellets, and it does look exactly like little polystyrene beads.

Bo had a pretty uncomfortable night, groggy from anaesthetic, sore from surgery, and cold. I guess as a result of the anaesthetic, he's having difficulty maintaining body warmth. He's shivering on and off. I think the temperature outside is why the vet clinic wanted him to come home early. From what we saw, their kennels are unheated indoor / outdoor pens. I don't think they wanted to have a sick little dog in an unheated pen over night.

I got tired of the radio station we were listening to this morning, so I switched to a station from Mexico. We don't understand a word of what they're saying, but it's an interesting change in music.

This evening we attended the Escapees Christmas Eve potluck finger foods buffet, and talent show. SHEESH ... talent show ! I guess, to give credit where it's due, one has to admire people with such little talent, getting up in front of a large group, and "performing". Actually, that's one of the nice things about Escapees. As a general rule, they're not shy. I admire that.

As we were standing in a huge circle of people around the perimeter of the Activity Centre, participating in the Christmas gift exchange, we were pleasantly surprised to see George and Doris Cantelon, a couple we know from Ontario Chapter 18. They arrived here today, having left Ontario on Tuesday. Gee ... that's hard driving, especially since much of it was through snowstorms. We chatted with George and Doris for awhile, getting caught up on each other's travels this summer, since we last met at the Ontario Chapter 18 Spring Rally in Kingston in June, in our first week as full timers. George and Doris drove their large motor home ( and toad ) to Victoria and back this summer.

Tonight I saw the Christmas decoration that I want for our rig. A fifth wheel on the next road has a string of musical bells strung along the edge of their awning, entwined with lights. The bells, controlled by a computer chip, no doubt, are playing Christmas carols. It's not recorded music. Each little bell's clapper strikes its bell, like a teensy little automated choir of bell ringers.

DSK

December 23, 2004

December 23, 2004

Rainbow's End & Livingston, Texas

DAY 189

 

Today was cold and sunny. We drove by a temperature display in Livingston at 8:00 A.M.. It read -3 º C. / 27 º F.. We got up very early this morning, to take Bo to the vet before 8:00 A.M.. From there we went into Livingston to do some shopping and pick up our mail. Wal-Mart is open 24 hours a day in most locations here in the United States, so that's where we headed first. I was very surprised by how many people are shopping at 8:00 A.M.. After Wal-Mart we went to Dollar General, a local pharmacy, and the Post Office. Our November forwarded mail from my sister in Lorette, and my cousin in Thunder Bay, had not yet arrived. I was expecting mail from both of them before Christmas. I guess the Post Offices are a bit backlogged.

Back at Rainbow's End, we went on the weekly tour of Escapees Headquarters and the Escapees Mail Forwarding Service. The Mail Forwarding Service is quite large. Their operation is larger then the Post Office in Livingston, a town of about 5500 people. Most U.S. full time travelling Escapees use the Escapees Mail Forwarding Service as their legal address. This is facilitated by the ease with which one can become a legal Texas resident. There is much giggling and winking about Escapees that are " three day Texans ", like our WorkCamper friend Julie. It takes about three days in Texas to get set up with an address through Escapees Mail Forwarding Service, then change one's driver's license to Texas, then register one's vehicles in Texas. Julie "lives" in Texas, her driver's license is in Texas, and her rig is registered and insured in Texas. She has been in Texas a total of three days in her life ! We have considered doing the same, but it's a bit more complicated for Canadians. For one thing, it jeopardizes health care coverage. Provincial health departments look suspiciously on provincial "residents" with Texas mailing addresses. We use my sister’s address in Lorette, Manitoba for most things. For our investments, we use my cousin’s address in Thunder Bay, Ontario. For our company, we use our business accountant’s address in Ottawa. It would be simpler if we could just use one address, and a professional mail forwarding service, but that’s not workable for our circumstances.

Bo was supposed to be at the vet’s over night, after his neutering, but they phoned after lunch, and said he was ready to go home, so we went and picked him up. He’s groggy from the anaesthetic, and sore. They estimate his age at 2 ½ to 3 years. Joanne thinks that’s right, because the hair dresser who originally “found” him near the Escapees RV Park in Alabama “thought” he might be 2 ½ to 3 years of age. Joanne’s intuition tells her that Bo belonged to, and was being “dumped” by, either this hairdresser, or somebody that she knew, and that’s why her “estimate” of age was accurate. I think he’s younger, but I’m out voted.

We got a phone call from the Park Ranger at West Hawk Lake. We got the job as Campground Hosts at West Hawk Lake next summer. Woo-Hoo ! This is really what Joanne wanted to do next summer, and where she wanted to do it. We will have to be there about mid-May, so we will have about a month to travel from Vancouver to the Ontario border. We have to be back in Canada on April 15. We will be re-entering Canada into B.C. right about at Vancouver. West Hawk Lake is at the far east edge of Manitoba, right at the Ontario border. That should give us about 4 weeks to cross 4 provinces. Sounds about right. Gives us a bit of time for exploring as we drive across.

DSK

December 22, 2004

December 22, 2004

Rainbow's End

DAY 188

 

Today was quite cool, and it rained most of the day. I spent most of the day in bed, indulging in laziness. Bo would not willingly go outside this morning. There was low grumbling thunder for much of the morning, and he was terrified. I wonder if that's because he lived through Hurricane Ivan as a six month old pup ?

I woke up, fed the animals, showered, and went back to bed until almost noon.

After lunch we went to the C.A.R.E. Centre to have the nurse check our arms where she gave us TB detection shots the other day. Negative reaction. I don't think I've had a TB detection shot since about grade one !

I spent the afternoon lying in bed, reading, and napping.

This evening, we watched a movie. Three or four years ago, Lorri and Doug gave me three James Bond videos as a Christmas gift. Tonight I finally watched the second of the three. I watched the first one a couple of years ago while Joanne was in the hospital having cancer surgery. Maybe I'll watch the third one next Christmas season ? Tonight we watched Thunderball. PEEEEUUUUWWWW ... what a stinker ! Made in 1965, it seems horribly dated now. Politically incorrect ... 30 year old special effects ... nonsensical plot line.

The TV news tonight was dominated by the weather. There was snow today in northern Texas, around the Dallas area. We're in the southeast, near Houston, so no snow, but the next three nights will be below freezing over night. The coldest it's been in this area in fifteen years. Our presence seems to inspire record low temperatures wherever we travel, whether it's France in January / February, Winnipeg in August, Missouri in November, or Texas at Christmas. I've just come inside after walking Bo, and disconnecting the outside water and sewer connections to prevent frozen lines. For the next three nights, we'll just use the inside fresh water and waste holding tanks over night and in the mornings.

DSK