A REPRIEVE FROM THE DOG HOUSE

THIS MEANDERING LITTLE CREEK FOLLOWS OUR MORNING PATH FOR AWHILE  (CANON POWERSHOT SX210iS)

By the time I woke up this morning I had myself pretty well convinced my Monday night post about 'differing dishes habit' had a good chance of landing me in the dog house.  It's not unusual for me to get up in the night or following morning in doubt of something I have written in the previous night’s blog and turn on the computer to rewrite, remove or add something.  Thought about removing my 'dishes segment' but decided to take my chances and let Monday’s post stand.  After all, I had written it as a humorous state of fact.  Upon the arrival of Kelly’s email this morning I knew I just might have gotten a reprieve:))

CLOSE CALL FOR LANDING MYSELF IN THE OLD DOGHOUSE………….AGAIN  (NIKON D90)
We are certainly having ourselves some bonus weather for this time of year.  Quite often the trees are bare by now but I'm surprised at how many trees are still sporting their colourful Autumn leaves.  I recall one November in the early 90's when we had snow in the first week of November and it basically stayed for the whole winter.  We hit 50F today under sunny skies.

DA PHEEBS  (CANON POWERSHOT A730iS)

Any Snow Bird packing up in preparation for a long trip south knows that a lot of loading is last minute stuff.  Our satellite dish and tripod along with a couple lawn chairs and a few other things travel in the Jeep but for obvious reasons cannot be loaded up until the day before we leave.  Because of the cold nights and chance of freezing we do not load in any canned goods or stuff like that.  Anything requiring batteries such as flashlights, cameras, radios, etc is kept in the house until the night before we leave as well.  I don't fill the Motor Home's gas tank until the day before we leave because I don't want the rig sitting for a long period of time under the weight of a full gas tank.  Last minute tire and coach batteries check, etc,   Aside from puttering around with small stuff these day I patiently await those last couple of busy days coming up at the end of next week.

<<< THE JEEP IS STARTING TO LOOK LIKE A JEEP AGAIN  (NIKON D90)

November is not a good month for travel in our area of the northeast.  Winter storms can happen very quickly and unexpectedly as we have just seen along America's Northeast coast.  November is also not a very scenic month as a rule.  Generally, the cold gray days and icy November winds have stripped leaves off trees and the landscape takes on the look of a gray barren waste.  Much of our beginning journey is through flat boring farm land with little to see.  The threat of freezing rain is always possible so we do not waste any time once we hit the road.  Our objective is too clear this whole Northeast region of the country as quickly as possible.  The sooner we can get ourselves south into warmer weather, the better. 

Normally, I avoid the Interstates and much prefer the more relaxed and scenic secondary roads but for the first half of our journey we use the Interstate highways exclusively because they are simply the fastest way to get from point A to point B.   If we decide on our Indianapolis, Little Rock, Texarkana and Gainesville route again this year I look forward to a left turn just west of Gainesville Texas in a little place called St. Jo's.  That turn marks the end of our 4 lane traffic journey and puts us on quiet back roads all the way to Tularosa, New Mexico.  Next Interstate is at Las Cruces but from here on in any Interstate driving is mild compared to the east side of the country.  If we choose the more westerly Chicago route we will be more susceptible to unpredictable weather and will have to play each day by ear as to where exactly we will go.  But, that's all part of the great traveling experience that I enjoy.  Each day is an unknown and I find excitement in that.  Every journey we make is different than the journey before and it's that newness each time that makes RVing more of an adventure for us.

BEECH TREE LEAVES  (NIKON D40 AT 300mm)

And here’s Kelly’s latest update from Cambridge, Ontario…….. “Gabriele (one of Sarah’s twins from Vancouver) had to go to the hospital after supper last night..... couldn’t seem to get enough oxygen, crying and flailing....  a rough few hours, Sabra (Kelly’s daughter) took her to the hospital.....  they put in a ventilator with steroids to open up airways, took chest X-rays.... could be asthma, but too young to diagnose.
Ben & Bri (Kelly’s youngest Son and soon to be Daughter-in-law) came over to help with pumpkin carving, supper,  Derek (Sabra’s husband) took kids out trick & treating,  etc.... pretty hectic...Jay (Kelly’s oldest Son) just called to say Kim (Jason’s wife) is in labour, and at the hospital now... called Jay at work at 2:30 a.m. so more excitement!
Sarah just called from Ben's.... guess she had a bit of a rough night.”

 

THIS IS THE SIZE OF OUR POT PIES IN THIS NECK OF THE WOODS…..GOOD THING I DIDN’T STRAY TOO FAR OR I WOULD NOT HAVE HAD CHICKEN POT PIE FOR SUPPER TONIGHT:))  (NIKON D90)

Sure looks to me like Kelly is going to have to get on home here real soon for a big rest.

THAT BREAK IN THE WOODS LEADS TO THE START OF OUR PINE FOREST TRAIL AS  MORNING SUNLIGHT CASTS LONG SHADOWS ACROSS OUR PATH  (NIKON D40)

GROANER'S CORNER:((  "I cant believe it," said a tourist in Billings, Montana. "I’ve been here an entire week and its done nothing but rain. When do you have summer here?" "Well, that’s hard to say," replied a local rancher from near Big Timber. "Last year, it was on a Wednesday."

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TOOK THE FURRY GUYS FOR A SPIN IN THE MOTOR HOME

AUTUMN IS UPON US (NIKON D40)
Loaded up Motor and Pheebs in the Motor Home this morning for it's monthly spin around the long country block.  I always enjoy taking the guys for a ride and Pheebe has totally adapted to it and travels well.  Not quite 42,000 miles on the coach yet and that's not too bad for a 2003.  No idea where we will be a month from now but I sure hope we are still not sitting here at home.  A couple of things have come up that could delay our departure date so we'll just have to wait and see.  If we are delayed too long then we may have to cancel the whole Four Corners part of our trip depending on the weather in the Colorado Rockies.  Theoretically, we are due to leave in 17 days so all's I can do is keep my finger's crossed. 

WE HAVE LOTS OF INTERESTING LITTLE MUSHROOM GUYS IN OUR FRONT YARD >>> (NIKON D90)
Many RV'ers will be familiar with a predicament the folks over at THE GOODE LIFE drove themselves into.  Whether using a GPS system or not I think a lot of us have found ourselves in similar situations.  But, it just seems to add extra insult to injury when we are led into these road traps by our GPS units.  I have had many heated arguments over directions these past years with our Garmin Gertie!!  Sometimes I am right and sometimes she is right.  Similar to the folks at Goode Life our GPS really messed us up one time in Nogales, Arizona turning us into a very narrow and vehicle infested road which turned out to be an old tumble down trailer Park.  Kelly had to get out and direct me around scattered and seemingly abandoned vehicles parked willy nilly on the street.  Garmin Gertie's fault, not mine.  We were driving a truck and fifth wheel back then.

Another time coming through Dallas Texas I missed an off ramp and got siphoned off the Interstate into an industrial basin.  My fault not hers.  She did rightly get us back on the Interstate again though.  Indianapolis has thrown us a few curves over the years but Garmin Gertie was able to straighten out my dead reckoning each time.  As a rule I find the GPS system works great for navigating through large cities and it is basically the only time we use it.  I still prefer to have a look at a map before heading anywhere new and then go with my sense of direction.  It generally works for us.

<<< WHILE OUT WITH THE GUYS IN THE MOTOR HOME THIS MORNING I COULDN’T SEE BEHIND ME WHERE PHEEBE WAS SO I REACHED MY ARM AROUND WITH MY CAMERA POINTING BACK AND TOOK THIS PHOTO….SHE WAS RIDING ALONG ON MY BED LOOKING OUT THE WINDOW.  MOTOR WAS ON THE PASSENGER SEAT STICKING HER TONGUE OUT AT ME (CANON A730IS)
Not sure if this You Tube will work but if it does I think you Ranch and Farm folks out there might get a kick out of it:))      HERDING

A few minutes ago I had to act fast and save the Pheebs.  Right behind me in the sun room we have an old couch and that is where Pheebe likes to snooze while I’m writing the blog.  I heard some little snorts, a growl and then some whimpering sounds.  I instinctively new she was in big trouble again.  She was……..dreaming.  Not sure if it was a pussy cat chasing her this time or a gang of bunny rabbits had her cornered but whatever it was she sure was having quite a time of it.  Good thing I was close by and was able to rescue her with a big hug, some smooches and a bunch of reassuring soft words.

JUST MOMENTS BEFORE TAKING THIS PHOTO PHEEBE HAD HERSELF IN SOME MIGHTY BIG TROUBLE SOMEWHERE  (CANON SX210IS) >>>
After a long 5 months on the road, JERRY AND SUZY are headed home to Arizona.  Despite full timing for over 7 years this has been the longest they have been away from home since settling down in the SAGUARO CO-OP ESCAPEE PARK in Benson a number of years ago.  Being the Snow Birds we are I can sure identify with that good going home feeling.  Only problem we have is that we stay home waaaaaaaay toooooooo long once we get there:((  I do like the idea of a home base, it's just that I don't like the idea of having to sit at home for half a year at a time.  Not to worry, that's all I'm going to say about that.

Pulled the pump out of our frog pond this morning and disconnected the majority of our yard's night lights.  We put the protective winter housing over the outside A/C unit and I put the bicycles away.  We used to hang the bikes on the back of the Motor Home for the trip south but I'm glad we don't do that anymore.  And, I'm hoping to get a couple more rides in with the Motorcycle before hauling the battery out of it and putting it away shortly for another year.
GROANER'S CORNER:((  Nothing adds excitement to your life like something that is none of your business!!
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-Tourists see the world, travelers experience it.
-Until one has loved an Animal, their soul remains un-awakened.

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The only thing better than right now will someday be the memories of right now...AL.