PHOENIX ONCE AGAIN

June 15, 2013 - Rig Therapy

2013-06-15T16:36:00.001-04:00

Rig hooked up – a sight not often seen!

Today was rig therapy day. Since we sit in one spot for so long, every so often it’s a good idea to move the rig just to loosen ‘er up a bit. Disconnecting everything takes a bit of time, as does hooking us back up to utilities. The tricky part is getting the 5er back in virtually the exact same footprint in order to reach water, sewer, etc. We just spun her around in the parking lot a few times (Dave had a go at it, too) and then got her back in place. Ended up just a wee bit crooked this time but dead-on level, so we’re good. This really did not take as long as we each anticipated.

With everything stowed for travel, it’s a good chance to do a bit of cleaning. That’s what I’ve been doing while Dave is out on the bike. Thank goodness I made a quiche last night, so dinner is no bother later!

The mystery plant finally decided to bloom today and there are several more blooms that should open in the next day or two. Nice.

Will catch up on laundry tomorrow ‘cause the rest of the day today I’m just chilling!

Thanks for stopping by!

I am a Warrior.

The above bracelet is a Toby and Max creation.

June 14, 2013 - Whoo?

2013-06-14T22:10:00.001-04:00

Just now was outside listening to two owls converse. One was in the distance and the other was very close by. So close, in fact, that his/her calls were reverberating against the side of the mill and the river. Wow.

Made Owl sound really, really big!

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Sherry asked why I put the corn in cinder blocks.

1) This not being a permanent gig for us, I have not tilled a proper garden plot.

2) I have had veggies of some sort planted in these cinder blocks the past two summers. It seems to work well. They have access to the ground versus being in pots and the blocks keep them safe from the mower and weed whacker.

3) I could have a proper garden plot; however, the terrain is uneven and parts of it do not drain well when there are rains.

It has been another full day around here, so I’m going to toddle off to the blankies.

Hope everyone has a great weekend in store!

Thanks for stopping by!

I am a Warrior.

The above bracelet is a Toby and Max creation.

June 13, 2013 - A Nonevent

2013-06-13T20:40:00.001-04:00

Although we did have two mild thunderstorms this morning and a brief heavy rain this afternoon, the major weather event forecast today passed well to the south of us.

I’m leaving the GO bags packed overnight, just in case. I tell ya, folks, I was ready. Initially we were looking at up to 4” of rain and winds of 60-70 MPH as a possibility with large hail in the mix.

Had the inside of the 5er ready to put in the slides at a moment’s notice. A few items had to be moved a bit, i.e. the recliners pushed closer to the side wall, etc..

Glad it passed us by and that the damage at the Jersey Shore was not major.

We spent the majority of this gloomy day indoors monitoring the conditions and being on alert. I was and am sort of tired after goin’ and blowin’ around here the past 24 hours preparing.

Taken in between storms today

Corn is growing!

Hard to believe tomorrow is Friday already! Where do the weeks go lately?

Well, stick a fork in me, I’m done.

Thanks for stopping by!

I am a Warrior.

The above bracelet is a Toby and Max creation.

June 11, 2013 - Quick Post

2013-06-11T17:41:00.001-04:00

We weathered TS Andrea’s visit last Friday, but it really did rain a LOT. The Musconetcong River rose but did not come out of its banks. As usual, we were prepared to boogie out of here in the truck to higher ground down the road.

Even in Irene and Lee when the river overflowed, the 5er was fine; the water did not reach the spot where it sits. Best that we get ourselves and Maggie out of harm’s way, though.

Just. In. Case.

We had rain for 30+ hours straight during that period of Friday/Saturday; however, it was not a pounding rain all the time, only for spells here and there.

We had 1.5 days of nice weather over the weekend. Sunday morning was breakfast at Perkins, the grill was fired up for dinner and we even managed a small campfire Sunday evening.

We experienced our first leak with this rig. Caulking around the TV antenna had cracked in three places. Dave got on the roof the next morning and recaulked it. This must have happened recently, as he was up there not long ago checking things. Thank goodness for that bit of dry weather this weekend; we were drip-free during Monday’s rain.

Yes, it rained again yesterday and, although looking threatening today, we have remained dry.

That will change Thursday, when we are in the area at significant risk for “heavy rain, high winds and damaging hail.”

Oh goodie.

Tomorrow I’ll prep the inside of the 5er for bringing in the slides in the event of high winds and/or the likelihood of hail. We’ll get our “go bags” ready in case we have to head up the street. Although the Muskie has gone down a bit, it is still at a level higher than the norm. Depending on the amount of additional rain we receive . . . well, the Muskie could be an issue.

I was awakened this morning at 1 AM because the power was out; the alarm company calls when this happens. On entering the office this morning, we had no Internet connection. I know there was a power outage in the area due to a downed tree, so perhaps it crashed the Internet service, too.

The ground is so saturated that many trees around here could simply just topple from the excessively wet ground. If we do get any kind of wind at all, that almost ensures trees will go down – perhaps not here on our property, but in the immediate surrounding area.

In fact, it’s been fairly breezy today.

I’m just so thankful it was quiet weather-wise last year when I was hobbling around recovering from surgeries!

Enjoy your sunshine, hunker down if ya need to and have fun!

Thanks for stopping by!

I am a Warrior.

The above bracelet is a Toby and Max creation.

June 6, 2013 - Graduation and TS Andrea

2013-06-06T20:53:00.001-04:00

Dave and I are just back from CERT graduation this evening. What a great bunch of folks I’ll be working with in this volunteer effort, not only the CERT organization, but police, fire and rescue squad personnel. It was a short ceremony in which we were given our certificates and a flashlight.

And refreshments!

Didn’t ever really think I’d be considered a first responder . . . but you know what, it feels kinda good. Being able to help others and having skills to help them and myself and my loved ones.

Hopefully we won’t be activated this weekend . . .

Tropical Storm Andrea will be making her way up along the East Coast and paying us a visit tomorrow and Saturday. I think/hope we will be fine with regards to the river; it has been consistently lower than it was when we arrived here in 2011, and that’s in our favor.

Still, I’ll be monitoring the river’s levels periodically as the weekend progresses; therefore, tomorrow night may be a relatively sleepless one for me. Seems like up here all the storms have hit us at nighttime. I’ve made a few simple preparations like filling the truck up with fuel, backing it in front of our rig instead of parking sideways, taking the lock off the kingpin, etc. Just in case we have to make a quick getaway to higher ground down the street.

This is supposed to be an above-average active year for hurricanes and I guess I’ll buy that . . . we’re barely in June and here’s the first storm.

May be a long Summer . . .

Thanks for stopping by!

I am a Warrior.

The above bracelet is a Toby and Max creation.

June 4, 2013 - Busy!

2013-06-04T20:13:00.001-04:00

Sure accomplished a lot on Sunday, albeit at a leisurely pace. Knowing we were in for stormy weather in the afternoon/evening, I fired up the grill in the morning after getting laundry going. Had a wonderful long phone yap with a girlfriend of 30+ years while tending the grill. Tackled several housekeeping chores, too. Needless to say, I slept well Sunday night, just as I had done Saturday after the CERT drill.

Yesterday and today have been busy, busy, busy at work. No complaints; it’s nice to have activity here again. One project I’m working on this week is reviewing about 1.5 months of video surveillance. It’s times like this I wish I worked in a casino; at least I’d be able to people watch!

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My brain is playing tricks with words lately when typing. Seems I may omit a word or use a variation of the word intended; these things slip past me when proofreading before posting. Weird. That’s unusual for me. (See? I meant to type “proofreading” but it came out “proofread” – I saw it and changed it. Weird, I say.) It’s sort of like my brain is short-circuiting. Heck, maybe I’m just getting old!

Visitors (yes, those are vultures) this evening. The one on the left is “hiding” behind the tree leaves.

After putting some obstacles around the corn plants, no one (read “geese”) has been nibbling on them. Yay! The corn is growing nicely now. We’ll either have delicious corn or just some nice tall green plants. Time will tell.

The daylilies I planted last year are thriving this Summer

Quite a few buds on this plant. Should be awesome in a few days!

Our “box” was shutting down our rig a few times due to low voltage over the weekend when it was quite hot out. Our electrician came by yesterday evening and tweaked the transformer so we are receiving more amps. Hot weather = more people up the line using A/C = less amps coming onto the property and to our rig. So now we have a “winter setting” and a “summer setting” for the transformer.

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It’s hurricane season and apparently there’s a disturbance in the Gulf of Mexico that may work its way up the East Coast. Forecast shows rain starting Thursday night through Saturday, possibly heavy at times. Here we go!

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I may not get a chance to post for a couple of days. I have a CERT meeting tomorrow night (meetings are held quarterly) and then CERT graduation ceremony Thursday evening.

Tomorrow is a mowing day for me! Yay!

Thanks so much for stopping by!

I am a Warrior.

The above bracelet is a Toby and Max creation.

June 1, 2013 - CERT Drill

2013-06-02T16:16:00.001-04:00

Yesterday morning started early with my iPhone waking me up at 5:30. Things were going to start hopping around here at about 8:00 or 8:30, and I wanted enough time to wake up my body and get a decent breakfast.

Sure enough, a bit after eight o’clock, CERT members, Holland PD and the rescue squad started showing up to get ready for the drill.

Setting up the CERT trailer

I was wearing two hats yesterday – one as mill security and the other as a CERT member. I spent the first bit of time scurrying around getting folks signed in to the property as they arrived. Once the CERT trailer was set up, I could leave that clipboard there and change hats to CERT member.

In a real-life situation, if the structure has smoke, we do not enter; however, this was a drill and the instructors wanted to give us a “real” experience, i.e., throw everything at us.

So . . . the first section where we entered was full of “smoke” (a fog machine). Oh great. My mask already was fogging my glasses/safety glasses, so I couldn’t see a darn thing anyway. Ha! So, my buddy and I crawled and felt our way through the first bit. Interesting.

“Victims” being brought out and triaged

It was a great learning experience. In a real-life situation some things would have been different; each two-person team would typically be doing one thing – search, rescue, first aid, etc. – and not everything like we were yesterday. Again, it was a drill in using all our skills, so we did a little bit everything.

Post-drill debriefing – That’s me in the front row with the kerchief. My buddy Teresa is sitting next to me. I think we did well as a team.

We were told we did exceptionally well, getting all victims to safety in less than two hours. Everyone “lived” and no one was injured for real. The biggest hazard of the day was dehydration from the heat, and everyone did great by staying hydrated.

Following debriefing, we were treated to pizza and soda. Now you wouldn’t think a slice of steaming pizza is what you want when you are already hot, sweaty, dirty and tired, but boy! did it taste good!

This drill was just for our class. Every year a full drill is staged for all members, typically in the Fall when the weather is cooler. I’m looking forward to that!

We had 50 people sign in/out yesterday, the most we have had since we have been here!

I felt great, but hot and tired . . . like I had ridden 50 miles on the bike. Knowing that feeling, I had a quick cool shower and then laid down for a while on the daybed in the living room.

About two hours later, I woke up!

The original plan was to grill, but it was still really hot out. I tossed out the idea to Dave about going to the diner at Sky Manor Airport for burgers, and (lucky me!) he jumped at that.

The restaurant was not crowded at a bit after 6 PM, so we got a great table by the window. The burgers were good and, although there was not much in the way of aircraft activity, we did spot this in the distance . . .

All in all, an interesting and fun day, quite out of the norm for my life lately. It’s a welcome change.

Thanks to Dave for snapping the photos!

Thanks for stopping by!

I am a Warrior.

The above bracelet is a Toby and Max creation.

May 31, 2013 - Good-Bye, My Friend

2013-05-31T16:04:00.001-04:00

Jimmy was more than a friend. For many years he was my father-in-law. Married and divorced twice from their younger son, Jimmy and Dot have remained very dear friends over the years and miles. I think that’s pretty damn cool for ex in-laws, and I am blessed by their presence in my life. Following the first divorce, they said to just consider them an aunt and uncle and, indeed, I hold them in my heart as family.

With Jimmy and Dot at their home in Texas, October 2005. My first wedding took place in their backyard.

Jimmy had a wonderful sense of humor and I have so many treasured memories of time spent together. Christmas Eve at their home was a tradition for many years.

May 1985 poolside at a hotel in Austin, Texas

March 1985 at my home in Houston – Don’t remember the moment, but look at that mischievous grin on his face!

September 1990 - A couple of years the four of us rented a condo near New Braunfels, TX and went tubing and rafting on the river

September 1991 after rafting the Guadalupe

November 1986 - Lots of good times with Dot, too!

Jimmy retired from NASA after many years of service. You know, he never talked about his work there; however, when attending an open house for families with him and Dot one year, it was impressive to hear other employees address him as “Mr. Moore” and with “Yes, sir” and “No, sir.” He certainly was treated with respectful deference.

Although a nonsmoker, Jimmy underwent treatment for lung cancer several years ago with surgery and chemo. He beat the cancer, but never really bounced back physically. Following a recent illness, he departed this world on May 29, 2013.

I am personally saddened by this loss and feel deeply for Dot. She and Jimmy were married quite young and have many, many decades of life together.

Jimmy and Dot – February 1993

So, my friend, well done for a good life lived. Thank you for so many special memories and for your continued friendship all these years. You are greatly missed. May you rest in peace.

Thanks for stopping by!

I am a Warrior.

The above bracelet is a Toby and Max creation.

May 30, 2013 - CERT Training

2013-05-30T22:28:00.001-04:00

It’s just about my bedtime but I’m still pumped from tonight’s CERT training session and will need a bit to wind down. What better way than to compose a blog entry?

We met at a location to practice our fire suppression skills this evening. Members of the fire squad were in attendance in case we tried to burn down New Jersey.

Donned in “turn out” coats, we teamed up with a buddy and took our turn at putting out a small staged fire.

Yep, that’s me decked out in a heavy fireman’s coat. This photo is for you, Uncle Virgil!

I look at the photo of me above and am amazed that just about a year ago I was undergoing two major surgeries and walking the cancer path for the second time in my life, not knowing what lay ahead for me. Heck, I couldn’t even walk Maggie. This evening I just put out a fire!

Waaahhooooowwheeee!

My buddy this evening was the same one I was with for the search-and-rescue exercise a few classes ago. We were the only team to come out “alive” from that one. I’m good at “kick’n butt” and she’s great with memory, so we make a darn good team.

One of the teams gettin’ after it

CERT Instructor, Holland Township Police Officer and Holland Township Fireman Sean Gutsick (Sean’s a busy guy) with two class members as they prepare for their turn at the fire

The CERT experience comes at a perfect time for me. I’m feeling good and strong again. It is affirming and nurturing my inner strength persona; the Sarah Connor (Terminator character), the Warrior within. It makes me push my personal envelope a bit. I feel alive.

And on top of that, as a CERT member, I will be assisting those in need.

So it’s twofold; I benefit physically and spiritually on a personal level from CERT involvement and it helps satisfy that need to give back, something which has been nibbling at me once again since last summer, something that so many cancer survivors experience.

Okay, I think I’ll be able to sleep pretty soon. Yep, I’m gonna need a shower.

Thanks for stopping by!

I am a Warrior.

The above bracelet is a Toby and Max creation.

May 29, 2013 - Blog Lists and Other Ramblings

2013-05-29T11:58:00.001-04:00

Lately I’ve noticed about 50% of the time Blogger will not pull up my list of blogs I follow. Instead, it shows this:

Add blogs to follow in your Reading list

You are not currently following any blogs. Use the "Add" button to enter blogs you'd like to follow in your Reading List. Learn more

Is this happening to anyone else or am I just special??? Reloading the page will often correct it, but it is still rather annoying.

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Thanks to Facebook, I am back in touch with friends throughout the years, including someone who was in my high school orchestra. A couple of grades ahead of me, she graciously agreed to be my godmother (now called “sponsors”) when I converted from being a Methodist to a Catholic during that time. During my cancer experience last year, she got a little something for me; however, Life got in the way and she just recently sent it to me.

“Courage” – Musical angel which plays part of Beethoven’s “Ode to Joy” – I love the strong, joyous, life-loving and victorious stance of this wee angel!

Of course, being a sister Texan, there was humor in the card . . .

Thanks, Pauline, for your love, support, humor and encouragement all these years!

I’ve said it before and am repeating it here: It really is not about all the material things in our lives; it is about the people. I am so very touched and honored that she thought to send this to me.

After a foggy and cool start this morning with humidity at 100%, Mr. Sun is showing up on the scene and it’s heating up a bit outside. Still very humid, but it’s about time to do a bit of flowerbed weeding, perhaps putting up a bit of fencing so my corn will prosper and take a walk.

Thanks for stopping by!

I am a Warrior.

The above bracelet is a Toby and Max creation.

May 27, 2013 - Airport Hopping

2013-05-27T19:28:00.001-04:00

Yes, it has been a nice day, including the weather – for a change.

Dave had recently spotted two community airports on one of his cycling excursions. Sky Manor Airport has a diner, so we ventured out there for a late, leisurely holiday breakfast.

Sky Manor Restaurant – Big windows along two sides give you a nice view of runway activity. There are also picnic tables outside for restaurant dining or your own picnic.

The food was good, plentiful and reasonably priced. By the time we were finished, all those empty tables were occupied.

By now you may know I just love small airports, and this is indeed a gem. We both agreed we would return to the diner for a meal. We checked out Alexandria Field Airport on our way home and it, too, is inviting. I can see myself spending time at either of these two jewels now and then just to enjoy some open sky and the landing and taking off of small planes. Sweet.

Upon our return, Dave was off on the bike and I had a few things to do in the office and the RV – a bit of cleaning in the office, a load of laundry, this and that. Nothing major, because it is a holiday, after all.

Last night’s dinner was a Mexican food feast of beef enchiladas (my first time for making those), Spanish rice, guacamole, pico de gallo and a dollop of sour cream. Tonight was leftovers!

This Texas gal just has to have a Mexican food fix now and then!

As surprising as it seems to me to admit this, I am reading Zane Grey. They are on my iPhone Books app and were free downloads. Crazy. Me reading Westerns. Lordy, I must be getting old! Haha! Ah well, who cares. I’m enjoying them. Perhaps they give me a taste of my home state of Texas with cowboys, horses and cattle. The current one is Valley of Wild Horses.

We’ve actually had late nights this weekend, and that is sort of unusual for us. Dave is now back in training for races in June and July, so no more “late party nights” (which means he has a couple of beers and we stay up later than 10 PM on weekends) for a couple of months.

Before I say good-night, thank you all for your kind comments on yesterday’s post. I appreciate you taking the time not only to stroll down memory lane with me, but to add your thoughts.

Thanks also for checking out my Amazon store and for any purchases you make through it!

And lastly, thanks for stopping by!

I am a Warrior.

The above bracelet is a Toby and Max creation.

May 26, 2013 - My Cousin, My Sister

2013-05-26T09:16:00.001-04:00

Today it has been four years since my beloved cousin Karen passed away. The only thing that makes life bearable without her is knowing I will be with her again some day. The remembrances below were originally posted in 2012, but you are invited to share this celebration of her with me again today.

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Karen was my cousin by blood; we were sisters and soul mates by heart. Indeed, she often referred to me as her “baby sister.” She was so full of life, always managing to stay upbeat during difficult times. She always had a hug for folks. Dave remembers the first time he met her; the first thing she said to him was “Sorry, I have a broken hugger.” She had injured her shoulder and could not give a proper hug.

What can I tell you about Karen and I?

Camping back in “the day” - Karen on the right, me on the left - Don't ask why we were grinning . . . it was the 70’s, okay?

Although seven years older than me, she always had time for me when we were kids. She put me on a see-saw for the first time. I got to go barefoot for the first time because she was. We had a connection . . . inexplicable, deep, straight, true and everlasting. We had such escapades as kids which carried over into adulthood. We were both kids at heart . . . kids who knew what hard blows life can deal one and what joys were to be found in simple things.

During more recent years, starting when we were both single in 2002, we would say when we would get together we were just going to "be." Our lives were hectic enough, so we were just going to enjoy "be-ing" together, enjoying the moment, chilling out, enjoying each other.

She was with me at my home in Brenham that Christmas Eve in 2004 when Dave called me for the first time. That evening we watched a James Bond movie marathon, waiting for the rare Texas snowfall, and played Christmas carols on kazoos we had found at a local wee old-fashioned toy store earlier in the day.

Karen was diagnosed with Stage IV stomach cancer in December 2008. She underwent three chemo sessions and then testing to see if the chemo had any effect on the tumor. During that time, Dave was so understanding and supported my decision to take our travel trailer and go visit her for a long weekend, my first solo trip with the rig Dave and I had back then.

Karen and I spent one day together during that time, our final “be-ing” time together. We laughed until we cried and cried until there was nothing left to do but laugh. We talked about Life, Death and silly, trivial things. We talked Truth. At times, she talked and I listened. We had always made a point of saying, “I love you,” but this time was special; this was it. There was nothing left unsaid between us, no “I wish I told them . . .” I am so, so very grateful for that time.

On the eighth anniversary of my surgery for breast cancer, she called me to tell me the chemo was not working and hospice was recommended. Karen went camping with friends that weekend, determined to LiveStrong her remaining days.

Karen left this Earth on May 26, 2009, six months from diagnosis to passing. She was 57 years old.

She loved her motorcycles (she had two) and her biker friends, and derived such pleasure from riding and her involvement in the Christian Motorcyclists Association and East Texas Motorcycle Enthusiasts. Having this “thing” about frogs all her life, her biker name was “Tree Frog.”

Much of who I am is because of Karen’s love and presence in my life. She surely helped shape me into the woman I am today.

Karen literally died with a smile on her face. I find that comforting . . . knowing that she was peaceful as she left. It’s also comforting to know that one really can leave with peace and joy . . . it really does happen.

It is hard to believe it has been almost three years; I am still blindsided at times with missing her. A piece of me is gone, yet still here, for I carry her love with me and feel her presence often.

Me and the Cuz – Pink Ribbon and Tree Frog – I did not know about these two pins on her motorcycle vest until I saw them at the visitation on the eve of her life celebration service. I confess I had to leave the building to compose myself. As always, Tree Frog had a protective, loving placement over me, the Pink Ribbon.

Like she did so often in our lives, Karen is now blazing the path for me yet once again. I am comforted to know she will be waiting for me when my time comes. I look forward to seeing her again in a brighter place.

Miss you, love you, see you again!

Thanks for stopping by!

I am a Warrior, much of which is attributable to Karen’s influence throughout my life.

May 25, 2013 - What Season Is It?

2013-05-25T13:59:00.001-04:00

Two days of last week we were in shorts and literally could have been cutting our way through the air due to the extreme high humidity coupled with temperatures in the 80s. Sort of icky, but after such a long Winter, I didn’t mind too much.

Cold front zoomed through with torrential downpours Thursday, more rain yesterday and the influx of ~~much cooler~~ cold air. Oh yeah, and wind speeds of around 24 MPH. Last night dipped down into the low 40s. Brrrr . . . .

Last night Dave and I were outside with thick hoodies, wooly caps and rain gear. Loony Tunes Weather.

iPhone photo from inside rig

The five wee goslings continue to prosper, and are often paraded right outside our rig’s window. They now have longer necks and stubby wings. We are so enjoying see their development.

The topic of this week’s CERT class was CERT infrastructure/chain of command, Command Center setup and information about our upcoming drill here at the mill. The instructors came by earlier in the week to scope out the mill and how they would stage the drill. We were also issued our equipment/”go” bags.

Standard issue

The gloves were way too large, so I swapped out for ones that fit, including my rockin’ Camelbak Max Grip NT Gloves which were a gift (brand spankin’ new in the package) from a retired Marine. Although CERT will provide whatever additional equipment/supplies that might be needed at an incident, I added a few other items to my bag which I personally would not want to be caught without. Those are spare batteries in the Ziploc bag. Not pictured is a CPR disposable shield and gloves in a wee pack.

This Thursday evening’s session will be fire suppression – working with fire extinguishers to put out small staged fires.

Mr. Sun was with us this morning but has apparently become shy, as the skies are turning overcast and dull. No grilling for us this Memorial Day Weekend as it is extremely windy. That’s okay, we have leftover salmon croquettes from last night and I’m headed to the store in a bit for ingredients to make enchiladas tomorrow! Being a Texas gal, every now and then I have to have a spicy, Mexican food fix!

Thanks for stopping by!

I am a Warrior.

The above bracelet is a Toby and Max creation.

May 21, 2013 - Amazon Store is Open!

2013-05-21T10:31:00.001-04:00

As you can see from the wee text header at the top of this page and from the Visit My Amazon Store widget on the right, this new addition popped up overnight. Below the store widget is another one you can use for searching Amazon. I’m excited to share with you some of my favorite books, music and other items.

Of course I’ll be even more excited if you make a purchase!

Additional items will be added to my store and over time some of the items may be swapped out for others. Am considering making subcategories for the books.

In other words, it’s a work in progress. Go on over and take a peek. You might find something that resonates with you! If not there, use the search box until you find something that does!

No, not Maggie, but this wee one is ready to shop!

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Sherry (In The Direction of Our Dreams), you mentioned wanting to see the rugs in our rig.

They are 7x5 rectangles from Walmart that fit beautifully in our floorplan.

The one closest to the TV really is not curved at the top right corner; there are entry doormats on top of it. We had maroon rugs previously, so this time I chose blue, which gives a new look to the space and coordinates with blue accents already in place.

Although we try to take off our shoes as much as possible, with our work and lifestyle here (not to mention the weather elements and a dog . . . and a dog in the weather elements!), without these rugs the rig carpet would be funky in no time. Eventually we may want to replace the RV carpet with tile or laminate . . . we’ve talked about it but are not ready to tackle that yet. Neither is our bank account! Inexpensive at $20 a rug, this is a practical solution for us and gives the living room a new look!

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One set of corn plants is in the main flowerbed in front of our rig and another set in the cinder blocks which housed tomatoes in the Summer of 2011.

Well . . .

Remember that the geese are coming very close to the office and our rig?

Well . . .

(Can you tell where we’re going here?)

This morning the corn plants in the flowerbed has gone topless! The tops have been cut right off, not perfectly but with a bit of jagged edge.

Like goose beak jagged.

I’m not throwing the geese under the proverbial bus here without evidence. Oh yes, there is “evidence” that this was a goose or geese. And you know what I mean by “evidence.”

Even in the middle of marigolds, the corn plants – all nice and leafy green – were just too much of a temptation.

Sigh.

The plants are still in the ground and I am hopeful they will continue to grow. Again, the ones in the cinder blocks are just fine and perky this morning.

Okay, it’s sunny but incredibly humid out. I think I’ll go do something exciting like put on shorts, flush the black tank and take my walk.

My heart, thoughts and prayers go out to those affected by the severe weather in the Midwest this week, specifically to those in Oklahoma, Kansas and Missouri.

Ya’ll stay safe out there, okay? You’re my treasured blogging community, my friends, my extended family.

Thanks for stopping by!

I am a Warrior.

The above bracelet is a Toby and Max creation.

May 20, 2013 - Another Full Day

2013-05-20T18:04:00.001-04:00

This was taken through an office window, so it’s not great quality. The wee goslings were snuggling in a circle, their heads facing the center of the circle.

We had some visitors to the property this morning, so that kept us occupied for a while. I then decided to replace the two tomato plants that had been crippled by a late unexpected frost, so I headed off to Lowe’s. Lo and behold, I also saw this:

Corn!!

I’ve never planted corn before but figured what the heck. It will either produce or we’ll just have (hopefully) some pretty green plants. Had to move some marigolds to make room for the corn, so this (and planting the tomatoes) kept me busy this afternoon.

If I had known we would be here a while and I were really energetic, I’d plow a proper garden. Had a nice 10x10 veggie garden at a house I lived in years ago. Tilled the whole thing myself. Was great fun coming home from work every day and checking on the plants, seeing them grow and tending to them.

Sure looked like rain earlier, but nothing happened. Guess I will have to water the plants after all. It has been warm today and quite humid; tomorrow and Wednesday are supposed to be in the 80s, with a cool front/thunderstorms/rain headed our way around Wednesday/Thursday.

Thanks for stopping by!

I am a Warrior.

The above bracelet is a Toby and Max creation.

May 19, 2013 - Rainy Sunday Thoughts

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Today the rain is lightly falling, which is great for the plants but not so great for doing outdoor activities. That’s okay; I’m enjoying a day in the rig doing things at my own leisurely pace. I’m visiting with you from our dining table, pecking away here on my wee notebook. Dave is over in the office puttering about with the bikes and his laptop. Hey, I even had a nap earlier! Sweet.

Since I’m over here and not in the office much today and the sun isn’t blazing down, I’ve got all the window shades up. I love days like this when I’m actually in our RV most of the day. We have a very open floor plan and lots of windows all around. I look out and see green, birds, our Canadian Goose family, a wee bunny now and then. We are truly blessed with our life and our surroundings.

Our week has been busy settling back in after our holiday down at the Jersey Shore. The grass really needed mowing, we had somehow accumulated dirty laundry, had to get some food back in the fridge and so forth.

Thursday night was CERT class with the topic being terrorism. Again, I’m grateful for the knowledge and training I am receiving and for the spirit of this organization. We’re coming down to the end of the training. This week we learn the workings of the Command Center and how to set it up. The week following we’ll be putting into action what we learned about fire suppression with a drill in which we put out small, staged fires. Our search-and-rescue drill will be here at the mill on June 1; sometime before that we’ll receive our equipment bags. Then it will be graduation and receiving our IDs!

I had not taught a CPR class following my medical issues last summer; however, Friday I conducted a Skills Session. Whoohoo! Also received an inquiry from a client of last year; we’ll see if that comes to fruition. Felt good to be doing that again.

Did I mention we put new area rugs down in our RV? Found the exact same ones at Walmart again (two of them cover our living room area perfectly) and this time chose a nice blue color instead of maroon. It matches the accent colors in the valances and other items and is a nice change of pace. Sort of an inexpensive and easy redecorating!

The weather favored us yesterday with the rain stopping in the late afternoon, and I was indeed able to use our grill for the first time this year. Yay! Chicken and sausage with steak fries all went over the coals and we had a salad to go along with that. I really enjoy being able to grill during Summer. The bonus is that dinner is all ready for today with plenty of leftovers!

That’s about it for now, so I’ll toddle off. Hope you’re enjoying your weekend!

Thanks for stopping by!

I am a Warrior.

The above bracelet is a Toby and Max creation.

May 13, 2013 - Holiday at the Shore Comes to an End

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We were up around 6:30 AM this morning to begin packing for our journey home. We had decided to have a good breakfast before hitting the road, so it was back to Ocean View Restaurant. Returning to the beach house, we steadily but leisurely finished preparations to head north to our RV and base here at Warren Glen. We pulled out of the driveway at a little after 11 AM.

I share the same feelings as others; when the day comes to move on, I’m ready – almost antsy – to get on the road, whether it’s just in the truck or towing the rig.

The weather was obliging once again for traveling. We took the Garden State Parkway up to I195, where we headed west. There was quite a bit of construction on the GSP which slowed us down somewhat; however, at least it was a continuous flow. I195 turns into Highway 29, which leads us right back into our general area.

Pretty soon after getting on the GSP, we were once again surrounded by trees all the way back here. Even Dave noticed it this time, probably because he had spent a week in wide open spaces. It’s beautiful, but somewhat claustrophobic.

Arriving here about 3 PM, we opened up our RV with no issues, unpacked and settled in fairly quickly. The lawns here really grew in a week and needed mowing, something to be tackled the next day.

We both noticed how much colder the air is here. Even at the beach with the wind blowing, the actual air temperature is considerably warmer. Funny how a couple of days ago I was walking the beach in shorts and tank top and back here it’s thermals and jackets again. Ugh. Will Summer never arrive?

Extending our holiday just a bit, it was pizza and beer this evening. There was no food in the fridge and we were sort of tired from the trip and setting things up here again.

On a sad note, we observed on returning that the 6 goslings are now 5 in number. We figure if 4 out of 6 make it to adulthood, we’ll be doing good. They, too, have grown quite a bit and are such a joy to watch.

We had a perfect holiday; vacations can often fly by, but this was relaxing and time seemed to pass slowly. I did all the things on my wee list (things to see and do in the area), had blissful walks on the beach, Maggie experienced the beach for the first time and I got back on the bike again.

If we are still here and can swing it financially, we’ve decided we’ll go back to the same beach house and Cape May next year!

Is it May 2014 yet?

Thanks for stopping by!

I am a Warrior.

The above bracelet is a Toby and Max creation.

May 12, 2013 - Vacation Day 8 - Cape May, NJ

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The awning company guy came by this morning and put out the canopy on the deck. Of course, this is the windiest day we’ve had here so far! You can see Dave up there putting away the deck lounge chair.

For our last full day here, this morning Dave opted for an extended bike ride and I had a divine 2-mile stroll on the beach. This was all before the wind really kicked in.

Perfect for beach walking!

Really enjoyed my walk

Quite a few horseshoe crabs on the beach

After Dave returned, we sat outside in front for a while; again, this was before the wind really got crazy.

Lovely, so relaxing!

Maggie has her own chair

We had decided to try the Ocean View Restaurant for our main (only) meal out today. It’s a quaint diner on Beach Road. The food was great and the best value we’ve found so far. Dave had chicken noodle soup and ham in a sweet-and-sour sauce with baked potato and carrots while I opted for the dinner salad, meat loaf and baked potato. Dessert was included, so Dave had rice pudding and I had chocolate pudding.

We plan on returning there in the morning for breakfast before we hit the road for home.

Tonight we’re just hanging out, enjoying the house, the view and TCM on cable after doing some preliminary packing. We brought our own linens, so in the morning I’ll strip the beds, finish packing and do some light cleaning as per our rental agreement.

Another great day at the beach!

Thanks for stopping by!

I am a Warrior.

The above bracelet is a Toby and Max creation.

May 11, 2013 - Vacation Day 7

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Saturday’s (yesterday) weather was threatening thunderstorms; in fact, it did rain off and on and we heard thunder frequently. With that in mind and having ticked off everything on my list of things to see and do, this was a lounge around the beach house day, a very laid back and relaxing day. We didn’t get going until around 8 AM, which is late for us!

We made our way back to Uncle Bill’s Pancake House for breakfast again, as Dave wanted to check out the sausages this time around after seeing them pass by on their way to other tables during our first visit.

The only other time we left was to the market in the afternoon for a couple of things and then a walk down the street to Harpoon Henry’s for dinner, where we sat on their deck with a great view of the bay. They were giving a free drink to all mothers yesterday in honor of Mother’s Day, so I had another Bloody Mary with my burger. (Well, I am a step-mother x2 and a doggie mom!) Two drinks in the span of a week; I must be on vacation!

The waitress was so sweet; the first drink was way too strong and, when I told her I just couldn’t drink more than two sips, she got me another one which was just right! My burger was great and Dave enjoyed his chicken sandwich.

We sat out front under the deck of the house in the afternoon watching the water and occasional people walking or cycling by, dolphins in the bay, bunny in our yard and various birds winging their way around us; Maggie even had her own chair. All in all a lovely, relaxed day just “be-ing” here at the house.

We will leave Monday to head back to the property, our RV/home and our work. We are so fortunate; while many folks dread returning to the “real world” of home, work and routine, we do not. We love our RV home, our work and the surroundings in which we live and work. It is about as stress-free, peaceful and fun as it can get in today’s hectic world.

Thanks for stopping by!

I am a Warrior.

The above bracelet is a Toby and Max creation.

May 10, 2013 - Vacation Day 6

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We were fortunate to see a third beautiful day in store here on the Jersey Shore in Cape May. We began our day a bit more lazily, not getting going until about 8 AM. Wow! That’s late for us!

Dave wanted an extended bike ride and I wanted to see the Aviation Museum at Naval Air Station Wildwood.

I have a love of flying things I must get from my Dad. I remember as a kid we’d go park the car outside the fence at the end of the runway at Hobby Airport in Houston to watch planes take off and land. This museum had the bonus of being located at the Cape May County Airport; airports, big or small, are fascinating places for me.

The really cool added bonus was the Forgotten Warriors Vietnam Museum across the street from the Aviation Museum.

I did not know about this gem until I saw it. In my opinion, it was more interesting, more jam packed with memorabilia (and that really is an unfortunate thing, if you think about it) than the Aviation Museum.

I was honored to experience this poignant collection and to visit a bit with the two gentlemen there, one of whom I have since learned is Mr. Tom Collins, featured in the article linked above.

An unassuming building with an impressive collection

Today’s dinner destination was The Lobster House down at the harbor. Stuffed shrimp for me and sautéed flounder for Dave. Very nice!

To round off another very pleasant vacation day, our host graciously gifted us an extra day here and our boss allowed us to return Monday instead of Sunday. We have two full days ahead of us still!

Thanks for stopping by!

I am a Warrior.

The above bracelet is a Toby and Max creation.

May 9, 2013 - Vacation Day 5

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Nicest morning so far!

We started off the day’s activities by heading over to Cape May Point State Park to see the lighthouse and walk the trails.

We did not get tickets to go up in the lighthouse, but did walk the trails.

The state park was once a military base and this bunker was on that base. It was built as part of the Harbor Defense Project of 1942. Read about it here.

From where we were standing to see the bunker, one could also look out at the water. Dolphins were going crazy out there! So many sightings in just a short few minutes! Totally cool.

Back at the house, we got on the bikes. I logged 8 miles up and down Shore Road, which runs past us down to the Cape May-Lewes Ferry. Pretty cool to see the ferries come and go.

This was my first time back on the bike since last summer’s surgeries and I felt okay! In honor of the event, I wore the same cycling jersey I wore when I got back on the bike for the first time following breast cancer in 2001.

Dave continued on for a longer run and, after he gets cleaned up, we’ll head to the market for a couple of things. Dinner will be chicken fajitas, which we brought home from Cabanas last night.

Interestingly, up where we are in NJ, you cannot purchase beer in a grocery store, at least not the stores that are around us. Here, however, at the Acme market, they have a liquor section including hard spirits. Reminds me of Scotland, that.

Fog and clouds have rolled in every evening, so we have not been treated to a really great sunset. Maybe tonight, who knows!

Thanks for stopping by!

I am a Warrior.

The above bracelet is a Toby and Max creation.

May 8, 2013 - Vacation Day 4

2013-05-08T19:02:00.001-04:00

Today started out just as it was forecast by the weather folks. We had rain early and even heard thunder.

All that gray is the bay covered in fog

Well, we had decided to get out and about even if it was to rain the rest of the week. We started with breakfast at Uncle Bill’s Pancake House, where we were not disappointed. Mr. Sun peeked through the clouds and fog now and then, but was not around long.

We returned to the house for a wee bit to walk Maggie before heading over to the the Cape May County Zoo. This very pleasant and somewhat unique zoo is operated strictly by donations.

Not a large complex, but again very pleasant with boardwalks as the main walking surface throughout. The environs for the animals were some of the best I have seen.

Would you believe, while we were there Mr. Sun emerged and the day turned very beach-like and brilliant in defiance of the depressing forecast.

By 12:30, we were headed back to the house, Dave with a plan to cycle a bit and me to get Maggie to da beach!

I put on shorts and a tank top (gasp!) and Maggs and I walked across the street and down to the beach.

Oh my oh my oh my! Our Maggie had a whoppin’ good time, running, exploring, looking at things. She was grinning big style and her tongue was hanging out by the time we were done!

Of course, then was clean up the kid time. Rinsed her off good and then dried and brushed her. She’s conked out now after her fun day.

Hanging on the deck after the beach, all nice and clean and mostly dry

After Dave cleaned up from his bike ride, we headed over to Cabanas Beach Bar and Grill for dinner.

I had a darn near perfect Bloody Mary with my chicken quesadillas and Dave had a Guinness with his fish and chips. Since he’s spoiling me this week by not allowing me to cook, we got an order of chicken fajitas to go for tomorrow’s dinner. That, along with half of my quesadillas that came home, will make a nice feast without our having to go out for a meal tomorrow.

When I started this entry, the sun was still bright and sparkling on the bay water. Now, however, clouds and fog have taken over. Looks like I won’t get a shot of the sunset, after all.

That’s okay; it’s been a stellar day weather-wise, a very much appreciated surprise. I even got some deck chair time up top, so it can turn ugly again for the rest of the week and I won’t care!

Thanks for stopping by!

I am a Warrior.

The above bracelet is a Toby and Max creation.

May 7, 2013 - Vacation Day 3

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Today was a quiet, hang out at the beach house day by choice. We both just wanted a lazy, laid back day.

I didn’t bother taking a photo this morning because the day looked the same as yesterday – gray and foggy. This remained throughout the day.

The bright spot was seeing a dolphin this morning in the bay out front. Sweet.

Two small rabbits also came and spent time in the front lawn. Very nice!

Dave had a short bike ride in the morning, making it back just a few minutes before the skies opened up to pouring rain.

The rain didn’t last all that long and we did make a beer run and exploring the local area for possible places to eat.

Venturing out hand-in-hand for a walk this afternoon, we made it all the way down the road almost a mile when the rain came on again.

Since we brought home leftovers from our dinner out last night, we were well fixed for our main meal today.

Other than that, we have just been here. Nothing wrong with that. The weather was rather icky and we did want one day to just not really go anywhere . . . just chill out. We’re enjoying hearing the sounds of the waves coming on shore and the gulls laughing.

It is so wonderful to be able to see the horizon! This neighborhood is very quiet and we’re both sleeping quite well.

Weather permitting, I think I’ll probably get out and about a bit tomorrow.

Thanks for stopping by!

I am a Warrior.

The above bracelet is a Toby and Max creation.

Monday, May 6, 2013 - Vacation Day 2

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You can read about yesterday by clicking here.

I walked across the street early this morning and snapped this photo. My stepson Paul says it’s a bit like Scotland, and he’s right about that. This morning it was “spitting rain,” windy and chilly. Dave, Maggie and I did take a wee walk down to the end of the street; Maggie had a ball being in a new environment.

While Dave was getting ready for his bike ride, I continued on a solo walk in the other direction down Shore Road.

Although I slept really well, I woke about 6 AM. Lately I just not seem to need more than about 6 hours of sleep.

Dave did get a few bike miles in this morning and, after he returned, I headed out to Washington Street Mall just to prowl the shops.

Spent $1.00 on postcards. I have about three people I send postcards to when we’re someplace different.

Our Lady of the Sea

I spent a bit of time “going to church” at Our Lady of the Sea, located within the walking area of Washington Street Mall.

We’re taking our shoes off at the door, and the steps of the spiral staircase going upstairs are kinda slippery with just socks. I went looking for a pair of slipper socks; you know, the ones with the rubberized treads on them. Well, look at these!

A few shops down from the grocery store is a Big Lots! These beauties were a whopping 20 cents on sale. Perfect.

We had decided to eat at Harpoon Henry’s this evening, which I found on my solo walk down the street this morning. Dave and I strolled down to it this afternoon; however, we found that it is only open on weekends.

Plan B took us to a little Italian restaurant in the neighborhood, albeit not in walking distance. Dave gave his lasagna a “surprisingly edible” rating and I concur with regards to my pizza. We both brought home portions which will do us for tomorrow’s dinner.

Right now all three members of our wee family are cozied up on the couch taking advantage of cable TV and watching TCM, specifically Stewart Granger and Deborah Kerr in King Solomon’s Mines.

Thanks for stopping by!

I am a Warrior.

The above bracelet is a Toby and Max creation.

Sunday, May 5, 2013 - Officially on Vacation

2013-05-06T19:01:00.001-04:00

Sunday – Headed to the Beach

We still had quite a few thing to do in the morning before leaving. I emptied the fridge, we secured our RV by retracting the slides, unhooking power and battery, turned off the propane and bled the lines, etc. Finally we pulled out from the property gate at around 11:30 AM.

Seems like it took us forever to get here yesterday. I keep forgetting New Jersey is not Texas; it takes longer to go places. Our pace picked up once we reached the Garden State Parkway, and we arrived here about 3:30 yesterday afternoon.

Dolphin Watch in Cape May, NJ

The beach grass is kinda tall around the front, giving some privacy. What you don’t see is the yard beyond it, which is trimmed.

Remembering that Dave raced Saturday morning and I spent the day busy getting us ready for the trip, we were both pretty darn tired by the time we arrived here Sunday afternoon.

After the truck was unloaded, we settled in a bit and then headed off for a few staples from the grocery store. Sandwiches in our new “home” for a week tasted pretty good.

We saw a local cycling by with a parrot on his shoulder! Hahaha! We’re definitely at the beach!

Thanks for stopping by!

I am a Warrior.

The above bracelet is a Toby and Max creation.