We've had rain every day out here at Wickham Park and it has brought some refreshing cool breezes along with Mosquitos and,other buggies. Tree frogs trill outside our home,on wheels. Thelma Lou doesn't seem to mind. In fact, I believe I heard her humming along with them the'other night.
Our cat, Oscar, has taken to travel trailer life just as our dogs, Molly and LuLu have. As long as they are with us, they are content. Plus, I have no choice but to walk them, which they love since there is no room to spread doggie pads and papers about. So we walk, they sniff everything in sight, roll around in patches of fragrant grass. Tomorrow is nail cutting day which they will relish...yeah, sure!
We get great wi-fi and t.v. Service,in the'park and everyone is friendly. Right now, there are not that many campers. Weekends are peak time and during the week, it is relatively quiet. We are close to our pharmacy, CVS; our grocer, Publix and Fresh Market. There are challenges facing us. As newbies to the travel trailer world, we are learning about annoying problems that need to be fixed,on our "boat", including a faulty black water tank that needed to be flushed,out early on or it would back up and spew out nasty "shit ", literally speaking. Bob put that little fire out. I have to wonder what people who know nothing about anything mechanically challenging or constructively demanding might handle on the road emergencies. I suppose they depend'on local RV dealerships...who charge a fortune (!!!) to just take a peek at your RV.
I think most RVs come with a set of problems. From silly little annoyances such as broken toilet paper holders or shower head clogs, there is something everyone will have to deal with. So it is best to have a little experience in making repairs on your own or you're liable to run up a fierce bill that will put you into a financial hole before you get on the road.
I'm lucky. Bob can fix almost anything. I, in turn, am pretty good at getting stuff organized and talking our dogs into going for walkies. I can cook a mean microwave pizza ( after I burn the first one!!)and put quarters in the laundry machines. And,of course write my blogs and articles.
Right now, I am ready for a nap. Still getting used to this type of living takes some fortitude that I hope I can conjure up.
In the meantime, I am fighting a fierce pain in my lower left abdomen that warrants a visit to my gastroenterologist per my rheumie who seems more concerned than I about it. But without codeine, I am afraid I would have to curl up in the fetal position and moan and gross about how awful I feel. I'm not the most exciting person in the world as it is. So this pissy state of affairs would probably drive Bob to go sleep at the local motel six where the light is on.
Hopefully, after tomorrow's visit with the
Cheers, dears. Happy Wednesday evening!
Rosemary
Monday, September 14, 2015
Wednesday, September 9, 2015
Trailer Life ain't no Picnic
Day five in teeny tiny annoying trailer in Wickham Park. We forgot that Sept. (Along with May) is lovebug season here in Florida. In case you're not familiar with these nasty little insects, they are little black bugs resembling fireflies without the fire that fly end to end as they mate in the air and splat against your car. Florida has a peculiar affinity for these critters and highways are the worst war zone for them to attack. Oddly enough, once they mate, the male dies, the females lay their eggs and then She dies! What a short, joyous, sexually active life they have. Some would disagree but others would say their purpose in living just to procreate is quite ambitious.
Anyway, mosquitoes abound also because it has been a very wet summer. Thunderstorms most afternoons are washing us out but they are lovely for huddling in a corner to read or write or catch an episode of one of my many favorite Netflix BBC series. Nuttin' wrong with that, in my opinion.
Speaking of reading, I have become a great fan of historic romances of which I once scoffed. Now I find myself inner eased in many oldie,but goodies but some new and lovely novels by authors that were born to write. I melt into these books, the latest being Sara Gruen's At The water's Edge set in Scottland with a nod to Ye old Lochness Monster. But read between the lines and analyse the characters carefully. There is so much more to this book than one might first suspect. Sara is indeed one'of my favorite " animal rights as well as romance" writers and I can't wait for her next book to come out. Also, she loves to surprise us with little ditties scattered throughout her novels which often surpass the delight quota!
I've been researching two areas of interest: one being travel writing ( of course!!) along with jobs I can do part time as I travel, of course. I have lots of experience in and of itself: Finance knowledge, computer work, in odd jobs...being a mortgage broker for thirty years encased a whole set of job
values. Customer service being a biggie. Computer knowledge (it not my fav) , communications, marketing, sales, kissing various and sundry butts. Yes, sad but true. Should I put that on my resume??
I haven't written a resume in so long, I'm pretty sure it will come out lame at best. Should I include the three years I taught guitar without really knowing how to play?? What about the writing course I offered up and coming Great American Novelists who needed someone like me who lied about her credentials ages ago so I could get said job? What about the years I spent as the lamest receptionist-manicurist - magazine reader because that was, after all, what the job called for?
No, I think I can come up with something a bit more intellectual and honest. The mortgage stuff included creativity and customer care. My two years as a magazine advertising exec. Could land me a temp. Job selling advertising via phone. My four years as a dispatcher and then food buyer for a large drug store change in Va. Could get me a variety of positions. Such as how to spot mouse turds in packaged freeze dried mashed potatoes. Or little buggy parts in cereal. Yeah, those could definitely land me a hot little job while I'm on the road, especially if I can identify said bug parts!
Anyway, mosquitoes abound also because it has been a very wet summer. Thunderstorms most afternoons are washing us out but they are lovely for huddling in a corner to read or write or catch an episode of one of my many favorite Netflix BBC series. Nuttin' wrong with that, in my opinion.
Speaking of reading, I have become a great fan of historic romances of which I once scoffed. Now I find myself inner eased in many oldie,but goodies but some new and lovely novels by authors that were born to write. I melt into these books, the latest being Sara Gruen's At The water's Edge set in Scottland with a nod to Ye old Lochness Monster. But read between the lines and analyse the characters carefully. There is so much more to this book than one might first suspect. Sara is indeed one'of my favorite " animal rights as well as romance" writers and I can't wait for her next book to come out. Also, she loves to surprise us with little ditties scattered throughout her novels which often surpass the delight quota!
I've been researching two areas of interest: one being travel writing ( of course!!) along with jobs I can do part time as I travel, of course. I have lots of experience in and of itself: Finance knowledge, computer work, in odd jobs...being a mortgage broker for thirty years encased a whole set of job
values. Customer service being a biggie. Computer knowledge (it not my fav) , communications, marketing, sales, kissing various and sundry butts. Yes, sad but true. Should I put that on my resume??
I haven't written a resume in so long, I'm pretty sure it will come out lame at best. Should I include the three years I taught guitar without really knowing how to play?? What about the writing course I offered up and coming Great American Novelists who needed someone like me who lied about her credentials ages ago so I could get said job? What about the years I spent as the lamest receptionist-manicurist - magazine reader because that was, after all, what the job called for?
No, I think I can come up with something a bit more intellectual and honest. The mortgage stuff included creativity and customer care. My two years as a magazine advertising exec. Could land me a temp. Job selling advertising via phone. My four years as a dispatcher and then food buyer for a large drug store change in Va. Could get me a variety of positions. Such as how to spot mouse turds in packaged freeze dried mashed potatoes. Or little buggy parts in cereal. Yeah, those could definitely land me a hot little job while I'm on the road, especially if I can identify said bug parts!
Thursday, September 3, 2015
Just another Day in Paradise!
As we blissfully contemplate purchasing a larger RV ( yes, already!), a crazy guy shot his wife in the mall down the street and almost killed her. The perpetrator then shot and killed himself and another man...supposedly the woman's lover. This is happening all over Florida and yes, I am distressed. As the wife of a man who believes in the Right to Bear arms law, I am not happy about the many gun deaths we have in this state or the ease of purchasing said weapon of which it literally makes me sick!
I am ready to turn my jolly orange and green license plates in for something more generic like a fir tree or a fish leaping out of a clear, blue stream.
That said, we are hoping to qualify for a new RV which is 3' longer and 3' wider with an island kitchen, much more comfortable furniture, a LOT more storage space and an outdoor kitchen. I figure we can sell,the cute little blue grill we just bought and the t.v. Because this trailer comes with one. It might seem nuts ( no, it is nuts) but if this is our home for a year I think we need to be comfortable. And we are still saving money...something like five bucks a month! Lol!
Camping has, so far been interesting and educational. If you think you're going to save a lot of moolah by doing this, forget it. Gas is more expensive because you're tugging a 9000 lb. steel and aluminum monster of 33' behind you not including all the crap packed inside. How those crazy people drive the super monsters known as humongouse motor homes is beyond me. Why don't they just hook up their wood and brick home, add wheels, and tow it behind them?? It would probably be cheaper and you'd have all the comforts without moving stuff into another dwelling. I mean, really?
A problem we have here is our pets. The minute we open our door, there they are...sans leashes of course, wanting out! And when they do slip past us, off they go into the wild blue yonder, searching and hunting for cute little bunnies and cute little snapping turtles. There are occasional alligators, but so much in national parks. The rangers keep them at bay.
Out cat, Oscar, likes to hide behind the sofa in the the storage area where it is hell to drag him out at supper time. And immediately after he wants to jump back behind there... He is sleuth cat, ready to leaps on an unsuspecting leg or arm or bug or dog at any time. Oscar is unique in that he will wrap all four legs around you and walk around with you. He has abandonment issues. That a happens with cats left behind by mean, nasty people who move and decide not to take them with them. Idiots.
Back to camping.
The toilet paper holder broke. It is a bad toilet paper holder and can't get fixed because of the cardboard walls behind it. Same with a cabinet door...hinge came loose. It hangs crooked now. Little stuff here and there because obviously, this is a pretty cheap piece of shit all in all which has taken us a while to realize. And don't even get me talking about the bed. The bed is FIRM to the point of being like a slab of cement. So,I added a sleep number cushy-plushy topper and it is oh so much better. But getting in and out of a bed that is flush to the walls is quite the acrobatic feat and not for those over 50... We are 65 and 72, so you can imagine how well we do. With two dogs and Oscar the monster cat fighting for space and Bob bobbing and weaving to get out, I am the last and by this time I have to wiggle and jiggle (!) my substantial body out of the cavernous sleeping box. By then
, I am sweating and smelly and need a shower which is another challenge in itself. All I can say is, make sure you have
Your shower head pointed backwards when you turn it on. Nuff said.
It's late, been a long day. Guess we'll find out if the lending Gods at USAA will decide we should have a larger RV...if not, we may look for a little condo near the ocean and give up this seeing the USA in our own way another day!!
Cheers!
Signing off,
Rosemary
I am ready to turn my jolly orange and green license plates in for something more generic like a fir tree or a fish leaping out of a clear, blue stream.
That said, we are hoping to qualify for a new RV which is 3' longer and 3' wider with an island kitchen, much more comfortable furniture, a LOT more storage space and an outdoor kitchen. I figure we can sell,the cute little blue grill we just bought and the t.v. Because this trailer comes with one. It might seem nuts ( no, it is nuts) but if this is our home for a year I think we need to be comfortable. And we are still saving money...something like five bucks a month! Lol!
Camping has, so far been interesting and educational. If you think you're going to save a lot of moolah by doing this, forget it. Gas is more expensive because you're tugging a 9000 lb. steel and aluminum monster of 33' behind you not including all the crap packed inside. How those crazy people drive the super monsters known as humongouse motor homes is beyond me. Why don't they just hook up their wood and brick home, add wheels, and tow it behind them?? It would probably be cheaper and you'd have all the comforts without moving stuff into another dwelling. I mean, really?
A problem we have here is our pets. The minute we open our door, there they are...sans leashes of course, wanting out! And when they do slip past us, off they go into the wild blue yonder, searching and hunting for cute little bunnies and cute little snapping turtles. There are occasional alligators, but so much in national parks. The rangers keep them at bay.
Out cat, Oscar, likes to hide behind the sofa in the the storage area where it is hell to drag him out at supper time. And immediately after he wants to jump back behind there... He is sleuth cat, ready to leaps on an unsuspecting leg or arm or bug or dog at any time. Oscar is unique in that he will wrap all four legs around you and walk around with you. He has abandonment issues. That a happens with cats left behind by mean, nasty people who move and decide not to take them with them. Idiots.
Back to camping.
The toilet paper holder broke. It is a bad toilet paper holder and can't get fixed because of the cardboard walls behind it. Same with a cabinet door...hinge came loose. It hangs crooked now. Little stuff here and there because obviously, this is a pretty cheap piece of shit all in all which has taken us a while to realize. And don't even get me talking about the bed. The bed is FIRM to the point of being like a slab of cement. So,I added a sleep number cushy-plushy topper and it is oh so much better. But getting in and out of a bed that is flush to the walls is quite the acrobatic feat and not for those over 50... We are 65 and 72, so you can imagine how well we do. With two dogs and Oscar the monster cat fighting for space and Bob bobbing and weaving to get out, I am the last and by this time I have to wiggle and jiggle (!) my substantial body out of the cavernous sleeping box. By then
, I am sweating and smelly and need a shower which is another challenge in itself. All I can say is, make sure you have
Your shower head pointed backwards when you turn it on. Nuff said.
It's late, been a long day. Guess we'll find out if the lending Gods at USAA will decide we should have a larger RV...if not, we may look for a little condo near the ocean and give up this seeing the USA in our own way another day!!
Cheers!
Signing off,
Rosemary
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