Grass Cutting, Bugs, Friends & ?

We were setting at the Whistle Café this morning at 7:15 sipping on coffee.  After breakfast we went to Walmart to pick up a few things then back to the lot.  I cut the so called lawn and it took about 2 1/2 hours.  That's about 2 hours more than normal.  It was about a foot high and the mower kept getting clogged.  The clumps of grass is about how far I got before I had to stop and clean the underside of the mower.  Yes, it was wet too.

I guess this needed cutting too.

Oh well…. I was wet like I had stood in the rain and it didn’t rain.  It’s humid.  I then took a cold shower and it’s been a long time since I had one of those.  It felt so good.

Love bugs.  I think you can figure out why these TWO bugs are called Love Bugs.  They invade us each year for about a month.  They are just now gearing up and will get pretty bad especially on vehicles going down the road.  What a mess.

My garage is a little tight at the moment.

Now I’m stacking Amazon packages that I just received outside next to the little RV.  They won’t fit in the garage very easy.  I got about 20 more things coming from Amazon.

Here’s the front receiver that I will mount for the little Honda motorcycle.  The front bumper has to come off to install.  Oh what am I getting into.  I can just about take anything apart.  It’s getting it all back together is the problem.

Next thing was dinner at a local Mexican place with Lisa/Jim Koca, Mark Nemeth, Mark/Dortha Hall and us.  We had a lot of fun which is normal for this crowd.  We then went back to Jim & Lisa’s place and had even more fun.  We were trying to plan our next get together and it was kinda difficult with them all working.  We settled in on late October and the location is Abbeville, LA.

Being old farts we all left about 9 PM all tuckered out.  Thanks for the memories guys.

See ya………..

Barn Fine

At sun up I was was washing the bugs off the front of our RV.  The old saying if you want rain just wash your RV.  Well, this time the rain didn’t wait for me to finish.  This was a first.  I got the bugs off the RV and me too just in case. 

Then it was on to the little Class C.  I had the four vents opened about an inch.  Plus, I had a fan plugged in and on.  You know I still got some mold on the dash and a little on the dinette seats.  I really didn’t think I would get any.  I got some disinfectectant (sp?) wipes and 15 minutes later it was all gone.  Plus I washed the outside of the RV where it was real dirty from setting.  It started right up.

Mark showed up a little later.  He brought me a DryMistat for a cigar humidor.  Well, that was nice but I don’t have a humidor for my cigars.  So Carol gave me one of her Rubbermaid containers to hold my 20 or so cigars.  I now have a humidor.  Thanks Mark.  I gave Mark a cedar lined cigar carrier that Carol got up in Maryland. 

Mark fixed my email on my computer.  He basically set up my profile again what ever that means.  He also knew that my 1 year old Harley battery went belly up.  He ordered an AGM battery for it for me.  It’s part of a power back up system for computers.  It met all the requirements to fit/run the Harley.  No it did not cost a small fortune. How about $35 for an AGM and it will work great.  I love it.

Then Mark and I went over to his place to check out the Honda Trail 110 pictured above.  I agreed to buy it several months ago (Craig’s List) before the guy rebuilt/restored it.  It’s a 1981 with 2,200 miles and had been in a barn since 1989.  It needed a motor top end and other stuff when the guy got it.  Mark went up to Dallas and picked it up when the guy finished it.  Mark knew about these Honda Trail bikes since he had one at one time.  He checked it all out and thus brought it back to Livingston while we were up in WV.   Everything works on it and it’s original.  I love it.  Mark rode it around.  Then I rode it around.  Then I got on the back and Mark rode us around.  It did fine.  It’s not for the Interstate but for small back roads it will be fine.  It will be outstanding for our Alaska trip next year.

I got mail.  Big boxes.  Not done with this saga yet but it can wait until tomorrow.

Damn it’s humid here and the love bugs are coming out.  More about them at a later time.

See ya…..

We’re Back Again

After a 490 mile day we are back in Livingston, TX today, Thursday.  We spent Wednesday night at a Passport America park in Marion, LA that we stayed at before.  I think that’s right.  I filled up with diesel here in Livingston at $1.93 a gallon.  That’s good but back in Feb this year diesel was $1.77 at the same station.

Our neighbors, Jon, Sue, Wayne & plus 2 new ones all greeted us when we pulled into the lot.  That was nice.  We parked around back of the mobile.  The class C is in the RV port (under cover) for now.  When I wash and wax it we will trade places.  We have FHU (50 amp) where we are parked on our lot and our sat dish got tuned in, lucky….because of the tall trees next to the rig.

Our lot here in Livingston was over grown with grass/weeds.  In the mobile everything was fine.  We left the fans on and the thermostat set at 85 degrees.  In the barn the Harley battery was dead when the charger was removed.  The class C batteries were all fine but had some mold inside and a little bit outside.  It started right up.  It was plugged in during our absence and I had a small fan running with the vents opened one inch.  It needs a good wash down and a good hand wax. 

Oh yea, it’s hot.  Getting here the temp actually hit 100 degrees but was only..get that “only” in the 90’s with the humidity being high it felt very hot here in Livingston!

We did 1,350 miles in 3 days.  It really tuckered us out.  Maybe because we’ve done this same trip 4 times since May.  Maybe so or maybe old age, or hot/humid.  Too hot to boone dock so we pick our campgrounds before we leave each time.  We still don’t make reservations on a trip like this.

We got a few short trips (under 300 mi)  in the class C planned while were here until the end of December.  Carol has a Line Dance rally she wants to go to.  I got a motorcycle rally in Lukenbach that I would like to go to.  Plus theirs Betty’s RV Park, the River Walk and some others maybe too.

See ya……….

Baileyton, TN

We are in Baileyton, TN.  Why you might ask?  It’s because it’s about 400 miles from where we were yesterday and there’s a Passport America (PA) here.  For $20 we got FHU, 50 amp, pull thru…. why not stay.  Plus it’s 90 some degrees.  A little to hot for boone docking it.  Tomorrow we will go about 475 miles to another PA called Benchmark.  We’ve stayed there once before and it’s just OK for an overnighter.

It’s been a lot of fun staying in WV but it had to end and we need to return to Texas to take care of “stuff.”  We should arrive back in Livingston early Thursday evening.  I’ve already ordered “stuff” from Amazon for the little RV and some of it will be ready for pick up Friday.

We do have a good internet here.  That’s real nice.  Fuel prices are great……  That’s it for now.

See ya……………

Friggin Computer

I lost over 22,000 pictures that were in my computer.  Yes, over 22,000 pictures since 2009.  I must have hit a wrong button and whoosh they were gone.  So what do you do when something is wrong with your computer?  I hit buttons of course.  Then I lost my Microsoft Outlook…my email stuff.  The program starts to open but never does.  It’s “processing.”  Oh, I’m not done now.  Now I have nothing to lose so more buttons.  I got my pictures back some how.  I don’t know how.  I just pushed buttons.  No email Outlook.  So, I’m using some funky email system that came with the computer.  I’m not sure 100% if I’m sending/receiving everything.

My blog is very slow to upload.  It has taken over several hours to upload.  That’s one reason I’m not actively doing it.  Another reason is that we are just enjoying the wilderness.  To say that everyday would be tiring for some if I said that everyday.  Maybe it would be jealously too.

Due to my recent neck problem we are returning to Livingston early like in next Tuesday we leave here.  We will be back in Livingston by the end of the week.  My doctor’s appointment is the following week.

Back in Livingston I will be able to get myself fixed, my computer can get fixed, work on my Harley, Carol can line dance and we can have some parties.  All will be well.

See ya…..

Another Motorcycle

I’m a proud owner of a 1982 Honda 110 trail bike.  I found it, more or less, on Craig’s List several months ago.  A guy was selling a similar one but also had this one that he was going to work on soon.  He works on Hondas as a hobby. He said he would email me when it was done.  He called a couple of weeks ago and was getting ready to put it on Craig’s List.  We agreed on price and I tentatively bought it.  Mark was now back in Texas and he went and looked at it near Dallas.  He said it was a good bike and a good deal.  Bought it.  Mark has it setting at his place until we get back in about 10+ days or so.

The Honda will go on the front of the camper and will be used en route to Alaska next year.  I have to order a front receiver hitch and the bike ramp/holder.  I already got the item numbers for them and will order later this week.  It will add 300 lbs for everything on the front end.  For a V10 Ford 350 super duty, it can handle it.

We’re still in Augusta, WV at Carol’s brother (Steven’s) family campground that he is building.  The pavilion is almost finished. Another good weekend should get it just about done.

We will be heading back to Livingston the day after Labor Day for medical reasons.  We were gonna stay about another month but I have to get back now and see my doctor.  I made it almost 8 months without going to an ER.  Well, I didn’t make it a year like I was being so careful not do anything dumb.  My brain shifted down to my neck and started hurting and needs to be cut out.  I don’t use it much so I won’t miss it according to so called friends.  We should make it back around Friday the 9th of Sept and my Dr appointment is the following Monday.

I think our cat really likes being around here.  Just resting from a day outside playing.

The internet here is really bad.  Pictures take hours to upload but doable.  We can go down the road about 12 miles to the hospital and use their internet.  I guess you can figure out how we learned that.

So, that’s it i a nut shell.

See ya….

45th Anniversary

Yepper, 45 years of marriage today August 8th.  I don’t even know how she put up with me all of these years.  All I have to say to her is  “I Love You and Thank You for being my best buddy ever.”

See ya……

Old New Food

This and aYooho….. Talk about a chocolate over load…

BUT WAIT THERE’S MORE…….

Then for dinner…

Really cooked (burnt) is the only way I can eat it.  About this black….

See ya….

RVers Tips

Here’s something I do.  I always try to put a big dip in the sewer hose.   When I put a dip in the hose it fills up with water thus the bugs normally can’t get passed it. 

Awning straps…  If I put a twist in the strap the wind won’t make that howling noise on windy days.

Battery operated fans are great on buggy days setting out at a table.  Great in Alaska.  Walmart for about $12 bucks.

Yes, raingear.  Walmart has these.  Try it on before getting it.  It’s 3 years old and holding up good except the cat put a few claw holes in it.

They fold up nice and small..by the way..the lighter…..88 cents in the sporting goods department at Walmart.  I got a stockpile of them.

ThermaCell.  This is a must and works great in Alaska according to Mark.  I haven’t decided one way or the other but do have one.

Skeeter spray which is 100% deet.  That is strong and must be used VERY carefully.  I don’t put it on skin but clothes are fine. 

Yeti fake 20 oz cup.  Walmart for under $8 and seems to be real good with the double insulated aluminum and clear lid.

See ya…

Settling In

Getting really set up here in West Virginia. 

We run about 150 feet of hose so we can have water 100% of the time.  Nobody comes up on the weekends nor unannounced.  Can’t find us. 

Car garage until he pavilion is finished

My rock palace.

Our front yard,Finding the sat was easy this time was easy now that I know the compass setting in-between the trees

I got the compass reading from this sat last time we were here.

Hey, were in West Virginia and you hang them clothes where ever.

Our watch cat….one happy cat

Tomorrow I will have “things” on the blog that might help some  RVers with do dads.

See ya………….