A Different Life II

[Lily&Me]

Took the Interstate in to Don Owen Tire & Auto this morning, to have Jon look things over before I head out on the road after Christmas…specifically, the little brake sensor light that has been coming on and off.

One of these sensors had been bent a small bit, tho was still attached and brake fluid was full…the bent bit likely the result of a too hasty removal of tire covers by yours truly.

So, he bent it back and they insisted on no charge.

Merry Christmas to me, and have a good trip they said.

I told Jon that one of the people I am grateful to have in my life is him, and Don Owen Tire.

It has brought such a deep sense of security to me, knowing there is reliable service right here in town, and a face-to-face relationship with the skilled mechanic that works on my rig.

I am grateful.


Dealing with odds and ends, some medical appointments this week, gathering up things to leave, etc., and a week from now we should be well southeast and in warmer temperatures.

I had planned on a train trip to Chicago this week, just for the joy of the city at Christmas, some walking, shopping and imbibing of coffee, and a nice lunch out…and a chance to wear this gorgeous cowl I made for myself.

But, I canceled, deciding that a day away would make the leaving preparations just too jammed in.

So, gorgeous cowl awaits another trip to the city next winter.

[GCinSC2]

Maggie

Sounds like Jon is a candidate for a home baked thank you.

Gary

[Lily&Me]

That is an excellent idea, Gary, and thank you.

If it weren’t Covid, I might have hugged Jon this morning.

Tho I did pat him on the arm a bit.

Maggie

[Lily&Me]

Had my annual girl-exam this morning, a female doctor I have seen for years and who partners in an office that is always cheerful, kind, warm, remembers your nickname, etc.…and, of course, professional.

She always sits and takes a few minutes to ask about your year and your life, plus the usual medical screening queries.

I just appreciate these people and places so much, and told them so.

Not all medical offices are managed this way.


We are having cold nights, but moderate and sunny days, and that looks to be the forecast thru our after-Christmas leaving time.

Buddha smiles, Doug would say.

I picked up these two strings of battery-operated fairy lights at Home Depot this morning, and am going to install them under the cabinet that runs across the rear of the Interstate…for a little soft light early morning and into the evenings out there, particularly for these winter days.

Pretty, yes?

[Lily&Me]

Dropped off two big bags of hats and scarves this morning, got my hair trimmed and picked up the Interstate…now plugged in and sitting in my driveway.

My sweet son is off this week, and has installed two, three-pronged, brushed stainless hooks behind my drivers seat for sweatshirts and jackets…as those sticky hook things only last until the first really hot or really cold day, then they and whatever they’ve been holding are on the floor.

Over and over and over again.

But, I now have a permanent, and more attractive, solution.

We are going to have unseasonably warm weather for the next few days, so I will actually be able to do some loading, packing and sorting before I head out on Sunday morning.

It has been a very busy week, but everything is coming together quite nicely.


Tomorrow is Christmas Eve.

Cream Biscuits to take to my sons are made and in the freezer, going to make the raspberry jello salad tomorrow, wrap the kids’ gifts and I will be ready.

Happy holidays to all who drop in here, however you may spend them.

May you have love and warmth in your life, may you stay safe and have travels in your future.

Maggie & Lily

[Hittenstiehl]

We too are in those final stages of getting ready. Present wrapping needs to start happening earlier for us. Might be pretty to look at them for a little while before they get ravaged open by excited little kids.

Dropped off our neighbor gifts and just a couple of things to nosh on for some friends.

On the way home are 17-year-old 280,000 mile truck went into limited engine power mode. WHAT!

Off to AutoZone to buy the OBD to see what our code is. Better be fixable and quick as we are headed to a rally in a couple of days. Go figure that's when things always go sideways. Not a catastrophe just another little hurdle.

Wishing you a good holiday and safe travels and we'll follow along. That is a fantastic photo of Lily.

[Lily&Me]

That’s not Lily, actually, but a stock photo I downloaded some years back and have posted before at this time of year.

I should have said that.

It does look very much like her younger self, tho, and is cute, kind of “neutral” but still seasonal.

Maggie

[DaveP]

No harm, no foul.

[Hittenstiehl]

I should have remembered that. On that note it's a beautiful reenactment of Lily. We get the seasonal message. Have a great one.

[Goal15]

Originally Posted by Lily&Me

That’s not Lily, actually, but a stock photo I downloaded some years back and have posted before at this time of year.

I should have said that.

It does look very much like her younger self, tho, and is cute, kind of “neutral” but still seasonal.

Maggie

Merry Christmas Maggie. Safe and fulfilling journeys in the new year!

Dana & Olga

[Lily&Me]

Thank you, and for dropping in here.


But for last minute items and the frig, the Interstate is loaded.

This is a big job, by yourself, particularly as I need cold weather and early spring weather clothing.

In addition to HC-specific clothing and that go-bag, including this trip some fleece tops and cold weather gear for the project next month.

That will, of course, be outdoors and without hookups.

When that is over, I may just ship a big box home.

Am I ready? Yes, as close as I can get for today.

Lily watches preparations with great interest, laying this morning back near where her dog food and treats are kept, and once I loaded them up she returned to the living room. Booger dog.


Heading to my sons in a bit, and tho I have already Skyped with darling daughter we will do that again over there so the kids can see her, open gifts, etc.

What a gift Skype, FaceTime, etc., have been for we who are separated for whatever reason.

Will check in next from the road…I have a spot picked out for tomorrow night and maybe a couple beyond that, inexpensive but with showers and electricity, so I can get unpacked, dewinterize, etc., if weather will allow.

Lows in the teens expected here early next week, but we’ll be gone.

Have a wonderful day, everyone!

Maggie

[Por Sonia]

Have a safe trip, and fun!

Peter

[Lily&Me]

Thank you, Peter, and we are excited to be getting on the road.

Maggie

[Lily&Me]

We were on the road about 7:30 this morning, and stayed entirely on major highways all the way into central KY.

After a couple of hours of putting things away , we are settled for the evening and Lily is getting some much needed rest.

She does not get her naps on drive days, and this was no exception, tho we are staying here in Kentucky until Tuesday morning to begin the dewinterization process and settle in, so she will be glad of that.

I haven’t eaten a proper meal today, but will do that tomorrow.

The Interstate is stuffed to the gills with extra things for the HC project, and I finally determined that the warmer weather things I brought…currently still in a large bag …will go into one of those extra large Ziploc bags tomorrow and then live on top of the fresh water tank until needed.

There is simply nowhere else to put them.


I finished this book the other night, “As Bright as Heaven” by Susan Meissner, and tho not excellent it was very good, and unusual.

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/...ight-as-heaven

Set in Philadelphia during WWI and the Flu epidemic of 1918, one of the main characters works out her grief after losing a child by caring for the dead in a funeral home.

Lots of twists and turns, and not your ordinary book, I would say.

[Lily&Me]

A day full of small tasks, and then we were on the road early again this morning.

In the rain, then it cleared, now it is raining again in the state park in Tennessee that we have settled into until after the holiday weekend.

TN state parks give seniors 50% off in the off season, which means 6 nights cost just over $90, with hookups, hot showers and free WiFi.

I need to do some organizing of cabinets, then we will be pretty much settled in.

The first week out is always a bit frazzled.

Lily rides in the passenger seat, and whenever we go thru a town she has to sit up and watch to see what is happening…giving me the are we there yet?, are we stopping for ice cream??? looks.

[mimiandrews]

Lily rides in the passenger seat, and whenever we go thru a town she has to sit up and watch to see what is happening…giving me the are we there yet?, are we stopping for ice cream??? looks.

Blackie used to do the same. She always knew when we came to a town. In between towns, she was usually fast asleep in the back seat of the truck.

[Lily&Me]

Hi Mimi!

I still have that picture of Blackie and Lily together in your truck from a few years back.


Leaving is always somewhat stressful for me, and the first couple of days of absolute chaos inside the Interstate until I get things pulled together.

I try to avoid chaos, organizing my environment, tasks, thoughts and actions being a strength of mine.

But, sometimes it is unavoidable, and so then I must just get thru it.

And then, as tensions abate I sleep like the dead, which is what has happened the last few nights.

It’s a good thing.


Spent almost three hours on the phone with a longtime friend last evening, catching up and planning to get together in 2022.

Those long-standing relationships where you just click with the other person and can always pick up where you last left off are ones I particularly cherish.

Some drama in her family, and some serious drama going on in mine…tho not with me or my kids/theirs …good for both of us to be able to be able to talk things thru with friends who love and really “get” you.


This Interstate does not have a radio in the back, only on the dash, and I miss that.

I like these days to have my stereo on at home when I am doing whatever, and miss that when parked, so bought this little, battery-operated Sony at WalMart yesterday, and it is perfectly adequate…decent sound, and it is very compact.

Reminds me of the transistor radio I got for Christmas when I was maybe in the 7th grade.

I’ve thought about bringing the Bose from home along, but where would I put it???

This will do.


Got my fairy lights up this morning, which I think will provide perfectly acceptable and soft indoor lighting when I am without electricity.

Got them up with superglue, double-stick tape…working over my head to cut and affix this particular kind of tape was a bit challenging, but I got it done…and I like them.

I had thought I would run them around under that rear cabinet, but, ummm, that was not doable with double-stick tape and only one set of hands.

[Lily&Me]

Have I mentioned that TN State Parks give seniors half off campsites in the off season???

What a deal…if I knew that before, I had forgotten.

Have reserved us a few more days at another that is closer to the HC project that we begin next weekend, as the dewinterizing and sanitizing process continues on schedule.

They even have inexpensive laundry facilities, and staff are very friendly.

Nice.


My daughter made me this a couple of years back, after I asked her to find a pattern for a tissue holder for the RV.

I wanted something that took up only the space of what was inside , and that I could refill easily.

I hate cardboard tissue boxes out here, and this is not only decorative but completely functional.

[Lily&Me]

The dewinterization process of my Interstate nearly complete, my task for this morning was to get my water heater up and running.

Thought I had fully closed the drain valve, and that something was broken because when I turned the yellow valve to “open”, water poured out this valve.

This drain, circled, looks fully closed, doesn’t it???

No, this is actually fully open, and therein lay the problem.

After pulling out the pliers to try to close something that was full open and would go no farther, I figured that out.all.by.myself.

Got it fully closed, and filled.

Small crisis averted. Whew.


Temps dropped during the night, and it is supposed to be in the upper 20’s here tonight with an inch or two of snow.

But, it is very, very cold at home, which is why we are here and not there.

[Lily&Me]

This is what we woke up to this morning, about 1 1/2” of snow and ice, which Lily found very invigorating on our early morning romp.

Filled the propane tank, as the furnace needs to run at night, and made our way to our next SP quite a bit farther south and east where we will stay til Friday.