A Different Life II

[Lily&Me]

Originally Posted by ColoradoLady

Maggie, due to medical issues, it is not wise for me to make a move on the Interstate at this time. I will PM to you. I'm OK, but, caution is called for. Evelyn.

Sorry to hear of medical issues, but it is good to be cautious with such a big step. Personally, I can't imagine taking on that kind of debt at my age.

Feel free to email me any time, Evelyn.


Maggie

[Lily&Me]

Originally Posted by DIR1

Hi Maggie!! you two are having a great time!!! and it's sooo fun to share if from here in Oregon... the WIFI is a Windows 10 issue... very frustrating!!! it reoccurs... ugh...

We have a café in Astoria named Wet Dog... a mini brewery... and a deck outside so Lily can sit with you while you have lunch!!! fun place... Oregon is very dog friendly.. keep having fun!!!! Hugs and love from here, gail

I am soooo looking forward to the gathering in Oregon.

We're going to have a great time.

Lily and I are having a chore day today.....doing our walking here.

Mending one of the mesh areas on the rear doors, scrubbing both of those out, preparing to do a little redecorating inside. Sometimes, you need a small change in what you look at all the time....not sure exactly what I will end up with, but I have begun.

Doug would say things are a bit too girly to suit him, already, but.... I saw several cardinals this morning, walking Lily, which always make me think of him....rooting me on, perhaps letting me know he is near.

I tell my granddaughter....who is still really, really missing her Grandpa....to smile to herself when she sees cardinals, and tell her Grandpa she loves him.

Supposed to be in the low 70's today, everyone is out walking their dogs, biking, etc. On my to-do list is to inflate the tires in my little bike...so I can ride it.

Cold weather on the horizon, tho....I have not put away my microfleece.

I have been telling every dog owner I've seen about Beachwalker, and have not spoken to a single person who knew it was there.

I would not, either, but for Jane.

We will get back there again this week, while I still have the car that gets 35 mpg.


Maggie

[AlphaStream]

I share your joyful pain on the red cardinals. My granddaughter smiles for the blue birds. It’s just amazing were they can show up for us.

[AlphaStream]

I’m so excited you posted this information here on your brewery The Wet Dog. Can’t wait.

[Lily&Me]

Choring here again today, after a run for supplies to the WalMart down Folly Road.....you know you are acclimating to an area when you can get where you need to go without the map open.

I really appreciate TD Jakes, and his down to earth, straightforward, common sense approach to navigating the large and small quagmires of life.

He...cuts...right...to it, and feels to be a good man.


Maggie

[Lily&Me]

It is 64 degrees here right now....I have been able to sleep with the windows open and no heat on the past couple of nights.

Going back to Beachwalker this morning, before rain and a cold spell set in.

This is why we are here.


Maggie

[DIR1]

Originally Posted by AlphaStream

I’m so excited you posted this information here on your brewery The Wet Dog. Can’t wait.

Hi there... Astoria is a great town for things like that, mini breweries, cafes, neat shops... a nice long paved path along the river.... lots of fun to be had... see you in September!!!

Good morning Maggie... hope the beach walk was fun for you two!!!

[ColoradoLady]

Good morning, Maggie. You seem to have landed in one of few places in the country that has nice weather! To think that you are sleeping with windows open and walking barefoot on the beach. How nice!

It snowed here Sunday thru Tuesday evening with accumulation of 1 1/2 feet of snow and low of 5* high 22*! Deb had a devil of a time getting our SUVs shoveled out last night. She has to go out to work and I can stay in and enjoy how pretty it is...while I sip my hot coffee!
Continue enjoying your snowbird experience....while we live vicariously thru you...here in the snow.....LOL! Evelyn.

[Lily&Me]

Thank you, ladies......it is as nice as it sounds. . I was, in fact, barefoot, and walking in the water.

We had a good walk....Lily ran, of course, and did a little splashing around ...did a couple of errands, dumped tanks and filled the fresh water.... all just before it began to rain.

I have figured out the problem with the connection between the sewer hose and the motor home....after focusing on the actual connect on my new, expandable, and better hose, I looked at all of it and there are things at increments around the part that attaches to the motor home part...that's as technical as I can get ...that are probably meant to help one grip but actually are bumping up against another part of the underbody.

Hard to explain....it really requires a visual, but trust me that I have been on the ground, laying with my head under the motor home, figuring this out.

But, I did!

I'm going to cut about 1/2 inch off the end of each of them, where they are just long enough to want to hit this piece of the underbody, and that should provide enough clearance to solve the problem.

I'm not sure what I will cut them with, but I will look in my trusty tool bag. I believe one of the multi tools has a little hacksaw thingy on it..

If not, or if I don't have the hand strength to do it, I will appeal to the maintenance guy here, who I am sure will have something.

It is warm enough here that it is humid. Yikes.


Maggie

[Lily&Me]

65 degrees and 100% humidity at 9pm last night....I turned the AC on low, on February 3rd.

I knew it would vastly improve the quality of my sleep, and it did.

I have been on a small journey in recent days, to begin redecorating the inside of the Interstate a bit....small prints picked up at beloved places and affixed to the walls have succumbed to age, temperature variations and the dust collection inherent in this interior..... so I have taken them all down and cleaned the walls.

They will go into something collage-ish at home....memories of journeys shared together, in the before......146,000 miles in 6 1/2 retirement years, and 47 of the lower 48 states. The time of our lives.

A job, getting all those 3M sticky bits off, and I envisioned Doug smiling wryly, lips pursed a bit, watching me from his parallel perch in the afterlife.

He, with larger and stronger thumbnails, often took on the scraping off of sticky bits when I wanted to move something....tho sometimes grumbling goodnaturedly.

It's what husbands do, he would say.

One of these is being delivered today, to go just to the right of the window in the galley area....and be filled with oft-reached-for items such as oatmeal, mueslix, trail mix, etc. I love it, for lots of reasons.

Not sure what else I will do with the interior, but it will be more minimalist, still reflective of solo me.....and definitely along the lines of things-that-do-not-collect-dust-on-and-behind.


Maggie

[mimiandrews]

I have figured out the problem with the connection between the sewer hose and the motor home....after focusing on the actual connect on my new, expandable, and better hose, I looked at all of it and there are things at increments around the part that attaches to the motor home part...that's as technical as I can get ...that are probably meant to help one grip but actually are bumping up against another part of the underbody.

Hard to explain....it really requires a visual, but trust me that I have been on the ground, laying with my head under the motor home, figuring this out.

But, I did!

I'm going to cut about 1/2 inch off the end of each of them, where they are just long enough to want to hit this piece of the underbody, and that should provide enough clearance to solve the problem.

I'm not sure what I will cut them with, but I will look in my trusty tool bag. I believe one of the multi tools has a little hacksaw thingy on it..


Yay! Maggie is starting to to her own mechanic things. Way to go!

[Lily&Me]

A few things, Mimi.

Being independent rather than dependent is a big part of my self-identity, so I simply can't beg for help for all things previously handled by Doug.

If I'm going to do this, I have to do it.

I do draw the line, thus far, at checking tire pressure, when I can go into any Firestone dealer and have them do it/fill my tires for free.


Maggie

[ColoradoLady]

Maggie, welcome to the new independent you! Sense of pride is evident. Good for you. It is interesting...how ...things we used to think we could not do...now find that we can.

What is that saying?....necessity is the 'mother of invention'....something like that. I used to do stuff like that...now, can't imagine getting on my back on the ground, under anything! You keep on doing your THING, Maggie! Evelyn.

[Lily&Me]

I've always been pretty independent, actually....single parenting for 16 years, a sink or swim situation, will do that to one ....but there were some things I gladly turned over to sweet hubby when we married, then the "guy things" with the motor home that I never did..until I had to.

Like....dumping the tanks for the first time, the day after he died.... as I headed home from SE Georgia.

Ahhh, life. It just sucks some times.

But, here I am, almost two years later, and doing pretty darned well. He is proud, I feel certain.

My wall mount canisters arrived today, and I have the framework already in place...and straight.

I like them, but it will look decidedly more kitchen-ey in that area.

It's okay....I'm redecorating.

It has rained...all...day...long...but it isn't snow, nor is it 18 degrees like it is at home.


Maggie

[ColoradoLady]

Yep, if one is to survive and succeed as a single parent, (I, too, had the experience), you have to draw on an inner strength you didn't know was there....until you had to....and then, you continue getting more independent and tenacious. Good qualities, I think. You have them in spades, probably more now than before you met Doug. No doubt, he is proud of you! God bless you. Evelyn.

[Lily&Me]

The sun is shining, and it is beautiful today....the calm before some serious cold, but that is okay....no snow to shovel, no ice storms.

Returned the rental car this morning, having put 463 miles on it in two weeks.

It was a good idea, tho in retrospect two Fri-Sun rentals probably would have been sufficient. It has been very handy to just hop in and run to one of the beaches, the grocery store, etc., tho I don't anticipate it will become a traveling habit.

Washed my rugs and scrubbed the floor when I got back. A phenomenal amount of dirt accumulates, even with daily vacuuming, when all your life activities are occurring in such a small area....plus, there is Lily in and out, and whatever she carries in on her coat and in her paws. Umm, like sand.

All clean now.


Maggie

[skitique]

Maggie
So glad to see you & Lily have been going to Beachwalker park. Isn't it a great dog beach? It is strange there ar no shells there though.

Where did you order the canisters? I.d like some for my trailer. When are you headed to Huntington Beach? That is a great park, the area is nice, & only about an hour & half drive from Folly.

Jane

[Lily&Me]

Hi Jane!

Beachwalker is great, and I have shared its location with every dog walker here that I have seen.

I had thought about taking the Interstate down there one day this next week, hanging out for most of a day, but the weather looks like it is going to be inhospitable for that, so I think not. We'll see.

These are Zevro 3 Canister Cereal Dispensers, which I ordered from Webstaurant, who had by far the best price.

I am very happy wth them, and they also come in a single canister unit. These are mine, installed.

I will be here another week, heading to Huntington Beach on the 14th for 2 weeks.....then, Edisto.

Hope to see you again, Jane, tho I understand your tax-season obligations.


Maggie

[Lily&Me]

Today is going to be as cold and rainy as yesterday was sunny, mild and beautiful.

The rain began last night, so Lily is currently in "holding it" mode. Such a wuss she has become.

Walking her early yesterday morning, I noticed lots of Airstreams had pulled in on Friday, most of them in the other loop, with flags flying on at least one. Hmmm.

Out again late morning, I come across John and Susan Leake, and some others familiar from Alumalina.....their WBCCI unit is having a rally here. Good to see them and to visit a bit, tho Lily terrorized one of their dogs.

Just when she seemed to have learned to hold herself in check, she does not....seeming to respond strongly to the temperament of this particular dog...baring her big teeth, barking, snarling and snapping ....in that mode, she looks like a demon dog from a horror movie.... that could and would rip another dog to shreds...and she frightens people unfamiliar with her. Not good.

I'm almost thru my yarn stash, having cranked out a dozen or more heavy duty hats, soon to return to prayer shawls.

I love to crochet...learning was one of the very best things I have ever done for myself.

It's going to be an inside, crochet and tea, day.


Maggie

[paiceman]

"Just when she seemed to have learned to hold herself in check, she does not....seeming to respond strongly to the temperament of this particular dog...baring her big teeth, barking, snarling and snapping ....in that mode, she looks like a demon dog from a horror movie.... that could and would rip another dog to shreds...and she frightens people unfamiliar with her. Not good."

Could be the people she is responding to as well as your unfeeling and unknown apprehension. Slip leash, high up just under her ears and a slight, very slight tug to the side might snap her our of the fixation and tell her "it's okay, I've got this". With a dog aggressive dog, especially one on leash it can be a long and involved process and even at that about 75%-80% improvement is all that can be expected.

You are doing fine, but knowing her limitations and keeping her under control - many people simply give up and take the dogs to shelters. Congratulations and stay calm, no matter what. Some ask how I stay calm as a high type A person, I tell them I get into the mode of I don't care what the dog does, I am in control and will take care of it. Most, repeat most dogs accept it and calm down, some do not, bite me instead of the other dog.

Then of course it could just be an off day for Lily - we have them and so do dogs. A good K9 Cop will recognize this and pull his or her dog from shift that day.


Enjoy the cool rainy weather, some of my favorite days to walk the dogs.

Bud