Not a lot going on here in Indiana. The weather has turned more "seasonal" which means COLD! :-)
We have been doing a lot of running back and forth between Grand kids and Rudee's Mom's. We have her pretty well settled into a routine now and she is doing her best to adapt.
I, on the other hand, am starting to get a bad case of "hitch itch". Rudee mentioned the other day about just heading down South to warmer weather. "Sounds good to me"! We could stay there until we get called to work or come back for Christmas, whichever comes first. I started thinking about the cost of diesel fuel compared to just sitting here and running the furnace, not sure I want to spend the extra $$ to drive down just to turn around and come back in a couple of weeks :-(
I really don't like the campground we are at though. There are only about 30 sites and half of those are blocked off for one reason or another. We only have 30 amp service and I have to use the macerator pump to dump the black tank into the sewer connection on the site next to ours. Our sewer pipe works fine for the gray water (which we leave open for now) but when I dump the black tank it will not handle the volume all at once and backs up. I learned that lesson the hard way. :-o
Our view out of our front window is of a torn up field with a large John Deer excavator that looks to have not been moved for several months. Out our front door is a broken down construction office trailer and a pile of cement blocks. This place does not have the "it" factor at all! The only thing it has going for it is it is only 3 miles from our daughters house and 15 miles from her Mom's.
I am beginning to think we will not get the call to work until after Christmas and maybe even New Years. I guess things could change at anytime but I can't see anyone leaving a job voluntarily or them terminating someone right before Christmas. I could be wrong though, I think it's happened before ;-) I'll keep you posted.
Wednesday, November 28, 2012
Wednesday, November 21, 2012
the good, the bad and the ugly
We have been doing a lot of running around lately doing all the little things that need done when you lose a family member. Some of things we can do ourselves but some require Rudee's Mom to be present. She is 83 and loves to have a "day on the town" since she can't get out on her own anymore. The other day we had to go to the courthouse where she had to sign some papers, afterwards we stopped into a small restaurant to eat lunch. We were in Danville Indiana which holds onto it's "small town" status even though it is in the shadow of sprawling Indianapolis. The restaurant was decorated as a 50's style diner complete with jukebox and the waitress' wore poodle skirts. Lunch was good and Rudee's Mom wanted to pay for ours. She is on an even more of a fixed income now and we were not going to let that happen. She ended up "sneaking" a $20 bill to the young man at the cash register that just happened to be next to our booth and had heard us discussing her finances. He rang our bill up and, without saying a word, reached into his own wallet and pulled out two $1 bills to cover the rest of our check. He then brought the left over change and gave it to Rudee's Mom as if her $20 covered the tab. I didn't know what to say, what a nice gesture for a young man to make! We guessed him to be about 18 years old, his Mom and Dad can be proud of him for sure!
As we got up to leave Rudee went up to him and said "I saw what you did" and he just smiled and said "what?". She gave him the $2 back and thanked him as we walked out the door. She also slipped a $20 bill into her Mom's purse when she wasn't looking too. :-)
So that was the "good" part of this post, now for the "bad and the ugly".
We got our paperwork from the RV dealer to transfer our license plates and apply for our title. We headed for the DMV anxious to get it "out of the way". I always dreaded trips to the DMV and Rudee refuses to go without me! We arrived and took a number. There was only one other person in line but we still had to take a number. :-(
We got called up to the desk pretty quickly and I told them what I needed and handed over my small stack of paperwork. The lady behind the desk was very nice, her name tag said she was the assistant manager and, if age was any indication, she had worked there for a long time. The registration transfer went really easy so I decided to get my address corrected on my drivers license. The post office decided last year that they were changing all the numbers in the shopping center where our UPS store is at. We have been changing our address on things all year long and I just had not bothered (or maybe "avoided" is the right word) changing it on my DL. The nice lady started reviewing my information and typing it into her computer. "You still 210 pounds" she asked. "Well ...... not really" I said taking a big gulp and giving her a number a little closer to my actual weight. Ok I thought that was going to be it, then she looked up at me and, right in front of my wife, asked me. "Do you still consider your hair color black"? What the heck lady??!! Rudee began to laugh and told me I still had a choice, gray or skin tone! Deflated I had to admit "no, I guess it's more gray now" as I lowered my head and slumped into the chair. I suddenly realized I was the only guy in the room! I was out numbered and didn't stand a chance. it was worse than when I was a little boy and my Mom would drag me to the beauty shop to get her hair done!
I finally made it through the "inquisition" and got my picture taken for my new drivers license. That is the "ugly" part because they substituted my picture for a balding, gray haired, slightly pundgy "older" looking guy! I couldn't get out of there fast enough! To this day I get cold chills when walking by the door to the beauty shop and now I am getting the same thing from the DMV. :-)
We are planning Thanksgiving with our grand kids and looking forward to spending the holiday with family. Last year at this time we were in the oil fields and eating a turkey dinner from a styrofoam box. I'll keep you posted.
As we got up to leave Rudee went up to him and said "I saw what you did" and he just smiled and said "what?". She gave him the $2 back and thanked him as we walked out the door. She also slipped a $20 bill into her Mom's purse when she wasn't looking too. :-)
So that was the "good" part of this post, now for the "bad and the ugly".
We got our paperwork from the RV dealer to transfer our license plates and apply for our title. We headed for the DMV anxious to get it "out of the way". I always dreaded trips to the DMV and Rudee refuses to go without me! We arrived and took a number. There was only one other person in line but we still had to take a number. :-(
We got called up to the desk pretty quickly and I told them what I needed and handed over my small stack of paperwork. The lady behind the desk was very nice, her name tag said she was the assistant manager and, if age was any indication, she had worked there for a long time. The registration transfer went really easy so I decided to get my address corrected on my drivers license. The post office decided last year that they were changing all the numbers in the shopping center where our UPS store is at. We have been changing our address on things all year long and I just had not bothered (or maybe "avoided" is the right word) changing it on my DL. The nice lady started reviewing my information and typing it into her computer. "You still 210 pounds" she asked. "Well ...... not really" I said taking a big gulp and giving her a number a little closer to my actual weight. Ok I thought that was going to be it, then she looked up at me and, right in front of my wife, asked me. "Do you still consider your hair color black"? What the heck lady??!! Rudee began to laugh and told me I still had a choice, gray or skin tone! Deflated I had to admit "no, I guess it's more gray now" as I lowered my head and slumped into the chair. I suddenly realized I was the only guy in the room! I was out numbered and didn't stand a chance. it was worse than when I was a little boy and my Mom would drag me to the beauty shop to get her hair done!
I finally made it through the "inquisition" and got my picture taken for my new drivers license. That is the "ugly" part because they substituted my picture for a balding, gray haired, slightly pundgy "older" looking guy! I couldn't get out of there fast enough! To this day I get cold chills when walking by the door to the beauty shop and now I am getting the same thing from the DMV. :-)
We are planning Thanksgiving with our grand kids and looking forward to spending the holiday with family. Last year at this time we were in the oil fields and eating a turkey dinner from a styrofoam box. I'll keep you posted.
Saturday, November 17, 2012
looking to get back to "normal"
We have had a long and busy week with Rudee's family. Her Dad's showing was Tuesday evening and we had graveside and military services Wednesday morning. In between all of this we have been running ourselves ragged doing errands that have to be done in times like this.
Rudee has spent almost all of her nights with her Mother and I have been commuting back and forth during the day. We are both ready for a return to our normal "abnormal" lifestyle. :-)
Before you get to feeling sorry for me I have to confess I have not been spending my nights alone. :-(
A few days ago I got up before the sun appeared and was at the table drinking coffee and surfing the web when my "room mate" ran through the living room. YIKES ..... Mouse!! :-O
I had to call Rudee to find out where the mouse traps were at, seems like I still can't find a lot of things since the move. She was not real happy to be awake at that hour but understood my dilemma. I eventually found a trap and baited it up with some peanut butter for the little sucker.
I then left for the day and was anxious to get back and dispose of the carcass. When I returned that evening the trap was still set but the peanut butter was missing! Well alrighty then, we got ourselves a smart mouse! Not to be out witted by a mere rodent, I re baited and repositioned the trap figuring if he had to eat the peanut butter while facing the opposite direction than the trap would spring and I could claim VICTORY! Now remember the size of a mouses (or is that mices?) head is pretty small so their brain has to be minuscule while I, on the other hand, have a huge head and thus a corresponding huge brain. How could I fail.
The next morning I got out of bed and headed into the living room intending to throw that dead mouse into the trash and celebrate my superior intelligence. The problem was the trap was still set and the peanut butter was once again gone! Hmmmm this thing has to be the only big headed, large brain, intelligent mouse in existence! Ya, that's got to be it. I picked up the trap and examined it, determined to outsmart the little guy. Looked to me like the trap needed more of a hair trigger so I got out the tools. I bent and reshaped the "trigger" a little bit until it was perfect, at least my large, superior brain thought it was perfect.
I re-baited my re-designed trap and set it out (I was positive I would get him this time!) and left to go meet Rudee. That was yesterday morning and when we got home last evening I quickly unlocked the door so I could show Rudee how brave and smart her hubby really is! The trap was there, still sitting upright and still set. I took a closer look and the peanut butter was missing! CRAP! I was even more obsessed at getting this little Einstein of the rodent world outta my house! Maybe if I can't trap him I can kill him from high blood pressure, diabetes and obesity by all the peanut butter I am feeding him!
I decided to give the trap another try, what have I got to lose. I decided if I didn't get him/her this time I would give up and adopt it as a pet. Maybe make a little leash out of string and I can take it for walks around the campground. Don't worry, I would carry some teeny tiny plastic bags so I could "clean up" after my pet. After all, meeting the worlds smartest mouse would be a good ice breaker for meeting other campers, right? We could even put on shows at the campground pavilion showing how intelligent "my" mouse really is. Maybe get free camping and a little $$ to boot. Wow, I see a new work camping opportunity here.
Oh well, for the sake of my marriage, I had to give the trap one more try. I got up this morning and VOILA (or is it "whammo"?) the trap was sprung. I guess my little peanut butter eating friend was not so smart after all! I guess he learned not to mess with me and my "superior" intellect! I did a little happy dance to which Rudee thought I was losing what was left of my marbles. Oh well, it's gonna be a good day! I got my mouse! At least I hope it was my mouse? His head did look a little small to be "my" mouse. OH oh, better get out the peanut butter and reset the trap ...... I'll keep you posted.
Rudee has spent almost all of her nights with her Mother and I have been commuting back and forth during the day. We are both ready for a return to our normal "abnormal" lifestyle. :-)
Before you get to feeling sorry for me I have to confess I have not been spending my nights alone. :-(
A few days ago I got up before the sun appeared and was at the table drinking coffee and surfing the web when my "room mate" ran through the living room. YIKES ..... Mouse!! :-O
I had to call Rudee to find out where the mouse traps were at, seems like I still can't find a lot of things since the move. She was not real happy to be awake at that hour but understood my dilemma. I eventually found a trap and baited it up with some peanut butter for the little sucker.
I then left for the day and was anxious to get back and dispose of the carcass. When I returned that evening the trap was still set but the peanut butter was missing! Well alrighty then, we got ourselves a smart mouse! Not to be out witted by a mere rodent, I re baited and repositioned the trap figuring if he had to eat the peanut butter while facing the opposite direction than the trap would spring and I could claim VICTORY! Now remember the size of a mouses (or is that mices?) head is pretty small so their brain has to be minuscule while I, on the other hand, have a huge head and thus a corresponding huge brain. How could I fail.
The next morning I got out of bed and headed into the living room intending to throw that dead mouse into the trash and celebrate my superior intelligence. The problem was the trap was still set and the peanut butter was once again gone! Hmmmm this thing has to be the only big headed, large brain, intelligent mouse in existence! Ya, that's got to be it. I picked up the trap and examined it, determined to outsmart the little guy. Looked to me like the trap needed more of a hair trigger so I got out the tools. I bent and reshaped the "trigger" a little bit until it was perfect, at least my large, superior brain thought it was perfect.
I re-baited my re-designed trap and set it out (I was positive I would get him this time!) and left to go meet Rudee. That was yesterday morning and when we got home last evening I quickly unlocked the door so I could show Rudee how brave and smart her hubby really is! The trap was there, still sitting upright and still set. I took a closer look and the peanut butter was missing! CRAP! I was even more obsessed at getting this little Einstein of the rodent world outta my house! Maybe if I can't trap him I can kill him from high blood pressure, diabetes and obesity by all the peanut butter I am feeding him!
I decided to give the trap another try, what have I got to lose. I decided if I didn't get him/her this time I would give up and adopt it as a pet. Maybe make a little leash out of string and I can take it for walks around the campground. Don't worry, I would carry some teeny tiny plastic bags so I could "clean up" after my pet. After all, meeting the worlds smartest mouse would be a good ice breaker for meeting other campers, right? We could even put on shows at the campground pavilion showing how intelligent "my" mouse really is. Maybe get free camping and a little $$ to boot. Wow, I see a new work camping opportunity here.
Oh well, for the sake of my marriage, I had to give the trap one more try. I got up this morning and VOILA (or is it "whammo"?) the trap was sprung. I guess my little peanut butter eating friend was not so smart after all! I guess he learned not to mess with me and my "superior" intellect! I did a little happy dance to which Rudee thought I was losing what was left of my marbles. Oh well, it's gonna be a good day! I got my mouse! At least I hope it was my mouse? His head did look a little small to be "my" mouse. OH oh, better get out the peanut butter and reset the trap ...... I'll keep you posted.
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