Tuesday July 17 it's HOT

[MandysMom]

Wow, I get to open the day at 11:14 Calfornia time! Word of the day is HOT. Already near 90 and on way to 105 perhaps. Not a lot going on here. Mel is stable at moment, getting more pain medication but still able to get up for short periods and eating pretty well.
I have a pest control guy coming to treat outdoor ants to try to keep them outdoors. Later in week someone looking to put up grab rails if I like their plan. Wheelchair ramp soon. Friday dermatologist will look at tumor on Mel's scapula which rubs on sheets and hurts, hopefully he can remove the tumor under local. I'm still going to Curves, as usual and still eating Keto with about 55 lbs off. Our kid in MN is enjoying work as Reserve Deputy and we get frequent reports. Mostly about flooding there at moment.

Thinking of all of you and your various activities. New pups joining our group and learning to be RV pups. Safe travels to you all. Instead of breakfast only, today we are offering up brunch or lunch items for your dining pleasure and lots of cold beverages! Just place your order with the Women Rv chef and she will be on it.
Have a great rest of your day
Velda

[Irmi]

Hi Velda & everyone!

Velda, you are such a trooper and I'm glad you're giving yourself the time to go to Curves. So many of them have closed.

We have water in the house, but because of plumber # 1 walking off the job and calling in plumber # 2 and them having to re-plumb the house, we'll be having salads the rest of our lives! Not quite that bad, but almost. Aggravating to say the least.

If the thunderstorms hold off, Steve will put burgers on the grill, otherwise I'll cook them inside.

Beth, I'm so happy you got another rescue and it sounds like things are working out. Alice, glad to hear about Abbey, too. Soos hasn't posted lately, so hoping everything is good in her corner of the world.

[JudyJB]

Velda, if the costs for the ramp and grab bars is too high, sometimes there are community groups that can help out with building such things. I know there was one where I lived in Michigan before I went full-time.

Just looked at the temperature map, and it is hot almost everywhere, which is why I am happy to be on Northwest Coast. Last summer, I had a terrible time finding a cool place, so made my plans then.

RVing is an adventure, but I am getting tired of the part of the adventure where things break suddenly. The slide roller that was such a problem in the winter and spring and that I had "fixed" at the Fleetwood Factory Service place north of Eugene, Oregon, on April 18 has now come loose again. I had my son help me carefully put the slide in and prop it up with some books so it would not sink and pull the kitchen cabinets loose again. I have an appointment set for July 26, but in the meantime, the front slide has to stay in. The good thing is that I can live with it--just makes my living room narrow, so can't have much company.

Said good-bye to son and his family yesterday and headed north on 101. Except, about 100 miles later, heard loud clunk and horrible scraping noise from under RV. Pulled over as best I could and looked underneath. (I was laying on the ground in full view of passing cars. Wouldn't you think someone would have stopped for an old lady?) It was front steering stabilizer, a kind of shock absorber, that had one end loose and was dragging on pavement. Looked at cell phone map and found a state park a couple of miles away, so drove there very slowly and got an electric site for two days. Called CoachNet, and they are sending out a repair guy tomorrow morning to move it so it won't scrape and maybe replace it, but at least I have power for AC and water and I had just picked up a bunch of groceries. Also, shady here, so I am comfortable. Best news is that big family with five kids and three huge dogs behind me just left! Yea!!! (Also, hooray for CoachNet, again. They have saved me several times this year.)

Hope you all are staying cool! Texas looks horrible on the temperature map.

[Irmi]

Judy, we have Coach Net, too, and have used them once, and so glad you are happy with them also. I hope yours is an easy fix.

[Acadianmom]

CC decided his nap was over so now I can post. lol I wish I could get at picture of how he wants me to hold him so he can nap. If I start trying to take a picture it wakes him up.

I had to go to Lafayette early to bring one of the outside cats to the vet. He has a growth in his ear. I needed to stop at the bank but it's too hot to leave a cat in the car and I needed to go inside. I need to go to town in the truck to get gas for the mower but don't know that I feel like going back to town.

Velda, if Mel is a vet I was told, after the fact, that the VA would have paid some of the cost of the ramp we put in. I knew we didn't have the discharge paper we needed and didn't know it would have been easy to get. When you mentioned going to Curves I looked to see if there was still one in Abbeville and it has closed. I pass a building in town that has a sigh about Balance Yoga. I keep thinking I will stop and check on that but keep forgetting.

I am battling fire ants. I carry a bag of poison on the mower but I think all that does is make them move. I think I will try the bait type next time. I usually get bit every time I get around the flower bed and it needs weeding. I had to make a moat for the outside cat's feed pan to keep the ants out.

Irmi, sorry you are having plumbing problems. We moved a trailer several years ago and never could get anyone to put the utilities in. Because it's in the country and the lines would need to be run no one wants to do anything hard.

I am making chicken stew with some chicken that needed to be cooked. Only problem is I will be eating it all week if I don't freeze some.

Martha

Martha

[OregonLuvr]

Another HOT day here 105 predicted. But a cooldown to the high 90's is supposed to be coming LOL I braved the elements and went grocery shopping this morning as I was really down to bare cupboards. One can only eat so many chips and salsa. Going to throw a pot roast in the Instant Pot later then freeze some for do aheads.

I bought a couple of Walla Walla sweet onions today and cant wait to eat them. They are my favorites. Going to make a burrito for lunch so will throw some on that too.

I still need to make a Costco run for some meat but I have stuff in my freezer to work on until it cools down.

Waiting for another Beth update on Ty. He really is pretty darn cute.

[Redetotry]

Said good-bye to son and his family yesterday and headed north on 101. Except, about 100 miles later, heard loud clunk and horrible scraping noise from under RV. Pulled over as best I could and looked underneath. (I was laying on the ground in full view of passing cars. Wouldn't you think someone would have stopped for an old lady?) It was front steering stabilizer, a kind of shock absorber, that had one end loose and was dragging on pavement. Looked at cell phone map and found a state park a couple of miles away, so drove there very slowly and got an electric site for two days. Called CoachNet, and they are sending out a repair guy tomorrow morning to move it so it won't scrape and maybe replace it, but at least I have power for AC and water and I had just picked up a bunch of groceries. Also, shady here, so I am comfortable. Best news is that big family with five kids and three huge dogs behind me just left! Yea!!! (Also, hooray for CoachNet, again. They have saved me several times this year.)

Hope you all are staying cool! Texas looks horrible on the temperature map.

Judy maybe you should trade for an RV that is a few years older, the newer ones seem to have one problem after another. Sorry no one stopped to help you but I think people are afraid. We slowed down one night because we saw a body laying beside the road. I told DH not to stop to go into town and tell police (this was before cell phones) well he of course didn't listen and this huge guy jumped up from the ditch and started for the car door which fortunately I had locked. Another factor is so many times men offer help and women are offended and rude so they have stopped. And to quote from a book written in the early 80's, "One moment guys were running around not opening doors for us, mopping floors and being sensitive. Then guys cried out in unison all over the world 'we're not going to take this anymore' and the next minute men were, either gay, psycho or gone.

[Cudedog]

And to quote from a book written in the early 80's, "One moment guys were running around not opening doors for us, mopping floors and being sensitive. Then guys cried out in unison all over the world 'we're not going to take this anymore' and the next minute men were, either gay, psycho or gone.

Er. . . What? Not going to take what, anymore, precisely? Assisting with normal household chores? Being kind and showing their innate humanity?

Gay, psycho or gone? Really?

What an incredibly sexist statement.

Whatever book was that?

Anne

[Redetotry]

And to quote from a book written in the early 80's, "One moment guys were running around not opening doors for us, mopping floors and being sensitive. Then guys cried out in unison all over the world 'we're not going to take this anymore' and the next minute men were, either gay, psycho or gone.

Er. . . What? Not going to take what, anymore, precisely? Assisting with normal household chores? Being kind and showing their innate humanity?

Gay, psycho or gone? Really?

What an incredibly sexist statement.

Whatever book was that?

Anne

The book is "Sex Tips for Girls" and that is from the chapter called The Great Boyfriend Crunch" The friend who sent it to me was living in San Francisco and I think she was noting/lamenting that a lot of really good looking men were not available. A lot of things changed in the late 70's and 80's and I think the book was maybe a tongue in cheek response to the shift in male and female roles. Women did start to demand that men change but while the change did happen, it brought about changes that were good and some that were unexpected.

[MandysMom]

To clarify: Mel is a 100% disabled veteran -service connected. If a veteran qualifies for a wheel chair, they automatically qualify for any needed ramps. The VA contractor will be installing the huge aluminum ramp from our master bedroom slider around the side of he house to the car to avoid making the front door access difficult as well as requiring demolition of huge part of front deck, to ch i said NO! I'm happy and it will meet the VA required ADA compliance. The contractor was out several weeks ago to measure and write order and yesterday I got call that it was approved.
They also approved funds to have grab rails installed but not sure I want them messing up my walls and tile. But I will hear their pitch Thursday. no cost to veteran when ordered by VA.
Velda

[BarbaraRose]

Velda, that is great that all that will be done for Mel free of charge. Hopefully, it can get done quickly to make your lives easier.

[MandysMom]

Thanks Barbara, yes I hope they call soon for appointment to come install as its hard getting him out of the house, not to mention how scary unsafe when he goes down our steps to car. The ramps are prefabricated and aluminum so it should not take long, once they get here, but as I understood it, the contractor could not order parts until approval came brought a couple of days ago.
Velda