I roll over, open one eye and notice that there is dim light showing through the window. Mom's awake! Eight tiny paws do a tap dance on my chest. Cricket thinks it's her duty to clean the sleep out of my eyes and I feel her rough tongue on my cheek. "OK guys, I can't get up unless you move". A quick trip to the bathroom. Let the cat out. Actually let the cat stand in the open doorway deciding whether he want's to go out. A gentle push with my bare foot, decision made. I pull on my boots, something is not quite right. I take off one boot and remove the cat food lid. Yesterday it was a bone, the day before a spool of thread. Liza has been busy.
The weather is dreary, it's only 7 am, off leash should be ok. Three dogs dash out the door and immediately run to the rear of the nearby storage barn looking for feral cats. None found so under the wire fence into the adjoining horse pasture they go. No horses out yet thank goodness. It amazes me that something as big as a horse will run from a six pound Poodle but I've seen it happen more than once. Cricket thinks it's her job and will totally ignores my screams to come.
I cannot follow them into the pasture but I know where they will end up and make the trek towards the creek. Liza, drop that! She has found a pile of deer scat and is wolfing it down. She grabs another bite and takes off again. Gable is running full speed ahead and disappears for a moment only to return wet to the ankles from the muddy creek water. I pick up the mess Cricket just made and a few piles uncovered by the melting snow and enough already. "Time for breakfast, everybody inside". Dry Gable's legs with a towel and throw a cover over the bed he is about to jump on.
I found this great one cup coffee maker at the nearby Big Lots. You put a mug on it, a tablespoon of coffee in the mini filter add water and two minutes later, a steaming cup is ready. I pour in the water, add the coffee and open a can of food for the cat. Collect the dog bowls and start preparing their food. I notice the brown stream coming off the side of the counter and grab a mug to catch the last drips still coming from the pot. Clean up the mess, put on another pot, and feed the dogs.
I consider myself a morning person. I get a lot done before most people wake up. If I didn't have so many pets, I'd get a lot more done. Is it worth it? Absolutely.
Saturday, March 29, 2014
Friday, March 21, 2014
What I drive
It's funny how the vehicle we drive defines us. The cute little collage student in the bright green VW bug. The aging CEO trying to regain his youth in the red sports car. The soccer mom in the minivan. I've always driven vans. I had a mini van once. I bought it only because parking my full sized one was almost impossible in the New York area. To me a van or at least one without Bobs Plumbing written on it says Traveler.
My current van says "There goes the neighborhood." and makes you want to start humming the theme song from the Beverly Hillbillies. It's 19 feet long and 8 feet high. You can still see the words Ice Cream Truck stenciled on the fiberglass roof. It's grey, light grey mostly where I attempted to make it look better by painting it with spray cans. I never finished the passengers side. That still has spots of black primer. There are ghosts of the stars that used to embellish it showing through. The passengers side mirror has a mind of its own and is usually in a position better suited for viewing the car in front of me.
If it were human the van would be old enough to drink. Old enough to have married and have a kid in school for that matter. Not as old as me thank goodness. She has lower miles on her odometer than most her age and my best guess is that she sat ignored in a field somewhere for a long time. I don't see a beat up old truck, I see a diamond in the rough.
Oh the plans I have for my old van. It's the perfect size for a camper for the Poodles and I. I've already put the sofa bed in. Cabinets over the bed to store my clothing. The grooming tub will be my sink, the table my place to dine. She still needs a good cleaning and a lot of paint but we're headed in the right direction. No matter how she looks, it's how she runs that matters. The engine is strong, the tires are good, she's ready to go. And one day we will.
The day I bought it.
6 months later, One side almost done.
My current van says "There goes the neighborhood." and makes you want to start humming the theme song from the Beverly Hillbillies. It's 19 feet long and 8 feet high. You can still see the words Ice Cream Truck stenciled on the fiberglass roof. It's grey, light grey mostly where I attempted to make it look better by painting it with spray cans. I never finished the passengers side. That still has spots of black primer. There are ghosts of the stars that used to embellish it showing through. The passengers side mirror has a mind of its own and is usually in a position better suited for viewing the car in front of me.
If it were human the van would be old enough to drink. Old enough to have married and have a kid in school for that matter. Not as old as me thank goodness. She has lower miles on her odometer than most her age and my best guess is that she sat ignored in a field somewhere for a long time. I don't see a beat up old truck, I see a diamond in the rough.
Oh the plans I have for my old van. It's the perfect size for a camper for the Poodles and I. I've already put the sofa bed in. Cabinets over the bed to store my clothing. The grooming tub will be my sink, the table my place to dine. She still needs a good cleaning and a lot of paint but we're headed in the right direction. No matter how she looks, it's how she runs that matters. The engine is strong, the tires are good, she's ready to go. And one day we will.
The day I bought it. 6 months later, One side almost done.Tuesday, March 18, 2014
Working vacation
Home at last. Most would wonder why in the hell I didn't stay away a few days longer but as small as it is, this trailer is all mine. I did enjoy my trip though. I stayed with two different friends and really felt like they wanted me to be there. M is older and admits that I could be her daughter. I have the most comfortable bed and hours in the evening to relax in front of the huge television. M has told me many times that she is not going to cook for me but broke that rule twice this weekend. Grilled cheese sandwiches and tomato soup for lunch on Saturday and traditional corned beef and cabbage for St. Patrick's day Monday. Staying with E is a different story altogether. The woman lives a don't stop to breathe life and it's catch up or get left behind. This weekend she was only watching five dogs plus her two plus my three. Sadie snores, Teddy is picking a fight with Jerry, someone is scratching and you can hear their foot hitting an empty crate. The futon I'm trying to sleep on is only a few feet away and Cricket just took off after E's cat as he tries to escape through an open window. You don't go to E's house to relax but she is one of my favorite people and it's all worth it. One day I'll actually beat her at Scrabble, we got four late night games in and as usual I got whooped.
I always take too many clothes and was determined to take only what I needed this time. I groomed a total of 13 dogs in the four days I was in New York and the majority of my clothing was covered in dog hair. I remembered pajama bottoms but didn't have a top to sleep in. No problem, "E, do you have a large t-shirt I can borrow?" "Large for YOU? I'm not sure." Ok, I admit I've gained a few pounds but come on now, I'm not that big. This was actually the second time she brought up my weight. She came right out and said "So what do you weigh these days?" as we drove to the nearby casino. OK, message received, I need to get serious about losing some of this weight that has accumulated since menopause reared it's ugly head.
I got to see two other friends when the old gang got together for dinner on Saturday night. Lots of laughter, the biggest Cobb salad I've ever seen and a few games of quick draw made it an enjoyable evening for sure. D has been battling cancer for years and still looks amazing. Nobody would ever guess what she's gone through to look at her. I don't know how she deals with the constant ups and downs. A has had her share of health scares too. They both look at my life as a bit uncivilized but say they admire how I deal with living off the grid. I admire the way they deal with living on it.
I always take too many clothes and was determined to take only what I needed this time. I groomed a total of 13 dogs in the four days I was in New York and the majority of my clothing was covered in dog hair. I remembered pajama bottoms but didn't have a top to sleep in. No problem, "E, do you have a large t-shirt I can borrow?" "Large for YOU? I'm not sure." Ok, I admit I've gained a few pounds but come on now, I'm not that big. This was actually the second time she brought up my weight. She came right out and said "So what do you weigh these days?" as we drove to the nearby casino. OK, message received, I need to get serious about losing some of this weight that has accumulated since menopause reared it's ugly head.
I got to see two other friends when the old gang got together for dinner on Saturday night. Lots of laughter, the biggest Cobb salad I've ever seen and a few games of quick draw made it an enjoyable evening for sure. D has been battling cancer for years and still looks amazing. Nobody would ever guess what she's gone through to look at her. I don't know how she deals with the constant ups and downs. A has had her share of health scares too. They both look at my life as a bit uncivilized but say they admire how I deal with living off the grid. I admire the way they deal with living on it.
Thursday, March 13, 2014
Favorite Photos
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| Gable in a Newburgh NY pond |
Ok, I'm just like any other Mom who posts photos of her kids. At least there is a little scenery in most of them.
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| Deco at a state park in Connecticut |
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| Joey, Chico, and Deco 2002 |
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| My beloved Cricket |
Finally, A few photos that don't include my pets.
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| My former tow vehicle |
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| My first class C at a Maine campground |
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| The roller coaster in Cape May NJ before hurricane Sandy hit |
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| Yes, that's me. Corn makes a great camouflage for a few extra pounds. |
Wednesday, March 12, 2014
Laundry Day
Laundry is my least favorite thing to do. Not having clean socks is no fun either. Bite the bullet, it's got to get done. We have a Laundromat here at the campground but it's downright expensive. Today I went elsewhere. $1 a load on Wednesdays, what a deal! Several stores and a Subway sandwich shop in the plaza. Perfect, I can get lunch and shop while I'm waiting.
I love my old van, it's comfortable and it runs great. It also leaks. Lesson learned, never trust a mechanic who says your high top van will fit into his garage bay. The van fit but the roof vent paid the price. I washed a large load of dog grooming towels two weeks ago. I left the freshly washed towels in the hamper, in the van, below the leaky vent. I now had a three foot tall solid block of frozen terrycloth. I managed to break it into a few reasonable sized chunks and put them into a green trash bag. I loaded up two packed hampers belonging to my neighbors, all my clothes, my comforter, linens and throw rugs. A fifteen minute drive and I was there.
The Laundromat was busy but I only had to wait a short time to get enough free washers. The senior aged attendant was a doll, chatting with me and offering advice on how much soap I should use. The advice was not needed but I like friendly people so no problem. That is until she saw me try to put the frozen chunks into one of her washers. This is a no no I learned, I must put the mess in the dryer and defrost before washing. Clunk,Clunk,Clunk, everyone in the place could hear the sound of the blocks hitting the dyer walls. This is not going to work. Hot water was the obvious answer so I spent a half hour scalding my hands in the bathroom sink until the towels were (almost) ice free. All seven loads were finally running and I could relax for a few minutes.
The heater in my van has not been working well. Somebody told me that it might be because I needed more antifreeze. I did look into the radiator and I did see a green tint, how was I to know if it was enough. There was an auto parts store in the plaza so I went in to get advice. "Don't look in the radiator" he said. "There's a reservoir on the side for antifreeze. I went back out, raised the hood and walked sheepishly back in. "Did you find it?" asked the cashier.. "If you mean the bone dry white plastic container with the words add antifreeze here written clearly on the cap, yes I found it".
I got to know the clientele at the Laundromat quite well in the three hours I visited. I finally had everything folded and in it's appropriate bin or bag. I loaded everything into the van, in the rain, in the front, in the back, nowhere near the vent.
I love my old van, it's comfortable and it runs great. It also leaks. Lesson learned, never trust a mechanic who says your high top van will fit into his garage bay. The van fit but the roof vent paid the price. I washed a large load of dog grooming towels two weeks ago. I left the freshly washed towels in the hamper, in the van, below the leaky vent. I now had a three foot tall solid block of frozen terrycloth. I managed to break it into a few reasonable sized chunks and put them into a green trash bag. I loaded up two packed hampers belonging to my neighbors, all my clothes, my comforter, linens and throw rugs. A fifteen minute drive and I was there.
The Laundromat was busy but I only had to wait a short time to get enough free washers. The senior aged attendant was a doll, chatting with me and offering advice on how much soap I should use. The advice was not needed but I like friendly people so no problem. That is until she saw me try to put the frozen chunks into one of her washers. This is a no no I learned, I must put the mess in the dryer and defrost before washing. Clunk,Clunk,Clunk, everyone in the place could hear the sound of the blocks hitting the dyer walls. This is not going to work. Hot water was the obvious answer so I spent a half hour scalding my hands in the bathroom sink until the towels were (almost) ice free. All seven loads were finally running and I could relax for a few minutes.
The heater in my van has not been working well. Somebody told me that it might be because I needed more antifreeze. I did look into the radiator and I did see a green tint, how was I to know if it was enough. There was an auto parts store in the plaza so I went in to get advice. "Don't look in the radiator" he said. "There's a reservoir on the side for antifreeze. I went back out, raised the hood and walked sheepishly back in. "Did you find it?" asked the cashier.. "If you mean the bone dry white plastic container with the words add antifreeze here written clearly on the cap, yes I found it".
I got to know the clientele at the Laundromat quite well in the three hours I visited. I finally had everything folded and in it's appropriate bin or bag. I loaded everything into the van, in the rain, in the front, in the back, nowhere near the vent.
Daddy's girl
I am my fathers child. I look much more like my Mother though. We have the same build and similar features. Brunhilda, good German stock she'd always say. My sisters are both taller, thinner, and have red hair. We all have my Mom's brown eyes but the similarity ends there.
Dad or Padre as I often called him always said he was happy to have three daughters. Me being the oldest got the honor of helping him whenever there were projects to be done around the house. Not that my sisters had the least bit of interest in building or fixing anything. They were off to a friends house or fixing their hair or any number of girly type things. I found my dad a much better playmate. I'll never forget my Mother waking up and finding us watching the movie Gypsy at five in the morning. "That is not appropriate for a 12 year old girl". To this day it is one of my all time favorite movies.
Dad was always up at the crack of dawn, another trait we had in common. A cup of coffee, a cigarette and the crossword puzzle. Pineapple pancakes and corn beef hash for breakfast. That is when he was home. His profession for much of his life was Tugboat captain. He was gone for two or so weeks them home for a bit while my Mother had the job of raising three kids pretty much on her own. Mom was hard on me in particular, she always expected me to excel and I tried hard to please her. Dad would come home and the fun began. Dinner at Red Lobster, Picnics in the park, camping trips and Disney World. Poof he was gone again and we went back to the monotony of normal life. I always wished that I could go with him.
I never saw my father drink when I was growing up. My Mother tried to shield us from those times when he would go off on a binge. I knew there were "issues" but I pretty much ignored those times. He always came home, a bit disheveled perhaps, but with the same I'll never grow up attitude.
My parents divorced as soon as all the kids had left our home. I can't say I was surprised but I had my own life by then and it really didn't affect me at all. He headed to New Jersey and a new girlfriend and it was always a fun time when I visited. Years went by and he was back again, hammer in hand ready to help me fix up the old house I'd bought. I got a wreck of a boat and I can only image what people thought when they saw us motoring around the bay. We had kind of a deal, as long as he was sober, he could stay with me. I could always tell when he was ready to go.
The last time I saw my Father, he came to visit me in New York. I knew he was not well but it didn't stop us from having a great time. A trip to the casino and we both came home winners. It wasn't long after that we were scattering his ashes off of a rented boat. Peter Pan he may have been but to me he was just Dad. That cross country trip I'm planning, he would have loved to go along.
Reality TV Shows
I almost cried when I heard that Jen had been diagnosed with Cancer. One of the Dugger girls has a boyfriend! Chumley looks much better now that he's lost weight. I don't know how Mike puts up with Frank, sometimes he really annoys me. Come on Jared and Brandy, why did you buy that junk?
No these are not family friends. They don't even know me but I feel like I know them. Reality TV is a way to see how someone else lives, or at least the part they want you to see.
The first reality show I ever watched was Survivor. I'd always dreamed about living on a deserted island. I grew up watching Gilligan and the Skipper. I identified with MaryAnn and wished I was more like Ginger. I was hooked and never missed an episode. Did he really just eat that? I lost interest after a few years, the people didn't seem as real as in the earlier days.
More recently it was The Biggest Loser. I never missed a show the first few seasons but they started adding all kinds of twists and turns and it doesn't seem like it's as much about the struggle anymore. I was horrified when I saw this seasons winner. Thin may be in but she took it way too far.
What not to Wear was great. It wasn't always perfect people they helped to dress better. That woman was built like me. Too tall, too short, too curvy, they all looked great in the end.
America's Next Top Model, Design Star, Food Network Star, all were favorites at one time. At least they were competitions that required some kind of real talent. I didn't agree with the judges many times but that kind of added to the enjoyment. Some of the designs on Project Runway are pretty funky but I still look forward to that one.
I love the feel good shows. The last five minutes of Undercover Boss always brings tears to my eyes. Restaurant Impossible always has a happy ending though I sometime wonder how many of those places stay in business. I can't get enough of The Little Couple and how they overcome their many struggles. I just realized that they are on tonight! I'm dying to see what happened.
Is it unhealthy to so be involved in other peoples lives? It's not like all I do is watch television. A couple of evenings a week I enjoy seeing people doing things I've never done. Living in situations that are different than mine. But not too different. I avoid the hoarders and the swamp people, the housewives and any show that has to bleep out half the words. The television was invented as a way to relax after a hard day. Actually it was probably more to let people see what was going on outside their own little town. Reality TV still does that.
No these are not family friends. They don't even know me but I feel like I know them. Reality TV is a way to see how someone else lives, or at least the part they want you to see.
The first reality show I ever watched was Survivor. I'd always dreamed about living on a deserted island. I grew up watching Gilligan and the Skipper. I identified with MaryAnn and wished I was more like Ginger. I was hooked and never missed an episode. Did he really just eat that? I lost interest after a few years, the people didn't seem as real as in the earlier days.
More recently it was The Biggest Loser. I never missed a show the first few seasons but they started adding all kinds of twists and turns and it doesn't seem like it's as much about the struggle anymore. I was horrified when I saw this seasons winner. Thin may be in but she took it way too far.
What not to Wear was great. It wasn't always perfect people they helped to dress better. That woman was built like me. Too tall, too short, too curvy, they all looked great in the end.
America's Next Top Model, Design Star, Food Network Star, all were favorites at one time. At least they were competitions that required some kind of real talent. I didn't agree with the judges many times but that kind of added to the enjoyment. Some of the designs on Project Runway are pretty funky but I still look forward to that one.
I love the feel good shows. The last five minutes of Undercover Boss always brings tears to my eyes. Restaurant Impossible always has a happy ending though I sometime wonder how many of those places stay in business. I can't get enough of The Little Couple and how they overcome their many struggles. I just realized that they are on tonight! I'm dying to see what happened.
Is it unhealthy to so be involved in other peoples lives? It's not like all I do is watch television. A couple of evenings a week I enjoy seeing people doing things I've never done. Living in situations that are different than mine. But not too different. I avoid the hoarders and the swamp people, the housewives and any show that has to bleep out half the words. The television was invented as a way to relax after a hard day. Actually it was probably more to let people see what was going on outside their own little town. Reality TV still does that.
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