Where’s Spring?

 

Sitting here kicked back in my recliner, listening to some endless drivel from the television, and reading blogs.  It’s the fifth of March, which means we should have spent the last few days preparing our small garden.  Yesterday was a real tease.  The high was 82 degrees, and the fruit trees were beginning to put on a show.  Today, however, the temperature has hovered near freezing all day.  Icicles are hanging from the eaves. 

I’m envious of those that are still in Arizona or Florida.  Hiking, biking, atv’ing, soaking in hot springs; etc.  Why did we come home so soon?

It’s on days like today that I catch up my Google Earth map.  Since we started traveling in the Casita, I’ve pinned our camping locations.  The map is getting crowded.  I can no longer see all of the pins in one photo.  As I zoom out to get a larger picture, many of the locations blend into one.

Whenever I open Google Earth, and see all those pins, I realize how lucky we are.  To have been able to visit so many different parts of our Country is a true blessing.  Each of those pins represent a learning experience.  Whether it was someone we met, or something we experienced such as a meal, museum, or landscape; it created a memory.  And, all it takes is to zoom in on one of those pins to rekindle that memory.  I find that priceless.

On another note, thanks for the comments on the new header picture.  One problem is that I don’t recognize my own blog, and as some said, the original was iconic.  I will be changing it back. That picture just says “Eggrollings”….jc

Same Old Routine

 

We’ve been home a little over two weeks, now.  Nothing of much interest to blog about.  The weather hasn’t been conducive to much outdoor activity.  Cold, cloudy, rainy; you get the picture.

My brother purchased another small house from the bank.  We’ve been working on it a couple days a week.  Would rather be doing new construction than tearing out and remodeling, but it is something to do. We’ve added a new metal roof, fascia and soffits, and hung some replacement sheetrock.  It’s amazing how they built houses back in the 1950’s-60’s.  Very apparent energy conservation wasn’t a priority.

We plan to have the Casita rolling again the end of the week.  A rally in Alabama which started five years ago as a small gathering of Casita owners.  I think we had about 12-15 trailers, most all strangers to each other, meet over Saint Patrick's Day weekend.  Fun was had by everyone, and it was decided to do it again in 2012.  Word spread, and we outgrew the campground in 2013 with about sixty rigs.  We moved to a larger COE campground last year, and filled it up.  This year the rig count is over 100.  I think it’s called Southern Hospitality.

Messing around with my blog on Blogger.  Decided to change the header picture after four years.  Always liked the picture of the Casitas in line, cruising down Hwy. 12 in Southern Utah.  May go back to it at some point, but after enjoying our time in Kofa National Wildlife Refuge this past February, thought a picture of our campsite would be appropriate.

Home

 

I guess you could say that we made a mad dash for home after departing the Ft. Davis, TX area.  We were on the road by eight or so, and found ourselves at Pedernales Falls State Park near Johnson City for the evening.  Having purchased the Texas State Parks pass this year, I felt the need to get the best use of it.  The park campground was quite nice, with large, shaded sites.  Sorry to say that we did very little, but sit and enjoy the evening.  I did walk Sally down to some small falls, but didn’t have my camera with me.  A good reason to visit there, again.

The next day we said goodbye to our traveling companion in Livingston.  It felt funny driving off and not seeing her in the rear view mirror.  An hour or so later found us in one of our favorite campgrounds.  Seems we always make it our first stop heading West, and our last before getting home.  Sandy Creek COE, near Jasper Texas.  $8.00 a night, water and electric for a site like this. Temperature was in the 70’s.

We had an early dinner, and our last campfire of the journey.  Watched a little television before turning in.  Found out a cold front was coming through during the night.  Made our decision whether to stay an additional day, or not, easier.  Woke to a cold North wind.  Sally huddled in the trailer as we fixed some breakfast.  We were on the road by nine, had lunch in Alexandria, LA, and home by 3 PM.

We went about doing the normal things around the house after being gone six weeks.  I restored power to our well pump, but as I was leaving the pump house, I heard the pump cut off prematurely.  Never a good thing.  After checking all the possible causes, I came to the conclusion that it was toast.  A friend helped me pull the pump on Friday morning, and my diagnosis was confirmed by our local well expert.  The pump was almost twenty years old, so guess we got our monies worth.  When I asked for the same brand and quality for a replacement, he just laughed at me.  Said they don’t make them like that any more. I left with the same size pump, but something tells me it won’t last twenty years.

While working on the pump, we received word that a cousin which was very close to our family had passed away.  The weekend was taken up with visitations and the funeral.  Monday brought trips to town for groceries, fuel, and other sundries.  It’s funny, how once you are retired, you never pay any attention to holidays.  Went to the post office, to find it closed for Presidents Day. Who knew?

Today, Tuesday, finds us inside for most of the day. The Winter storm  moved over our part of the Country yesterday afternoon, dropping the temp from 68 to 37 in an hour and a half.  Thankfully, the rain had stopped, and we had no ice or snow.

Not much planned for the next few weeks, so posts may be few, and far between. There’s a trip on the horizon, though….jc