Adrift

I went up to the lake this weekend to spend some quiet time reading and writing. I drove my own car while my friend drove the RV up ahead of time. I drove into the RV park and drove around the different rows trying to find the right RV. I even found one that was just like it; but it wasn't it. I couldn't find it anywhere. So I drove over to the more distant side of the RV park. I went around several areas and saw the RV nowhere.

I suppose I haven't mentioned that my cell phone was off. The deadline for the phone and my hold date for my bank deposit didn't fall together right. I also have failed to mention there are still little drifts of snow in the shady spots between the trees in the campground. I didn't think much of it. I crunched over a couple of them without any issue.

Of course, you see it coming. I crunched halfway into one and that was all the farther I went. Even with 4wd my little Escape would go no further.

I know about trying to rock back and forth; but it didn't move. I got out and looked in my car for something that might help me dig it out. The best I found was a flip flop that helped me shovel away the snow from the back wheels. I was hoping that would give me enough traction to pull the car out backwards. It didn't. I scraped up 50 cents and went and called my friend; the pay phone wanted 75 cents. The campground office was closed. I went back to the car, tried again to shovel away more snow, rock back and forth out of the spot; scrounged up 75 cents and walked back to the pay phone. Sure enough, it wanted a dollar.

I went back to the car, empty a soda cup and used it to shovel away snow from the front wheels thinking maybe the back wheels being completely clear and the front wheels partially clear would be enough to get the darn thing out of the snow drift. It wasn't. So I gathered up about $1.30 in change and went back to the pay phone and finally got a hold of my friend and got about four words out of my mouth when we got disconnected. By then I had figured out we were at different camp grounds which obviously wasn't a good thing.

Even a call to the operator got me no sympathy. So back to the car for more attempts on freeing my car from this ridiculous last of the season snow drift. By this time I have dug away behind both rear tires and the better part of behind of both front tires. The best I could surmise is that it was the snow up in the wheel wells of the front tires that was keeping the car from moving. Otherwise, I really wasn't sure what the problem was. I was cold and wet and had pretty much exhausted my physical ability. I did attempt turning the wheels while trying to go forward and reverse in hopes that would loosen up the front wheels, but still they got no traction.

I finally went to the payphone one more time and made a collect call to my friend. Which for those of you that have not done so lately, cost $9. Yes, that was no typo, that was nine dollars!

So it turned out he was on his way to the campground I was at anyway because the other one he'd gone to was still under 2 ft. of snow. So when he got there and got in my car he immediately got a little bit of traction. I'm not being rude, but I think the extra weight must have made the difference. He worked it and worked it and it didn't come easily; but he finally got it out.

We went and found ourselves a camp site on the drier side of the campground. The rest of the weekend was uneventful other than the last night when the water froze up. But that was a minor issue.

So who else but me can find the last car capturing snow drift of the season.

Happy Birthday Rockie

We aren't throwing a big doggie party or anything like that. Just another day as far as we all know. But my puppy is 1 people year old now. He's such a sweetheart. He still doesn't realize he's too big to be a lap dog. He will find a way to sit in your lap. He has some rather amusing quirks; like being afraid of the vacuum or steam cleaners. The other night it was my daughter flipping the pages of her textbook that really bothered him. He has also learned how to do the pathetic look when he wants something; like laying his face down on the edge of the bed. We can't help but laugh.

On another note, I just went to pick up a friend from dropping the RV off at the storage unit. He had a Robin Williams in "RV" moment. I knew when I pulled up from the stench that something wasn't right. I guess he inadvertently dumped the sewage tank on the concrete under the RV's parking spot. To make matters worse, he got some of it on him. I am supposed to let him get in my car and give him a ride across town. First I opened all windows, including the sunroof. Then I gave him some wipes in the hopes he could get the majority of it off of him. We made it to his house, and I could still smell it after he left; but sometimes I think bad smells get stuck in your nose or something. Anyway, I'm making bets he gets a phone call from the storage place. There is no way that is going to go unnoticed. I'm sure the storage people have a hose to wash it off; but I don't think they are going to be too happy with him. Sometimes I swear that RV movie was made after him. Did I mention he ripped the awning off on this trip? He got a new one already.

I hope everyone will visit FamilyLifePharmacy.com. This is my new business venture. It is a fairly thorough drug store; including pet meds.

Saved By Winter

Well all the fretting about the swim suit looking decent were not needed. It was still too cold and windy for beach time. I did get the suit on once, but was so cold on the beach I never took off the cover up. So I have a couple months to get a few pounds off. It actually even snowed at home again while we were away.

There must have been a wind storm or something too. We come home to find our trash cans on our front sidewalk. We left them on the side of the house and I can't imagine why someone would put them on the front sidewalk. Unless of course they blew somewhere and they picked them up. Still, I'm not sure what the front sidewalk placement was supposed to mean. So whoever tried to send us a message failed miserably - because I sure didn't get it.

Spring break got us in the mood for summer; but it sure didn't act like summer. It was nice in the valley where the boys live, but did we stay there? Noooooo. We had to go to the beach where it was freezing our hineys!

So each year we learn something new. It used to be we could stay at my son's but because he has roommates its now an inconvenience because he puts us up in his room with him; etc. I just hate to infringe on them that way. So hopefully some of my financial woes will be resolved by next year and we can find a nice, cheap motel close by with a pool and of course internet access! We can hang out in the valley where its warmer that time of year!

The kids are convinced they saw a shark in the ocean. It might have been; but my guess is that it was more likely a dolphin. Either way, its been fun for them to tell their story. I figured it didn't do any harm for them to believe they saw a shark; and I wasn't there so what do I know.

The kids all got to go to the San Diego Zoo as well. They had a lot of fun. I didn't go because I couldn't do that much walking and I refused to succumb to a wheelchair and looking at butts all day. Besides, who was going to push my chair up all those hills? I'm sure they don't rent the motorized variety. So I hung out with the dogs at the campsite.

If I'm ever reduced to that I will get a motorized one. I so hate being dependent on others and I don't want to be left when the tiger gets out and they all run away.

Enough of me for now.