April, May, June and July
Back at Timberon (on the 20th). Why am I having so much trouble taking off for a couple months looking for property elsewhere?
One can see the winter chain stretched between a ponderosa and a pinion pine. When I looked for the key, it was not there. Tried the alternative spot, and no key. Luckily the spare was in my spare-keys spot.
This is how the Nash is positioned in the spring with the large back window facing east. The rig heats up quick, with the inside temps down in the upper 30s-low 40s when I get up.
Don’t recall ever getting back here this late. I was keeping track of Timberon temps and the nights were still cold, mid-30s to mid40s. While driving along rt. 6563, the scenic highway from Cloudcroft to Timeron, there was still snow in places. Bummer.
Little one still has some of his winter coat on.
My 20° rated sleeping bag wasn’t warm enough, even with socks and shirt. Purchased a 10° rated bag which works for these temps. Granted, these are not quality bags like those I used when I back packed, but I’m in a trailer not a tent.
One morning I looked at the controller and saw how low the batteries were. Went outside to check wire connection to solar panels. Not good, broke, jury rigged something and got power. Now that I am back off-grid, I need power from my panels all the time.
My regular birds started to come around once they found the bird feeder full and scratch grain on the ground.
Some type of fire retardent was sprayed along one section of road. A third wildfire occured in Timberon. 40 acres were burned, taking out a double-wide and two RVs. Yep, Tinderbox.
A pair of Montezuma Quail are coming by to feed. Same pair from previous years? Or possibly offspring? They do approach the property from the same direction.
One morning in May, I was driving to Cloudcroft and there were five law enforcement vehicles heading towards Timberon, a sheriff car followed way to closely be four other dark vehicles. Later in the day when driving back, there were over ten vehicles in two groups driving out. A few days later I asked about it and an acquaintance told me the police had caught a murderer. He had killed a cop back in Mrytle Beach and he was headed to a friend’s place in Timberon. He was caught at one of the view points along the scenic highway.
May 16th was the first morning when the inside temp was in 60s. Simple pleasures.
The road crew have not been keeping up with the potholes. It appears this year’s fix is to circle the hole with green paint. Seriously? Yep, wonder if it glows in the dark. I moved down to the valley on June 11 and no potholes had been filled. Unreal.
The last three years have been a bit difficult, body, brain, mind, choices, and whatnot. But—I’m comin’ back. Hooah. Although the next five months will be taxing, with splints, PT and restrictions. But hey, been here, done this, know how to deal with it. So really, not so bad.
Don’t know if my toes could have turned out worse after the last surgeries. Got a second opinion. For this go round, an older, more experienced surgeon is taking on the challenge. At my first visit, he mentioned how my toes probably turned out the way they did. From the harm done by my first surgeon, it will be more difficult for my current surgeon. Some of my toes knuckes were taken put. What! And some other stuff apparently done from lack of knowledge and experience. Guano. I just want to be able to go for walks again.
I took this photo two weeks after surgery. Six more weeks in splints and a boot. Then on to the left foot. Again, Guano.
A photo I took of a x-ray scan that a nurse took for me. That’s a lot of hardware in my number one toe.
A friend in Moab sent me this piece. A good example on using humor to teach life lessons.
“The Lessons of a Bird: A Short Story
Here is a story about a bird who found his lessons in the most unlikely of places:
Once upon a time, there was a nonconforming sparrow who decided not to fly south for the winter. However, soon the weather turned so cold that he reluctantly started southward. In a short time, ice began to form on his wings and he fell to earth in a barnyard, almost frozen. A cow passed by and crapped on the little sparrow. The sparrow thought it was the end. But then the manure warmed him and defrosted his wings. Warm and happy, able to breathe, he started to sing. Just then a large cat came by and hearing the chirping, investigated the sounds. The cat cleared away the manure, found the chirping sparrow and promptly ate him.
Now, it may seem that there are no lessons here, but there are. In fact, there are three:
1. Everyone who shits on you is not necessarily your enemy.
2. Everyone who gets you out of shit is not necessarily your friend.
3. If you’re warm and happy in a pile of shit, keep your mouth shut.”
Source: “The Advantage in Your Disadvantage,” from The Healing Power of Humor, by Allen Klein
One day I had a memorable visit to Walmart for supplies. Started well. I was scooting across the parking lot when I saw a woman wearing a bandana in the washer-woman style. From my time doing activites at the Cancer Wellness House in SLC, I noticed ladies who after chemo, if not going for a wig (few), often wore this style of bandana. I asked the lady if she had chemo. Yes and she told me about her experienced. I asked question and made comments. She seemed to enjoy having someone show interest in her ordeal. I did this because I can relate. Two strangers having a good conversation. Nice.
The second interchange was also good. In the store, a senior lady commented on how I was shopping (scootin’& pushin’ a cart). I asked her why she was wearing one of those heavy, supportive boots on her foot. She said that years ago, she taught karate and did not take care of her feet. Whoa, with eyebrows raised. So we stared a conversation about that. Went well. Felt good.
br> Okay, the 3rd and last part did not go all that well. When I’m adding to the cart, I have learned if I start to put too much in, the cart becomes unwieldy. Easy fix. Make a guess here? Yep, I did not remove items. This led to the mishap. Yes, I know how to say Dumb.
At the self checkout, I loaded my purchases into my old 42 liter backpack, put it on my back and started scooting towards my pickup. So far so good. Won’t last. At one point I turned my head to see if it was safe for me to cross a lane. Unfortunately, I also leaned my body a bit. Threw my balance off and with too much weight in the pack, over I went, in the middle of the lane between two rows of parking places.
I had a flash of Artie Johnson doing his old man falls on a tricycle skit, on Rowan’s and Martin’s Laugh In. The TV show where Goldy Hawn got her start. This is called a tangent.
It wasn’t much of a shock when I hit the ground. As a friend pointed out, I landed on the gallon of milk, that was in that corner of the pack. There was no milk left in the jug; it had burst from the force. What a mess, all over what was in the pack and out on the pavement. I then looked for red, but the wine bottle did not break.
Half a dozen or more ladies swarmed around me offering to help. Two took hold of my arms to pull me up. No way was that going to work. Had to get the pack off, it was a third my weight. After I got it off, a lady brought a cart over and we unloaded the pack into the cart. One lady offered and went for another gallon of milk. When she got back I handed her a fin. It was refused. Afterwards, I thought I should have said, ‘You had to walk back to the store, go to the back, then checkout and back to my pickup. The $5 is also for travel expenses.’
One evening I was reading and sipping wine, stretched out on a settee cushion. I’ve been keeping one of the small, slide windows and screen open for M&M while it is so hot. Mesa jumps onto the rear bumper, up onto the spare tire, through the window, onto the settee table and releases the live mouse from his mouth. The mouse was facing me and I had not moved. Make a guess here? Yep, he runs at me, jumps onto my lap and under the table where there is a stellar place for him to get away from Mesa (and me). Guano. Thankfully the glass remained untouched. I wonder if Mesa brought the last mouse in.
The battery in my MacBook Pro needed replacement. I watched a youtube video on how to go about it, bought a battery, and replaced it. The old battery, those three square panels along the bottom, were glued in tight, real tight.
Went okay until I got pretty much to the last task, and I broke a small clip. The laptop now only works when plugged in. Been procrastinating sending it in to be serviced. I have a number of projects I’m working on.
Years ago, a friend purched a Chromebook and was quite pleased with it. It could not do all that I require of a computer so it wasn’t for me. Coming back to the present, I thought one might get me through the time my laptop is away. So I bought a Acer Chromebook Spin 311 for $230. There is wi-fi here so I’ll be able to look into whatever interests me. We’ll see how it goes.
Once upon a time, a man poured himself a glass of red wine and sat down on his wife’s white couch that no one was allowed to eat or drink on …
The ball is in your court. Pick it up and go.
Linus Mundy
Table of Contents
RVwest article ‘Following a Free Spirit’
RVwest article ‘The Space Between the Places’
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