BACK TO LIFE!

Yep, it's time I put my fingers to flying over the keyboard once more.  Time for the adventure to resume.   I have no explanation for the time lapse - just couldn't face the keyboard, I guess.

In any event - in the last year and a half, I've attended a wonderful family reunion,  visited my daughter in western Montana a few times, took a month long break from winter to visit Arizona, and saw the Grand Canyon for the very first time.  

During the past winter, I found a "wonderful" travel trailer on Craig's list and started planning a life on the road.   The only place she's been so far  (her name is Daisy - or actually,  Driving Miss Daisy - get it?) - is one trip to western Montana for intensive work - more painting, new sub-floor, thorough clean-up - checked out systems somewhat - and found some problems - so now she is spending her days at a repair shop - waiting to be checked out - but they promised me she would be ready to roll by Thanksgiving.   Since the date I delivered her to the repair shop was the middle of September, I lost all the good weather left to finish working inside -  like finishing up the painting and doing the floor - Oh, well - the floor can wait til spring - so can the painting, I guess.  If there are no surprises from the shop .......

Well, plan "A" is to make a trip at all.  Plan "B" is to spend most of the winter in Deming, NM then move on to Texas in April to await the spring wildflowers.   Plan "C"  (Always have a Plan "C") depends on how warm we can keep Daisy - I have no idea what the insulation is like - or if there even is any - and the campground in Deming is at 4500' elevation - so winter nights can get quite chilly - even if day time temperatures are comfortable.  If we can't keep warm - we'll head for southern Texas early - In any event - we plan to be back in Montana by June 1.

My cousin, Diane, will be travelling with me - so this trip will be a test to see how we manage getting along in this tiny house.

Yesterday, my grandson, Jesse was in Great Falls - we met for lunch and it was a real kick hearing my grandson talk about the "Good Old Days"  

I have a newer computer and several un-posted stories from the past couple years when I had so much trouble with the computer and posting photos, etc.   I may post some of them along the time - cause this blog is mostly for me - and one day I'll print it out and have something to pour over in my really old age!!!!!

Speaking of photos, I have yet to move photos from the old computer.  Decided to do it the other day - and gasp!!!!  Senior moment - I haven't a clue how to do it.   Family members will be here for Thanksgiving  I'll get a refresher course then -

I did a month long free trial of Amazon Prime -  seems like a good thing to have - however, wrong time of the year to pull out $100 - so I cancelled and will return to it after the first of the year -  I like what it offers -   free streaming - if we can find a campground that allows it.  At least streaming of those selected items they choose - not everything.   Free 2 day shipping - tried that out, too - took a week -  But while on the road it would be easy for hard to find items .  And - this is the deal maker - just discovered it yesterday - free Cloud storage for photos - no more switching from computer to computer - I'm for that!

Diane does not have TV reception here -her choice.  When I arrived with a Netflix subscription, she literally wore out her computer watching shows - I mentioned to a friend that we needed to find a small tv that worked - and she said she would sell me her's plus the VHS player cause she wanted a larger tv.   And, while in Arizona last winter, Kit gave us a DVD player - so we are set -  and then, I got a gizmo that streams to the TV - so Diane is in Hogg Heaven -  Anyway - Diane owned about a dozen VHS movies and then the search began - first we found some at a garage sale - then more at Thrift stores for 99 cents each, then 49 cents, then 20 cents and finally, yesterday, we found them for a dime each - we now have 173 movies to watch - and I need to get a mounting kit to put the tv up in Daisy - I guess I know what Diane will be doing in NM -

Me?  A year and a half ago, a friend in Virginia Beach got a new Kindle Fire so they gave me the old kindle - I was delighted - I could read, read, read!   I had a MP3 player for audio books - but the Kindle for reading - took me 3 months to figure out how to download new books - I was shown how in VB - but I guess I couldn't remember it all - Those pesky Senior Moments, I guess.   Then, Santa, in the guise of Kit, my friend in AZ - gave me a Kindle Fire for Christmas - Great Balls of Fire - I'm still discovering stuff -  Now all my audio books are on the Kindle, as well as "print" books, plus camera, and e-mail and web browsing, and facebook - but the neatest thing lately - is I discovered an app for CBS -  Those who know me know my favorite, and only, TV show is NCIS - and now NCIS New Orleans - I can watch them on my Kindle - while in bed, comfy in my PJ's   I love it!!!!

Right now, I'm in the middle of candy making - doing it early cause we plan to leave here on December 1.   I am taking a break right now cause Diane is watering her plants - which live on the top of the vent over her stove.   She has decided to take a plant on the road with us - her Christmas Cactus.  

While in AZ - I picked up 25# each of milk and dark chocolate - and I already had 25# of white chocolate - I picked up molds and cookie cutters,and foils and fondant and etc, etc, etc.   The first trip to the supply store I happened to mentioned that I wished they carried my favorite brand of chocolate - Oh, said the clerk - we are waiting for our first order to arrive from there -  So, I am one happy camper for that!   I have enough chocolate to last 2-3 years - since there is no place in Montana to get chocolate, or molds, or other supplies.

I've also been sewing up a storm.   Curtains, quilts and placemats for Daisy - Christmas gifts, and repair jobs.   By the time I get back in the spring, I should only have to work on Brooke's new quilt - which is in the fabric gathering stage right now.  - Oh, and the Victorian Crazy Quilt for a friend - all velvet and brocade and gee-gaw's.   Velvet is so hard to find in a variety of colors - We will make a trip to Phoenix area at least once while in NM and I hope to get to this fabric warehouse type place - and hopefully will find some velvet in other colors - I thought of getting white and dyeing it - but was told it has a tendency to fade drastically when hand dye'd. - but it is an option to at least try if needed.


Once I get the photo stuff figured out - I'll post photos of Daisy - from dark brown paneling to white high gloss - with all her little touches in place.

Tucker?  Well Tucker is my heart.   He's my best friend and true companion - except when I have to fuss with him - like adjusting his harness or brushing his teeth - then his tiny temper comes out to play.  He just turned 3 years old last week.   His latest trick?   In the middle of the night - when it gets a little chilly - I hear this faint whimpering.   I get out of bed, go to see what's up - He's sitting on the floor and as soon as I bend over to pick him up, he jumps back up on the bed and curls up in my warm place.

I think this is a rough summation of the past year and a half, and I'll continue to fill in.   Photos will follow - eventually, and I will try to keep posting - especially while we are travelling.

Until next time,

Boots, Tucker and Miss Daisy

She believed she could do it, so she did!"