Cabin Fever and a Dog named Patches

I have not seen or spoken to a human (2 phone calls excepted) since the blizzard hit. Nonetheless, I am happy and entertained. 70 inches of snow fell in the Wind Rivers, about 10-12 inches here. It is soaking slowly into the ground-the happiest of circumstances. Roads are pretty clear to judge from the traffic and I will go to town tomorrow though I can make it another day comfortably.

About 10:00 p.m. last night I decided to see if the USB modem would work on a Toshiba laptop I have had for several years that would deliver a blue screen error anytime I tried to connect to the Internet, thus rendering it an expensive doorstop. It was a sweet and compact little machine, but useless. It blew a blue screen about three times and I decided to do some deep cleaning in "safe mode" in a do or die effort. I got it to work! It had not been updated in several years. At 4 in the morning I was up to Microsoft patch number 61 and Service Pack 2 was a way down the road. I would never have thought what a cobbled together patchwork Windows XP is without this experience. I let it run while I dozed and finally got to Service Pack 2 around noon. There was only 482 MB of space left on the hard drive at this point so I unpacked the portable hard drive and took all my pictures off the Toshiba giving me about 3 gigabytes of unused space. The Toshiba is a far more convenient size to travel with so I am glad to have it back in order. I just hope Verizon doesn't cut me off for too much use of the aircard at one time. I am going to explore Linux as an alternative to Microsoft.

I have enjoyed the Final Four-my money is on Florida, but I like Ohio too.

So much for 'Spending the Winter" in Florida

According to the weather service we are only half-way through this storm. The lights keep flickering and my hope is that the electricity is on continuously. Other than that we are cozy inside, exchanging phone calls with neighbors who are ecstatic for the moisture content. As for me a nice rain would have been sufficient. Actually I kind of like it because it is not January or February with a promise of many more days of the same to come. It is life-giving to the prairies and fields. There is a hush and peacefulness to it.

You also know you are in Wyoming when...

Battened Hatches:
Took a look at the NOAA forecast for this area and got my butt to town to stock up for at least three days. I am watching the snow fall as I write this. We could receive 8-10 inches and the winds while calm right now could return but I think I am good to survive the promised blizzard. We need the moisture.

The dry climate provided an opportunity for my Rosacea to attack my eyes, prevention of which is the main reason I take a gram of tetracycline daily. They are much better today but I was having vision problems the past two days as well as pain and redness. I also rubbed Neosporin on my eyelids, etc. and that was soothing and the ointment found its way into my eyes.

The new modem is working well. It causes my tower computer to crash. One of the reasons for going to the USB model was to use it on that and perhaps jettison the satellite connection if this works well enough, I may have to jettison the tower. Laptops are getting better and better and additional external hard drives are a must. I have several backups of my 50,000 or so digital images. Losing them would be a bitter pill to swallow.

You Know You Are Back in Wyoming When...

You know you are back in Wyoming when:

• You go to visit the neighbors and they aren't home but their door is wide open.
• When you go to visit your other neighbors and nobody is there but before you leave, family members from a combined distance of 170 miles converge to admire progress on a new house.
• You go back to the other neighbors and they are home, with company, and they insist you stay for dinner.
• Somebody at the dinner table says "Those darn sheep are getting out again!"and people arise en-masse, take three vehicles, and with a combined experience of over 300 years you end up weaving sagebrush in barbed wire to foil the wily critters.
• When your new wireless modem upgrade arrives and they tell you you have to drive 120 miles to get to a place it will program itself, and you do it without delay.
• You laugh a lot at how nuts things are.
• The Fed Ex man- fellow dog lover, has become your friend, stoops to return a quarter on the door step and you say, "Leave it. I am field testing the Jehovah's." and you both have a good laugh.
• You step out the door and and can hear calls of Sandhill Cranes, Ringneck pheasants, and the new resident squirrel doesn't budge.
• The air is so clean but it is moving horizontally fast enough you have to run to catch a breath.

So...What Next?

My ankles look normal...for me. I am suspicious that sleep, or lack of it, enters into this equation. Spent some time on the Internet researching and there are possible connections-aldosterone depends on serotonin and is responsible for regulating salt/potassium levels. Will try again to make sure I get adequate rack time. I am feeling well.

Buster deserves a note. He has been doing pretty well as sole dog. Rode shotgun a couple of times and changed his favored spot in the van from a cushion on the floor to the passenger seat behind me...looking out the window. He is communicating vocally much more often and lets me know when he needs something. He has assumed some watch dog duties-he knew the Jehovah's were here and I didn't (missed them-shucky darn). He seems a happy and perky dude and in spite of our marathon in the van is always ready to go. For some reason his tickle spots are more sensitive: scratch his breastbone or tummy and the hind leg goes into high gear. It is funny to see. I am not fond of being tickled but I will check with the vet-maybe it is a happy thing with dogs. He has always been a pretty good snuggler. Gets his bedtime scratch and when my hands go under the blanket, he is off to the foot of the bed until morning when he is so happy to see my eyes open (me too) giving me the lightest little kisses. As sole dog he minds a whole lot better. We have been working on a few commands.

Goodie was tied up with my reluctance to leave Florida. I invited her spirit along and have dreamed of her at home but it does seem that someone is missing around here. So I still have a lot of her but miss her fuzzy presence, nonetheless.

Now that I am rested up some, I am still going to try to treat home like a tourist although I am often stumped. It is hard not to make comparisons. I don't see a lot of joy. Lots of industriousness, though. Many new faces at old haunts-stores, etc. Pondering lifestyle questions. I do enjoy traveling.

Home!

I arrived about 3:00 a.m. this morning. The night before I stayed in a motel in Amarillo. From Shreveport on my feet were swelling and coming out over the tops of my shoes. Painful. Getting horizontal and medicating helped a little in the motel but they started getting better more or less spontaneously as the day went on but home and flat on my back seemed like a really desirable goal. So I pressed on and have taken some refreshing naps today. An irritating inner itch is accompanying the return to normal which will take a few days I suspect but they are, nonetheless, much better. I am meds free today. Edema is a side-effect of one of my blood pressure meds-the one we arrived at after several trials of others. I feel between the devil and the deep blue sea on this so I'll explore alternatives.

Other than that I am feeling wonderful. I had forgotten how clean the air is in Wyoming and how clear it is. I was reveling in it. Came through a little snow near Moneta but it is fine and warm here today.

I will need to do some backing and filling on the blog on the return trip adventures.

Traveling this Beautiful Country

Through the windshield pictures are so lame but sometimes it is all there is. Appreciate the fact I risked my life to get pictures of a Steamboat Casino with its smokestacks down. Bridge from Vicksburg, MS to Louisiana.

Texas skies in the panhandle. Wide open spaces are a relief after Dallas. I ignored the Garmin's entreaties to skirt Dallas starting at Tyler. I will heed its advice another time.

Dunedin, FL St. Patrick's Street Festival

Forty taps! They expected a crowd and they got one. It built and built. After 12 hours and an open-mouthed nap in the town square, I said my goodbyes and left them to the singing, Celtic dancing, bag piping, drinking, laughing and joking. It was a great time.

Happy Saint Patrick's Day from Dunedin, FL

It is 6 a.m. in beautiful downtown Dunedin. Howard and Marylou are probably dozing in their camper. I am blogging with Buster. We drove down last night, had a couple of beers at Flanagan's, drove to a nearbyWal-Mart where Marylou fixed a gourmet dinner and camped until 5:00 a.m. We drove here to watch the fabled St. Patrick's day parade. You know there will be pictures later! More details too- it is far more interesting story.

Gourmet a la WalMart

Mary Lou loves irony and living well without dispensing all the greenstuff. In order to get our ringside seats for the Street Festival in Dunedin we motored down the night before to a nearby Wal-Mart. On the way, they pulled a detour into a Goodwill store-Marilu was not going to serve me fine wine in plastic- she bought a piece of stemware for me. We cracked a $14.00 bottle of great wine (marked down 50%), had a half avocado drizzled and seasoned with Himalayan Sea Salt ($6.00/ shaker) and she seared Tuna steaks for which she had prepared an Italian "salsa" with culantro (not cilantro) she cut from her spice garden that morning. It was FANTASTIC.

We then repaired to respective vans to sleep, arising at 5:00 a.m. to claim prime real estate in front of Flanagan's for the St. Patrick's Day Street Festival

God Bless our Peccadilloes!

Making memories and doing it with style! What fun. Weeki Wachee or Wacky Whichy? I count myself lucky to have some friends who are "originals." Bright, funny, and who approach life guided by their own lights and priorites. Howard found a steal on this Chinook RV. Mary Lou talked them down even more. Don't have a picture of her new Van but it is a beauty if more conventional. Took the friends to Johnny Carino's (a chain you should watch for-excellent country-Italian food) where Marilu disclosed their wardrobe cost 14 cents! ( a great story-ask me) Howard has spent the summer going to the doctor for skin cancer so they were ready for a little TLC. We partied on-had a great time. They had the same digs as last year-on the waterfront.

Direct From Shark Valley- the Everglades

I met these charming creatures while biking in Shark Valley. More later I am still here and on battery power....

It is now later-midnight in the trucker's lounge at Flying J neaar Dade City, FL.

I spent last night at Jason and Lori's-entertaining Juno. He had a 1st birthday party and we wound him up. When we sang Happy Birthday he tried to climb up on the table because that is what Audrey did. (we think!) He does not typically even approach the table. The singing drove him crazy and he was a stitch. Took care of some details at the storage yard this morning and took off on my adventure on the Tamiami trail.The Shark Valley loop road is 15 miles and I only did six on the bike because the water is so low that the good wildlife is about three miles down the road. I was ready for water and air conditioning when finished. It was not a blistering day but I got a little warm. Played the tourist for the rest of the day: stopped at the tourist traps and visitor's centers, had ice cream etc. Good day.

Delores called, said Casper was warm and they were sitting outside this evening- that is encouraging. She found Mary Lou's new phone number and I got got connected with them in Weeki Wachee for lunch tomorrow. Big St. Patrick's celebration in Dunedin- we may have to take it in.

I am up to 90 percent charged being plugged in here. Need to check email before I doze, so better close.

A baby gator- pretty skittish because I think the big un's eat the little un's but I don't know that for sure.

I Am Outta Here! (tomorrow)

Busy, busy busy, Washed and waxed the coach prepping for storage in the heat and the Florida elements. It does look good if I do say so. Breaking camp is not as much fun as making it. Washed and waxed the Van. Now it is the nerve-wracking exercise of making sure to pack all the essentials. I am in pretty good shape but not done by a country mile. There is a certain order to things. Loading the new refrigerator is last because I think it will impede traversing the coach. Lori is going to fetch me from the storage yard and reunite me with the Van. I will camp at their house tomorrow and get an early start Thursday. I think I will be able to blog on the road but one never knows. It is the "end of the season" for more people than me. If the traffic is too crazy I will find a bolt hole. They wiped out 5 people on the turnpike this morning.

I'd better go-I have a date with the vacuum cleaner. Not Buster's favorite.

Old Friends Anna and Andre

While I was prepping the van for travel, I saw a figure on a bike with a familiar yellow windbreaker. She was kind of looking things over and we recognized each other. "Steve?" "Anna?" It was so good to see her. I visited their camp and had a good long chat with Andre. Anna pulled up a little later and we were old friends gabbing...catching up on kids and activities and the depredations of age and "progress.". Andre had carefully counted out his pills for the journey and left them home, same with his cash. $300.00 on the table. They started out from Dearborn with $7.50 in their pocket. Anna used her debit card to get $150.00. They pulled into Camp on Friday in time to dude up and go Square Dancing in Boynton Beach. As I am de-accessioning food and they are new arrivals I took them bread and marmalade from the Green Market. Andre has a new Internet Provider and was having trouble accessing his email from the library so I researched that and loaned him a seldom used cell phone to call his kids and tech support. Anna said of the kids,"They won't worry." I thought "I would worry." They are just ripping and on the cusp of 80 years young. Andre is reading the recent book "The Pilgrims" which is the unprettified history of the earliest Europeans and their less than honorable dealings with the Native Americans. This year the last five days of their vacation will be a cruise. For now they are on the lake in their tent and van. The 89 Ford Van, the last one his department did the modeling for, before he retired is perking right along. Looks great. So do they.

Having a Wee of a Time at the Hard Rock Casino

Well, there's another place I can't go back to. Jason and Lori treated me to a great night out at the Hard Rock Casino. Pictures on the Web Album. Let me see- great meal at the Tequila Ranch and interesting Sangria. ($8 for a martini glassful!) A Steel Band playing reggae in the plaza, dancing waters and a light show, a belly dancer, gambling, a rock band, a tour around the pool, a shot of Anna Nicole's room, some shopping, an Italian soda, chocolates, people watching, having a few yuks. Time with my kids, Priceless!

Link to the Album:

http://picasaweb.google.com/sroberts.wyoming/

HavingAWeeOfATimeAtTheHardRock

The lists are made

My storage space near here is available and waiting. I visited with my friends from New Jersey and refreshed my memory of some of the details of their travels and am planning an itinerary that will allow a leisurely departure from Florida. I ordered a tent yesterday like one I saw here in the park. The Canadians who owned it said they weren't available any longer but I found one on Amazon.com and it will be here Monday. This morning I awoke and said, "You ordered WHAT!?" It is a dandy tent and not very expensive. The twist is it has a "tunnel" to attach to the back of a pickup or Van. It adds a room to a Van. I plan to take the Tamiami Trail across southern Florida. I may go see Marilou and Howard in Weeki Wachee. They were supposed to get over here this year but it didn't happen. Need to call and coordinate that stop soon.

Jason and Lori met me for dinner at Rosalita's tonight. Great Tex-Mex grub. I had chicken and spinach enchiladas and we shared a sombrero and a dessert sopapilla. A sombrero involves a hot crispy chalupa tortilla, ice cream, fudge sauce and whipped cream. We will meet elevenish tomorrow to do the Green Market and have brunch. Trying to get in a few visits before Departure-day.

Okeechobee in my Rearview Mirror

Okeechobee is a fair possibility. The drive out was no fun on Beeline Road. Lots of traffic and delay and crazy drivers. The storage yard looks good and is half the price of my current place which is six blocks away from here. The are RV parks every 5 feet along the strip I drove in Okeechobee. The drive back in on US 441 was less hassle but still had its problems. BUT ( and that is a big But-just like mine) the hassle for me and kids is daunting. Somebody would have to collect me to get me back to the Van. The next season would be the same. Richard and Donna have been calling with glowing weather reports from the west. Delores and Janet email about tulips popping up and so forth. Delores recounts our friend Jayne doing the same last minute frenzy earlier this year before she went back to West Virginia. It is probably a syndrome.

I got tricked last year and from what I read, we should hope for some wet sloppy storms this spring in Wyoming. I don't mind the spring storms but it seems we had them into June in 2006.

If I am going to develop a different plan it needs to start when I come down next year-not the final week. So I think it is time to suck it up and get ready to go. I have been thinking of the charms of home-my own good bed, my friends, my satellite TV and internet, the ease of shopping, my books, the trees leafing out. Always better to have things to look forward to. If I don't like the weather the car keys are close at hand. Las Vegas is a hard day's drive away and I will be going to Oregon in May and October as usual.

I don't have to go home but I can't stay here!

When I paid up the other day Jim, the clerk, said "Let's see, that will put you out of here a week from Wednesday." The reality hit like a ton of bricks. I am not ready for the cold weather. I have been searching for alternatives. Today Lori and I went to see a trailer I had found on the Internet. The trailer is affordable but lot rents down here start at $450/month, Electricity $140, RV storage $25/month etc.. etc. Lori is a treasure- we had lunch and sorted it out. I may consider this course of action in a couple of years when Medicare kicks in but being self-insured right now means keeping fairly liquid. I want to get off the planet without having a coffee can at the grocery store seeking donations. Tomorrow I will check out plan C- another month at Okeechobee and storing the coach out there which is much cheaper. Or I may just cowboy up and store things here and take my time getting home (plan A.5). Mrs. Hall offered some time in West Virginia at her summer home which is a keen idea. Too many endings at once. I have had a good time down here...no shame in wanting it to go on. I am looking forward to home in the fullness of springtime.

Wasted Days and Wasted Nights

Since the festivities ended I have had GBTB Syndrome (go back to bed syndrome). Took a nap yesterday but did rouse myself to load up dog, tripod, camera, and chair to go to the beach where it was said the best viewing of the "blood moon" eclipse would take place. Fogged out there so we went home to eat. Shortly after, the moon appeared so I dragged equipment and chair to the field across from my coach and set everything up and waited....and waited....and waited. Seems it was over so I skulked back home hoping nobody noticed the dork in the dark in the park.

However, having the tripod out and the blimp in the backyard made that an experiment to try. A tripod for night pictures does seem to improve results. Reviewing my recent pictures it seems that I am having trouble keeping my left arm up and the camera on the level. Having noticed, I am trying to figure out why- the flash attachment? carelessness? atrophy? I did find that Picasa2 does have a great photo straightening tool. The fact that there is one seems to indicate that I am not the only one who takes skewed pictures, but I do want to grow as a photographer so I will pay attention.

Quiet Sunday here. We have a cool front after 88 degrees yesterday so we just enjoyed that. Took Buster to Wendy's where he got chicken nuggets and I ate the chili-instead-of-fries option.

The Party's Over

The party is over and it was wonderful. The Oregonians wanted a last glimpse of the beach. It was windy and the Portuguese Man-of-War armada was attacking the mainland but we played for a little while. Audrey is going to be a water rat. She is game for anything.

Meanwhile, back at the ranch Lori and Jason were making a memorable meal. Wine and snacks, a great dinner, and we retired to the patio to visit. Audrey wanted me sit next to her in the Adirondack chairs where we watched the night sky and discussed the universe and airplanes, Ju-Ju the dog and why I had hair on my arms and face and none on my head. She blew me away. Juneau is always entertaining. The balloons had lost some helium and he was playing volleyball. Jumped in the pool to retrieve one. These past 11 days mean so much to me. The kids may even be home by now-they had a 6:30 a.m. flight. Eve was traveling with them this trip so three laps were available for the Audrey duty/privilege. More pix at the usual spot.

Party Down Audrey

Audrey had a Nemo Birthday Cake, The honoree stuck her foot in her cake and decided her new "grown up" underpants would look fetching on her head. All of which we found adorable. She was in awe of our singing which was better than average. She got wound up and had a good time. So did we.

Audrey Turns Two

Grampie took the ladies to the Zoo as part of Audrey's second birthday celebration. We did it all: Lunch, saw the animals, petted some domestic ones, played in the fountains (twice) rode the merry-go round (three times), had ice cream, got an owie, made a memory for Grampie-we will see what Audrey remembers but we have Lots of pictures. Link to same below.

http://picasaweb.google.com/sroberts.wyoming/AudreyTurns2YearsOld