Camper Diversity

This stainless steel Airstream caught my eye. It is a little jewel and I think vintage because a closeup of the awning reveals some age. Airstreams are really well built and I am sure this one cost plenty in its day.

Things are in complete flux here. My last long-term neighbor left today. To the left of me is a fancy 5th wheel, to the right of me a $100,000 Class A, kitty-corner a $300,000 Class A. Some more modest vehicles also are in sight- a 1987 Class C, and a Camper van. Paulo, my back yard neighbor, is getting ready to pull out tomorrow and will drag his modest trailer home to Canada. His wife passed away down here last year. In January 2008 there were two women who visited him. One older lady (66) and one younger (51). I saw him smooching the younger one. He is looking forward to going home to one of them. Because he is a only fluent in French he went to get a woman translator to tell me he was picking the older lady, "Because at my age I know what I want and what I don't want." My guess is he is picking companionship over passion but I could be dead wrong. Nothing surprises me anymore. I had no idea auditions were being held next door. He says marriage is not in his future but...

I managed to burn up the plug on my electrical hookup today. Hot, sultry day, the air conditioning was running full tilt and I decided to cook some pork spareribs. No power. Went to the RV store and got a new plug and was back in business pretty quickly. I found a Harbor Freight Tool store which is a danger to my bank account. I was in a hurry and got out for about $12.00 but I saw enough to tempt me back.

Years ago a clerk in Mr. D's grocery store told me about a recipe for for barbecuing that I filed away in my head because it sounded so weird. As pork is about the only good buy in the meat department these days, I tried it out the other day. It was great. So I was doing a repeat. Here it is: Brown the meat; chicken, pork, or whatever, using about a tablespoon of vegetable oil. Turn the skillet down to just a skosh above simmer. Pour in a can of regular (not diet) Coke. Add a cup of ketchup or more. The sauce will be pretty watery. Simmer covered for about an hour, then put the lid askew so the vapor can escape. The sauce will thicken in an hour or more and about the time it does, the meat will be falling off the bone tender. Add a little regular barbecue sauce and other spices if you like the smoky taste or want more flavor but it is just fine without it. Ketchup is one of the under-appreciated sauces. As I learned from reading a Thomas Pynchon novel, it was a sauce that came from Indonesia (ketjap) in the 1700's. It was every bit the rage of the day and did a lot to improve meat in the days before refrigeration.