New shoes? Eek!

I pretty much just collapsed from my three days of driving, and took yesterday off.  Billy Thibodeaux, the owner of Premiere RV, came inside to measure the two windows to order the MCD shades for me, and we discussed the other maintenance/repair items I had on my list.  Billy recently had quadruple heart bypass surgery, so is slowly returning to work.  It’s hard to keep a good man down I guess.  He and his wife, Helen, were off in their rig to visit friends in Dallas after my shade order was placed.  It generally takes about a week for those custom shades to arrive and be installed, so I knew I’d be here for a number of days.

The tires on my rig were manufactured in 2006, so it’s been seven years.  They may not look bad, but I knew it was time to replace them before I had the trauma of blow outs while driving.  Billy gave me the name of a reliable establishment to provide new tires for me, and told me who to ask for and to mention his name.  So that’s what I did first thing this morning.  The price of six new shoes for the rig is right around $4000!  That more than takes care of my tax refund for this year, but it’s a necessary expense and I’d rather be safe than sorry.  I’m sticking to the same Michelin tires that have served me so well on this rig.  I’ll be having them installed next week in between my appointments here.

After that little expected shock to my pocketbook, I decided Emma and I should go for a drive to revive our spirits.  So, we headed off to Kaplan, LA, to enjoy a delicious shrimp po-boy at Suire’s Grocery and Restaurant.

I’m thinking this is my third trip to this little out in the middle of nowhere place, and it was as tasty as ever.  I haven’t gotten the guts yet to try the Cajun Pickled Quail Eggs, but maybe next time. 

After lunch, we took another drive on the Creole Nature Trail National Scenic Byway.  I usually drive it each time I’m having work done on the rig, but today I saw more wildlife than I have in the past.  One huge oak tree had a nice  mixture of roseate spoonbills and egrets on its limbs.

It’s about a 200 mile loop drive that also includes a visit to the Cameron Prairie NWR.  Once again, Emma and I walked the Pintail boardwalk, and drove the wildlife loop.

After the cold front moved through last night, the temps were cool and the winds were really blowing.  That didn’t keep us from seeing lots of wildlife along the drive.

I had a couple of favorites though.  There were lots of white-faced ibis along the way, and this was the first time I’ve ever seen the white on their face.  It’s only there during breeding season. 

The last time I was here, I got great pictures of a green heron at this spot.  Today, a king rail made an appearance instead.  That was pretty exciting for me.

After we returned to the rig, I was hoping maybe the hot water check valve had been replaced, but it was not to be.  What’s a few more days without hot water?  I couldn’t take a shower for several weeks after surgery, and now two weeks without hot water since the check valve went out makes me think perhaps in my youth I could have made it in the armed forces.  I heat water in a pot each night to bathe in my bathroom sink.  It’s about the same size as a military helmet, so I guess it could be considered a marine shower?   I know, they are asked to do so much more…  The biggest challenge is washing my hair under the kitchen faucet with cold water.  Talk about a brain freeze!

                                                                                THE END!!

Thanks for stopping by… talk to you later,  Judy