Packed up and ready to go

I spent the day today getting everything ready to head out in the morning.  It took a good portion of the day to do all the outside stuff and most of the inside stuff.  I didn’t think I’d make a post tonight since it was pretty mundane stuff and I didn’t plan to take any pictures of things like dumping the tanks or getting everything stored away.  Most everything was done by about 6:00 this evening, so Emma and I spent some time sitting outside before sunset.  That’s when I noticed a movement in the sage brush surrounding the fire crew bunk house.  Something was flopping around up there that wasn’t normal.  As several of the other volunteers stopped by to wish us a safe journey, that ‘something’ began walking towards the RV pads.
It turned out to be a white pelican, and it was making it’s way right toward the RV pads!  Once Emma noticed it, I put her inside so she wouldn’t spook our visitor.  What in the world is a pelican doing walking down the refuge road?  It came right down the road to the pads, and stopped briefly to inspect each one.
It didn’t seem to mind that a couple of us were following it along with our cameras clicking.  I don’t know if it was injured or not, as it seemed to amble along just fine.  What an unusual occurrence this was!  I tapped on Sue’s door so she could come out to see what was in her front yard, and she said she was sorry she didn’t have any fish! 
As it made it’s way through all the sites, I just hoped it would get to some water and be safe for the evening.  It’s wings didn’t appear to be broken, but this is not normal behavior for a pelican.  As it strolled in back of the last RV, the coyotes began their nightly chorus.  Vaya con Dios, mi amigo!  :(   (Go with God, my friend)

Thanks for stopping by….talk to you later,  Judy

Three knocks at the door

Traveling solo like I do, I seldom have people knocking on my door.  So, to have three different people knock on my door today was exceptional, and most were pleasant surprises.  When I’m at home for the day in my rig, I like to eat my main meal in the afternoon.  As I was about to sit down to eat, the first knock came.  It was my friend, Juanita Pierce, inviting me over for dinner tonight.  She and her husband, Gordon, are spending the whole season here at Red Rock, and they knew I would be leaving in the morning.  How nice of them to invite me over.  :)

Since she said to drop over at their rig around 6:00, that meant I had to kick it into gear to get everything done before then.  I was procrastinating, as usual, about getting the final moving chores done.  :(  There’s nothing like a deadline to get me moving.  Thank you, Juanita!

I was able to drive to town to get the laundry done, detach and collapse the satellite DISH, dump the tanks, put in some fresh water, and vacuum and dust the rig before today’s late afternoon storm blew in.  And BLOW in it did!  I had wanted to stow the water hose, but the rain chased me back indoors.  That’s when the second knock came. 

This time it was a neighbor I didn’t know, asking me what time I was leaving in the morning.  Do you think people don’t watch what is going on around them?  Ha!  He had seen me scurrying around outside packing up.  It turns out he is also leaving in the morning, but much earlier than I, and he was concerned that he might hit my little car on his way out, so was asking me to move it.  It’s not like my car is in the road or anything, but I told him I’d be happy to move it.  He said he saw me struggling with some of the heavy items I had to pack and wanted to come help, but his wife wouldn’t let him.  I normally don’t struggle that much, but I wrenched my back a little yesterday toting around the air compressor, so I was really taking it slow and easy today.  Nice of him to have offered, after the fact, but I’d like to give his wife a swift kick!  :(  It’s not like I try to portray a damsel in distress, and normally I just do what needs to be done, but I was going about it rather gingerly this afternoon.  I could have used some extra muscle power for a couple of items.

Anyway, just before I was about to leave for Gordon and Juanita’s, the third knock came.  It was Jackie, Jim’s wife, (in her pajamas and bathrobe, of all things) with a huge plate of food.  They had wanted to share their wonderful ham dinner with me tonight before I left.  Because of the rain, she just brought over a plateful for me.  Wow, how nice was that?  I thanked her, and explained about eating at the Pierce’s.  She just said to wrap it up and save it for tomorrow after my day of traveling.  Jim, Jackie, and June have been the best next door neighbors that a person could ask for!  Lucky me!

Now, for the rest of the story…Jackie and June had gone fishing this afternoon.  As Jackie’s mom, June, napped on the beach, Jackie waded out into almost waste high water hoping to catch a trout.  She didn’t have any luck, but did manage to get very chilled.  When she got back to her rig, she jumped in a hot shower to warm up, and threw on her flannel PJs afterwards.  Then the rain started, and she dashed over to give me the plate of food.  The flannel pajamas were a Christmas gift to her from Jim.  He got them from Victoria’s Secret.  (Jim, you sly devil!)  Who would have thought that Victoria’s Secret sold full body covering flannel pajamas??  Not me, that’s for sure.  What a hoot!  I hope she doesn’t mind me telling this little tale on them.  :)

The dinner and visiting were great at Gordon and Juanita’s, and I’m sure I’ll be meeting them again somewhere down the road.  About all I have left to do tonight is the dishes and putting away the toaster, and tomorrow unhooking the electric and water.  Then I’ll be getting out of Dodge!  Since the DISH is packed, I guess it’ll be a night with The Waltons for me.  :)  If I can remember how to get the DVD player to work.

Thanks for stopping by….talk to you later,  Judy