Something to talk about

This will be one of those "oh dear" posts.  No one wants to talk about it, but everyone should.  Today Doug went for his colonoscopy.  The dreaded 2 days of nothing but clear liquids, followed up my the invasion of his privacy.  LOL

He looks to happy right now doesn't he.  Well this is the before picture.

                                                                   This is the after.
 Quite a difference isn't there.  He wasn't too perky and had some stomach pain at first, but after about an hour, he was fine.  They did find a polyp and removed it.  This is why I write about this today.  Polyps are mostly benign, but can turn cancerous if left alone.  Everyone needs to have this dreaded test.  It's more of an inconvenience than anything else.  It's not too much to ask,  since it's every 5 years.  Less often,  if you have no pertinent history.  My turn comes in November.  Make your appointment today.  It could save your life and give you more time to travel!
The test was done around 8:00 this morning and by this evening he was ready to eat and eat well.

This is a prime rib from  Colonial steakhouse, here in town.  Much too big for one person to eat.  Doug tried but we brought home a roast size piece of meat.  I think I will make a roast out of it.  LOL  Just add carrots, potatoes and onions and it's done.

   My huge steak looks puny next to his. (Notice my plate has room for potato, his is on another plate)

 
This is what happens when you are home doing nothing but getting ready to leave on your next trip.  You fill you days with doctor appointments, tests and eat.
Later

Total Goof up

It was brought to my attention today that some of my pictures were not showing up.  Just little dash lines.  Oops!
It seems that I got a little carried away when I was deleting some of my pictures.  I thought since they were in my blog it would be ok to take them off my computer.  WRONG!
Luckily I had not cleaned my trash can and could put them back.  Bummer!
If I missed any, please let me know so I can fix it.

Nothing new going on here but prep work to leave and hehehe Doug is starting his prep tomorrow for his colonoscopy on thursday.  Fun times for him!

Later

The countdown is near

We have come up with a date to leave on our next adventure.  Sept. 8th it is.  We have been busy with lots of "stuff" around the house and motor home.  On top of that Libbie had her 60th birthday yesterday.  I made her a chocolate pie.  It's been a while since I made one and I had forgotten how good it is.   Is that bragging?  Sorry no pictures.  I was too busy getting my chores done.   If you like a milk chocolate pie, this one might be the one for you.

                                                        Milk Chocolate Pie
1 cup sugar (you can use 3/4 cup if you want to cut the sugar down.)
1/3 cup flour
1/4 tsp of salt
2 T. cocoa
2 1/2 cups milk
3 eggs separated
2 T. butter
1 tsp vanilla

Mix sugar, flour, salt and cocoa together.  Add milk then egg yolks.  Mix together to blend egg yolks in mixture.  Cook over medium heat until thickened.  Remove from heat and add butter and vanilla.  Pour into a cooked pie crust.  Beat egg whites with 1/4  tsp cream of tarter until firm and hold peaks.  Whisk in 4 T sugar.  Make sure you seal edges of pie with meringue.  Bake in 350º oven for 15 min.
Hope you like it!  ♥️

 Doug took the window awning apart today.  This is the one that was damaged by the blowout

It turns out that none of the parts of the awning were damaged.  It did shear the pins off so that is the only part that needs to be replaced.  He will have to rewind the spring or whatever it is to get the awning to roll up on its on.
Here is our check list of things that had or have to be done before we leave on the 8th.

1. New tires  √        I didn't like having the blowout.  That wasn't any fun at all.  With new tires maybe we are safe from that.
2. Repair or replace passenger side HWH jack   Jack has been removed and taken to a hydraulic shop but they were unable to take it apart.  They called HWH for help and was told they could be rebuilt but wouldn't tell them how to do it.  We have ordered a rebuilt jack from HWH.  The price was $287 for rebuilt and $550 for a new one.  Both come with a 1 yr warranty.
3. Clean the carpet     I am saving this for last
4. Wash all linens and couch slip cover √
5. Defrost and clean refrigerator   √
6. Repair awning over window  √  well almost

It seems like everything happened at once.  Well I guess since this is the only repairs we have had to make since we owned the motorhome, we are doing ok.   I guess that the tires could really be classified as maintenance and not repair.   

If the weather is not too cool, we are heading to South Dakota and Wyoming then down to New Mexico.

Maybe I will get some pictures of the repairs as they are finished.

Later

 

Crab Apple trees no more :(

When we got back from our little jaunt, two trees in the front yard had died.  They were crab apple trees.  I thought that the only thing a crab apple was good for was throwing at someone.  The kids use to have a time throwing them at each other.  Then someone introduced me to crab apple jelly.  Mmmm  that is some good stuff.  But the crab apples on out trees were small and it took a lot of them.  It was just too much work.  I loved it when someone would come by and take all the crab apples and in a few days drop off jelly for me.  That was a pretty good deal to me.

Here is Ashlynn learning how to climb a tree in it.  It had the perfect spot to sit and rest.

 It took a lot of looking, but I found both trees.  The one on the left is the one Ashlynn climbed.  The one on the right is the other crab apple.

By the time I realized that Doug was out there pushing the trees over,  he had already taken down the "climbing tree".  (That's what Ashlynn called it)  They were so dead that they pushed over relatively easy.

 He just pushed them from one side and then another.  Over they went.  I thought it would have been a lot harder than that.

                                                 He knocked most of the dirt off the root.

And carried them to the burn pile.  He looked on the internet to see if crab apple wood was good for smoking meats.  What he found said it was a lot like apple wood.  He is going to cut up some small pieces and try it.

                                            They look like a big mess on the burn pile.

 It didn't leave to bad of a mess in the yard.  A lot neater than cutting them down and having to deal with a stump.

                The front yard without the two trees.  It looks so bare to me without them.

                   In case anyone was wondering, Buddy supervised from under some shade trees.

He doesn't like having his picture made.  He turns his head every time I point a camera at him.  You have to be quick and sneaky.  LOL

Meatballs!!! really....

Not much going on around here.  Just cleaning up the motorhome and going to Doctor appointments. I decided today to try Mikes Meatball recipe.  Well sort of.  I used it as a guide but didn't use all the ingredients that he does.  His recipe goes like this:

1 lb each  lean ground meat
                ground pork
                veal or lamb
3 eggs per lb of meat
1 finely diced onion'
2 finely diced bell peppers
1/4 cup garlic paste
1/4 cup red chili paste
bread crumbs to pull together
Mix all ingre. together and make into about 2" balls.  Bake in 400 degree oven til done. (about 35 min.)

Well I didn't have the chili paste and I didn't want to use veal or lamb so this is what I made.

1 lb of ground meat
1 lb or 4 Johnsonville Brats
5-6 eggs
1 diced onion
1 diced bell pepper
2 tsp. minced garlic
1 heaping tsp. cajun seasoning
1 cup panko bread crumbs
salt and pepper

Take the meat out of the casings on the brats.  (this was very easy, I just sliced them on their side and the casing peeled right off.
Mix ground meat with brats and add all the other ingredients and shape into 2" balls.  Place on a large cookie sheet that has been sprayed with pam.  Bake in 400 degree oven til done.
These were very good.  It made about 15 large meatballs.  Place in freezer bag and pull out what you need.  They make great meatball subs or sliced up for sandwiches, meatballs and spaghetti or just meatballs with your favorite side.  I really liked the flavor the brats gave the meatballs.  Yum... Thanks Mike

Super Moon!

Last night I really wish that I had a better camera.  The full moon was beautiful! It was also HUGE!

                    I have shaky hands and this is the best I could do.  It does not do it justice.

I tried several times but they were all the same.  I think it might be time to ask for a better camera.

I didn't take any pictures but Doug and his brother, Ricky, got the board put back up in the garage.  No damage to the wall thank goodness.  It has rained again today so that has put my work list at a stand still.  I defrosted the refrigerator, but that is the only thing I have done on my list.  If it doesn't rain tomorrow, I am going to clean the carpet in the RV.  Come on sunshine, I have work to do.
Later

Home and it's hectic!

We are still unloading the RV.  There is so much to do.  It's the only thing I don't like about traveling this way.  So much to bring back into the house.  I have the clothes and some of the food put up but still have the refrigerator to empty.  Doug came home to a leaky hose on his tractor.  He was trying to put it on the trailer and it started to rain.  He backed into the garage to get out of the rain to tie it down and knocked a long bracer board off the house!  This is going to be fun trying to get that back up.

It's pretty long!

I don't think it damaged our brand new garage door.  I am afraid to close it right now to see.  He went ahead (after we got the board off the tractor and the tractor out of the garage) and took it to the shop to get the hose replaced.  Before he could leave he had a flat on the trailer and scraped his ankle on a nail from the board.  WHY DID WE COME HOME????  Someone tell me!

I had to stop unloading the RV while the rain poured.  I used the time to make some much needed appointments while we are home.  I am past due for an eye exam, mammogram and the HHR has to have the recall fixed.  I got appointments for first two, but they have to order the parts for the ignition recall.  You would think they would have these in stock.  We called before we left and they were suppose to go ahead and order them but I guess they dropped the ball on that one.  Oh well, hope they come in before we leave again.  Now to get Doug to make his appointments.
Later

What a day!!!

Did I mention yesterday that we had to have a tire repaired.  They found 2 holes and repaired it.  Well we got maybe 25 miles down the road (not even out of Houston lol) and the tire blew!  Boy was that loud.  The tire monitor alarm went off and I had time to get it, look and read the numbers to Doug (108 psi with 98F)  and it blew.

 The entire center tread was gone!  Poof!  Or should I say Pow!!!

 We were on Hwy 59 and Doug managed to get off the hwy. and onto Lowes parking lot.
We were very lucky that there wasn't more damage than there was.

 The tire pieces flew up and hit this window awning.  It completely sheered the bolts off.  It has an odd angle to it now.  Doug tried to just take it off but the way it sheered the pins, it wouldn't budge.

The tire left black marks on the walls of the RV and then flew over the car, missing it completely.  We were very lucky that it didn't hit anyone else either.

We called Good Sam Road Assistance and Doug stressed out about it.  Can you tell?

They said someone would be there in 90 minutes to change out the tire and they were there in that time frame.  Good Sam only deals with Goodyear tires so see my pretty new $658.00 tire!  Of course that includes mounting and anything else they can think of.  Good Sam pays for the service call and mileage.  I am sure that one of the first things we will do after we get home, is to purchase 3 more tires.  The front 2 had already been replaced before we started the trip.  That just leaves these last 3 on the back.  Might as well bite the bullet and get it over with.  I sure don't want another day like today.

This is how Doug rigged up the awning.  Since he couldn't get it off, he put black tape over the sheered pins and used bungee cords to secure the awning.  That looks really nice doesn't it.  We are going to have a lot of repair work and replacements to do while we are home.  I want those last 3 tires replaced before we leave again.  This wasn't fun at all.
We stopped several times because the alarm kept going off saying the psi was too high.  It was very hot today and the temps of the tires were all high.  Doug let some air out of the tires to lower the psi.  Between waiting on the tire repair and the stops to check on the tires, we didn't get to our campsite til 7:00 tonight.  We never stay on the road that late. Bummer!  Doug wanted to make it to Shreveport.  We are stopped at Southern Living RV outside of Shreveport.  This is our usual stop on the way to Houston.  It is a nice clean park with easy on and off.  There is a Flying J right down the road for fill ups and it has a Dennys for people fill ups.  When I called to make sure they had a spot for us, they had already closed the office.  She told us to pick out a spot to the left of the office and we would settle up in the morning.   These are pull through sites.  We plugged in but didn't put the slide out.  That is too much trouble for just one night.  Well it isn't trouble, I am just too lazy to do it.  Besides if we don't put the slide out, we don't have to put the jacks down.  When we are staying for just one night, I just don't see the need to do all that stuff.
Well that was my day... hope yours was better.  I hope mine is better tomorrow.
Later

Tomorrow is our last day

This journey started 4 months ago and is coming to a close.  Tomorrow will be our last day here in the Houston area.  We will head home tuesday morning.  I have been in the motorhome so long I think of it as home and feel quite comfortable here.  But things change and it wouldn't be a treat to be in it if I lived in the motorhome all the time.  I don't know what route we will take home but I am sure that we will find adventure which ever way we go.  We have seen so many places and done so many things on this trip that I can't wait to plan another one.  In the meantime we have plenty waiting for us at "home".  There is no telling what the yard looks like and Doug has several doctor appointments that he has to go to.  I think we will be busy at home for a little while.
I think one of the most important things I have learned on this trip is that I don't need near as much "stuff" as I thought I did. I have gotten along quite well on 1/4 or less of my wardrobe, shoes and purses.  I haven't needed near the amount of kitchen gadgets that I own.  And I have only missed 1 that I didn't bring.  My blendtec. I ran off and left it and didn't miss it much in the cold weather but as it got warmer I have really missed my fruit smoothies.  I will definitely bring it on the next trip.  I have cleaned out some of my cabinets and closets in the motorhome.  I found that I don't really need 10 towels.  They take up too much room and 4 is fine for the two of us.  I wash almost daily anyway.  I narrowed down the sheets to 2 sets.  And last but not least, I have placed the extra bedding (for guests) and winter coats in space bags so that they take up less room in the closet and drawers.  When we get home I really need to do the same there.  I don't need a lot of stuff!  It's time to down size!  I have closets, drawers and cabinets that I haven't even opened in years.  I must not need the "stuff" that is in them.  I think I will have plenty to keep me busy while Doug runs to all his doctor appointments.  One more day, let's make the most of it!
Later...

Food food and more food but not on the same day

Hasn't been a lot going on here. But we have gone to some pretty good places to eat.  Mike took us to an authentic Mexican deli.  This isn't Tex-Mex, or so he tells me.

 This is a couple of tacos.  Doesn't look like anything that you get at Taco Bell!  The pink stuff was a pickled onion.  It was too spicy for me to try.

 This is a grilled pork and cheese sandwich.  It was served with pickled vegetables.  The sandwich was very good.  It reminded me of a cuban sandwich.

 This was a pineapple and pork sandwich.  Doug said it was very good also.

Mikes sandwich had a lot of peppers on it.  It had him sweating in no time.  Too hot for me!  All of the sandwiches came with a type of noodle soup.  It had a very mild flavor and was good.

 Our favorite place to eat Chinese is the Green Garden.  This small restaurant is in a small shopping center.  A gem waiting to be found.  We have eaten here several times and have always loved everything we tried.

 This dish is called Happy Family.  It does make you happy.  There is pork, beef, chicken, scallops and shrimp mixed with vegetables.  Loved this.  The carrot rose was a nice touch, but I didn't eat it.  I don't like carrots that much.  lol Besides, they are really just to look at aren't they?

                                                        This dish is Mongolian Beef.  Basically just beef with onions and bamboo shoots.

                                                    Of course we had pork egg rolls,

and fried rice!  Their food is always so good and there are always leftovers for later.

Enough about food.  Now the stuff!  We had a cloudy day today.  But the best part was the low humidity and the cool breeze.  It felt more like Amarillo than Houston.  Loved the weather today.  This morning the sky was full of small private planes.  They were enjoying the mild weather too.  There was even a biplane.  Another was an older plane that looked like the fighter planes in the old movies.  I wanted to get a picture of all of them.  There were about 5 of them flying around in circles.  But my camera just wasn't good enough to get a decent shot of them.  Time for a new camera.. hmmm

 Since it was so nice outside, I actually stayed out long enough to take a few pictures of some of the flowers around the campground.

                                               














 Same kind as the pink flower.

I finished the dress for Ashlynn.  Well it's not finished, I still have to hem it and put the zipper in.  But I want her to try it on before I do that.  I will mail it to her and make sure its going to fit ok, then I can finish.  I am no seamstress so if this dress lasts long enough for her to wear it a couple of times, I will be real surprised.  This is a back-up dress for her to wear while her "real" one gets an adjustment done.  It was fun but I think I remember now why I quit sewing some 30+ years ago.
Later

A burglar in our midst

Tonight Mike took us out to eat at Goode Company Seafood.  The food was very goode!  LOL

For some reason the camera didn't focus very well and my pictures are a little blurry.  Couldn't be my shaky hands or anything like that.

 I had the stuffed flounder.  It was delicious!  I did swallow a bone though.

 Doug had the seafood platter.  It had catfish, fried oysters, stuffed shrimp and stuffed crab.

 Kaitlyn had the fried shrimp and flounder.

Mike had the grilled flounder and shrimp.  It was all very good.  I didn't get a picture of it but we had the champanera or something like that for an appetizer.  It was like a salsa with avocado and crab meat in it.  It was very good.  It was a wonderful dinner.  Now for the bad part.

We were heading back to the truck and as you can see it was still daylight.  Someone had used the keypad to unlock Mikes truck.  We had just picked up Kaitlyn from the airport.  She had been on a business trip for the last couple of days.  She had her bag and her work computer in the truck.  They stole them both!  I had started to leave my purse in the truck and Mike and Kaitlyn both said, no, this is Houston, don't' leave your purse in the vehicle.  I am so glad that I didn't.  I just hate that Kaitlyn lost her clothes, ipad, and her laptop.  She had so many phone calls to make to get everything taken care of for work.  Since they didn't break in we didn't even realize the bags were gone until we got to Mikes house.  Oh me.... why are people so mean???
Later  :(