Archive for ‘April, 2008’

Snow, sort of

Snow

That is snow on Karl – well, pellets of a snow-like substance…

Snow

Snow in the “hills”…

I don’t think it is going to do enough to stick so we can play in it and probably I am the ONLY person in winter-land who even wants that, but fun – for me – to see a little bit of the white stuff!

Bad news is the rain/snow mix and near freezing temps are forecast through Saturday so I will hold here through Saturday. I’ll work Saturday and drive Sunday and Monday for home – back to work from the home property on Tuesday. I will be continuing to live in the Winnebago for at least a week. Sara, my caretaker, is in the process of buying a condo and closing, etc. – it is never over until it’s over! Currently she is planning on moving on the 3rd and 4th. If Bob (my cat who has been with her) condescends to allow Karl and I back in the house we’ll move in after.

Sara and I have “shared the property” before. She was in the house and I was in the Winnebago for 3 weeks before I flew to Florida to meet Bill for the first time. Bill and I had been talking and emailing for 5 months and were optomistic and hopeful about a long term relationship – so when I found Sara – we just did it!

And as far as hope – now – particularly in the last several days, there is renewed hope.

“Absence is to love what wind is to fire; it extinguishes the small, it enkindles the great.”
Comte de Bussy-Rabutin

Time will tell if ours is small or great…

Birds of a feather

Late yesterday afternoon I heard the rumble of diesel close by. The “office” in the Winnebago is the passenger seat. There is a pull-out desk top built into the dash…my laptop goes on the desktop, I keep an all-in-one printer in the “well” left by the extended desk top – and a nice large, crisp (52 year old eyes) external monitor sits on top of the all-in-one. I have the windshield “drape” drawn to keep background glare off the monitor.

Desk

The drape wraps around both the passenger and driver-side windows, i.e. I can’t see outside when I’m “in the office”.

But I can hear! – and the deep rumble of diesel was enough of a “different” sound to get my attention – New neighbor…my row, 2 sites down. I didn’t hear the others come in, but by the evening walk there were 3 other motorhomes and one new travel trailer.

Off season, in locations where it gets cold, many rv parks that are open keep power and water to a limited number of sites. It is not unusual so also not unusual that anyone travelling the “shoulder” season in winter country would choose a site near where everyone else was. I did – although up a row as I wanted an end spot. What did strike me as funny though, is the 5rs and trailers stuck to the back row…the motorhomes selected the next row where I am. There was a Class C (Cab over truck vs “bus” or “bus-type) here for a bit and they were one row ahead of me…birds of a feather???

RVs

RVs

And I think they are all here for at least a couple of days as all unhooked or unloaded tow cars. Lest you are thinking that maybe I don’t have enough to do since I’m running around taking photos of how everyone parks and speculating on why and how long…this is a generally accepted pasttime of rvrs – being nosy I mean. See the The Tale of Woody post for more evidence of this.

After Karl and I walked around spying on observing the new arrivals, we sat at the picnic table and enjoyed the once again warm, quiet early evening. Clouds were gathering and the forecast thunderstorms headed our way. I took some photos and played with a new obsession: Adobe’s LightRoom

The results below – my first attempts – much to learn! I played with color, contrast, white balance.

Storm Clouds

Storm Clouds

Storm Clouds

A little surreal, but fun!

The neighborhood

Late afternoon, early evening yesterday, the wind stopped. All day, it had howled and gusted and I had a headache from the noise, from concentrating at the computer and probably from the dust in the air. But evening was calm, quiet and had that feeling of spring – warm enough to sit at the picnic table with a cup of hot tea after an evening walk.

Someone was working in the adjacent field, cattle in the background – soft, pleasant sounds of the tractor and the occasional bellow from the cattle – Karl and I sat quietly and enjoyed.

Ranch

Moon and Tractor

The tractor was left in a perfect position for this morning’s moonset…

RV Park

All 5 of us!

RV Park

my spot from a distance…

RV Park

and up close – lots of breathing room!

RV Park Sunrise

Another spectacular sunrise.

Time to get to work!

From the morning walk

Karl and I headed out for the morning walk at first light, but before sunrise. We walk the boundaries of the RV park and as Karl can be off leash I allow him to putter, sniff and just be a dog and enjoy. Meanwhile, I watch and look and catch what I can with my camera..

Karl

Moon set

Sunrise

Sunrise

Spearfish

Spearfish

Comfy?

Karl

This is a new variation…”arms” stretched out in front. He is asleep …eyes partly open.

Karl

This looks more comfortable – my sweet boy…he was snoring when I took this. Well, it is 4 a.m. – I’ve been waking early and I just get up and get to it…one of the benefits of working from a “home” office. Starting very early most days is how I can take time during the day for a long walk or errands or sometimes a nap of my own!

A benefit of this nearly empty (still just 5 of us) rv park is that I’m sitting on an end spot – no one within 100 yards of me and nothing but prairie to one side. I don’t have to worry about light and noise bothering anyone and can leave blinds and shades open on the “prairie-side” – even at night. The park has low, parking lights and no bothersome “street-lamp” lighting to shine in. I have this thing about liking to get up in the night and look out – it is perfect here with just the low, twinkling, site lights.

I was up several times last night. The wind howled most of the night. The slide-out sections of the motorhome have “toppers” – canvas awning-type things on rollers that roll out with the slide when it extends and keep dirt, etc. from collecting on the roof of the slide. They work…the downside is in high wind they “flap”. They are fairly taught but not tight enough to stop some flapping in wind. Between the living room slide and the bedroom slide, it can sound like I’m on a sailboat and all of the sails have been let loose to flap in the hurricane…it is noisy is what I mean and sounds like things are coming apart. In Ohio, the bedroom topper came completely unrolled. The slide looked like it had its own parachute – that’s when I brought the slide in. I don’t like to do that as Karl’s preferred sleeping place – other than the sofa – is between the bed and the back wall which is unaccessible with the slide in… Well…there is that expression “let sleeping dogs lie”! – there must be a reason for it as my dog is not spoiled… he’s not!!

Spearfish

Today’s travel started about 10 minutes before 7 – cool and foggy and it stayed that way through mid-morning.

Fog

Fog

The forecast wind was strong from the start but it was from the southeast so hitting from the rear driver side and not really noticable until afternoon.

Flags

Lunch stop! – Flags whipping in the wind. After this stop there were moments of being “tossed around” when the interstate dipped to the south bringing the wind broadside. It wasn’t constant but the “threat” was enough to make the driving and paying such close attention – stressful and tiring.

Missouri River

Missouri River – a beautiful blue! My thought was “how much prettier than the Mississippi” which was a muddy brown…

Spearfish Snow

Snow on the hills around my site at Elkhorn Ridge RV Resort. Spearfish is just above 3000 feet in elevation – about the same as my home – so cooler than eastern South Dakota.

I had a short nap and got a bit of a second wind before a sunset walk with Karl.

Karl

Sunset

I LOVE this place – gorgeous, spacious sites, beautiful grounds, wonderful laundry, lots of walking space for Karl and I…rural and quiet. The price is not bad right now as it is “off-season” and it is a new park – built for the newer, bigger rigs – trying to make it’s way. No matter, I WOULD PAY WHATEVER!!! – I am NOT frugal and I LIKE my creature comforts. It puts me at odds with a lot of the world and especially with much of the RV world. But, I am a “full hookup resort” kind of girl and am willing to pay for a nice, spacious, pretty place. As Popeye said: “I am what I am”…