Hi Babe!
What a nice day! Beautiful weather, in the 70’s, I had a lovely breakfast at the El Tovar Lodge restaurant (though the service was quite slow for me, but few others. Folks that were seated just before me were served their meal before they even took my order!), but it was a nice breakfast, and I wasn’t in any hurry. Afterward I got on one of the shuttle busses that took me on a two-plus hour journey out to a place called Hermits Rest. There were nearly a dozen stops along the way at various overlooks with signage pointing out some fascinating historical points, and I spent time at every one. The buses ran every 5-10 minutes, just like a hop on, hop off bus in a tourist city. That took up a good part of the afternoon. When I got back to my room at the Thunderbird lodge I took a short nap, reorganized all my packing for the mule trip, then I went for an early dinner, again at the El Tovar, this time the service was excellent. They even let me special order a salad with some salmon on top, which was delicious, and some fantastic chocolate ice cream for dessert. Afterwards, I put as much of my stuff in the car as I could, only leaving out the bare essential so I won’t have much to do in the morning, Took my shower, now I’m heading for bed. So excited about tomorrow! Wish you were here! Good night, my love!

Hey Honey,
After a good night sleep, a free hotel breakfast, and a little bit of computer work and repacking, I hopped into my little white Toyota (well, they consider a Corolla a full-size car these days, but I remember when they were considered a tiny compact import), and headed out. My first stop was Bass Pro Shops. Evidently I need a rain suit for the rapids, even in 100 degrees, and I considered going to thrift stores in hopes of finding one, but then I found one at Bass Pro Shops on clearance sale, so I called them to make sure they had them, and was reassured by several people that they did, in numerous sizes, but when I got there, I got the runaround, no one could find them, no one knew where they were, and when we finally tracked down the person I spoke to (after 45 minutes of wasted time), it turned out he was wrong, that the ones I specifically wanted they didn’t have. Grrrr! In order to make good on it, thought, the manager agreed to let me have the same brand but that wasn’t on sale for the clearance price, so I ended up with what I needed anyway, though the store lost a bunch of money on the deal. I also got a nice big fanny pack so I can have some essentials within reach on the rafting trip. I lost a lot of time, though, so I headed out of town, with one quick stop at Albertsons for sunscreen, wine and a few odds and ends, finally heading out of Vegas just after noon. Had an uneventful drive under a cloudless sky, arriving at the Grand Canyon right around 4:00. Parking was tough, and I couldn’t figure out where I was supposed to go to check in, but finally discovered that I had to go to a different building to register, so I took what seemed to be the last parking spot on the road and walked over. Got my room all set, then stopped at the mule ride counter to check in there, so now I have a proper itinerary and packing list, which will help. Jeremy was a big help, though. I was told I couldn’t wear a fanny pack, but if I had a lanyard I could wear my camera around my neck, and then he got me a nice soft rope off a bota bag that had leaked, (looks like the old leather wine casks of old, and which is the only water carrying device allowed on the mules apparently), so I could use that for my camera. Got that squared away, then headed up to the room to check it out, in the Thunderbird Lodge, and when I came back out to go to my car to bring stuff in, there was an open parking space right outside the entrance by where my room was! Jackpot! I quickly moved the car up, couldn’t have planned that better myself! Got my essentials in, but by then it was just a half hour to sunset, so I got my camera and phone and went over to the edge of the canyon to watch. I did a quick Facebook video, then took some pictures and a video of some little ground animal that was skirting on the edge of the canyon. Once the sun went down, I headed back to the room, helped my brother Jeff with an online purchase and return, then settled down for the evening. There’s no coffee maker in the room, so no Sleepytime tea, but I’m tired enough that I don’t think that will matter. I spent some time sorting out my stuff between the mule ride and the rafting trip, so I feel a lot more confident that I have everything I need for both. They gave me a small bag for my stuff for the mule ride, plus a packing list, so I’m good to go, and the same bag will come in handy for the rafting trip as well. Tomorrow will just be resting, maybe some walking around and exploring, we’ll see what I’m in the mood for. Been going non-stop for so long a quiet day will be a good thing. Anyway, I’ve had my bath and now I’m ready for bed. Good night, sweetheart! Love you! Wish you were here with me again!

Hi Sweetie,
Woke up a bit before the alarm, got up and finished packing, got the trailer closed up and walked over to the trailer place across the street. Met up with the folks who will be working on it, William came over and I walked him through my priorities. In addition to the body work, I want him to adjust the slide, you know how it sticks, and being on my own, my only recourse is to tie a rope around the cupboard and pull on it enough to get it on track, and that’s a repair waiting to happen! I also asked him to look at the broken drain pipe. Figured if he can’t do the body work, at least he can get the rest of it done. One thing I don’t want to do is let all this stuff pile up, and frankly I’d rather pay from someone else to do it than me trying to figure it out. Anyway, he made a list, and I left. Lola and I went to a First Watch for breakfast, I had some time to kill before I met with Angela, it was okay, not as good as I remember from the one in Jupiter. Next I met with the family back at the plantation (it really does have a Tara type house on it!), and handed off Lola and all her stuff. Got to the airport in plenty of time, but it’s under construction and it was a mess getting around, especially with all my baggage. I finally managed it, then discovered both economy lots were closed, and the difference between the outside and inside parking wasn’t worth the walk, so I parked in the garage after I dropped off my checked baggage. I had to leave the truck for a few minutes, but it’s such a mess I’m not surprised no one hassled me about it. I forgot and put a brand new 8 oz. tube of suncreen in my carryon, so naturally they took that away from me, grrr. Got on the flight, and learned that not only would there not be food service (I made a couple of sandwiches because I knew that), they also didn’t have a beverage service! All I had was water I got from the fountain, and I only got that at the last minute “just in case,” so I’m glad I had it. No snacks, nothing. It was pitiful for First Class. In Dallas I was fortunate that my flight was only a few gates away in the same terminal, and it was a short turnaround (we came in a little late, too), but that was a better flight, at least I got a cocktail and a fruit and cheese plate. Don’t know why one flight had service and the other didn’t. At least we got in before dark. Then I grabbed the shuttle to the rental car place, only to discover that the rental car company I had booked with was at a different location and I had to take ANOTHER shuttle over to it, so it WAS dark by the time I left there. The line was long and slow at the counter, and then the car I picked didn’t have a full tank of gas, so they had to put more gas in it, all taking up more time. Then I finally arrived at the hotel, a new one near the office of where I’ll be working next week, and it took three tries to find a room with a bathtub, and it was on the first floor (ugh), only two doors away from the lobby (another ugh), but that was all they had, I was determined to have a bath, which I did shortly after getting settled in. I’m not even going to watch TV, I’m just going to read a little until I fall asleep and wake up naturally in the morning. All I have to do tomorrow is pick up some more sunscreen (and maybe some wine and Sprite) and drive out to Grand Canyon Village, which is a little over four hours away. I got a Toyota which is pretty comfortable, so it should be a nice drive. In the 90’s here today, actually cooler than it has been! So I arrived, safe and sound, but this hotel really is bare bones, there’s not even an electrical outlet by the bed, and the whole bath/shower figure was loose from the wall and leaked like a sieve, and apparently it’s practically new! Oh, well, this week it’s only one night, I hope next week I can get a room more to my liking, even if I can’t get a bathtub. Enough chat, time for bed! Good night, darlin’! Love you!

Hey Baby,
Despite the fact that I was totally sloping, I managed to sleep okay, but not great. When I got up, I tried to get the horses up for breakfast, but they ignored me. They have made themselves at home in a run-in shed in the near pasture, while all the rest of the horses were in another back pasture, I guess they figured it would be easier than trying to mix in, at least for now. I guess they’re getting plenty of grass, since they wouldn’t even follow me when I tempted them with peppermints! Oh, well, they’ll be safe and sound and probably fat and sassy by the time I get back. Had breakfast, did some more packing, wasted over 40 minutes trying to find my mammoth before I remember I put him in the brake controller box behind my chair. Finally headed out just after 11:00, got down to the Ag center across from the trailer place, backed up as out of the way as I could and unhooked, then started running errands. First to Sun & Ski to pick up some water sandals that the river rafting folks had recommended, a nice sturdy and expensive sandal, but I can see me wearing them a lot, and I managed to get the last pair in my size ON CLEARANCE, so it wasn’t as big a hit, yay! Then off to Tractor Supply to fill up with propane, cheapest price I’ve seen in a LONG time, just $2.29 a gallon. Then found a hair salon that was open and got my hair cut, then Walmart to do my last minute shopping, mostly for dog food and a few other assorted things I needed for the trip. Got back and did some more sorting and packing, but I’m running out of room! Hopefully I can get everything in okay, but it will be tight. Settled down for the evening feeling pretty good about my progress, though it’s going to be a long, busy day tomorrow. Then, just as I was getting ready to take my shower, I knocked my computer off the shelf and the monitor got really funky, crazy lines running all through it, and I was so mad at myself, the last thing I need is to have my computer go! Well, I was on the clock (I was doing my hair) so I jumped in the shower, and when I came out, the computer had rebooted and and was back to normal! What a relief! The only problem was that all the work I did last night to update my blog entries from the last reboot that erased it was gone again! I have no idea why it’s not saving my work on the blog, but apparently that’s a problem. Of course, since I uploaded it all to the website last night, it’s all intact, I just have to download it all, again. I’m just so grateful my computer started up okay, I’d hate to have to run around Vegas looking for a new computer, then waiting for it to download back from the server for two or three days! Don’t have time for that this week! Anyway, shower’s done, crisis is over, sleepytime tea has been drunk and it’s time for earplugs (I’m right next to I-65) and bed. Good night, babe! Love you!

Hi Hon!
Woke up to the alarm, with no more excitement during the night, finished packing up, leaving the campground a bit after nine, and done at the dump just after 9:30. Flash is getting so good at getting into the trailer! Even with a pretty steep ramp today he went practically straight in, yay! Decided to take the freeway rather than the back roads, it probably added a lot more time than it was worth, made worse by me getting off a wrong exit, and then having the return ramp closed from construction, so I had to take a long way around. I wanted to avoid downtown Louisville, they’ve been having riots there, like in so many places these days. There seems to be a lot of anarchy out there, though I hardly ever watch the news any more, too depressing. I arrived at my boarding place in Franklin, and we tried to get into a narrow gate on the side of the field but soon realized it was hopeless, too many ditches, not enough room, so he ended up bringing me onto the property through a double gate closer to house and we just walked the horses out to the pasture. Lots of other horses in there, but they were all up at the back end, so I guess they’ll mix themselves in when they’re ready. They just moseyed in and started grazing, Apollo rolled, the usual. I met the whole family, and they’re all going to be looking after the horses and Lola. We took a walk down to a little creek with another one of their dogs, a protective Aussie I think, and she growled a little at Lola, who mostly just ignored her. I’m sure they’ll get used to each other, though I think they’re going to take here somewhere else where there’s a Weimaraner she should get along with, I hope. Anyway, I’m parked in a field near their house, thank goodness it’s beend dry so I had no trouble getting, and I filled up with water because I was too low for the next couple of days, then settled down for the evening. Finally got a great cell phone signal, so I was able to watch a movie on Netflix for a change. At some point when I have electric and a clear view I’m going to have to get the satellite dish up and load it up with more movies so the next time I can’t get live streaming I’ll have some things to watch. It worked out great these past few weeks, but I’ve pretty much watched everything we had left on the DVR, so I need to stock up again! So now the movie is done, I’m heading for my shower and bed! Busy day tomorrow! Good night, babe! Love you!

Hey Sweetie!
A busy day, washing and hanging out three loads of laundry and all the baseball caps that have been sitting on the truck dashboard for ages, but it was such a beautiful day it didn’t take too long to dry. I spaced out my packing throughout the day, reading in between jobs, so it went pretty easy. I also took a quick ride up to my hotspot, and got a message that my rafting trip is ON!! They got enough for the minimum, so another job today was to get my camping equipment down and check it all out. I had brought out the larger air mattress the other day and filled it up, but it leaked, so I found the smaller one and filled that up, and that seemed to hold okay. It’s better anyway, I’ll have more room in my tent with the smaller mattress. Got the camping bag all packed except for clothes, that will come when I start packing for the whole trip. Someone on the road had mentioned to me that my right turn signal wasn’t working, so I checked that and found a sort of loose wire in the bundle that had been fixed before, so I took care of that. It doesn’t seem to be bright enough, but at least it’s working now. Just as I was getting all lathered up in my shower, I heard Apollo start to whinny, and you know what that means! Loose horse! Sure enough, there came knocking at my door, and I had to get all the soap off and wrap myself in a towel to answer it, and it was my neighbor on the other side, Flash had evidently got off his lead somehow. I said I’d be over as soon as I could, and he said not to worry, he was okay on his hitching post. I finished my shower and put my nightie and robe on and took care of it. Not sure what happened, the halter and the snap looked fine, but he got off somehow, so I switched halters and hooked him back up, hopefully he’ll keep till morning. He only went as far as the horses next door, just visiting apparently! The campground on this end is nearly full this weekend, there’s a “stag” group (all men) who evidently come out here yearly, so it’s a pretty rowdy bunch of guys of all ages partying, and it will probably go on for hours, but that’s okay, that’s what I have earplugs for! Well, I’ve showered, so now I’m off to bed to read for awhile, and hopefully get a good night sleep, it’s going to be a long day tomorrow. Good night, darlin’! Love you!

Hi Babe,
Another great night sleep, then read a bit before finally getting out of bed just before ten, whew! Did the chores, transferred the new hay into the trailer, had breakfast (well, brunch!), then drove up the hill to my hotspot, got everything done I needed to get done online, got back to camp and proceeded to do some odds and ends that needed doing. I had been finding a few roaches coming out at night, and I put down some traps, but I’d rather do the holistic method, so I mixed some borax with powdered sugar and spread that around all the edges of the wall under the cupboards and shelves throughout the trailer just to make sure. I hope it does the same for ants as it does for roaches, I’ve seen a few of those, too. Hard not to attract some bugs when you’re in the wilderness all the time! I puttered a bit more, then decided not to go for a ride today, it was getting late and I figured a day in between would be better, so my plan is to go tomorrow on Flash after I do my hotspot run. Spent the afternoon reading, had a nice grilled steak dinner, now I’m just settling down for the evening. Really quiet here now, only one trailer left way on the other side of camp, can’t even see them, just the way I like it! Be off to bed soon, so good night, sweetie! Love you!

Hey Sweetie,
Well, I got so involved with the new book I started reading last night that I have no idea what time it was when I finally fell asleep, but I do know it had to be pretty late. I slept until 10:00 this morning, which is just barely when the sun starts to reach this site of mine, and it got down to about 43 degrees during the night, I got a bit cold, even with my two blankets, so I broke down and climbed up on the roof to get my quilt out of the attic, since it’s supposed to be cold for a couple more nights before it warms up again. I still felt tired all day, though, so I only puttered a bit. I had to re-sew Lola’a bed again, she must have gotten into a scratching frenzy, ripping the entire seam on the opposite side of the zipper that I had previously repaired. At least she didn’t start chewing up the foam inside and spitting it out, which she has done in the past. Mixed up a few pesticides for later use but read most of the day, finishing off last night’s book by the end of breakfast, then starting another one, more of a geo-political-military type story, but I was still felt so tired I went back to bed in the afternoon and took a nap. Guess I’ve the last few days of activity wore me out more than I thought. Had a nice rest today, though, so hopefully, if I get to bed early, I’ll be more rested tomorrow. I’d like to take Apollo out for a ride tomorrow, but I have a bunch of work to do, and I’m going to have to drive my truck up toward the top of the hill to do it, since I have no signal down here. I did find a place where I can get 3 bars of 4G, so hopefully it won’t take me too terribly long to get done what I need to do. Anyway, I watched a movie from the PVR, then a Wagon Train, now I’m headed to shower and bed. Good night, babe! Love you!

Hi Babe,
Got up early and finished packing everything, had to do a bit of fancy maneuvering to get out of my campsite without running into a ditch, but managed to do so after two or three passes at it. I stopped in Paoli at the Tractor Supply only to discover this one doesn’t refill propane tanks, which was my main reason for going there, so I just got a bag of feed and headed to the Walmart. Didn’t need much but I did need some padded envelopes to mail my books in, which I had to have to get out a book order I got the other day. Once I finished there and packed up the book, I had to pretty much block half a lane to drop it off at the post office, but that only took a minute. The rest of the trip was pretty uneventful, and with the whole trip only being about 65 miles, it didn’t take long. When I got to Corydon, the nearest town to my destination, I stopped at the Tractor Supply there, saw they refilled propane there, dropped my tanks off by the gate before going in, only to discover they had completely run out of propane! Fortunately I still have one and a half tanks, so it wasn’t an issue, but it does mean a trip into town again tomorrow. Arrived at the campground, got all checked in, and made my way down to the primitive horse camp, which was almost empty except for a rather well-known couple Bob Brittian and Ginny were in the site right next to me, as I learned later in the day. They were out riding when I arrived, but I got all backed in with no problem, plenty of room, and mostly level. Put up a highline between a tree and a hitching post, and did a complete set up, including screen room and grill in less than 90 minutes. Got my water tanks filled and everything, then settled down for awhile. My neighbors arrived shortly afterward and we exchanged pleasantries, then Trish and Janet arrived on horseback, they’d settled into the electric camp which was about a mile away. Janet struck up a conversation with the neighbors and that’s when we learned all about them. Anyway, we all chatted, then the ladies went back to camp, I grabbed some Ramen noodles and fed the horses, and eventually wound up over at Bob’s camp, he was playing his guitar and singing some great cowboy songs. The ladies drove down and sat with us around the campfire for awhile, I got to do my Snowy River, and Bob told a sad tale about a cowboy with an obsession with a wild palomino filly. Then we all went our separate ways for the night, with plans arranged for the morning ride tomorrow. Ginny had let me take a picture of a handkerchief that had a map of the place on it, since they seem to be hard to come by unless you want to spend $10, which seems excessive to me. I used it as an overlay on Google Earth and still managed to make a GPS for tomorrow. Bad news is there is absolutely NO cell phone signal down here at the camp, though apparently they have one at the upper camp, so I can see I’m going to be driving to check my email. Anyway, time for shower and bed, it’s already too late. Good night, sweetie! Love you!

Hi Hon,
Couldn’t get to sleep last night, and I woke up woozy this morning, so I decided just to have a relaxing day today. Spent most of the day just reading, with the exception of finishing the filing of my complaint against the actors’ union. They’re still refusing to let me have a contract, and are still threatening to punish me if I work WITHOUT a contract. Not sure how they expect to accomplish anything with THAT attitude! I thought a union WANTED their members to work, not prevent them from working! Anyway, a very quiet day, but hopefully not so quiet that I can’t sleep again tonight! Finally had some sunshine today, so my solar panel managed to collect a bit, but I used a lot of power charging up my electronics, so I’m having to run the generator for a bit now. All I have left to do is feed Lola (after I make her some new satin balls), take a shower and head for bed, though I’ll probably watch a movie since my eyes are tired from reading. So I’m signing off early tonight, while I’ve still got an internet connection. Love you, darlin’! Good night!