Hi Babe,
It’s official, I hate Daylight Savings Time. Why do we need it to be dark at 7:00 a.m. just so it can be light at 9:00 pm? Doesn’t make any sense to me. Anyway, got up while it was still dark so I could be at my brother Glenn’s around 8:00 for a delivery he was expecting, HATE IT! The dark, that is! Spent the morning cleaning his pool and his patio. I started out working with my pressure washer, but not surprisingly, it died after about five minutes. Did some more with just the hose, but that’s not very effective. Received the delivery, then hung around a bit doing some work on the computer, finally came back around 1:00. Not in the mood to do anything else, sorry to say. Finally got some rain, the first in weeks, in the evening. Watched a Remington Steele and a movie, still pretty early to go to bed, but I’m so bored I can’t stand it! it does look like I’ll have a workshop in a couple of weeks, which will finally break the monotony. Gotta get back on the road! Did do some research on the various bucket list rides I’m planning, and more about the microwave (looking less promising), but no real progress. To shower and bed and reading, probably until the wee hours, which is my pattern lately. Good night, my darlin’! Love you!

Hey Darlin’,
Not much going on again today. Daylight Savings started overnight, which I’m starting to hate, I just wish they’d leave it along and forget all about this stupid change. I mean, the days are getting longer anyway, why do we need to shift them in one direction or another? Doesn’t make any sense. Anyway, the only constructive thing I did today was to finish pulling out Jeff’s box scraper, which until recently has been buried so deep into overgrowth it was impossible to reach, but James has been cutting all the bushes back with a new pruning tool he got the other day, and the yard’s starting to look a lot better. I had to move the ramp on his semi box (yes, there’s a big Mayflower trailer in his yard, sigh…), but I managed to get it hooked up to the tractor and out to the driveway. I had to pull out a bunch of growth around the blade that was preventing it from sitting correctly, which improved the drag somewhat. Not perfect, but hopefully a lot better than it was. I’ll know better when I drive out in the morning. Spent the rest of the day doing pretty much nothing. Thought about going for a ride, but it’s gotten so dang hot down here so early, I just didn’t feel like it. I’m so bored with the trails around here, it’s really not much fun. Can’t wait to get back on the road again! Watched a couple of movies and did a load of laundry, and that’s about it. Ready for my shower and bed shortly. Good night, sweetie! Love you!

Hiya Sweetie,
Had a great night sleep last night, no earplugs, no barking, no pills, just a great night sleep, yay! Did my chores, fixed a cupboard in the bathroom that has worked loose and didn’t let the doors close properly, then go busy washing windows on the house. I had told Jeff that I would help clean up the place before all his company came in the next few weeks, but I’m feeling a bit like I’m rearranging the deck chairs on the Titanic. He has so much junk laying around, stuff that should have been thrown out months and years ago, I don’t know where to begin. I managed to get most of the windows clean, at least the one I could reach around the junk, so it looks a little better. I also did a litt more pool cleaning, but I couldn’t find the pool vacuum to get the sand out. I also couldn’t find a dustpan for the floor dirt I swept up, another setback. Then I got a text from my concert friend Lori, and we arranged to go to the dog beach in Juno for awhile, so I headed over there around 3:30. I picked her up at her RV park and drove over to the beach, which had dozens of dogs running around. We had a great time, although we lost another frisbee to the riptide! Now I have no more frisbees, I’ll have to find some more. I stopped at the Dollar Store and the Pet Supermarket on the way home and couldn’t find anything suitable, I’ll just have to keep looking. Enjoyed the company, though, and Lola wore herself out. I gave her a bath when we got back, then settled down for the evening. Took my shower, had loads of sand in a lot of unexpected places (one of the reasons I’m not usually big on the beach, but it’s always good to get there once in a while), watched a movie and a Remington Steele, heading to bed shortly. Love you, babe! Good night!

Hi Babe,
I could NOT get to sleep last night, I just kept reading, hoping to drop off, but there’s a dog somewhere in the neighborhood that just wouldn’t stop barking! Grrrr! By 3:00, I was desperate to sleep, I ended up putting in my earplugs and taking an acetaminophen PM. I hate to do that, because even though it does help me sleep, I usually feel logey all the rest of the day. Sure enough, it got me to sleep, but I didn’t wake up until nearly 11:00. Didn’t have the energy to do much, so I spent some time tracking down a microwave, Randy from Harmar gave me a lead on someplace, and I left a message, but they didn’t get back to me today. I also managed to find some new health insurance, and after half a dozen transfers, finally got with a woman named Kimberly who did a fantastic job of walking me through everything. So I’m still with Cigna, which is great, with a subsidized policy so my costs are WAY down. As much as I hated giving up my union contract this year, this will be a much cheaper option for me until I qualify for Medicare in August. Glad to get it, too, I was worried I’d have to go without for a few months, didn’t really want to do that. So that was my afternoon, mostly. I did a little pool cleaning while I played with Lola before dinner, then settled down to a movie, Mysterious Circumstance, about the dead of Meriweather Lewis. It was a bit slow, but an interesting acting exercise, doing the same scene over and over with slightly different intents, offering a variety of explanations of how the same essential script could be interpreted in so many different ways. But I’m ready for bed now, I’m truly hoping for a good night sleep, and to be able to get back on schedule, although with Daylight Savings time starting this weekend (ugh!), it’s just going to mess it up again. I wish they would just stop doing that! Anyway, the night is cooler, I didn’t have to run the AC today, thank goodness. There’s a cold front coming in shortly, so it will be cooler next week, which is fine with me! Anyway, time for shower and bed. Love you, darlin’! Good night!

Hey Darlin’,
Took awhile to get to sleep last night, but finally managed it. Got up pretty early, though, got packed up, said my good-byes, then drove around the corner to visit with Margarita and George, who cooked us a huge, fabulous breakfast. Bacon, sausage, potatoes, pancakes, coffee, needless to say we all were full by the time we got done. We chatted for a couple of hours, until I finally left around 10:30. A fairly uneventful drive, though I can’t believe the variations in the price of diesel! On the turnpike (historically the most expensive place) it was $4.48 or so. I waited to get fuel until I got off the turnpike, and disappointingly, the Pilot was $4.89 a gallon! I only got a few gallons, enough to get me to a place north of Okeechobee, where I filled up at $4.03 a gallon. That’s the best price I’ve seen in over a year! I hope it keeps going in that direction. Stopped to drop off a book I had borrowed, then went to Glenn’s to do a more thorough cleaning of the pool, then stopped at Tractor Supply for some feed and hay, finally got home around 4:30. Loaded up the hay into the trailer, then settled down for the night. Watched a little British rom/com and a couple of Remington Steele’s, now I’m ready for shower and bed. Good night, sweetie! Love you!

Hiya Sweetie!
What a nice change of pace today! After a nice breakfast of cereal followed by some playtime with the dogs, I spent a bit of time reviewing the ATV online course before heading over to the Forest Service office, so I was ready! Turned out I was the only student in this particular class due to some last minute changes that other people made, which was fine, we got through the whole course in about 80 minutes, and it was a blast! Learned a lot, got the feel of the ATV, got to run around a bunch of pinions in all kinds of patterns, really fun. Terry taught the class, Scottie came by to say hello, as did Jerry, who I don’t think I’d met before, so it was very welcoming. Spoke to Melanie in the office for a bit about volunteer opportunities, got the rest of the paperwork done, and spoke at length to some other folks that were in the office asking questions, and it turned out that the husband was a professional remodeler and was very familiar with RV’s, so I picked his brain about microwaves, and he offered to get in touch with some contacts he has in Elkhart, IN (where most North American RV’s are born!) and see if he could find a front-mounted one for me. I just have to get him the model number of the one I have, which I’ll do as soon as I get home. Nice folks! Then I headed over to my friend Margarita’s, and we spent the afternoon getting caught up. I knew Jo was working and didn’t want to disturb her, so it was an excellent way to spend the day. Her husband George wasn’t home, but when I left at 4:00, I said I’d be happy to stop by in the morning on my way out to say hi, especially if he cooked me breakfast (he loves to cook!), and within a few minutes after leaving, she confirmed that George had agreed, so it will breakfast at their house in the morning! Got back and ran the dogs around for a bit, Jo’s husband Jeff made another delicious dinner, I helped Jo get her trailer hooked up, she’s taking one of her horses to the vet’s in the morning, and then I settled down to watch Condoleeza Rice speak at the Reagan library, live streaming. A great speech, as always. Quick shower, setting the alarm, Spanish lesson, lights out! Good night, baby! Love you!

Hey Babe,
Had trouble getting to sleep, a very fitful night, but managed to get enough in the end. Didn’t take long to get packed up, and headed out around 11:30. Stopped at Glenn’s to service his pool, then hit the highway non-stop to my friend Jo’s house, where I will be staying the next two nights. Her big yard is completely fenced, so Lola has plenty of room to run around, and soon was absorbed into the pack of the three other dogs that she has. Enjoyed the evening catching up, had a wonderful dinner made by her husband, had some fascinating conversation before going out to help feed the horses. Cooler tonight, so it should be a great night sleep, I hope! Heading to shower and bed early, lots to do tomorrow! Good night, my darlin’! Love you!

Hi Darlin’,
Another rather mundane day. I have SO got to get back on the road, I feel like I’m stagnating, staying in one place so long without any real projects! It’s been so hot, but it is supposed to cool down a bit next week, hopefully. I spent some more time trying to figure out my microwave problem, can’t seem to find one that will mount from the front, but still looking. Washed the truck, played fetch and swim with Lola, gave her a bath (she’s still scratching, even after using some fancy anti-itch shampoo), watch an interesting movie called Another Time, a quirky mixture of science fiction with a touch of romance and buddy movie, with one great conversation comparing the weapons of Star Trek vs. Star Wars which had me laughing. Took my shower early, heading for bed early, too. I have a long drive tomorrow, heading up to Williston for a state certification ATV course, and I haven’t done any packing yet, not that I’ll have much to do for just barely over a day. Off to bed! Love you, sweetheart! Good night!

Hiya Sweetie,
I’m happy to report that by this morning, my possum friend had departed, I trust he wasn’t too injured, if at all, but he was definitely gone, so no emergency to be handled there! Other than that, had another day of not much happening. I did manage to get Jeff to help me get my microwave out, turns out the screws that hold it on are VERY long, that go from front to back, not from the top down, thank goodness! I was afraid I might have to tear out some of the woodworking to get to it, but not so! Now the trick will be to find another microwave with the same kind of mounting capability, that’s going to take a lot more research, I think. Another hot day, today, too darn hot to ride or do almost anything outside except maybe be in the pool, and for some reason, I’ve just not been in the mood too much for that. I did take Lola over for a while and let her swim and fetch, but not for too long. Read, watched TV, ready for bed! Good night, babe! Love you!

Hey Darlin’,
Got woken up during the night, discovered a possum in the recycling bin, and he made a lot of noise for quite awhile, so I missed out on some sleep. Thought he’s be able to get out during the night, but in the morning he was still there. I turned the bin on it’s side, and hoped he would leave during the day, but he hasn’t. Thought maybe would leave once it got dark, considering they’re nocturnal, but as of this writing, he’s still there. so I’m thinking maybe he hurt himself. If he’s still there in the morning, I’ll call Busch Wildlife Sanctuary and see if they can help. Meanwhile, I was positively uninspired to do anything today, so I spent the day reading. Finally settled down in the evening with a movie about a custody battle over a dog, and now I’m heading to shower and bed, to finish off my current book. That’s it! A lazy day! Good night, my love!