We now have a proper truck for Topper. We picked it up on Tuesday. Now, the problem of putting a camper on a pickup is more than just sliding it into the bed and driving away. For one thing, it has to be tied down so it doesn't blow away at highway speeds or tip over, when driving around a corner.
We were aware that our new truck (pictures to follow, when we can put the camper and truck together) was not set up to haul a camper. So, I called Highway Trailer Sales, where we bought the camper and made an appointment to have camper tie-downs and an electrical connection added to the pickup.
We did get a nice surprise. The pickup has a plastic bed liner. Unfortunately, when you put a camper in a pickup bed, a plastic liner is so slippery that the camper might be more likely to move around, even with proper tie downs. So, the bed liner had to go (just temporary, you understand). Fortunately, a plastic liner can be relatively easily removed. So, we went about removing the liner, before our appointment for the tie downs.
To my great delight, the truck already had an electrical connection in the bed. That is important because, when the camper is in the truck bed, it covers the taillights of the truck. Plugging in the cable between the truck and camper provides power for the taillights on the camper. It also provides power to charge the battery in the camper. When we travel, we leave the refrigerator running in the camper, and even though it uses propane to cool itself, there is a 12 volt circuit board that controls the operation. So, we didn't have to have an electrical connection installed.
The pickup work was done on Friday. I was excited to drive over and get the work done first thing in the morning. I had a date to have coffee with a friend after I delivered the truck to the shop. I jumped in the driver's seat, turned the key and "click, click, click, click, click, click, click, click, click, click." The motor wouldn't turn over, let alone start. My heart sank.
I realized that the problem was the battery. I checked the voltage: 10 volts. It should be closer to 12.4. I had asked the previous owner how old the battery was. He said, "I don't know. I have owned the truck for seven years, and I never put a new battery in it." So, although I was not surprised the battery was gone, I couldn't help thinking, "Couldn't this have happened when I was on my way to the grocery store for another half gallon of ice cream, instead of when I have an appointment for something important?"
I set to work trying to remove the battery. Ordinarily this is a simple task, but in this case (i.e., when I was under the pressure of an impending appointment) the bolt that secures the cable to the negative battery terminal was so corroded that I couldn't get it loose. I tried every tool I could think of. Finally, I called my pal Paul, who is a handyman par excellence. He talked me through a workaround. By the time I got the battery out of the truck, it was almost time for my coffee date.
I called Highway Trailer and explained the situation. Jim, the service manager, was very gracious and told me to get there when I could. With a great deal of relief, I made a dash to Walmart for a new battery and then met my friend for coffee.
When I got home, I quickly installed the new battery and headed for the shop. Cutting to the chase, we now have tie downs AND a new battery. All things considered, I would much rather have the battery die in my garage than in the middle of nowhere, or in a campground, where help was unavailable.
While the truck was in the shop, I came home and removed the dinette window from Topper. On our last outing, we discovered, in the middle of a driving rain storm, that the window leaked like a sieve. It needed recaulking. I have almost finished that project, so we are gettin' itchy to go camping again.
Sunday, September 29, 2013
Monday, September 23, 2013
A load off my mind...and my pickup
I think I mentioned in an earlier post that the pickup we bought to haul Topper around was a bit overloaded. That has bothered me a lot, and I was hesitant to share my concerns with Jill. We stopped at a weigh station on our first camping trip, and she could tell by my face that I was shocked by how much we were overweight (the rig, the rig...the other is none of your business!).
We had a long and candid discussion about the problem and what to do about it. At last, I agreed that we had to bite the bullet and get a different pickup, if we are to continue enjoying Topper. So, last week, I found a website for Syd Dorn, an auto broker in Lake Oswego, and a former member of our former church. I sent a message from the website to Syd explaining the predicament I had got us into and what we needed in a pickup to fix the problem. I was prepared to be looking for a vehicle for a couple of months.
Well, Syd went to work and quickly! He called for more details about what we wanted to do and what our budget was. I think I sent the info on Sunday, and on Wednesday, Syd sent pictures of a beautiful, red, 2001 Ford F350 Superduty Crew Cab. He asked us to take our Silverado to his cousin in Salem for an appraisal, which we did that very day.
Later, he emailed me and told me that he could get the truck within our budget, based on the appraisal from his cousin. I thought the appraisal was awfully low and mentioned that in my reply. Syd suggested that he might be able to get the Ford owner to come down a bit, but his cousin was firm on what he would pay for the Silverado.
So, we agreed to go to Lake Oswego (an hour's drive) to see the Ford. When we got there, we were stunned by how beautiful the truck is. There was a handsome fellow standing next to it, and we learned he is the owner. We also found out that he is a member of our former church and a personal friend of Syd's.
We looked the truck over and found it to be in very good condition. Then we drove it, and I was impressed with the way it drives. When we returned to Syd's office, we had a couple of questions for Matt, the owner, and for Syd. Chief among them was, "What is the payload rating of this truck, and how was it determined." Syd produced a printout from Ford indicating the maximum payload is 4,300 lbs.
With all of our questions answered, our conversation turned to more important things, like catching up on mutual friends from Rolling Hills Community Church. We had a wonderful time sharing stories and asking to be remembered to mutual friends.
At last, Syd said, "Well, what do you think about the truck?" I replied that we liked the truck very much, but what is the bottom line? Syd told us that the price was $500 lower than the last price he had quoted us, "AND," he said, "I called my cousin's brother and told him I thought their offer was too low. We finally got them to come up $200." Bottom line? We came in $700 under budget!
To put this deal together, we agreed to take our Silverado to Syd's cousin today and pick up the F350 tomorrow directly from Matt. We are really excited to have a truck that will properly transport Topper and us to wherever we decide to go. I am personally gratified that Syd was able to put this deal together in such a way that I can stop feeling bad about the original truck deal I made. Based on the fact that we lost money on the Silverado but got an amazing price on the F350, I believe that we would have spent no less, had we bought a similar F350 from a dealer, instead of going through this whole process of buying and selling a truck at a loss within two months.
I have a new respect for the auto industry and for the Dorn family in particular. They have been active in promoting legislation that effectively reduces the number of charlatans in the used auto industry. I believe that Syd truly lives up to what he says on his website: "Vehicle Buyer's Service is based on biblical principles and convictions of honesty and integrity in every transaction." We feel that we have not only procured the vehicle we needed and saved both face and money, but we have made some new friends in the process.
If you need a new vehicle, no matter where you live in the U.S., contact Syd! (No apologies for this gratuitous plug!)
We had a long and candid discussion about the problem and what to do about it. At last, I agreed that we had to bite the bullet and get a different pickup, if we are to continue enjoying Topper. So, last week, I found a website for Syd Dorn, an auto broker in Lake Oswego, and a former member of our former church. I sent a message from the website to Syd explaining the predicament I had got us into and what we needed in a pickup to fix the problem. I was prepared to be looking for a vehicle for a couple of months.
Well, Syd went to work and quickly! He called for more details about what we wanted to do and what our budget was. I think I sent the info on Sunday, and on Wednesday, Syd sent pictures of a beautiful, red, 2001 Ford F350 Superduty Crew Cab. He asked us to take our Silverado to his cousin in Salem for an appraisal, which we did that very day.
Later, he emailed me and told me that he could get the truck within our budget, based on the appraisal from his cousin. I thought the appraisal was awfully low and mentioned that in my reply. Syd suggested that he might be able to get the Ford owner to come down a bit, but his cousin was firm on what he would pay for the Silverado.
So, we agreed to go to Lake Oswego (an hour's drive) to see the Ford. When we got there, we were stunned by how beautiful the truck is. There was a handsome fellow standing next to it, and we learned he is the owner. We also found out that he is a member of our former church and a personal friend of Syd's.
We looked the truck over and found it to be in very good condition. Then we drove it, and I was impressed with the way it drives. When we returned to Syd's office, we had a couple of questions for Matt, the owner, and for Syd. Chief among them was, "What is the payload rating of this truck, and how was it determined." Syd produced a printout from Ford indicating the maximum payload is 4,300 lbs.
With all of our questions answered, our conversation turned to more important things, like catching up on mutual friends from Rolling Hills Community Church. We had a wonderful time sharing stories and asking to be remembered to mutual friends.
At last, Syd said, "Well, what do you think about the truck?" I replied that we liked the truck very much, but what is the bottom line? Syd told us that the price was $500 lower than the last price he had quoted us, "AND," he said, "I called my cousin's brother and told him I thought their offer was too low. We finally got them to come up $200." Bottom line? We came in $700 under budget!
To put this deal together, we agreed to take our Silverado to Syd's cousin today and pick up the F350 tomorrow directly from Matt. We are really excited to have a truck that will properly transport Topper and us to wherever we decide to go. I am personally gratified that Syd was able to put this deal together in such a way that I can stop feeling bad about the original truck deal I made. Based on the fact that we lost money on the Silverado but got an amazing price on the F350, I believe that we would have spent no less, had we bought a similar F350 from a dealer, instead of going through this whole process of buying and selling a truck at a loss within two months.
I have a new respect for the auto industry and for the Dorn family in particular. They have been active in promoting legislation that effectively reduces the number of charlatans in the used auto industry. I believe that Syd truly lives up to what he says on his website: "Vehicle Buyer's Service is based on biblical principles and convictions of honesty and integrity in every transaction." We feel that we have not only procured the vehicle we needed and saved both face and money, but we have made some new friends in the process.
If you need a new vehicle, no matter where you live in the U.S., contact Syd! (No apologies for this gratuitous plug!)
Wednesday, September 11, 2013
Moving day
Today was moving day. Not a big moving day, you understand, but moving day, nevertheless. If you have been following the posts about this trip, you will recall that we had a nice view, until a 42 foot bus parked between us and the view. You will also recall that we decided to extend our stay for a few more days.
Because we wanted to improve our view, we moved from site 75 to site 5: a matter of about 500 feet. The difference is spectacular.
Because we wanted to improve our view, we moved from site 75 to site 5: a matter of about 500 feet. The difference is spectacular.
Here's the new view from our back door.
After the move, we settled in and enjoyed the view until it got too hot to sit out! The temp here got to 92 degrees. Thank goodness Jill insisted on adding AC to our camper.
Following an informal lunch of crackers and cheese, we made a trip to Walmart. While Jill got her hair cut, I did the grocery shopping. I was able to find everything on the list, except Jill's face creme/sunblock. After her haircut, she found it and we checked out. Back at the camper, we enjoyed the AC for a while, and then the four of us, went down to the river. Between the breeze and the water, we got cooled off quite nicely, thank you. The dogs love running on the beach, and Lulu loves to bite the little ripples that break at the water's edge.
Some neighbors came by with their dogs, and we had a lovely chat. Then it was time to cook up some vittles. I lit the BBQ and put on the pork ribs. Unfortunately, between a gusty wind and not enough gas in the little canister, the meat just got slightly browned on the outside. I finished it in the microwave, and Jill sauteed some veggies from our garden. We added fresh corn on the cob for a scrumptious feast.
Today's ship traffic:
Remember the movie The Wackiest Ship in the Army? Well, here's another Army ship for you.
When this stern wheeler went by, Jill said, "We should find out where they came from and book a trip." I'll turn her into a mariner yet.
The old blogger putting an extension on the sewer hose, so we could get Topper closer to the water.
Tuesday, September 10, 2013
The blessings continue!
September 10, 2013, a day like all days, filled with those events that alter and illuminate our times, only "You Are There," (with apologies to Walter Cronkite). The sun rose with a few clouds to greet it. Then the clouds cleared away, although the wind that has been blowing steadily for the past six days continued unabated.
We had need of a few things aboard Topper, so we made a trip up to Walmart. Jill decided it was time for her to try driving Silvie. She climbed into the driver's seat and said, "I can't do this. I can't see over the hood." Nevertheless, she wanted to try. Since the roads around Columbia Riverfront RV Park are very lightly traveled, it seemed to be a perfect opportunity. The bottom line is that she did fine. She drove us to Walmart, about three miles, and then proceeded to practice parking in several spots in the lot. By the time she was through, she said, "I can do this." 
After lunch, I returned to Walmart and got a refund. I found another pump. I bought it and went directly to the parking lot to try it out. Eureka! It worked fine. I returned to Topper and my girls. We lounged about for a bit, and then we went for another walk along the river's edge. The dogs loved it, and so did we, although, I am feeling a bit cheated, since I found two baseball hats on the beach last year and have only found a few fishing tackle items this year.
When we returned, we decided it was time to put Topper on top of Silvie. Tomorrow, we are moving to another site in this park, where we will have a better view. It was a new world's record (or at least a new Tom and Jill record) for putting the camper in the truck. It only took us about 20 minutes!
So, now you are wondering about the ship pictures. Well, the ships are what I come here for. Jill, on the other hand, always thought I was a little nuts for being so nuts about the ships. But now, she is coming around. She is wanting to know about ship's lore and things nautical. There is hope for her yet.
Please stay tuned for more reports from our new home tomorrow!
Monday, September 9, 2013
Another crummy day in paradise!
The morning was gray...and windy. The last forecast I had seen was for "drizzle" and 81 degrees. Sounded miserable to me; hot and muggy and drizzly. The aspect of the sky bore out the prediction. The wind was howling around our door. But my sweet bride assured me that she had seen another forecast for sunny and warm.
Around 10 AM, I noticed the clouds were breaking up and patches of blue were appearing. Hooray! I began to have other ideas for the day besides watching a movie or reading. Consulting the internet on my trusty laptop, I discovered that near Yacolt, there is a park called Moulton Falls Park. It looked as if we might find some good hiking there.
We packed up the dogs and a few odds and ends and hit the road. Winding through beautiful countryside, first along the Lewis river and then along Cedar Creek, we traveled through the bucolic splendor of southwest Washington state at the end of summer. We passed through Amboy and then on to Yacolt and finally to Moulton Falls County Park. I don't even know what county this is (Clark?).
Suffice to say that our travels were not in vain. The park is gorgeous. It is set in a canyon, through which flows the east fork of the Lewis river. There are numerous stony outcroppings and a few waterfalls. The big attraction, though, for most of the other, obviously repeat, visitors, was the swimming holes. There are several spots where the river becomes wide and deep, perfect for swimming.
We were neither in the mood nor equipped for swimming, so we simply hiked up the trail that first crosses the river via a beautiful bridge (of which I neglected to make a photo) and then parallels the stream. The trail was wide and sandy, and the dogs had a wonderful time sniffing and exploring. Lulu in particular would have explored every trail we came to, given a fighting chance. Alas, our time was limited, so we turned back and headed for home.
All in all, the day turned out much different than I had expected when I arose. Indeed, it was about as delightful a day as a fellow could ask for.
Around 10 AM, I noticed the clouds were breaking up and patches of blue were appearing. Hooray! I began to have other ideas for the day besides watching a movie or reading. Consulting the internet on my trusty laptop, I discovered that near Yacolt, there is a park called Moulton Falls Park. It looked as if we might find some good hiking there.
We packed up the dogs and a few odds and ends and hit the road. Winding through beautiful countryside, first along the Lewis river and then along Cedar Creek, we traveled through the bucolic splendor of southwest Washington state at the end of summer. We passed through Amboy and then on to Yacolt and finally to Moulton Falls County Park. I don't even know what county this is (Clark?).
Suffice to say that our travels were not in vain. The park is gorgeous. It is set in a canyon, through which flows the east fork of the Lewis river. There are numerous stony outcroppings and a few waterfalls. The big attraction, though, for most of the other, obviously repeat, visitors, was the swimming holes. There are several spots where the river becomes wide and deep, perfect for swimming.
We were neither in the mood nor equipped for swimming, so we simply hiked up the trail that first crosses the river via a beautiful bridge (of which I neglected to make a photo) and then parallels the stream. The trail was wide and sandy, and the dogs had a wonderful time sniffing and exploring. Lulu in particular would have explored every trail we came to, given a fighting chance. Alas, our time was limited, so we turned back and headed for home.
All in all, the day turned out much different than I had expected when I arose. Indeed, it was about as delightful a day as a fellow could ask for.
Looking downstream from the Moulton Falls bridge at one of the swimming holes.
And looking upstream.
Looking upstream from the trail along the south side of the river.
Playin' catch up (not to be confused with ketchup)
I have a few nice photos that I have not got around to posting yet. One of the reasons we like this park so much is that we get to see a lot of river traffic. As you may know, Portland is the biggest deep water, freshwater port on the west coast of the USA. It is popular with ship companies, because the freshwater tends to kill off some of the saltwater organisms that attach themselves to the hull of a ship, while it is at sea.
In addition, Portland is a terminal for most of the products of the Columbia River Basin. These include grain and forest products, among many others. Portland is also a port of entry for many products from foreign countries, including automobiles. There are huge receiving lots for new cars at the port near the confluence of the Columbia and Willamette rivers.
So, we get to see a lot of ships going up and down the river, while we are vacationing here. Below are a few shots of two of them:
The two ships in the above pictures passed more or less right in front of the park, although, thanks to the large class A motor home parked between us and the river, I was unable to get a photo of that. (Not that I am bitter.)
Last evening, as I was preparing to grill some pork ribs for dinner, I looked out the window and saw the scene below.
The interesting thing about the photo is not the tug pushing a couple of barges, although that is more of the commercial river traffic I referred to above. Notice the bright light on the hill in the right hand side of the photo. This is apparently a reflection of the setting sun off of the window of a building. Although I don't like to have to offer disclaimers for my work, I have to tell you that the light from that reflection was much more intense (almost blinding) than it appears in the photo.
In addition, Portland is a terminal for most of the products of the Columbia River Basin. These include grain and forest products, among many others. Portland is also a port of entry for many products from foreign countries, including automobiles. There are huge receiving lots for new cars at the port near the confluence of the Columbia and Willamette rivers.
So, we get to see a lot of ships going up and down the river, while we are vacationing here. Below are a few shots of two of them:
Last evening, as I was preparing to grill some pork ribs for dinner, I looked out the window and saw the scene below.
The interesting thing about the photo is not the tug pushing a couple of barges, although that is more of the commercial river traffic I referred to above. Notice the bright light on the hill in the right hand side of the photo. This is apparently a reflection of the setting sun off of the window of a building. Although I don't like to have to offer disclaimers for my work, I have to tell you that the light from that reflection was much more intense (almost blinding) than it appears in the photo.
Sunday, September 8, 2013
There's no place like home (heels clicking), there's no place like home!
It was inevitable. In fact, we expected it. Yesterday, a 42 foot Class A motor home (i.e., bus) moved into the space next to us. Now ordinarily, they would have been welcome as the buds in May, BUT they stole our view of the river!! Rude, I say, rude, rude, rude!
Actually, when we made the reservation to stay here, I asked for one of the view sites, but our favorites (#1-10) were all reserved already. The host offered me site #75, because it is closer to the river than all but one other. I quipped, "I hope you don't have a 45 footer scheduled into #76." He told me that a 40 footer would be there for 2 days. So, I agreed to take it.
When the very nice folks from Montana arrived yesterday, Ken (the owner) apologized for taking our view. I told him I was expecting him, and that since he was only there for two days, I would forgive him. But then he told me that he had just made the reservation the day before. There had been no place for him to stay for a week, until "guess who" cancelled.
So, we are suffering mightily ;-) due to lack of view.
Our original plan was to stay here for five to seven days and then move on to another park, as yet to be determined. I looked on the internet for a nice park near Mossyrock, WA. Some RVing friends have raved about the area, but we have never made it there. So, today, since Topper is standing on her own four feet, we took Silvie and headed for Mossyrock, about 45 miles up the road, to scope it out. Here are our findings:
We pulled into the turnout and decided to enjoy our picnic lunch. After all, the scenery was pretty enough, and we had long since despaired of finding the perfect RV park on Silver Lake. While we were eating, we noticed some blackberry bushes. That was all it took. Jill was out of the truck and filling her sandwich bag with blackberries. I wasn't far behind, and after a very few minutes, we had a couple of cups of berries; enough for dessert tonight.
It seemed like a good time to head for home. When we returned to the T, where we had gone to the end of the county road, we continued on what became Headquarters Road. The drive was spectacular, and in a short time, we found ourselves back at I-5. I turned the truck onto the freeway and we came back to Woodland. After a quick stop at Wally World for some ears of corn and some pork spare ribs for dinner, we made our way back to site #75, Columbia River Front RV Park.
I went up to the office and asked if, perchance, they had a space available in the view sites beginning on Wednesday. Bingo! Wednesday, we will be moving to site #5, where we can park Topper with an unobstructed view of the river. So, we won't be staying in the Silver Lake area; at least not on this trip.
Actually, when we made the reservation to stay here, I asked for one of the view sites, but our favorites (#1-10) were all reserved already. The host offered me site #75, because it is closer to the river than all but one other. I quipped, "I hope you don't have a 45 footer scheduled into #76." He told me that a 40 footer would be there for 2 days. So, I agreed to take it.
When the very nice folks from Montana arrived yesterday, Ken (the owner) apologized for taking our view. I told him I was expecting him, and that since he was only there for two days, I would forgive him. But then he told me that he had just made the reservation the day before. There had been no place for him to stay for a week, until "guess who" cancelled.
So, we are suffering mightily ;-) due to lack of view.
Our original plan was to stay here for five to seven days and then move on to another park, as yet to be determined. I looked on the internet for a nice park near Mossyrock, WA. Some RVing friends have raved about the area, but we have never made it there. So, today, since Topper is standing on her own four feet, we took Silvie and headed for Mossyrock, about 45 miles up the road, to scope it out. Here are our findings:
- Seaquest State Park: a beautiful park with 16 full hookup (electricity, water, sewer) campsites, all of which are arranged like a parking lot and as of today surrounded by mud. Lots of hiking trails and a beautiful wooded park.
- Silver Lake Motel and RV park: a very tired motel with, perhaps 8 RV sites, which appear to be just a matter of parking on the lawn. I couldn't tell what they had for conveniences. In their favor, there is lake frontage with a dock and boats for rent. Overall, the "feel" of the place was what might come to mind if you learned we were living in a "trailer park."
- Silver Cove "An upscale RV Resort": The facilities are nice enough, and the park is well maintained. It is fairly new, built on a series of canals that were apparently dug in order to offer waterfront RV sites to most of the guests. As we looked around, we were impressed by how unimpressed we were and with the fact that there appeared to be no activities available except walking around the park.
We pulled into the turnout and decided to enjoy our picnic lunch. After all, the scenery was pretty enough, and we had long since despaired of finding the perfect RV park on Silver Lake. While we were eating, we noticed some blackberry bushes. That was all it took. Jill was out of the truck and filling her sandwich bag with blackberries. I wasn't far behind, and after a very few minutes, we had a couple of cups of berries; enough for dessert tonight.
It seemed like a good time to head for home. When we returned to the T, where we had gone to the end of the county road, we continued on what became Headquarters Road. The drive was spectacular, and in a short time, we found ourselves back at I-5. I turned the truck onto the freeway and we came back to Woodland. After a quick stop at Wally World for some ears of corn and some pork spare ribs for dinner, we made our way back to site #75, Columbia River Front RV Park.
I went up to the office and asked if, perchance, they had a space available in the view sites beginning on Wednesday. Bingo! Wednesday, we will be moving to site #5, where we can park Topper with an unobstructed view of the river. So, we won't be staying in the Silver Lake area; at least not on this trip.
Friday, September 6, 2013
Genesis 6
Can you say, "Noah?" Last night it rained so hard ALL NIGHT LONG that I told Jill, "I think we should have bought an Ark, instead of a camper." The good news is that the thunder and lightning all happened before bedtime, so Pogo was able to settle down and sleep all night.
This morning, the rain continued, until about 11 AM. We off-loaded Topper from Silvie (the Silverado pickup) and made a trip into town for some supplies, but also because we were having a little cabin fever, after 2 days of rainy weather. We had lunch at a nice little Mexican restaurant called Guadalajara. It was quite good.
After we returned, we did a load of laundry at the coin-op here in the park. The old blogger took a nap, and then we took the dogs for a little romp on the grass. We sat out under the awning, where we met our new neighbors who are from just up the road at Mossyrock.
Dinner was a bit late, because we were just enjoying being out and about. So, now it is time to settle in for the night. More adventures are expected tomorrow, because the weather is forecast to improve.
Look for another report soon.
This morning, the rain continued, until about 11 AM. We off-loaded Topper from Silvie (the Silverado pickup) and made a trip into town for some supplies, but also because we were having a little cabin fever, after 2 days of rainy weather. We had lunch at a nice little Mexican restaurant called Guadalajara. It was quite good.
After we returned, we did a load of laundry at the coin-op here in the park. The old blogger took a nap, and then we took the dogs for a little romp on the grass. We sat out under the awning, where we met our new neighbors who are from just up the road at Mossyrock.
Here's our little patio area.
Look for another report soon.
Thursday, September 5, 2013
Oh what a beautiful morning... oh, what an interesting night.
We had a lovely day yesterday, as I reported in my previous post. Around, 9 PM, having watched the Boston Red Sox slaughter the Detroit Tigers 20-4, and after a lovely dinner, we decided it was time to climb into our "upper berth."
We took the dogs out for their evening duty, and then got ourselves ready for a long repose. We craweled into bed. Lulu spent some time loving us up, and then she crawled into her little bed which is next to my side of the bed. Pogo, as always, snuggled up between us. Soon, the old blogger was in dreamland.
The next thing I knew, Pogo was sitting on my head, shaking like one of those old time spot reducing machines and panting as if she had just run a marathon. I must have made some comment, because Jill said, "Poor Pogo, the thunder is worrying her." I didn't even know there was thunder, and then there was a brilliant flash through the overhead hatch. A few moments later, a long, rolling rumble passed over us, and Pogo turned the spot reducer up to "High."
For several minutes, Pogo panted and shook. Soon, I noticed a puddle on the top cover of the bed from her drooling. After several minutes of trying to calm her down, we heard a crash, followed by the sound of running water.
OK, that's it, I'm getting up. Jill turned on the overhead light and I leapt out of bed (as best I could, given that getting out of bed means slithering down to the end and stepping down a couple of feet). I went to the galley, where I found that the cutting board, which had been standing on edge next to the sink, had fallen over, hit the water tap and turned on the hot water. OK, that was easy to fix. I got back into bed; we turned out the light, and tried to go back to sleep.
I think it was about that time that the rain began falling in earnest (and also in Woodland). Pogo was a basket case. After a while, Jill had had it. She took Pogo down to the dinette berth and they proceeded to settle in there.
I began to doze again. Then my phone rang. Now, to me, a phone call at 2 AM is never good news. This one turned out to be a cheerful man with a distinctly British accent. After a moment of my trying to make sense of who this was, and why he was calling in the middle of the night, he said, "I'm calling about your RV." I told him the RV has already been sold, and he said, "Right, then, cheeri-o." When we got up this morning, I looked at the phone number. The call had come from Isle of Man. For those of you who are geographically challenged, like your old blogger, Isle of Man is in the middle of the Irish Sea! I guess I had better check Craig's List to make sure I cancelled the ad for Sadie!
OK. Now for some real sleep. I began to doze again. Then I awakened to the following: a low rumble (a ship going up the river?), a train whistle (on the far side of the river), a shudder (Topper was being jostled), and the sound of a sail flapping wildly in the wind ( I knew I should have rolled up the awning before going to bed.) I lay there trying to ignore all this stuff, but eventually visions of a shredded awning flapping along behind us as we tootle down the highway to our next destination overcame my desire for sleep.
I got up and went out in the wind and the rain and rolled up said awning (for only the second time since we have had Topper) with a bit of difficulty. Jill thanked me, for she, too, was concerned, and I returned to my bed. At long last I fell into the arms of Morpheus not to awaken again until 7:30! Surprisingly cheerful, I got up and discovered that Jill was in the same condition: tired, but not exhausted or grumpy.
Jill made some coffee, and then we took the girls out for their morning business, a very successful venture. And here I sit writing to you, gentle reader, while my bride is in the kitchen preparing something that features a heavenly aroma for my breakfast.
Sweet dreams!
We took the dogs out for their evening duty, and then got ourselves ready for a long repose. We craweled into bed. Lulu spent some time loving us up, and then she crawled into her little bed which is next to my side of the bed. Pogo, as always, snuggled up between us. Soon, the old blogger was in dreamland.
The next thing I knew, Pogo was sitting on my head, shaking like one of those old time spot reducing machines and panting as if she had just run a marathon. I must have made some comment, because Jill said, "Poor Pogo, the thunder is worrying her." I didn't even know there was thunder, and then there was a brilliant flash through the overhead hatch. A few moments later, a long, rolling rumble passed over us, and Pogo turned the spot reducer up to "High."
For several minutes, Pogo panted and shook. Soon, I noticed a puddle on the top cover of the bed from her drooling. After several minutes of trying to calm her down, we heard a crash, followed by the sound of running water.
OK, that's it, I'm getting up. Jill turned on the overhead light and I leapt out of bed (as best I could, given that getting out of bed means slithering down to the end and stepping down a couple of feet). I went to the galley, where I found that the cutting board, which had been standing on edge next to the sink, had fallen over, hit the water tap and turned on the hot water. OK, that was easy to fix. I got back into bed; we turned out the light, and tried to go back to sleep.
I think it was about that time that the rain began falling in earnest (and also in Woodland). Pogo was a basket case. After a while, Jill had had it. She took Pogo down to the dinette berth and they proceeded to settle in there.
I began to doze again. Then my phone rang. Now, to me, a phone call at 2 AM is never good news. This one turned out to be a cheerful man with a distinctly British accent. After a moment of my trying to make sense of who this was, and why he was calling in the middle of the night, he said, "I'm calling about your RV." I told him the RV has already been sold, and he said, "Right, then, cheeri-o." When we got up this morning, I looked at the phone number. The call had come from Isle of Man. For those of you who are geographically challenged, like your old blogger, Isle of Man is in the middle of the Irish Sea! I guess I had better check Craig's List to make sure I cancelled the ad for Sadie!
OK. Now for some real sleep. I began to doze again. Then I awakened to the following: a low rumble (a ship going up the river?), a train whistle (on the far side of the river), a shudder (Topper was being jostled), and the sound of a sail flapping wildly in the wind ( I knew I should have rolled up the awning before going to bed.) I lay there trying to ignore all this stuff, but eventually visions of a shredded awning flapping along behind us as we tootle down the highway to our next destination overcame my desire for sleep.
I got up and went out in the wind and the rain and rolled up said awning (for only the second time since we have had Topper) with a bit of difficulty. Jill thanked me, for she, too, was concerned, and I returned to my bed. At long last I fell into the arms of Morpheus not to awaken again until 7:30! Surprisingly cheerful, I got up and discovered that Jill was in the same condition: tired, but not exhausted or grumpy.
Jill made some coffee, and then we took the girls out for their morning business, a very successful venture. And here I sit writing to you, gentle reader, while my bride is in the kitchen preparing something that features a heavenly aroma for my breakfast.
Sweet dreams!
Wednesday, September 4, 2013
The second time is the charm
With a great deal of anticipation, we departed on our annual fall getaway. We have been anticipating the trip for several weeks and making improvements and personalizing Topper. Jill did a fantastic job of packing up the camper, as usual, and I fussed with the technical stuff.
Finally, we were ready. We put the dogs in the truck did a final check on door locks and hit the road. Things were going swimmingly until we got to Salem, about 15 miles from home. That's when the old blogger realized that his wallet was sitting on top of his dresser...at home!
We made an about face and headed for home. Along the way, Jill remembered that she hadn't packed Pogo's medicines. So, to save face, I declared that we were going home for dog meds...oh, and while we are there, we'll pick up my wallet, too.
Once we were back on the road again, we had no further trouble. The traffic in Portland was bearable (barely), and we made fairly good time, although I don't push things, when we are RVing. It's supposed to be relaxing, you know.
By the time we reached Hazel Dell, we realized that we were getting hungry. Jill said she wanted a bacon, cheese Whopper Jr. We found Burger King and enjoyed the fact that it was so easy to pull in the parking lot, park the truck and get lunch. That was not the case with the motor home, especially when we were towing the little car behind.
After lunch we continued to our destination, to wit: Columbia Riverside RV Park, in Woodland, WA. We love this place, and we have stayed here many times in the past. We are parked where we can see the Columbia River from our dinette window. There is one space between us and the view, but it is empty. Jill said, "Even if we only get this one night without somebody parked between us and the river, it will be totally worth it."
Here's what she was talking about:
Finally, we were ready. We put the dogs in the truck did a final check on door locks and hit the road. Things were going swimmingly until we got to Salem, about 15 miles from home. That's when the old blogger realized that his wallet was sitting on top of his dresser...at home!
We made an about face and headed for home. Along the way, Jill remembered that she hadn't packed Pogo's medicines. So, to save face, I declared that we were going home for dog meds...oh, and while we are there, we'll pick up my wallet, too.
Once we were back on the road again, we had no further trouble. The traffic in Portland was bearable (barely), and we made fairly good time, although I don't push things, when we are RVing. It's supposed to be relaxing, you know.
By the time we reached Hazel Dell, we realized that we were getting hungry. Jill said she wanted a bacon, cheese Whopper Jr. We found Burger King and enjoyed the fact that it was so easy to pull in the parking lot, park the truck and get lunch. That was not the case with the motor home, especially when we were towing the little car behind.
After lunch we continued to our destination, to wit: Columbia Riverside RV Park, in Woodland, WA. We love this place, and we have stayed here many times in the past. We are parked where we can see the Columbia River from our dinette window. There is one space between us and the view, but it is empty. Jill said, "Even if we only get this one night without somebody parked between us and the river, it will be totally worth it."
Here's what she was talking about:
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