She Did It With An Accordian

 

Another Great One Is Gone

 Irma Gail Hatcher died last week, in Little Rock, AR. She was 82.

Her memorial is here.

I never personally met Irma, but I was in awe of her technique. She was a prizewinning appliquer who paid just as much attention and care to her piecing skills, as well. She won many national awards, as a result.

                                Hot Fudge Sundae 

"Her quilts were masterpieces and three of them are in the National Quilting Museum in Paducah," her son, Greg Hatcher, said. 

Her "Conway Album (I'm not from Baltimore)" not only won many awards, but was chosen to be one of the "100 Best American Quilts of the 20th Century."

It deserved it. 

                    Conway Album (I'm Not from Baltimore)

She wrote a number of books. Taught internationally. Had her work published on many national publications. 

Yet she took time to help found the Conway Quilters guild. (She was also one of their presidents.) 

Go here to see more of her beautiful work. Yet she wasn't just a great quilter -- her children's fond remarks make it clear she was greatly loved, as well.

She will be missed.

              My own favorite: Irma's Irish Eyes

What We Sometimes Forget

Micah 6:8:

    And what does the Lord require of you?

  But to do justly, to love mercy, 

  And to walk humbly with your God.

Sick -- And Tired

     I woke up with a sore throat earlier this week. It must have been the fault of running the air conditioning all the time...right?

The AC must have heard me -- because it broke down shortly after that. Peeved at being blamed for what has turned into a case of summer flu, no doubt. We've got all the windows open, and our little fan going like crazy. I can't tell if it's hot or REALLY hot -- this fever won't let me.

 

I try not to cough all night. It keeps the Brick up -- and he has been wonderful about trying to get the AC up and going again. (In a trailer in the summer heat, this is of primary importance. In fact, he's up on the roof now, banging away and buzzing away with the drill.) 

And of course, this we've gotten plenty of phone calls that require me to speak. Which not only hurts, but is probably ensuring I'll lose my voice. (A genetic tendency: I used to get laryngitis twice a year, in the fall and in the spring.) Life seems a little gloomy right now -- but I think it's the flu talking, not me.

Gripe, moan and complain.  Bill Cosby's "sick and tired" -- that's me. 

A little rest -- and hooking up with Godzilla vs Kong. It should help. So will seeing both girlies (and hopefully Son #1) this weekend...we miss them very much. 

P.S. The Brick got the AC up and running again, temporarily. ("WD40," he said.) It should last until the replacement motor gets here on Friday.

Free Bird

 Bruce McCandless first untethered astronaut in space. 

Wow.

Frugal Hits & MIsses: July Report

 What a strange, odd month. We were here -- but our landlord friends were gone most of the time, along with two other sets of friends we usually spend a lot of time with. The girlies and Son #1 were REALLY busy...and we rarely had a truck to go be with them, anyways. 

    So we stayed home. A lot. Even when we felt like wandering. 

And it was hot. A lot. 

The restlessness was compounded by The Mama's sickness --  a week in the hospital, and a few more in a rehab center, to learn to walk stronger and get in and out of bed by herself. (We're still not sure what caused her sudden weakness.) We've been trying to do everything we can long-distance...and trying to figure out whether we can make it to Michigan to go see her. It depends a lot on the truck. (See below.)

P.S. We made a quick swing around our old house, to see how things looked. We should not have done it. A big dumpster was in the sideyard. (What for, I have no idea). My carefully-nurtured perennials were gone, including the Yellow Rose of Texas I'd babied for so long. Just a scrappy, dry covering of grass was there, instead. And the yard was packed with cars of every size and description. Our poor neighbors. At least the house itself still looked good. 

    Update: I had to stop and pick up a package at the old house, and took a closer look. The yellow rose plants are still there! They're much shorter, but they're there. I asked, and the new owner was kind enough to offer me as many as I wanted. I'll wait to dig them up until September, when things cool down around here. 

FRUGAL HITS

(some of these were in late June)

*Combined errands on our rare trips to town. I particularly try to make it on a Tuesday -- free bread and a 20% senior discount at the thrift store, and often marked-down items at the grocery stores. 

*Was thinking to myself, while crossing a parking lot, "Gee, I haven't found any money this month." Then lo and behold, shining in the middle of the driveway: a penny! It's not as much as some people's hauls, but I thought it a good sign. (Also found a penny in our friends' borrowed van -- but that's going back to them.)

*Had friends over for Sunday dinner -- and used what I had in the freezer. (Which I had to empty, anyways, to defrost it.) I even made cookies on the stove.  (Too hot to use the oven.)

*Our local Safeway is doing a "Grand Re-Opening." This seems weird to me, since they were in town when we moved here in 1988 -- but whatever. Not only did the Brick and yours truly score a free hotdog out of it, but I also found Doritos, store brand and Tillamook black cherry ice cream for a buck each, plus chicken breast for 79 cents a pound. Eggs: 25 cents a dozen, and 2 pounds of strawberries for $1.77. The bad part: nearly all the specials were only one per household. At least I got to use my regular coupons, bought some replenishing supplies for our landlord friends...and got reward points out of it, as well. It's pretty nice when you spend $36 -- and save $41.80.

*Had Safeway refund money for a bag of cookies that was supposed to be $1.29 less than it rang up for. (I didn't make a special trip into town to do this, but took care of it on my next shopping excursion.) It may not seem like much, but it adds up. (I don't know why, but in spite of its great sales, Safeway is notorious for nickel-and-diming some of its coupons and specials. I don't always catch these while at the store -- I should.)

     Safeway has been offering all sorts of great coupons, probably because we didn't shop there for more than four months: free eggs, ice cream, reusable bag, a free 10-pound bag of potatoes, and a $5 off coupon if we spent a fiver! (Got a second $5 off coupon a few weeks later, $3 off produce, plus $2 off any bakery purchase. Okay by me!) Even luxuries can cost less, if you're careful. Case in point: a pound of Black Forest ham, normally $6.99, but on sale for $3.99 -- except it also has a 30% off coupon pasted on. Hooray, less than $3/lb!

*Amazon (mostly Warehouse Deals) buys: baked chips (better for us), our favorite British teabags (a few pennies each), our favorite corned beef hash, Kind dark chocolate bars, nasi goreng instant noodles (these were 11 cents each -- a steal!), Kona coffee beans...and a Christmas present. Also a season of Last Ship for $3.99, and a Belgian wafflemaker for less than $9. The Brick was especially thrilled about that -- he loves waffles.

*Cherries for $1.67/pound....even less than last year's price!  (Not as good as 2018's, though.) Made my own cherry pie, plus a cherry tart. (Swapped the latter for a huge slice of watermelon. The Brick ate far too much watermelon as a kid in NC, and is not a fan. I, on the other hand, dote on it.)

*Were given barbecued chicken by friends who were cleaning out their freezer -- and going vegetarian. (Alas, we are still big meat-eaters.) They also slipped a big wedge of watermelon in when I wasn't looking. While we were there, we used their grill to grill a big package of steaks from the freezer -- we ate these gradually over the next week, along with the chicken. (Gave the dogs some meat that would spoil soon -- and threw away a nasty mostly-used bottle of cocktail sauce we've hated, and been eating, anyways.)

     Other friends left for a trip -- and handed over cream, fruit, veggies, cheese and sliced turkey that would have gone bad. (They've been eating some of our 99-cent ice cream, in return. I was glad to share, plus a meal's worth of white bean chili.) 

*Kept the air conditioning going as needed, as well as electric fans. (We borrowed the fan. See below.) I did as little cooking as possible, quickly warming things up, instead. (Which saved on gas.) The microwave came in handy. This all used electricity -- but we're paying for it. When it gets cooler, our utilities will go down again. (Update: oh oh, something happened. See below.)

*Dug up and repositioned more than a dozen perennials for our landlord friends. Thanks to the extra rain we received early in the month, most seem to be surviving.  Also, bought more plants, on sale at Home Depot. If I really baby these, they might do okay. Watered their porch flowerpots nearly every day. Also defrosted their freezer -- and not only found things of ours I did not realize we had, but were offered some of their food, as well.

*Took a friend out to lunch -- using a BOGO 50% off burger special from Red Robin.

*Stocked up on cleaning supplies from the Dollar Store. Got a few groceries and Christmas presents, as well. 

*Realized our truck license had expired -- and needed an emissions test, before we could renew. BUT it will be in the shop past the month's grace period. Made a special trip to Boulder to 'persuade' the county supervisor to renew it, anyways. At least temporarily.

*A bunch of appraisals & meetings with clients. (They were very patient with me; I was late finishing them, thanks to The Mama's hospitalization.)

*Did a Zoom lecture.  

*Bought another quilt -- some books -- and some Centennial fabric. (Okay, some embellishments, too.) All were at good prices; three were the result of offering an alternate price. (I saved quite a bit by doing that.)

*More stuff, salvaged from storage at The Mama's back in June, and put to use -- including tape, shampoo, cold medicine -- and paper towels. We have been using up my hoarded 'stash' of meds and personal care items now for more than TWO YEARS...and there's still plenty. Especially hair conditioner -- but not shampoo. Pathetic.

*A rewards card from my health insurance program hadn't been activated. (The Brick found it in a batch of paperwork .) Lo and behold, there's $200 worth of credit on it -- whoo hoo!

*Ordered a King Kong/Godzilla movie collection for our little friend Remi, who loves these big lugs as much as I do. Price: $5. (Okay, maybe I ordered one for myself, too.) I also picked up a multi-Godzilla set on sale, as well as a  3D King Kong nightlight for Remi's birthday -- $10. (He never reads this blog, so I feel safe mentioning it.)

*Thrift shop buys -- approx. two dozen videos, including several series ($2 each, plus a dollar video) and a handful of cards (50 cents each) -- plus 20% off that, for being a senior! (I knew there was some kind of benefit.) One video was empty -- but I got a $2 Amazon replacement. (plus $3.99 shipping) Had to walk away from a professional-style bread machine, in spite of its $5 price -- no space for storing OR using it in the trailer. Boo hoo.

*Free book, book bag and pizza coupon-- from the library's summer reading contest. Also, two dozen DVDs for presents and our collection, partly paid for with a $30 card I earned from doing a survey. Several of these went for birthday presents.

*Free bread, from the Castle Rock thrift shop, including bagels, sourdough and specialty English muffins. Marked-down bread (the Really Good Stuff) and bagels from Safeway: 99 cents each.

*Cleared out some cupboards -- and put away other things. Now I have a better idea of what's available, both food- and office-supplies-wise. 

*Took friends to the airport, and picked them up. Twice. (Now they 'owe' us.)

*Threw away a pair of workshoes that were dirty, dusty...and paint-streaked. What a nice feeling. Fixed the strap on a pair of sandals.

*Kitchen sink fixed.  A multi-day job. So nice to be able to get water and wash dishes again.

*The Brick got a refund on our busted tire -- and an air compressor that wasn't doing its job. Nearly $200 back into the coffers.

FRUGAL MISSES

*Caught myself from being scammed -- just in time.  I answered an application to do some 'mystery shopping' work for Whole Foods. (We just had one open up this year in Castle Rock, and I figured they were analyzing it. Besides, I've done mystery shopping before.) Got the paperwork in the mail...and was it hinky. Two cheaply-copied pages, urging me to go buy $2000 in Nike gift cards at any store. (Whole Foods was ok, too.) The paperwork was accompanied by a $2400 'cashier's check' that felt too lightweight, and wasn't embossed. The signature looked fake, too. (Really?? Sending a stranger that much for a first assignment, sight unseen?) The instructions were badly written, capitalized words oddly and included phrases that no American would use. I was texted with a Houston area code, but the cashier's check was for a credit union in Ohio. (The credit union does exist -- but doesn't have a location like that listed on the check.) 

     I was supposed to 'prove' my purchases by sending photos of the cards and their info...then I would earn a big fat bonus, after the cards were cashed. Sure. Then the 'check' would bounce. Uh-huh. 

      I threw the paperwork away, blocked the texted phone number...and now have an interesting bookmark to remind me of my near-brush with disaster.

*New printer. We're still working out the quirks, but at least it's more economical than some. It uses extra-large ink cartridges, so we'll get more pages for the buck.  

*A cavity needs fixing. (Found during the teeth cleaning last month.)  Of course, it had to be me. The Brick's is covered by Medicare. Mine is not.

*Broke three coffee cups. All at the same time, while washing dishes. Figures.

*The air conditioning just broke down in the trailer. Now we make do with fans and open windows until the Brick can order a new motor. (Was it talking to the truck? Curious minds want to know.) P.S. The Brick rigged it to work again, thanks to WD40. 

*Problems with the truck. Big-time. Kind friends loaned us their truck while they were out of town, so we could get some errands done. Other kind friends loaned us their van, while they were out of town. (We have a lot of friends headed out of town this summer. Who can blame them -- Colorado is inundated with tourists right now.)

    We brought the truck to the dealer first, then a shop (the best for diesel) -- same diagnosis. The turbo needs fixing, along with a host of lesser stuff. The diesel shop is moving location the end of July, so needed us to move the truck -- which then wouldn't start, even enough for us to move it. Hired a tow truck, who pulled it to friends' house. Soon we'll be able to drag it back to the diesel shop. God willing, it will finally be repaired.

     The estimate is currently at nearly $9500 -- and climbing. Sigh.

*Problems with the internet. The Brick had to work quite a while to get it passable.

*Had to give some food to the dogs before it spoiled -- we just didn't get it eaten up in time. Other food did spoil. 

*Bad potatoes. Also let a small pkg of that grilled steak spoil, too much even for the dogs. Shame on me.

*Our fan, a thrift shop purchase that's worked reliably for years, went bust. Requiescat in pace. Thought I'd found a replacement at he thrift shop, but turns out it was a portable fan heater. (It's ok -- we'll use it in the winter.)  I found a stand for the new printer, and an 'Arctic chill' portable swamp cooler. All at $4 each. But we still needed a small fan. (Finally got it via Walmart.com -- $15. Quiet, and it's working nicely.)

*Donated several review copies of Colorado Curiosities. 

*Wasted time checking on grocery store coupons -- the night before they expired. Ridiculous.

*Didn't go to Alaska with friends. (They asked -- I wanted to.) What with trailer and truck repair costs, just didn't feel we could afford it.

Here's last month's report.  And for comparison, last year's, as well.  August tends to be a bit scary for us. Both Daughters have August birthdays, and so does The Mama, which means extra expenditures. Add the whole uncertainty about the truck repairs, and I feel a little nervous. Time to watch what we spend on -- carefully.

Maybe soon it won't be so hot, after all.

Monday Stuff On The Way to Other Stuff: Persevere

     That's what you do in the summer, isn't it, when you can't go away much...

The truck, poor baby, is parked, waiting to be worked on. Which means we stay home, unless we must go... then it means borrowing somebody's vehicle. Which we both hate to do. 

     On the plus side, we're getting some needed jobs done. On the negative, it's too hot to bake (the oven heats up the trailer too much), and nothing looks that good to eat, either, except maybe ice cream.

    Or is that a positive?

Instead of crash dieting, "eat like your grandma," says this Indian diet guru. "Crash dieting is like a fling with a bad boy. Even when you are in it, you know it's not going to work long-term."

Olympic gold in swimming -- for a Tunisian!  (The U.S. got third.) What's fascinating about this -- Ahmed Hafnaoui barely qualified for the final. Then he beat everyone. 

Nearly 30 students released, after bandits kidnapped 121 students from Bethel Baptist High School in Nigeria.  (Money was apparently involved.) What about the rest?

Ten unintentional time capsules...including stores (with their contents intact) locked for decades.  (From Listverse) Here's another strange one:

Ten historical finds that still haven't been explained.

A fake rockstar -- who almost got away with a world tour.   (Actually, his band did a few gigs...with almost no audience.) Anna Sorokin would be proud.

Some funny (and stinging) Ronald Reagan quotes. including:

"Politics is not a bad profession. If you succeed, there are many rewards. If you disgrace yourself, you can always write a book."

And if you liked those...some very funny political quotes, including Mark Twain:

"Reader, suppose you were an idiot. And suppose you were a member of Congress. But I repeat myself."

Ever thought about going gray? Andie McDowell now refers to herself as a "silver fox." And she's right!

Take a look at this CNN headline: incredible. Yes, it's via the Babylon Bee...but it's not all satiric!

Paul McCartney's new music video shows him as "young" again.  (Look in the mirror, Sir Paul. You're still 79 years old.) 

One of our Team USA gymnasts lands a historic first. Unfortunately, she's not been doing quite as well in the Olympics the past few days. Go, Simone!

A Toronto woman gets home from work -- only to find a guy cooking supper, and wearing her clothes. Ummm...he left wearing them, too. (The clothes, that is.)

A new appraising show is coming -- for rock-and-roll-themed collectibles.

The 'Five Frugal Things' onoing feature from One Frugal Girl.  These are fun to read - and will inspire you.

Starting a lasagna garden -- an easy 'layered' way to start a new spot.  (From One Hundred Dollars A Month)

Pulled pork barbecue flatbread pizza?  Sign me up, please.

Lesser-known facts about the American Revolution. Including Black loyalist regiments, formed by escaped slaves.

Busses are leaving crammed from Texas towns. Fleeing citizens, right? Nope -- illegal migrants the government doesn't know what to do with.

The cave of an exiled king -- just rediscovered.

Newest finds -- ancient weapons.  (Thanks, Listverse)

Five steps to a cleaner bathtub, using everyday ingredients.

Is there a market correction coming in the second half of this year? 

A national poll report says that the 2020 election had the most errors in 40 years, and numbers for Trump (vs Biden's numbers) were consistently underreported. But they don't know why, so they can't make recommendations for the next election...

    What a strange article And no, it's not from FoxNews, either. Read it for yourself here.

Some amazing (and valuable) things found in thrift stores.

Ten lost-and-found stories.  (From Listverse)

My grandma's 'secret' sugar cookie recipe. A classic from yours truly. 

And just because it's quirky and kinda fun: JC Brooks and Uptown Sounds' Sister Ray Charles:

Homemade flour tortillas.  (Thanks, Mavis at One Hundred Dollars A Month)

Have a great week. 

Its Raining!

 ...and  we're finally making a little progress on needed jobs.

Thank you, God for the welcome change in temperature -- and this wonderful rain.

Sunny Outlook

 

I'm here, just up to my hips in Finishing Stuff. Our truck is totally out of commission now -- which means, unless we borrow a vehicle, we're staying put. Oh yes, we've got several jobs that need to be done before our landlords show up.

    They'll be home sometime Friday evening. (This is late Thursday.) Slow that sun down!

Because So Many Areas Are On Fire Now...

 This incredible photo was shot by John McColgan in the Bitterroot Mountains of Montana.

           McColgan took this as a firefighter. How did he get so close? 

Well, I Was Considering It...

 

Monday Stuff On the Way to Other Stuff: Wishing and Hoping

 ...for cooler air. I keep thinking of fall -- but more because the temperatures will even out, than I really want summer to be over. We have had daytime temps so hot the plants are cringing. Then it cools down enough at night that you have hope again. 

    Tonight, I went over to our landlord's house to do some work...and was stopped by the Brick. "Did you hear that?" he said. Something was screaming, over and over. Not Bigfoot. (Darn - voice was too high-pitched.) A mountain lion, we think. Needless to say, the dogs got hustled into the trailer -- and so did we. Mountain lions attack people out here, too.

    I have plans this week to Finish Everything, then go back to clearing out cupboards and getting ready to install a desk along one wall. The truck is still in the shop -- and should be all week. Which means, unless we borrow a vehicle, we stay home. 

Any inflation rises you've seen? They're "expected" and only "temporary." That's straight from President Biden's mouth, after inflation averaged a 5.4% jump IN JUNE. Mr. President, can you define "temporary," please?

Very funny teacher comments on student tests.  (Thanks, Ranker.)

Ever heard of Cow Tail candy?  Here's your chance to get it for discount, thanks to Amazon Warehouse Deals.

A girl's backpack gets stuck in the schoolbus doors, then she is dragged for several blocks. The Brick used to be a school bus driver -- this would be one of his worst nightmares. Why in the world didn't the driver look up (or look around) at the obvious movement outside the door??? (The girl survived, but needed several surgeries.)

Thieves caught -- because an appraiser did her job. (I posted this on Facebook earlier.)

Weird Al playing 'Classical Gas.'

The oldest bottle of whiskey in the world just sold for $137,000 -- more than six times the appraised estimate!

The prosecutor investigating Hunter Biden 'happened' to stop before the 2020 election period. I'm sure that was totally by accident...

Seventeen vegetables you can harvest in 60 days or less.  (From One Hundred Dollars A Month)

An Egyptian linen mystery -- two pieces, held in museums continents apart, match up...and tell an interesting story. 

The Taliban offers a ceasefire -- in return for prisoners released. 

Judge Judy's son is putting out his own lawsuit -- against the man who keeps suing him. This is complicated, but interesting.

In the fall, mental health 911 calls in Chicago will now have a mental health worker and a paramedic sent in response...instead of a policeman. (How many mental health workers and paramedics will be killed? Inquiring minds wonder...be sure to keep track. I will.)

Some very funny kids' names for everyday objects. (Like "weiner pants" for jeans!) 'We used to have great fun in serving our older daughter mashed potatoes and "grabie."

The police pulled him over for no front license plate on his car -- then found his WISCONSIN license was suspended. But this Minnesota legislator still insists that his stop was 'racially profiled.' The officer's boss had this to say:

‘I was shocked to hear that driver accuse the sergeant of making the stop based on race,’ he wrote, ‘These aren’t accusations I take lightly, so I looked into the traffic stop, watched the body worn camera footage and spoke to the sergeant. This stop, made at about 1.20 in the morning, had absolutely nothing to do with the driver’s race. What it did involve was a public servant doing what the community asks of him . . . Simply put, the traffic stop was by the books. What happened afterwards was anything but.’

He continued, ‘I’m dismayed and disappointed by the state representative’s response to the stop. Rather than taking responsibility for his own decisions and actions, he attempted to deflect, cast aspersions and deny any wrongdoing. At the Saint Paul Police Department, we work hard to be fair, to treat everyone with respect and to lead by example. We also take responsibility for our actions. When we make mistakes, we own them and try to fix them. It’s what our community expects of its public servants. The driver, an elected official who does not dispute driving without a front license plate, owes our sergeant an apology.’

Hmmm. Have we ever heard this before...I'm sure you won't be surprised to see this gets even messier. 

And yet none of it is the Representative's fault. You know -- This is all the "product of the campaign to silence an American African man who speaks out against powerful and abusive interest." Ooh. Did the PAAI make him forget to renew his license in WI, instead of Minnesota, where he's required to live? 

       I'm voting for mind control here. Why not -- it's just as good a reason as any he's given, so far.

Some very funny tweets, courtesy of Ranker.

\U-166 -- the only German WWII submarine (so far, at least) found near Louisiana. We watched an amazing documentary:   Nazi Attack on America (Nova)

Charles Robinson, that wonderful presence in the tv series Night Court, has died. I have loved watching him do his stuff over the years. A great, but surprisingly underrated actor.

These people complied with what was required of them -- sort of.  (From Listverse)

Advice for the People Running Biden...from JP.  He's got some good points -- especially about 'spontaenous' questions asked by reporters during press conferences! 

(I'd laugh harder if some of this didn't seem so true,)

Ten lesser-known traitors, who were still just as bad.  (Thanks, Listverse) Also:

Ten wacky things New Zealanders love.  Hey, I LIKE Marmite!

'Defund the police' -- then spend $70,000 on private security for yourself. This legislator isn't the only one, either. And guess who's paying for it...whoo-hoo, campaign funds!

'Dental Assistant Runs Amuck.' How often do you read a headline like that?

Ten humans and animals were frozen -- and survived.  Another gem from Listverse.

Five secrets from a former timeshare salesperson.

Haupia cream pie -- from Hawaii.

Bigfoot, cartoon-style.  A classic from yours truly. 

A backstage look at Fred Astaire.  (Yes, I am a big fan.) And if you're curious about his best-known dancing partner Ginger Rogers, here's the scoop on her.

Weird Al Yankovic-- "Foil."  (He's parodying "Royals" by Lorde -- but I like his version better. Especially the lizard at the end.)

Have a great week.

                                                     wishing it was raining again here...

Two Years Living in A Fifth-Wheel: Learning to Adapt (Part III)

Hopefully you've read Part I of this series, as well as Part II; it explains how and why we ended up living in a fifth-wheel -- the second Arctic Fox trailer we've owned. 

More than two years later, would we do it again?

Yes... in part because we've learned certain tricks that help us adapt. Even if you don't live in a smaller amount of space, these may be handy for you, too.

 WHAT WE'RE DOING TO ADAPT:

*We use the Mexican method, to help keep our blackwater tank from filling too quickly. That means depositing used toilet paper in a lined wastebasket, instead of putting it in the toilet. We bag and empty the wastebasket once a week. 

*Keeping unpleasant smells to a minimum. Cleaning our bathroom, particularly the toilet, takes from 5-10 minutes. I try to do it daily. I also mist the bed mattress and carpet with Fabreze-type sprays. (It also helps with inevitable "doggy" smells produced by Charley and Ruby.) Air fresheners, as well as open windows whenever possible, also help keep things smelling fresh.

*Staying tidy. I change bed and bath linens out weekly; our dirty clothes go down a chute underneath the bathroom sink to a clothes bin in the "basement." When it gets full, I make a trip to the laundry.

     The bedroom takes just a few minutes to straighten. Our 'living room' takes longer, but I can do a quickie job in ten minutes. (We do have several areas that need work. I'm tackling them one at a time.)

*Grocery shopping less often, but focusing on milk and eggs. I don't bake much during summer; just keeping the pilot on in the oven heats up the trailer uncomfortably during hot weather. (On the plus side, it helps keep us comfortable during chilly days.)

     When the truck acts up -- like it's doing now -- I'll buy extra milk and keep it in the freezer. (Our landlord friends let us use the bottom shelf and pull-out drawer in their big freezer, for overflow.) Eggs will keep up to 4 weeks in the fridge, so I buy extra of those, too. (I still miss our chickens, though.)

  I do keep a supply of shelf-stable supplies in the basement (sour cream and milk powder, dried eggs, beans, flour, sugar, etc.). We also have a small freezer on top of the refrigerator. It doesn't hold a lot, but I could make meals for at least a month with what we've got at hand.

*Keeping dishes washed and the kitchen area clean -- and using paper products when water is at a premium. We wire the cupboards shut before traveling, and carefully open them when we arrive. (Things can 'leap' out at you, if you're not paying attention.) Everything on the table, currently my 'desk,' also has to come down when traveling, but it stores nicely underneath, and is quickly put back in place when we're settled.

     I have a small group of pots & pans, including ceramic baking dishes, which fit nicely inside the stove. A hand-held mixer, toaster and crockpot are stored in cupboards. We keep fresh pitchers of water on the counter when we're at rest, and stored in the sink when we're on the road. 

*Using temporary storage -- for now. Some canned goods, flour, etc. are in our friends' basement. More of our storage, including furniture, books, quilts, etc., is in a bay of The Mama's garage -- which means a trip to Michigan when we need to replenish or pick up needed items. (After we sold the house, we even rented a storage unit for a few months, so the Brick had hunting items. But that was surprisingly expensive.)

  Yes, we have storage under our chair seats...

    We have been looking for land to put a pole barn on. Or a small cabin that we can use for storage, while parking nearby. Maybe two of these. We just haven't found the right property for the right price yet. Inevitably, we will need to clear out our property in both our friends' basement, and The Mama's garage. We continue to search for the right spot. I think we'll know when we find it.

*We don't have cable. But we do have access to Amazon Prime. Our secret weapons, though, are heavy-duty zipped folders that each hold up to 400 different DVDs and CDs. We have three folders, and they fit nicely underneath the fireplace. Hundreds of videos -- available at a moment's notice! (Many of these are $1 and $2 wonders gleaned from our public library, as well as Amazon.) 

*We brought in extra heating and cooling. A small fan has worked wonders for sleeping on hot nights, even with the air conditioning running, it can be sweltering. A space heater, and keeping the electric fireplace on, has helped a lot with cold spots in the winter. These wait in a corner until we need them.

*Buying space-saving appliances and tools. I don't have many -- actually, I never did. But instead of a blender, I have a handheld mixer. A palm-sized waffle iron. Smaller laptops. Things like that. 

*Using easy-care whenever possible. I just don't have room for an ironing board...but a small finger-sized iron and a towel are useful for patchwork. Otherwise, I buy knit or easy-care shirts and pants for myself and the Brick. I used to iron a lot, including pillowcases. Now, I roll them tightly before putting them away. They take up less room -- and stay largely wrinkle-free!

     We use this rolling technique for other things, like large towels. They take up a lot less room this way...and look nice, when displayed on a wall-mounted holder inside the bathroom. 

*We keep a schedule -- sort of. Friday night is always Movie Night, using DVDs from the library, or our own collection. Sunday is church -- and Worship Team, if we're singing/playing. Monday is 'Start-up-the-Week' day; I rarely take any work commitments then. And we generally do not make appts before 10 a.m. (We've been night owls for a long time.) We try to meet friends every other week, sharing food prep and often playing a game afterwards. This pattern holds fairly steady, wherever we are.

There are still things we haven't figured out. High winds -- a dog changing position-- or even wiggling your knee can set the trailer rocking, especially during short-term stops. And it can heat up quickly during sweltering temperatures. (Maybe use a toaster oven then? Meanwhile, the slow cooker helps with this.) The internet doesn't always cooperate. It's easy to start building up boxes of STUFF. We generally have to meet friends elsewhere...or borrow our friends' balcony. 

      Tempers can flare over little things like dog vomit ("It's your turn, Honey!"), a dropped jar or misplaced gloves. And the current issue: what do we do when our truck, our only source of transportation, isn't operating properly? (The answer to that: borrow a vehicle from kind friends who are out of town. And get the truck repaired before they return.)

But when I'm busy writing at the kitchen table, and watch deer prance by in the pasture, unknowing that someone is watching...

      Looking out the window at a changing landscape, depending on where we are, from flowering spring to snowy winter...

     Trudging home after an exhausting workday to family, hot pizza and my favorite movie...

     Cooking up ham and eggs, with fresh peaches bought at the stand the day before, and coffee fresh-brewed by the Brick, in a Wal-Mart parking lot...

    Or on a gloomy night, snug in our warm bed, with rain or snowflakes pattering overhead...

           I feel very lucky, indeed. 

Conversational Katishaw....

 

I asked Charley and Ruby about this. Of course, Rubes had to take the chewbone out of her mouth before she could tell me so, but she agreed.

Charley did, too.

Two Years Living in A Fifth-Wheel: The Pros and Cons (Part II)

Hopefully you've read Part I of this series; it explains how and why we ended up living in a fifth-wheel -- the second Arctic Fox trailer we've owned. 

More than two years later, would we do it again?

Yes.

   If you figure in typical rent around here ($1000-2000 monthly), we have easily repaid our fifth-wheel's price. Not only that, it's in better condition, thanks to repairs by the Brick, than it was when we first bought it. (Okay, the cabinets are still in banged-up condition from the previous owners. I hope to finish those this summer.) 

    We could pretty easily rent it out, too, if we were done with it. Or another world cruise came up. Something like that.

PROS FOR LIVING IN A FIFTH-WHEEL:

*Comfortable living. We've had plenty of room for two reclining chairs/stools, a dining room and a kitchen area. (One end of the trailer will eventually become a wide desk I can work at, and we can store the Brick's keyboard underneath.) Our bed is queen-sized and very comfortable. We have a bathroom and shower, as well. 

          We stay snug, regardless of the weather.

*Many of a traditional home's amenities:  microwave, motion-activated outdoor lights, tv and computer hookups...even an electric fireplace. Heating and air conditioning, as well as an overhead fan, help keep us comfortable. (We added a space heater and an additional fan, to help out.)

TV, stereo system, and fireplace on the left; fridge on the right.

Shower's at back right. 

*Storage space: we have a surprising amount, both upstairs and in the "basement." (A lower level, that lets us stock groceries on one side -- and tools on another.)

*Solar power:  Multiple solar panels up on the roof will eventually furnish all the power we need, whether we're hooked up to electricity or not. (I'll explain this in a minute.)

*We can go -- and park -- pretty much anywhere we want. An hour is about what it takes to pull up the 'legs,' wire cupboards shut, and hook up to the truck. There are a lot of spots that don't cost anything to "dry camp" (no hookups), as well as with friends and family.

*We have a permanent spot in Colorado -- thanks to our landlord friends. We pay utilities and act as caretakers when they're out of town; we also help out with chores and maintenance jobs around the place. In return, we have water and electricity, a quiet spot -- and a beautiful view. 

*We can spend longer periods at places we want to travel to. A week or two...or even a month. Bringing our home with lets stay as long as we wish.

*We can volunteer, help out family, whatever we like -- where we like. We just need a parking spot.

*We can help with The Mama. This was forcibly brought out last week -- we'd spent a month in Michigan this spring, parked in the farm's barnyard. This let us install railings; cook meals; help The Mama move more easily around the house, etc. 

          Soon after we left, The Mama started having increasing difficulty getting around. In spite of a newly-started health aide, she ended up in the hospital last week. When we get back to Michigan, we can help again with Mom's care. (And help spell other family members' care of her.)

 

CONS FOR DOING THIS:

*Yes, we have storage -- but I wish we had a little more. My quilt collection is one problem; we donated more than two dozen bags of tops, quilts, etc. to the Rocky Mountain Quilt Museum, and I still have dozens of pieces. (Hey, when you're teaching and writing about textiles, as well as appraising them, owning some pieces is of great value.) 

      I also miss my books. We had in the neighborhood of 4000 books; most of those were sold, given away or donated. Even with our collection cut wayyyy down, there's not enough trailer space to have all of the books I'd like to have close at hand... close at hand. 

     There is also little room to stock up on food and personal care bargains -- though I do keep some extra items on hand. (More on this in a minute.)

*Space in the bathroom and shower is tight. It's doable -- but there's not a lot of extra room.

*No room for lots of company or dinner guests. We've put up Daughter #2 and Son #1, but they're adaptable and understanding. (They also cheerfully put up with an inflatable air mattress.) We can seat two more for supper -- maybe even four others. But it's definitely more crowded.

*It's easy to be messy. I can no longer leave out jobs that are in progress. If the Brick is working on a project, he has the same struggle. On the occasions that he's repairing something, we have to unload shelves and cupboards -- then step around those piles until they can be replaced. Trash cans have to be emptied regularly -- particularly the bathroom one.

      On the plus side, it doesn't take long to tidy up. I can generally clean the entire trailer in less than two hours -- even fifteen minutes' work makes a real difference.

*We need to empty out our tanks -- and refill on occasion. The water tank space is limited. The graywater and blackwater tanks need to be emptied out periodically. When we're not hooked up to water and sewer, we've learned to conserve. 

*Problems can be smelly. And complicated. Especially when the blackwater tank pipe clogs up and backflows into the bathroom. (That nasty job was when we were at The Mama's in June. It's happened to others.) 

      Fortunately, this rarely occurs. But when it does, there's no getting away from it. 

*There's no easy way of getting away from each other, either. The Brick and I enjoy spending time together, so it's not a big issue. But once in a while, I'd like to spend an afternoon with Pride & Prejudice, a cup of tea and a handkerchief, without having to arrange it. (P&P makes the Brick want to gag.) I'm sure the Brick would prefer listening to his beloved political commentators the same way. (I can only handle an hour or two, unless it's Mark Levin.)

NEXT:  Living in A Fifth-Wheel:  What We're Doing to Adapt

 

"We're just looking out for your best interests..."

 Have you asked your doctor or pharmacist about the vaccine issue? You may be surprised at their answers...

At the very least, hopefully this video will make you stop and think. And consider hard the next time government officials make statements like this. Sometimes they are...

    And sometimes, it may be politics masquerading as -- something else.  

Living in A Fifth-Wheel -- Two Years! (A Three-Part Series)

 Actually, our anniversary is about 25 months. It is hard to believe we have made our permanent home in a fifth-wheel trailer this long. But we have! 

Our current view

And it was a good decision. 

We began doing this for several reasons:

*We wanted to sell our house.  Both the Brick and I began to feel that owning it was holding us back from things we wanted to accomplish before we died. Income from its sale would not only fund those things (like a world cruise), but give us a foundation for retirement.  (Little did we know then that the cruise would be cancelled mid-sail because of Covid19, but that's another story. Still, we were supposed to go on that cruise. I'm sure of it.)

*Housing prices skyrocketed in our part of Colorado. This was great for selling our home -- terrible for buying another property. Better to wait until things evened out (they always do), or just find a cheaper state to live in.

*We wanted to travel -- and yet be able to sleep in our own bed at night. We could volunteer, research, visit people we'd always wanted to.

   McNeal, AZ.  

*I could keep teaching out of state -- and the Brick and the dogs could go with me. (Lonely hotel rooms are no picnic, I can assure you.) 

*The Mama's health has been steadily declining. We both felt that we would soon be needed in Michigan for weeks at a time, instead of just a few days visit. With a trailer, we could go "home" at night, even if we were parked in the barnyard next to her house.

   * Finally, we believed that a trailer would pay for itself... instead of renting an apartment; getting a hotel room; going out to eat, instead of cooking in; and so on. If we were careful how much we paid for it, and kept track of our expenses.

     We were right.

     Our first trailer ended because of a fortuitous fender-bender. We'd gone to an appraisers conference in Santa Fe, and crawled our way back home through a blizzard. We got to Castle Rock just fine -- then ran into a van in the Safeway parking lot! At the time, I was quite frustrated. (Why, God, why?!?) But the insurance adjuster found multiple roof leaks that we didn't know we had. He totalled it; we had 24 frantic hours to get our things out. Fortunately (or was this God's plan, all along?), we hadn't quite put the house on the market yet. We moved back into our house -- and started looking again.

     Fifth-wheel #1

     We'd looked for months for Trailer #1. The one we bought had been in storage for more than a year, and its sellers wanted it gone. The Brick bargained the final price down at least $2000.

     The insurance payout for Trailer #1 was more then $6000 than what we'd originally paid. 

     And that money went into Trailer #2, our current abode. The sellers lived in it for a year themselves, so we knew it was doable. It included an extensive hookup of solar panels up-top...which was also the Brick's dearest wish. And other than some banged-up cabinets (they stored their bikes inside) and a water tank that needed replacing, it was nicer, and about 4 1/2 feet longer, than Trailer #1. That little extra space made a big difference in spaciousness.

  

Fifth-wheel #2  (Both trailers were/are Arctic Fox -- a brand we settled on, after much research)

     The Brick bargained this trailer down about $5000 from the asking price. Solar panels included, which should have added $3000+ to the mix. The final price was almost exactly the amount of our insurance payout. 

     Do I think this was all a series of fortunate coincidences? I do not. They often came just as we needed them -- including our current 'landlord,' who offered to let us stay on his property and act as caretakers. (He came to us. And asked almost exactly to the day the house sale finalized.)

      Then there were the friends who let us stay with them, after the house sale and during tank repairs on the trailer. (It took a month. Yes, these are good friends.) In many ways, problems like this (Where do we stay? When do we go?) were fleeces we laid out before God. He has always made our next steps clear, even if we have to be patient and wait a little. If getting the fifth-wheel was okay with Him...and that was another fleece...then He would take care of us in a trailer, just as quickly as a building. 

And He has.

NEXT:  Living in A Fifth-Wheel:  Pros and Cons