Monday, August 31, 2009

Long weekend

I know. next weekend is the last three day weekend of Summer. But most likely Jerry will have to work all three days of it. He's working on a shut down. We knew this was the last two day weekend he would have for a while, and took Heather our car to use. I know Jerry wanted to keep the car with us, but Heather needs her own transportation for a bit. Bailey needs a ride to school and back and this will make it much easier on her family.

It takes us about 6 hours to drive from Memphis to Dunlap. 6 hours back as well. I needed a potty break and Jerry mis-understood when I said both the humans and dogs needed to potty and he pulled over to the side of the road for the dogs. I told him, I'm not going to pee in the woods. He thought I meant that I wasn't going to take the dogs in the woods to pee, He hadn't a clue I also needed to relieve myself. and we kept passing gas staition and truck stop I kept expecting him to stop. When we got in I asked him why he didn't stop of me. He said he didn't know. We could have had a big fight over it... and I felt like a fight. Here lately he sure can't hear me at all. I'll ask what time it is, and get a totally off the wall answer from him.

I was able to get most of our laundry done at our daughters house. All but the jeans. I asked Jerry if he had any clean ones left. Yes, he thought so. I checked his suitcase and there was no jeans in it. I had to wash that last load here at the motel, last night. They got clean but one round in the dryer wasn't enough. I brought them to the room and put most of them on the back of the chairs so they would dry.

I'm not sure what is for dinner tonight yet. Salad I do know. some meat and some potatoes.

Monday, August 17, 2009

Now in Memphis

We are in the Delux Inn. We have a kitchenette. It has two beds, one we will just pile every thing on as it's in the kitcen area. We got here around 2 45 or so. Found the Inn with no problems. I do have a store to tell though. We both map quested the trip. Both have about the same directions. and we got lost right out of Tuscaloosa. But I have a fairly good memory and recalled that the road we were suppose to take goes through Columbus MS. The road we were on goes straight to Columbus MS. So instead of backtracking we went straight on. Just outside of Columbus, We pulled into a Shell station and got directions to Tupelo MS and from there to Memphis. Led us straight to the motel.(inn). I think the route we took saved us about 10 miles as well. We had high light clouds all day long and no rain. We got here. checked in and got a room up stairs. (oh man, we still have things down in the van. We are getting old and just can't lug it all up in this heat and humidy. The wall paper trim is ragged in some places. The tv has a squeel in it. and we had to ask for a battery for the smoke detector because it was chirping all the time. But hey, it's cheap. Just over $450 for two weeks. I will ask for a different TV tomorrow, I think. Every one is red faced on it and, of course, my favorite channel rolls.It's a roof over our head and we can have the dogs and cat no problem. (just don't read the sign in the lobby) No Pets, no illegal drugs, no drug dealers, no illegal weapons, No in and out, I'll try to take a picture of the sign, tomorrow because I forgot the rest of it. There is a fence all around the motel. All the motels have a high fence around them around here. We are across the road from a truck stop. And just down the road is the FedEx terminal. We went looking for Walmart and the one we found is closed. We put money on a Walmart card to fill the tanks with and when we stopped in this morning, All the pumps were turned off. We stopped at two more stations before we found one that would take the card at the pump. We ate one more time at Ryans in T-town. And were on the road by 9 30. I would lead for a while, the I would ask Jerry to lead a while Then he would trust me knowing what I saw on the map and I would lead again. Then we pulled into another gas station and he would get directions and so he would lead a while. Since we didn't have to have reservations we didn't feel a time crunch, really. Once we got here, We walked the dogs and got all three animals into the room to cool off. It's HOT outside, I'm sure in the low 90's at least. We got hot trying to bring stuff in, so I suggested we go find the job site. We found it. Um... not much to see but we asked a security guard and he said ask the man on the fork lift. and the man on the fork lift said yea,h but no one's working today.. That's fine we just wanted to be sure this was the right place. Oh yeah, it is. We drove right past the St Jude's Hospital. Man that is one huge place. It's about 13 to 14 miles from the motel but easy enough to get to. Coming home will be a bit hectic but managable.
We unpacked more of our stuff but got hot again. So we decided to go get some grocies.
We did our shopping at Krogers. We have a Kroger card and saved about 19 dollars with the card. IF we didn't by cola and chips we would have gotten out of there for under $50, I'm sure. We brought up the grocies and put them away, and worked on bringing up more from the van. We got hot again. and took a break. Walked the dogs and let them play a little bit. We still have more in the van and may bring up a couple more boxes once it cools off a bit more, or not. We plan on waking up around 4 30 and getting Jerry out of here around 5 15 or so. It's not but 20 mintues to the job, and he has to be there around 6 30 so that gives him plenty of time to get there. I'll not go with him tomorrow since I can drive the car if I need to go anywhere. I'll be finding out if there is a washer and dryer here. and if not finding the local laundry mat. That will only leave finding the local post office on my list of "Whatto do when we first get to a new town."

WE know there is a zoo. We may go there, when it cools of a lot. Several museums but Not many that peak our intrest. Lots of music museums. Jerry may have more interest than he's showing right now, in them.

Right now we don't know the facts on this job.. like how much it's paying per hour and per diem. Will he get travel pay since SW&B is part of BE&K. How many hours a week, and for how long is this job suppose to last. He was just so happy to be called so quickly that he forgot to ask all that while he has the woman manning up the job, on the phone.

Funny dog. When we left the campground I had Rocky in the van with me. Jerry had the cat and Macon in the car with him.. Rocky did not like it that Jerry was ahead of me and all the way to the campground office he let us know about it. He cried, and whinned and howled, trying to get me to keep up with Jerry. From the campground until we got to Ryan's it was the same thing. Rocky did not want to ride with me. After breakfast, we traded dogs. Rocky even got to sit in the seat instead of in the kennel where Jerry wanted him. Macon took a bit to figure out how to get on the seat with all four paws. And how to keep his lead from getting too tight. Once he figured all that out, though he was very happy to lay on the seat and me to give him a pet every now and then. Rocky was just ticked to death to ride with Jerry.

Friday, August 7, 2009

On the road, again

Yes, you read that right. Jerry got laid off today. There is a good job going on in North Carolina that is crying for Electrictions and the man heading it up, Knows Jerry and his work well. We are just waiting for a phone call. it should last about 18 months. That is the thing about construction, Jerry is always working his way out of a job.
We will know for sure, by middle of the week.

When Jerry called me, a bit after Noon, I could hear in his voice, that he was ok with this. He got a good review as well. As much as he needs to be working, he's glade we are moving away from here, I think. We really like North Carolina. I would wish for mountains, but we will be close enough to go to the beach a few times, and just walk in the sands. We can take the dogs with us to the beach, when the tempatrues drop down to a comfortable level as well.

Good news, the man we are paying for the van, has no problem with us taking it to N.C. He knows we need it to go with. Can take the car as well.
Onto the car. I go get Jerry's tools with the van. We stop to secure the load better, and get drinks. I hear a strang noise from under the hood but Jerry can't hear it. it's a whinny squeal. I ask him if it's ok to leave it running, he's leaving it run so the air will cool off the insides. (ok) we get to the camper. park the van, I get in the car so we can go cash his check, and off we go. We get the check cashed. We make the car payment and tell the man about Jerry's being laid off. Making arrangements to pay off both the car and the van. We are going to eat on our way home. Jerry's tummy is not doing so good. We just get under the interstate and we lose power. We coast it to the campgroud office. Jerry calls the man who we are buying the car off of. He'll have it towed back to his shop. I don't remember if we have had it 30 days or not, yet. Either way, he'll fix it for us. Not sure what it is, but Jerry thinks it may be a gas filter, or a gas pump. At least we are at the campground office and I can get a ride to the camper to get the van. Today is Pete's birthday and he's been run ragged, today of all days.

while I'm waiting for Pete, we talked to June at the office. We can button up this camper and have it put into locked storage, and still make payments on it. We will have to come get it, when it's paid off.
That "woman" who was raising such a ruckus with me last week, is being turned out of the park this weekend. We are not the only ones she's messed with. I explained to June what she saw.. and as June said. What business was it of her's in the first place. I told June, I'm under 5 doctors orders to not let my blood pressure raise. And what that woman said, when I called for Jerry to come deal with her.. June just shook her head. I told June, my dogs will now not go potty at the back of the camper. She said that the woman going to be gone by the end of the weekend. She's stuck her nose in everyone's business around here. I told June about the dogs behind her camper. They are tied out all day long. June said they are in a pen. Not in a pen but on lines. I told her they are put out before 7 in the morning and not taken in until after dark.
"oh."

I told June the only reason I'm saying something is because something was said about my dogs. If nothing had been said, I would never have said a thing because it's not my site and it doesn't bother me, except those dogs bark when I take my dogs out and that alerts that woman that I've taken my dogs outside. I told her, that the truck that has been up on blocks for over three weeks is now off the blocks. We didn't say anything about it. We could have, but we didn't. We could tell the man was working on it.

Tuesday, August 4, 2009

There is stupid then there is really stupid

Let me tell you a story.

Last Friday. My dogs, Rocky and Macon, have been "going potty" at the back of our camper for over a couple of weeks now, instead of walking across some rought run gravel. Easier on their feet and mine. and much easier to clean up,, just get out the hose and water the area down, water pushing the solids down into the tall weeds where it can do more good than harm. For some Reason Rocky now wants to lick up where Macon has peed. "Leave It" is the command I use, plus a shake of the lead on his Walking Harness (not collar) At 3 pm. I take Macon out first, while he's doing his thing. I'm playing around with the lead, wagging it back and forth. Just flipping it aruond a bit.. it's hot out. He gets done. and runs back into the camper. It's not that hot that I have to have the door closed all day long. I get Rocky, he heads where Macon had been. gets his scolding and moves over to a small tree and "does" his thing, and runs back into the camper, as well. Sounds great, right? Now for a while I have been working with getting Macon to "wait" until he's in the grass, and preferrable across the small ditch behind the camper. Come 5:30 the usual Nesxt time. (My dogs seem to be on two and a half hour timers in the afternoon) I'm taking Macon and Rocky out at the same time. I do that often. more times than not. When this "Woman" (I will NOT insult my dogs by calling her a B) Yelling and screaming and cussing and flipping the bird at me, saying I better not be abusing my dogs, again, she's going to tape me, I better not hit my dogs with the leads again. (fulling interspersed with the most vile words) I called for Jerry but he didn't hear me. The dogs, of course don't have a clue what's going on, Head for the door, on the run. I tell Jerry, some woman is out there yelling that I'm abusing the dogs. by the time he goes out, she's gone. I tell him what she's yelling at me. When I did call him, she was yelling about how I have to ask someone to come fight my fights for me..(No clue) The dogs did not finish what they were outside for. but at least they did pee. Come 7 pm, they "Have" to go out, again. So, I take them out. Macon, for the first time does just as I have been pushing for, waiting to get on the other side of that ditch and then... I'm be Dammed if that wild, crazy, lunatic isn't back, screaming at me again. I'm trying to praise Macon for a job well done, and I have this "person" (I'll also not insult a female pig, either) Saying even more vile things, Screaming even louder, and getting upset because I will not turn and look at her. Yes, I was ignoring her. The dogs go back in the house, I get the water-hose to clean up, and she's still yelling and screaming. She came into "My" yard and is getting mad that I won't now fight her. She's still screaming that I abused my dogs. I head in, tell Jerry that woman is out there, again, and he heads out the door, She threated to hit him,(Jerry showed great restraint and didn't), my guess is in hopes that he would accually hit her first.She's screaming she'll get us kicked out of here, She works at the office, She and her family ride 4 wheelers down there all the time (???) She will tell lies and get us kicked out. He tells her, want to settle this, Lets go to the office and let them deal with it, She refuses to go. Jerry get in the car and went to speak to Pete and June. June is the only one home. She tell him her name. is Stacy. Jerry told June what she's been yelling and that she's drunk. I didn't let her get close enough to me to find out. June told Jerry, she comes to your spot again, call 9 1 1. We didn't hear from her again. but Now I'm worried that she'll go through with her threats and find a way to get us kicked out of here. We can't move the camper until it's paid off(October, at the rate we are paying it now). I now am afraid to take a walk because I would have to go past her spot.

Now, to answer her question about having Jerry fight my fight for me. Yes. I am under three eye doctors orders and two General Doctors orders to not let my blood pressure rise, or I risk permanet eye damange.I had told June earlier in the day, when I paid the months lot rent, that I had been taken off my blood pressure medicn due to an allergic reaction to it. I don't have the luxury of allowing myself to be angry. I also have learned, long ago. it does no good to try to reason with someone who is out of control. walking (or running) away is better for me, because it won't matter in the long run if I run or stay. They are still going to be angry.

I was stressed the rest of the weekend, waiting for her next ranting. I figured she most likely works on Monday and would be able to tell her tale to who every at work, by then. Oh, the office she works at, isn't for the rv park but with the owners of the park, in their Nursing assistence busness.

Now. I ask you... what was she thinking...?? IF I was abusing my dogs.. IF I was that kind of person.. wouldn't her yelling and screaming make me "abuse" my dogs more instead of less?

the crux of it all, Now my dogs won't "go" to the back of the camper and we are now walking across the crush and run gravel, again, so they can potty.