I've been a bit quiet the last couple of days,

I've been a bit quiet the last couple of days, dealing with a problem.  I knew I should have waited to have my eye worked on.  Oh, it's doing okay. But I'm suppose to have a check up soon.  Well, because we moved and we now don't have insurance (we can't pay the CORBA, and we were not offered it either)  The Iowa University wants me to pay up front $1,000 before they can see me for it.  No way can we come up with that in the next three weeks.  I will just have to pray that nothing goes wrong with my eye, and hope that PCL calls Jerry soon. I know that it is now considered a pre existing condition, but that just means a delay, not never to be taken care of (If I understand the New Rules of Medical Care) I am feeling like I've been S(Bleep) over.  I still have this green thing on my wrist that says I'm not to go above 3000 feet up.  When do I remove it?  at the end of 6 weeks?  I am not going to continue wearing it forever.  I was "pushing" it to ask for an appointment for the week after Independence Day, because that's more than a week past when it's due.  I don't know any one who can come up with that kind of money, not after three weeks of lay off  and trying to get something from un-employment

Befire that therewas  one day pay for the week he got laid off, so that does not count as a waiting week, then the waiting week, and now fighting with North Carolina and or Virginia to find out who is going to pay one weeks' worth of "un-employment" and still waiting to hear from either one of them. At least now Jerry is working, but we are three weeks with no income and trying to catch up with bills before they over whelm us.  As long as my eye is healing, I am good. I know there is more work to be done on it, from the way Dr. Mahmoud was talking. but it's all going to have to wait a while now.   And I know I'm going to get a "talking to" about having put off the check up after, from who ever sees me next. It's not like I have much choice in it.  I couldn't stay in Virginia alone. I had no way to get anywhere. Even if I had gone to my Daughter in Tennessee, We still would not have had insurance and it's an 8 hour trip from her place to Duke so that was out of the question, as well. 

 

Billie C.
Ask yourself what makes you come alive; and than go and do that ~ unk

June 13, 2014

June 13, 2014
Howdy. I hope you are having a great day.
I had breakfast outside this morning. Grapes, a Banana and some Strawberries.  I had to put Macon back inside because he didn't want to pay attention when I called his name. I have a kennel outside and Had to put Rocky in it when he refused to stop barking at neighbors who were walking close to the yard. Barney got to stay on his line because he wasn't getting into too much trouble. He can hardly bark when he has a ball in his mouth.  It was very cool this morning when we woke up. (47F) and I went back to bed once Jerry left for work, until it warmed up a bit.
I've gotten the dishes done and the beds made. I still have a way to go on the house chores and I'm taking my time. Dinner will be easy tonight since I cooked the hamburger meat yesterday with Taco seasoning in it and then we ended up eating out because we had to go to Nevada for parts to fix a water leak.  It's fixed and changed a bit. Jerry put a 90 angle connection on both the in and out of the hot water tank so the flex hose is not longer bent at a sharp angle. I just don't know why he didn't do that the firs time he had to replace one of the hoses a while ago. At leat now, that will not be a problem.
 I plan on spending more time outside this afternoon, under the apple trees while the dogs do what dogs do. I do have to clean up their messes, but that isn't going to take me too long. I just have to get the bags ready to do that with. I'll move our trash can back from the curb while I'm at it.  I need to put on my gloves and do some cleaning around the fire pit, as well. 
I did get the dog poop cleaned up, after I cleaned out the cat box. I used the same bag for both. I tied that bag tight, then put in the trash bag and tied it up tight as well, Hope that helps keep the smell down in the trash can. 
The cats are not happy since I won't let them go outside. Tupelo got out a couple of times yesterday and when I tried to get her to come inside and eat her canned food she refuesed to come in. So when she did come in, she didn't get her canned food. Bad cats don't get canned food.
I want to make or pick up a couple of wind chimes to hang in the trees. I may get more pony beads and make my own, as well as buy a couple. With 5 trees I have plenty of branches to hang things off of. 
I am waiting for the mobil home that is next to us to be moved out. I'm sure that area will need some cleaning up and I can help with that.
I have the radio on since we havn't called the Dishtv yet to see what we need to have service again. That is why these daily Howdy notes are so old. I'm writing and will send them once we get service again.
It's been so cool here that I've only worn shorts one time and that was only for a few hours.  Once I take my shower this afternoon, I think I'll put on shorts for the rest of this day.  I cut a few of my older sweat pants into shorts just before leaving Danville. Good thing I left a few pants because it's been so much cooler here, that I need pants to wear. 

 

Whew. I just (finally) got my shower.  It's about time.  Jerry needs to lower the back just a little bit so the tub will drain. I sorted the launcry while I have the tubs out of the way.  Now my nose wants to run away with me.  Yuck.  Fighting a headache as well. I can't find my usual stuff to take so I took some Asprin. It's going to take a bit to work, I think. 
Yes, I put on shorts after my shower. I have to find my shampoo and stuff but at least I can wash up with hand soap and that will get me clean. I just need to take my time and find the rest of the things and put them back where they belong.
Afternoon "snack" was a cup of strawberry yogurt and a bread stick. I think I need to bake them in the toaster oven a bit longer as it just isn't what I expected it to be.

June 12, 2014 Howdy

 

June 12, 2014 Howdy

 

Hello, and it's another Day in the life of Billie.  We get to sleep in each morning until 4:30 now.  Jerry needs to leave here around 5:30 to go to work and it's less than 20 minutes to get to the job site.  I went back to bed this morning after he left and was up again at 7:30. I got dressed and took care of taking my meds, then took the dogs out for a quick potty break. I've been poking at a few things in here and I about have the dishes finished up. 

 

Did I mention that there are 5 apple trees outside my doorway?  they provide a nice amount of shade for me to sit in and we can sit under them while we are eating dinner. We did that last night. I grilled up some chicken on the Forman Grill and put that over salad.  Jerry got the sewer line ran to under the trailer next door and so we are now able to run as much water a s we need to. (whew)  Still have to calll the Dish TV so we can get our shows back. Good thing that, right now, it's summer and all reruns.  We have had a lot of wind so far today and clouds. We are suppose to be in the 80's be the end of the week.
We have to go to town, again today, (Nevada) to pick up another service hose for the hot water tank. The other one is leaking now. We may as well see if we can find some foam core board to set in the window around the air conditioner to keep the cold and cats inside.
I don't know if we are going to eat out or not. I'll have everything ready to eat at home, just in case. I just need to cook and season the meat for taco's and shredd up some cheese to go on top. I picked up some ice cream last night but since we didn't eat it, we can have that for our dessert tonight. I may bake a cake later if I get up some energy to move off this couch.
12:00
Just brought the dogs back inside from a quick potty break and fresh air. Rocky laid in the sun. Barney got tangeled around two trees and Macon found a place to roll out of Barney's reach.  Then a dog came in sight. I had to put Barney and Macon in the camper, Rocky didn't bark. I let him stay out a little while longer before coming into the camper.  I have put the stove top in the sink to soak in some Fast Orange and then sprayed the cover underside to clean it up, as well. a few minutes soak does a worlds of good in making it easier in cleaning up.

 

June 11, 2014

June 11, 2014
It was a long weekend for us. Jerry got the call he was waiting for, last Thursday. We took care of a few last minute things. repacked the back of the truck, sorted through the stuff under the camper. Friday morning, early, I'm packing up inside the camper, sorting what can go into storage to the front of the camper to make it easier to take out once we get to Heathers. We left the ramps, lawn mower, weed eater and trash behind.
We left Danville around noon.
We got to Athens and had a late dessert with Donna around 8 pm and spent about 45 minutes quickly catching up with each other. We got to Heather's around 10 her time. (11 for us) and had hot dogs and S'mores over a bonfire with her and the kids and neighbor kids.  Heather is still not in a good place and there isn't anything I can do to help her through it.  She said she can no longer trust Ricky, yet they are still living in the same house.  She has her name on the list for a 3 bedroom low income housing but who knows how long that is going to take. Once she moves out, is Ricky still going to try to be sleeping on her couch?  I told her that would most likely get them thrown out.  But is she strong enough to tell him to stay away, I don't know. He is the father of the kids and he's okay with them. I could wish for better but he's not hitting them. Words are bad enough though. He was decent while we were there. Jerry slept in the truck to keep the dogs quiet and I slept on the couch. Ricky put Corbin's mattress on the floor, but I have too hard of a time trying to get up off the floor to want to try that. The couch was bad enough to try to get off of. A quick run to Wal-mart with Bailey while everyone else slept, to pick up a couple of needed items, cover for the waste tank, clean shirts for the two of us, underwear, socks.  and the largest under wear they had, are too small for me. I now have 6 pairs of underwear I can not wear.  (new weight loss goal, get down into a size 10 under wear).  Picked up donuts for breakfast for every one. Fresh ones.  Bailey told us about them picking up stale donuts from a bread bank. Corbin almost didn't try one, until Bailey told him we got them at Walmart. We also picked up biscuits for everyone for breakfast. Well, every one but Ricky, Bailey said that he doesn't eat breakfast most of the time and never know what he will want to eat, if he does eat breakfast.  Once everyone was up, Heather, Bailey and I headed to the camper (Parked at our favorite motel to stay at) and removed lots of stuff to go to storage. Filled her van full, and still have a couple of things to go. Took it to storage and filled it up.  Not much room left at all in there, now.  Back to the camper, Picked up a few things going to Heather's and left Jerry and Bailey to work on the wires. (Bailey loved that) Jerry said it would only take about 15 minutes. 45 minutes later they are back to Heathers.  I had enough time to take a shower, dry off and have my hair almost dry before they go there. Jerry took a shower as well, before we left. We left there around 2 pm.  slept in a rest area for about 6 hours. We were in the last rest stop in Kentucky before crossing into Illonise.  From there it was up to St. Louis, then north through Hannabul then the Iowa state line before getting on 30 west.  We got to Nevada around 4 pm.  Jerry called the campgrounds listed on the work papers and neither one has any open spots left. We over nighted in a state park. No power, No water and No sewer.  We spend most of the morning trying to find a place to park the camper. The first place we went to, Ugh.  there was one spot open but no way could we get the camper and truck to make that swing to put it in there. Well, there's a place out here by me, (Said Brenda) you can come check it out.  Weedy, unkept and right next to a torn up mobil home. It's on the lot we will be renting for $240 a month. That includes water, sewer and trash pick up. Okay.  We have to pay for our power. $145 deposit.  We go pay the deposit, sleep one more night in the state campground. Tuesday afternoon we finally move the camper to the site. Still no running water but the grass and weeds have been mowed down. don't know if we will have to do the mowing for the rest of the year or not.  The water line is an old farm hose, but it's clean and that is all that matters. The mobil home is to be moved today (Wed, June 11) but I haven't seeb any one over here to deal with it yet and it's after 4 now. We did get to Walmart last night to put money on the card so Jerry could make the truck payment (late, firs time late) and picked up enough food for a couple of days here. I had to clear the path to the bathroom but couldn't do it fast enough and had to ask Jerry to take me to the bathhouse at a different state park that is just across the road from this mobil home park. about 1/3 mile down the road. I know where we are going to be goind swimming.. nice sandy beaches there.
Back to the camper I get the rest of the path cleared. I'm to not use much water unitl the trailer next door is moved, then we will be using it's sewer drop in. For now, it's just a waiting game to see what happens first, them moving it or our waste water tank getting over filled. I know it won't take long to hook up and pull it out, but how long to drop a sewer line is going to be the question.
All that leads up to Today.
I asked Jerry to buy breakfast, once we woke up. Too much to still move just to be able to cook for him. He wasn't happy but he wasn't mad about it, either.  I have unpacked all the tubs and boxes now. that's taken most all day. A lot of stuff is still out of place but it's workable now.  I need to get up from here and clear off Jerry's bed. I cleared mine off earlier, looking for the power cord for my phone which was in the table top oven in the living room and I just happend to look in there, while taking the dogs outside for some fresh air and potty break.  We have been outside 5 times today and still have at least one more to go. The cats are happy to be out of the kennel. One got out while I had to door open to bring in a kennel while changing out and cleaning the one they traveled in.  I fed the other two cans of food and this one came running in to get her's (I'm fairly sure it was Tupelo) Ha ha.. cats who run outside, don't get fed canned food. They are each still checking to see if they can sneak out the door or out the back window but I know they are sure happy to not be in that kennel in the back of the truck any more. I've seen 5 or 6 dogs here, only one not on lead. its a puppy. I heard there are some feral cats but havn't seen any yet. I did mention that the cats are excape artists but we don't let them run unless we get permission first. No permission, yet.   I did explain that they have had their shots and are fixed. We still need to get Barney fixed.  Jerry will have to figure a way to block the window when he puts in the air conditioner this weekend. It got a bit warm this afternoon for a bit but it's cooling off now. I'll have to get up from here, check the time. clear off Jerry's bed and make our dinner of grilled chicken over salad.

 

 

On the Road again

We leave in the morning, headed to Tennesse for a quick stop to pick up an air conditioner we have in storage and drop off a few boxes of stuff we don't need to take with us. A lot of my "craft" stuff is going into storage, I'm taking my Cricut and sewing stuff. That's a lot to begin with and will keep my plenty busy. Most of the tubs that are outside are going into storage, as well.. Books, clothes, holiday stuff and things like that.  Leaving the lawnmower here at the campground. May have to leave our outdoor shelf we bought to store things outside in.  Maybe the Dremil and all the stuff in it's box. One of the smaller tool boxes. Wait, two of them will be put into storage.  A lot of small things are going into storage.

 

We have to be in Iowa before the 11th.  We "could" do it by the 9th but the 11th works out better for us. We won't have to rush and hurry or make mistakes along the way.