A Quiet Day, Laundry, Conservation and Getting Ready To Travel

Avon, NC
56 deg. clear, S. wind @ 8 mph.
Forecast today = high temp. 68 deg. mostly sunny, NW wind @ 5 to 10 mph.

It was kind of quiet around here yesterday. Jim and Linda didn't go anywhere, and nothing special happened.

Jim was up early as usual, checking on all the blogs he follows and adding his 2 cents to a couple of forums he visits. By 9:00 he was outside, checking my tires, filling my water tank, and checking my fluid levels so I'd be ready to travel to Virginia Beach today.

After Linda got up, she sorted out the clothes in the hamper and started a load of laundry in my washer/dryer. By the time she was done with breakfast and her normal morning chores, the washer was done washing and had just started to dry the clothes. Being that the weather was nice, (it didn't start raining until late afternoon), she took the clothes outside and hung them on the clothes rack that was still out from the other day, and then came back in and started washing a second load.

The reason for getting all the laundry done before we go to Virginia Beach, is that once we get there, the only hook-up I will have is 20 amp electric. No water, and no sewer, although in the past, Jim has run a water hose into the house to get some more water to refill my fresh water tank.The 20 amp circuit has been added just for me, so I don't have to be concerned about other items in the house using some of the power, but since I'm designed to operate on 50 amps, I'll have to be real careful with my power usage. Also, since the plan is to stay there for 2 weeks, water conservation will be a must too. Yeah, I know I just said that Jim can run a hose into the house to get more water, but that's not the problem. The problem is that my black and gray water tanks get full if too much water is used, and there's no place to dump them.

So, Jim will turn off the electric to my water heater and run it on propane, switch the refrigerator to propane, and turn off and unplug anything else that uses electric, but is not needed. By doing this, there will be enough power to run one electric heater or one air conditioner, keep my batteries charged and my interior lights working.  The water usage can be controlled somewhat by using some of the facilities in the house when possible, and being very conservative when using water from my tank.

We've done this quite a few times in the past, so I know it will work, but my gray and black water tanks will be completely full by the end of the 2 weeks. :-)

So, this morning Jim will dump my tanks and then he and Linda will finish getting me ready to travel. Jim said that he would like to get out of here by about 10:00. It's about 135 miles from here to Joe's house, but we'll have some areas to go through where there will be lower speed limits and possible heavy traffic, so it may not be a real quick trip.

That's OK though, I know I'll have a place to park tonight, no matter when we get there. ;-)

Did you know that the first English child born in America was born in Roanoke in 1587? Her name was Virginia Dare.

My Appointment, Propane, and Spaghetti

Thonotosassa, Fl.
38 deg. clear, N. wind@ 6 mph.
Forecast today = high temp. 57 deg. mostly sunny, NW wind @ 5 to 10 mph.

You know, I've had quite a bit of time to think about what we're going to do when we leave here. Jim has me scheduled to go and see my mechanic next Monday, but I'm wondering if it is really necessary that I go. I'm feeling fine, I don't have any major problems and my oil and filters really aren't all that dirty.

I think I could just skip going to my mechanic this year.

Think of all the places I could take Jim and Linda instead of sitting in Lakeland for a week or so. Maybe we could go down to the Fl Keys or someplace South where it's warmer. We have had a cold winter here in central Florida and I'm sure Jim and Linda would enjoy warmer weather. I wouldn't mind going down to the Everglades.

Yep, I think Jim should call Lester, (my mechanic) and tell him that I won't be coming in for my appointment, and that we'll see him next year. :-)

It was pretty cold around here yesterday, (by Florida standards), but if you were in the sun, it felt pretty nice. Jim spent quite a bit of the afternoon outside visiting with some of my neighbors and with Denny. About 3:30 or so, the propane truck came and the man filled up my propane tank. It's been ages since I've needed propane because about the only thing in me that uses it is my stove when Linda cooks. My water heater is almost always on electric and so is my refrigerator, and, I share my diesel fuel with my furnace.

Jim says he thinks it's been at least 2 years since he's had my tank filled.

For dinner, Jim, Linda, Denny, Gordy and Dorthy went over to an Italian restaurant in Tampa. They have a special on spaghetti on Wednesdays, and everyone except Jim and Dorthy had that. Jim and Dorthy didn't feel like having spaghetti so Jim had a chopped steak meal, and Dorthy had a chicken sandwich. Everyone said their meals were really good.

On the way back here, Jim and Linda stopped by the Winn Dixie store and Jim went in and bought bread and milk.

Then, because there wasn't much on TV, they played with the computers until it was bedtime.

Did you know that about 3% of pet owners will give Valentine's Day gifts to their pets?