Montana to South Dakota

Sept. 16-30, 2013 Wheels West RV Park, Custer, SD

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Sweet words are like honey, a little may refresh, but too much gluts the stomach. 
Anne Bradstreet
September 16, 1672: Anne Bradstreet was the first American colonist to publish poetry—a move that shocked some in Puritan society.
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RV LIFE:

Goodbye Bozeman, we'll be back.

Montana "Big Sky" Sunset

Bridger Mtn. view from our "driveway" site

View from our "driveway" site.

Apples for the pickin

Scrap metal yard Moose sculpture

Scrap metal yard Owl sculpture

Why is it, I get so stressed on travel days? Even when I don't think I'm stressed, I find myself worn out and short tempered upon arrival. I need alone time, a shot of liquor followed by a glass of wine. We've been doing this for 2+ years. We have our routine of steps for preparing for departure. The dogs enjoy the ride. I enjoy the ride, since I get to knit or crochet the whole time. Scott is driving, so no stress there (for me). Because of the stress I may or may not be aware of, Scott thinks I'm angry with something he did. So besides my present stress, I now have to convince Scott he has done nothing wrong. It's all my problem, but it affects both Scott and the dogs. Sigh. 

We left Bozeman, MT two days ago in pouring rain. I tried to talk Scott into staying another day and just having a cozy, lazy, comfort food rainy day. I was all ready to drive into town to get ingredients for Scott's homemade soup or chicken and dumplins. But Scott said the rain wouldn't last, so off we went. 

When we first started RVing, we kept our daily mileage to 300 or one tank of gas. Now we prefer no further than 200 miles per day. Since Scott does all the driving, it's easier on him, we can have a more leisurely morning and later start and still arrive before 4pm. Our preferred arrival time is around 3pm.

We drove a little over 200 miles from Bozeman, MT to Sheridan, WY. An easy overnight stay at Peter D's RV Park. This is an average park, with a very friendly owner. The owner came out to our truck after registration and gave each of our dogs a huge dog biscuit. I like this place already.  In the morning, he stopped by to thank us for staying at his park and to have a save trip. Also in the morning, the stress began again of getting ready for another 200 mile drive. This park had a decent sized dog park. Devin found a beautiful Mastiff to play with. I don't know much about Mastiffs, but I was in awe of his beauty and aura. He was a dark brindle color, with that huge face and jiggly jowls. His short fur was so soft and shiny. I asked if he was a show dog and sure enough he was. I could just tell he was a beautiful specimen. 

When the Mastiff left, a standard poodle arrived next. But the idiot owner stood by the gate and held the gate open. He was not thinking. Well Devin was a little too much for the timid poodle and out the gate the poodle went and Devin followed and then Lyla followed. Oh boy! I'm still gimpy with my ankle and have a difficult time on uneven surfaces. So now I had to get Lyla back first. Since she can't hear, I can't call her. She was following the other two dogs. When she lost sight of them she turned around to look for me. I gave her the happy come sign (arms wide open) and she ran back to me. One captured, one to go. Devin and poodle were having a grand time on the nice, green, fertilized, weed free lawn that had a no poop sign. Uh oh! As I got closer, Devin took off and found the poodle's food dish and proceeded to eat her food. The owner's were not happy, but at least Devin was still for a while. I hobbled over to their site and was just about ready to nab Devin, when up pops his head and into the open trailer he goes. What is it with these people and open doors! Of course I didn't want to go in their rig, so I'm outside calling sweetly for Devin. No luck. He's got all kinds of new and interesting smells to explore. He finally comes out for more food and I finally grab him. I give him lots of belly rubs all the while inside my head fuming at not only Devin, but the *&$@! who left the gate open. Oh yea, I'm ready to travel. No stress here!

Another 200 mile day transitioning from WY into the desert like portion of SD and then back into the green area of SD. We were driving on Rt. 16 just before arriving into Custer, SD. It was a well maintained, 2 lane road. Beautiful views and an easy ride, until we arrived at Hell's Canyon. Oh boy, I think I'll just close my eyes and put my headphones on. This part of Rt. 16 was narrow with hairpin turns, no shoulder, and a steep drop off. The speed limit dropped down to 25-35 mph. Scott was not having fun. Our tires were on the white line and 6" past that white line was...well nothing except a long drop to the valley below! Thank goodness, this lasted only a couple of miles. When Scott saw the speed limit sign indicating 65 mph, he was able to relax again.

From Scott's facebook page:

Scott wrote: "We've finally pulled out of Bozeman, I really like the area. Our 5 day stay turned into a 3 week stay due to Deb's ankle sprain and truck problems. On our trip to Yellowstone the truck started acting up. Surging and lack of power. I figured we had a Fuel injector going bad. Bozeman Ford couldn't fit us in till the following Tuesday. We are camped in a great area, nice views, acres of open space, and, it's free. :) So things aren't all that bad. I changed the fuel filters and added injector cleaner hoping to fix the truck problem, no luck. Tuesday, at Bozeman Ford, I find injector 7 & 8 are bad. They drove me home, 10 miles, and came to get me at 2:30. Truck running great, and very happy with the price. No complaints with Bozeman Ford. Packed up Wednesday in the rain and headed to Sheridan, WY and and a over-night at nice RV park. Peter D's, right off I-90. Very nice owner, fenced dog park and an area to just let them loose. Also, good WIFI and cable TV. Nice area, I'd like to have stayed a little longer there. But, onto Custer, SD and the Buffalo round-up. Thursday, arrived at Wheels West RV Park in Custer, SD. Nearby sights include, Mt Rushmore, Crazy Horse, Devils Tower, Custer's Last Stand and the Black Hills, and the yearly buffalo round-up. We'll be staying for 2 weeks and hope to get all the sights in. The truck ran like new, Deb's ankle improving, all is good."

GPS Tip: Add POI's (Points of Interest) to your GPS.

We have the Rand Mcnally GPS made for RV'rs. We feel safer with this GPS that will direct us only to RV accessible roads. At least in theory. One should never be too dependent on your GPS.

We have POI's for Animal Hospitals, Dog parks, low clearance & DDD (Diner's Drive-ins & Dives). 

When your special POI is downloaded into your GPS, these will pop up as you travel. When we arrive at a campground and then head into town, I can see and hear that there is an Animal Hospital nearby, or a restaurant featured on Triple D. It's an easy way to find a local dog park with turn by turn directions. That's Devin's favorite POI. 

Find POI's & instructions for downloading at POI Factory, Download POI, or of course Google Search!

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PETS:

Ratkin, Patches is exploring my lap and checking out the computer while I'm posting. Patches has become my little buddy. I love when she explores my face and her whiskers give me "butterfly kisses" and tickle my cheeks. This is my last week of pet sitting. The ratkins have been no trouble at all. My greatest fear was that they would die on my shift. Since they are both over 2 years old, it could easily happen. My rats only lived to 2 1/2 years old each. These two little ones seem to be doing just fine. I feel bad for the day one dies and the other is left. They cuddle together for most of the day.

We've come to the conclusion that Devin has a very sensitive stomach. We believe he is allergic to wheat. Since we switched him to a wheat free diet and adding corn oil to his food, his itching stopped. Luckily, in this day and age, it is now fairly easy to find speciality foods, wheat free being one of the easier products. 

Devin is also sensitive to beef. If Scott has a steak, he always saves a bite for the dogs. Poor Devin, as soon as he swallows that chunk of meat, it comes back up along with his kibble dinner. So we've learned to not give him beef. 

And lastly, Devin cannot handle grass even though he loves to eat it. Why do dogs eat grass and then it makes them gag because it's stuck in their throat? Whatever grass was around our site in Bozeman, MT was really tough on Devin. Bloody stool, throwing up, etc. He's doing much better now that we've been diligent in keeping him from eating grass. 

Devin can be quite the cuddler, when he's in the mood. I wish he would be more consistent. He's been "spooning" with me. I love it.

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BROWSING THE WWW:

Leftover Swap

Living the RV Fulltime lifestyle, we go out to dinner more than we did while living in a house. Here's an "app" to use for your leftovers! You take your doggie bag of food home with you, then send out a message via this app stating what kind of leftovers you have. Others looking to pick up some food, contact you and there you go. You don't have to eat the same meal a 2nd night. It works both ways. There are "givers" and "takers". Personally, I like leftovers. Plus, I would not feel comfortable taking someone's leftover plate of food. But, there may be others who find this as a good way to try out a restaurant's menu without paying for a full meal. To each his own.
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CRAFTS:
I really miss have a full length mirror. Yes, there are sliding mirrored doors on our closet, but the bed is in the way to really get a good view. With that being said, I have tried on this sweater I made, but not maneuvered around to see how I look in it. I don't expect to look good in it with all my extra weight, but I've got to accept that for now.

I've finished Sophie, which I call Silk Yoke Tee. The jewel tones yoke is knitted with 100% Silk, hand spun and hand dyed yarn from Astoria (OR) Fiber Arts Retail Store. I just HAD to buy this yarn because of the colors. This is my favorite color combo. The main part of the sweater was knit with acrylic Simply Soft yarn that I had around. I'm trying to use up my stash.

I increased the circumference of the sweater below the waist to compensate for my oh so womanly hips and backside. So this almost looks like a dress. I like to call it more of a tunic style tee...whatever...

Crocheted edge of yoke

Crocheted edge of sleeve

I am now in production mode of crocheting. It's that time of year again that volunteers set up a table at the Smithville Irish Fest in NJ for Adopt-a-Setter, Irish Setter Rescue of NJ. I used to be the person to register, set up & man the booth. Plus I would make things to sell to help in the fundraising. But now that we're on the road, that part of my volunteer life is over for now.  So even from way out NW, I will try to contribute.

Previously made samples

I am again making the shamrock pot holders. They seem to be a very good seller. They sell for $4.00 each. Unfortunately, I have had a very difficult time finding 100% cotton, Sugar n' Cream yarn in the large spool in the color I need. So I have to resort to crocheting the current pot holders in white and then dying them green.  I hope the dye turns out ok. I've found small rolls of forest green and the pale green, but nothing usable in the large skein. Sigh...

These are still a work in progress. To make the pot holder, I need two shamrocks and then I crochet them together. One shamrock would make a nice washcloth or small dish towel. I am hoping the white shamrocks will look like the green one on the right after I dye them. Fingers crossed.
If anyone is interested in the shamrock pot holder or dishcloth, let me know. Pot holders are $4.00 each and washcloths are $3.00 each. $1.00 added for shipping.

Yellowstone thru the windshield

Aug. 29-Sept. 14, 2013 Jennifer's Driveway - Bozeman, MT

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HEALTH UPDATE:

The crutches are officially stowed away. I'm still walking funny and slow, but I did take the dogs for a short walk this morning. Scott was finally able to stay in bed. It's a real effort to walk them and keep my ankle straight. But, it's still improving.

Grade I Ankle Sprain:

Grade I ankle sprains cause stretching of the ligament. The symptoms tend to be limited to pain and swelling. Most patients can walk without crutches, but may not be able to jog or jump.

Grade II Ankle Sprain:

A grade II ankle sprain is more severe partial tearing of the ligament. There is usually more significant swelling and bruising caused by bleeding under the skin. Patients usually have pain with walking, but can take a few steps.

Grade III Ankle Sprain:

Grade III ankle sprains are complete tears of the ligaments. The ankle is usually quite painful, and walking can be difficult. Patients may complain of instability, or a giving-way sensation in the ankle joint.

I believe I had a Grade III sprain.
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PET HEALTH:
Devin is doing much better. We are being diligent in keeping him from eating grass. He has not thrown up in 2 days and his poopy looks "good", or maybe better to say, normal.
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RV LIFE:

Feel free to skip over my posts until October 1. Life is pretty uneventful with me laid up with the bad ankle. My posts may be dull, but I'm ok with an uneventful life. This is retirement!! I've been knitting, crocheting, reading. I caught up on all the RV blogs I follow. Now to move on to the craft and food blogs that I rarely check out.

I must admit, I'm slightly missing living in a house. While staying here in Jennifer's driveway, we have been using her bathroom that is near the front door. Even though we're not really walking through the house, I still can see the beautiful big kitchen, the roomy living room with a fireplace. I think I may just be tired of being cooped up inside our RV. I basically am in the bedroom or in my easy chair or in a lawn chair outside. That's it. It's just too much work to get in and out of the truck to go anywhere. I can't even explore the neighborhood because I still can't walk very far. 

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SIGHTS:
Yellowstone Nat'l Park, WY
$25.00 per car to enter. Good for 1 week. (Free with our Annual Interagency Pass)
Dogs allowed in park, but must stay within 100' of the parking lot. Not allowed on the boardwalks or trails.

Last week, when I was barely mobile, we drove to see Yellowstone Park. I stayed in the truck almost the whole time. I only got out to sit and wait over an hour for "Old Faithful" to show.

My view through the windshield

I didn't see much, and too be honest, I'm not that interested in seeing the Earth's pimples/cysts/boils ooze and bubble. In fact, Yellowstone is kind of creepy to me, yes fascinating, but still creepy. It makes me feel unsafe because what is below the Earth's surface is right there "in your face". Just creepy to be made so aware of all the potential disasters that can happen inside Earth. It messes up my sense of feeling safe.

We had another "first" though. We FINALLY saw a Bison in the wild. We saw them on a Bison farm recently, but this was a whole herd with babies, just grazing in the wild. Cool!

While waiting for "Old Faithful" to blow, Scott checked out the famous Old Faithful Inn. Scott was very impressed with it. I wish I could have hobbled over to see it.

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RESTAURANT REVIEW:
Roost Fried Chicken - Bozeman, MT
Our rating 5 out of 5
Many "Yelp" reviewers stated it was the best fried chicken they've ever had. Hmmm, I mean Mmmmm! I don't think it is the best, but it certainly is very, very good.
A simple menu...basically chicken and sides.
Fried Chicken: Delicious. Chicken was moist, the coating was crispy and not oily. I would have liked just a touch more seasoning.
Cheese Grits: Creamy with a slight cheesy taste. No butter, no salt needed.
Fried Okra: Excellent! Perfect! Addicting!
Cole Slaw: Light and refreshing.
Mashed potatoes with gravy: Delicious. Potatoes with the skin left on. We asked for gravy, which was a hearty brown gravy that was mixed into the mashed potatoes instead of poured on top. I will have to try that technique at home. The blended in brown gravy gave the mashed potatoes a different and delicious flavor.
Will definitely return.
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WHERE WE'RE GOING:

Sept. 16-30, 2013 Wheels West RV Park, Custer, SD

south for the Winter of 2013/214

It's good to be green

Aug. 29-Sept. 14, 2013 Jennifer's Driveway - Bozeman, MT

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HEALTH WOES:
As Mr. Kermit the Frog would say, "It's good to be green."
Huh?
It has been 10 days since I sprained my ankle. It has gone from being useless and swollen, to black & blue and swollen, to yellow and somewhat swollen, to now green and just a touch swollen. So green or yellow green is good. I'm healing.

Be forewarned, I have never had a pedicure. Isn't my foot a lovely shade? Really gross.

The first 3 days were horrible. I could not use the foot and ankle at all. Scott had to play nursemaid. He wrapped my foot and ankle, he'd bring me aspirin and water. Scott has also had to take over the care of the dogs. He did all the walking and feeding.


See how swollen I am on the left?

Then I was able to balance with the tips of my toes, which was a huge help. I then started doing rehab exercises one of which was to trace the alphabet with my big toe. That forced me to move my ankle. At the one week mark, I was able to put my foot flat and put weight on it. I only needed one crutch. Yippee! What a sense of freedom! I could at least let the dogs out if it was an emergency.

On the sixth day, I attempted hobbling around without any crutches. Yes, I was sort of walking. Wow, I thought this would take a lot longer to heal. Well, I thought prematurely. I took back the morning walk responsibility and while Scott was out doing errands, I attempted to do the afternoon dog walk. Geeze, I didn't realize I was walking so slowly. The poor dogs would take a couple of steps and stop to wait for me. They were very good about not pulling on the lease. Oh my gosh! What an effort just to walk 50 feet! Oh, my foot is killing me!

I rest up overnight and again attempt the morning walk with the aid of one crutch. Again, I barely make 50 feet and I've just got to stop. Luckily Scott was awake and came to my rescue. Well, I think I over did it. My foot and ankle are really achy and I have it wrapped and raised again. I'm quite bummed about the set back.
I have been able to take over the feeding of the dogs, but Scott will have to continue to walk them.




Carla of Cozy Be Gone suggested Arniflora, to help with the swelling.

Arnica

 Arniflora comes from the Arnica flower. It is thought to reduce swelling, reduce joint pain, and help speed the bruising process. So sweet hubby, Scott went out and brought Arniflora back for me. I don't know if it helped, but it didn't hurt and was inexpensive.





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TRUCK WOES:
When your vehicle is essential to your quality of life, you really can't let things go. It seems every 6 months, we've been dishing out more than chump change for our truck. I think it's not so much that it was a bad purchase or poor quality truck, I think it is just the major cost of maintaining a diesel truck. Scott noticed that while going from a low speed to a higher, the truck chugs until we get up to speed. He thinks it is the fuel injectors. We can't get an appointment until Tuesday, the 17th. So in the meantime, Scott has changed the fuel filters and put some kind of gunk into the gas to help clean the injectors. No computer code has come up. But it's still not running right.
Since we need the truck to pull 14,000 pounds of RV, we really need to make sure all is working properly.
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RV LIFE:
The RV is getting quite messy and it's really starting to drive me crazy. I just have to just clean a little at a time. It's difficult to put things away high up in cabinets or low into cabinets, so what little flat surfaces we have are being piled with things to put away.  The floor has major dust bunnies sliding around. Nope, I can't take this anymore. I've got to get to cleaning a little bit at a time.

Yesterday, I was able to clean both the bird cage and the Ratkins cage. One chore complete.

We were only going to be here in Bozeman, MT in our friend's driveway for 4-7 days. It has now been over TWO WEEKS! We've got a beautiful "campsite" and the price is great (free), but we are now feeling like squatters and taking advantage of our friend's hospitality.
We are supposed to be in Custer, SD on Monday. We need an overnight stop to get there. We should be leaving on Sunday, but since our truck appointment isn't until Tuesday, that's not gonna' happen! This is the first time we've had to adjust reservations. Grrrrr.

I know, I know, I'm complaining way too much. If I look at the big picture...
I am thankful my ankle isn't broken
I am thankful I have a great husband to help me out when needed
I am thankful we have the money to fix/maintain our truck.
I am thankful that we have a place to stay for rehab of me and repair of truck.
And things can't be all that bad when all I have to do is look outside and see this...

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PETS:
Devin is still not normal. Some really gross poopies, still throwing up much of his food, not drinking as much as usual. We are back to rice and chicken with a little pumpkin. His appetite is good, his attitude is good. He's still bouncing around and wanting to play. He is obsessed with eating grass. We can't put him out on a tether because he'll just eat too much grass. No more letting him loose because we can't control the grass eating. That's really too bad. This is the perfect place to practice his recall. Sigh.
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SIGHTS:
Hyalite Reservoir - Bozeman, MT
Scott took the short drive to this reservoir to look for some geocaches. I, of course, was stuck in the RV with my ankle raised.
We were hoping to take our Eagle inflatable kayak out on the reservoir, but not gonna happen this time. Sigh.
From the photos Scott took, this looks like a great recreation area for fishing, boating and hiking.

While he was exploring the reservoir area, he came upon Hood Creek Campground. If you don't mind boon docking, this is a nice campground, right on the water with sites large enough to handle big rigs.

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BOOK REVIEW:
Live Wire (Myron Bolitar #10) by Harlan Coben
My rating 4 out of 5 stars
I almost stopped reading this. Oh no, another Myron Bolitar book. But of course I got sucked into the dark humor and sarcasm, as usual. Very good double mystery.
The end of an era. This is the last Myron and Win book, I think. Sad.
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WHERE WE'RE GOING:

Sept. 19-30, 2013 Wheels West RV Park, Custer, SD

south for the Winter of 2013/214

Solar power details

Aug. 29-Sept. 9, 2013 Jennifer's Driveway - Bozeman, MT

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RV MODS:

Solar Power System

This is what Scott wrote about his install.

I've completed my biggest mod to date. A solar power system. After passing up a lot of quite nice campgrounds due to no electric, we decided to check into having solar installed while in Eugene, OR. After getting a quote of almost $9000 for a very nice setup from AMSolar, we decided we didn't need solar that bad. I spent a day going over the quote and found I could cut the price by over 75% by doing the work myself and giving up the whole RV, wired in, Inverter. 

I drove over to AMSolar and told them what I was looking for and what our needs were. They could not have been more helpful. They showed me actual installations, and the one they were working on, explained how it all worked and how to design the system. 3 hours later, I left with the system, detailed instructions, and was told to call with any questions. They also wanted me to stop by so they could inspect and test the setup on our way out of town.

After 2 full days of work, the system was in and working. Another day, I had the 2000W inverter running 2 outlets in living room/kitchen, hooked up and working. (not a whole-house wired in type), and another 1/2 day to get the 750W inverter hooked up for the bedroom with 3 DC cigarette adapters strategically placed throughout the RV for minor power needs.

The setup includes 2, 150W panels, a Bluesky MPPT charge controller, a remote battery monitor w/temp compensation, shutoff switches, breakers, a shunt, a major 300 amp fuse to the 2000W inverter, with heavy gauge wiring connecting it all. Our Progressive Dynamics 9200 converter hasn't been plugged in since the install, since the solar charger is completely configurable for our batteries and a much better charger than the converter. We love the setup, but have yet to really test it, the Olympic Peninsula isn't the best place to test solar :) But it's been great so far.

Our RV was set up almost perfectly for solar. From panels on the roof, 5' down thru the 'fridge vent, 3 - 4' to the solar charge controller on the basement wall, 1 - 2' thru basement wall to batteries. Same with Inverter, 16" 1/0 cable to batteries. The install really wasn't bad, I just took my time to avoid mistakes, but I still made a few that really bug me. :) Anyway, if my calculations are right, we've got about 2% or less voltage drop from panels to batteries, due to the larger gauge cables and shorter runs.

For the install I got most of my info from AM Solar and Handy Bob, who is opinionated, but a great source of reliable info, also a nice guy from my brief contact I had with him.

Two, 150W Solar panel roof mount

Putting holes in the roof was scary, but 2 months, no leaks.

The Solar charge controller and 2000W Living-room Inverter on basement wall.

(Black)The Inverter Remote at top. Solar Charge remote at bottom

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RV LIFE: Thursday, 9/5

RV life is not that great right now. Between my bum ankle and Devin not feeling well, and we're all due for doctor, dentist, and vet check ups, we need to settle down for a couple of months. After Oct. 1 we are free and I guess we'll try to head somewhere to settle to get all our visits and follow ups completed.

Devin has had blood in his poop, and diarrhea, and throwing up anything that he swallows. He's acting ok, but it sure sounds like he's got an obstruction somewhere.

Yesterday, I had another fall. I didn't know how to maneuver up two steps to go sit on the porch. Scott told me to put the crutches on the step first and swing. Well swing I did...backwards. Landed on my bad ankle, screamed in pain and immediately fell with nothing to brace me. Hit butt first, scratched my wrist, and banged my head on the concrete sidewalk. Once again, I'm laying on the ground accessing the damage. All seems fine, I'll probably have a bruise on my butt. No "egg" has developed on my head, so that's good. Scott got me settled and immediately went on the internet to find out how to negotiate steps with crutches.

I'm getting better on the crutches, but the ankle injury really puts a cramp in our life. I've almost accepted that I won't see Yellowstone and maybe we'll just stay put until my ankle can have some weight on it. So many simple little things that now takes an effort. But it's all a mindset. This is how it's going to be for a few days? a couple of weeks? I've got to plan my moves and needs. I'm not drinking as much water so I don't have to "go" as often.  I've figured a relay system to get my coffee from the kitchen to my easy chair. Put coffee at end of counter, crutch walk just past counter. Place coffee on end of dog crate. Crutch walk just past crate. Place coffee on the end table. Crutch walk to chair. Ahhh. I relax and feel normal for a couple of hours.

(Later in the day) I feel so much better! I was able to take a shower. Luckily, there is a built in seat in the shower. But when you are only using one leg, the seat is a long distance from outside the shower. So again, with the relays. Scott put a little fold up plastic step stool in the shower. I was then able to sit on the stool and slide my butt over to the shower seat. It really wasn't too bad at all. Ahh, clean again!

Friday, 9/6: Scott has gone to the Museum of the Rockies. It seems like if I didn't push Scott, he wouldn't do anything, but maybe Geocache. I hope he enjoys the museum since I nagged until he went. He asked if I was trying to get rid of him. Um, well, yes, sort of. Now I have the RV to myself. I can sit and knit and listen to some podcasts on the computer instead of using headphones. Ahh, what luxury. Of course, it will be quite a challenge if the dogs decide they have to "go".
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MISC. SPORTS:
I don't think I've ever talked "sports" on the blog. When I first met Scott, he finally got me interested in Hockey for a while. I got the jersey and went to practice to get it autographed by some of the players.

We went to the Flyers Wives Carnival and had our photo taken with Rod Brind'amour, who later went to the Carolina Hurricanes.

We went to some kind of dinner where there was one Flyer seated at each table. We were seated with Keith Jones who is now a Philly NHL commentator.

You can see Scott is thrilled to be able to touch the Stanley Cup.

 My perfect night was sitting home with hubby watching a Flyers hockey game and chinese food for dinner.
But, those days are gone. When goalie Ron Hextal retired, I was bummed. But when Rod Brind'amour was sent to the Hurricanes, I realized I'm not so into Hockey as into the GUYS playing the game.
Since it takes quite an effort to move from room to room in the RV on crutches, I lay extra long in bed while Scott was watching a recording of Broncos vs. Ravens football. I certainly got a laugh when Bronco player Danny Trevethan got all cocky after intercepting the ball and running for a touchdown. He let loose of the ball so he could bask in all his glory of a great touch down. Not! He dropped the ball before he was over the goal line. You idiot! I hope that humbles you a bit.

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PETS: Thursday, 9/5
Since Devin was throwing up even after only drinking water, we were able to get a vet appointment the same day in the afternoon. They couldn't fit Lyla in also. We figured since we had to go to the vet, we might as well get Lyla's annual bloodwork done also. Nope, only Devin could be fit in.
We went to Baxter Creek Veterinary Clinic. $336.! Little things add up. The vet felt, prodded, scoped around and didn't feel he had an obstruction, just gastroenteritis which is basically an upset tummy. No food for 24 hours (I'm sorry Devin), and then bland for a day or two.
The visit was $45. which is pretty normal. But we like to get annual blood work, so we can catch abnormalities early and have a comparison from previous years. So that's where the $ went. I felt their blood work charges were very expensive, especially since the analyse the blood right at the office. It was extra for a thyroid test $45. I don't know why Scott got that. I am usually the mother hen watching over what is done while at the vet, but alas, I was stuck in the RV with a bad ankle. We also had a heartworm test done, $25. Besides the full bloodwork $100. which is not necessary, but gives us peace of mind. Add to the above the rabies vaccine $17. and a year's supply of heartworm preventative $104. and it all adds up.
Overall, Scott liked the vet. They were open to talking and didn't rush the visit to go on to the next. It was also nice that he could wait for the blood test results instead of having them sent out and maybe having to wait a day or two for results.

Poor Lyla was actually afraid of me as I came towards her on the crutches. She looked very unsure. But did not run away. Once I petted her, things were all good again. They still don't seem to understand why "Mommy" is walking so funny, or scooching along the floor down at their level.

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WHERE WE'RE GOING:
Sept. 11-15, 2013 Horseshoe Bend Campground NFS, Lovell, WY (Tentative)
Sept. 16-30, 2013 Wheels West RV Park, Custer, SD

south for the Winter of 2013/214

Oops, again!

Aug. 29-Sept. 9, 2013 Jennifer's Driveway - Bozeman, MT

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RV LIFE:

I was hoping to post about our drive through Yellowstone today, but that was not to happen. Instead, Scott went to Goodwill and picked up a pair of crutches for me. I just knew Goodwill would have crutches! He picked a nice aluminum pair for $4.99!

And why does Debbie need crutches? Because I fell again! When we sold our 2 story Cape Cod style home, I said our next house will be one floor. Technically, a 5th wheel has two floors. Those three steps leading into our bedroom has caused both Scott and I trouble. We have both fallen down those stairs only this time, I've fallen and couldn't get up. Yes, you heard me. Just like those corny commercials!

I was putting plastic grocery bags into our bag holder on the wall. It was higher than I could reach.  I used the steps to enable me to reach it. While loading the bags and stepping down to gather more bags from the kitchen area, I "forgot" about the last step and just the heel of my foot caught, slipped, twisted and I'm down yelling "I think I really broke it!" I did not want to look. Scott knows to just wait, unless I call for his help. So as he is watching me wiggle in pain on the floor, I'm trying to access the damage. Oh the pain! I think I'm going to black out. I lean against the wall, close my eyes and hope the pain eases. It surely eases so I take a look and my ankle is as big as a tennis ball and on it's way to growing baseball sized! Oh crap. I don't want to go to the emergency room. I am not good with unexpected events. I like to know what to anticipate during my day. Damn!

Scott gets me up into the bed and puts ice on my ankle as I just lay down and rest. Dr. Scott takes a look and says "It looks to still me aligned, I don't think it is broke." As I lay there trying to calm myself, Dr. Scott is researching sprains on the computer. We both think it is a VERY BAD sprain. According to what Dr. Scott read, I need to keep off of it for 48 hours, ice it every couple of hours and keep it wrapped. So that is what we are doing. 

I had to hop, hop, hop to the bathroom. While Scott was in town looking for crutches, Lyla decided she wanted to get into the garbage! Oh crap! I've got to get down there and get the garbage away from her. I cannot put any weight on my ankle unless I want to experience extreme sharp pain. So down on my big bubble butt I go and down the steps on my butt. Now to grab the wall and my temporary crutch, which is my hiking stick. Hop, hop, hop, over to Lyla and get the wrapper out of her mouth. Hop, hop, hop over to the counter. Lyla is looking at me and knows something is wrong. Oh those big brown eyes saying, "What can I do for you Mom? What's wrong?" I just HAD to bend down rub her head.

Now I have crutches fitted, but I've never had to use crutches. What a PIA! But it's much better than just laying or sitting around asking Scott for this or that. I can at least move around on my own.

So, our plans to visit Yellowstone today are delayed. We hope to go tomorrow, if I can maneuver myself into the truck. No hiking for me! Just the view from the truck.

Pre ankle injury, I was walking on the lawn to go relax on the covered porch, when Scott held me back and said "Snake!". 

Oh how cute! Just a itty bitty 2' skinny snake. He was definitely not in attack mode. He wanted to slither away as quickly as possible. We have no idea what kind of snake, but luckily it was not wanting to get a piece of us.

Workamp opportunity:

Four Paws Kingdom is in need of seasonal help approximately April through Dec 1. 2014.

We worked there for 3 months. About 2 hours a day, free campsite. Nice atmosphere. Great if you love dogs. 828-287-7324

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RESTAURANT REVIEW:

Papa Johns' Pizza - Bozeman, MT (Multiple locations)

Our rating 4 out of 5

We have been wanting to try Papa John's pizza. We've also been wanting to try the "new" (now 3 yrs old) improved Dominoes pizza. The only time I had Dominoes was 10 years ago and it was BAD! So I wasn't expecting much from Papa John's. We played it safe and ordered the thin crust because that is what we are used to. 

The thin crust definitely needs improving, but the toppings more than made of for the crust. Oh, my, gosh! You can definitely taste the quality. I immediately could tell they use a great mozzarella cheese. The red sauce was great also as well as the 3 toppings we added, crumbled italian sausage, onions and peppers. We will definitely return and try the regular crust next time.

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MOVIE REVIEWS:

Since I'm sort of bedridden, I decided to watch some movies that were on our DVR.

Premium Rush 2012 Trailer Video

Joseph Gordon-Levitt

My rating 4 out of 5

First, I really like the actor Joseph Gordon-Levitt. I first saw him on 3rd Rock from the Sun sitcom. 

This is action packed, but not in the shoot them up or blow them up kind of way. Basically the main character, Wilee has an envelope to deliver by a certain time. But a cop is trying to prevent the delivery. The scenes are mainly fast maneuvering through the streets of NYC on a bicycle with no brakes. 

Frankenweenie  2012

A Tim Burton Film

My rating 3.5 out of 5

How can you not fall in love with that sweet doggie. 

If you have ever lost a pet and thought about cloning it, than this is a movie for you. Instead of cloning, this little boy brings his pet dog, Sparky back to life just like in the old Frankenstein movies. Sparky is still the sweet dog he always was, but that takes some convincing because of his appearance.

Cute movie.

This Means War 2012

Reese Witherspoon  Chris Pine  Tom Hardy

Romantic Comedy

My rating 3.5 out of 5

Best friend CIA agents end up dating the same girl. They decide to let the girlfriend decide who is best for her. In between the dating, the agents still need to do their job. Also, jealousy ensues and they use their CIA contacts and skills to interfere with the dating scene.

There's action, romance, comedy. Something for you and hubby to enjoy.

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CRAFTS:

I've got 3 projects in the works right now. I'm finishing up my knitted Silk Yoke Neck Tee, I'm about 1/2 way through my crocheted 1800's gown for a bed doll, and I started knitting a tote that has the Ravelry logo on it and will then felt it. 

If anyone is interested in learning to knit, check out the  Knitting Help website. They are full of videos to teach a beginner to showing  more advanced techniques.

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Nothing much else to blog about. Wish me luck while I try to take a shower with only one leg.

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WHERE WE'RE GOING:
? Mammoth Campground, Yellowstone, WY (Tentative)
Sept. 6-15, 2013 Horseshoe Bend Campground NFS, Lovell, WY (Tentative)
Sept. 16-30, 2013 Wheels West RV Park, Custer, SD

south for the Winter of 2013/214

Are you a slave to trends?

Aug. 29-Sept. 9, 2013 Jennifer's Driveway - Bozeman, MT

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"Life is a mentor…it teaches you whether you want to learn or not"

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BROWSING THE WWW: Which leads to Pet Peeve Trends & debt...

We have just been "chillin" here in our heavenly RV spot. I'm catching up on blog reading and also adding new blogs to my list. One of which is Living the RV Life. They also have a podcast that I have downloaded, but not listened to yet. They are not FT yet, but are in the process of purging and eventually selling their house. Unfortunately, the RV life chose them as opposed to them choosing the RV Life. Well, maybe they did choose the RV life instead of apartment life.

They were discussing life's lessons learned the hard way. If only they had listened to what their parents tried to teach them about $. I am so thankful my Father's & Mother's frugalness rubbed off on me. Dad was very careful with money and dishing it out. Mom never asked for much, always bought things on sale, and kept to her budget and allowance. I'm not as strict with money as my Dad, but more of a compromise. I saved, but I still had fun. I worked overtime when I was still young and had little other responsibilities. Yes, I made financial mistakes. I sold my first house because I was "lonely". If I had kept that house, I would be much, much better off financially than we are now. So instead of having enough money put away to purchase a house if that's in our future with cash, we'll only be able to put a 70% downpayment, unless we find a really good deal somewhere.

I've mostly had used vehicles and ran them until there was just too much work that needed to be done. My one new vehicle I bought, a Ford Fiero. I limited my car price to $10,000. and that's what I stuck to. I wanted my payments to be within reason. The Fiero only lasted 60,000 when the engine blew. I swore I would never have another car payment again and I haven't.

We didn't have granite counters in our kitchen. We had the same almond formica counter that matched the almond cabinets when we bought the house in 1989 until we sold it in 2012! No kids in the family so they held up fairly well. 

We did not need top of the line stainless steel appliances. In fact, I HATE going with trends. I liked my almond fridge, and my almond stove and my almond dishwasher. They matched. Why would I want a big industrial looking silver thing among my almond backdrop?

I had a co-worker who had a house built a couple of blocks away from the house he lived in. This new house was "the biggest house on the block". He would tell us that over and over. Was I impressed? Not! After 5 years in this brandy new house, his wife decided they needed Corian countertops. Yep, I'm dating myself, but Corian was the "must have" new thing for countertops. So a new home and they are spending thousands to replace their countertop. I'm sure she has now replaced again to granite. But oh, if you look at the home buying shows, granite is now passe! You want butcher block or tile. Wasn't butcher block popular a few decades back? I will not be a slave to trends. Especially now that I'm older, I enjoy doing what I want, wearing what I want.

Even in my early twenties when Calvin Klein jeans were the thing to have, I refused! Why pay $40. (back in the 80's) for a pair of jeans, when I could have a knock off for $10? 

No Harley's for me. I am perfectly happy with my Suzuki Intruder Cruiser. 

No McMansion for us. Scott had a small ranch and I had a Cape Cod house. 

Our furniture was replaced when it wore out, not because we wanted to redecorate. 

No credit card debt. I pay off our card in full every month & always have since establishing credit. Our credit card is just a convenience so we don't have to carry cash. 

We bought a used 5th wheel and a used pick up truck. Both in great condition and a total cost of $50,000. which is what I budgeted.

Our wedding was held in our back yard. We had a catered cook out. I made the bridesmaids' outfits, I made the silk flower arrangements, I made the ring bearer pillow, I made my veil. Total cost of wedding in 1994? Priceless of course...well actually $2500.00. Nope, I wasn't going to go into debt for ONE DAY, for a dress I would never wear again, to "impress" friends. Nope,not me. I had so many compliments afterward saying it was one of the best weddings they attended. They didn't have to dress up, it was relaxed, with lots of music, drinks and good food and atmosphere. Yep, priceless!

And because of keeping my credit in check, not having to have what is trendy, not having a showcase home, we were able to retire at 55 as planned, come away from our house with a profit for the future and now are living debt free, responsibility free. Ahhhh yes priceless.

And now back to Bobby & Sue's blog

"6 lessons you can take away from our experience 

1. Model yourselves after those that have true financial independence and who practice budgeting and do not use credit. 

2. Don’t try to keep up with the Jones’.   Ask yourself, “if the Jones’ jump off a cliff, would I.” 

3. Stay away from credit schemes that play to your instant gratification mode. They ‘bank’ on your lack of discipline to pay off charges and incur penalties, late fees and high interest rates that compound daily.  If it sounds to good to be true, it is. 

4. Budgeting only works if you use it.  When learning to budget utilize a proven budgeting tool. We use the personal budget software, You Need a Budget. 

5. If your budget includes paying off debt, stay diligent.  When we first started our budget to get out of debt we had to downsize expenditures where we could. Entertainment was cut, eating out was cut, cable was turned off, credit cards were not used, and we only had one car."

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RV TIP:
While I was reading Long Long Honeymoon blog, they mentioned a great easy tip to help make setting up easier and quicker. They created a cute little video snippet. Check it out.
The things I take for granted about my hubby. He has been using this tip since our 2nd trip out in the RV.

The rear scissor jacks need to be extended to stabilize the RV. On our 5th wheel, it is done with a tool/wrench? similar to what you use to loosen the nuts on a tire. Instead, Scott uses his battery operated drill with a special socket attached. It's called Camco Leveling Scissor Jack Drill Socket. So instead of winding and winding and winding by hand, you just use the socket and drill and 20 seconds it's done!
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RV LIFE:
I spent a good part of the other day rearranging my Where we've been & reviews page on this blog. While reading one of the many blogs, I was looking at their review page. It was according to State. Well duh! what a concept! That was so helpful! My Reviews were in chronological order. Anyone who is just interested in RV park reviews would find it a PIA to have to scan through them to find ones they are interested in. So I've now switched my RV Park review page according to state. I think that will benefit readers much better.
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SIGHTS:
American Computer Museum - Bozeman, MT
Our rating 4 out of 5
Scott would have probably rated it 5 out of 5. A lot of interesting stuff. From the history of communication up through modern times. There is a replica of one of the original telephones, a switchboard (remember Lilly Tomlin as Ernestine, the telephone operator?), some home furnishings from the 30's and up, old computers, etc.

Remember this calculator? I do. You had to stick a pen type point into those slights to add.

This is before even my time. This is a vacuum cleaner. It works like a pump.You pull the the top stick up to pull up the dirt.

This is an actual sign from a hotel after they installed electric lighting.

Robby the robot

The Terminator

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BOOK REVIEWS:
Rattlesnake Crossing by J.A. Jance
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Good enough mystery and definitely kept my interest. I really enjoy a book when I get to know the characters well. This book seems to just skim over character development. Maybe because they are on going characters and if I had read previous books I would know them better?
I enjoyed reading about the areas where scenes were taken place since recently visiting AZ.



Thérèse Raquin by Émile Zola
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

Kate Winslet did an excellent narration. But unfortunately I felt the story was drawn out. It started out interesting and I was drawn into the situation, but then on and on and on years go by with not much happening.


Master of the Game by Sidney Sheldon
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This book captures you from the very first page. I was so excited with anticipation! Great, great character development. So many side scenarios going on. Manipulation, hatred, mental illness, skewed thinking, the innocent, love, riches, history, family drama and so on.
I could not put this book down! I wanted to keep reading because so much was happening! Just let me find out will Jamie survive? will revenge be completed? What will Eve do next. Will her sister, Alexandra suspect anything? Who will be the heir to the family business?

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WHERE WE'RE GOING:
? Mammoth Campground, Yellowstone, WY (Tentative)
Sept. 6-15, 2013 Horseshoe Bend Campground NFS, Lovell, WY (Tentative)
Sept. 16-30, 2013 Wheels West RV Park, Custer, SD

south for the Winter of 2013/214