Three little fishes...

Last night turned out to be much easier with regard to nighttime routines.  All of our personal items are in easy-to-reach locations, thus making the transitions from showering, brushing teeth, shaving, etc. a smoother experience. The first night, I felt like a fish out of water, but now we seem to be swimming around quite nicely in the pool.  It reminded me of the nursery rhyme, "Three Little Fishies."   Click here to hear the song!

Lucy, who we may need to rename, "Vampira," appears after sundown and hangs around, lays on the bed with us, eats, drinks her water, and utilizes her litter box until sunrise. Once the day begins for us, she wanders about until she finds her way under the blanket and remains there for the remainder of the day. I miss having her sit on my lap, brushing her fur and our deep conversations.  It's almost like a stake in my heart. Other than having her avoid mirrors and garlic, I don't know what else to do to help her be happy, except, perhaps, just give her time.

Our first "event" occurred yesterday afternoon when our toilet backed up.  We thought something might have not been quite right for awhile, but being unfamiliar with this type of fixture, we weren't sure what it could be.  "G" easily handled the problem and had it working correctly in no time at all.

We received a catalog from a store called Camping World, and I felt like a kid with the Sears Christmas Wish Book.  I have a list as long as my arm and can't wait to place an order or take a ride to the closest store.  I want the stuff now, but just don't want to leave the park.  It is so beautiful and peaceful here.  I will try to upload photos tomorrow.  I'm still experiencing difficulty with the upload process from my iPad into this blog.   If anyone knows how to do it, please feel free to leave me a comment.

Deep thought for the day:  While routines can become boring, some are quite necessary to make you feel safe, secure and normal.


PS:  Happy birthday wishes to my brother, Will.

Good morning!

"Good morning, good morning!  It's time to celebrate. Good morning, good morning to you!  Poop-poop-pee-doop."  That's the morning song I sang to my boys when they were growing up.  Needless to say, they hated that song then and haven't found an affection for it yet.

That was the tune I sang to Lucy this morning as I maneuvered around the kitchen area fixing her breakfast.   Last night, after all the other RV'ers went inside, we settled down with the lights low and the television playing softly and she slowly ventured out to explore.

Her favorite spots right now appear to be the dashboard, the back of the couch, a cubby spot under the bedroom end table and curled up under the bedspread.  Apparently, she thinks no one can see her if she can't see them.  If it works for her, then it works for me.  At least a quick glance assures us that she is safe and sound.

"G" and I had a bit of difficulty falling asleep last night.  It took us time to become accustomed to the different "night noises."  From my vantage point, I had a beautiful view of an almost full-moon.  I watched it glow and dim through the branches as clouds filtered across the sky.  Sounds from Croton-Harmon Train Station, of trains passing through, could be heard in the distance and their whistles finally lulled me to sleep.

Lucy kept watch at the foot of the bed, seemingly content with the conclusion of her long, scary day.  She had to be -  with her mommy and daddy near and a soft bed to rest her weary bones - every cat should have it this good.

Today has been spent trying to get the satellite reception working, organizing, making lists and running errands.  "G" is currently at 223 mowing the ever-growing lawn.  I'm heading out to pick him up shortly.

Tonight, the woman in the very next space and I will be planning a dinner menu for tomorrow night. They happen to be mutual friends/acquaintances of ours and really nice people.  My Man of Honor, will be joining us. Coincidentally, he camped with them many moons ago. I'm looking forward to an evening full of stories and legends...

Deep thought of the day:  It's a small world after all, it's a small world after all.  It's a small, small world.

Ruff start....

The ride to our first "camping" destination was not as much as an adventure as the actual arrival. We are currently trying to get Lucy to relax and feel right at home...Not working as well as we had hoped. 

Video of unhappy cat on maiden voyage:

On her first visit to Gracie, Lucy had found a sweet hiding spot. Well, once the bedroom slide was extended, her spot disappeared! She searched, scratched, dug, and tried her best to squeeze her body into a space one-fourth her size and she managed to wedge her head and shoulders in before becoming stuck. I think it hurt me more than her when I yanked her out of that near disaster.  

Right now, "G" is on his first trip back home to get a piece of molding that he will use to block her from any further attempts at getting under the platform bed. He is also getting the cheese I needed for tonight's dinner and my special water bottle. Whether it's wine or water, I prefer it from one of my favorite vessels.

Update on Lucy's progress will appear in tomorrow's post.

Deep thought for the day:  Don't tell a female that she won't fit into something.  

Ride home on the Goat Trail

Well, I have officially survived cliff-driving on the cliff side of the road.  I don't know how I survived it, but I did.  I figured if "G" had the guts to navigate this treacherous road, then I could at least watch. 

It wasn't easy.

 

The end of a one-mile stretch of road that felt as if it were ten.

Mother's Day

What a gorgeous day! The sun is brightly shinning, temps have already reached a balmy 75° and life is beautiful. We just got on the road and are heading up to Chester to pick up Saving Grace for her maiden camping journey.   One more day to go until Croton Point Park and Lucy's official induction into RV life.

In typical "G" fashion, we cannot travel anywhere without making a u-turn.  We are now heading back home for the second time for yet another item we forgot to bring with us.  First was the RV GPS, and now it's the E-Z Pass!   Lol.  We won't be able to easily do this in Gracie!

Ok.....we have it all.  We are off....Gracie, here we come.  Next time, check list of imperative items.

Deep thought for the day:  Look forward to the road less travelled.  It should have less potholes,,,,

First Excuse to Visit

Today was a beautiful day. I actually started it out with a walk in order to get in some exercise, because being sick for this long has gotten me so awfully lazy. Today we planned to head up to Chester to open the fridge doors in Gracie and "G" also needed to look at the tow dolly. We enjoyed a lovely drive across the Bear Mountain Bridge and up the Palisades Parkway.  The weather is still a bit cold for this time of year and we are impatiently awaiting the warmer temps, but the sun was shinning and a welcomed addition to our day.

Once up at the storage facility, our code worked on the very first try, indicating a chance for smooth sailing. We were quite happy to see her safe, sound and looking quite content in Space 14.  

While "G" futzed with the tow dolly, I was sure to get those refrigerator doors opened and then took a walk around the storage property.  What a great business.  Everyone has too much "stuff," and no where to put it, so why not pay for a big closet or small garage in which to store it all?  There is not much to provide - just property, cement floors and metal walls and doors. There were hundreds of doors that I imagined held mysterious goods, priceless heirlooms, precious collections, and rare antiques.  However, after passing one opened storage unit, I realized that most just probably house a bunch of junk that people don't really need or want.

"G" tried to fix the tow dolly, but to no avail.  He believes a bolt is too tight, but the wrenches we brought up were just a bit too small to loosen it up, so guess what?????  We will need to take another ride up one day this week with the proper tools to get the job done before we can head down to Croton Point Park.  I guess I can start the countdown to that trip now.  We are booked for May 12th, which will be a week from tomorrow!  This is the trip that I need to get prepared for, and soon.  I need to have my meals planned and the pantry stocked.  It is my goal to be self-sufficient for at least 4 straight days.  I was told by a veteran RV'er, that the best way to live small, was to only plan and stock for 3-4 days at a time.  Our first trip will adhere to that very first RV tip that I got way back at the Hershey Show in September 2013.

Before leaving the storage facility, I decided to take a couple more photos that I felt were significant to Gracie, like the Bay Star and 3124 decals. I continue to look at it in awe of the fact that we actually own this baby.  Our little "memory maker."  

Our fun day continued with shopping stops at Walmart, Best Buy, Home Goods and then Panera, for a late lunch.  A great day to be alive.

Deep thought for the day:  For every drop of rain that falls, inevitably, a ray of sun will appear to dry it up.

Gracie goes to storage...

After a bit of research and comparisons, we had to finally decide upon a storage facility in which  to park Gracie until we are ready to take her on official outings.  If you were to compare her location to a hotel, she is definitely NOT in a Super 8 or Days Inn.  Not our Gracie.  She is in more of a Hilton Garden Inn, sans the free breakfast.

I felt a bit sad leaving her there all alone and vulnerable, except for the barbed-wire fence, 24-hour security cameras, locked entry gate and police patrols.  I'm sure she will be just fine. 

"G" did a magnificent job driving her over the "Goat Trail" and across the Bear Mountain State Bridge.  I was a pro at cliff driving by the time we reached Storm King Highway. Anyone familiar with our Hudson Valley area knows of the challenging roads to which I refer.

 

The street in front of the house looks empty without her height and girth spanning the roadway.  "G" just remembered that we forgot to leave the refrigerator doors open.  A trip back up will be scheduled next week so we can check on her and prevent a moldy smell right quick.  I wonder what we will forget next that will cause another trip back up to check on the baby.  I don't know who is worse?  Me or "G?"