Honestly, I live a charmed life. A wonderful husband and friend and partner in crime. A healthy and happy family. A peaceful five acre plot of land with a big red brick house on it. A couple of trucks. More than a couple of campers. (Yeah…it’s an addiction!) I have reasonably good health, considering. And it’ll be even better when I get this parathyroid thing worked out. The bottom line is, I really don’t have anything to complain about. 

I was awakened by the gentle tapping of rain just before dawn yesterday morning. The temperature was in the mid sixties and I slept well. I reached up to slide the window closed above my head so the coming rain wouldn’t get in the camper. You have to be really careful with campers. Even a small leak can lead to damages that will eventually kill a trailer. 

When you own a website or blog, you open yourself up to a lot of good things. And, as they say… “Into each life, a little rain must fall.” It’s unavoidable. I know full well, when I touch on controversial subjects, I’m liable to get some pushback. It comes with the turf. I don’t mind hearing other’s opinions, of course…as long as there is an attempt at civil discourse. I seldom delete a post, and I rarely need to block someone. But, it happened yesterday so I thought perhaps we should discuss it.

I abused my body for many years…eating poorly, yo-yo dieting, abusing substances, over-exercising. It’s coming home to roost, I’m afraid. I don’t know what triggered the hyperparathyroidism…genetics, lifestyle, environmental factors? Add that to simply aging and I have a few more difficult days than I used to.

Anyone over the age of say…60 knows things don’t work exactly like they used to. There are aches and pains in places where they never were before. It can be really frustrating when things don’t work like they did before. My friend Diane shared a picture of the two of us at our 45th High School Reunion that was held five years ago this weekend. She looks exactly the same. I have aged like crazy. 

It has been so terribly hot and dry here in West Virginia the last several weeks. While Mr. FixIt was in town running errands today, I went over to the Piggly Wiggly to get pork chops for supper. As soon and I pulled into their parking lot, the first big drops of rain hit my dusty truck with resounding splats and I thougt, “Finally! We get some much needed moisture!” Alas, as soon as I got just out of town limits, the road was dry as a bone. Nothing at our house either.

The Mystery Flower: Sun Star? Star of Bethlehem? Some kind of lily?

I am hoping against hope that yesterday was the hottest day of our summer here in West Virginia. When they tell you it’s not the heat, it’s the humidity…that’s pretty much true. The thermometer on the back of our house registered 103 at 4:00. Granted…that’s on a red brick wall on the west side of the house, but it’s under the eaves and out of direct sunlight. The humidity was only 63% but it felt like a sauna out there.

Mr. FixIt has ruined me. Let me explain.

I’m updating the GPS unit I bought in 2014 as I was leaving Denver to drive cross-country to live on the farm. I do not believe it has been updated at all. I don’t know…maybe once? I’ve tried three different times over the last few days and I kept getting an error message. At first, it said to use the USB cord that came with the unit. I thought, if there was any chance whatsoever I still have the darned thing, it would be in the console of my truck. It took me a day or two to get it together and sit in 95 degree heat rummaging through stacks of unused paper napkins, CD’s (who even listens to those anymore?), receipts, packets of catsup and soy sauce, a slip of paper with a phone number on it that’s undoubtedly important, and that cool tool I bought to cut my seat belt and break the window if I ever find myself sinking to the bottom of a body of water in my F-150. Hey…I’m a Girl Camper…I’m always ready!

Camper for Illustration Only…This is an awning idea!

Our new-to-us camper is an absolute delight! I’ve spent several nights “yard camping” and getting a good feel of how to make everything work when we head out to Colorado in a few weeks. I’ve learned SO much about campers since that day, as a new widow, I went to an RV dealer in Denver and bought my first little trailer. I knew NOTHING about campers then. I didn’t know you have to check the air in your tires literally every time you pull out towing your little house on wheels. I didn’t know to keep tabs on the axle temperature and grease the bearings from time to time.

To my friends who refuse a vaccine and want me to scroll on by and shrug my shoulders:

Let’s say I see a friend whom I love, texting on a railroad track, and a train is hurtling toward her. People have told her the train is coming but she thinks maybe trains aren’t real. She’s reading her FB posts and telling people it’s ok to stand on railroad tracks. She’s never been hit by the train before. And besides, she’s heard you don’t get hurt too bad when the train hits you anyway. And, by God, it’s my Constitutional right to stand on this track and get splattered like a watermelon. I should just mind my own business. 

Dear Miss Simone,

I haven’t really watched the Olympics much, but I’ve kept up with the major stories. Our family’s biggest interest is the swimming events since my older grandchild has been on swim team practically since she could write her name. She had hopes of going to the 2020 Olympics, but when push comes to shove in any sport, you athletes know early on what level you are likely to perform at. My granddaughter knew she was a healthy competitor, but she also knew she was a college level swimmer…not an Olympian. So, when it came time to choose…competitive or athletic, she chose athletic. Her reasoning was…she wanted to have a life and enjoy growing up. I think she made a wise choice. She is mentally and physically healthy, she excels at academics, swimming is still fun and great exercise, and…colleges are contacting her to apply. There’s nothing wrong with that.