My Update From April 23 through 28.

Hello

On April 23, we had minor flooding in the campground. I was able to get a ride, with the dogs in their kennels, up to Heather's home. Where we spent the night. It didn't take long for the water to go back down. One of my steel pots floated away but I was able to find it on Wednesday along with two of the Elephant Ear roots that has washed out of it. I had called Jerry at work and explained that the water was raising and I was going to have to head to Heather's with the dogs,walking, and he needed to come home. Keith and his wife asked if the dogs would ride in their kennels in a trailer long enough to get to Heather's place and that is what we did, We loaded the kennels onto his short traler, then I put each dog into a kennel, and Keith got the guns out of the camper for me and put them in his truck and took us to Heather's home. We unloaded and by the time he got back to the camper the water was to our hitch and Jerry was soon there and between them they got everything unhooked (Power, wate and sewer) and someone from the Rescue Squad came with an old Surburban and pulled the camper to the front of Keith's place. Keith took a picture of it and the water was to the under side of the camper when it was pulled out along the driveway. (I'll see if I can get that picture) Of course I was worried about the camper, but I was more worried about getting me and the dogs out at the time.

 

Monday, I mostly just slept.  My sugar was up then low, then up then low again. We had bought a few things to eat at Heather's house and we ended up leaving a bit of it there for her kids to have. Some cereal,  fresh bread, and bananas. The water went back down rather quickly and Jerry called Keith about putting the camper on a different site. One on the other side of his house. Which is a larger, nicer site, but the wifi will not reach that far. It's a good trade-off and, if the water raises again. I'll have a bit more time to prepare to leave the camper and we now have a plan for that. Keith can more is Pop-Up, then hook up his small trailer and take me and the dogs to Heathers'. and while he's moving his Pop-up and can ready ours to be moved by getting everything out of the way of the slide out, and once the dogs are loaded, I can pull in the slide out, and also help with unhooking the services before he takes me up the mountain. We are just praying that there is no "Next Time".

 

Tuesday, I spent cleaning up the kitchen area and taking care of a few things that I should have taken care of before it flooded. Tossed some stuff, cleaned up a skillet of ham that got left out, by giving it to the dogs to enjoy. I then washed up the dishes. put a fan on the living room area carpet to help dry it out from where the water leaked in from under the slide-out. It wasn't a lot but it took two days to get it all dry again. I cleaned out the fridge and took inventory of what we would need for the rest of the week, which wasn't much at all, really. I then started on Cleaning the Bunk room. Yes it took two days to do that and I'm still not done, but I need some tubs t put things in to make it work better in there. We went shopping after Jerry got home from work and we had sandwiches and chips for dinner with fresh fruit for dessert.

 

Wednesday, I cleaned more in the bunk room. I had put it off for way too long. I didn't do much to the upper bunks but I straightened out both lower bunk beds. Jerry and I had one one of the upper bunks about a week before. He was searching for something. we are thinking of drilling a hole near the foot of the lower right bunk for the coax for the internet connection to run iwithout having to lift that decking and having to move all of that to the kitchen area until the man is done getting that set up. Wednesday was an 8 hour day for Jerry and we went to the local Telephone ompany to see if we could get internet and cable. You have to join the membership, and have their telephone service in order to get the other stuff.  I talked to Jerry about just getting the cable while we were there, but he said he wanted to see about getting our dish moved first. We had Hot dogs, Has Brown potatoes and chips for dinner.

 

On Thursday,  I had Jerry's  phone and he had mine and the Dish man showed up about 4 pm. He tried and tried but could not get a good line of sight on any of the satilights for our tv  service (Directv) and so that ended up being for naught.  We ended up eating dinner out, as it was just one thing after another keeping me from starting dinner. But Heather brought home the kennels from my taking the dogs to her place and she brought home the handguns we had taken to her home, the day the creek left it's banks.

 

 

Friday Morning, around 2 am. as we were getting Jerry up and ready for the day, the foot feed to the toilet broke off. Jerry decided that he better stay home anyway, because he's in the bathroom with urgancy every 20 minutes or so.  He called around looking for a replacement toilet and there is one, in Ring gold Gergia which is about 50 miles from here, and we would have to join their membership club to get the discount price that still wasn't as low as what Jerry's search of the "net" showed and that didn't please him at all.  We went to Heather's to use her "Net" and Jerry found one on-line for about $60 less including the shipping and handling charges, but it will not be here until Tuesday. In the mean time, we can use the toilet, it's just we have to put our face kinda close to the seat in order to flush it. and we have to use either the shower hose or a bucket to put water back into the bowl. But we can handle doing that until it arrives next week.

 

A couple of weeks ago, Mary and Steve were thinking of comeing to Dunlap the first weekend of May, not realizing that is when David and Jamie are getting married. But I chatted with Jamie and she said the more the merrier and said they could come to the wedding. But now, because they had to fix Mary's car, they may not e able to come at all. Jerry and she talked for about 40 minutes this afternoon. it would be nice if they can still make it, but the changes are slim right now that they can do it. Heather has offered them a bed so they don't have to go to the motel while they are here and Jerry said we could cover the cost of any of their meals while they are at her house.  So they have a wedding to come to, a place to sleep and family to visit.  But as with almost all plans.. things happen. Mary said she would know "For sure" on Wednesday this week if they can make it out or not. but don't count on it.

 

Heather is using me as a back up if something happens while she and Corbin are camping with his scout troop. Bailey is in Dollywood with the band and also has my number. So if anyone calls me, I can relay the messages as needed. They both have my cell phone number in case they need to call someone. We just didn't know if Jerry would have to work this weekend or not.

 

Tonight (Friday, the 28) as we were winding down, I set up some Tiki torches in the yard and near the camper so we could sit outside without being bugged too much. It was nice and peaceful to just sit and watch as the world got darker and darker. Jerry was falling asleep in his chair and so now we are inside and He's already asleep and I'm typing this to go out as soon as we get the "Net" back again.

 

I slept very little last night. I would sleep a few minutes then wake up and struggle to get back to sleep, I had figured on going to sleep after Jerry left for work, but as I wrote before, He stayed home today. Oh, we got a lot done though. We went and changed our order at the phone company to include the basic cable. We really don't watch much more than the national stations any more most of the time, and we can afford Netflix once we get the "net", and can catch up on shows through that. We went to the pawn shop where Jerry was told some more guns were coming into the store, and he had to check that out. And yes, we put another one on lay a way.  He also picked up a power washer / sprayer.

After we left Heathers' it was back to the pawn shop for some more information on a gun Jerry had looked at, and then we decided to just go to the camper for a light lunch of sandwiches and cola's.

 

Tomorrow (Saturday the 29 th) I think I'll be moving some of my plants around a bit. I want the two steel pans on the top of the empty Propane tanks at the front of the camper.  That will open up the metal step stool I have and it can go to the back of the camper to sit on while we open the black water tank every two weeks. Of course, I could put that near the backdoor and put plants on it, and just take them off when that tank needs to be emptied. I hate to leave things in sight at the back of the camper if we are not going to be using it on a daily basis.

 

Sunday's plans are...laundry (ugh, that is going to take at least 7 hours, I'm sure) Heather and Corbin should be back home around 10 am. I don't know when Bailey is due home but I am guessing mid to late evening. But once Heather gets home, She and Dad will come to the camper, pull it forward about 4 foot wit her truck. place down some boards on one side, then back the camper onto those boards to make it much more level.  After that, the plan is to move Jerry's gang box full of tools out o Heather's car port and take it to storage. I am in hopes that they will move that old spa tub out and either take it to Heather's home or find someplace else to take it. Just get it out of our storage so we have more room for "our" stuff. Heather said something about her maybe getting some of the things she's got stored in there and taking them to her home to sort, and discard the majority of. Most of what it is there, is the kids school papers from Kindergarden through last year. And she's got a few craft things in there to take care of, as well.  I want to try to set up "Zones" in the storage for things like Craft at the back, Seasonal clothes in the middle of one wall, Jerry's stuff, better orgainized, near the front. and outdoor stuff behind his stuff along one side and that would leave more space for things we have but don't Need Right Now, in the camper.  Maybe we will bring home the base for a pop up shade. Or Heather may want it over her picnic table. We have two or three of them in different sizes.

I know that the orgainzing won't get done on Sunday, because I'll be doing the laundry while Jerry and Heather deal with the storage.

 

Billie C.
How much can a dragon carry?
As much as it thinks it can"
Anne McCaffrey

Psalm 144:15
Happy are the people with such blessings. Happy are the people whose God is Yahweh. 

April 12, 2017

 

I got my hair cut short.

 

We talked about wether or not I should color my hair for the wedding, but once it was cut, Heather was pleased with how it looked and helped me decide to not color my hair at this time. As I told the two, I'm 59 years old. I should have silver on my head. They laughed about that. I have come a long, long way from my bright red color of my youth. One reason I don't want to color my hair is I'm afraid it will look "fake" and not natural, and the second is that I'm not sure i would be able to keep up with keeping it colored.. but once the wedding is done, I might get a box of color and let Heather try her hand at it. I would want something that has the high lights and low lights in it, I think.

    

My "Before" picture

 

My "After" Picture.

March 22, 2017

Hello.

It's Spring!!!

And the weather is Spring Like. We had some strong winds last night and after the worst was over, I took the dogs out for their last potty of the night, I discovered that the Trash Can was missing. I had to ask Jerry to get me a flash light so I  could try to hunt it up. I was afraid that it might have gone into the creek and if it had, I would never had found it. I found it half way between the other side of the driveway and the Creek. The bags of trash were also scattered and I picked them up. They were in the can but were not heavy enough to keep that can from blowing over and rolling away from the front of the camper.

 

(These pictures were taken on Monday, the day before the storms came through)

See that tree over there, the second to the right of the dish? the  trash can way behind it. The largest bag of trash just at the edge of the grass and two smaller bags were over where that tall stuff is to the left.   

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It was a nice, warm bright day on Monday and even Tuesday was warm before the storm. The trees are still not leafed out yet.  Some are, The Cottonwoods have dropped their blossoms and now have leaves and the Tulip Popular's have also bloomed then dropped their flowers and have new leaves on them. But the rest of the trees are still no yet put out leafs yet.  The brush is greening up though. 

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Over the weekend, on Sunday to be more precise, WE took the Grand Kids out for breakfast then we went to Walmart to get some new tires put on the car (very needed as they were falling apart) After our jaunt through Wal-mart, We went to Lowe's. Jerry was looking for a Laser Level or something that he needed a Laser for. He didn't have any luck finding what he went for. but I took the kids over to the Lumber area and let them pick out a flat panel each. Grandson needed one for a wood burning project and I though that his sister might want to try her hand at it as well. I'll have to take her my wood burning set this next weekend. so she can work on her wood as she wants to. I'm sure "Mom" is loving me for this. She's the one who is going to have to cut the panels down to size for the two of them.   The kids then went with me to the Garden area and helped me pick out these flowers. The pans, I got the night before at the auction for $5 a piece. one for the flowers, two for a confined fire and one to be able to cover it if the wind come up. I can put a couple of binder clips along the edge to help smother it, as well.

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Someone challenged the group members to post some Spring pictures. The first flowers of our Spring are about done. but there is always Dandelions  and there are by the rock wall at the back of our camper.

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As I said, the Daffodils are about gone now.

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Some of the area that I want to clean up soon. There is a lot of rocks behind the rock wall.  and there are other flowers starting to poke their leaves up from and I will get more pictures of them soon. There's a Koi pond here as well. I might pick up a couple of Koi for it soon.

Billie C.

March 13, 2017

We "Almost" had a snow over the weekend. Wish I had taken some pictures. Hubby didn't have to work this weekend and we took care of a few things on Saturday. Shopping and errands that needed done, like taking the trash to the city's recycle center.  Hubby needed to replace a meter for work. We went to the local Pawn shop and he found just what he was looking for there. He also found a tablet with detachable keyboard (I don't recall just what it's called). I found a nice, plain wedding ring that is just a bit too small. The Pawn Shop is sending it out to be enlarged and it should be back by Friday. I lost my original band years ago and have been wanting another one but just never saw what I waned or if I saw something I liked, it was way too pricey.  Besides, A ring is not what makes you married. But now I will have a nice ring to wear that will be an sign that I really truly have found the man who completes me.  I am in hopes that it will also be polished before I pick it up.

While we were looking around, I asked to hold and check out a hand gun. The last one we looked at, I could not pull back far enough to load the first shell.  This one, although still new, has been 'racked' a number of times and I found I could pull it all the way back. I'm very happy with it and the man who sold it to me, knew what I was looking for since we have been in several times, looking at the hand guns. This will fit into my handbag, if I feel like I might need to carry it. I do have my Conceal and Carry permit. Of course, he tried to sell me a more expensive gun. One with a laser pointer and I had to tell him that the pointer is all but useless for me. Oh, I can follow it well enough, but it would be more of a distraction than a help. I was taught 'Old School', how to shoot a hand gun. Look at what you want to shoot, raise the gun to your eye level and pull the trigger. Your hand will automatically point where you are looking. I may not hit "Center" but it will hit close enough to stop someone who may be wanting to harm me. I'm not expecting or looking for trouble, but I am prepared for it. And, around here, a hand gun is also a good investment. It's re-sale value, even after it's been fired a few times,  is very close to it's whole sale value. I can take it back to the pawn shop and they will purchase it back from me.

Too bad it was too cold and raw to go and see just how well I would be able to hit a target this weekend. Next weekend looks like it will be better weather for getting in some practice with it.

 

We had to replace a tire on the car on Sunday, and there isn't any place open on Sunday to do that, in our town. We went out for breakfast, Saw some snow on our way to breakfast, then headed to Kendal Tennessee's Walmart (closest without having t climb a mountain) and Hubby had both front tires replaced. Oh, now the ride is much smoother. 

We did want to go to the auction on Saturday evening, but the chance of snow kept everyone away. We did see some snow but we only had a little of it settle on the top of the car.

While we were shopping on Saturday,, I did pick up some more earrings. I got four sets of "Saint Patrick's Day" earrings. I will be looking for some for Easter next weekend. I made sure my new Saint Patrick's Day shirt made it into the laundry and was washed.

Growing up, my brother would take any opportunity to pinch me on Saint Patrick's Day so I would go to bed wearing something Green, and to this day, I still make sure I have some 'Green' on when I wake up on March 17. 

A few years ago, I got a 'Build a Bear' bear. I have her wearing a red gingham top and red shorts most of the time.. Right now she also has a green bead necklace and a green bowler style Glitter hat.

 

 

Billie C.

March 6, 2017

March 6, 2017

 

Hello

Sunday, we found a place we can go and shoot our handguns at. Jerry hot a few rounds through each, just to be able to compare each against the other. We then took a short walk on the property and maybe we might be able to buy it sometime in the near future. It is way off the main road and in an out of the way place. It will take a lot of work but we can see much potential for us in  the 35 acres. I found a tiny tick on me later yesterday evening. It's tick season and for some reason ticks like me, a lot.

 

 

I was trying to take a picture of Barney's "Mowhawk" and the other two had to get in on the action. They love to ham it up for the camera.

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We went to an Auction on Friday in a near-by town. We will not be going back. Just too many parking issues and what they were selling was not worth what it was bringing in. 

 

We went on Saturday to our local auction and picked up a few things.

For a raffle, the tickets were taped to some knifes and Jerry ended up with 8 knifes. We didn't win the raffle though.  Of the three things on the table, I would have picked out the camp lantern. There was also a fishing pole, a head lamp and some sort of tool kit.

 

I did win the bid on this sheepskin "rug". We paid $5 for it. Someone started the bid with $3 and then got to talking to someone and didn't pay attention that we had bid on it. She got very upset that she lost the bid to us. The auctioneer told her, "You snooze, you loose."  The man who brought it said he has two more and will bring them next weekend. I hope so, I want another one, for a friend. 

 

 

We picked up a wind chime for $3. I won't be leaving it hanging from the air unit, but for now it's a good place for it. Now, I want to get the rest of my wind chimes out, sorted and cleaned up. Hubby also picked up a craft knife kit for me.  He also sent a couple of toys to the back for this next season's Christmas toy drive. A Cricut whet through, but I had looked at it and since it didn't look in good shape didn't want to bid on it. The lady sitting behind us got it for $10. The cartridge and the cutting mat were missing and I'm not sure if the power cord was there or not.

 

 

Last week, We picked up a small zip bag of magnets. I had picked up this wipe off white board when we went shopping. I picked out what few magnets I wanted and will offer the rest of them to Heather and Beth when Beth comes in for David's wedding. The board has fallen off the hooks at least three times already. I'm going to have to find a better way to hang it up.

 

 

The plants that Hubby bought me a few weeks ago are doing very well.

 

 

I got the drawers last Sunday and put them in place on Monday and filled the drawers, as well.. But the great thing is my corner now looks so much nicer. I have got to break my habit of just laying things down on it though. There really should only be three things on it. the two plants and the lamp. I do like the lamp up on it better than it being on the table.

 

I'm ready for Spring now. I need to get into my box of "Holiday Decorations" and see what else I have for "Spring" that isn't just "Easter".  I also need to find my Saint Patrick's day decorations.

 

 

 

I have matching towels for the pot holders. I also have towels with tiny Shamrocks on them, for Saint Patrick's day.

Billie C.

March 2, 2017

We had some windy weather yesterday. And lots of rain. A few branches hit the top of the camper and it was rocking for a little bit due to the wind. I had to clean up outside before Jerry got home because the wind blew those branches into the area he parks the car in. I picked up twigs and smaller branches from the driveway, as well.  Otherwise, yesterday was just another day in the life of me.

 

I have started the shift from "Winter" to "Spring" with packing up and moving to storage the heavy winter clothes and getting out some lighter clothes. I picked up some white T-Shirts and have washed them so I can decorate them for this year.  I'm not sure just what I'm going to put on them just yet.

 

The plants that Jerry got me a bit ago are doing great. The Coleus is spreading out and the Bamboo is still very limber and I an trying to train some of it to wrap around the rest of the bamboo in a pattern I have to adjust it each week. I have a large green/blue marble I would like to put in the middle as an accent piece but I wasn't able to put it in yesterday. I'll try again in a couple of weeks. Or I might try an plastic Easter Egg instead. I'm not sure yet. I think I'll use the plastic first, then switch to the marble later.

 

 

 

I've put away the winter tea towels and have put out some with Spring colors and some with Shamrocks on them in the kitchen. I want to look for some pot holders to match the Shamrock ones.

 

 

 

From my Crafts Newsletter, I made these Anti Pinch charms and gave them to the Grand kids this past weekend. There were fun to make and are filled with Nerds. (yes, I ate the rest of the box, but not all at once but over a few days) I still have two of the small glass vials left and will do something with them soon.

 

 

I Love shopping at The Dollar Tree. I'm not sure just what I'm going to do with the Shamrocks, but I picked up a pack of them

 

 

I'm keeping out the Green Mardi Gras beads since they are the perfect color for Saint Patrick's day. and that small green hat. I may just have to wear one myself. Much to the embarrassment of my grown children.

 

 

But in the meantime, My Bear is "Stylin it" with the beads and a Hat.

 

And last week, I made another "craft" from the newsletter, A mouse pad from sheet cork and scrapboking paper.

  

I'm not really "Happy" with it though. I'm just not one to use a mouse pad, I guess. But it's not going to waste either. I have it under the terra cottas pot that is on the top of the drawers I bought and filled this week that is now sitting on the back bench of the dining room table.

 

Billie C.

This Morning 03 01 2017

This Morning

This morning,Pre-dawn,  while I let each dog out to do what a dog must do outside, I was noticing the different shades of "Dark".  I could almost see that the grass across the driveway, in the other yard, we almost green. I mean, it was dark, but just a hint of very dark green to it. The sky was not Blue and not white but not dark. The dark finger like tips of the still bare trees were pointing up-wards towards.  The brush over by Coopers Creek was moving with the breeze just a little. Or maybe it was a squirrel in the brush, starting off it's day before the storms were to come in. With the trees still bare, but almost ready to put on leaves, I can see through them a bit, to the mountain on the east side of the valley. I could see a few sparse lights up the side. I'm just not sure if they were lights inside a home or a street light and they turned off about the time some people around here are leaving for work. A few Dark clouds skutted along on the upper winds above the valley, as if racing towards Chattanooga ahead of the storm to warn them, a Storm is coming and you better be ready for it.
And we did get a good down-pouring of rain, while West of us,, my Husband said they only got a brief light shower. I saw on the news that some places got some golf ball sized hail. For a bit I thought we were getting  Hail, but when I looked out all I saw was rain. A very hard rain and I heard several things hitting the roof of our camper.  After the rain stopped, I looked out and saw several limbs in the gravel in the lot next to ours.  Oh what a mess. I had to take the dogs out, They had been inside all day due to the stroms and rain. Once they were finished, I had to move a few things in the front storage, and get out my fold up wagon and a tarp. The tarp, folding in half, fits well into the bed of my wagon and helps keek it nice and neat. I picked up them fallen limbs in the lot, along the driveway and a few from another lot on my way to the fire pit. The wagon was full by the time I got over there. I forgot to take a few pictures because I had to start dinner once I finished cleaning up the lots. We had a lot of rain in a short amount of time. I had to walk most of the way around the fire pit to find an area dry enough that I could get close enough to empty the branches out of my wagon, take it back to the camper, shake out the tarp, fold it up and put it in the storage area, then fold up the wagon and put it back into the storage area in a space I had to clean out for it. I also got out two bottles of cola, one each, so we would have them to dink with our dinners tonight. I drink light colored cola's mustly diet 7up or Sundrop, sometimes Mountain Dew. Hubby drinks Diet Coke Cola.

 

Billie C.