On my multi-errand run early this morning, it occurred to me that most of you don’t see what I see every day. (The reverse is true, too, of course, but this is my blog.) The thought crossed my mind when I slowed for a doe that strolled out onto the county road in front of me, then leaped almost vertically over a five-foot fence, easy as you please.
At the base of our road, I looked up to see the shadow of Hall Mountain in front of me, brooding and dark, its highest points over 600 feet above my head.
To me, these are things of wonder.
With the day’s chores finished by 10am and Deb off to do laundry, I settled in to wait for the mobile RV tech to arrive. He was hours early, showing up just before noon.
First, because the road side of the rig was still in the shade, he replaced the frash-water pump. We’d bought a spare a couple of years ago to carry with us in Ernie, never had to use it, and it happened to be a direct replacement for the failing one in this fifth-wheel. Swapping it cost us nothing in parts, and the job was done in a half-hour.
His next task was to seal the roof’s seams and joints, and to repair a small tear in the rubber surface. That didn’t take long, either — six tubes of self-leveling sealant equals an ounce of prevention. And Deb and I didn’t have to confront our shared fear of heights.
Afterward the tech and I kicked back at the picnic table until Deb got back with the checkbook. On a whim, I asked him if he’d be willing to help me move the framework of our soft-sided shed from its temporary resting place off the driveway to the lower level next to the leach field. He enthusiastically agreed, and we had it there in five minutes.
Deb returned. The tech left. We retired to the cool confines of the trailer to pass the heat of the day.
I decided it was time for a shower.
Showers are a big deal these days. The work, the sweat, the heat, the grime — all are cured by a good shower, even one of the “combat” variety required in an RV. My showers lately have been some of the best of my life.
The new water pump made today’s even better.
Late this afternoon, a line of heavy thunderstorms careened out of Missouri and took us a bit by surprise. We scrambled to fill the fresh-water thank and offload the remaining water into our backup barrel, got the buggy into the shed and gave the dogs a walk. We wrapped our little fire drill just as the first wave hit.
Here on The Mountain, storms bring still more wonder. These today were magnificent.
Sadly, within the last three days we’ve lost two of our favorite eateries — Marie’s in Harrison, where we dined with our site contractor and his family, and later celebrated Deb’s birthday; and The DOE Boy Express, that wonderful grub trailer in Gassville, home to the best-ever roadside burgers’n’fries.
Dale, proprietor of DOE Boy, made it clear on his menu slate who he blames for being unable to sustain his business in this economy. There’s a lot of that goin’ ’round.
Take care of yourselves, Patriots. Stay calm. Stay sharp. Stay free.
#WiseUp #LibertyOrDeath #Ungovernable
#LetsGoBrandon #FJB