A 5:30 departure had been my target. Actually, it was 7:30 before I left CARE—and after 8:00 before I drove out of Livingston. I’ve documented the long drive with pictures. Mid-morning I stopped to nap for a few minutes. When I pulled into the picnic area, my vehicles were in the shade; soon I was in the sun and time to push on down the road. My Garmin had me on narrow secondary roads (and that is OK with me) but travel was slow. I thought I’d never get to my destination: Little George Havens Cowboy Camp Meeting, on state highway 84 between Santa Anna and Coleman, Texas.

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One of the first persons I met: “Miss Lucy,” widow of George Havens. I was looking for an office to “check in” and get a campsite. She insisted on “getting a man” to help me park. “No, no, I can do it just fine.” But I obliged… and was shown a site and assisted backing in—only to discover that a horse (or two) had been there and left their calling cards. So we moved to another site.

I was just in time for supper: Pulled pork BBQ, potato salad, cole slaw, and a variety of home-made cobblers. (I chose blueberry cobbler.) Also available: sweet tea, unsweetened tea and lemonade.

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Saturday evening: Great music, great preaching!! That night: I slept comfortably but when awake (briefly) I marveled at how extremely quiet it was. That old saying “The silence was deafening!!”

Now a little more about my delayed start: I needed to tape down the weather-stripping. I’ve known for months that I needed to use “Shoe Goo” to hold the strip in a groove. But I procrastinated!! When I first attempted a temporary repair, the roof was too wet and the tape would not stick. So I had to haul out a long extension cord, and my hair dryer, to dry the surface.

Because the KIA and T@B had not been connected for many months, the electrical plug needed repeated push-in and pull-out to make good contact. Every little task seemed to take so-o-o much time!! One turn-signal-light has burned out and I should have stopped at an auto supply for a new bulb. (Could-a, should-a, would-a…!! Not only was I behind my target departure time, I was actually one day late for the actual start of the Camp Meeting.) ~~ FYI: Livingston, Texas, to Santa Anna, Texas, map.

My morning was productive!! Weeds were whacked; plants were watered; KIA was washed and Lorraine got a haircut. I’ll do indoor tasks this afternoon, and last-minute cleaning. I plan to leave about 5:30 tomorrow morning. I question the wisdom of driving (this afternoon) in the heat because (IMHO) extra work for the KIA pulling a trailer.

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See the 94 degrees? Very wise of me (IMHO) to wait until tomorrow. When I tried to take the “blue ice” out of the freezer, they were frozen to the bottom!! It required the hair dryer to dislodge them!! Then I continued… and defrosted the entire freezer. To re-freeze the packets, I put them between a towel.

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When I named this message “Good” Friday, I had no idea it would be especially “good.” There is no excuse for the foolish stunt I pulled. Yes, I’m busy; yes, I’m preoccupied with all the last-minute trip preparation. But I foolishly left eggs boiling on the stove when I went to the Center to water the plants. When I returned–almost two hours later–the smoke detector was beeping, the trailer was full of smoke. The lid had been forced off the kettle (laying on the floor); the eggs had exploded all over the kitchen/dining room. The stench was (is) awful!! I have four ceiling/roof fans going, plus oscillating fan and air-conditioner. I have Gardenia oil emitting a strong pleasant scent from the diffuser. The stench is awful!!

I try to be extremely careful. I hold hand rails up and down steps; I watch… so water doesn’t overflow (indoor and outdoor projects). I discipline myself to not leave food cooking on the stove when I exit (even if I’m “just in the yard”). ~~ I am so grateful my home did not catch fire. So a very “good” Friday!!

Look: 101 degrees inside the T@B; 96 degrees outside temperature.

Tentatively, I’ve been planning a trip to a Cowboy Churches Camp Meeting. With this beastly heat, I’ve almost decided not to go. I’m really in a quandary!! I thought I’d check Google Earth to see what the area looks like. Example: Are there any trees or will we be camping under the blazing sun? I haven’t been able to find an image (on Google Earth) because I haven’t found the specific address. More about the event. ~~ Just thought you’d like to know.

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Friends and acquaintances are trying to convince me to take the trip. So-o-o-o I’ve rushed around trying to pull last-minute details together. After lunch, I went to the extremely hot mini-storage unit trying to find my “blue ice” containers. Could not locate!! Went to Walmart and bought four small…. When I started loading things into the T@B, the temperature read 106 degrees. It dropped to 105 when I carried the clock into the BIG trailer to take a picture. And look at the outside temperature!! Gratefully, I do not think it is as humid today as many days. Well (to please everyone, ha), I guess I’ll leave tomorrow (after a haircut in the CARE Center). ~~ I’ll probably spend hours (today) getting ready because I did very little yesterday. C’est la vie!!

…but not quite ready!!

Too, too hot to do much more this evening. Look!! Ninety-one degrees as we worked to hitch the T@B & KIA. I thought my helpers “forgot” so I tried to swing the T@B around so I had more area (to hitch up). The wheel/jack collapsed!! But my helpers had not forgotten, and quickly raised the tongue and dropped it on the ball. Hallelujah!! After six months, “Mercedes” and I will spend some quality time together?!?!

“Little Black Sambo“ is the illustration that came to mind when I was considering what to write today. Specifically, I remembered the story line: “They chase each other around a tree until they are reduced to a pool of melted butter.”  ~~ The heat and humidity here in East Texas has robbed me of energy; I’m thinking of myself as a pool of melted butter. I’m told “You ain’t seen nothin’ yet; it gets worse next month.”  ~~ Tentatively, I planned to take a brief travel trailer trip but I haven’t an ounce of energy to prepare… and less inclination to drive to an unknown destination and possibly “melt” at that location. ~~ Just thought you’d like to know!!

As I said in an earlier blog message, forty years on the Mojave Desert did not prepare me for the heat in East Texas!!

Break time!! I started my day prior to 7:30 (I sat on my patio talking to two visitors). Then I scrubbed the T@B. Later I cleaned two bird baths, etc.,  etc., etc.

Check out the other occasions when Mercedes got a bath: September 8, 2010; October 18, 2010; May 22, 2011 and September 29, 2013. I know of other times but must not have taken pictures. I remember a car wash near Plymouth, Massachusetts….  Found it; I remembered correctly.

Searching clip art, I found this picture. I want a bench like that for my yard!!

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Too many pictures?? I’ve been notified (by Verizon) that I have used over 50 percent of my allotted data–in eight days. Yipes!! Hey, I love to take pictures and I love, love, love to prepare blog messages!!

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Aches and pain, yes, but I’m enthusiastically enjoying the morning (and my first cup of coffee).

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Not in my yard but within my viewing pleasure.

I took a bad fall–but I am OK!!

Yes, it is Sunday but I can’t “rest” because too much to do!! First, in anticipation of a short camping trip, I prepared Nature’s Head with Coconut fiber (in water) in the base. Then I started cutting up the foam mattress so easier to carry away to the trash receptacle.  Now I know why the foam mattress was so beastly heavy: Gel packs throughout that created  “water-bed” comfort. I long suspected it was a hospital bed mattress. The gel was flexible but did not run out of the pocket when I cut open. I’m really ornery today: I’m leaving the pile for maintenance to pick up; I’m not carrying to the trash receptacle. Then I struggled to wiggle the heavy table ten feet further into my yard. Now maintenance can mow half my yard and I won’t have to weed-whack. I’m weary of doing my own yard!!!!! Especially with the heat!! I also moved three planters and three garden flags from that section of my yard. ~~ About the fall: I was tugging at the foam because some was coming off in sections. A section gave way unexpectedly and I went down flat on my posterior, on the cement walkway, and my left hand and wrist took part of the shock of the fall. Fortunately, no broken bones!! (Last time something like this happened, I broke my right arm!!) ~~ I left the projects –about 12:30–for a break and iced tea.

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Three-thirty PM update (94 degrees): I followed “the path of least resistance” and filled the fresh water tank with my premium quality garden hose. First I flushed the tank with gallons (and gallons) of water. I just didn’t have the desire to unhook one and hook the other. I don’t drink water from that tank; I haul filtered water with me. ~~ So one more item I can check off my “to do” list.

When I question (in my mind) “What will I write about next?” a new topic suddenly arrives. This inspiration follows a comment on yesterday’s message, a comment about tires. I searched Tab Teardrop Travels for my blog messages about tires. First: If life gives you lemons, make lemonade; second: Helping the local economy?. Regarding KIA tires Greetings from Concord, North Carolina.

As Bugs Bunny used to say at the end of cartoons “That’s all Folks!” ~~ I have a busy day ahead of me. First volunteering at Habitat for Humanity Thrift Store and then taking pictures at a Memorial Service.

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Postscript: Almost seven PM and residents, and others, will gather in the multi-purpose room to watch the Liberty Opry. It’s nice to watch the live performance from our comfortable chairs and sofas. Tonight I am exhausted (wrung out) from a busy day. I almost don’t want to leave the comfort of my glider/recliner chair at home. Today, first, the store; second, the Memorial. I was busy for hours. (I’m not complaining!!) The heat just saps my energy and leaves me “wrung out.” ~~ I’ll go… because a great social time with “my adopted family.”

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“Too hot, too cold.” Is there no happy medium? The multi-purpose room was colder than my refrigerator!! (The temperature is pleasant in my humble home.) The music was great: Marty Haggard paying tribute to his father Merle Haggard.

Perspiration is running off me like water runs off in the shower!! No lie, I am wringing wet with sweat!! I spent the morning on outdoor projects. It’s “break time.” ~~ “Stanley” helped me vacuum the KIA. I scrubbed those orange containers before returning them to their storage and travel location. I scrubbed the fountain/bird bath because it was full of debris and slow running. The bird feeders were caked with wet feed stuck to the bottom(s) like cement. Cleaned… and filled. See how high the weeds are?? Very soon, I have to get out the “weed whacker.”

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Late afternoon, I needed to make an unexpected quick trip to Walmart in Livingston. When I drove past the Bank the temperature registered 93 degrees. Less than an hour later, en route home, I ran into a torrential thunder-storm. I got soaking wet running from the car to the trailer. My thermometer said 71 degrees outside and 80 degrees inside!! Over twenty degree drop in less than one hour!! One and one-fifth inches of rain in my gauge; the yard looks like a lake?! ~~ This morning I took the tarp covering the mattress off so it could dry from previous rain storms. Even when it was dry, I could not lift the mattress (very heavy-duty foam). I hope to eventually find some strong considerate man to load the mattress in his truck and haul it to the dump. There was a time when that mattress would provide comfort for another person, another family. Our weather, this last month, has ruined the mattress.