Must see!!

SINCERE THANKS to my friend, Deb, for sharing this link.

No wind; no torrential rain!!

Watching television weather programs, I’m grateful to report that we (at CARE) are fine. The rain has been steady but mild (can’t hear it on the roof). ~~ Dallas (to the North) and Houston (to the South) has major flooding. I have “no flooding” (and my yard [during previous storms] has affectionately been identified as “Lake Lorraine“). ~~ Anticipating strong wind from remnants of Hurricane Patricia, my awning is rolled up. Sadly, I’ve missed filling the rain barrels (emptied recently for their relocation). ~~ Forgive me; eight-thirty and I don’t want to venture out (in the rain) to check the rain gauge. ~~ Sorry, I can’t find anything on the Internet identifying the amount of rain locally the past twenty-four hours.

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Monday morning update (Oct. 26, 2015): When I commented about inability to locate rainfall total, it was just that–a comment. But two of my readers were thoughtful enough to send web links. Just like many of my blog messages, here is an Internet link that provides more information than you need (big grin)!!

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First picture (of wind gust ballooning the shelter) was taken from my doorway. Second: I braved the wind and rain to take a picture of accumulated rain during the past twenty-four hours. Third: Despite weeks without rain, sufficient water to make the ground “mushy” and leave areas with standing water. ~~ Wet, and cold, I turned on the furnace when I re-entered my trailer home!! ~~ Eleven-thirty postscript to the postscript: Indoor and outdoor temperature.

It’s 9:30 and I’ve spent a few minutes checking, and doing,  last-minute preparation before the storm. Lawn chairs are put away; I sat on the entry steps. If silence can shout, it was/is deafening!! There are no birds, no squirrels, no sign of wild life. Their instincts are amazing!!

Time to tackle some indoor projects!!

The awning has been rolled in; light-weight items are under cover.

More information, and pictures, as the weather worsens.

My friend, David, has recently repaired three RV slide-outs. One dear old gentleman–and his La-Z-Boy recliner–went through the floor. One dear vision-impaired, deaf CARE resident had serious problems with her living room slide-out. The most recent job can only be identified as a major catastrophe!! David has been on the current job for almost two weeks–and not finished yet!!

The supports for my slide-out look good, and I don’t have any spongy areas on my floor (that I’m aware of). BUT I am “paranoid” (lol) or properly prepared (proactive)?? ~~ With my “glider”-recliner at that location, I won’t be able to “recline” and limited “gliding.” But that’s the price I pay for piece of mind!!

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(I love a play on words.)

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Patricia

Proper preparation

Paranoid

Proactive

Peace (of mind)

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Pumpkin person (just for laughs).

Actually, this is the way an artist pumpkin carver saw “yours truly.”

Remember my blog messages about The Shelter that Ingenuity Built and Bad news, good news?? A BIG storm–and Hurricane Patricia –is moving in… and the wind is whipping my patio awning, and shelter. I’m apprehensive that the tarp will blow away in our first big wind storm!! So I’m already planning my next project: “Tie downs” over the top of the structure. I thought I’d mix up two more pails of cement, insert a long horseshoe-shape piece of rebar, to attach a strap. David suggests four pails, and two straps. Here is a description of what I have in mind–but I don’t want something with stencils. I’ll search further. ~~ Sadly, I’m sitting at my computer, looking out the kitchen-sink window, watching the tarp whipping in the wind. Truthfully, I sitting at my computer and the wind is rocking my trailer-home!!!! ~~ I’m perplexed: Do I need 100 pounds of cement each, or will 50 pounds of cement each be sufficient??

This morning, I raked and swept leaves and debris. I have two large bags of leaves, etc., for David’s “landfill.” His home is next to a ravine that he is slowly filling with natural material. ~~ With this wind, as you might imagine, my patio and sidewalk is littered again.

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Postscript, Friday, October 23, 2015, 11:50 AM: Ordered on-line from CustomTieDowns.com. I was able to purchase “olive drab” color so it will blend better with the camouflage tarp. I also ordered two tie-downs for the corners of my awning. Hopefully David will have time to put up my awning before Hurricane Patricia arrives in Texas.  (My awning needs repair [when David has time] and it requires two people to “hand roll” it up to the side of the trailer.)

You’re weary of details about my projects?! I want to share a few more pictures. Other than David’s labor, and the large new $50.00 tarp, the “shelter” was virtually “free.”   Bungee cords, tarps, and tarp clamps, have been with my camping supplies for decades. It is such a delight to have most of my yard, and garden, clutter out-of-sight. When the meteorologist’ predict freezing temperatures, I’ll move some planters–and cover others.

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Good news: The backyard neighbor loves the camouflage tarp. She doesn’t want the lattice/trellis again. ~~ I moved the cement bases–temporarily–for the Thrift and Gift sign.