I had an incredibly wonderful, relaxing three day weekend. As much as I accomplished, it would not appear that it was relaxing, but it was. I managed to tie up a bunch of things that had been digging a bedding ground for ‘non-accomplishment rot’ for a long time.

How I got the extra day off is a little baffling to even me. I just asked on Thursday night if I could have Friday off, and after checking everything over, Tom said, “Yes!” Whoopee! My truck driving sis was hitting town on Friday and it would be perfect, we hadn’t crashed through Vegas for a few weeks and it was high time we did.

I planned to sleep some early Friday a.m., like about 1 a.m. to 6 or 7 a.m. and then get up to do a few things to carve the ‘non-accomplishment rot’ out of my brain. I tried to sleep but it didn’t work. Instead I started my first chore about 3:30 a.m., that was getting ready to stow and load everything, take down the slides, unhook all hook-ups, raise all the jacks, and hook up the coach to the Silver Steed. I’ve been beating myself up over the fact that when I parked the coach in December, I had parked it 6″ too close to the Italian cypress. When I extended the big slide, it moved right up against the cypress, not punishing the tree, but right into the boughs which means that every time the wind blew or the coach rocked, it rubbed the cypress. I knew I didn’t need damage to the finish of the coach (and I’m really partial to saving a tree), and finally decided it was the big day.

It took me a total of three hours to do everything, from start to finish, leveling up, and having the coach back to better than good. I even put the UV protective tire covers back on the coach. My son came over, with a ladder, to help me put the canopy out, (normally it is easy for one person to do it but my bro, when I was in Idaho last year, let the rope pull go and it wound up in the canopy so fast that I couldn’t spot it from 12′ below where I stood. We put the canopy out, tied the ends down to stakes that were left by previous RV’ers, and I was feeling pretty damn kewl about the whole thing. Not to worry, the wind came up on Saturday – the kind that makes one think you will end up in Kansas. The canopy is still there. Whew! This is my baby home and the Silver Steed that tows it easily down the road – such a far cry from a year and a half ago when I pulled out of Wheeler RV. And yes, those blasted jacks are working perfect now.

I have an end lot in the RV park and am thinking I might plant some flowers/desert plants in my little section of dirt. I did bring a yellow bird of paradise from a seedling that started at Hyman Place (my home in the NW), it’s too small to be seen here. I really like the park and I love the coach and the Steed. A trip north is in my plans for the annual August reunion. I can hardly wait. I get to visit with sisters and brothers and play poker with great nieces and nephews and family. I hope all three of my sons will make it to the reunion, but it’s tough with everyone’s time schedule. One thing that my brothers and sisters have decided is, we will be there, as long as we are alive and able to make it.

Saturday night found me getting a call from Jim AKA the Monkey. He was in town and ready to feed. I met him at the Palms where we hooked up with Wayne and a few of Wayne’s friends that were in town visiting, Kim and Benton. We went to the Black Angus on Sahara and Decatur for food. If you haven’t been there, you’re missing some really super food at a reasonable price. I left Jim at the ‘New Frontier’ which won’t be there much longer either. It’s going down, another Vegas move to destroy history and just kick it under, rebuild something bigger and better. And I headed for home.

Sunday found me finally getting Sirius. Nice. I knew it was out there, I just didn’t get motivated. I’m so glad I did. I have the Sporster3 and have it set up in the coach, slamming through the Bose, and will hook up the equipment to use it in the Steed. Perfect for long stretches on the road when I’m out traveling. And that dream will come true, it’s just a matter of time.

While I was getting Sirius, I cranked up the Onan generator and let it run for an hour just for maintenance factors. It’s my prime source of electrical when I’m on the road unless I park at an RV park. I have to keep it in good running shape and it cost so damn much that I’d better keep it in good running shape.

My two sons. that live in Vegas. came to meet me Sunday evening and we went out to dinner. Better than nice. I love my kids. It was Father’s Day and I suppose to some extent, I should be told Happy Mother’s Day and Happy Father’s Day since I raised them. Being a single parent isn’t easy and God knows there were days when I wondered if I would have to kill all three of them or kill myself *sick Linda terminology* but now we have all reached a point where we understand and care for each other. I’m sure they had just as difficult a time putting up with me at times, as I did with them.
So…back to the Noise. See you there!