The Storm Before The Calm

It's been a difficult week...all the hardships of travel and few of the joys. But, tired stiff bodies and ragged nerves notwithstanding, we're now licensed to drive, which is somewhat important when one lives in a motor home.

Tuesday the air conditioner was finally installed. We have cool air AND heat throughout the coach. Yay! This has been a two-month project. Tom of Tom's RV also looked at our refrigerator, which was cooling at about 60 degrees, somewhat warmer than a Minnesota summer. Eventually we're going to need a new LP burner for it, but he cleaned it up and it's back down to the recommended 38. It should keep until spring.

On our journey back from Texas, we developed some overheating problems in the engine that we want to make sure don't plague us as we head over the Rocky Mountains to Spokane, so the coach went back into the shop (Boyer Truck) on Wednesday for a radiator flush and a repair to the tail pipe, which fell off somewhere on the Oklahoma tollway...probably about the same time we lost our center visor. Mark was able to reinstall the visor the next day after super-gluing the plastic piece that had snapped off from all the shaking. I'm still trying to work out what Oklahoma is doing with all that toll money they collect, because it doesn't appear to be going to road upkeep.

While our home was in the shop, we had the pleasure of spending part of the day with Mark's kids and grandkids, some of whom are visiting from Georgia. We had lunch and then peeked into the St. Paul Cathedral before taking a tour of the James J. Hill House, dubbed "Minnesota's Downton Abby." For those who don't know, James J. Hill, among other accomplishments, built the Great Northern Railroad from St. Paul to Seattle.

We didn't get our coach back until nearly 7 pm, and by the time we got to our next stopping place, Peaceful Valley Campground in Le Sueur, it was dark. Still, Mark did a superb job backing into our spot and got us all hooked up to electric, water, and sewer before we settled in for the night.

And the park does indeed have a peaceful ambience, a welcome change from Walmart parking lots. However, they charge for guests...$3 per day, per person. Not cool. You shouldn't have to pay extra for short-term visitors.

Mark spent yesterday with his family, beginning with an early breakfast - he was out the door before my eyes opened in the morning. I, on the other hand, had a quiet, restorative day alone - something introverts require to keep them sane. By late afternoon, I was ready for visitors again when Mark brought home Melanie and the kids for a tasty rotisserie chicken dinner, particularly pleasant in that I didn't have to cook anything. And it just dawned on me that I took no pictures at all! (I'm going to have to do better at this blog thing.) Olive is growing so much. She's a delightful baby, full of smiles. Though she isn't quite ready for this stranger to get too close, I did get a few kisses in, and managed to hold her once or twice without too much complaint. The boys are a delight to talk to. They are bright and cheerful, inquisitive and full of energy. Asher (who is 7) told me he wants to be a pet store salesman...and if that doesn't work out, a pilot. Asa (11) thinks he'll be a businesman. And according to Asher, Alex (16) has a 70% chance of going to college. I'd give him better odds than that, but brothers will be brothers.

This morning we'll be having a late breakfast with them before they head back to Georgia. Then Mark and I will sit down and work out the details of our trip to Spokane.