“Bright before me the signs implore me:Help the needy and show them the way.Human kindness is overflowing,And I think it’s gonna rain today.”
~ Randy Newman
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RpPKmnH9sAs
Started the week with Cosmo not feeling well. I knew something was wrong when I offered him his morning treat on Sunday and he turned his head away without taking it. He went back to sleep. Then I made breakfast for him and he wouldn’t eat. I started to research emergency vets in the area. We went outside and he peed and pooped and seemed normal but still wouldn’t eat. I packed up and got ready to head north to the pet ER. What would I tell them? He didn’t eat breakfast? Nothing else seemed off, except he slept most of the day. But it was raining and I too slept most of that day. I found some plain Greek Yogurt. We often share ice cream and so I ate a spoonful out of the container and offered him a spoonful. He declined. But I made slurping noises as I ate a bit more and gave him another chance. He took some. I gave him more and he soon ate half the (8 oz) container. I dug around in the cupboard and found a can of chicken I’d bought in case Cosmo ever got an upset stomach. I boiled some rice and mixed the chicken in. He ate half of it. He slept well that night even if I did not, and by Monday he seemed back to his usual self. If you know me, you know I was a total wreck for 24 hours.
It rained for 3 days. The wash next to me turned into a river and my site was soaked, though with the sandy soil, it dried quickly. We went out in between downpours and mostly avoided the heavy spells.
Cosmo got to walk with me down to the newly formed river and went in up to his knees and elbows.
After the rains subsided, I went outside to put my table back up and found this guest lying in wait for me.
Hard to see, right? That’s the point! AZ is just full of well camouflaged critters waiting to get you!
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The gauge on my freshwater tank has never worked. I have to estimate how much water I’ve used. On average, I can go 10 to 14 days in between filling it up. On Thursday, I was running low on milk for my coffee and on snacks, so I decided to drive into town to remedy the situation. I definitely didn’t want to leave my favorite spot on a Friday or Saturday, or it would surely be occupied when I returned. So it was either go on Thursday or try to hold out until Sunday. I opted to go. First stop was propane. I went to a motel/RV park up the road where I’ve always gotten propane and they allow me to fill my water for free. The usual lady was not there. Instead, were two young men (30’s?) who appeared to be doing some sort of maintenance. They tried to ignore me when I entered the office but finally one said in a gruff voice, “What do you need buddy.” (I knew by his tone I was not his buddy.) I said I needed propane and water, and he said, “We’re out of propane.” I didn’t believe him, but asked if I could top off my water tank. He said abruptly, “Loves Travel Stop up the street has water” and went back to ignoring me. I was so flustered that I forgot to dump my trash at the adjacent Pilot Travel Stop. I drove up to Love’s and got propane. Two men were blocking the water spigot. I couldn’t figure out what they were doing, but after about 20 minutes, they went inside, got drinks and were ready to pull out. It turns out that one was in a disabled class C (bigger than my van; basically, a truck with living space in the back) and the other was in a truck towing him. They pulled out and drove/got towed around to the propane tank. (There wasn’t a full set of teeth between them, nor apparently an working brain.) I pulled up to the water and as I was going to attach my hose, saw the sign that said “Non-potable water. DO NOT DRINK.” I waited all that time and didn’t get water. Batting zero, I went to the dollar store and got my milk, cheese, dog food and some snacks. I went to dump trash, but the dumpster was locked. I returned to my spot (which remained unoccupied) and set up. I was so disappointed. I returned home with no water, and without dumping my trash. Those were probably the two most important chores. Oh well…
The rest of the week was uneventful. I started planning my trip to Quartzsite, but it’s still 105˚ there during the day. I’m hoping to leave here on the 9th and head to Buckeye, AZ, then on to Q.
I came across this in the NY Times:
I’m still laughing. What has this world come to that “frazzled consumers” (AKA Carpet Walkers) want to get back to nature by purchasing a juniper latte at Starbucks. 😊
Lessons From The Road: I’ve been conscious of abundance and lack this week. At the beginning of the week, I had a full tank of propane, fully charged solar batteries, and a full tank of water. I had a full quart of milk. So I took several hot showers, didn’t think twice about washing dishes or mopping the floor, and used copious amounts of frothed milk in my afternoon lattes. Then as the week wore on, and I was unsure how much water I had left in the tank, was down to 1/3 bottle of milk, I was much more conservative about showers and lattes. Three days of rain, and my batteries were charged to under 50% at the end of the day. Should I use propane to cook as opposed to microwaving a meal? Which would run out first, propane or electricity. My point isn’t so much about what I have or don’t have an abundance of, but rather how I respond to having full tanks/bottles/batteries and having nearly empty ones. There is a richness, a lack of concern when I am in an abundant headframe; there is constant caution and monitoring when I’m in “lack mode.” I have vowed to do my best to always have more than enough of the things I need, so I can constantly stay in that abundance frame of mind.
And finally, my happy song of the week:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4NJRCCgK_AM
That’s all I’ve got.
See you down the road,