Visitor

Mary-Anne from Asheville came to visit, quite unexpectedly. She had to go to Lexington KY and thought she'd just drive another few hundred miles to come see where I'd been spending my time. There was one cabin left so I snagged it for her. These have no indoor water or cooking or bathroom, just beds, but does have a/c and heat and a little porch with a swing. She came in on Tuesday afternoon while I was at work. I had to work Wed. too, but she just took a break. We were going to order pizza Tue eve but when I called the place at 8:30pm they said they'd taken all their delivery orders for the night, so I got to cook. Cooked again on Wed. eve, too. Weather was great.

Yesterday I was off, so we drove back roads into the metropolis of Greensburg. Wore one of those new shirts I mentioned I'd gotten. She thinks it's very flattering on me. Good to know. Hit B&N for some books. Got directions (sort of) for two used bookstores in downtown Greensburg (which we'd just left). Naturally, turned the wrong way on Main and had to backtrack. Found Patty's, a warren of little rooms overflowing with pbs only. Traded in most of the books I'd been saving up and got a dozen or so. Got directions to Tommy's, which turned out to be a real bookstore, mostly hardbacks with a few pbs mixed in. Heavy on literature and history. Too many duplicates and high prices. Saw an Umberto Eco book of essays in the Language section, a trade paperback for which he wanted $20. Did get a tpb by William Martin, which he recommended. It's about a rare book dealer and historical manuscripts etc (only $10). When he found I was a bookdealer, he wanted to discuss the sad state of afffairs in the bookstore world. He and his customers discussed restaurant options for us -- we wanted a good steak and a drink.

Mr. P's was the final decision. Back out on the commercial strip, go past, make U turn and come back. Naturally, it wasn't that easy but we found it. Ate in the bar, no other women in there but several older men. Ditzy waitress. Four steaks on the menu but turns out that's the Dinner side not the Lunch side. Wound up with a burger (pretty good) and crab-stuffed mushrooms (good). Mary-Anne had a Caesar Salad w/chicken, and got really adventurous and had Escargots, which she really liked. We decided we wouldn't ever come back to this place again. I drank a gimlet (okay) and she had a margarita.

Off to Giant Eagle to grocery shop. By this time, the skies clouded over and it began to rain. It's about 4pm so we decided to call it a day. Somehow got turned around and started off in the wrong direction. When we saw the Arnold Palmer Airport we knew we'd gone wrong. Turned around and backtracked. Saw the Rt. 136 sign and took it. We knew a bridge was out and that we'd need to follow a detour. But we went wrong again and wound up out in some boonies called Versailles township (not on the map). Backtracked again, saw the Advance Auto Parts we'd already passed two times that day, so knew we were heading back into Greensburg. They gave us directions to the PA Turnpike, to I-70, and we finally make it back about 5:30. Tired.

Watched TV for the results of So You Think You Can Dance, and watched Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grader? before it. She went backto the cabin about 10 and I checked out about 11. She came up for coffee this am and we plotted a nice route back to Asheville. She's been gone about an hour. Naturally, lots of talking and catching up happened during the visit. It was great to see her. I miss my Asheville friends. But I'll be back in October.

The RV ceiling has begun to show seepage in the ceiling. We put Kool-Seal on the roof but I think the a/c is sagging and that's was causing it. One of the guys here is going to take a look at it. Hope it's something simple..

Minor Foray

Unhooked everything today, after putting most things away so chaos wouldn't result while driving. Naturally, forgot a few things (like turning the fridge off). Had planned to do a few errands and then do some wandering. First thing, got hairs cut. Went to Wal-Mart for a few things. Did you know there's only one check-out for tobacco products? Went to Goodwill land dropped off a few things I no longer needed. Food shopped at Giant Eagle. These stores vary widely -- one will be very upscale with lots of organic and ethnic food; the next will be no better than a discount grocery, and that's what I got today. Not too happy.

Then I thought I'd like to take myself out to eat, have a steak and a glass of wine. Went into a Ponderosa Steakhouse. Turns out to be a chain, no alcohol, buffet practically mandatory. Said never mind and left. Tried another area which had been touted as a restaurant area. Much construction, large trucks, hot, sweaty. The hell with it. Came back to camp. Fixed myself a plate of turkey, pickled beets, hard-boiled egg, and fresh pineapple.

Did get a couple of deep-V neck stretch t-shirts, one in fuschia and one in black. Look pretty good. Much more fitted than I usually do. I seem to be in a state of change in several areas. Not sure where it's all going or where it'll all wind up but it's interesting so far. In some respects, the death of my mother has freed me from wanting to avoid things just to avoid the hassle of dealing with her. So, I may be becoming a different person, or at least different parts of me are coming to the fore.

TTFN

Moving Around

I'm beginning to move at something like my normal speed (don't anybody say snail, okay?). This is a really good thing because I'm really starting to bemoan the lack of exercise. Feel like I'm getting fat and slug-like. Not an attractive image. Hope to start walking more around the campground at a brisker pace.
The black water tank has a small leak. Ick. I have some miracle putty stuff so I'm going to have to plan ahead to get it dumped and really well flushed out with clean water. Then I get to crawl underneath, find the leak and dry the area, and apply putty. O frabjous day.
Next week I have three days off in a row (wow!) so I want to get the leak fixed by then so that I can take off and do some exploring. Maybe even stay away overnight! Oooh, how exciting and daring. I really need to find some used bookstores and trade in stuff. New book prices are killing me, and I'm just not used to having to "buy" books.
Speaking of bookstores, I've heard that New Bridge Books in Woodfin (Jerry Kent's store) will be closing sometime this summer. Asheville is losing good used bookstores at a rapid rate all of a sudden (Atlantic Books, Reader's Corner, New Bridge, When Pigs Fly--on Sweeten Creek, that bookstore/cafe on Haywood Rd). Pretty soon, it'll be back down to just DBN, like it was 10 years ago.
Weather turned really cool a few days ago, which meant long pants and a blanket and heat at night. Now it's back to warm but not hot. Good.
Will report later on my foray into the hinterlands.
TTFN

Fathers

Not too much happening lately. Really busy yesterday, what with all the Father's Day weekenders arriving, along with a few walk-ins (that is, they drive into the campground in their RV and then walk into the Lodge to register). By 10pm quitting time, my ankle was twice as big as it had been at the start of my shift.

A young man (about 16) asked me for gift ideas for his dad (real last-minute gift). The dad is a professional caterer so he certainly doesn't need cooking utensils. I said I have a cool book I'd sell him, a camping cookbook written by professional chefs. Two birds, one stone. And I'm still a bookseller. Yah!

Too bad I never got to grow up with a father or father figure of any kind. My own father died when I was three and mom never remarried. There was my grandfather in the house, the alcoholic (living with my grandmother would do that), but it wasn't the same -- he didn't want kids or to be a father. Ah well, just one of those life experiences I'll never have. And if I had had a dad (hah, poetry!), I wouldn't be the person I am now.

As to fantasies, I've been doing a lot of thinking about what to say, what not to say, how much to say. The decision is that I just can't talk about my personal fantasies on a public blog. Talking about them face to face one-on-one is one thing, but discussing them on a public forum is another. Can't do it. It's not everybody's business. Sorry. The best I'll be able to do is an oblique reference occasionally in the midst of talking about something else.

Fauna etc

Once again, I had a post that didn't make it, so I'm trying again. Everyone will be thrilled to know that it has COOLED OFF. Hip hip hooray. I actually slept under a sheet last night.

As to fauna, I'm surrounded by chipmunks, rabbits, robins, etc. Must remember to open the hood so critters don't think of the engine compartment as a safe nesting place.

As to human fauna, JR turns out to be a social critter who goes out to bars etc almost every night. So far I haven't been asked to go along, but if he does, I will. P found out he'd taken me shopping and on a small tour of the local area (saw a Slovenian Hall in the metropolis of Yukon). She wanted to know if he showed me where he goes dancing. Had to say no as he hadn't mentioned dancing, just drinking. Funny stuff, these social politics.

Final estate stuff showed up so now I have to find a notary and then mail it all back. Glad it's nearly over. I'm still carting my half of Mom's ashes around. Eventually will make my way to Galen Michigan so deposit her at my father's grave.

Let's see if this posts. If so, greetings to all.

Krafts R Not Us

I didn't mind the kids nearly as much as I minded the weather, 90+ deg. and humid. We started off with little kits of rubber dinosaurs with punch-out pieces to glue on their sides (and an eye, too). We gave them grass to make ridges. A magnet glues on the back. The next hour was salting the sandbox with lots of little toys and trinkets for the kids to dig up, as in a archaeological dig. Then came the water balloon fight. The kids were very well behaved and no problem, what with their parent watching them and helping them.

By this time (about 1pm) I was feeling the usual signs of heat exhaustion so I abandoned Cindy and went to the rig, turned on the AC, got naked, and collapsed. Am glad I'm off tomorrow. Talked to the boss about not doing outside stuff.

Feeling better now, almost ready to eat something.

Latest Foray

I've missed posting, too, folks. I try often but it just doesn't always work. Let's see if this makes it on. I went shopping today with JR, a fellow workamper. He has a 5th wheel so his truck is free. Of course, it came on to rain and it weren't no ordinary rain, it were a frog strangler.

At the camp, I've been set up with a small deck, so I had to get a lounge chair and an umbrella, both pretty cheap at Walmart. It'll be nice to sit out and drink my coffee and work a crossword. My site really starts to look like a home. I've blocked off the windows in the driving compartment so that I could take off the curtain blocking the cabin. This gives the illusion of more space and better airflow, too.

I've been complimented by the owner, who thinks I'm doing wonderfully well. She thinks that I can be a supervisor or the like at KOAs in the future. That would mean more money, too.

See, now I'm getting messages that the connection to Blogger has been lost and regained. Humph.

The ankle is doing very well and I can almost move at normal speed. Hooray.

This coming Saturday is the day I'm to do CRAFTS with the kids. For six hours. Un huh. I can see me doing that, can't you? A full report will be forthcoming.

As to my thoughts on fantasies, I'm still thinking about what I want to say. Some of it is so personal I've never told anybody and doubt I'll post it to a public blog, for pity's sake. But I do have some thoughts about fantasies, sexual I mean, that I will post. Soon.

There are waking fantasies, that is, daydreams, that can focus on actual people. Then there are the ones that arise on the border between waking and sleeping that are more amorphous and less directed in content. Very occasionally, there are the ones that happen during full sleep that can wake you up in the throes of arousal. I'll talk about all of these, to one degree or another.

TTFN