Spring Cleaning

Stix n Brix
Clayton, NC

I got the grass (weeds) cut yesterday.  We had taken the Miata to the mechanic at Clayton Tire to have a minor oil leak fixed and they fixed the lawnmower tire in just a couple of minutes.  I will definitely miss them when we hit the road this Fall.  When I finished with the lawn, the mower would not crank up to put it in storage.  It’s more than just the battery.  Oh well, just one more reason to hit the road.

After that bit of yard work, I got a bucket out and washed the waverunners.  We’ve enjoyed them immensely the past few summers, but it’s time for someone else to enjoy them.  Gin charged one battery but the other one is bad so we replaced it today.  They’ll go on Craigslist soon.

 

While I had the bucket and brush out, the Suki got a bath.  Can you tell that I’m a bit vertically challenged?  The water beads up so good because I put Rejex on it last fall.  The pine pollen is starting to turn everything yellow so it’ll need to be rinsed off again in a few days.

 

Throughout all this labor, I had a special supervisor.  Smudge is getting close to 14 years old and has slowed down a lot in the past year or two.  She’s pretty much deaf and can’t see too good either.

As Gin and I were wrapping things up yesterday, Smudge gave us quite a scare.  She had a seizure.  It’s the first one she’s ever had.  She stood there with her body curled up and trebling.  I gently picked her up and held her until she came out of her daze.  She’s always been an unfriendly dog, but we love her.

Thanks for dropping by, and enjoy each day of your life’s journey by finding beauty in the ordinary.

Busy Week End

Stix n Brix, NC

We went to the RV Show in Raleigh on Friday.  There were lots of travel trailers, fifth wheels, and motorhomes  there.  Lots of campground display vendors too.  We went right to the Winnebagos and Tiffins and didn't really check out any other rigs.  It was good to get a brochure of the Virginia State Parks and a few other things although we tried to keep it light.  It is March Madness with the NCAA Basketball playoffs going strong this week end and all the rv's had there outside tvs on so that the salesmen could catch the games.  There weren't that many people there so I don't blame them.  I'm not sure why we went since it only made our hearts ache for the day that we get on the road in a relaxed fulltime mode.

On Saturday we went to visit our parents.  It was a beautiful day.  Gin spent time with her folks doing computer work and sharing the 1900 photos that she had scanned for them.  I had lunch with Mom and a few of her friends at Second Street Lunch.  After enjoying a couple of hot dogs, we went to see my brother Doug and SiL Carla who were busy in their back yard.  They have done a lot of work in preparation for for Philip and Leslie's wedding in May.  It makes me feel so lazy knowing how much work is ahead of us.

Sunday was a day at home.  I had planned to get the mower out and cut the weeds, but that didn't go too well.  The battery was dead and both front wheels were completely flat.  Gin was able to put air in one of them ok, but the other one needs more TLC.  She'll take it to the tire shop tomorrow.  I spent the next several hours burning off the yard debris from the bush pruning a couple of weeks ago while Gin worked in the MH putting up new window blinds.  It was nice to get some things done, but we are both tired and sore.  I think we'll take the next couple of days off except that I have to go to work.

Thanks for dropping by, and enjoy each day of your life's journey by finding beauty in the ordinary.

RV Ready?

Stix n Brix
Clayton, NC

Welcome to our newest follower, Deborah who has a wonderful blog and is going through a very busy time right now.  She recently retired and they will soon close on the sale of their home so they can start the fulltime life that so many of us are looking forward to.  They are going to the RV-Dreams Rally in April so we hope to meet them there.

We've spent a little bit of time in the MH the past couple of days.  Even though it was in our driveway, it still felt good.  This past weekend while I was at work, Gin spent some time out there working on the big windows.  A couple of years ago she put some reflective dark film on the windows.  We like the darkness but not the reflectivity so she has taken that off.  She's also replacing the blinds in there.  She's so gifted.  I took the time to go through the kitchen and rearrange some things.  I think that we will be able to put enough cookware in there so that we won't starve.  ;)

This coming weekend there is an RV show in Raleigh.  We plan to go so that we can get some more motivation.  We certainly can't think about buying anything new but it doesn't hurt to dream.  There's no problem getting motivated to get in the MH but rather to get the house ready to put on the market.  We sold our other house 12 years ago with it being listed for only a few weeks.  The market is not the same now and neither is the way houses are shown.  I'm sure the agent will want to put it on the internet with "staged" pictures to make it look like it's in a magazine.  I hate that.  We've gotten rid of some of our furniture and wall hangings  already so I'm not sure what magazine it would represent.  I still have positive thoughts about the housing market here.  We are in a good location so I think it'll sell shortly after I retire.  Darn.  That reminds me.  I've got to go to work in the morning...

Thanks for dropping by, and enjoy each day of your life's journey by finding beauty in the ordinary.

House Prep

Stix n Brix
Clayton, NC

We do still exist.  It’s been a while since I’ve posted.  Gin and I share just about everything so I made sure that she had that crud of a cold for a couple of weeks too.  She’s just now getting over it.  We’ve been about as useless as a pair of mittens in the Florida Keys.  We started to wonder just how much snot our sinuses could produce.  OK…a little too much information?

While we were being useless, Harry power-washed the house and fence, painted the trim work, and replaced the screen on our back porch.  I’m so glad we hired him.  He did a great job at a good price.  It took him 7 days and I’m sure it would have taken us 7 weeks.  He works by himself so he uses a lot of ladders.

 

The house looks like new on the outside if you ignore the roof.  We do not plan to replace the shingles.  The neighboring houses also look like that.

This has gotten us motivated to do some yard work.  I pruned the roses, a crape myrtle, and cut the monkey grass while Gin pruned a tree.  She really couldn’t breathe good at all.  That hill in the back yard gets steep after a while.

  

Next month we’ll have 50 bales of pine straw put out around the house.  The grass will be turning green then and I’ll put out some weed and feed to make it look good.  We plan to put it on the market in May or June but we still have some touch up painting to do inside not to mention Yard Sales.  We’re having a little trouble getting motivated but I don’t think that’ll be a problem.  We’re going to the RV-Dreams Rally in April.  Talk about motivation!

Thanks for dropping by, and enjoy each day of your life’s journey by finding beauty in the ordinary.