What a Week

I am at the last couple of weeks in this session of school, trying to finish things, taking exams, just one hassle after another pops up. I’m just trying to fit everything into what, sometimes, seems like an impossible time frame. To add to this more ‘normal’ bustle, TA-DA, camping season has begun for us.

“TA-DAA! Let The Camping Begin!”

We start a little earlier than others do because ‘we can’. Yes, no kids in school and the heat of a furnace in our RV…in Minnesota it is still in the 30’s Fahrenheit at night right now. That temp is only for the hardiest tent campers to be sure.

ANYWAY so it is like running two houses then, instead of one and I am all into getting the house on wheels ready, washing up things that had been stuffed away, getting food in and so on. Though very tired at that point, it is worth it just to GET AWAY!, go some place else, walk some trails, have a campfire….ROAST MARSHMALLOWS (which I am well known for!). So it has come time to go, OH home from work is changing his clothes then we will be off. He moves a cargo trailer, which sits in front of the RV most of the time while parked by the house, to drive the RV down to the road. Then I generally push the trailer back to where it belongs so I can drive the car down as we hitch the car to the back of the RV.

The problem came when I pushed the front trailer wheel right over my right foot. OUCH! Couldn’t move or even breath there for minute or 5. Yep…I got it off, but couldn’t even utter a word. I have broken my little toe and caused a lot of bruising. Then after the first pain came and went, my foot was numb. Even though my OH had then suggested we call off the trip, heck…I couldn’t feel my foot (not much pain in that) so I was GOING! I’d done a lot of work to get this thing in gear, and wasn’t stopping for anything. Once inside the RV I took some Alieve and the pain had returned….I rode with my foot up on the dash the whole way.

Here is the culprit, the little hard wheel in the front , that did in my foot and started this whole messy week!

I hobbled around pretty well though considering and my two year old grandson (we met my kids there at the park they have a tent trailer) wanted to walk so fortunately his small steps were a really good excuse for me *not* to hurry along the trails.

We didn’t do much trail walking though, turned out to be a rainy weekend, so the hiking was off and on small trips. I used a hiking stick that we have tucked away in the closet most of the time and relied on it so heavily that my arm muscles were sore. I must have walked so oddly trying to protect my right foot that my back began to ache.

Once home I went about normal chores both for the RV and house until Friday. When, after mopping the tile in the kitchen and rolling around with the vacuum cleaner on the floor to clean under the couch, I suddenly was in so much pain I could hardly stand taking a deep breath. My back decided enough was enough and was protesting it the loudest voice it had. PAIN!

(Ok, that’s not me and he is really not in a lot of pain…just being forced to wear a cow rain slicker and boots…but thought you could use a little visualization at this point.)

I was miserable and could hardly find a position to sleep in. Saturday I woke up only to feed the animals, take them out and then went back to sleep. By Saturday afternoon it was better, but I was still having problems moving and this has pretty much persisted and is ongoing as I am taking time to sit here and write about it. Most likely I will give it a little more time and then if it doesn’t improve go to see a doctor, though I have not a lot of faith that they will do much. Not big on going to doctors and have seen way more of them than I ever wanted to.

So that is the way it is here right now…. to think that all this because I was an idiot who pushed a trailer over her foot…. from now on I will let someone else do the pushing….or my daughter suggested steel toed boots, that might be the ticket.

With Just a Couple of Good Showers

We see the flower garden starting to ‘POP’!

Grass starting to grow and trees starting to sprout bright green leaves.

Finally, proof that spring has indeed sprung!

Hopefully by mid-June it will look like this:

And I am trying something new this year! We used to have a garden plot as well where we grew tomatoes, cucumbers, bell peppers and a variety of peppers like banana peppers. Years ago we gave that up. However, I have really been missing the home grown tomatoes so this year, inspired partially by a tour of a place that grows veggies and such in a hanging position, I am going to give this a try! We purchased this little device that I will try growing tomatoes while they hang ‘upside-down’ .

The container I will use for this looks like this:

I will try and keep posting on how it goes. I already have the tomato plant (starting with just one) and am keeping it inside until it is warm enough to plant it outside. Here in Minnesota the general rule of thumb is not to put tender plants out until Memorial Day weekend (end of May). So just before that I will be moving the plant in and out in order to harden the plant and acclimate it to the outside. Then will put it out the end of May. It will hang from the eaves of our house over our deck. Should be interesting and I hope will yield some yummy tasting home grown tomatoes.

True Colors Thursday - Rainbow

Rainbow is the color of choice for this True Colors Thursday. Rainbow, to me, can mean a plethora of colors. They don’t have to be the brightest colors, just a range of colors. So for my first photo for this week’s True Colors I give you:

A Rainbow of Greyhounds! All reporting for their monthly heartworm preventative.

Wrapping paper with a Rainbow of Colors.

A Rainbow of Balls In Motion

Rainbow colors of a handmade music box doll.

Last but certainly not least is a True Rainbow during a spring storm.

Sistertex.com

Sistertex.com is a website I have that is dedicated to our camping in Minnesota State Parks over the last few years. However, last year’s adventures I just didn’t get around to posting information about, but I will get to that AND try to keep up with this year’s trips as well. Our idea is to camp in every Minnesota State Park that allows camping. I recently changed providers for my site and it is also in dire need of updating (as I explained) but thought I would mention the site here and provide a link as further ‘incentive’ for me to GET IT DONE!

Sistertex

Sistertex welcomes you:

The above is basically how you are greeted upon arrival at the site but other than that, the site is very basic…nothing fancy about it at all.

It was begun as a school project in my HTML classes, so no fancy software tools went into creating the site…as you can probably tell when perusing it. Perhaps someday I will get some fancier design going with it, but for now it serves the purpose. Mostly I’m using it for photographs from the parks we have visited. If you are interested and have a little time, I hope you will have a look.

The name Sistertex is something I am asked about occasionally, so might as well throw that in here too. Sistertex is a name created from combining two of my first Greyhounds’ names (Sister and Tex!) They inspired me greatly (along with my Blaze girl) to become a Retired Racing Greyhound advocate and rescue person. Though they are no longer with us, they will forever live on in my heart (as will all of the many hounds that have passed through my doors.)

By the way…that is Renner giving you his ‘come-hither’ look in the photo.

ABC Wednesday – The Letter ‘O’

This ABC Wednesday brings us the letter ‘O’ and I will start of with a photo of a friendly little Opossum.

Also an Owl who occasionally hangs out…maybe looking for an Opossum for its lunch. (Yikes!)

A scene from an apple Orchard

A bright Orange bird at Busch Gardens, Florida

A Greyhound Outside

More Greyhounds looking Outside from an Open door.

True Colors Thursday – Rust

I give you Rust, which is the color of choice for this week’s True Colors Thursday.

Cat Feet On Rust Rug

Rust Colored Pipestone At Pipestone National Park

Leaves of Fall – Camden State Park, MN

True Rust of an old Railroad bridge spanning high over a trail at Camden State Park, MN.

Rust Painted Walls

A Greyhound With Rust Spots

Rust Colored Greyhound

Alphabet Wednesday – The Letter ‘N’

For Alphabet Wednesday I will start the letter ‘N’ off with a photo of a bird’s Nest, though oddly placed, I think it is lovely in design.

Next a lovely collection of Noses.

Greyhound Noses

Big People Noses

A Nose Profile

A Little Person’s Nose

A little person’s Nose smeared with chocolate cookie.

Goat Nose.

Cat Nose

My Nose

True Colors Thursday - Lime

True Colors Thursday brings us to the color Lime!

Baby looks good in his Lime bib while playing with his Lime toys.

A shiny bow!

A funny greeting card….

The color of new spring growth.

ABC Wednesday - ‘M’

Kicking off ABC Wednesday - ‘M’ is Minnesota, my home state.

The photo below is of the Twin Cities: Minneapolis/St. Paul.

The Mississippi River flows through Minnesota, look at the photo below and this is the Mighty Mississippi River at a not so ‘Mighty’ spot.

But then Minnesota has a lot of waterfalls – the following one is Minnehaha Falls.

And the next one is Minneopa Falls which is actually a double waterfall.

The photos that follow are photos taken while driving from Minnesota to Florida.

The Mountains of Tennessee (please pardon the reflection of the windshield)

Coming back down through the Mountains they feel it necessary to provide Runaway Truck Ramps

For some reason I found this Motorcyclist’s Jacket fascinating. It declared him an ‘Iron Pig’.

We also saw a Mega-Cross.

And then of course I’d also like to celebrate Monty who is one of my kitties, turning 20 years old this Month!