SEVEN MONTHS IS TOO LONG

Yes, it's been 7 months since I have been to the beach.  It was just a short visit but a needed one.  I was hoping it would be cold but the temps were in the 70s and there were droves of mosquitoes that attacked us everywhere we went.  I used bug spray but that didn't help much.  It was awful.  I have never experienced mosquitoes in such hordes at the beach.  The town sprayed insecticide every night and that did help some but the next day they were back.  So I stayed inside a lot and watched movies.

Temps did drop some that first night and I got to use my electric fireplace.  It kept us nice and toasty.

I did enjoy riding my new electric bike around the park as well as on the beach.  As long as I was moving I didn't get bit but as soon as I slowed down or stopped they were all over me.  The beach has changed over the last few years.  There is grass growing all over the beach - that was never there before -  and that's where the mosquitoes nest.  Not sure why they allowed grass to grow but it's a big mistake as it will keep folks off the beach.

This is how it looks with all that ugly grass.  Note the green sign.

This is how it looked a few years ago.  You can see the corner of the green sign. 

This is the view of the front of the shelter.  The beach was so nice then.  There is the green sign on the left.

Enjoyed a fire the first night after the spray truck left.  It was nice and chilly and I covered up with a blanket and watched the fire for a long time.

The dogs love to sit on the picnic table.

Back home now and hoping I can take another short camping trip in a week or so.  Thinking about the Mississippi Gulf Coast.  

YAYA'S CAJUN PLEASURE IS BACK HOME ONCE AGAIN

After spending 43 days in a garage bay, my RV is back in my driveway tonight.  I had decided to go to the garage today and inform them that I would be taking my RV home and they could call me when the parts arrived and I would then return.  (The parts were on back order) However, when I got there I could see that the RV was no longer jacked up.  The mechanic immediately started to apologize.  At first, I didn't know why he was so apologetic.  Then he told me that the RV had been fixed and ready since last Wednesday but they couldn't find my phone number.  Well, I wasn't too upset about that because the family had suffered a great loss the day after I brought it in.  It is a family owned business and the father had a heart attack and died.  He was only 50.  So sad.

Anyway, I was extremely relieved that the new air bags were installed and holding air.  I went into the office to pay my bill and the happiness soon turned to shock.  The total bill was $1070.00.  I paid, thanked them, then returned home to wait for my neighbor to get off from work to take me back to pick it up.

My blood pressure went sky high and I even had chest pains which caused me great concern.  Once home I tried to relax and not think about the money.  It has been 7 months since I've been camping and in that time have spent $3,000 on the RV.  First it was a front end brake job, then it was a rear end break job, then it was 4 new tires, and then the busted air bags replaced.  When I think about how many camping trips I could have taken with that money I get sick to my stomach.

I am happy to have it back home and will be taking the rest of the month of December off from my Dog Sitting business to go on some short camping trips.  Can't afford much else.  Looks like it will be next winter before I can make it to the Atlantic Coast and down to the Florida Keys.

I'm hoping that nothing else goes wrong with the camper for a while but am concerned about the refridgerator.  Although it was not running while it was jacked up for 43 days, I worry that something may go wrong with the chemicals that run it.  I'll try it out tomorrow and see what happens.

VOICE OF THE WETLANDS FESTIVAL - 2015

Loaded up the RV and headed to the Voice of the Wetlands Festival.  It used to be held right behind my house but it is getting to be such a large event that they have moved to the outskirts of town in a large pasture cleared out for this event. 

Arriving at the festival.  Lots of land for parking.

Carolyn buying a t-shirt.

Craft Booths.  I bought some scented soaps and sprays.

Food Tent - I had the Chicken and Sausage Gumbo and Potato Salad.  Also got red velvet cake for dessert.

The weather was just beautiful and we sat under the big tent and enjoyed our food.  

Tent camping

RV campground and children's play area

Bandstand - People starting to arrive.

Tab Benoit Band

On the way to the festival I noticed that my right wheel made a grinding sound when I braked.  I couldn't believe my ears and my heart fell to the floor.  It was only 6 months ago when I had the same thing happen while on a camping trip.  Found a repair shop and had the calipers, brake pads, seals, bearings. and roters changed at a cost of $600.00.   Now it's starting to do it again, not as bad as before but doing it again.

I'm only 20 days away from my departure to Florida and this repair is going to take up most of the money I had budgeted for the trip.  I plan to take it into the Ford dealership tomorrow and have it checked out.

It's always something.

A BETTER IDEA - BUNK BED FOR THE CATS

A couple of months ago I posted about my cat hammock project for the RV.  Well, as my departure date nears I'm rethinking the set up.  I was not fond of the idea that I would have to set this up every night then take it down in the morning and store it while traveling.  So I started all over again with a new and better idea.  Here is a photo of the old set up.

I had to cut an inch off of each pipe and cut some of the canvas off in order to shorten the whole hammock.  Then I had to purchase 4 elbow joints and 4 - two foot lengths of pipe for the legs.  Everything fit in the space except the one leg near the stove.  So I had to replace the 2 foot leg with a longer pipe that would rest on the floor.  The other 3 legs sit on the wooden base of the bed.

My pet alligator seems to approve.

There is plenty of room for the dogs to sleep under the hammock.  They can also have the bottom half of the window to enjoy and the cats can have the top half.

This could also sleep a small child if necessary.  Might need a safety railing also.

I'll be sleeping on the side where the TV is - which used to be for the doggies.

Now if I could just come up with a way to place the litter box where I can't smell it.  I'm thinking of securing the bathroom door about 8 inches in an open position allowing an entry way for the cats to get to their litter box on the bathroom floor.  I'll post photos later as soon as I can come up with a way to fix the door for easy access for me as well.

I think I will place their food and water on the floor in front of the passenger seat. 

LAKE PONCHARTRAIN'S BEACH

Got up early this morning to head out to the beach before it got too hot.  Rode my bike and went alone.  I packed the doggie carriage but forgot to pack the wheels.  I always seem to forget something.  Poor little Tzus had to stay in the RV and miss walking in the sand.

Xi Shi heard a dog barking in the distance and I took the opportunity to snap a photo of her intense look.

Cha Bu also listening intently.

So around 8:00 this morning I was wading in the lake.  The water was cool and clear and it felt great.  Just a few folks walking around which was a big change from yesterday when all the little kiddies were here having fun in the sun.  Later this afternoon they were busing them in by the truckloads.

Last time I was here it was cold so I didn't venture off very far from the cement walk way.  However, today I went to the end of the sandy beach and totally enjoyed the area.  It was so strange to see trees and shade on a beach.  Just love it.

I could have stayed at this spot all day.

Met this nice couple and their Great Dane.

Rode over to the fishing pier.

The small waves were lapping the shore and the sound is oh so soothing to me.   

I stayed about an hour then returned to the RV to break camp.  Rode by the beach on the way out with intentions of letting the dogs walk around on the sand but there were those bus loads of small children heading that way so we just continued on to our house.  Got home around 2:00 this afternoon.  I am planning a return trip to this park as soon as we get our first cold spell.

FONTAINEBLEAU STATE PARK - 2015 - CAMPING IN JULY - WHAT WAS I THINKING

Broke camp this morning and dumped tanks.  I have a reservation for 3 days at a park about 30 minutes from where I am.  Called ahead to the park to ask if I  could check in a couple of hours earlier than is required.  Very friendly staff said sure, not a problem, come on over.  Got to the park around noon.

I like my site as I knew I would.  It's one of those half-moon pull through sites.  Had checked it out the last time I was here.  However, that was in the winter and I did not have shade in mind at the time.  When I got here there was some shade on my pull through, however, as the sun moved across the sky that all changed.



 

Lots of shade around the picnic table.  My awning did help some.

 

Looks nice but can't enjoy it with the high temps.

Over 100 degrees in the shade. 


Why can't we go outside Momi?
 

Around 4:00 I started to get shade on the other side of the RV.  You would think that with all the trees around there would be lots of shade.

At 6:00 it finally happened.  Now isn't this nice? 

I guess I'm pretty lucky cause look at my neighbors.  Poor things... still no shade for them.

My little babies were so glad to be able to sit outside for a while.

Took my bike and went for a ride to the beach and look what I saw along the way.

This was a baby.

 

 

Ahhhh, finally.

 

It's not the ocean but it's a beach and it will do for now.  Lake Pontchartrain. 

 

There were some people on the pier so I didn't get to go out over the water.  Maybe in the morning.

 

This sure felt good.

 

It appears that I will have a nice shady spot until noon and then shade again at 6:00.  We would just have to stay indoors for 6 hours.  That's not so bad.  Yeah right.   

 

Camping in July... what was I thinking?

 

I'll probably go home tomorrow and not worry about the 2 reserved days I have left. 

 

I really like this park and will plan to return this winter.  The bike trails are great.