Wednesday, August 29, 2012

          Well here we go again in poor New Orleans. The area where the water has come over the levies was just starting to get back on it feet. We spent several days in that Parish last winter and was surprised to see how bad the area was as it had been 6 years since Katrina. We had gone into the area to see Fort Jackson and was surprised to learn that the Fort had just reopened and that the forts grounds are use as this Parishs' fair grounds. We talked at length with the two volunteers there and had learned that the new Fire house and the EMS building had just opened and that the first restaurant opened all in the same week. This was 6 years in the doing. Most of the roads we traveled still showed signs of damage and almost all the residents were still in temporary housing.You can only hope there are better days coming for them. I can understand why the local residents continue to stay in the area as it is really beautiful there and I guess it keeps a hold on you when you have lived somewhere all your life and have seen these storms over end over.                                G

Friday, August 24, 2012

       Another day has passed and did a huge renovation in the RV. While traveling last winter in Oklahoma we were fighting the wind all the way out when we hit a wind gust of almost 60 mph. With me doing my 67 miles per it pushed in the nose cap on the RV.When we arrived in Oklahoma City that night I cut an access through the closet wall and found that there was a 7 inch space between the nose and the closet wall. I pushed the nose back out and bought some foam boards and reinforced it temporarily.  Back to now. I know seven inches doesn't seem like much but when a 12 inch shelf becomes 19 inches and a whole wall moves 7 inches it gives a lot more storage and reinforces a fibreglass nose cap. Also added a huge storage pipe under the unit for our sewer hoses and replaced the broken jack under the rig. It's those little things.  We have also taken another step in our ever changing life style. We have resigned from all our Artsquest committees and submitted my last report as the Sign Committee Chairman. I will miss being part of the group that helps shape Musikfest but it would not be right to continue to be on committees when we could no longer attend meetings. Time for some new people to have a chance to input their ideas. Will miss the people we sat with and formed friendships with. Today we have planned another trip to the scrap yard. can't believe the amount of stuff I accumulated over the years and what it is worth now, go figure.               G

Monday, August 20, 2012

Eureka, the third time turned into the charm. We now have a for sale sign on the front lawn and a really good feeling about our Realtor. He is a local agent and even lives only a mile from our home so he knows the area well and has sold several homes in the area in the last few months. All looks promising. Now we can go on the road with a better outlook on our new way of life. Can't wait to be free of our lovely home and begin the next chapter of our lives.                        G

Saturday, August 18, 2012

Well here we go again with looking for a new Realtor. Always more excuses and you have to wonder . when I send an e-mail and the address is wrong it bounces back. I guess only MSN has that feature. Go figure. So on Monday we start the process again. hopefully the third time will be the charm. Will go with one of the Realtors down the street. When it rains it pours, the front brakes on the Kia need to be replaced and Sea scape wants their money on the first and taxes are also due on the first. Darn. Such is life. We move on.                                                                                G

Friday, August 17, 2012

Hello once again. We did survive our 22 days of Musikfest and the 42 shifts of really bad heat and humidity. This was our 15th year there and will most likely be our last for awhile. We plan on being in Alaska next summer and then we will make a decision as to whether we  come back to the Fest , but we have already made up our minds that as we have gotten older , that kind of commitment is way to much. I really liked working for the Operations team and loved doing the prefestival and post festival work and doing site supervision and morning supply was great only because of the people we worked with.We have made so many friends over the years that it always seemed like a family reunion that happened once a year. It is hard to describe the emotion that goes into this sort of odd combination of sweat and frustration of being a volunteer when your surrounded with temporary staff that feel they are better than the volunteers because they are being paid. Go figure. Some day they may realize that we were all there because we wanted to give back to our community. A harsh reality for some who believe the universe moves around them, so much for my bitching. Still waiting to hear from Realtor number two. Looks like we will be looking for another one on Monday. So much for I have a friend in real estate .This one will be one of the national chains this time.We will be at home for a few more weeks and then to the beach for a month or two and then we don't know what we will do. Maybe back in the driveway for the holidays and then south after New Years. As we have emptied each room of the house and made huge piles of stuff I find it very liberating and can't wait for the final sale and the total freedom of not having a sticks and bricks home but having one that will go where we want to be at that time and being able to pick up and move whenever we wish. It may not be 2200 square feet but how much space does one really need.                                     G