What a Year!

With just a few hours before 2009 is history, we want to grab a quick moment to celebrate the last 365 days.

2009 promised to be a year of significant change for us. And, it did not disappoint. In a nutshell, we readied our house for a very swift and very profitable sale in the worst real estate market in decades; readied our cats, ourselves, our moose and squirrel for fulltime rv travel; both got laid off on one of the happiest days of our lives, which provided the last catalyst to make our fulltiming dream a reality.

This was the year that we did it. We became fulltimers. It's a year we will always remember. And, it's a year that, in other ways, we are eager to forget. Though we were emotionally detached from our work, the first four months of this year were perhaps the most difficult and challenging of our careers. It was tough. And, it's over. It's time to let it go.

As proud as we are of having successfully made the transition from career workaholics to newbie fulltimers this year, it's also time celebrate what it was and let it go, too. That monumental task is behind us, thank God. Now, we are on to better and brighter things. So, cheers to us for making it all happen. (And many thanks to those who helped us along the way!) And, with that, we happily let it go.

With our transition year behind us, we look forward to 2010 and what we hope will be our first full year as fulltimers. Last year this night we asked ourselves "Where will we be next New Year's Eve?" Little did we know the answer would be "Weatherford, Texas." And, we're so glad we're here. It makes us wonder where in the world we will be next New Year's Eve. We'll see!

As the clock strikes midnight tonight, our travel weary bodies will be snoozing away. But, in our slumber we will celebrate a most memorable year of change, preparation, explorations, adventures, new friendships, a new moose, and many happy and trouble-free miles on the road.

And when we awake sometime tomorrow to the new year, we we happily say, "Bring it on!"

Happy New Year!

Happy Campers

We have soooo many things that we're happy about tonight. So many, in fact, I decided to start a list. So, in no particular order, here they are. They'll tell you a lot about our day.

1. We are out of our dumpy snow-filled campground.
2. We are 225 miles south of Kansas City.
3. We're 225 miles closer to Texas.
4. There's no snow in our spacious campground here in Wellington, Kansas.
5. The current temperature is 33 degrees.
6. It's 22 right now where we came from.
7. 11 degrees is a BIG difference.
8. Nothing is falling from the sky.
9. We have both of our slides out.
10. Our water pump works.
11. So does our generator.
12. Our stop by the dealer was quick and easy.
13. We have a full tank of propane!
14. We filled up at the dealer, so we didn't have to stop on the road.
15. Our furnaces are firing and we're not even thinking about them.
16. For the first time in a long time I'm not wearing a sweater and wool socks.
17. The cold bug I came down with overnight isn't getting worse.
18. Our drive down a very familiar highway today was uneventful.
19. We arrived here before dark.
20. We have satellite TV.
21. We have great power - rock steady at 120V!
22. Our kitties are so comfortable and happy that one of them is camped out on Paul's lap.
23. Tomorrow we have nothing to do and nowhere to go.
24. Christmas is over.
25. We're back to our normal, fulltiming life.

Ah yes! That last one? It's a biggie.

It's so great to be back.

Day After Tomorrow

That's when we're heading south. We can't wait!

Of course, nobody else knows this. And, I assure you our family will not be pleased. This new departure date is almost a week earlier than our initial plans. But, you know what? It's flippin' cold here.

One day this coming week the forecast here calls for an overnight low of 4. The next night it's supposed to be 1.

Yeah, that's degrees Fahrenheit.

We are soooooo outta here.

It's a tough decision, to be sure. We'd love to hang out with family and friends for another week. But, truth be told, we just plunked down a serious wad of cash on this new moose not too long ago, and we're choosing not to expose it to nearly below zero temps. With a failing water pump and a generator that won't start, this moose needs help, and soon. And, that's exactly what we're gonna' do.

Our last family Christmas celebration is tomorrow. After that, we're free to roam the country once again. With a brief weather window of opportunity, we're going to head to the Winnie dealer just south of here first thing Tuesday with our fingers crossed that our repairs will be short and sweet. If so, we'll head south and go as far as we can before dark. If they can't take care of it in a day, they can keep the moose overnight and we'll bunk with family.

After that, seriously, we are heading for Texas. We should be in Livingston by January 3rd, which was our original planned departure date from Kansas City.

Lots to do between now and then. But, you know what?

We're feeling warmer already!

The Day After

We hope ya'll had a wonderful Christmas. Ours was, let's just say, memorable.

We awoke yesterday to some seven inches of wind blown snow on the ground and more still falling from the sky. For a couple of hours it was all very fun and festive.

After that, it was not so very merry.

Truthfully, I think a super-size case of cabin fever set in. Well, for me anyway. After spending Christmas Eve away from loved ones we'd come so far to see, and grim prospects for getting out on Christmas Day, I was very near the breaking point. Paul would say I crossed it. And, you know what? He'd be right. Sometime around 3:00 PM, he decided that driving the Jeep on impassable roads was far less risky than spending the rest of the holiday cooped up in the moose with me.

I am married to a very wise man.

We hopped in our squirrel, which is the very best toad ever, and four-wheeled ourselves across town like a one-horse open sleigh. We spent the rest of the holiday in the warm company of Paul's brother and his family. They are a big part of the reason we made this winter sojourn, and it was wonderful to celebrate the day with them.

So, now it's the day after. It seems as good a time as any to size up our current situation.

It's still snowing. Total accumulation looks like about nine inches, but with all the drifts it's really hard to tell. The park has been plowed once, but that was about three inches ago. The temperature has topped the expected high for the day. Right now we're sitting at a very cloudy but relatively balmy 29 degrees.

The moose is hanging in there. Our water pump is dead. It didn't freeze, it just died. Two days before Christmas there was a water main break in the park. Just before they shut off the park water supply, we filled our on board tank. We went to turn on the water pump and realized the thing was dead. Fuses checked out fine, and the brand friggin' new pump actually came back from the dead for a brief time before it expired again the next morning. We tried to call Winnebago for some guidance, but they were closed. We called a local dealer who concurred with our preliminary diagnosis. They offered to see us that morning, but they were closing at noon, are nearly 20 miles away and the forecast called for the imminent arrival of an inch or two of sleet. We decided to tough it out and scheduled a service appointment for Tuesday morning. We were hooked up to park water for a brief time, but with temps below freezing since then we're living with jugs of water and eating out. The upside to this is we have no dishes to wash!

With overnight lows in the teens, we are once again watching our propane consumption. With about one-third of our 30-gallon tank remaining, our goal is to keep the moose warm enough for the bays to stay warm enough to keep our useless water pipes and tanks from freezing while maintaining our propane supply until Monday when we can venture out to our friendly propane place just five miles away. It's closed on weekends, so after dining out for breakfast this morning, we took the Jeep on a reconnaissance mission for sources of weekend propane. Bottom line: In this weather, there aren't any. So, with fingers crossed we are saying prayers to the patron saint of propane that it all works out on Monday.

With no water and far from toasty inside temps, life in our new moose is basically a step or two above tent camping. But, a lovely tent it is. And, on this day after Christmas we are still counting our blessings.

One: Shelter.

Two: Electricity.

Three: The best toad ever.

And, me? I'm especially grateful for my very wise and incredibly patient husband! This memorable Christmas has tested my fulltiming patience. Thanks to Paul, we've made it through and chalked up another story that will bring a laugh or two around a toasty campfire down the road, hopefully sometime soon in Texas.

Christmas Eve

'Twas the night before Christmas in our rollin' house,

not a creature is stirring, not even my spouse.

The stockings are hung by the magic fireplace with care,

in hopes that St. Nicholas will find them there.

The kitties won't nestle, they're swarming instead,

with visions of the tasty dinner they soon will be fed.

With Paul in his recliner and the Mac in my lap,

we'll soon be enjoying a little nightcap.

Our plans for the evening, how they did shatter,

when rain changed to sleet and the wind made things clatter.

Church services are cancelled, it's not safe to drive,

the snow is stacking up in inches, they say it'll be around five.

Now with nowhere to go, we'll stay home for the night,

we've pulled in a slide and are buttoned up tight.

Our dinner alone will be sauce and spaghetti

while we watch the snow fall like frigid confetti.

Despite this holiday blizzard our spirits are high,

We are so thankful to be healthy, safe, warm and dry.

We're counting our blessings as our little tree beams,

celebrating our first Christmas living our fulltiming dreams.

Our thoughts turn to our friends who are fulltiming now,

and those who are dreaming to get out there somehow.

May your travels be safe and your troubles be few.

We look forward to the next time we get to see you.

Best wishes to you and yours from us in the moose,

we can see on NORAD that Santa is loose.

Listen closely and you'll hear him as he drives out of sight,

Happy Christmas to all and to all a good night!

Anticipation

It's Christmas Eve eve, and there's much anticipation in the air tonight. Santa will soon be on his way. And, he's bringing something with him: a major winter storm.

Kansas City weather is wonky. There's no other word for it. Here in the country's mid-section, we get hit with weather from everywhere. Sometimes it happens all at once. Today we were treated to rising temperatures as a warm front greeted us from the south. We did the last of our shopping dodging rain showers on this balmy 50-degree afternoon. Mother Nature is giving is a big tease before the big freeze.

Tonight's forecast calls for heavy rain, which will continue off and on through the morning. Tomorrow afternoon the stuff falling from sky is expected to change from rain to freezing rain to sleet to, finally, snow. By Christmas night the weather geeks are calling for four to six inches of the white stuff, which is expected to be accompanied by 30mph winds and temps in the teens.

Now, I'm the first to admit that when it comes to believing Kansas City weather forecasts, I don't. Between the area's naturally wonky weather, and each local TV station's quest to gain market share by making every night's forecast oh so dramatic, we've come to accept their predictions as wild guesses. But, as I perused the weather maps today, I recalled something from a Meteorology class I took in college.

When a big low pressure system passes south of Kansas City in December, we can bet on significant snow accumulation. Now, don't ask me to recall anything else from that class, but this learning has proven itself true time and again over the years. And, guess what? A great big red "L" appears to making a bee line to our south.

Yep. It looks like we're in for a white Christmas!

For now, we'll spend the evening wrapping presents to the sound of a steady pitter patter on our rooftop. We've even heard a rumble of thunder or two! We'll soak up the last of this Spring-like weather as we appreciate that we're not amongst the traveling throngs, for once. With our shopping done, our water tank filled and enough propane (we sure hope) to weather the storm, we're ready to let it snow.

Safe travels to all who are en route to their holiday destinations, including Santa, Rudolph and the other reindeer!

You're Welcome

An open letter to Bob Olson, Chairman, Chief Executive and President, Winnebago Industries:

Dear Bob,

We've seen a lot of news about Winnebago in the last few days. You posted a gross profit for the first quarter of your new fiscal year, product demand is on the rise, you're gaining market share and your stock is up significantly on the news. You're re-hiring workers, ramping up production and canceling your holiday shutdown. With a sales order backlog of more than 1500 units, things must be looking up in Forest City.

To that, we have two things to say.

First, congratulations! By the looks of things, you have successfully maneuvered the worst downturn in your industry. We commend your leadership.

Second, you're welcome! We have purchased two - count 'em, TWO - new Winnebagos in the past 18 months. And, we're guessing we are among a handful of - if not the only - customers to do so. And, these weren't itty bitty Winnies, either. No! They were both Class As, where your margins are better. We're sure your "Thank You" note to us has been misplaced by the U.S. Mail. So, we'll simply say "You're Welcome" here. It'll save us another stamp.

We're just trying to do our part to stimulate an ailing ecomony. And, we're happy to help you out. You build a mighty fine product there in Forest City. In fact, we look forward to our upcoming visit when we attend our first Grand National Rally in July. No need to make a big deal about our arrival. A simple "Thank You" and some quality warranty service will be enough.

Happy Holidays,

Paul and Mary

Little Things

One of the questions Cathy and Steve asked us during Sunday's long lunch was "What's a typical day like?" Of course, the answer depends on whether we're traveling, stopped for a quick visit, or parked in one spot for awhile.

Our days here in Kansas City have varied from busy family days to quiet time with not much to do. Of course, we've had more than enough of those days when our primary concern is keeping ourselves and our motorhome warm. We've noticed that our productivity level here tends to rise with the temperatures.

With today's high forecasted to be near a balmy 50 degrees, and absolutely nothing planned, we found ourselves getting busy on a bunch of little things that needed to be done around here. Paul silenced a squeaky fridge door, steadied our slightly wobbly dining table and reattached a piece of fallen molding. He's quite the handyman! With the inside work done, he took advantage of the rare nice day and washed the Jeep.

I topped off a handful of little tasks with one big little thing. For the first time on our fulltiming journey, I assembled my sewing tools and went to work on a quilt project. While the project itself is fairly small, my first sewing effort in our rolling home was a big deal. After all, we've been lugging this heavy sewing machine around since the beginning. It was about time I put it to use. Adapting my work that was once done in its own room with plenty of space took a bit of creative thinking. I transformed our kitchen counter into a cutting space, with a cutting mat, of course. Our light-filled dining table became the sewing surface. And, when it came time to press seams, my small ironing table turned the cutting space into a convenient ironing spot. The biggest adjustment, though, came when today's work was through.

Once upon a time, I'd simply close the door on my sewing center and leave it for the next wave of inspiration to strike. These days, if we want to cook or eat, I need to put it all away. With cooking and eating on tonight's agenda, I carefully packed everything up for another day. Once again our kitchen looks like our kitchen and our dining area is fit for dining. We're good to go.

All of these little things are important steps in feeling at home in our rolling home. When the handyman and the quilt lady get to do their thing around here, it might not be a typical day, but it sure is a good one.

Five-Hour Lunch

What a fun afternoon we've just had. We spent the time with a couple of soon-to-be fulltimers!

Need we say more? (Maybe not. But, of course, we will!)

Our hometown dentist, of all people, connected us with Cathy and Steve. They live in the area and are in the process of purging, preparing and purging some more, with plans to hit the road this Spring. (Oh, we remember that all so well!) Knowing exactly how it feels to be a future fulltimer, we were eager to meet up with them and provide a bit of help and encouragement. We set a date for lunch and sure-to-be lively conversation today.

They stopped by at noon and within microseconds the lively conversation flowed. We covered every topic, from litter boxes to tool boxes, and everything in between. As they bonded with our kitties, they shared their story and we went on and on about ours. (We hope it was helpful!) It was very exciting to hear the "what" and "why" behind their fulltiming journey. Like us, they are compelled to explore this beautiful country of ours. They will make great fulltimers, and a wonderful addition to our traveling community.

We told them about all of our fantastic fulltiming friends who have been, and continue to be, such a great help to us. Something tells us Cathy and Steve will be spending some time visiting those delightful blogs on our blog roll. There's so much to learn over there! They have stuff in common with Gypsy and Mac and Netters, so we encouraged them to make a special effort to connect with those good folks.

A couple of hours flew by before we even got around to touring the moose, not to mention lunch! We headed out to a favorite sandwich shop for a late lunch and more conversation. Cathy and Steve came prepared with a list of questions and we did our best to answer every one. And, we continued to learn more about these wonderful people who seem so perfectly suited for this adventure.

Of course, we encouraged them to start a blog! We look forward to adding them to the future fulltimers we follow, and moving them down to the fulltimers list soon. They have lots of work ahead of them. They're up for it, though!

Before we knew it, it was starting to get dark! Knowing these two have purging to do yet today, and tomorrow and the next day, we brought our five-hour lunch to an end and let our new friends get on to their preparations. We look forward to tracking their progress and meeting them again on the road soon.

Quick Fill

Here are three things that are sure to lift a fulltimer's spirits after a week of Arctic temps:

1. A daytime high of 39 degrees
2. Sunshine
3. A full tank of propane.

Those three key ingredients put our household in a much better mood today. We were getting pretty darn grumpy around here, and rightfully so. When the late night weather forecast for next week included back-to-back single digits, I was afraid of what heinous act we might commit! But, with the completion of our most anticipated major errand, we are back to our ol' cheery selves today.

Shortly after noon the temperature was north of freezing. The sun was beaming on our frozen slide topper, which aided in a much needed quick thaw. We packed the moose up for the five-mile trip to the propane dealer. The slide came in with ease, followed by the jacks. We were so pleased to see that everything was working properly. We navigated our way to the land of plenty of propane. Paul pulled the moose up to the pump and the good gas man gave Big Bull a quick fill. Fifty bucks and 15 minutes later we were backing into our old familiar site. As we set about the business of setting up, we felt our spirits lift as we lowered the jacks and expanded the slides. We quickly put out all the stuff that makes this place a home, including our Christmas decorations. With that, the big errand was behind us.

We have a full tank of propane! All is right with our world.

Never

Never say never, or so the saying goes. But, we'll take this bet.

We will never bring our motorhome to Kansas in December, January or February.

Ever.

The last four days have been an icy cold blur. It seems practically all of our energy has been spent managing ourselves and our motorhome in this weather. We've been busy doing this, that and the other to prevent this or that from freezing. And, when we're not doing this or that, we're busy worrying that this or that will freeze or we'll run out of propane. An assortment of annoying little things have happened that remind us that most materials are not meant to operate in, or be exposed to, single digit temperatures. We have gotten out just a wee bit, and when we do we have to dress like a couple of Michelin men to survive outside.

See what I mean?

Having experienced some 40 Decembers as Kansas City residents, we were ready for it to be chilly during our visit. But, nothing like this. Single-digit nights on end are the kind of stuff Mother Nature typically dishes up here in January or February. But, lucky us. This year, winter has arrived early in our old hometown.

And, we're doing fine. We are safe, warm, dry and have all the comforts of home. For that, we are grateful. We should have more than enough propane to last until we head out tomorrow for our refill trip. Tomorrow's high is forecasted to top the freezing mark. And, the temps for the weekend are looking even better.

We look forward to getting back to the business of enjoying the holidays in Kansas City. With any luck at all our days of obsessing about the weather are behind us.

For future reference, if we want to spend the holidays in Kansas City, we'll park the moose in some sunny spot south of here and pack the cats and couple of bags in the squirrel, drive up and spend a week or so in a warm and cozy guest room.

We like the sound of that!

Snow Day

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas in these parts. Our "major winter storm" dumped a light dusting of snow - maybe an inch or two. The moose, squirrel and cats are all experiencing their first snow. The big story, though, is the cold.

Today's "official" high will likely be something like 28 degrees. But, that was at 12:01 a.m. Since then the temperature has plummeted. Currently, it's something like 16 degrees, on it's way to anywhere between 4 and -4 for tonight's low.

Yes, it's cold.

And, it's been windy. Before the howling winds began last night, we pulled in our north-facing slide. Who needs to subject a frozen slide topper to a 40 mph gust? Our slightly smaller house stayed toasty enough all night, and we were pleased to still have running water and propane this morning. At midday, our propane tank was just a hair under half. If we can make it through the next night or two, the forecast for Friday is calling for sunny skies and temps a degree or two above freezing. Now, that's propane errand weather!

With no precipitation falling this morning, we decided to bundle up, brave the sub-zero wind chill and get out. Yes, our coach is lovely, but even the walls of a new 40-footer can begin to close in. In yet another propane saving move, we headed out for a tasty hot breakfast at the nearby Bob Evans. (Love that place!) Then, we visited the local UPS store to pack and ship the original Bullwinkle's bedding back to the dealer. (It was one of the things we pulled out of our POD last week.) Back in our toasty rolling home we settled in for an afternoon movie.

Before we turn in tonight we'll pull in our other slide, which will make the moose extra cozy but still quite livable. Reducing our total cubic feet for the night should make our heat sources more efficient. At least we hope so. The top, sides and bottoms of these slides are the least protected parts of the coach, so we hope our space saving efforts pay off. Besides, with the slides in, we'll be ready to roll if we need to make a propane run. We'll just unplug the power and pull up the jacks. (Check that. We'll unplug power, press a button and pray the jacks work in the cold.)

Then, dear readers, we'll head to Texas!

Julie & Julia

For the first time in a very long time I did not step outside the coach today. Our forecasted "major winter storm" materialized as a gray, drizzly near-freezing day. I actually missed the first half of the day. With the pitter patter of freezing rain on our roof this morning, we could find no reason to hurry out of bed. With nothing but quilting on deck for the day, I decided to sleep in until noon. Noon! I haven't done that since college.

It was sure fun!

Paul ventured out in the rain to pick up a few things this afternoon, including a couple of movies from redbox. With our DirecTV out of commission during our stay here, we're opting for some cheap entertainment. Late this afternoon we popped Julie & Julia in the DVD. I had heard about Julie Powell's blog and had wanted to read her book, but never got around to it. And, we both love Meryl Streep. The movie met our expectations. We give it two thumbs up.

Julie & Julia got me thinking about our blogs. We snap a few pictures, write some words and send it out into the dark hole of cyberspace. Why? Mostly we do it to chronicle our adventures. One day we're going to want to look back on our life and times on the road, and our blogs will be here to tell the tale. We do Bullwinkle's Travels, in part, to keep our family and friends from worrying about where we are, or aren't. It's an easy way for them to keep up with us. And, we hope that our words here at The Great RV Escape entertain, inform and/or inspire fellow fulltimers or wannabes.

And, truth be told, it gives the writer in the house something to do!

Will either one of our blogs change the world or make us buckets of money? Doubtful. But, a cute little movie directed by Nora Ephron would sure be fun! Oh, yeah, and I guess that would make us a buck or two, huh?

Meanwhile, we'll just sit back and relax and watch the rain that has now turned to snow. It's really pretty! Tonight the wind is supposed to kick up and the thermometer will start a two-day fall into the single digits. That should be very interesting!

Stay tuned.

Winter Storm

This, from the National Weather Service in Kansas City:

A MAJOR WINTER STORM IS EXPECTED TO IMPACT A LARGE PORTION OF THE CENTRAL AND EASTERN PLAINS. THIS STORM WILL INITIALLY BRING SNOW TO ADVISORY AREA AND AS WARMER AIR ALOFT WORKS INTO THE SYSTEM A MIX OF RAIN... SNOW AND POSSIBLY SLEET IS EXPECTED.

To add insult to injury, there's an "Arctic blast" behind this storm that is expected to bring us a daytime high Wednesday of 18 degrees, and a low Wednesday night of 7.

Once again. WHY are we here?

The other day our friend Gypsy said she'd endure 0 degree temps to visit her family. Sounds good. Folks, it's official. Zero is our limit! If Mother Nature serves up weather with a minus sign in front of it, we are outta here!

After several days of judicious use of propane, we're still over two-thirds of a tank. And, nearly two weeks ago we landed with 3/4 of a tank. So, we're prepared to keep the gas furnace, fireplace and our new, improved electric space heater blasting for the next two days. Thursday's forecast is for sun and double digit temps, so we'll make a propane run then, if we need to.

We made a propane reconnaissance run this afternoon. There's a Ferrellgas facility 4.7 miles from here. And, for a mere $3.33 a gallon (Geez!) we can fill this moose up. (Isn't it interesting how the laws of supply and demand work?) The route is very moose friendly, and though the facility is a bit tight, we're confident we can maneuver our way in and out. Whatever it takes to get a full tank of propane!

Today we checked the temp in our basement bays and were impressed with the results. As promised, they are indeed vented. As long as we periodically fire up the gas furnace, everything down below should stay warm. Well, actually, it would be more accurate to say it won't freeze! Our water bay is facing the north, from whence some brutal winds are promised to accompany this forecasted Arctic blast. At this point, it seems like the most vulnerable area, so we'll add a trouble light with a warm and cozy 60-watt bulb to that area, just as we have with our glow-in-the-dark refrigerator vent, which also faces the cold Arctic north. We'll be glowing from every which way!

Actually, we're very impressed with how our new moose had stood up to chilly temps so far. If the cold north winds kick up, we'll pull in our driver's side slide. The last thing we want to deal with is a frozen slide topper whippin' in the wind. With our fireplace blazin', the new oscillating space heater doing it's thing and a periodic blast of our propane-fired furnace, this place is down right cozy!

We fired up the crock pot this afternoon to save on propane and provide us with some hearty faire for dinner tonight and leftovers during tomorrow's storm. Beginning tomorrow, our agenda is simple: Stay warm for the next 24 hours. With the home fires burning, I'm planning a day of quilting - something I haven't done since we began our journey. Paul has hopes of getting to the gym early, even if it means putting the squirrel in four-wheel-drive. They'll be plenty of space and time for reading, napping, surfing and TV watching. All provided, of course, we have enough propane.

While many of our RVing buddies have already shacked up in warmer climates, we take great comfort in knowing we're not the only crazies out here in the cold. Gordon and Juanita are experiencing record cold on the Oregon coast. And, fellow Tour owners Margie and Bruce are toughing out another winter in Washington before they head south. Mac and Netters have battened down the hatches just south of here and will, hopefully, get just a cold rain out of this much-anticipated storm.

Those folks down south are having fun in the sun while us few brave souls are braving a winter wonderland.

Stay tuned for breaking weather updates.

Watchful Eye

As promised, our sub-freezing overnight temperatures arrived. Last night's overnight low was 12 degrees, and we were graced with 17 degrees the night before last. We continue to watch our propane consumption and have pretty much accepted the fact that there's a propane errand in our future. Meanwhile, we're doing our best to manage the inside temps. The line to our icemaker is frozen, so we're going to run out and pick up a trouble light and a light bulb or two to keep it warm from here on out.

And, yes, we have thought about aborting our visit here and heading for Texas. But, heck, it's snowing down there. There's no place to escape!

We're also keeping an eye on my right eye. Yesterday it burned and itched all day, and I was quick to attribute the malady to spending too much time in sub-freezing gale force winds while we sorted through our POD. By the time we headed out for some fine Kansas City BBQ with Mac and Netters, who have stopped by to visit for a few days, my eye was red and puffy. A few eyedrops and a good night's sleep later, it was pink, puffy and, well, gross. Our household diagnosis is pink eye, or one pink eye. So, for now, I'm quarantined. I debated about heading to a clinic today, and this afternoon it is looking a wee bit better. I'm hoping another good night's sleep will do the trick. If I still look like half a crack addict tomorrow, I'll see a doctor.

We enjoyed a wonderful evening with Mac and Netters. It's such a treat that they decided to come up and pay us a visit. Good folks who will come see you in sub-freezing temps. Now, those are friends! My fingers are crossed that I'll get clearance tomorrow and we can get together. Although, they've already been exposed to whatever it is I have. My fingers are doubly crossed that they don't catch it!

I'll close with a bit of good news. Tonight's forecast low: 22 degrees.

Things are looking up.

Pondering Propane

Lots of stuff going on these days, most of which isn't particularly newsworthy. But, some will provide good fuel for future campground stories. I can hear us now: Did we tell you about the day we drove to our POD in the cold and the place was closed?

No, no. The big story for us today is the temperature. As predicted, a windy wave of cold blew through Kansas City today. For the next week or so the daytime highs are predicted to be in the 30s. Nighttime lows will dip into the teens. There's even a chance of snow.

Can someone remind me again, why are we here?

Oh yeah, now I remember. Spending the holidays with family and friends. Right?

Actually, as far as Kansas City winter weather goes, the forecast isn't all that bad. But, for a couple of former Californians - and self-proclaimed weather wimps - this is more than enough chill for us. After all, we have our propane to consider.

One important distinction of motorhomes is that, unlike their other RV cousins, the propane tanks are integrated into the rig. They can't be carted off to some handy dandy propane place for a quick refill. And, as we have discovered, many localities (including this one) prohibit dispensing propane from a truck to an internal tank (like ours).

Curses!

At our last stop before heading into Kansas City, we topped off our propane tank. Our 30-gallon tank contained about 24 gallons of the heat producing stuff when we checked in for our five-week winter stay. We crossed our fingers that our supply would last.

Our heat pump can generally keep the place warm enough until the mercury drops to just about freezing. And, our heat pump has been busy! Add to that our wonderful new fireplace, and a small electric heater we brought along "just in case". We will happily pay for all the electricity we can use. But, when it comes to propane, that's another story. With a limited amount of LP on board, we're watching that like a couple of hawks. Every time our gas heat kicks on, I swear I hear ticking! And, Paul swears he can hear it, too! We are so mindful that every toasty blast from either one of our gas furnaces lowers the level in our on-board tank. We're doing our very best to manage it. I'm writing this from under the warmth of our laptop and a quilt. And, Paul is actually wearing long pants! (Now, that's serious!) The dropping temperatures and this very wintry forecast have us concerned, but we'll manage.

Of course, if we had to, we could pack everything away, put in the slides, pull up the jacks and fire up the moose and seek out a local source of the liquified gas. Then, we'd head back to the campground, back in, level up, pop out the slides and settle in for the duration.

Or, we could just wait for the propane tank to run dry. Then, we'll head for Texas.