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Bumps in the Road

4/30/2016

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Our new trailer arrived last Sunday night and by Wednesday it was ready to be picked up. The weather was not friendly to this plan, delivering rain and wind. We waited about 45 minutes for the power to come back on at the dealer's so they could finish the paper work. We got back home about 1:30 and began loading, finishing at 9:00 pm.

BUT--and there's always a but--the new hitch seemed to have moved on the trip home and my driver decided it would be best to get it welded to the tongue before we left on Thursday morning, So we were an hour later starting for Wisconsin than our camping buddies.

When we hit highway 151, which would take us most of the way to our destination of High Cliff State Park on Lake Winnebago, we encountered real bumps in the road. This has to be one of the worst stretches of highway in the U.S. Dreary weather didn't help. But we finally arrived late afternoon, checked in, and headed to fill up the fresh water tank. The service guy at the dealer told us to keep an eye on the gauge and not to overfill. The gauge is inside so I went to unlock the door. No matter what direction I turned the two locks, I could not get it open. Butch tried with the same result. Now, in case you don't know, a nice new travel trailer doesn't do much good if you can't get into it. A call back to the dealer resulted in several suggestions, but it took several more tries. Sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn't. So something for the list.

Got to our site and when I opened one of the slides, it ended with a loud crack. The Coleman lantern night light that I have had for twenty years had jiggled out of the outlet on the rough road and rolled behind the slide--SMASHED to smithereens! We've found some other glitches but mostly love our new abode--especially two comfortable chairs, more countertop, built in space heater/fake fireplace, and larger bathroom. The bed is comfortable and the jack supports make it very stable.

Thursday night, we enjoyed Letha's scalloped potatoes and ham and Ken's fresh asparagus. Friday we took a long hike--this is a beautiful park and my sweet potato stew was finished off with Harriet's blueberry rhubarb crisp, with ice cream of course.

Yesterday, Ken and Harriet had the first day of the "Masters in May" barbecue contest in Appleton so we had to eat leftover BBQ chicken, ribs, brisket, and pork, cooked by competitive chefs, for supper and we bravely suffered through. Afterwards we had movie night in our camper, accompanied by soft rain on the roof. As Harriet says, "It only gets better from here!"


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Launch!

4/24/2016

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My original target date to publish Trailer on the Fly was October. Not 2016, but 2015. I missed that and in the intervening time, I added several complications and plot twists, so it was a worthwhile delay. But today:

TA-DA! Both the Kindle and paperback versions went live! I'll be anxious to see what you think about it.

And that's not the only launch in our lives this week--we hope. We listed our 2002 Terry and sold it in four days to a nice young couple about an hour away. Terry has already been camping this season even though we haven't. But, our new trailer was supposed to be shipped this past Friday and we should have it sometime this week. If the stars align to permit that event, we plan a maiden trip next weekend. Of course we have a FEW things that came out of the old camper that need to go in the new one. These pictures show a portion in the staging area--otherwise known as our dining room. There is more in the basement and the garage--all VERY important stuff.
So, out with the old, in with the new. I hope. And time to think about a new book!
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In Between

4/8/2016

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If there is a "winter of our discontent," for me this is a "spring of my impatience." I have finished Trailer on the Fly and it is with my Beta readers. I think for any writer, this is a nail-biting time. Like going out in public in a new outfit--will the reaction be: "Stunning! What creativity!" or "What was she thinking?" or, even worse, "So?" (accompanied by a yawn.) Meanwhile, I am hesitant to start another book until I get this one out the door; it's difficult to hold a story together when you are also consumed with picky publishing tasks. But I am also very much at sea not writing.

And this is the time of year that I usually am cleaning and restocking the camper, making plans for upcoming trips. But the camper is for sale and the new one isn't here yet. So that's in limbo, too.

Then there is the weather. I am usually full of plans and energy to work in the yard at this time of year. But this year, in spite of the fact that winter did not put in its usual "LOOK AT ME!" center-stage appearance, spring is around the corner and apparently determined to stay there.  It seems that every time the sun peeks out, the rain pushes it out of the way. And the wind is relentless.

So I wait. And try to use the time constructively, but I am not a patient person. I am doing a Beta read for another writer and part of the story revolves around a character who is waiting seven months to be tried for murder. I guess things could be worse.


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    Some random thoughts about writing, camping, and eating.

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