Oh my, what a week! I would just like to take a break for a while, which I will very soon.
We sold our RV and our toad this week. A “toad” is the tow vehicle, which for us was a Jeep Cherokee. It was bittersweet. We loved our RV trips that we have done the last four years, but 2024 was a hard year. Dennis was in the hospital 4 times last year. Our 2024 trip was postponed and shortened by a month due to his hospitalization. He was not fully recovered, and I was the one who had to load everything in. That means all the clothes, toiletries, food, and miscellaneous items. It was a lot of manual labor and hard work.
We are not getting younger—we are definitely getting older. RVing is a big job. Once on the road, there is a lot of gasoline usage at a time where it is quite expensive, and the mileage is not nearly what one gets driving an automobile. Sometimes there are issues with the RV itself while traveling. It’s such a fun way to travel, and so much manual labor! We will not quit traveling. We still have our Palisade, and it’s a great travel car.
Then Charlie got sick. I won’t tell you his symptoms, but they weren’t pretty. A call to the vet’s office informed me to take him to the animal emergency hospital. Knowing what they are going to charge wasn’t pretty either. They ran blood tests and made x-rays to inform us that all his organs are in good order, and he had some sort of blockage in his colon but. it is not a stoppage, so surgery is not necessary. That was good news. They cannot tell what he digested, and with Charlie, it can be anything. Apparently, if it gets as far down as his colon and not blocking his ability to do his business, then he should be able to pass it. They gave him a prescription for a probiotic and sent him home. Cha-ching, cha-ching! Can you hear that cash register ringing? Fortunately, we have pet insurance on this puppy.
These past few days I’m stuck watching the television because California is on fire. I have a son, daughter-in-law, grandson, and granddog who live there. It was scary watching the Palisade fire in Malibu. Our first big RV trip around the country had a stop in Malibu right along the Pacific Coast Highway, which is now devastated by the fires.
I have been in contact with my son and his family in the last couple days. They live in an evacuation warning zone, but the fires were miles away from them—until last night. The Kenneth fire that broke out yesterday is just north of where they live. If the fire would jump the highway, it would be at their front door. Also, their electricity and gas have been turned off since for a couple days to prevent sparking a fire. It’s a bit hard to feed a family or do anything without those utilities.
I am really glad they are now safely tucked into a hotel. I cannot even begin to imagine what it must feel like to live around those fires. However, I do know what it feels like as a mom worrying about their safety, and that feeling isn’t great.
So, I am taking a break! I am actually going back to my hometown of St. Louis, Missouri next week to see a dear friend of mine who is going through cancer treatment, spend time with my kids and grandkids, and see a couple old friends, I hope. The timeline is tight, so the other friends thing is going to be difficult.
I am planning on making a family dinner while there. I miss having our Sunday night family dinners of a time in our past, so since I’m staying at my son’s home, I am going to cook, along with the help of my oldest granddaughter, to make a big family dinner.
I am hoping this 6 day trip will bring joy and refreshment, which I am in in great need of. Dennis and Charlie are going to stay home and entertain each other—I guess actually Charlie will entertain Dennis.
Let’s not forget to pray for all those affected by these multiple wild fires in the Los Angeles area. It’s scary and there are so many who have lost everything.
Andrea Unsinkable 