Thursday, October 22

Done...to a point

 These four pictures were taken within minutes of the last nail driven on the trim yesterday. Butch and Russ both had big grins on their faces. And now we would love to be putting items in place before getting ready to load up for Texas but the weather is persisting in being contrary with the drizzles and we do not want to add mud to our new and shiny space. There will be a better day for all that. At least we hope so. The weather forecast for the coming week is downright disheartening. Next Monday, the 26th, they are forecasting a high of 39 and a low of 13!! Oh boy, do we ever want to be on our way! The forecast alone complicates the move from house to Motorhome, not to mention the motorhome is not yet in our backyard. We haven't gotten the word yet to come and pick it up. It may be a blessing. At least while it is in the possession of the fixers it is in a heated building and most likely will be until we pick it up. It has never been winterized in its entire life and we do not want it to be, however that could be a delicate dance!







Wednesday, October 21

Yesterday

 I went out to the pool hall about 2:00 PM or thereabouts and then when I came back to the house I did not check my phone. Later I found I had 3 messages in the short time I was out there and one of them was from Alex (Motorhome guy) telling us our roof is repaired and as soon as they can get the bits that need to be painted done we will be able to pick it up. It is still not definitive enough to cement any plans but a whole lot closer than it was.

Tuesday, October 20

There is a reason

 There is a reason we usually leave by mid-October and the current weather in Iowa reinforces that reason. We well remember but as it stands at the moment we haven't a choice. Our Motorhome is still hospitalized. Actually, I think it is in rehab. GoodLife RV Service Center of Webster City has been very good so far. We have great faith that they are doing right by us; it is merely that we are becoming a bit antsy. It would have been much worse if we didn't have our other project occupying our mind. The Pool Hall is wrapping up rapidly. Butch and Russ are working on the final trim as I write. Butch will have to take time out to visit with the Jefferson Water Board for the second time at noon. We hope to get that issue resolved so we can put that unfortunate episode (major leak) behind us.

It won't be an official Pool Hall until there are pool tables so it isn't quite there yet but it is a whole lot closer than it was in June. Getting Ready to...



Sunday, October 18

$%#* Liberals

Warning:

Depending on how you lean, this is another one you may want to pass on. Just sayin'

 

A DAY IN THE LIFE OF SUE REPUBLICAN:

Sue gets up at 6 a.m. and fills her coffeepot with water to prepare her morning coffee. The water is clean and good because some tree-hugging liberal fought for minimum water-quality standards.

With her first swallow of coffee, she takes her daily medication. Her medications are safe to take because some stupid commie liberal fought to ensure their safety and that they work as advertised.

All but $10 of her medications are paid for by her employer's medical plan because some liberal union workers fought their employers for paid medical insurance - now Sue gets it too.

She prepares her morning breakfast, bacon, and eggs. Sue's bacon is safe to eat because some girly-man liberal fought for laws to regulate the meatpacking industry.

In the morning shower, Sue reaches for her shampoo. Her bottle is properly labeled with each ingredient and its amount in the total contents because some crybaby liberal fought for her right to know what she was putting on her body and how much it contained.

Sue dresses, walks outside, and takes a deep breath. The air she breathes is clean because some environmentalist wacko liberal fought for laws to stop industries from polluting our air.

She walks to the subway station for her government-subsidized ride to work. It saves her considerable money in parking and transportation fees because some fancy-pants liberal fought for affordable public transportation, which gives everyone the opportunity to be a contributor.

Sue begins her workday. She has a good job with excellent pay, medical benefits, retirement, paid holidays, and vacation because some lazy liberal union members fought and died for these working standards. Sue's employer pays these standards because Sue's employer doesn't want his employees to call the union.

If Sue is hurt on the job or becomes unemployed, she'll get a worker compensation or unemployment check because some stupid liberal didn't think she should lose her home because of her temporary misfortune.

It’s noontime and Sue needs to make a bank deposit so she can pay some bills. Sue's deposit is federally insured by the FSLIC because some godless liberal wanted to protect Sue's money from unscrupulous bankers who ruined the banking system before the Great Depression.

Sue has to pay her Fannie Mae-underwritten mortgage and her below-market federal student loan because some elitist liberal decided that Sue and the government would be better off if she was educated and earned more money over her lifetime.

Sue is home from work. She plans to visit her father this evening at his farm home in the country. She gets in her car for the drive. Her car is among the safest in the world because some America-hating liberal fought for car safety standards. She arrives at her childhood home. Her generation was the third to live in the house financed by Farmers' Home Administration because bankers didn't want to make rural loans. The house didn't have electricity until some big-government liberal stuck his nose where it didn't belong and demanded rural electrification.

She is happy to see her father, who is now retired. Her father lives on Social Security and a union pension because some wine-drinking, cheese-eating liberal made sure he could take care of himself so Sue wouldn't have to.

Sue gets back in her car for the ride home and turns on a radio talk show. The radio host keeps saying that liberals are bad and conservatives are good. He doesn't mention that Republicans have fought against every protection and benefit Sue enjoys throughout her day. Sue agrees: "We don't need those big-government liberals ruining our lives! After all, I'm self-made and believe everyone should take care of themselves, just like I have.”


A Sad Story-Snow!

 




Update on Interior construction 10/18/2020

 All that is left on the interior construction is the trim around the windows and doors. Of course, there are many other things to do but none of them are about the construction of the building. It feels like it has been a long time; actually, construction began in July and we can say it has ended in late October. Not too shabby unless you count the three years we talked about it. 😊

This is Russ working on the bathroom...

And this is Butch sawing away...and this is the most common view of both of them.

Looking into the northeast corner and where the pool table will be when the time comes.
and this is the southeast corner.

And these are two guys who enjoy working with each other on a project. They grew up in the same neighborhood and have been friends since childhood. Butch Brooker and Russ Cosens. I had to ask them to stand still for this photo.

I think we are both ready to be headed to Texas and I am sure once we get the word that the repairs on the motorhome are completed we will be on the road. We made a flying and very direct journey last Spring on the trip north because of the pandemic and we are thinking we should do the same this fall heading south, followed by self-isolation for at least 10 days after arrival just to be on the safe side. We hear good reports from the Rio Grande Valley that mask-wearing is strictly adhered to with all stores having workers masked. That will be very different from Iowa. The Rio Grande Valley depends on our dollars to keep the economy moving and I am sure that is a big factor in their compliance. It will still be a very different season with many choosing not to go south at all and our Canadian friends not being able to come south. Their health insurance is expensive in an ordinary year and I understand it is astronomical now so even if the border would suddenly open it would still have a negative impact.

Till next time!