10-30-09 Friday (Scrubs)

Yesterday dropped the Jeep off at the Groves so we’d have one less vehicle to deal with today.  We left the car at Indian Creek and departed.  The drive between the 2 RV parks is only 5-10 minutes.  The plan was to stop at a self service car wash that had one roofless bay that we could get the RV into.  You know these car wash places are annoying.  It’s a hungry machine, begging for more quarters.  I lost track of how much money.  I’m thinking about $25 or so.  We scrubbed the roof and put out the slide so that it could get thoroughly cleaned as well.  What a project.  

The hoses didn’t reach all the way around so after doing one side, Jim went to spin the RV around and discovered a dead battery.  The ignition was left on with the cab air on.  The auxiliary start (which we’ve never used), didn’t work either.  We opened the owner’s manual.  Still no go.  One car was at Indian Creek, the other at The Groves.  Jim called his Grandmother to come give us a jump.  When she was to the car wash, we tried starting the RV one more time.  It started.  Grandma showed up anyway with our washer/dryer part in hand (we had it shipped to her house).

We finished washing the RV and set up at The Groves.  We then retrieved Jim’s car and brought both vehicles to the car wash, eager to feed the quarter gobbler.  He washed his, I washed mine.

Above/Below: These pictures were specifically taken for our friend Tim.  You see, every time Tim sees the BMW he criticizes the dirty wheels and scolds Jim.

Above: This picture was taken way after the wet t-shirt contest.  Jim had larger breasts and therefore won.

I love the Far Side cartoons!

Oh, and I shaved my head again.

Then we went to Rib City with Grandma.

10-29-09 Thursday (Circles)

Today was our last night at Indian Creek RV Resort.  Tomorrow, we’re off to their sister park, The Groves.  We stayed in The Groves last year.  It would be strange if we settle down in Fort Myers while we’re staying at The Groves.  It’s like we’d have gone full circle. 

For dinner we met up with friends, John, Louise, Thad and Jim at Sweet Tomatoes.  We had a great time and of course enjoyed the food.

We took our last dip in the hot tub here and then relaxed while enjoying the previous season of Smallville.  We’re so behind on “our shows” because we didn’t watch TV for a year.  Doesn’t it sound so terrible to travel the country for a year and not get to watch your favorite shows?  What were we thinking? 

10-28-09 Wednesday (Secret Squirrel)

Hmmmm, I’m lacking in the communication department lately.  Perhaps I’ve failed to share the master secret plan?  Well, that’s partly because we have so many “plans”, it’s stressful.  One plan is to stay here in our home town.  Jim is tired of living in an RV.  Perhaps if we worked and weren’t together in it for long periods of time, that opinion would be different.  Since that’s not the situation right now, it’s a goal to get out of the RV immediately.  Rent or buy?  I’ve owned the last 3 places, and Jim has owned 2 of them with me.  Even with a job, we’re not sure that we can get a loan with a short employment record so we’ll need to rent for a little bit.  We’ll empty 2 out of 4 storage units.  We’ll keep the RV and use it for weekend getaways.  We’ll look for inexpensive storage close to where ever we are.  If Jim get’s a job offer out of state, then the plans change drastically.  Currently, we have several variations of getting us and all of our crap to a new state.  Drive, ship this, ship that, fly, hire movers, get pods, etc.  Sometimes having so many choices are just as stressful and having none.

I’ve been letting my hair grow to a fuzz.  I’m debating on having hair, fuzz or bald.  After photographing myself with fuzz, I can see why I went to the bald look.  I don’t like the balding look at the top.  Here’s the different effects.  Please tell me what looks best.

Above/Below: The current “look”.

Above/Below: Days with hair.  I have no over head shots because obviously I was balding and it wasn’t very flattering.  Use your imagination. 

Above/Below: The Uncle Fester look.

Just for fun…  But remember to comment seriously too!

I’m taking orders for 9X12’s of your favorite Garret photo.  $29.95 preorder special.

xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxo

Laurie had her foot surgery on Monday and is beginning her road to recovery.  She sent this photo to my phone.  Thanks Laurie, I guess.

Above: Behold Frankenfoot!

Ewwww, that’s a lot of staples.  I suppose it’s more like owwwwww.  She says they haven’t casted it just yet until the swelling goes down.  I see someone signed their name.  Uh, I think that’s what we’re supposed to do on a cast, not skin.  Maybe it’s the doctor’s signature.  Like an artist?

The clubhouse here offered burgers off the grill for lunch.  Yesterday was hot dogs, which we skipped to have a salad.  Today we decided to indulge.  Burgers $2.25 + .10 for cheese.  It was lame.  The burgers with bun in hand were wrapped in foil.  She handed us the foil wrapped burger with an individually wrapped slice of cheese laying atop the foil.  Hmmmm.  They had the typical condiments and included onion and tomato.  No lettuce?  Oh well.  The clubhouse tables and chairs were all set up for people to sit and eat.  We were the youngest … definitely.  If you ever want to feel younger, visit a senior citizen center or something.  If you’re reading this and already are a senior citizen, visit a cemetery. 

I removed all the dirty a/c vents and washed them.  Then I vacuumed, and washed the vacuum filters.  Every time I turned the vacuum on it smelled like feet.  I think it had to do with the year it spent in storage.  I thought a new HEPA filter was going to take care of that but apparently it wasn’t giving up.  I also mopped the floors.  So nice and clean.  {deep breath}.

10-27-09 Tuesday (Cryptic)

We spent all morning taking down the screen room, scrubbing/washing it all, drying it, folding it and putting it away.  We’ll be moving soon and it needs to come down.  We probably won’t put it back up at the other RV park because mosquito season appears to be over.

I hadn’t realized that I was being overly secretive about the possible job positions until Liz commented:

“Maybe if you would just fess up and tell us about this "everyone is connected" field, we would better understand... ;)”

My apologies.  I only need to keep it quiet as to the store names but not the positions.   Most recently, I worked at Colonial Suzuki as parts & service manager.  That’s my field.  The position was to be a parts and service director which was to be a step up for me.  The other position that I’m working on currently is for parts manager.

In this industry, it’s common for people to job hop, and know a lot of people, even at a competitor.  Gossip happens and within usually a week, it seems that the local industry knows what’s going on.  One of the positions I mentioned may be to replace someone who is not doing their job.  If they knew ahead of time, perhaps they’d sabotage.  Maybe the position is to be above someone who was “waiting” in line for a promotion.  Anyway, that’s why I can’t say.  Even with the position I didn’t get, why burn a bridge and blab about it? 

I’m notorious for not giving an update on something I blogged about.  Back in August, I mentioned that we had went to our storage unit and couldn’t believe we saw patient files within easy grasp of hands.  At another visit, the file situation was the same but this time I told the storage unit and asked that they called the renter.  This is a HIPAA violation and carries a hefty fine.  This past week, we once again returned to our unit but this time, the files were all gone.  While I hope the storage unit didn’t lose the business, I’m hoping that patient files, complete with date of birth and social security numbers will be private.

In other tiring news, we napped today.  Get it?  Tiring.  Nap.  {sigh}  OK, well it’s the first time in who knows how long that I initiated a nap AND took a nap.  The problem?  I never fell asleep.  After 30 minutes, I gave up.

Dinner at home, a trip to Walmart, a dip in the hot tub, and then some vegetated internet surfing before bed.

10-26-09 Monday (What Floor?)

We got a fairly early start on apartment hunting.  We looked at a condo community called Cobblestone on the Lake.  Basically the developer is stuck with a lot of condos and has had to resort to renting them.  What we liked was that this is a condo community with the typical amenities but had an interesting layout.  A semi-private elevator leading directly into the condo.  It requires a special electronic key to get to our condo, and won’t permit access to someone else’s.  It’s on the second floor and parking is under the units.  The units have several upgrades not found in typical apartments.  The balcony is huge.  The floor plans only show the 3rd and 4th floor balconies which are average.  The 2nd floor’s balcony is twice as deep.  Real nice.  The floor plans show a home office space but it’s empty.  No desk or such.  Someone suggested its use to be a dining room so that the living room could be larger. Click here for the floorplan.

Above: Living room to balcony.

   Above: Elevator/Foyer.

We went to this place twice today.  We took an application and looked at the unit a second time.  We decided if all goes well, this is the place we’d like to be.

Things didn’t go so well.  I received a call from the “interviewer” I’ve met with 2 times in a row.   The person, someone he worked with for many years, has decided to take the position.  I’m bummed.  Their loss.  I know I would have been an asset.  I’m confident.

I sulked for a few hours and now I’m re-energized.  I had another offer waiting in the wings.  They were growing tired of my delays.  I was growing tired of my own delays.   I’ve been honest with them all along.  I told them I had negotiations in the works.  I called them 5 frickin’ minutes before I got turned down and told them that I was positive the position was mine and that I didn’t want to string them along; I wouldn’t be taking it.  Now I’ve had to call back, explain the truth and ask for the position if they’ll reconsider me.  Time to wait… again. I’m thinking positively.  I’m getting excited.  It’s a different excitement.   I’m already planning, changing, and working in my mind.  How will I handle this or that?  What are my challenges?  How will I obtain my goals?

Now even an hour later after my previous sentence I’m grateful in a way.  Would my “boss” have finalized the offer with me.  We then would have run down to the condo and signed on the dotted line.  What if bossman had received his friend’s employment request a day, 2 days, or a week later?  Would I have been out of a job that I didn’t even get to start?  I’ll just keep telling myself that; surely that will make me feel even betterer (pretend it’s a word).

10-25-09 Sunday (Mouse Traps)

Proactive or dumb? – Since I’m 99% sure the job is mine and everything will fall into place, we decided to go apartment hunting.  Part of it is, why not, what else do we have to do?  We might as well have done some leg work and if possible, be ready to move.  Again, we need to be out of here on the 30th.

With that in mind, off we went.  We tried looking at the low end of the price range.  We visited 4 rental communities.  2 were low income housing.  We were kind of shocked, especially by one that was gated, had a gym, a pool, and a gorgeous clubhouse.  Income had to be lower than $29,000.  Ugh.  Low income AND all of these amenities.  It hardly seems “right” in my opinion.  The poor get stuff, the middle class get shit, and the rich have it all.  This deserves another “ugh”. 

We went to a place where Jim once lived 10 years ago.  It was a lot of nickel and diming for various fees and deposits.  We saw an apartment; I thought the painted countertops in the kitchen and bathrooms were a little tacky but I’ll live.  I kept telling myself it will only be under a year and then we’ll buy a house.  I later found out from a disgruntled tenant blog that electric runs high and crime is increasing at the complex.  We were a little turned off but it seemed to be the best of 4 so far that was in our desired priced range and in the vicinity of my proposed job.

Ultimately we decided we’d see what more money will get us.  Stay tuned for more shopping tomorrow.

We picked up Grandma and headed to Ann & Morgan’s for a delicious Shepherd's Pie. 

Here’s a character I spotted at a gas station while Jim made a pee-pee stop.

His fly is down, and he’s carrying a big mouse trap.

 

10-24-09 Saturday (Little Piggys)

I had an interview today.  It went very well.  I like the position; I like the manager.  I’m still excited.  I’ve been “working” in my mind for the past 2 weeks!  What I mean is, I’ve been thinking of marketing ideas, suggestions and the like.  The position is mine as long as the financial compensation is agreed upon.  I’ll know for sure by Tuesday.

Above: Yes, that’s me jumping.  It took 5 photos to catch that.  I wonder how gullible you are.  Could I really get all 200 pound of my heifer-ass into the air?

We have to be out of this park, Indian Creek, October 30th.  We’ve booked a month at their sister park, The Groves.  Jim believes he’ll be able to get an apartment, utilities, and 2 of 4 storage units moved within 2-3 days.  I think it’s unnecessary stress, but whatever.  Wish us luck!

While I was at my interview, Jim was in route to meet Ann & Morgan for lunch.  The Beamer overheated, and dumped coolant.  He managed to get it to a Firestone within the same plaza.  $80 later for a new clamp.  They recommended a battery.  The price?  $220 or so!  Why?  It’s for a BMW so they can… I guess.  We declined and will check it out on our own.  It’s been starting fine for us.  Once we got home we found that the parking lights were on.  I’m sure they screwed with the lights setting, even though it was daylight, made the clamp repair and then the car didn’t start too easily.  Ugh.  I picked up Jim and we continued with lunch plans.

For our evening, we went to Carl & Tim’s for a birthday celebration.  Mike of Mike, Dave & David entertained using Carl & Tim’s house.  Mike made delicious steaks!  Awesome flavor.  Laurie & Pearl joined the fiesta as well.  We had a great time talking, story telling and throwing jabs at one another.

Above: Pearl & Laurie.  One of Laurie’s feet are being operated on Monday morning!  Makes me wanna play “this little piggy”.

 Above: Mike, Tim (blocked by Mike) and Carl.

 Above: Raw steak.  Luckily they grilled it first.

  Above: Sweet iced tea creators.  Mike, Tim, and Dave.

Unfortunately these are the only photos I took.  I apparently got a little comfortable or lazy or whatever.  The worst part?  No photos of me.

10-23-09 Friday (Transforming Laundry)

After the gym, a started a load of towels.  The washer never filled.  Jim was livid.  I think I was more sad than anything.  Piece by piece, we continue to replace this beast.  We spun the dial through cycles.  It wouldn’t fill, but it would go into dry mode.  We suspected the timer mechanism.  We called our typical parts source, Westland Sales, where Ryan has been on the money each time.  He said it probably wasn’t the timer but rather the door switch and gave us directions to test his theory.  He even told us what color wires to jump.  Well yes that meant Jim had to pull out that damn machine again.  Ryan’s diagnostic worked. Ya know, the last time we called him, he even knew what size socket Jim would need for the socket.  He’s quite an amazing guy.  The part will be $80 and take a week at $12 freight.  Overnight would have been $50 which seems too high.  I’ll be roughing it at the laundry room for a week.  Ugh!

I’ve been very restless today.  I’m not sure what the hell my problem is.  Jim has been watching a lot of youtube.com crap and I’ve just been staring at my computer screen trying to think of something to do.  Maybe it’s boredom?

After dinner we settled into a movie.  Transformers 2.  I liked it but then again I like Sci-Fi.  The fight scenes were fast past and often difficult to follow.  I guess 2 robots fighting and it being hard to tell who’s who isn’t a tragedy.