Planning, planning...

In a couple of days we're off to San Francisco for a quick trip.  It's to celebrate our 10th anniversary!  Looking forward to a little getaway.  We're flying.  Sadly, the trailer is still tucked away for the winter.

Luckily, I'm still working, because I'm still spending!  Ended up getting us Kobo readers to take with us on the road.  I love mine.  I doubt I'll ready many actual paper books again.  At the moment I'm on the 3rd book of the Millenium trilogy by Stieg Larsson (The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo series).

We are still planning a trip south in April.  I may or may not quit my job at the end of March.  Depends whether the boss wants me back after a 5 or maybe 6 week absence.  We've kicked around various camping ideas and I think we are pretty much going to stick to commercial, and maybe one or two state, campgrounds.  We're not comfortable with the idea of over-nighting in rest areas or truck service centres, and boondocking in the desert has no appeal for us.  Give us our swimming pool!  We plan to stay at the Happy Traveler RV Park in Palm Springs.  It's really close to town so we can walk into our favourite cafe every day for coffee.  We'll have to drive to Indio to get our Shield's date shakes though.  Wonder how many of those we'll have?  So far our plans are driving directly to PS via the interstates, staying there for 2 weeks or so, then heading home along the California coast.  We'll spend a few days in Mendocino.  One of our most favourite places.  We're determined not to have to rush home for any commitments but rather arrive home when we feel like it.

I did buy a couple more things for the trailer.   I got a real nice stainless steel tea pot.  Expensive, but unbreakable.  And a little stick-on gauge for the propane tank. Oh, and some coat hangers that I can secure to the closet bar to stop our clothes from ending up on a heap on the floor of the closet.

Todays' gratitude:

I'm really grateful to live in a country with such good health care.  I recently had a little procedure done at our local hospital and must say it was an altogether positive experience.  Right down to the warm blankets!

Spending, spending.....

Some Boxing Day shopping for our little house on wheels.  Bought a set of Corelle plates/cups with a retro motive.  Also a duvet and some pillows so we don't have to keep dragging our bedding between home and the trailer.  Blew another $100, but there's really not much more to buy now.  Well, that's not quite true.  There's always something more to buy for a trailer!
We're still talking about a trip south in April.  With the mild weather we've had over the Christmas period I'm itching to get out camping again!

Itching to do something!

The trailer has been on my mind lately.  I've been worrying about the battery.  It's just sitting in the trailer and with the cold weather I'm wondering if it's losing it's charge and what might happen if it does.  Well, the weekly Canadian Tire flyer just happened to have an inexpensive battery charger....
Off to Canadian Tire.  Purchase one battery charger.  I look for an inexpensive battery tester--one I saw on-line--the clerk doesn't know what I am talking about.
I find myself in a manic sort of money spending mood.  Oh oh!  Well, I've been working, so I have money!
I stop at my favourite camping store.  I pick up a portable propane heater (Mr. Heater, Little Buddy model) to use when we are dry camping.  I bring my purchases home.  I try out the heater.  It won't light!  Back to the store.  I find a clerk and we try to light it.  No luck.  The supervisor gets involved.  We try another heater.  Still won't light.  Must be a bad batch!  The supervisor says this has never happened before.  I get my money back.  I'm really wound up now.
I come home and research heaters.  The local hardware has one that might be suitable.  I drive over there.  I look, but think that model is just too big for our little trailer.  I jump back in the car and dash to Canadian Tire.  They have one Coleman Blackcat heater left.  I buy it along with a little canister of propane.  I bring it home.  I light it.  Voila!  It works beautifully and gets very warm.  It will take the chill out out of the trailer no problem.
I research the battery tester at Canadian Tire.  Yes they have one.  I note the part number and head over. Yes, the clerk says, it's in the isle with the marine supplies (who would have though?).
The next day we drive to the trailer to pick up the battery.  Ahhh, the trailer still has the "new" smell in spite of having been sitting idle for over a month.
We bring the battery home.  I test it.  75% left.  Not bad for sitting in the cold for a month.  I put the new little charger to work.  Four hours later the battery is fully charged.  Now it is sitting on our balcony on "maintenance" mode and will be ready at a moment's notice if we decide to go camping.
It's lovely weather right now.  Really quite spring-like.  Gets me in the mood for camping.  MPW says "it's up to you."  I must mull this over....

Hibernation

Well, I really want to make this blog about the trailer and camping experiences, so while "Tony" is snuggly put away for the winter there won't be many posts.
I'm keeping busy and my restlessness is under control as we head into the holiday season.
All the best until the spring!

Procrastination....

I've been putting off writing a blog post.  Partly because I've been too tired.  But also partly because I don't want to get into complaining about customers at my new job.
I used to read a flight attendant's blog.  He proclaimed to love his job, but continually complained about passengers.  I confronted him on it in a comment and he gave me quite a bitchy reply.  My conclusion is that he loves the flying and the glamour of the job, but not actually working with people.....
Me?  My job's hardly glamorous!  Mostly I love the people who come in the store, drunk, stoned or straight.  At no point have I ever felt unsafe.  But here comes the whining:  It's the shoplifters that concern me.  Being a perfectionist, I tend to take it personally when I think someone's walked out without paying for merchandise.  But, I'm getting to know the behavioural signs now, and who the "regulars" are.  Of course, like many people, I hate confrontation.  But I must steel myself to deny them entry to the store.  A strategy I plan to implement on my shift tonight.
Anyway, I've been working steadily three graveyard shifts a week and will continue to do so until the owner returns from holidays on December 5th.  I'm wearing out, so after that I need to cut back significantly.  If that's not suitable for the owner then it's goodbye job--which would be a great shame because, after all, this work suits my restless nature!

Today's gratitude:

I'm grateful for our pensions, which mean that we'll never be destitute.

I feel so relaxed!

My work schedule seems to have settled into Sunday, Wednesday and Thursday nights.  From 10pm to 7 or 8am.  Luckily I am able to sleep fairly well when I get home.  I'm still getting that "relaxed" feeling after working.  The little motor in my head drops it's RPM's and I zone out into a worry-free state.  I'm so glad that this effect seems to be ongoing!

Today was one of those gorgeous Autumn days.  Sunny and a little cool.  In the afternoon MPW and I walked down by the water and and enjoyed the sun reflecting off a blue/grey sea.  There's always something to watch there.  Boats, planes, birds, people, dogs.  Such a great way to get a dose of Vitamin D.

Tomorrow is Remembrance Day.  I expect a quiet shift tonight.  Many of my morning regulars won't be heading to work and dropping in for their coffee and newspaper.

Todays gratitude:

I'm grateful for all the men and women who have served and sacrificed in various wars and conflicts to keep the rest of us free and safe.  Thanks so much guys!

The work paradox

Why is it that my enjoyment of a job is inversely proportional to the amount I get paid?  I love my unpaid volunteer "job," and I really enjoy my new career as a convenience store clerk, for which I am paid a pittance.  On the other hand, jobs that I have had that pay over $100K per year I've hated.  I think it's because I enjoy an ongoing, superficial, interaction with the public in my workplace.  I would have made a wonderful flight attendant (wouldn't that be a perfect job for someone with a restless nature?).  Unfortunately, I became an accountant.  Possibly the world's most boring job.  Even at management level, working with the movers and shakers, how many budgets with cutbacks can one guy produce?

Winterizing the trailer

It's that time of year.  I've got to buy antifreeze for the plumbing lines today.  I'll drain the water out of all the pipes in the next couple of days.  Bye bye camping.

Today's gratitude:

I'm grateful to live in one of the most beautiful cities in Canada!