Trippin' Trip Prepping

This evening I have an owee on my nose, but I am feeling pretty dang happy.

I last wrote to you when we were still in New York.  Let me tell you about our adventure getting home to Florida first.

Then I will tell you about the nose.

Our last day in NY, Steve's kids came over for dinner.  Steve's son brought his guitar and speaker and I got to hear him play a tiny bit as he and Steve fiddled with the controls on the speaker.  And get this, a year and a half after I started hanging out with Steve, I finally got to hear him strum a guitar.  But they didn't play a tune for me.  They just putzed. 

Some day...

Our flight from Albany, NY to St Pete, FL was to take off on Monday at 7 pm.  Steve's daughter gave us a ride to the airport.  We arrived in plenty of time.

We boarded the plane.  We were practically the only passengers with masks on.  We didn't want to risk taking something nasty home to our friends in Florida.  

The plane didn't start rolling.  Instead the pilot came on and said there was a problem with the gas guage and they were working on it and we should be able to fly shortly.

Two.hours.later they let us off the plane.

At midnight a couple of security officers came and stood by the check in and the attendant announced that our flight would go out on Tuesday at six o'clock.

Once the reality of it hit me, I started calling hotels.   It was a challenge because the number on the internet wouldn't take me to the front desk but to some call center. 

"What date are you checking in?"

"4/16." 

"When are you checking out?" 

"4/16."

"You mean 4/17."

"No.  I am checking in right now and checking out this morning."

Silence.

"What day are you checking in?"

Anyway, after three hotels told me they were fully booked, Steve said, maybe we can rent a car and drive the 45 minutes back to the house.  

And that is what we did, not getting into bed until after two a.m.

I have this clock inside me that won't let me sleep late.  I am usually up by six or the most at seven.  So I do not like getting to bed late.  Sleep is important to brain health.  I need all the brain health I can get!

We both took it easy on Tuesday.  I went into the dark basement and was able to take a nap there.

We went to see Steve's mom one more time and went out to eat.

Steve got a few texts from the airline saying our flight was at six.  Then he got one that said our flight was at 10.  We were groaning at that.  Another very late night and once we land we drive two hours to get to Steve's Florida home!  I checked on line and the flight said it was still set for six.  

Sigh.

We each got a $100 voucher and they sent Steve a $175 check for our inconvenience.

Now back in Florida, having fun with friends.  

Steve has been working hard on getting his truck and trailer ready for our six months of travel this summer.

He made it so we can put the two-wheel bikes on the back of the camper.  He put all new tires on the truck and camper.

One night after wrenching his body into odd positions to change the faucet in the trailer kitchen sink, we went to dinner at Stumpknockers on the Withlacoochee River.

I like it there.  Lots of good food and we got to watch two airboats ride right out of the river and turn around to park on the grass.

I have been working faithfully on doing my PT exercises to relieve the sciatic pain.  It seems to be working!  I am hoping.  I can do so much more than when I started the therapy.  I can kick and stretch without pain.  I am very happy about that.

Steve suggested I park my truck in his garage over the summer.  The problem is, the cap on Big Blue is too tall.  

Steve is a solution guy.  He figured out how to remove the cap and built a wheeled cart to set it on.

Tonight we had our friends come over and help us lift the cap.  I drove the truck forward and another friend pushed the cart into place.

Big Blue looks a bit naked without the cap.

We treated our friends to a chili supper and it went very well.  Even Chuey from Mexico complimented me on the chili.  And folks stuck around and chatted.  It was a success. 

The only mishap was my nose.  Steve and I had set up the cap ready for lifting with boards sticking out on either side.  I went to put some bags in the back seat.  As I went around the boards, I told myself to remember they were there so I would not run into them on my way back to the house.  

But as usual, I began thinking of other things and bam!

Steve took this picture and it made me laugh.  I hope you get a chuckle too.

We depart on our summer trip on May 3rd.  

Our first stop is only about two hours away.  There we meet up with friends Christie and Mark to Kayak and explore. 

Do you have any plans for the summer?