Attention Washington Politicians...

 

Less that 24 hours before our government shuts down.  Because you are more interested in trying to make "the other side" look bad than work for the people you represent.  We elected you to do the job... so, do your damn job!

Any shutdown of government services will impact this nation negatively.  People will suffer.  The economy will suffer.  Because you didn't do your job.

When the next election comes around, we WILL remember this lack of regard for the American people, and you won't get another chance to screw things up.

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It is rare I post anything political here, but I am pissed.  At both sides.  It doesn't matter your choice of political party at this point - don't give them another chance to screw us over.

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Theater.  The weasels put together "a patch" to keep the government running for another 45 days.  You wait and see: they will be congratulating themselves on the Sunday morning news programs on "how hard they worked to put this together."  I'm guessing they will do nothing about a real resolution for another 40 days or so.

Remember all this when it comes time to vote again.  If you had employees that were as ineffectual as these elected officials, you would fire them.

Second verse, same as the first...

 

If you said, "From the song Henry the 8th by Herman's Hermits, 1965," you were a child of the 60s, and you get 30 bonus points.

We back at it again today.  We emptied everything from the storage area under the house; this was a bit more exhausting (or maybe we're just more exhausted?) than the moving we did yesterday because there are stairs and a longer distance to contend with.  Then, more boxes and bins from inside the house.  Interestingly enough, there are still boxes sitting around. (???)

With everything closed up on the moving pods, I took a few seconds to grab a photo and some Hover X1 video...

 

 No audio on these short video clips.

Approaching the hottest part of the day, and we are now back inside.  The weasels are predicting rain (a 30 to 40% change) for the next 7 days.  It would be nice to not have to schlepp stuff out to those moving pods in the rain.

It's happening!

 

U-Haul was scheduled to bring the moving pods between 9:00 and 11:00 am... right on time, they pulled up just before 10:00.  In anticipation of their arrival, I got the bikes out of the cargo trailer and we moved the empty trailer to our neighbor's driveway (yes, with his permission).

And then it rained.  This area hasn't seen any rain in nearly 4 months, but as soon as I pulled the bikes out and Joan came to help me push the trailer, down it came.  For about 20 minutes.  It was enough that we needed to towel off when we came inside.  By the time the U-Haul ladies got here, the rain was done.

 

Yes, that made it even more humid.  Next order of business: take the empty cargo trailer to our in-town storage unit and empty that out.  It is amazing how much stuff that cargo trailer will swallow - we got it all in one trip.  That is two different styles of pods: the one on the left is the new style, made of metal; the one on the right is made of wood, with a heavy vinyl cover.

Back home, we got to move all that same stuff again.  It filled about 3/4 of one pod.  I am wondering if we are going to need a third pod to get everything in?  Joan thinks we'll be OK.  U-Haul says two pods will handle the average 2 bedroom household move.  We have only a few furniture items, since we sold the house mostly furnished.  But, we have a lot of stuff... we designed this house with good storage in mind.

With the cargo trailer empty, we moved more boxes out of the house.  During the hottest part of the day.  I don't know why.  Here's where we finished for the day...

The stuff goes back deeper than what you can see in the photo.  There will be more stuff to fill that empty space before we are done.

I had a doctor appointment at 2:30 (just a follow-up after bloodwork), here in town.  While carting boxes, I told Joan, "I will be done moving stuff at 1:30, so I can clean up before going to the doctor.  It's in my contract."  Right on schedule.

I spoke with a Nurse Practitioner at the clinic... she said, "All your numbers look good.  Your Vitamin-D is a bit low, but that's it.  You're in good shape."  I waited for the pause; she didn't say it.

I said, "You didn't say 'for your age'."

She laughed... "How old are you?"

"70 - just like it says on my chart."

She said, "You don't look it - I see people in their 20s and 30s who don't have numbers as good as yours.  Keep doing whatever you're doing."

From there, it was back to the office of the storage unit so I could drop off the key - that account is now closed.  Good timing, because we got a notice last month that their storage rates were going up significantly.

And now, back home.  To sit in air conditioned comfort.  And not move a damn thing.  Until tomorrow.  I'm going to say it: we are ahead of schedule... no doubt, that schedule will change.  Seems like this move has been a long time in the making, but we are in it.

Next to the last time...

 

As we get close to shoving off from the Tropical Tip, there are going to be some "this is the last time we'll do this" events.  Today, it was going to the storage unit where our RVs have lived when we weren't out in them.  It has been a great storage unit: concrete floor, plenty of height, width, and length (we could fit the motorhome and the last pontoon boat in there with room to spare), 14' door (10' wide).  The grounds around it used to be immaculate, but the folks who own, manage, and kept it up (they were neighbors here on our island) moved to east Texas.  Whoever they have keeping an eye on things there doesn't take the same pride in how it looks.  Still, the storage unit itself is great.

We had some other errands to take care of in Harlingen (close to where the storage unit is), so since we were there, we went to the storage unit, took out the last few things that were in it (mostly RV related), and brought Joan's Xmax home... it was hot (94º when I left the storage unit) - I rode it the 40 miles home while she was in air conditioned comfort in the Equinox.  Still, it was a ride, and it has been hard getting those in recently.

The Xmax needed to come home so it can get into the cargo trailer for the trip to Arizona.  So, this was the second to the last time we will go to the storage unit.  The last thing in there is the motorhome, and it will come out on Sunday.  We'll sweep it out, lock it up, and turn in the key.

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That 94º at the storage unit had a "feels like" temperature of 102º.  Joan told me that when she checked weather in Phoenix last night it was 90º with a "feels like" temperature of 88º... that's kinda going the right direction.  Can you tell I'm trying to put a positive spin on things?

That hot scooter ride took it out of me.  Not sure what "it" is, but I'm going with body moisture.  I re-hydrated after we got home.  Then took a nap... first time I've gotten in a nap since before we left the Black Hills.  Yes, my furry boy slept beside me, because... he's a good boy.

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We visited with the new owners today - helping them with how to get the power and cable/internet into their name.  You don't want any interruption of service in this heat, as well as the smart stuff in the house.

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Joan is the planner.  She is working on an itinerary for "how far" and "where to stop" for the night on our way to Phoenix.  "But, Jim, haven't you make that trip a gazillion times?"  Yes, but where we stop is dependent on when we can get out and how many days we have planned to make the drive.  We'll nail things down as it gets closer.

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Harvest Moon...

If you said, "Neil Young, 1992," you get 15 bonus points.  If you said, "Tonight's Full Moon is the 4th (and final) SuperMoon this year, also known as the Harvest Moon (the first full moon of the fall season)," you get an additional 25 bonus points.

I was out for a walk this evening.  My camera gear is packed away, but my iPhone did an OK job... especially if you like seeing some palm tree fronds in the image...

Not the dramatic moon detail that I sometimes post of the full moon, but you may know what they say about the best camera: the best camera is the camera you have with you.  ;-)

Can you hear me now?

 

I ordered a wireless mic from Amazon, after asking about one on the Hover X1 Group on Facebook.  There are scads to pick from - I went with the one that had the best reviews...

 There isn't a Manufacturer or Model name on the box, but it was GRTPRTS, Model K2.  Cheap enough, it was $29.99 with a 30% off coupon on Amazon.

I shot some test video with it... can't say I am impressed.  It is muffled compared to the built-in mic on the iPhone, and there is some latency, meaning the lips and audio don't quite match up.

You pay your money, you take your chances.  Well, not with Amazon Prime: no issue with sending it back if you aren't satisfied.  This will probably go back.

Like Costco and Sam's Club...

 

You know we are getting to the nitty-gritty: Joan is going through stuff in our underneath storage.  Today, I was tasked with going through Christmas decorations.  Yep, Christmas in September.  Last year, when we put Christmas decorations away, there was no thought of moving to Arizona.  I put away lights that I took down... in bins... that already had lights from years past in them.  There were blue lights that were now more greenish/teal than blue.  Strands where most of the lights worked.  Strands where most of the lights didn't work.

"Why did you keep all that crap, Jim?"  Thanks for asking, but I don't like your attitude - Santa is a close personal friend of mine, and one phone call from me will put you on the Naughty List.  And you know I am quite an expert on the Naughty List.  But, I digress.  I kept all that crap because we have the room to keep all that crap.  This house is small, but has a ton of storage.  And by "ton," I mean: five metric crap-tons of available storage.

U-Haul will be delivering 2 of their moving pods on Thursday morning.  I am looking at all the boxes we have in the house, stuff in our storage area that needs to go, and a nearly full climate controlled storage unit here in town (not to mention that big storage unit that the motorhome is in currently... but, I just mentioned it).  There is a good chance that there will be more "purging" as we load the moving pods.

But, today, it was Christmas in September for me...

That's just a portion of the stuff.  There is other stuff (like the tree and a big wreath) that we know we are keeping.  Joan went through my "Maybe" pile and eliminated almost all of that... "What do you mean I can't keep 6 plaques from Lighted Boat Parades over the years??"

Probably obvious that one of us is a keeper and the other is a tosser... and even more obvious who is which.

Let me be the first to wish you all a Merry Christmas!  ;-)

Using the Hover X1 and Insta360 Go 3...

 

Out for a bicycle ride this morning, before we get after more packing and planning today.  I used the Hover X1 while on my ride, then brought in the Go 3 to show how the Hover Mode and audio recording (where the AI on the X1 eliminates the propeller noise) works, and the X1 lands on my hand...

 

Rufus was looking over my shoulder while I was uploading that video to YouTube...

 "Um, Pops, aren't you supposed to be moving some boxes or something?  Maybe it's time to feed me - yeah, I'm sure it's time to feed me."

He got lunch right on time.  Because I'm a good cat Dad... and he's a good boy.

Joan and I went out to the driveway before his lunch - we had to send photos of where the U-Haul pods will be placed in the driveway... Joan had the space marked out with tape.  Surprisingly, I think we'll still have room for the car and cargo trailer.  Probably.  Three days before the pods are supposed to arrive.

It's getting real.

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Just messin' around: I haven't tried the Hover X1 indoors.  Until now...

 Yes, you could easily shoot this with a phone.  But, why would you when you have a drone that can do it?  ;-)

 

It's a new day...

 

There have been a lot of songs with those lyrics, but if you said, "Will.i.am, 2008," you get 20 bonus points.

I went to bed last night with aches from my head to my toes... a result of getting the flu and Covid shots the day before.  Even my hair hurt.  I refrained from taking ibuprofen (my drug of choice) because I have read that it can make the production of antibodies less effective.  I was dog-tired when I climbed into bed... well, I have seen Rufus stretch out for a long cat nap... I was cat-tired.

This morning: it's a new day.  The neck and body aches are gone.  It doesn't make my ribs hurt to take a breath.  I took Rufus for a walk, then went out for a bicycle ride.  Yep, it's a new day... and I'm feelin' good.

 

Highway to Hell...

 

If you said, "AC/DC, 1979," you get 12 bonus points.

There is a lot going on in our household these days.  I've heard that "If a couple can survive building a house together, they can survive anything."  Fortunately, we are 1,348 miles away from the house building; Steph and Dan are there to look in on it weekly.  But, with the builder we selected, there is very little for any of us to do, after we picked out flooring and countertops.  I can't say the same lack of concern/involvement with the move, though.

Yes, I am onboard with it.  It wouldn't make much difference if I wasn't... this juggernaut is rolling.  I feel for Steph and Dan, as they are having to move twice during this process.  Only one move for us, but it seems like it has been going on since last May.  Joan is the packer in our relationship.  My job is to stay out of her way and agree with what she suggests.  And when we go to U-Haul for our regular dose of "box shopping," to get out my credit card and say whether any particular boxes will fit in the Equinox to get them home.  We are buying them on an as-needed basis.

Joan is focused; detail oriented.  I tend to see "the big picture"... and take in different perspectives.  Some might consider that unfocused.  Perhaps leaning towards ADHD.  I am thinking of getting this shirt...

I don't consider it unfocused, but rather: multi-tasking.  ;-)

Whatever one chooses to call it, the job is getting done.  While moving stuff in our underneath storage last night, Joan said, "Oh, there is something wet in this bin!"  And then she pulled her hand out and it was covered in blood.  I'm talking: crime-scene looking.  Torn skin on her little finger.  We took a break to come inside and clean her up.  I was thinking "stitches," she was thinking Bandaid.  Once washed off, alcohol and Neosporin applied, it was a single Bandaid to cover.

I went down to move the same stuff and pulled out a bloody hand.  No, I was not cut or gouged - it was the remnants of her blood-letting.

This morning, the day after getting our flu and Covid shots, she is symptom-free... I am feeling the neck and body aches.  I think we'll take the day off from packing - we have 6 days before the moving pods arrive, and I think we're ahead of schedule.  OK by me; neither of us slept well, and I am feeling a bit groggy this morning.  I was told, "No bicycle riding, no motorcycle riding, no car driving, no drone flying."  No, not by a doctor.  I am probably OK for cat-walking.

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We got our weekly new house update from Steph and Dan this afternoon - not a lot of changes.  As expected, the front yard landscaping is in.  The usual front shots...

Some kind of desert plants and a couple skinny trees...

When they went inside, there were no visible changes; paperwork that was on the kitchen counters last week was still there.  So, nothing to update inside.  Joan did ask for a photo of the hallway on our side, to get an idea of what she'd like to do with that area...

Steph also sent a photo of the hallway from the front door on their side...

That shot is very helpful - I wasn't sure if our bikes (the CTX and Xmax) would fit side by side in their hallway, or if we'd have to put them in single-file.  Looks like either way will work.  Steph doesn't think that's funny.  I do.

Hit Me With Your Best Shot...

 

If you said, "Pat Benatar, 1980," you get 15 bonus points.  Benatar doesn't play that in her concerts anymore, as a stand against gun violence.  This post has nothing to do with that - we went to Walgreens this morning to get our "senior" flu shots and the most current Covid vaccine.  Covid is something we have to live with now, so it makes sense to us to stay updated on the vaccine.

The toughest part about getting the shots is having to wait for a pharmacist tech to take you into their little room to give you the shots.  Of course, with several people waiting for their shots, I had to whimper a bit as I came out of the little room.  It's an old bit; I'm an old guy.  Both shots in the same arm; the flu shot burned a bit going in, the Covid booster didn't.  Last time we got these, we both felt a bit lousy the next day - we planned this timing so we could take tomorrow or Sunday off from packing, if we feel the need.

After taking Rufus out for his morning walk (no people or other animal get-togethers today), I grabbed the Hover X1 and headed out for a bike ride.  A look down our canal...

That shot above was taken with the still camera on the X1.  First time I've used it on manual mode.  Let's cut to the video...

 

Considering the small lens and sensor, this camera drone does a decent job.

Rufus's Morning Out...

 

No, he didn't get out on his own - he and I took a walk this morning.  Most outings, he chews a little grass, sniffs a tree or two, and calls it a day.  Today, he was a walking machine; after a couple laps of the house, we went down to the corner, then turned east.  I took this photo of one of the canals as we walked by it...

 The views down the canals are one of my favorite things about living here.  It wasn't long before Rufus saw one of his dog friends, Nala... they haven't seen each other since before we went to South Dakota... it was cute to see them trot towards each other...

Nala's parents are Bill and Shelena (they also have 3 cats, so Nala is comfortable with felines).  There was some sniffing around each other... Rufus went to Shelena for some rubs, while I gave Nala some pets.  The four-legged critters caught up while the humans visited.

Before long, we were joined by David and Tessa.  Tessa and Rufus are buddies... animals and people visiting...

Everybody gets along.  When we all parted company, Rufus and I walked a bit more... he was ready to head for home and get a treat.

Time for me to get out for a bicycle ride...

 

I took the new Hover X1 camera drone along to shoot a few clips.  This is fast to set up, easy to work with, and a breeze to download.  I used the mic on my iPhone to record through the Hover app - no need to set up a mic at home and do a voice over.  Fast and easy to drop it into iMovie to add a couple titles and a bit of music at the open and ending...

I am enjoying this camera drone.  No, I haven't used it around Rufus.  Yet.  It isn't particularly quiet.

Out on the CTX with the Hover Air X1

 

I got out this morning, before the heat of the day.  I rode across the causeway to the parking lot of the South Padre Island Convention Center.  Yes, the place that has that Wyland Whaling Wall mural of the Orcas that I like so much.  I wanted to try out some of the modes on the Hover Air X1 with a bigger radius orbit and higher up on the zoom out.

No, I won't be using this while riding the motorcycle or scooter... the follow speed of the drone tops out between 15 to 17 miles per hour.  I think the drone will be fun for "B-roll" or accent video when shooting with my other video cameras.  Plus, it is fun to fly: press the button to pick what mode you want, start it, and it takes off from your hand.  When it is done doing the camera maneuver, it flies back to you and lands on the palm of your hand.

Here's a still from the bird's eye mode (it goes straight up while rotating, then comes back down and lands in your hand)...

 And an edited video with a voice over...

An unusual light wind day here - the little drone didn't have to work too hard.

Another test: this time with the e-bike...

 

We had stuff to do today, but late this afternoon, I got out on my e-bike and shot some more clips with the new Hover Air X1 drone.  I used my Apple AirPods Pro to record the voice, and the latency with those wireless earbuds made it so the voice and lips don't match up.  I'll try a wired mic on the next test.

But, in the meantime, here's a look at what this little drone can do on its own...

 

Out For Delivery...

 

Three words that ring sweet to my ears... or, my eyes, since I am reading the e-mail.

Last week, I ordered a Hover Air X1.  "What's a Hover Air X1?" you ask.  Thanks for asking.  It is a very simple camera drone.  "How simple?" you ask.  Well, aren't you full of questions today.  Very simple.  You launch and retrieve it from the palm of your hand.  It has a half dozen flight modes that are programmed in: you decide on hover (stays in one place, but turns to track your movement), orbit (circles around you), zoom out (leaves from your hand, flies out, stops, then flies back, lands in your hand), follow (follows behind you), bird's eye (flies straight up, looking down at you), dolly track (it flies in reverse, shooting video of you from the front as you walk).  Each of these modes has several distances you can set (like a 20 foot orbit, or a 30 second hover, or straight up 20 feet; and you can changes those distances or times.  You don't need a controller like most drones - the modes are selectable right on the device.  Press the start button, hold out your hand, it "scans" you for about 3 seconds so it knows who to follow, orbit, etc, then off it goes.  Shoots video while doing each of those, then flies back to land in your hand.

Not quite sure how I'll be using it, but it is certainly less fuss and set up than the drone I sold right before we left Hart Ranch.  And this is even smaller...

It folds to about half the size of what you see above.  It's about the size of a cell phone, just a bit thicker.  You unfold it to fly.  Press the power button, it takes a couple seconds for it to start up, and you are ready to go.

Even though the daylight was slipping away, I had to take it outside to test it.  Yep, it works.  The premise is: it can be like a tripod or a selfie stick, allowing you to get photos or video, hands free.  And I haven't seen a tripod or selfie stick that can follow you, without being carried.

An example of a quick selfie...

A "bird's eye" view...

 

And, a short "dolly track" where it moves in reverse ahead of you...

These short videos were shot while the X1 was flying in 15 mph wind, which is the maximum recommended wind speed to fly in.  It has a vertical gimbal and uses electronic image stabilization... I'm thinking that was having to work pretty hard in that wind.  I will try all this again, with less wind and a more photogenic location.

It is controllable manually, using the app on your phone.  I didn't try it, yet, but it seems a bit clunky compared to an electronic controller with joy sticks (that most other drones come with).  But, flying this at higher altitudes or further distances to reveal something scenic isn't what this is designed for.  About 50 feet is as high or far away as you can go with it.  This device is more like a flying selfie video cam.  I'm looking forward to trying it out in some real world situations.

It is half the weight of the Mavic Mini I just sold, weighing in at 125 grams (that's about 4.4 ounces to those of us in the US).  Since it is under the 250 gram limitation, it isn't necessary to register it with the FAA.  It also doesn't use GPS - it has sensors on the bottom to determine height above the ground.  Since it isn't getting very far away from you, it doesn't need GPS to hover or fly and orbit.  This means it can also be used indoors.  One very cool feature: it can use the microphone on your phone to capture audio; most drones have no means of recording audio, because all you'd hear is the whining of the propellers.  The X1 uses AI to remove the sound of the propellers, so your voice comes through clear, with no whine in the background.  Here's the test...

There is no obstacle avoidance sensors on it, so you need to be aware of where you are flying, especially when you have this thing following you (the faster you go, the higher it goes).  It loses track of you at about 17 miles per hour, so I won't have it following me on the motorcycle.  But it could be good with the e-bike.  The only limit on how long it can follow you is how long the battery will last.  Because it is lightweight, the batteries also need to be light.  Flight time on each battery is about 11 to 12 minutes.  That's plenty enough to get about 10 good video clips to intersperse with some 360 video.

Since it is designed for social media, it has AI that will do a quick video for you...

It couldn't be much easier to use.  At first glance, the light weight and small size might lead you to believe this thing is a toy.  The technology built into it seems very smart; the light weight means you can fly this almost anywhere - you still have to follow the FAA rules about not flying near an airport or in a National Park.  Not having GPS means it boots up faster and you can fly it indoors if you want (I have been seeing some YouTube videos where this is being used for real estate videos.  It's easy to carry around (it will fit in a loose pocket when folded).  The camera has 2.7K resolution (the same as the DJI I sold) - certainly not state of the art, but just fine for social media.  More expensive drones will have 4K resolution and a larger image sensor... it's a compromise you have to make to get this size and weight.  The cage surrounding the propellers is a rubberized plastic material.  No doubt, some will think it is flimsy... it is somewhat flexible, meaning it is less likely to break if/when it hits something, and way less likely to do any damage to what (or who) it might hit.  Of course, the smart money would be to not let it hit something.

The limitations of the design: it is not meant to be flown over water (it will confuse the downward sensors); the small camera sensor (and downward proximity sensor) means it won't be great in low light; it shouldn't be flown where there is a big drop-off below it (like off a cliff or out the window of a tall building); and in follow or dolly track modes, the speed limitation is about 15 to 17 mph... go faster than that, and the X1 will stop following, wait for a bit to see if you come back into range, then execute a self-landing procedure.  It is available it black or white - I chose white because I think it will be easier to find if it goes into the bushes or tall grass.

I'm thinking it will be fun to use.

The Boxer...

 

If you said, "Simon and Garfunkle, 1970, from the album Bridge Over Troubled Water," you get 15 bonus points.  If you asked, "Did you get a dog?" you lose 20 bonus points. 

Yesterday, Joan said to me, "Can I count on you to get one box per day packed up over the next week?"  That was followed up with, "I think we can box up one room per day and be ready to load the pods when they get here."  That was followed by the discussion of having to live around rooms full of boxes until the pods get here.  My music room is packed up.  Oh, there are a few things (like a Bose PA) that won't go into a box, but will get put into a pod with a moving blanket surrounding it.  Other things, like a Bose T4S mixer, Spire Studio (for recording), and a TC Helicon Play Acoustic vocal/guitar pedal joined other gear in a box.  And where did all these microphones and picks come from?  My "music life" has been deposited into boxes.  Seems kinda sad, but I anticipate a "rebirth" in a new music room... if I survive this move.

Figuring I had my "box" AND "one room" done simultaneously, I thought I might be done for the day.  I am so silly.  I was instructed to empty my bedroom drawers.  What?  No, I am not talking about my skivvies.  I was told to put clothes into neat piles on the bed, to be packed into large bags.  Bags??  There was no mention of filling bags after completing a box or a room.  Pretty sure this is some kind of bait & switch or other form of deceptive marketing.  On the bright side, the neat piles I put on the bed are now apparently in one of those bags.  The drawers in the bedroom are pathetically sparse.  Likewise, the music room is mostly full of boxes, with two guitars left out (in their cases) if there is any time to play.

We are making progress.  The music room and the area around the dining table looks like the place is inhabited by horders... the living room is still box-free.  The kitchen cabinets are seriously thinned out.  The entire top of the island in the kitchen is adorned with glassware that is going to need to be padded and packed.  I have no doubt that will happen expeditiously.

The really good news about all this packing: we sold the house mostly furnished.  We will not be schlepping furniture half way across the country.  This is all our personal stuff getting packed.  There is a really nice wood-working work bench in our underneath storage area - that is going with us.  A couple cabinets from my music room.  And the Select Comfort mattress that we bought last winter.  The rest is 20 years of accumulated stuff.  There will be furniture shopping when we get to Arizona.

And what about Rufus?  Thanks for asking about the furry boy.  He is concerned about all the activity happening.  We don't know about his life before we adopted him... I have concerns that he may have been abandoned by a family that moved away.  I have reassured him that "You go where we go, buddy."

Years ago, when we moved from Spearfish to the Tropical Tip, the last three weeks we were in the house, we had sold all the furniture except two camp chairs, a TV tray, a small TV, a shredder, and a Select Comfort mattress on the floor.  Molly (the furry girl who is the subject of the book Cat On A Leash - still available at all your favorite e-book outlets and in paperback from Lulu) looked around at that empty house and asked, "Are we poor?"  She didn't know we had another house waiting for us in Texas, and were about to embark on some extended boat cruising.

Rufus is less concerned about the house stuff... he just wants to be sure that the three of us will stay together.  No man, woman, or cat left behind.

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I did get out this morning on my bicycle and the CTX.  It is hot, but it makes up for that by being really humid.  It is currently 89º, the humidity has actually dropped into the upper 60 percent range, making for a "feels like" temperature of 99º.  And the guy who got off the motorcycle was a giant sweatball when he put the bike away.

This is getting real...

 

Yesterday, while Joan made a run to the grocery store, I took down the guitar hangers and removed the drywall anchors from my music room.  This is a commitment... I guess we really are moving.  ;-)

I'm kidding, of course - the new owners will be here in a couple weeks.  If you saw yesterday's post regarding the latest update on the new house, things are getting close there.  After starting this process last March, we are on the home stretch.

I asked Ruf if he is excited to be living next door to Steph and Dan and their 3 cats... "Their what?"  Pretty sure I told him about their cats already.  I will be interested to see how that introduction process goes.  While walking Ruf at the last RV park we were in before getting home, the people next door had a very passive cat on the railing on their front door landing... Ruf looked at her, but was uninterested.  That's better than the growling and puffing up I've seen from him when we've come across another cat in our local walks.

We'll see how that plays out.  Tasha, Steph and Dan's alpha female, likes Joan... and I imagine she'll be anxious to "visit Grandma."

Not many changes...

 

Steph and Dan went to the house today, but not a lot of changes.  The gravel that made its appearance in the driveway last week is still there (no front yard landscaping, yet)...

 Dan's car making an appearance...

A gate on the "close side"...

Rain gutters...

And a barn door...

"A barn door?" you ask.  Yes, and thanks for asking.  No, we don't have a barn.  And in spite of what you might have heard, I was not born in a barn.  That's the door to the closet in our bedroom; I don't know why a sliding barn door, but that's what the design calls for.

We won't be raising any livestock.  That I know of.

Man is not defined by work alone...

 

Nor is cat.

There is a to-do list for today.  I varied from that list by getting in a bicycle ride this morning, then got out my Virtuo (first time since we left South Dakota, since it was packed in the cargo trailer) to make a bit of music for Joan and Rufus.  Joan made scrambled eggs with cheese and bacon while I provided the entertainment...

 She did take a break from that to get these images.

After breakfast, we started working on that list.  I got out the hose reel and sprayed around the exterior for bugs.  Undid the strap on our deck box so Joan could put the cover on the patio table and chairs.  I got out outdoor rugs and the griddle, she started wiping down the deck.

There are water restrictions in effect right now, due to the fact that this area hasn't seen any rain for months.  Normally, we would hose down the deck and siding, but that isn't allowed currently (first we've seen that).  So, Joan is using a soft bristle brush to get the surface layer of dirt off the siding.  There is a chance of rain over the next 3 days... if that happens, we'll go outside and "play" in the rain... and by "play," I mean we'll hit the siding with that brush again and maybe add some soap... and clean the windows.  In the meantime, it isn't so gritty that you can't use the railings.

Welp, my break is over, so I'm heading back out in the heat and humidity to unstrap the sunscreens.  How hot and humid is it?  Thanks for asking... step out the door wearing sunglasses and they immediately fog over.  And by the time the fog on the glasses clears, you are dripping sweat onto the glasses.  In the words of the philosopher Sly (and the Family Stone): Hot Fun In The Summertime.

Rating...

 

If you said, "It's got a good beat, but I couldn't understand the words - I'd give it a 67," you are from my generation and remember American Bandstand.  You get 50 bonus points for being so cool.

This rating is a bit different from that.  Our Sleep Number Bed tracks our sleep overnight and gives each of us a rating in the morning.  It is aware when you toss and turn, if you get out of bed for a potty visit, and your respiration.

 

This morning, I got a 68.  My average is 72.  Joan got an 86.  She obviously sleeps better than I do.  Might have something to do with Rufus pouncing on me most mornings... after he visits his litter box.  The boy is pretty regular.  "Hey, Dad - I'm awake!  Are you awake?  You probably want to get me some breakfast, huh?"  After he eats, he generally goes back to our bedroom and lays by Joan.  Pretty easy to see why her sleep rating is higher than mine.

It's a "smart bed."  I guess that makes our bed in the motorhome a stupid bed.  But, I do sleep well in the motorhome.  And even though the beds are different (the one in the motorhome is like Winnebago's version of a Tempur-pedic), I had no issue sleeping comfortably last night.

I went outside early to get my e-bike out of the car and unstrap the CTX in the cargo trailer... my plan was to beat the heat.  "How's that work for you, Jim?" you ask.  Well, it was already 83º and high humidity, so... not so great.  Our neighbor, Susan, walked by with her dog Tessa, so naturally, we visited for a while.  Tessa wanted to see Rufus, so I opened the door to let him out... and Tessa went in.  Eventually, we got Tessa out and the two of them were like a Disney movie... they really are nice together.  Tessa is sweet and Rufus is a good boy (drink), so it is a good match.

Eventually, back to the task at hand - it took more work to get the "removable" tie-wraps of the e-bike than anything else.  Well, there was a great deal of tugging to try to get the CTX out of the front wheel chock... it works better when you take the Velcro strap off that wraps around the wheel, connecting it solidly to the chock.  By the time I came back in, I was a sweaty mess... so much for that "beating the heat" stuff.

We'll make a run into Harlingen to pick up some more moving boxes, a stop at the storage unit to get the rest of the stuff out of the motorhome that we want at the house, and maybe have a leisurely lunch out.

Back into the swing of things in the Tropical Tip.

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The plan went as planned.  Lunch was good, U-Haul had just what Joan was looking for in boxes, and we finished emptying out the motorhome.  It rained for about 10 minutes, just when we were taking stuff to load in the Equinox.  I left the stuff just inside the door of the storage unit and went back to the last few trips of stuff to go.  And then when the rain quit (and just in time for the humidity hootenanny), we loaded up the car... a half hour or so at the motorhome, and we were outta there.  The air conditioning in the car felt great.

The stuff we hauled back is put away, so I was able to take a breather to write this.  Still stuff to get done around the house; the main thing: apparently while we were gone, there was no rain, but a daily dose of afternoon wind... which made for blowing sand, dirt, and grit... which in the daily humidity made it stick to the south side of the house... which means the house needs to be hosed and scrubbed.  It's a job best done with two of us... one on the hose, the other with a scrub brush... which means that one of us can say, "You hoser."  Yeah, that was a long way to go for that joke.  And, another day for being able to say, "You hoser."

Hey, it's good to be back home again...

 

Even if it is someone else's home.

If you said, "John Denver, 1974, from the album Back Home Again; CMA award for Denver for Song of the Year," you get 40 bonus points.

We are home.  Yes, I still got that "tingle in my stomach" as we got close.  I still consider the Tropical Tip home.  Our time here will be less than a month - plenty to get done and packed... and when we leave this time, it will be heading to our new home in Arizona.

The trip today was the first since we left South Dakota that we didn't get rained on.  It was hot and humid when we got to our storage unit... it may not have rained, but I could not have been wetter.  Schweddy balls, you ask?  (SNL reference)  Sweaty everything.  It was in the upper 90s in Harlingen (where our storage unit is), where we took the time to get some stuff out of the motorhome, leave one bike in the storage unit, and bring the cargo trailer back to the house with the Equinox.

Today, it was just the essentials that got moved.  There will be another trip out to the storage unit in the next day or three to clean out the rest of what needs to come back to the house.

There are rolling hills south of San Antonio; by the time you get close to the coast, the terrain get flat...

Blue sky, though - that's a nice change.  About 60 miles from home, the sight of palm trees along the freeway lets you know you are in the Tropical Tip...

Yep, that terrain is flat; and looking at the flag in that short clip, you can see we have a quartering headwind.  We have had a tailwind since leaving the Black Hills, until today.

Rufus napped on my lap while rolling, which has become his standard travel mode this trip...

"You woke me."

He sat on the console in the Equinox on the way home, looking around.  When we got home, the first order of business was moving his litter box in, then bringing him in.  I enjoy watching him look around the house after being in the motorhome for several months.

After getting stuff moved from the car and cargo trailer into the house, I got to sit for a few minutes (to write this blog post) - the furry boy is laying on the back of my chair, big-time purring.  I'd say he's happy to be home, too.

The second to the last stretch...

 

We spent last night at the RV park at Winstar Casino.  It was a last minute decision, prompted by getting a "free" RV site (the nice long pull-thrus are pricey).  We were intending to get a ways into Texas before calling it a day.  It was a nice break, since all we've been doing this trip is driving.

Winstar gave us some "bonus money" to play with and $20 off for meals.  When it came to using any of our own money for some gaming, Joan lost the exact amount I came out ahead (it's usually the other way around).  This may be the last time we get to Winstar, and it was nice of them to essentially pay us to stay, eat, and play.  Plus, Rufus got a nice walk last night and this morning right before we left - the first that it has been not raining so he could get out.

Up early this morning and hit the road (after Rufus's walk).  The plan for the day: make it south of San Antonio.  I called from the road this morning to make sure we'd get a site.

The weather weasels called for cloudy, but no rain along our route today.  Big surprise: they lied.  Again.  The first of the rain started not long after we crossed into Texas...

 We stopped at the Buc-ee's in north Fort Worth, got cheap gas, and pressed on... we didn't even go inside.  The rest of the day can be summed up in two words: traffic and rain.

We expect traffic as we go through Austin; we got into stop and go several times in the Fort Worth area...

Besides the one stop for fuel, there were a couple rest area breaks, so we could answer Nature's call, give Rufus a treat or a meal, and let me do a walk-around to check both vehicles and the cargo trailer.

I was running the speed limit during most of the day.  This is what it looks like when you have rain and trucks passing you on either side...

The slow-downs started in earnest around Georgetown... and then continued off and on (more on) until we got to the south end of San Antonio.  Combined with the rain, and then hot and humid by the time we got to our stop for the day, it seemed like a very long day.  By the time we got to Austin, we were all tired of the traffic slow-downs (and stops)... and there was another 80+ miles of it before our stop for the day.

Rufus, of course, was a good boy.  As usual, he sat on my lap much of the time.  At one point, he hopped up on the dash, to look around, then take a bath...

He's a good boy.  Although on one particularly bumpy section of Loop 410 in San Antonio, he got in my face and hollered!  It didn't last long, but he wanted me to know that he was tired of the noise and the bumps.  Me, too, Rufus; me, too.

And now, taking a moment to post this and kick back before we start on the holding tanks to get the coach ready to be put away for a few weeks.

OK..

 

... l-a-h-o-m-a.  Yeah, yeah, from the musical Oklahoma... blah, blah. 

No bonus points.  This one is a re-run, and not like everything on TV these days.  But, I digress.

Before we left Wichita this morning, I checked local weather: 0% chance of precip along our route.  This will surprise no one - we got rained on 3 different times.

Leaving Kansas, and rolling into Oklahoma...

You are immediately greeted with a road surface that is total crap.  And that's a bit of an insult to crap.  Rolling south, we had a few minutes of actual sunshine...

It was a refreshing change.  Didn't last long...

And then spitty rain on and off.  We had our phones on while going through Oklahoma City; yes, responsibly... Joan running through the bluetooth in the Equinox and I had my Airpods in.  The lanes change enough that you have to move right or left to stay on the road you intend as you go through OKC; it's helpful for me to let Joan know what's going on ahead and her being able to tell me when it is safe to change lanes (or "opening a lane" for me).

Rufus isn't a lot of help as the navigator, but he is a good stress reliever as he spends most of the time on my lap.  You can't see him in this photo, but he is on my lap.  Really.

This will probably be the last day of reasonably cool weather between here and home.  About half way there, and just getting to the Texas border.  From here on, it will be a LOT of traffic congestion until we get to San Antonio.  I'm thinking we will bust it up into two more days.

We are not on a tight schedule... just know that we have a lot to get done once home, and that will be on a schedule.  The pods to ship our stuff to Arizona have been scheduled, both for delivery and pickup.  This moving stuff is happening.

The boy got to have some walking time when we got down...

He has had to stay inside the motorhome since we left South Dakota, thanks to Mother Nature.  He appreciates the effort his people make for him.