Dodging Between The Storms--- D Day is coming up tomorrow!

D Day... (Departure Day) for heading out on vacation is hopefully tomorrow!   We are getting snow today, and more again on Saturday.  We are hoping for dry roads to drive on. Motorhomes and slippery roads do NOT mix.

We have been keeping the snow shoveled from in front of the rig,

so we can just pull out to escape! 

Poor Steveio has been dealing with these sub zero temps at work, with having to plow, shovel, repair broken things and maintain buildings all around the park.  It has not been an easy winter and he REALLY needs to escape! 

Me, not so much.  I will enjoy the trip and the warmth and the sunshine when we get south, but in the meantime I am leaving behind my comfort cozy loom room and big looms and tools.  I will bring along projects to work on.   

If I had my way, I think I would rather just stay here and snug and warm inside---- waiting 6 more weeks till hopefully some spring weather melts this snow.  I know, it sounds weird eh?  But I think my perspective is we have been here through the worst of the winter weather suffering in Wisconsin, why leave now?  The worst is over, and I hope to see the light (spring light?)  at the end of the tunnel. 

Oh, by the way, the tranny on the car needs rebuilding, the rear gear IS burnt out... so that is going to be done when we get back.  No need to rush with it right now this week. 

Around here, I have been making lists, packing and sorting.  We can load un-freezable things, but not any of the important stuff until the last morning.  

Watching the snow forecast, it looks like Friday morning is the time to go. The last few years we have left on days of 0 degrees or below.  Tomorrow looks to be up in the 20's for our takeoff!  That is quite fine with us, as it's less stress on the diesel engine to fire up and easier for things to roll or break loose the tires from the frozen boards they are parked on.  We might even be able to pry the boards off the ground once we pull off them.  Then the plow guy coming won't have to shove the boards back into a snow pile where we can't retrieve them till spring.  haha. 

I need to be ready! 

Housesitter is set.

Plant waterer is set. 

Snowplowing guy is set. 

Mail hold is set. 

Neighbors all notified to watch the house. 

Police dept. notified of our dates and will do checks on our house too!   

(Isn't it great to live in a small town?)

Plus, we will have everything of value with us... the computers, camera and cell phones come with us. There is nothing here of value... (except my yarn!  oh my!)   The 2 TV's are portable and we take them out to the rig to use and put them back in the house when we get home again.  We live 2 blocks from the police department, and 5 blocks from the sheriff department, so there is a police presence constantly driving by.  

So there... for my family who was worried about posting on a blog that we are going to be gone, well we have our bases covered.  We ain't rich and there ain't anything here to steal.

I have made lists upon lists....  lists of things to take, lists of things to do, lists of things to buy, and lists of things to NOT forget! 

Mom and Auntie Lois had me pick up 10 blocks of Onion Cheese from Vern's Cheese store here in Chilton, plus some good Wisconsin Summer Sausage!   I have postcard stamps bought and stowed in the wallet to send out cards to the grandtots.  I have stacks of my produced DVD's and sock machine weights along to ship out in case of sales as we travel.   Clothes, food, laptops, and DOGGIE STUFF!!!!!

Who can forget the doggie stuff?   

We have the 

leashes, 

toys,

 doggie beds, 

chew bones, 

Frontline drops for fleas, 

brushes, 

nail trimmers,

 and most of all the 

TREATS!!!!!   

Duke has been checking the drawer in the motorhome each time we go out to load something, and he is wondering if we put treats in there yet for him  (mice would be attracted if we left them in there)   

This travelling stuff is exciting for the dogs, because they love to get out and sniff new places.  It will be Finney's first trip, of course.  But Duke has been travelling for 10 years and adores going in the motorhome. 

At least with us going to Florida, there will be GRASS.....  when we go to the desert, poor Duke has a hard time adapting to going pee on the gravel or dirt!   He holds it and holds it as long as he can, sometimes a day or more.... until he is about ready to burst!    He finally gives in and goes on the gravel, but he sure don't like it.  Of course it's not good for his bladder, but he is one stubborn dog when it comes to that.  

Little Finney will be happy to be outdoors and run off some energy on his long flexi-leash, I am sure.   We have only had snow-covered ground since getting him in mid-December, so it will be nice to have him outdoors for longer walks and playtime on grass or sidewalks to go check things out.  Inside the house he gets cooped up and starts his "ZOOMIES" dashing around the house like a crazed racecar driver!   We do leash work, heeling, sitting, stay, come etc. to help wear off some of his 6 mo. old puppiness.  I have him now running up the front staircase, racing the length of the hall upstairs, down the rear staircase and then though the laundry room, kitchen, diningroom, livingroom through to the foyer and then up again.  It helps, but I think some long walks on a leash will be good for his training. 

Well, enough sitting and gabbing here, I have laundry to finish, dry goods to pack and load, and bring down my coleus plants from the guest room and line them up in my loom room for easier watering with my house sitter tasks.