AstroGypsies

Some days you just know it might materialize, if only for a moment. I woke up with the 20.4 lb cat sitting on my chest, it’s hard to breathe when he does that, he still thinks he is little. He was gazing out the window, I saw the high clouds, they mean possible color and reflections on the lake surface. I moved him off me, he erfed, he doesn’t meow, he erfs (that is exactly what it sounds like! It may not be a word, it is now!) it’s like talking, he’s an orange cat, he’s weird!

I went down to the dock, picking my way over the heavily leaf covered stairs, the wind last night was howling sending the leaves flying in flocks across the sky. I sat down on the steps, I’d put a hoodie over my pyjamas, it was 4° celcius, a bit chilly, but not a breath of wind, so quiet, a distant honking goose occasionally broke the silence…and I waited. It was gray at first, with a tinge of apricot on the horizon, ha, apricot, OK, orange for you citrus lovers! And then I saw the sun start to hit the lower clouds, in a few moments it had worked its way up and a few minutes later, it was done. I sat for awhile as it became lighter and lighter, just enjoying the quiet. Mother nature is such an amazing artist!

They say patience is a virtue, I’d have to agree. Sometimes it is worth just sitting and waiting for the show to unfold, the plot to thicken, even if you are in your pyjamas. I don’t think I’ll get arrested at a state park if I rush out to do this as we go South. Sometimes there is no time, you just grab the camera and go! I suppose I could plan, make coffee, that would be very civilized but I was so warm and comfy, in the process of being smothered by Rocket!

If you haven’t ever owned a large orange cat, you should. There are entire Facebook pages devoted to them and their quirks. Some are cuddly, some are spicey, most of them are boys although there are orange girls, they are often quite large. Maybe we should have slowed down on the raw food, who knew we’d get a tiger cub instead of a cat. He used to be so brave as a kitten, forging friendships with everyone he met, dogs and even, gasp, toddlers! Maybe he’s going through his phase of being scared of everybody and everything, the Amazon driver is obviously here to pick him and return him to Pet Valu he thinks! I’m hoping he doesn’t get too freaked out as we go back to traveling, time will tell. Yes, he’s my boy! And weighing in at close to 20 lbs. is Groot in the right corner…now he, well is developing a certain pear shape that sometimes dictates a diet may be called for soon in the future! I made the mistake of giving them a few, 10 or 12 crunchies (they only get them as a treat) when I went to photograph the sunrise…once…it seems now they come to check every morning, just in case I might be getting up. Groot will also stand on you, staring, imploring you to wake up, those small pokey white feet with twenty pounds of orange and white tabby behind them…I think I have bruises!

Driving down those cottage lanes, that colour late in the day, the leaves glow, it never ceases to take my breath away. I’m not sure I’m going to get a calm sunny day, or even calm cloudy, no rain please day, for a paddle before all the leaves have settled on the ground, or water. A brave soul was out in their green canoe in the howling winds the day before yesterday, there were waves! I don’t do waves in the little red canoe! Wakes yes, waves no! The great mariner;) ha! I’m not ready to commit my remains to the bottom of Long Lake in a fall storm, you’ve heard the Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald right!?! The winds were howling over the hill from the West, a good 35-40 knots in gusts, maybe more, one day I’ll get a wind speed meter thingamajig, when the gusts hit the water at the bottom, they actually disperse in two directions, I need to video it, absolutely fascinating how currents and obstacles work! All viewed from the safety and comfort of my chair!

The farm stands are full of pumpkins and other aliens, squash, gourds, nubby creatures from a possessed farmers field, they are weird and enchanting and well, alien, I’ll stick with that! We stopped to buy some straw bales to put over our water line from the well, it’s over rock, not that deep so something we do each year to keep it from freezing, it’s Canada…Minnesotans would understand!

OK, I get the pumpkins, I see a pie in my near future covered in whipping cream, the buttercups, butternuts and acorns roasted with butter and maple syrup…but the aliens? the gourds or squash or nubbly whatever they are called, can I eat them? (I’m a pragmatist) The bumpy oddly shaped and coloured ones lying about in the fields…are they simply alien decorations for Halloween and Día de los Muertos…or could they could be used as projectiles, fired at small children wearing Disney costumes? Only time will tell;) Ha!

We called Canadian Tire this morning, to inquire about our tires being replaced under warranty, no sign of them yet, it will dictate our departure date. They have doubled in price, shocked look, we do have six of them, at least only the front ones seem to be having a wear issue, actually, just one. The alignment was checked, it’s spot on, so it’s the tire. I am thankful Canadian Tire is so good and grand as to replace them free of charge. The trailer’s been checked. We have a gem of a service department at The RV Place on Highway 7…five star google reviews are rare and these guys are the cat’s meow, absolutely wonderful, that is a rare compliment from people who have full timed! I can count on one hand the places I’d ever go back to so thank you Blair, Selina and your techs, you guys are wonderful! If you need anything done to your trailer or rig, pay these people a visit! Our furnace now fires and runs, our cable on the bedroom slide cabinets is replaced and that weird do hickey that turns the gas off when you lower the cover/or open it for the stove is now functioning without me getting into the pot cupboard and jiggling it about while swearing at it. Pamela fixes…Ha!

We replaced one hub cover on the trailer suspension, it was leaking. They are oil bath hubs, used on big rigs and heavy duty commercial trailers. I made the mistake of posing a question on my DRV fixes Facebook group asking about part numbers, I always like to have a spare or two. The drama and fear, sigh, they are no good, they’ll lock up and tear your trailer apart and on and on and on…I actually removed the post the answers were so irritating, yes, you have to check them, and fill with oil as needed…nothing is truly maintenance free or are they all too old and lazy to actually get down on their knees and check them is my thought;) Watch us lose a bearing this trip! Ha! Hopefully didn’t just jinx us! Turns out the o ring was split in the one that was leaking, easy fix. No offense to old people but why all the fear? It’s one thing I don’t enjoy about our traveling South, no one down there says have a good time or enjoy yourselves have fun!…it’s BE careful!

It was raining this morning, cats are stubborn, wanted to go out. They sat in the alcove for a few minutes then one by one dashed and ran out to the trailer, home #2. Time to go sit and check out the US Customs website to see what and what we can’t bring across the border. Obviously no fresh food, but one trip they confiscated our rice, was it fried rice day at the customs house? No worries, go take some from a rv’er, they’ll have some! It had been imported and packaged in the US I pointed out politely, to no avail, they WANTED our basmati rice come hell or high water…enjoy! We’ll see what new items online I should not bring aboard!

I shall keep you posted, when you see pictures of highways, or people, I don’t generally do people, my brother and I are confirmed misanthropes, or leaves that are green you’ll know we’ve entered the realm of the yankees. Stay tuned, saludos y abrazos!