Wet Weather and Dodge Shopping

I am sitting in the car just north of Mayfield, KY (which is just south of Paducah for you quilters) writing this blog while Bruce tries to contact the Dodge guy for Town Wagon parts. It is about 9AM CDT and the weather is less than optimum for parts gathering. It is raining and we are parked in front of what could pass as a home I guess with what can only be termed a junk yard (not the type you pay to go in, but the type that has junk in the yard) surrounding it. Apparently this guy Pete started collecting vehicles when he was about 17 and never stopped. His mother finally had enough of it and one day told everyone that either the junk was leaving or she was - so she (and father I guess) moved out and Pete now has the family home and surrounding junk yard. Much of this place is overgrown and the cars are hidden by the plants and who knows what else. Bruce said Pete had cleaned up quite a bit since the last time he was here in February. (Note to self – If this is cleaned up - I am definitely going to have to intervene more at home to make sure this is not the direction we head!!) So we are here, in the rain, to get door parts, emblems, etc. – for “my” town wagon (it is always something for me- isn’t Bruce just so sweet?) because the pieces are still available, are in pretty good shape and are inexpensive compared to things we have seen on the Internet. Oh- here comes Pete now- good luck Bruce- I am staying in the car!

So while I wait (I am not getting out in the rain or even just to walk around, who knows what will get me), I will ruminate on one of my favorite topics – exercise. I don’t want to see any eyebrows raised or hear exhaling under your breath either by those readers who actually know me. Exercise is one of the hardest things to fit into my day and I am sure that is because I am not inclined to like it even a little bit. I can always find something better to do, even if it is sleeping. Joe and Tony , I am sorry to tell you that I have yet to really start up a program on the road. You both spent hours (and my dollars) trying to guide me, giving me suggestions for the road, and trying to help me enjoy exercise to some extent. I want you to both know that your guidance and perseverance had worked enough before we left Jacksonville that I actually felt better AFTER I came home- but not enough that I felt guilty about NOT GOING in the first place (or making excuses when I really didn’t want to get out of bed). Either way, now that we have left Jacksonville, the most I do is walk the dog. And walking Hazel is not all that it is cracked up to be. Hazel is a real warm weather wimp (OK, so am I at this weight and inactivity level), so in many cases walking her is not the activity it could be – she will just lie own when she is hot or has had enough, so of course we (I) have to find a place to rest too. See how easy it is for me to find an alternative to actually moving around – not good.

So, since I have now ignored my exercise for all practical purposes for the last 2 (ops, probably more like 3) weeks- I have begun to feel somewhat guilty and more sluggish. What? – is that a result of no exercise – I can’t believe it!) As a result I have decided to begin to hold myself accountable, both for calories in and calories out. (Notice I say begin to hold myself accountable – I can’t jump into anything with both feet, what if something important comes up and I have to backslide a bit?) I am going to try to do this accountability thing publicly - so you all can chide me, encourage me and help me walk this road to better health . And let’s not forget about Bruce either. Just because I am blogging doesn’t mean he is not participating – what is good for the goose is even better for the gander. Bruce & I can easily become motorhome couch potatoes- riding all day (motorhome or touring in the auto), sitting all night (except of course to walk Hazel) and eating in between. I can’t let that happen- in fact- I won’t let that happen. So – beginning tomorrow (not today- I have already backslid at Cracker Barrel) I will summarize the activities and eating on this path to better health. Additionally, Joe, I will commit to writing everything down that enters my mouth, just not on this blog. Just imagine - 2 eggs, toast with no butter, black coffee, etc., etc. …. How boring would that be ? Same goes for the actual exercise- unless of course it is something spectacular (I hiked the Appalachian Trail, the whole thing ! ) or something just as exciting. Of course- if I do have a big back step I will tell you all about it so you can help me refocus. I also promise not to make the focal point of this blog about exercise and food either (just today’s writings). I will only add summary statements within the writing to enable those interested to follow my progress. May even need to buy a set of scales to keep in the motorhome- what a drag, daily weigh-ins, but necessary I am afraid.

Back to the present- Bruce is busy bringing all sorts of small items to the car. Guess the day is turning out to be successful for him. Uh oh – he just got the drill out of the car (again) and picked up a piece of wet cardboard (to lie on I am sure) – wonder what he is getting now? Based on past experience, cardboard does not usually come into play for small items. Good, he is back and it is not too bad, trim pieces for the sides. At least we are not hauling more fenders.

Speaking of hauling- we hauled all of this wood with us for camp fires and have only had one in the 10 days this trip has covered. We had to haul the wood, in the back of my car of course, because you apparently can never depend that there will be down and dead wood in the forests, especially when the areas in question have had ice storms and killed so much of the timber. OR, the reason might be that you may have forgotten your chain saw (gas) or the chain saw (electric) would require much more than the 100 foot extension cord you have packed in the motorhome and an ax is too much work!! Good thing we travel with fire starter logs too. Either way, besides giving this wood a 1000 mile trip so far, one of the things we have discovered is that many of the campgrounds (state and federal) are now forbidding campers from bringing wood with them to burn, especially if that wood has come from other areas or states. This campground is not letting you bring wood in from some of the more northern states, but I have seen info on many of the online sites I have visited that say any wood from any other state is forbidden. Apparently the wood has been spreading different bugs and diseases, even when dead (there better not be any bugs or diseases in my car right now), and those things are ravaging the indigenous timber. Same thing goes for many other things we are transporting without knowing it- the zebra mussel on boats for example. Many of the areas tell boaters to let their equipment dry so long, etc. after taking it out of the water before putting it into another body of water to prevent the spread of these mussels. The things that we, the US, have transported or imported either intentionally or unintentionally, from area to area, thinking the item is pretty or would help control some other plant , animal, fish or insect in nature is too numerous to list. We need to just leave things alone instead of always trying to “help” nature along. Ok – I am off my soap box for today. Seems Bruce is finally ready to pay the man although first he has to wade through the yard to wash his hands in a bucket of water- I am sure that is healthy.

Since it is still early, and we are without the dog for once, I think I will suggest a stop at the Kentucky Dam Visitors Center on our way back to the campsite, but after lunch of course. I have to get in this “eating out” stuff while I can.

Addendum: - We did eat on the way home- but because Bruce was dirty from the ground operations with the truck stuff, it was drive- through at Wendy’s. Tried their grilled chicken sandwich for the first time and it is OK- not as good as the spicy fried breast sandwich, but in a pinch it will do. We drove on to the campground, walked Hazel (my turn down to the boat dock and back) and then went to visit both Kentucky & Barkley Dams on the Tennessee and Cumberland Rivers respectively. They are on both sides of what is now Land Between The Lakes national Recreation area. Kentucky Dam is one of the TVA dams on the Tennessee River where electricity is generated and was built in 1938-1944. Barkley, on the other hand, is a late comer and was not built until 1964. We will have a lesson on electricity on a subsequent post- since I am now full of all sorts of tidbits about these dams and the waterways they manage. Right now the road across the Tennessee River on 62 crosses the actual dam (very unusual in today’s climate), taking you right next to the generating station and over the 600’ lock, but they are busy building a new bridge up river along with a nice new road to the Visitors’ Center and a new 1200’lock. Since 9/11 – many of the US dams have limited their interaction with the public because of security concerns, so it is nice to find two so close and this large where you can still stop and visit. If you are ever in the area, stop for awhile and learn about our waterways.