Friday, March 13, 2020

Chilly Morning, Friends Pull Out, Shopping and Fuel, Hype and Panic


Silver View RV Resort - Last Day
On Friday, Mar. 13th we realize it is indeed Friday the 13th. We’re not worried. We also realized that there is enough hinky stuff going on in the world that one day with a reputation can’t be much worse. We aren’t superstitious – well, to a point. I still try not to step on a crack. At least while Mom is around. Okay, I’m a bit superstitious.

We had a mixed bag of a weather day again
We were up at 6:30 and when I stuck my head out the door, it was a cooler 52F and a light rain was present. I had my tea with Bill and we read blog posts. I was intrigued when I read Lorne’s blog about the ‘Like’ button. I’ve noticed them (if you post a blog in WordPress) but never knew we, in blogspot, had a choice. Now, with Lorne’s help, I’ve got one! A choice AND a Like button.

The American Eagle
(no wings)
 As a blog-reader, I have often thought instead of a comment, I would just like to let the blogger know I’ve read. Some of my comments are just so you know I have visited. If you feel the same way, now at the bottom, under my posting, you can click the little box. I didn’t put a ‘dislike’ box simply because I don’t want to know! Haha I’d rather you voice your opinion in a comment or do nothing if you don’t like it. 😊

Sharon and Jim - great people

We were discussing the morning when Bill saw the American Eagle pull up out front. Jim and Sharon were already packed up and ready to roll at 8 o’clock! We slipped our shoes on and ran out for hugs and pictures before they pulled away. We won’t see them again at least until next winter. They don’t have far to go today but still ‘safe travels!’ That cool air without a jacket gave me goosebumps.

Cool license plate

So long, guys!
Inside, I transferred some keto recipes from emails into my Word Recipe folder and then started this post. Last night, I sat and tore out the beginnings of my sweater. It started out good but after the second row, it didn’t seem to have stretch, meaning it wasn’t going to go around me. LOL That is one reason I love crochet. It is easy to ‘rip-it’ and redo. There is a new stitch called the Foundation Double Crochet stitch and I watched a YouTube clip until I was frustrated trying to learn it. Everyone says how easy and great it is. Maybe I’ll get there.

I have been meaning to try Shirley's muffins for a long time

And they look a little funny but they taste great!
The second batch had some dates and no Splenda
We notified Keith that we’d pick him up for groceries at 10. When we leave tomorrow, we’ll be boondocking at minimum for a couple of nights before hitting another hookup destination so want to be prepared. With a reminder from Bill, I got a pound package of ground beef out of the freezer. I’m making a batch of chili for easy suppers.

The chili ingredients all set to go
After going to Walmart for the few things (we almost stuck to the list!) we dropped Keith off with his stash and returned home. Bill helped unload and then drove in the opposite direction to get fuel. We were going to do laundry either last night (too rainy and lazy) or this morning but when I pulled the dirty clothes out, there was hardly enough for a load. Not enough to worry about. I won’t be needing those shorts and tank tops for a couple of months at least!

Is it going to clear  up?
  I made myself a coffee and then started cooking some bacon for Bill. As I was putting groceries away, I was disappointed to see that the huge tub of cottage cheese says ‘low fat’. 2% instead of 4% so I quickly opened it for a taste. Aaah, it is still very good. Phew! I hate low fat stuff as a rule, give me the good high fats please. Before we left for town, I had blended the cheese mixture into the Jell-o so that is done.

Maybe
As always when I buy a bunch of bananas (instead of breaking a few off the bunch) they go black faster than I can eat them. So! I searched for my copy of Shirley’s Flourless Peanut Butter Banana Muffins and mixed up a batch for 6. If I (we) like them, I’ll use up the other bananas too. When Bill returned, he had his bacon and eggs but I wasn’t hungry. I’d had my coffee w/creamer, some cottage cheese and licked the batter bowl clean. That’s the child in me, I’ll never grow up!

The puddle under the Suite was slowly
dissipating
After dishes, I tasted the muffins and shared one with Bill. We both like them so yippee! I made up another batch of 6 and they’ll be good for on the road too. The rain has been off and on, all day, but after seeing the puddle under the Suite, we pulled our patio mat out further on our site so it could dry. That happened really quickly so we folded it up and it got put away with the chairs and little tables. Not much left and we’ll be ready.

We’re hosting Happy Hour today, indoors. Because of the gravel and grit on the floors, Bill vacuumed for me. I can be a pest but I did offer to do it myself. Thanks, Dear! After the second batch of muffins was done, I chopped onions, peppers and celery for the chili. I often just throw in whatever I have and today we had lots of the fresh stuff to add. No tomatoes for this batch though which makes Bill happy. I usually alternate.

I'm sad that this brand isn't available back home
I guess I'm stocking up!

At 3, I blended us each a glass of Miami Vice and our Happy Hour friends arrived. It was an inside HH and the talk for most of the two hours was between our return trip and the hype over us crossing the border at Port Huron, MI into Canada. None of the 5 of us are too concerned but that doesn’t mean it isn’t in our thoughts and on our minds. We all expressed feelings and views and it seems that we are all on the same wave length.

No Happy Hour picture today
Instead you get to see the beans and mushrooms
What will be, will be so we will deal with it all in 3 weeks when the time comes to cross. Keith will be breaking off at some point and will experience the border crossing issues earlier than us. We’ve heard that we will have to self-quarantine AFTER we cross and even that is a bit of a conundrum. How do we do that? Since we can’t answer the questions at this point, we will just carry on as we already are.

We’ve had queries, questions, concerns and suggestions coming from everywhere. We are listening, hearing and not ignoring them. We are taking extra care, using caution when we are out and about in stores and just following our original plan. Our biggest concern used to be the weather and believe it or not, that is still something we are basing our direction on. There is no rush to get home, as none of us feel that that is the correct reaction.
A simple boring little supper
but then we had cheesecake!

We could arrive to ‘a closed border’ (according to some rumours), experience nasty weather and still need to be self-quarantined. There is panic out there and we are not going to get caught up in that. With 3 weeks left to our winter journey, we want to enjoy the ride. I do want to thank everyone for their concerns because I know it is coming from the goodness in your hearts.

A nice big double batch of chili
So, back to Happy Hour. We had some laughs, made some jokes but seriously discussed our route and stops along the way. Then it was time for the three of them to go home. We have a departure time settled so will see them in the morning, bright and ‘not to’ early. I started cooking the chili and Bill helped by opening cans and draining the beans for me. That is a big help in itself. We’d also discussed having just a simple supper of mushroom soup and crackers so I got that on the go while Bill put the satellite dish away.

Enough for 5 meals
We ate, the chili cooked and after it cooled considerably, I scooped it into meal size containers. Some will go into the freezer and some in the fridge. We had cheesecake for dessert, mine with choke cherry jelly drizzled overtop. No pictures, I promised! It looks like the rain threat has stopped so we are pleased about that. We will have a quiet evening with a book and my crochet project and we will avoid the world-wide panic.

There are a lot of jokes going around too
I liked this one
Good night!

Thank you for stopping by! PS – I learned the foundation double crochet stitch AND we have lots of toilet paper! 😊

22 comments:


  1. I tried your new ‘like’ button... hope that worked. I thought your reason for not putting in a ‘dislike’ option was perfect! :)
    Enjoyed our happy hour...
    Kim

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  2. Travel safe. Good luck on border crossing. Didn't see a like button.

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    1. Thank you Rita. The like button is right below Posted by:
      It is called 'Reactions'.

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  3. No picture of your cheesecake but the fantastic description was enough. I'm glad you are not changing plans. Still lots to see and do before you get home. Enjoy and safe travels.

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    1. I'm here to please, Doug. Ha ha!
      Thank you for your support. Panic only increases the heart rate!

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  4. Love the new like button. You could go crazy reading all the stuff about crossing the border to go home. We are just watching the weather and not worrying about the rest.

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    1. Thanks. I'm glad we're not alone in our decision. The weather is what is important to us too.

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  5. I'm reading you on my phone and no like button. I'll check it out when I get on the computer. Nobody seems to have any answers about this mess because everything is changing so rapidly. Enjoy the rest of your journey home and travel safe.

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    1. Thank you Sandie. You'd have to go to Web Version when on your phone to see the button. :)
      We will do our best enjoying the journey.

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  6. Ooooh your chili looks delicious! You've done a lot of cooking of late Me too, mostly due to the rain. At least some of us have cool heads while everyone else is panicking. I laughed at your picture ... you are right, even if there was a vaccine, most people wouldn't even bother!! Self-quarantine?? Not me ... I plan on going about my business. If I get the flu, at least I won't get it next year!! Safe travels!!

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    1. Thanks Nancy, yes I've enjoyed cooking too, in the rain. :)
      Panic does nothing but upset our systems and increase the heart rate!
      We will have to self-quarantine (likely) when we return to Canada so we'll do that. Who is going to monitor us? LOL It is a bit of a joke.

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  7. I added the remarks too. How fun ... I've never seen that before!!

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  8. I also hit the like button and downloaded a couple of your photos of us. Great to hook up again with you and Bill.

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    1. Thanks Jim. It is a fun picture of you two in the coach. Safe travels,
      we enjoyed 'bumping' into you again!

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  9. I have the same feelings about comments, thus normally do not comment, but after reading your blog I will certainly hit the like button. My daughter keeps bugging me about going home early and like you said sticking to the original plan is the correct reaction. After all, boon docking here in Southern California is certainly being in self isolation. I will not return back to Ontario until the end of April, thus I hope everything settles by then.

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  10. I like the button idea, I think I'll check it out too. I also agree about the panic. Relax, take precautions and be smart. Hurrying home isn't the way to go in my humble opinion. What will you do when you get there? You will do just what you are doing here except here you are warmer. Not everyone has a house to move into when getting back to home ground and that brings up a whole host of other issues along with the current ones. Limit the issues, take precautions and wash often. COMMON SENSE goes a long way in times of great stress, keeping the panic to a minimum is also helpful. Safe travels, good health and enjoy the view!!

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  11. If you have to self-quarantine you will have to delay your visit at Can Am.
    Wishing you Safe Travels but continue Enjoying the adventure.

    It's about time.

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  12. Just use your common sense and ignore the hype!

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  13. Safe travels now and in the next few weeks. I suspect you will be screened at the border and depending on the circumstances south of the border, you may be asked to self-isolate for a couple of weeks if they are concerned you may have been exposed. Otherwise it's as others have said, common sense - wash your hands often, sneeze into your elbow, and try to avoid touching your face. Your mom's nursing home may be restricting visitors.

    At your moment your plans have you arriving after much of the country has been closing schools and other places where large groups of people gather. Perhaps (and fingers crossed) we'll be through the worst of it before you arrive.

    Take care!

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  14. I have to say we agree with Nancy. Really this is much ado about nothing! Flu has killed more people than this virus ever will. Common sense that your mom taught you growing up! The hoarding is ridiculous! Your chili looks delicious and I'm so glad you liked the muffins! :)

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