Tennessee In Autumn

Facing the Obstacles With A Smile (or Smirk)

This smug expression photo was take at Mountaindale Campground in Colorado Springs --
amid the stress of being car-less, tv-less, phone-less, computer-less, and insurance-less!
A bad day in retirement travel is better than a good day working! 

Managing The Repairs

We reached Nashville on Sunday afternoon and found the vacant lot across the street from the satellite dealer where we'd been instructed to park overnight. Not in a particularly desirable part of town, we nervously got the dog walking done before dark and stayed inside until the next morning when the technicians came across the street to see us. Surprisingly, our damage was a missing bearing -- probably knocked out out when the dome was struck by the slide cover. The bearing was replaced in minutes and we were ready to go.

The satellite couldn't rotate so it rubbed along one side.

With two dogs now, I need an easy means of shuttling my babies around when carrying or walking them isn't practical so, last week I found and ordered a stroller for them. I had it (among other things) shipped to Columbia Camper where my dear friend Kim would accept and hold it for me. 

Kim with Lexie and Ozzie's new stroller.

Taken at Columbia Campers in Columbia, Tennessee
Wayne pushing the doggie stroller containing both Lexie and Ozzie. 
We have to close the top to keep Ozzie from jumping out.

Along with the doggie stroller, I ordered a set of steps for Lexie to use getting onto the couch where she hasn't been able to go. Now all she can do is bark at Ozzie when he's on the window ledge behind the couch.  It too was delivered to Columbia Camper. Lexie's first attempt at the steps didn't go so well as she jumped down off the top step and hurt her left shoulder causing her to wince out loud when we picked her up. This lasted for just a day.  The following day she was improved and after that, we helped her up and down the steps until she learned to use them.  Ozzie, of course, merely uses the steps as a launching pad or avoids them altogether as he leaps like a deer on and off the couch.  He's also taken to jumping into Wayne's chair immediately after Wayne vacates it.  I think he is a real clown and loves making us laugh.  Here are some of the reasons I say that.

After Jerry, Larry and Nathan examined the damage to Mona and determined what parts would be ordered, we drove over to RP Williams to have the engine serviced.  Wayne asked them to look at the diesel leak and we learned our tank has a crack!  To repair it, the tank must be drained, dried, welded and then replaced.  This isn't a common problem so Mr. Williams isn't sure how long it will take. We were advised to prepare for an overnighter so we took a room in a local motel.

Mona is in one of RP Williams' repair bays.
She looks so tiny and helpless among the big trucks.

Wayne visits Mona in the hospital.

I used the afternoon at the motel as an opportunity to bathe Lexie and Ozzie.  I'm concerned that Ozzie might be getting into some fleas, something he's not had in Colorado.  I want his schedule to be the same as Lexie -- first of the month for both flea and heartworm medications. Ozzie hasn't experienced much in the way of daily brushings either, it seems, as he was really afraid of the whole activity.  I used the baby brush, letting him smell it first, and was careful to gently brush just his back at first. Later on, I'd get to his neck, then his head and other areas. 

Turned out we'd have only one night (two days) out of Mona as she was ready by Friday mid-afternoon.  When we went to pick her up we got an unexpected thrill to run into our granddaughter, Harley, at RP Williams. She had ridden with her grandmother to pick up parts when she saw us.  Turns out to be really good luck to have run into her as she (and Buddy) would be leaving early the next morning with those grandparents for a beach trip during the fall school break. 
We ended up staying on in Columbia over the weekend. We'd get to see Chad and Cole on Saturday for watching football and then a short visit with Cam and Amy on Sunday.  Exhausted, I didn't think to snap a single photograph. On Monday we picked up our mail and then headed east for some well-deserved Tennessee fall foliage.   Oooohhh.
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