Today we pack it up and move it out.  Special order motorhome shocks arrived in Eugene, a few hours drive from Millpond, so we are off on another motorhome repair adventure.  Traveling down a twisting one-lane is enough to warrant our departure early evening, the alternative being early morning and meet ups with logging trucks and big equipment haulers.

We spent the night at the Elks Lodge, choosing it above the local Wal-Mart parking lot for the 50amp hook-ups and quiet location.   For $15.00 a night, it’s a TX size deal.  Up early the next morning for the 30 minute drive to Kaiser Brake and Alignment for our appointment.  Slight scare that the size of our custom Road King shocks were incorrect, but thanks to Mel at Kaiser, they were professionally installed and we rolled down the road noticing the difference almost immediately.

Early evening fog rolled in and concealed part of our zigzagging path back to Millpond in the dark of night.  It took us almost an hour to get LilyPad back under the security of our cover before the sky’s opened up and dumped buckets of water down, bombarding us and bringing with it bulk loads of leaves.  By morning, the leaves that Kenny pulled off our lawn and parking lot once again carpeted Millpond.   The Yin and Yang of Mother Nature.   Can’t have cool shade in the Summer without removing piles of leaves in the Fall.

I’ve been having a bit of a pity-party lately staying inside our rolling box hiding from the campfire smoke, without TV, for weeks at a time.  Mercifully John bought me a Kindle Fire to occupy my hours confined to our tiny space.   Even our escape to Brookings was short-lived and somewhat disappointing as Oregon allows beach fires all day and night so fresh sea air was only available in fleeting snatches.   As my cousin Kenny would say…send in the Waaaaambulance!

Our maintenance manager Kenny dropped by again bringing with him delectable fresh picked home grown tomatoes from his garden.   Our ranger Ariel brought fresh picked sweet corn and the wedding last Saturday brought over a huge plate piled high with bar-b-q beef, pork and fresh salmon.   We gratefully accept, and are thankful for, the many yummy perks.

Next year our covered area will be across the field and much bigger than our current.  They are laying asphalt in the morning so no worries about tracking stones into the motorhome during our four month stay.  I will be sad to give up my amazing backyard but a larger covered area will come in handy when staying the entire season.  Added to that is the amount of work being cut more than half and the ability to have multiple days off in a row.   Now that’s more like being retired!

Rainy day wedding this afternoon.  Masses of rain dropped this morning while the groom and friends built and set up a beautiful venue in rodeo décor.  Rain magically halted just as the 200 plus people arrived for the “I Do’s”.  Held off until early evening and by that time everyone was so full of antifreeze that no one cared.  Another 200 tomorrow and then peace will once again fall on our Millpond hideaway.