Closing up for summer

As we prepare to leave Venture Out, we have been "summer-izing" our two park models and protecting the items that we will be leaving behind.

The patio for the casa is the place for our patio furniture for the RV lot and the casa to be stored. Our golf cart is also covered and stored on the patio.

I wanted to cover the two patio tables (one from the casa, one from the RV lot), so washed the glass tops before covering them so they won't get additional scratching.

We got things covered and secured. Our neighbors across the street, Don and Linda, are year round residents and are so kind to let us know if something goes askew.

Many RVers winterize their RVs if they are going to be in freezing weather. To summer-ize, we do things like cover upholstered furniture with sheets, pour mineral oil into water traps to keep them from drying out (and allowing smells and bugs to come into the house), putting RV antifreeze into the dishwasher and clothes washer. I put signs on things as they are treated ("closed for the season") so we will know we have already done that one, and instructions on the washers and dishwasher to run an empty load before using them for their intended purpose (just so I make sure anyone who might use it first in the next season will know what to do to un-summer-ize it -- and to remind myself in case I'm the first one to use it!).

Miss Kitty's private Golden Corral buffet

Miss Kitty is getting pickier and pickier on eating... one day she might eat one type of canned food; the next day, she will sniff it and walk away. 

One day recently she had a veritable buffet set out before her... and none were acceptable!

We give in to her whims more than we should because she is constantly losing weight (a little less than an ounce per month). Carl says that if she keeps on losing, gravity won't hold her down anymore and we'll find her floating up at the ceiling!

An awning repair

After we got Gracie back to the RV lot, and had the window awnings out to provide some shade, we noticed that one of the awnings had its awning spline coming out -- this meant that the other end of the awning was not well secured into the roller. It wasn't causing any problem yet, but, leaving it this way could cause the awning to rip. We found the card of the company who installed the awning a few years ago, called and explained the problem, and thankfully, they were able to come the same day to fix it...

They had to remove the pressure of the spring on the awning, then they could re-insert the spline...

... and finally re-attach the spring.

It was a quick job, and, although more expensive than we had hoped it would be, at least it is fixed.

A visit from Scott

We had quite a number of family visits at the end of the season...

Son Scott had a customer visit in Tempe, so came to stay at the casa and we got to visit with him for two evenings.

It is nice having family visiting!

Sunset and palm trees

So pretty to see the sunset behind the palm trees in our community...

... we started having 100F+ days in May so our walks would happen at sunset rather than earlier in the day. As a result, we got to see more of the colorful sunsets!

Just in case you need it...

We were looking for something in the grocery store and found...

... bacon grease... I didn't know that you could purchase it at the grocery store. If I recall correctly, Mom used to have a metal container on the stove top into which the bacon grease went and from which we could dip out some when needed for seasoning greens or other things.

 

Miss Kitty back in *her* bus!

We got most things moved back to the RV before we brought Miss Kitty back. We weren't sure how she would deal with being back in the rig, but she was totally fine with it...

She found one of her favorite places in the sun, on the front passenger seat, though she was a little annoyed that there were other things on the seat keeping her from using the whole seat for herself!

Relaxing on her heating pad -- although we had it in the park model for her, she hasn't been using it a lot recently, but she got right back on it in the rig...

... but she was really stretched out as if she was hot, so I'm not sure why she was on the heating pad! She was also keeping an eye on her food dish -- she wasn't excited about what I had provided, but was in hopes that I might provide something better.

She is such an easy-going cat -- doesn't seem to mind which housing we have her in... though she *has* enjoyed having so many different chairs to sleep on in the park model!