…SET & GO

Last week I wrote about getting ready for hitting the road.  About how you need to check tires, air bags  and ect.  Well now we are all set to go.  Yesterday we spent the day packing and cleaning. 
Brian and I have this rule of thumb that has worked great for us thus far.  He packs all the outdoor compartments while I pack the inside stuff.  Living in a small motor home as we do, it really don’t take much to pack things up.  Now when we had our 5th wheel; well, let’s say that was a different story.  It would take us one whole day to pack everything up.  Now it only takes us about an hour.  The longest thing is the cleaning.
First thing Brian does is get the tow bar and accessories out and aligned up before we place the car into position.  But before we do that, we need to pack the back of the car with our extra water jugs, blue boy and our extra propane tank.  Then the canoe has to be loaded on top and secured for the road.
Once that is done, I place the car behind the motor home while Brian guides  me as to where I need to be.  We have the Blue Ox Tow Bar so it makes it very easy to align the car up behind the motorhome.  We don’t need to be in exact alignment for it to get hitched.  Then Brian has to make sure that the 4wheel drive is in neutral. Once that is all done, he then places the wiring harness in place and that the safety cables are hooked properly.   He also puts on extra small bungees to keep the “extras” from dragging on the ground.  At the same time he also has to make sure there is enough slack in the safety cables for when we make turns.
Then in the morning, when we are ready to go, we have to remember to put the key in the ignition of the car  and on auxiliary for the steering to turn.  Brian will also follow behind to make sure the car is tracking okay and then we check to make sure all lights and turn signals are working properly.  Once that is all done.  We are set to go.
We have outside stuff now to pick up. Brian has picked up and put away the majority of the stuff; like our lawn chairs and tables.  I help Brian fold up our outdoor mat and of course, we cannot forget Leah’s stake and lead.  We haven’t run off and forgotten that-yet.  But we have met folks that have forgotten to pick up their dog stake and rope.
Inside I make sure that anything fragile and breakable are put away.  I wash everything down.  I usually wait until we are set up again to do any major cleaning.  Only because while driving down the road-you always get more road dirt inside and why waste the time doing it twice?
I think that Leah always knows when we are ready to hit the road.  She gets just about antsy as we do and in the morning, instead of climbing back to bed and under my pillow, she is like a fart in a wind storm!  She all over the place.  She loves to travel and go with us.  She spends lots of time looking out at the window and seeing if she can make someone move if she barks at them.  Usually at a stop light she can get the car next to us attention-they will laugh at her.
So now we are all Set and ready to Go! 

Se Ya’s Down The Road!!!

Leah & Vet

Living on the road like we do, one of the inconvenience we sometimes come across is locating veterinarian for our little dog, Leah.  It’s not really hard to find one, but to find the “right:” one can be the challenge.
When it comes time to finding one, we simply look in a phone book or go to the yellow pages on the Internet to locate one.  We will write down several and then call to find out their prices and scheduling.  We kind of go by how they sound on the phone as to whether or not we will take our pet to them.
It was different this year for us, we got use to and very familiar to the Vet up in Mountain Home AR.  Presley’s Veterinarian (Dr. Siedel) was gentle, kind and a very caring vet for animals and to their owners.  Even his workers were fantastic.  They were there when ever we needed advise or to answer any questions we might had.  Those that know our little dog, knows she has given us  few grey hairs and shed some of her 9 lives.  Even the crew at Presley’s was waiting to see what mischief Leah could find herself in. 
Being that this year we will not be anywhere near Mountain Home, it was time to find that Vet once again for Leah’s annual check-up and shots.  We did call around to areas in Blythe, Parker and even to the one here in Quartzsite.  Although they were to the point and very direct when calling, they were the cheapest and didn’t do a lot of unnecessary test that some vets seem to want to push in doing (like cleaning of teeth), so we did choose Quartzsite Animal clinic.
We both agreed that once walking into the clinic and upon meeting the vet, would determine if we walked out or stayed and let him give her her shots.  The verdict is:
The receptionist, which we assume might have been vet’s wife, was friendly and very courteous and chatted with us while we waited our turn.  The vet  himself, wasn’t very talkative and was very business like.  Most vet’s we have gone to allowed us to hold our dogs while given their exams or shots, this one kept demanding that we keep all four of  her feet on the table. 
His examining room desire maybe a little straightening and organization, but the exam table seemed to been cleaned and disinfected (or we least hope so). 
He did however, listen to her lungs, took her temp, checked her teeth and ears.  Called her a “wiggle butt”; which she was and that didn’t bother us, we thought that maybe we would see a little humor finally come out of him.   Leah did manage to wiggle so much that her first shot ended up all over Brian’s hand and not hitting the prime target-Leah….He was actually gentle on her when it came for him to give her shots. 
Leah must not have thought to bad of him either, she didn’t even make an attempt to bite him!  She has only bitten one, okay two vets.  The first one, he deserved in my opinion.  and the second time was poor Doctor Siedel, when she was sick, so I guess she had an excuse that time.
One of the things that really made me think better of this vet is he is the only one that I have ever heard that will help someone with a sick animal that can’t pay.  Oh, they don’t let them leave without something.  They ask if the owner has anything of value to put towards the bill until they can come up with the money.  The receptionist told us about a kid bringing in his sick dog last week and had no money, but had a violin.  So they are hanging onto his instrument until he can get cash.  I guess over the years they have accumulated jewelry and electronic gadgets just to name a few things.  Some folks have come back with money, others have not.  Too me that says a lot about a business owner and that will make me want to continue doing business with them.  You don’t come across to many people like that anymore, so I would rather patronize and help them out, if they are willing to help another poor soul out.
Will we go back there again?  yes; but only for her annual check-up and shots.  He takes no appointments and he does not do emergency calls after hours.  And most of Leah’s “emergencies” has always been-after hours.
After her shots-poor girl:                                                                                                Leah Kay-3 years old and spoiled rotten….

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