We left today

"Home" is three places.   1) My mom's place in Wellington, Ohio, where I grew up.  2) The motor home, where we spend about nine months a year.  3) Our pretty-but always-needs-a-major-repair house Salt Lake City. 

Since April 23 we've been at home #3. Starting today we're back in home #2 on a circuitous route to home #1.  After that the plan is to return west via Canada.  Right now, Ohio, here we come.

Grand daughter Mia on the back deck last night making giant bubbles with a contraption I bought about 20 years ago.  Bubble recipe is Joy dishwashing liquid, glycerin and water.  I'm going to miss this girlie.

"I'm sorry I spilled milk on your computer" and kayaking

Sunday we took our new kayaks to Little Dell Reservoir, just a 20 minute drive from our home in Salt Lake City.  Our friends John and Deb rented a tandem kayak from REI and joined us, as did our daughter, son-in-law, grand kids and their friend Allen.  I didn't kayak because my knee needs a few more weeks of recovery from surgery, but it was beautiful way to spend Father's Day.

I was going to post photos that evening, but there was a mishap involving my grand daughter, a small plastic bottle of milk, and my laptop.  I now own a brand new MacBook Air.

Shad, Ash and Mia at Little Dell Reservoir.  That's Jim way in the background.

John and Deb take their first kayak ride.

John and Deb with Jim in the background. While Jim was out on the water he got a Father's Day phone call from his daughter, Season, and a text from my son Paul. 

Allen and Shad.

Chocolate wine

I may have a new favorite beverage.  At 246 calories for 3.5 ounces, it's about the most caloric drink I'm aware of, outside of a milkshake.  But I may toss caution to the wind and pour it over ice cream.

The last few days

During the last few days:

---I've been going to physical therapy for my knee (surgery was two weeks ago tomorrow) and doing exercises at home.   I have an appointment with my ortho doc on Monday and expect him to give me the A OK.  That means we could be back on the road next week.

---Jim took our rig to get the generator worked on.  Despite two previous trips to Cummins in Salt Lake over the last year, we could still smell gasoline when the generator wasn't running.  Jim decided a third trip to Cummins wasn't worth it and took it to Mountain Sportsland RV in SLC.

---We had new rain gutters installed on our SLC house. With a new roof and new gutters I almost wish we'd be around for the next rain storm.  Considering how infrequently it rains here in the summer, that might not happen.

---We had our home's heating/AC vents cleaned.  I've read where doing this can be a scam, but the vents have never been cleaned in the 24 years I've lived in this house and I doubt that the two previous owners had it done.  Superior Water and Air did the job and I'd give them two thumbs up.  They even cleaned our AC condenser (not part of the bid) for free.  Jim, Shad and I can feel the difference in he air quality.

---We went to the first SLC Farmers Market of the year, along with everyone and their dog, literally. Plus a guy with a parakeet on his shoulder (kind of a meek pirate look) and another guy with an owl on each shoulder.  Jim said he didn't care if he saw another person the rest of the summer.  

---And, ta da:   We bought kayaks.  Jim kayaked a lot when he lived on the Puget Sound and misses it.  I've kayaked a little and have taken sculling lessons.  Most of my kayaking has been in a tandem with Jim, however, so I'll be practicing in shallow water as soon as my knee allows. We got my kayak at Sheels, a huge sporting good store where they have a ferris wheel; I got to ride it with Mia and her BFF, Livvy.

Jim took this photo when he inaugurated his kayak at Little Dell Reservoir near Salt Lake City.

You know you're a real woman if ...

Yesterday the first of the rain gutter replacement guys showed up.  He asked if he could plug his radio into one of our electric outlets.  I said of course.  So all day long gutter guy, Jim and I listened to a local country western station at full volume.  I like some country music and Jim knows the words to all country hits.  But this was a talky country station, and along with music we got pearls of wisdom like:  "You know you're a real woman if you've cooked bacon with your shirt off." I do not pass that test.

When gutter guy went  lunch, Jim turned down the volume a bit.  Gutter guy didn't mention the change, but Jim was ready with an explanation:  While in prison, all Jim could listen to was country music and now he pretty much can't stand it.  That's true, except that instead of being in prison, Jim supervised prisoners assigned to a forestry crew.  Or at least that's what Jim told me.