On the road again -- first Tuzigoot outing since last September. We're making a loop: east through TX, OK, and MO to KY and OH. Back through IA, NE, CO (and a few states to be determined). Planning to spend some quality time in KY. Soccer tournament in Oxford, OH, and Boot Camp graduation in Fort Knox, KY are the events drawing us in this direction at this time, but we'll tie in other family visits along the way.
As we left Cedar Crest on Tuesday, 4/6, the daffodils were blooming in our front yard and light snow was swirling in the air. A reminder of the snowy winter we had this year.
Going east, very strong winds the first two days - tail wind on Tuesday, crosswind on Wed. An unpleasant reminder of our departure day in Dec., 08 when even stronger wind tore loose a vent cover and I had to get up on top of Tuzigoot to duct-tape it down. Got up there again this time to tape down a vent cover that was OK, but rattling a bit in the wind. Still there as this is written.
Wed. evening, in Oklahoma City, we went to see Mom and then went to Cracker Barrel with my sister, Verla, and nephew, Sterling. When we came out we saw that the Explorer's tail lights were on. How did that happen? We drove there in daylight - the lights weren't on. Maybe the security system went off. At any rate, car wouldn't start, wouldn't turn over.
We were just a couple of miles from the Edmond, OK, home of my sister, Connie, and brother-in-law, Tom. Tom drove over and we tried to jump-start the Ford. Couldn't do it. Tom surmised that battery might be shot (it was the original, almost nine years old), so we took it out. Tom loaned us his van to get us back to the RV park for the night. I went in to tell the restaurant folks that we'd be leaving a car overnight. Nice girl at the cash register said, "Oh, didn't you hear my announcement: car in parking lot with lights on?" Nope (restaurant was busy, noisy). "I'm so sorry." Next morning I bought a new battery at Wal-Mart, installed it, and all was good, I thought.
Thursday morning, after the new battery was installed, we (Connie, Susie, and I) went to an open house for a new memory care unit at a retirement complex called Touchmark. My sister, Verla, has just started to work there as an activity director in the new unit. There were talks by a couple of folks who helped design the facility and its approach to care-giving. Short summary -- architectural design: avoid sources of confusion; care-giving: be a friend to the residents. The speakers left a very positive impression with us and we think it's going to be a great job for Verla.
Sorry to emphasize food so much, but do want to mention going for lunch at Pop's It's a fairly new attraction on Historic Route 66 just east of Edmond, not far from the famous round barn in Arcadia. Pop's is a gas station, diner, and store, with a unique design. Specialty is hundreds of "pop" varieties - bottled drinks. Do you remember Grapette? I got some Round Barn root beer. Here's a review of Pop's and a picture off the internet.
At night the pop bottle with straw glows in different colors, as in pictures here.
Thursday evening we drove over to Connie and Tom's, then rode to dinner with them at Hideaway Pizza where nephew, Christopher, works. After dinner, we all took a stroll in an Edmond park. The two young men in the picture are nephews, Sterling and Peter.
Here's the strange thing: When we got back to Connie's, the tail lights on the Explorer were ON! I'm sure they weren't when we left. Fortunately, new battery was not run down, so car would start. My diagnosis was gremlins. Tom diagnosed the problem as a sticky brake pedal that was activating the switch that turns on the brake lights when the pedal is depressed (or just feeling blue, I think) even when the key is off and the motor is not running. We kind of nudged things around and the problem hasn't recurred. Now, though, when I walk away from the car, I turn around quickly to see if the gremlins have struck again. I'm watching.
Cheers,
Susie and Rob
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