True Grit

Today the early birds will be arriving for our Western Gypsy Gathering rally here at the Yuma Fairgrounds, and we expect to park about 135 RVs, including vendors, early birds, and our rally staff. So you can see that we have a big day ahead of us.

Of course, what would an RV rally be without rain? The weather has been beautiful for the past two weeks, so it stands to reason that yesterday the wind began to blow hard, and today we’re supposed to have as much as one inch of rain! Our poor parking crew is in for another soaking! But at least the rest of the week looks good.

The wind blew so hard yesterday that everything is covered with a film of sand, and no matter how much you wipe your feet before you go inside, you can hear the grit under your shoes on tile floors.

Speaking of grit, a piece of crud just a little bit smaller than the Rock of Gibraltar blew into my right eye yesterday, and I’ve been trying to flush it out over since. Ouch! I can handle the arthritis pain that has been growing in my fingers and joints, and the constant nagging ache from an old back injury that I have lived with for years, but when I get something in my eyes, I’m the world’s biggest wimp! I’d rather get a fishhook stuck in my finger than something in my eye.

Yesterday Stu and “Froggi” Donna McNicol arrived as the last of our advance staff. We have known Donna for years, having first met her when she came to Life on Wheels when we were teaching there, and we formed an instant friendship with her. A couple of years ago Donna and Stu became a couple, and while we knew him from their blog, 2 Taking A 5th, we had never met Stu in person until yesterday. I knew if he could win my friend Donna’s heart, he must be a pretty special guy, and as soon as he climbed down out of their truck, I knew I had found a new friend. Stu has a great sense of humor and you can tell that he is what I call “real people.” No pretense, no BS, what you see is what you get, so take it or leave it. I like that.

Okay, ever since Bad Nick got his own blog last summer, I have tried to keep him from getting onto the RV blog much, but he just has to rant for a second, so please indulge him if you will. In Thursday’s blog, I wrote that we’re going to be very, very busy for the next two weeks, and I asked folks to please not forward e-mail jokes, political propaganda, and stuff like that, because I just don’t have time to read them, and they fill up my e-mail box.

Most people have been understanding, but there have been a few that have ignored my request and continue to send me a half dozen or more a day. I know these are all regular blog readers from their frequent comments, so I can’t decide if they missed that post, or they just don’t care, but either way, it irritates me. But the one that really ticked me off is the fellow who has sent me a whole lot of stuff, and prefaced every one with a note to the effect of “Nick, I know you’re real busy, but this is just too good to pass up!” That gentleman’s stuff will forever after be automatically routed to my spam folder.  Hey kiddies, I like a good joke as much as the next guy, but don’t people like this have a life away from the computer?

Speaking of Bad Nick and his blog, he has a fun new post titled The Dumb A$$ Report. Check it out and leave a comment.

Thought For The Day – Everyone who lives, dies. But not everyone who dies has lived.