Good Morning Steemies
Tremendous weather out here in the high mountain meadows. We did get a light dusting of snow last night but it's been highs in the 60's for the last week, and though it's brisk outside today, the sun is shining. Nightly lows around 30 are not stressing my lifestyle. I'm spending most nights plugged into the Conoco gas sign at the 7-11 where I can run my little electric heater and TV. Ownership of the store changes in two weeks and I will be forced to abandon my beloved spot. It's more of a minor perturbation than it would have been if I hadn't had the previous two years to develop local friendships and become more accustomed to the area. Nellybelle is total stealthy. It's only my brazen intrusions onto otherwise empty commercial lots close to free wifi that gets me any exposure at all, and in those (several) instances where I've been approached by law enforcement, my civility and panache' have served me well.
Picked up the certified copy of my marriage license from my post office box today so I can finalize my Social Security paperwork. If providence shines on me I'll start getting my Social Security dribblings in January. More likely it'll be February and it's gonna be interesting to see if I can surthrive until then. I'm confident in my competence in regard to achieving my modest long term goals, due in no small measure to the support and encouragement of my many friends and fans. It's been a bit of a roller coaster ride the last three years and though I wouldn't wish this E-ride ticket on anybody it's been as thrilling as challenging, a welcome distraction from the event that preceded it all.
The current challenge is getting Nellybelle's oil pressure to quit bouncing up and down like a midget riding a Dutch hooker. I suspect an aging oil pump is the culprit. It's probably original and Nellybelle is about to roll 205,000 miles. There's a frighteningly large amount of other mechanical items on Nellybelle that were also 'born' in 1993. I recently received the gift of a Buddy Heater hose for connecting to a larger propane tank. This puts me exactly one in-line filter ($15) away from converting from the small one pound ($$$) propane cans to the more economical tanks.
Met an old gal out here in the lot yesterday. I was walking back to my van on the far side of the parking lot with the coffee I had just collected up out of the store when a lady pulled in front of me and asks "You have a Youtube channel don't you?". I confirmed her suspicions as I handed her my card. Curious about her motives, I started asking her a few questions. Turns out she lives just down the road and has recently purchased a van. She started dropping names of many of the Youtube van channels that I am aware of. Turns out she's planning on going to the Rubber Tramp Retreat in January!! She wanted to know if I could help her fire up some old appliances in the van (a 1988 something or another). She was in another vehicle when we met so I haven't yet seen the van in question. I invited her to sit and chat with me in Nellybelle. We sat and chatted amiably in the comfort of my mini castle for quite awhile before she took off to tend to her dog. Penny is 54, single, smokes weed, wants to retire to a van and owns a dog. Developing.
Enjoy.
