Travels with The Rayman

There is nothing else to do today but blog, play scrabble, do crossword puzzles, read.  So it isn’t all  bad.  However, snow has cramped our style nonetheless.  Next winter, we’ll go to Mexico.

If we wanted baptism by fire, we sure got it.  Newbie RVers caught in snow drift in the Corvallis Benton RV Park, Freeze to Death.  That could be the headline.  Hopefully not.  This a.m. we awoke to the white winter scene and immediately called our son to ask if he could please come to get so we could have breakfast together.  We thought it would stop and then we could put the chains on the Fit.  Well, in hindsight that was not such a good idea.  The car is practically buried now.

But I digress.

We did make it to breakfast and back and that is when we noticed all the snow building up on the slides of the RV.  Not good.  And the Beaumeister had not “done his business yet”.  So, we managed (with minimal trouble) to close both our slides.  TDH should stay warmer.  Did I mention it is about 20 degrees outside.  And the snow hasn’t stopped since before we awoke at 6:45 and it is now noon.  Wonder if the park manager has a snow shovel?  We sure as hell don’t.  Does Round Table deliver?  What if we run out of propane?  Actually, this morning when Rayman filled the coffee machine, he turned off the water which should not be turned off because it keeps things from freezing and so when I went to brush my teeth before leaving for breakfast, there was no water so the Rayman donned his ski parka and hiking boots and gloves and ventured outside with the hair dryer to blow hot air on the water line hoping that simple and elegant solution would get the water moving again….which it did to our amazement and I was able to complete the tooth duty before we all scrambled into our old Highlander which Ryan now owns and which he drove over from his apartment without chains so that the Rayman could go out and help him install the chains (just thinking of you, dad) and we sally forthed to the Sunnyside Up restaurant and ate blueberry pancakes with real maple syrup (a surcharge of $2/per for the real deal) and then we came back to TDG to spend what looks to be the next three days without leaving except for the trip to the laundry room and walks for the Beau while doggie wears his new rain/snow coat we bought yesterday just in case.

Whew.  None of the other RVs have put in their slides.  Then again, perhaps they got smart and headed for the closest Holiday Inn.  I mean, people, what are we to do?  Will we run out of propane?  At least we have electricity as long as the utility company keeps it going.  And we have water, thanks to the hair dryer.

Ode to the Downer Party

Gold had a lure for the pioneers of old that
Strode to the mountains in the west, looming like
The great hopes in their beating hearts all the while
Whispering their names.  And they came.

Snow knows no respect to the dreams of the damned
As they hunker down low hoping for the sun to shine hope their direction.

Frozen in place they must have known the worst
Was upon them.  Who would live, who would perish?

To live was the curse.

So.  End of ode.

There.  That made me feel so much better.  We are cozy and dry and connected to the world with our gadgets.  And we have leftover pozole, clam chowder, chili.  We aren’t on the menu.  Not bad.  But of you don’t hear from us now and then, you might inquire with the local authorities.

As I said earlier, to Mexico next winter!!