To Summerize . . . .

We're almost ready.  And, "that was easy."

Summer time, and the livin' will be easy, thanks to some unusually lovely June weather.  

I was telling Bill this morning [and I don't want to say it TOO loud] that this late spring, early summer has seemed like years we used to have before the past two or three aberrations.

In fact, I remember a couple of years ago having some visitors in mid-June and lamenting that we had experienced no concept of "Daylight Savings Time" because it had been dark and gloomy for so long.

Well, life is good compared to those times, and within a couple of hours yesterday, Bill and I teamed up for two major summer preparations at our house.

New Big Blue is up and ready for several thousand gallons of water.  Even though sweat was cascading off my head yesterday afternoon, I remained upbeat----no cussing---all through pool assemblage.

A couple of times,  plastic screws for the metal framing went in crooked, and we had to tinker at them for a while, but, for the most part, putting up the pool was a piece of cake.

This morning, I'll run some water in the bottom, throw in a little bleach, drain it and then start the filling process. 

Our second project involved the New Old Motor Home.  When the pool came out of the storage shed, Bill figured the motor home needed to follow suit.

So, he fired it up, pulled it into the driveway, and I asked, "Are we going for our obligatory first ride around the neighborhood?"

That's a ritual we started a few years back, so that we could brag that "yeah, we've taken the motor home somewhere."   So what if it never left the Selle Valley!

The second important aspect of taking the old rig for its first summer spin is that Lovestead dogs get to go along too.   

So, we opened the door and let 'em in.  Little Foster needed a different approach from his big sisters who took one leap and raced down the aisle of the living quarters to claim their spot on the couch.

He had to enter through the passenger door, which was a little closer to the ground.  

Then, I climbed in, and Bill started out the driveway.

"We can't go far," he said, "cuz it's low on gas."  If I recall correctly, the motor home doesn't have a working gas gauge, but somehow Bill knows. 

With dogs panting wildly and their tongues hanging out, we cruised north on South Center Valley Road and rolled to a stop before turning on to Center Valley Road.

The motorhome engine died. 

"Oh, oh," I said, immediately deducing how long it would take to walk the 2.5 miles home or if it would just be better to call a wrecker right then and there.  After all, I had my cell phone for just in case. 

Bill turned the ignition key, and she started up. 

"Seems like it does that every year when I first get going; then it's okay," Bill said.

We soon turned onto North Center Valley Road, then Colburn-Culver, and when we reached the highway, we headed north to the Samuels Store for gas.  

"Hmmm, maybe we can have a longer ride with more gas," I thought.  

By that time, dogs had settled into their respective positions and comfort zones.  Tongues were no longer wagging.  

Well, when we pulled up to the gas pump,  and Bill turned off the engine, smoke started wafting from the dash board. Quite a bit of smoke, in fact. 

"What's that smoke?" I asked Bill, soon exiting my front-seat perch and herding dogs to the back of the motor home, lest the engine suddenly explode into flames.

Bill stepped out and opened the hood, looked things over for about ten minutes, finished gassing up and then climbed back in.

"What was it?" I asked.

"Dunno," he said, starting the ignition and pulling out of the lot.  

I stayed in the back with the dogs, just in case.  

We made it home just fine.  He drove the motor home to a spot on the lawn behind the barn, got out and suggested that maybe the smoke was that first-of-the-year blow-out stuff.  

The motor home is due to go to Lake RV for its official "summerizing," so I'm sure Bill may mention the smoke problem. 

In the meantime, we're ready for fun times ahead as this weather continues to get better and better by the day. 

And, when the sweat comes cascading off my body from an afternoon of mowing lawn, I can just jump into New Big Blue, clothes and all, and stay cool for the rest of the day. 

Ahh, summer!  Happy Wednesday.