| I have found a better way to wake up, more invigorating than a shower and more up-and-at-'em then a strong cup of java.. I don't think I'll patent it though:
Just find a tick on your dog. In the early morning. Yes, it works wonders, even at early, early morning hours like 8 AM. I was petting Ginger and I felt a little bump. EEEK! This is not good. Looked into her fur, a little crawly critter burrowed into her skin with 8 legs. Used Vicks Vaporub to suffocate the tick like Kim taught me and soon it released its grip. But poor, poor Ginger, I had her rolled on her back, gooping Vaporub on her chest. Kim came back from the RV office and found little Ginger had a strong smell to her. In the hullabaloo I had forgotten to wipe the Vaporub off. Again, poor, poor Ginger. Anyway, once Kim came in, the Vaporub was off of her. Life was back to normal until I found another tick crawling on the floor and a dead one on the sofa. It felt so good to vacuum and deep clean today! After hiring someone to get our bald tire fixed on the fifth wheel, (We had just recently noticed it.) Kim went on the MOST important task of getting me, (Suzi) Chai. :) I vacuumed and cleaned and soon, Kim came walking in the door with a cold icy cup of Chai! YUM! Unfortunately in Minot North Dakota, they don't sell the kind of Chai that I like (Tazo Chai). But it was good and I think I have figured out a way to spice it up a bit. Even though we didn't find that particular item, we DID go to Wal-Mart the night before and found Kim her favorite cookies, which she and her dogs enthusiastically share while driving. Kim had asked around in town and one of the locals told her about a campground on Stump Lake that doesn't usually have a lot of people around. We traveled around Devil's Lake to get there and enjoyed the blue waters that come up practically to the road on all sides. At Devil's Lake they have had recent problems with flooding and water over the road due to torrential rainstorms. We found one spot where a little water came over the road but it was not a problem at all. With the help of our GPS system and a little help from the map, we wound our way through Devil's Lake and I must tell you it wasn't easy. One road we ended up on, was not even on the GPS. It was very helpful to have the compass within the GPS to see where on the map we might be. It was a little shaky and we took some wrong turns, but eventually we did make it to Stump Lake. Since the local that recommended Stump Lake reported that there wouldn't be many people there, I was expecting a rustic, overgrown campground, maybe even a fishing hole. Instead, manicured lawns, a playground and even a cafe, are included in the Stump Lake Recreation Area. We were amazed. Also we were amazed by all the RV's that are parked here. The only strange thing was: There was absolutely no one here. Like the horror stories where the houses are there but the people are all missing, rig after rig, there were signs of people having camped there but no actual cars or people. Anyway, we concluded that this is some kind of local area where people come for the weekend. WE HOPE! Except for the occasional car, it really feels like we have it to ourselves. Sam and I took a walk in the evening and encountered two deer with long white tails that wagged back and forth like a puppy when they moved. They saw Sam and bounced away, both of their tails wagging from side to side. We all took a hike down to the lake and watched the water strike up against the shore. Life is definitely an adventure and I suspect there will be more to discover tomorrow. |
| Stump Lake, ND
N47�52.267' W098�21.096 Elevation: 1431' |
| 06/06/05 |