Canoeing Anyone?

Early this morning (about 4:30 am) I awoke when my 160 lb dog jumped up on the bed and tried to snuggle under me in fear.  There was wind and rain and more than that, a thunk and the mother ship rocking back and forth .

This is unusual.  Not the wind and rain...the Mother Ship rocking. 

We have been in several storms that included winds around 65-70 mph both here and in NY and the most the Mother Ship has ever done was shiver--kind of a little vibration.  Mother Ship is a 40 ft Kountry Aire 5th wheel triaxle by Numar.  She is heavy--10,000 lb empty--much more (about 17,000 lb--or the equivalent of a couple of small cars of "stuff" extra) loaded--so she is pretty steady.

So, with Mother rocking and rain pelting and winds blowing and 3 pugs and one pony (or 160 lb mastiff/newfoundland named Tank) all vyeing for space under me, I turned on the TV and surpise of all surprises, my satellite was still working--kind of.   It was showing that we were under severe thunderstorms, but there was no sound on the local stations.  I had to just be content to watch the radar in the postage stamp size box in the upper corner and read the banner while the "paid presentation" played soundlessly.

Suddenly it showed we were under a tornado WARNING--this means one is around in the county and has been spotted. 

Too late I thought!!!!  Mother was already rocking and had stopped rocking.

I went back to sleep. 

When I woke up again it was time to head to the campground office for our morning coffee and muffins breakfast club.

I slipped into clothes and opened the door, visions of Vanilla Iced Coffee dancing in my head, and saw this...

I don't own a canoe...

I closed the door.  After all, this is pre-coffee...

I opened the door...

Yep that's definitely a canoe sitting on my fence...or what is left of my fence...

The canoe's home is here...past Little Blue, across the street, past the golf cart on those blocks that the red arrows are pointing to...

See the red arrows pointing to the blocks on which the canoe usually lives?  And the branch on the ground by Little Blue?



This is standing about where the golf cart is parked and looking towards the Mother Ship...

See the silver colored fence post?  It used to be straight.  Until last weekend, it held our satellite dish. 

We had a problem with our reception so DirectTv came out to see about the problem and decided that the dish wasn't in the optimal spot and moved it.  Whew!!!!  Had it been on that pole, it would have been severly damaged...

See the silver colored fence post?  It used to be straight. 



From the looks of the carnage, it appears that the canoe took flight and hit that fence post, bending it, hit the tree, shaving a large branch off (which you can see on the ground here)

See the big branch that the canoe shaved off on the way through?

and finally, hit the Mother Ship about 10 feet off of the ground...

See the spot?

Here, take a closer look...

It actually went all the way through the side of the Mother Ship. 

Fortunately, it hit one of the framing timbers which kept it from going all the way through the inside wall of the camper, but there is a definite hole in the outer skin of Mother. 

Poor Mother!!!!  No wonder she was rocking!!!!

Johnny and He Who Takes Pity on All Campers In Distress removed the offending canoe to it's home, slightly worse for the flight, but still intact, along with the tree limb.

Note that my humming birds are still happy--one of the hooks with the feeders still being intact--only momentarily confused, they continued to eat, apparently oblivious to the carnage around them...

The humming birds are still happy...

So, I took a look around and headed for the office...I needed coffee and this would still be here when I got back, right???

Just before I left, a young lady of about 8-10 came up to me and told me she was so sorry to see that my camper was damaged and that my yard was a mess and things were broken.  She looked so stricken.  I hugged her and told her that it was okay because "things" can be replaced.  Everyone, including the dogs, were okay and that is all that matters. 

My wonderful friend, Kathy, was waiting in the parking lot with a huge vanilla iced coffee in her hands---knowing I needed sustanence...

I came home and started putting things back together.  Several things were bent--easily remedied by bending back semi straight--and I lost my rain guage, a glass torch, and a few of my solar lights.

As I was putting in the newly straightened hook and hanging the rest of my humming bird feeders (gotta take care of my birds!!!!) I looked down and saw that my tomato plant looked to be just fine...

When I bent down for a closer inspection, I noticed that the canoe left a few curls of orange behind on my rock...

And because he is in Cincinnati on business, Gman missed it all...

Don’t Sign Another Mobile Phone Contract

As some of you know, Gman and I coordinate Financial Peace University classes by Dave Ramsey.   Years ago I found Mary Hunt who is similar and has many great ideas for saving money while getting out of debt.  Here is one...

Don’t Sign Another Mobile Phone Contract
Don’t Sign Another Mobile Phone Contract


06/14/2011

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Heated competition in the mobile communications industry is creating lots of options for consumers. There’s no reason you should ever have to sign up for another 24-month contract that keeps you stuck in a pricey calling plan. Check out these cheap no-contract alternatives.



Peek. This is an ideal option especially for kids and teens, who are more into texting and emailing than actually talking on the phone. Peek devices look a lot like a Blackberry, but without phone capability. They send and receive email and text messages anywhere in the U.S, no WiFi necessary. The device itself costs about $70. After that, you pay a flat monthly rate of unlimited email and texting for as little as $15 a month. There are no contracts, no hidden fees. One thing Peek does not offer is the ability to transfer your current phone number. Learn more at www.GetPeek.com.



Kajeet. Here’s a company that caters to kids who want to stay connected by offering cheap service and award-winning parental controls. Kajeet will transfer your current numbers and offers a full range of kid-friendly phones that start at around $24 for a refurbished unit. Monthly service requires no contracts and starts as low as $14.99 for unlimited texting and 60 minutes of talk. Check out the cool phones and learn more at www.Kajeet.com.



Net10. A perfect option for light cell phone users, there are no roaming charges, no hidden fees, no long distance charges or monthly bills. You pay a flat rate of 10 cents per minute, up front. Their Easy Minute monthly plans start at $15 for 200 Easy Minutes for your choice of talk, text/pictures messaging, web/email and calls to 411. You can cancel anytime without cancellation fees. Net10 phones start at $29, and are available at Walmart stores or online from Net10. Learn more at www.Net10.com.



Common Cents Mobile. Here’s a service that offers a pay-as-you-go mobile plan, as low as 7 cents per minute or per text message. Monthly plans start as low as $20 a month with no contracts or hidden fees and no credit checks, roaming or long distance charges, either. Bonus: This plan rounds minutes down, not up. If you talk for 2.8 minutes, that call is charged as only 2 minutes, not 3 minutes, the way other services round up. Buying more airtime is simple, too. Learn more at www.CommonCentsMobile.com.



Cricket Communications. Here’s a nationwide service with high-quality coverage that does not require contracts and does not hide fees. Calling plans start as low as $35. You can get unlimited talk, text and web starting at just $45 a month. Learn more at www.MyCricket.com.



You’ve got even more options with companies such as MetroPCS, Straight Talk, Boost Mobile and Virgin Mobile. Want even more? Do a Google search for “No-contract phones,” “Pay as you go mobile” or “Prepaid cell phones.” You’ll be amazed how many options you have. Just make sure you read the fine print, research thoroughly, and then go for it!



As for the money you won’t be spending on phone service in the months ahead, determine right now that you’ll divert it straight to savings. Now you’ll really enjoy the decision.