Currently in Kerrville TX (Low 63 Showers High 66)
We have been inconsistent in our blogging and we are going to try monthly updates. We are still in Kerrville Texas due to medical and mechanical issues. We hope to travel this fall up to Iowa/KC area and see family and friends.
Since our anniversary blog last September the mechanical issues and joys of living in a condo on wheels have continued. Covid has certainly impacted the mechanical side as well as the medical side of our travel issues. When Covid hit RV mobile service shutdown just like everything else. What that did to an already overworked and understaffed service area was devastating. Some services in the area quit mobile service outright. The others were so backed up appointments were months out. While this is going on we needed an air conditioner and washer replacement and then a dryer repair which was quite challenging to schedule. But the worst mechanical issue we have is the dining room slideout which won't slide in. The repair is beyond the capabilities of most one man mobile service techs so it has to go into the shop. We found out the problem when we were getting ready to travel and a mobile guy was able to get it working for awhile but that repair is no longer working. Our plan is to get this done in the KC area this fall. Our truck was in the shop for a few days with a leaking exhaust manifold. Just another mechanical challenge we have faced.
The medical front has been challenging also. As we recently blogged about JJ had serious medical issues and we recently lost him. Bob caught Covid and if it wasn't for Jo's niece Deb and husband Dan it would have been a lot worse. As Bob was going to get tested Deb and Dan were arriving for a visit. They stayed in the RV next door and got groceries and takeout for us and really helped us survive the quarantine since they assumed Jo had it also. We had socially distanced conversation but unfortunately no hugs. We owe them big time.
Bob had hernia surgery and is just now ready for prime time again. Jo continues her monthly visits to the pain center and periodic visits for her leg veins. But Bob is the one falling apart; from getting Covid to hernia surgery and starting pain shots on his back with a triple fusion back surgery probably in his future Jo has had to take care of him and she is doing a great job (Nurse Ratchet wink wink). Doctor visits, grocery stores and restaurants totally comprise our social activities.
We finally got a pellet smoker. Our friends TC and Linda have one and we really enjoyed our visits when they cooked for us. As we traveled we saw other RVers with one and were really interested. What really sealed the deal was a couple of events. Not sure if you heard about we in Texas are calling Snovid 2021 (or Snowpocalypse). It was a hundred year storm in February that had record lows, record snow, record ice. It was the BWE (Baskerville Weather Effect) on steroids. There were power outages, rolling blackouts, propane shortages, diesel shortages, stores closed, etc.) Bob sat in line almost 3 hours to get propane. To top it off another mechanical issue we forgot to mention is that our transfer switch failed. So when the power came back on we still didn't have power. It was a balancing act during propane shortages to use propane for heat and to run the generator to charge our batteries. To complicate matters it was so cold the propane tanks froze. Once the power became stable but without the transfer switch Bob came up with a power hack. He bought a 50a to 30a adapter, and a 30a to 15a (110v) adapter. We then ran an extension cord through the kitchen window and plugged in a lamp, to show when the power was on, a couple of heaters so we could turn off the propane furnace and the residential refrigerator to reduce the inverter draw on the batteries. It was a hectic time but we survived. All in all being in an RV with a generator was one of the best ways to ride of Snovid 2021. It was like 2020 said Covid, toilet paper and hand sanitizer shortages and 2021 said 'hold my beer'.
Anyway back to the pellet smoker, during Snovid our neighbor Dean did a turkey on his smoker and shared it the folks in the park. It was a nice gesture and good food. Then in late March our fulltime friends Steve and Vicki visited. They have a Green Mountain Grill Davy Crockett which is the tailgater version. After talking with them and sampling food we pulled the plug and ordered one.
We checked with Steve to make sure he would help Bob since he was still under weight limits due to his hernia surgery. USPS had issues with the delivery of the cover delaying it until after Steve and Vicki were leaving so we had to improvise. Here is the beginnings of the 'Steve trademark smoker cover'.
We used the plastic cover that came with the smoker and some plastic sheeting Bob had on had and some tape. Before the new cover arrived we had a few days of rain and some high winds. One thing you don't want is for the pellets to get wet and the improvised cover did its job. Good thing that it worked because the warranty wasn't worth the plastic it was written on. After USPS finally delivered the cover we have had burgers, St. Louis style ribs, chicken and pork chops. Here is a half chicken that was real good.
Next up is a Boneless Pork Center Loin Roast that HEB has on sale. Then probably steaks and baby back ribs, the choices are endless. We really like the pellet smoker. I have read online that some don't feel that there is enough smoke flavor but to us it is just right.
Here is the smoker with the cover that finally arrived.
Well that does it for catch-up and for April. We 'plan' on having one for May and every month thereafter.
Till next time,
Bob and Jo
