Hi At Us

Greetings! It’s been a few minutes, or rather a lot. While I’d like to apologize for the timelessness, I can’t consciously do so when it has been all somewhat intentional. Too much, not enough, and everything in between has been going on. The reality makes just about as much sense as that. This will be the last post made until we figure things out. As I’m not keen on cliffhangers or leaving anyone in the dark, I feel obliged to bring y’all up to speed first.

• We just had to say our goodbyes to our cat: poor little Betty-Betty. She suddenly went completely blind a couple months ago. After that, she got around the motorhome mostly fine, knowing where her food & water were, as well as her favorite napping locations, still able to jump up & down to the dashboard, bed & sofa. As long as we didn’t move things around much, keeping her usual routes clear, she was okay. Yesterday, she wasn’t walking very well, falling over frequently. We took her into the vet. They said her retinas were detached and she would never regain her sight, most likely caused by high blood pressure, hypertension, renal failure or a combination of the three. With great sorrow, we decided it best to put her down. I don’t think it has quite sunk in, going from three pets to an empty nest in a mere five months time. Hopefully, she’s frolicking about the rainbow bridge, rejoined with her doggy-pals, Cassie & Suki.

• The motorhome issues turned out to be the sound & heat insulation dropping off the doghouse, causing the EGR to overheat and put the engine into limp mode. I discarded the old stuff, installing two layers of Kilmat and securing it to the engine cover with aluminum strapping. For the last 300-ish miles, it’s been doing fine.

• I ordered every component to the Liberty’s suspension and had it replaced by a nice gentleman named Cameron at Crux 4x4 in Spanish Fork. He won me over during the first repair (rear upper control arm) when he got out a torque wrench and used it on every fastener, so I had to come back! As more than half of the parts were worn out, I decided to have him replace the remaining components as well. It’s driving almost like new. Thank you so very much, Cameron!

• Al’s bike encountered a few crashes and needed brake handles replaced and/or bled, which are done. Mine, on the other hand, has been in the shop for a few weeks awaiting a freewheel hub and rear wheel, basically making a loud “ka-chunking” instead of going anywhere in the higher gears. It took a while and a few extra parts, but we got it back after a few weeks and it seems to be fixed. Also, we managed to destroy all four bike mirrors, so new ones needed to get ordered. I would love to hear if anyone has found some that can sustain more than a minor bang, such as being put in & out of the Jeep.

• My relationship with Al has been in shambles for quite some time, even prior to life on the road. Whatever it is that’s been driving him into these abysmal depths, I haven’t been able to figure it out nor coax him to see any glimmer of light, and he doesn’t appear to identify or seek any way out of it himself. No matter what suggestions I offer, they aren’t received with any enthusiasm, nor open for further discussion, therefore absent from being carried out as well. Most days are the same old dreary mopeyness or lashing out with dismissal. It’s difficult to give as many hours of energy trying to encourage him without feeling exhaustively drained. I’m still plugging along, fighting to save our relationship of almost twenty years. Maybe I’ll convince him to stop giving up and give it a fighting chance again. I did make a little headway very recently, but after losing Betty, I’m afraid there may be more regression again.

• Lastly, we’ve spent the past two months near Spanish Fork, Utah. While staying at a facility close to where the Liberty was repaired, we were encouraged to stick around and continue cleaning up & helping out in exchange for a free campsite with electricity & water. I’m grateful that we could take a break from planning routes or finding campsites, and the scenery here has been spectacular being surrounded by big mountains overlooking the bustling cityscape, but far enough away to be exempt from traffic. Staying cool during this steamy Summer has been a considerable relief as well! This respite will continue through the end of September, when we will slowly make our way southbound, that is if they don’t forbid us from leaving! The staff and members have given us many complements on the differences we’ve made. The gratitude they’ve given has been very uplifting. We may come back to continue our efforts next year!

This year has been filled with obstacles and timely challenges of which I should probably have posted about. Each article we’ve started always sounds too much like complaining, and while we should have posted them, it felt like miserable content without a hopeful plan for betterment. We’d been in the doldrums of inactivity far more than lively adventures. I sure hope this cloud has stopped pouring on us while it’s sunny next door. If you’d really like to hear about our troublesome times, the good and bad of how we’ve coped, I could be persuaded to publish them. Let me know.

So, as for the blog... I’ve decided to put it on hiatus. The initial purpose was to show that you can overcome less pleasant life situations, to get out there and live more fulfillingly, such as my chronic neuropathy and limited mobility, or his emotional issues. This year, I suggested Al could use it to show his personal growth, overcoming the untreated/undiagnosed ADD or depression he’s (not) been dealing with, to which he agreed, but has not had interest in posting with any regularity. I’ve also suggested to discuss and show more of the clean-up of public lands we, but mostly I, have been doing to show that anyone can make at least a little better difference. Instead of incessant apologies, I’ve decided it’s time to pause, maybe eventually unpublish, the blog for the time being.

I’m sorry this hasn’t been a post with several beautiful pictures and exciting adventures. Please email, text or call to say Hi - At - Us during this Hiatus. We both could use the support. Considering my less-than-cheery disposition, I do understand if the phone doesn’t ring, ding, or ping.

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