Sunday, May 16, 2021

So I'm back

 And I realize that it's been hella long, but the old electronic gear wasn't doing it, and trying to do Blogger from an iPhone was quite the exercise in frustration. But now I have a new computer that runs something more modern than Windows 7 (Don't judge me!) and it plays nice with the new phone I had to buy last week when the iPhone 5 finally bit the dust.  In sum, I'm reasonably modernized and connected again.

So...where to start?  The three doggoes are still here and doing fine. Murphy had a toe removed last month do to an infection that wouldn't stop, and he also had a fractured tooth with an underlying abscess removed and fixed, so he's feeling fine again and I'm feeling poor. (Vet bill for him alone last month was higher than my mortgage payment.) But he's my pal, so...


"Three-toed Murphy" he shall be known as. 

And it was worth it to see how much better he walked and ate after doing all this work. Apparently he'd been masking it well but it had been impeding him a lot.


Belle's just Belle--a sweet, gentle, fairly obedient dog.



And Merida...Sigh. There's always one.


Don't let the cute face fool you...Baby Murder Dog has killed four chickens and a pigeon in recent months. but when not slaughtering domestic livestock, she's really quite cuddly. 


There's a new van project here too. Meet Rocinante.



I picked this up  at auction a couple months back. It's diesel and 4-wheel drive and it's factory built for off-road use. I'm converting it into a camper and I just finished a first trial trip with it, going from Louisiana to the California desert and back, Stopping to visit friends along the way, of course. It's still a work in progress, but it's performance was flawless this time out, between pulling 16mpg hwy and clawing up jeep trails in the desert, it did everything I asked of it. Right now there's a bed in the back but a kitchen and solar power system are coming next. Merida came along with me on this trip and while she's not exactly an adventure dog (she prefers to sleep in or under the truck), she nonetheless had a good time, being it "standing on the corner in Winslow, Arizona"

or hanging out at Hoover Dam


Or melting in the California Desert

She even saw Mexico and had a real taco.



Not an unhappy dog.

But now we're home and I've got 21st century tech finally and blogging shall resume, with stories and pics and other musings on our pre-apocalyptic days. But I'm only sticking around so long as I get the idea that I'm not just posting for the same six readers. If you're still out there, let me know, eh?


 

34 comments:

  1. Welcome back, Murph!! Too bad (well, not really...) we did our CALEXIT three years ago, or it would have been nice to hook up with you. You ever get up to Northern Colorado with that rig, be sure and stop by! We'd be happy to see you in person!

    Good on the doggies. We dropped about 900 bucks on our pup last month. She needed two teeth extracted, and had a fatty tumor growth removed.

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  2. You butterfly fi' month, come back, say you love us long time. Good thing dog still have you

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  3. Steve & Connie from Nebraska are looking forward to another doggie dinner. 😄

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  4. Hey Murphy;

    Glad to see you "Out and bout" as they say....and no...you have 7 readers not 6, you need to check the stats on blogger again, LOL

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  5. Glad everything worked, and the trip was a success! And yes, she's a good puppy!

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    1. That's because you all spoiled her and gave her BBQ.

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  6. Nice van. Always wanted one. Lots of neat storage under the front seats and under the front floor boards. And, yes, to make a camper hauler out of it.

    Instead I now have a Ram Promaster City. Eh, it works.

    Glad you are alive and doing well.

    Stay in better contact, dammit!

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  7. Been patiently waiting to see if you abandoned your blog........

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  8. Checking in. I like the camper van idea - - ever read Blue Highways by William Least Heat Moon? He made an around-the-USA van journey after his marriage broke up, documenting all the small towns, diners and strange characters he met, peppered with his own photographs.

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  9. Welcome back. Let us know how the van build goes.

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  10. I'm happy to see your writings again.

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  11. Six? Six? I will have you know there is a super secret cell of lurkers here in Texas. I have a Cooper, and a Coco. Coop thinks Belle is hot!! Coco, well, she is a flirt.....so best keep an eye on Murph!!

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  12. It's good to have you back. If I'd known you were driving down I-40, I'd have invited you to the White Wolf Mine, where I live - an hour south or so, but worth the ride down the Arizona By-Way.

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  13. "Bout fuckin time you checked in, even if just to tell us you were not behind bars and still alive..

    Aaron kept telling me you were alive, but since you didn't answer your email I was beginning to wonder....

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  14. I'm still here. Now that the Lord Mayor has deemed the plague to have passed maybe we'll see some NOLA action? Hope your service industry friends are as okay as they can be these days.

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  15. Good that you're back to blogging! Nice looking van. They look and handle really nice from what I hear. Another buddy of mine has one too and its all decked out for travel and it's giving me a severe case of the wantsies.

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  16. The Martians did a good job hiding the armaments on that thing. Stay away from this area and you might not have to deal with the Belters. lol

    Please tell me you're not going to live in a van down by the river!

    Oh, so many jokes about this vehicle, but too much consideration for your other readers...

    Great platform for some good adventures.

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  17. Can't wait to hear more about your adventures. Glad the doggoes are good and that Merida is a traveling pup!

    Missed hearing from you!

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  18. Still here! Glad to have you back.

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  19. Hey, I check in on the four of you on a daily basis; glad you're back and have comms! Now, run over to the MBCA.org and join. New friends are awaiting in NOLA section and a membership discount on parts at the MB dealer. regards, Alemaster

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  20. 'Raises Hand' present

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  21. Good to see you back!
    Bryn, Isle of Anglesey, UK

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  22. Great to see you back and telling us of your adventures.

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  23. Glad to see you up and running again! I was beginning to get worried, that is until Curtis chimed in.

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  24. I've been checking.. Glad you're back.

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  25. Make sure you find a good mechanic that is close to you. Our company has 2 of them as work trucks, and they can be problematic, especially the emission controls. There is only one authorized service facility near us (one is still under warranty), and it's 90 minutes away. PITA, definitely. So do your homework, Aaron!

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  26. Oh - and glad to have you and the canines back!

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  27. Nice to have you back.How much is needed to invest in the ca desert property and what is it close to??

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  28. Glad to see you back! It’s been hard to procrastinate at work without your writing.

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  29. Present and accounted for. Enjoy your blog and have always tried to catch it once a week.....

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