Pancho Villa tole my grandpa one time...."get'n old will cost you many friends an' loved ones.....choose your words cautiously".
Well, I ain't positively sure it was Panco Villa what tole grampa that, but he said them words to me on many occasions as I was grow'n up....."watch yer mouth". He also tole me to never take a water hose shower in the front yard an' skeer hell out the neighbors. That happens ya know, but mostly by sailboat people.
I done that a few times when I lived on "Coyote". Ya see, on most sailboats, the showers drain into the bilges an' is pumped overboard when the water reaches a certain level. If your bilge pump don't work, you will eventually sink. My bilge pump seldom worked. Shower time was late at night when there were few people walk'n the docks. But there were occasions....."Oh lookie there, Barnacle Bill is neekit".
It was a different life liv'n on a sailboat. When your feet touch that first dock plank, you enter into a world of it's own. The other world is left behind, sit'n in the passenger seat of your car awaiting your arrival the next morn'n. A mallard duck beg'n for some dog food. A pelican sit'n in the cockpit in the shade of the bimini. Or in my case, a blue plastic tarp to block out the bright sun. Fish swim'n up next to your boat say'n...."catch me if you can". You are the Captain of your own world. You make the rules. God I loved the sailboat life.
Now I ain't say'n that there weren't no troubling times. You know, like hurricanes, 500 mile a hour winds, broken dock lines, bark'n dogs all night long, electrical failures, water leaks when it rains.....sit'n down in pelican shit in the cockpit....stuff like that. Many many times I waded through a foot of water over the dock planks from high water storm surges to get to "Coyote"....way the hell down there at the end the dock. The many many times I was on deck after midnight doubling up lines in high 50+ mile a hour hurricane force winds. Bilge pump failures with inches of water over the salon floor boards.....a sink'n situation. Great big water droplets fall'n on the Captains bunk in torrential rains. No electricity. Not so good times.
My last back injury in Dec. 2000, I had to give up this life as a sail'n boat Captain. The closest I could come was to buy a motorhome...Alice. An' you know the rest the story. But I find out right quick like, the RV'n life no where compares to the world I just left. It's back to the "Jone's" life....."my RV is better than your RV is". "Keep your dog out my yard". "Turn that god awful cajun music down". "You don't dress like a RV'er". "You don't drink beer out of a can, you drink wine out of a wine glass". Arrogant people....that have no place in my life. But if'n you're gonna be a RV'er, ya gotta put up with it. That's just the way it is. I do the best I can. Did ya know, there are RV parks what will not accept your RV if it's over 10 years old? I suppose you're considered a redneck "hey Bubba, watch this" if'n ya don't drive a brand spank'n new RV. Like these RV "RESORTS"....ha ha, are do'n you a favor to accept our $$$$$ for a one nights stay.
Ok, I said enough for one day. I hope I chose my words correctly as I cain't afford to lose more friends an' loved ones.
Well, I ain't positively sure it was Panco Villa what tole grampa that, but he said them words to me on many occasions as I was grow'n up....."watch yer mouth". He also tole me to never take a water hose shower in the front yard an' skeer hell out the neighbors. That happens ya know, but mostly by sailboat people.
I done that a few times when I lived on "Coyote". Ya see, on most sailboats, the showers drain into the bilges an' is pumped overboard when the water reaches a certain level. If your bilge pump don't work, you will eventually sink. My bilge pump seldom worked. Shower time was late at night when there were few people walk'n the docks. But there were occasions....."Oh lookie there, Barnacle Bill is neekit".
It was a different life liv'n on a sailboat. When your feet touch that first dock plank, you enter into a world of it's own. The other world is left behind, sit'n in the passenger seat of your car awaiting your arrival the next morn'n. A mallard duck beg'n for some dog food. A pelican sit'n in the cockpit in the shade of the bimini. Or in my case, a blue plastic tarp to block out the bright sun. Fish swim'n up next to your boat say'n...."catch me if you can". You are the Captain of your own world. You make the rules. God I loved the sailboat life.
Now I ain't say'n that there weren't no troubling times. You know, like hurricanes, 500 mile a hour winds, broken dock lines, bark'n dogs all night long, electrical failures, water leaks when it rains.....sit'n down in pelican shit in the cockpit....stuff like that. Many many times I waded through a foot of water over the dock planks from high water storm surges to get to "Coyote"....way the hell down there at the end the dock. The many many times I was on deck after midnight doubling up lines in high 50+ mile a hour hurricane force winds. Bilge pump failures with inches of water over the salon floor boards.....a sink'n situation. Great big water droplets fall'n on the Captains bunk in torrential rains. No electricity. Not so good times.
My last back injury in Dec. 2000, I had to give up this life as a sail'n boat Captain. The closest I could come was to buy a motorhome...Alice. An' you know the rest the story. But I find out right quick like, the RV'n life no where compares to the world I just left. It's back to the "Jone's" life....."my RV is better than your RV is". "Keep your dog out my yard". "Turn that god awful cajun music down". "You don't dress like a RV'er". "You don't drink beer out of a can, you drink wine out of a wine glass". Arrogant people....that have no place in my life. But if'n you're gonna be a RV'er, ya gotta put up with it. That's just the way it is. I do the best I can. Did ya know, there are RV parks what will not accept your RV if it's over 10 years old? I suppose you're considered a redneck "hey Bubba, watch this" if'n ya don't drive a brand spank'n new RV. Like these RV "RESORTS"....ha ha, are do'n you a favor to accept our $$$$$ for a one nights stay.
Ok, I said enough for one day. I hope I chose my words correctly as I cain't afford to lose more friends an' loved ones.
A boat captain's (boat owner's) job is never done, it is an never ending one.
ReplyDeleteThat's also true for a home owner....or a RV owner....or a renter....or a homeless person.....work work work
DeleteSnobs put their pants on JUST like all 'pore boys and girls' who have over-the-hill RVs. Don't they? Heck, I own nothing but a pup tent and least I'm content being myself. Putting 'on the dog' tells me something is lacking in people who are snobs; some of which are in the 1% category we hear about. Bah Humbug!
ReplyDelete10 years is hardly "over the hill" in a RV. It's just that "you ain't rich" an' can afford to buy a new RV every 3 or 4 years. RV RESORTS, not parks, don't like "pore" folk an' they show it with their silly rules. "You must pick up your dog poop before it cools". 1% barely covers what I'm talk'n bout. I'm think'n long the lines like republicans an' democrats...50/50%.
DeleteThe most friendly, caring people you meet don't necessarily have "status money"
DeleteI met the most interesting man a t
Walmart yesterday, and he had the nicest, friendly respectful dog I have ever met. Usually there are a couple people with signs,sitting down, asking for money or walking up to you with a gas can asking for gas money. This guy walked by with his dog on a leash, the dog came close to me in my chair but did nothing till I reached out and pat/rubed his head, then he looked at me, acknowledging me but no sniffing or smelling, and walked on. I saw the guy had a bag with cans in it so I asked, picking recycles? he said yes, these people just throw them in the trash and they end up at the dump so we, his wife was in a different area of the parking lot, pick them and there's a recycle right in the parking lot where we take them. Not once did he ask for anything but he told Sam, after you get the groceries unloaded I'll take your cart to the gathering place. I mentioned I didn't have any recycles but reached in my pocket and gave him a handful of change which he thanked me for but didn't look at it and just put it in his pocket and walked off. I've met people in suits that could learn a lot from this guy and even from his dog.
I made it a point to never pull my RV into a place that called itself "Resort". A campground is a campground to me. I don't think I could ever live in a boat. Hell, I haven't been in a boat since 1976 when the canoe I was in capsized in rough water and the undercurrent was pulling me (and my life jacket) down. I nearly got killed in that disaster, but I'd like to get out on the water (shallow water) once more before I die to prove I'm over the bad memories.
ReplyDeleteKeep on keeping on, Billy !! We have a ball traveling in our 1984 28' motorhome. We're glad for the snob parks. God help us if those folks ever discover our camping or boondocking spots. A great group to follow is " Tin Can Tourists " , nothing but old rigs. ..your friend & fellow blogger...Rolling Earthquake..Charlie.
ReplyDeleteWell heck our coach is 16 years old and still looks pretty good. We don't want to be in no fancy resort, just comfortable and mostly by ourselves, and we do pretty good at finding those places.
ReplyDeleteps... staying at Pancho Villa State Park and they said "Yup, Billy Bob's Pappy and Pancho was best buddies!"
ReplyDeleteAs far as resorts, nope, not for us. Heck we might drive a big diesel pusher, but it's 19 years old and we spend more time outside cooking and sitting around the campfire than inside! We don't care what kind of RV you have, you just pull up a lawn chair to our fire and we are all the same... .Happy Campers!
KarenInTheWoods and Steveio
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(Blog) RVing: The USA Is Our Big Backyard
http://kareninthewoods-kareninthewoods.blogspot.com
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