IT CAME AT 3:00AM

It came at 3:00am. A sudden flash and a stunning crash. My only comment was, “I hope to hell that was thunder!” That comment was directed at Suzy, who had recently awakened in her constant pain from shoulder problems and padded out to her recliner for a more comfortable rest. (I had arrived quite unexpectedly in the living room, where Suzy sat wide-eyed with wonder.)

Suzy confirmed that she had briefly seen a flash and had been rocked by the same sudden noise. Once we heard the sound of rain on the roof, I dutifully trotted out in the the dark and now dampening night to move under cover some of the electronic equipment that litters our yard.

After forty minutes and three chapters of Andrew Greeley’s entertaining novel The Bishop at Sea, I retrieved my CPAP mask from where it had been flung after the clap, turned out the light, and immediately came up with the theme of this blog. Which, of course, had to be recorded. So here I sit at 4:00am, wearing nothing but bright red ‘jammy pants and my computer glasses, frantically trying to record the story for your amusement. See how devoted I am to my craft and my readers? Aren’t you proud of me?

And so, back to bed, “…to sleep, perchance to dream.” (Shakespeare's Hamlet, Act III, Scene 1.)

But alas, it was not to be. Back to the keyboard at 4:40am, fully awake, with a cup of the special coffee/cocoa blend we save for Sunday mornings. Ah, “tradition.” (From Fiddler on the Roof, a musical based on stories by Sholom Aleichem.) At least now I am more fully dressed.

You can see that this post is going to be random ramblings; so be it. (Or, in Latin, “Amen.”)

I mentioned Suzy’s constant pain. For those who aren't that close to us, Suzy has been in a lot of pain for the past year, from a variety of physical afflictions she does not deserve (does any of us deserve them? I believe some do, but certainly not the venerable and virtuous Suzy.) These pains, and my own knee surgery, are what have kept us close to Benson this year, and provided the excellent window of opportunity to purchase our new-to-us park trailer. Her most afflicting pain at this writing is her left shoulder which, according to the X-rays is slipping backwards, due to rapid degeneration of the joint! To remedy that situation, Suzy is scheduled for total shoulder replacement surgery on December 18, which we believe will be a fine Christmas present for both of us.

I also mentioned the electronic equipment in our yard. The key instrument in question is the battery charger for our new-to-us but used green golf cart. No, we don’t play golf, but golf carts are the transport of choice among residents of this and many RV parks. This one is powered by six eight-volt batteries. Unfortunately, two of those batteries are significantly under-powered, and the cart has difficulty traveling up the gentle slope of most of our park roads. Hence the cart sits with battery charger, attempting in vain, it seems, to force those recalcitrant cells to regain their proper attitude.

We have taken the seemingly idiotic action of dropping three aspirin into each of the stubborn two batteries (take three aspirin and call me in the morning?), on the advice of several of our local worthies who know more about golf carts than we do. We’ll see if that does any good,. If not, it will mean a trip to Sam’s Club or Costco for batteries!

In the meantime, the green golf cart has earned the moniker “Reluctant Froggie.”

Welcome to our newest follower, Susan Bidniak! Susan, we have to tell you – you are in good company, and we hope you enjoy our periodic epistles.

So we continue rambling along, working our way through … Our Life on Wheels!

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