Securing Sweet Caroline -- Wednesday, March 22, 2017

So now that she has a new home, Sweet Caroline must be secure for when we travel to parts known and unknown.  Herb tells me we are not done yet, we should go to Home Depot and get fence boards.  I lose count of how many 30 minute trips we make from Avinger to Longview for our supplies.  Boards, nails, -- or maybe that should be screws -- 

Herb places a board between the posts for a spacer top and bottom and says, "Willie, come hold this post straight.  Be sure it is exactly perpendicular to the Earth.  A little more forward.  No, the other way forward."

"Now hold it for a moment.  Push slightly.  OK, great!"

Cuts another spacer.

Lays boards out.

Uses his new from Home Depot screw gun to attach another fence board on the alley side.  The six foot ladder leaning against the building used to live in my closet in Port Isabel for fetching items on the top shelf.  Now it is repurposed.  The level concrete slab 'breaks' into a ramp, and asphalt further continues the ramp to the street.  The dark area is an extension side to side with new black asphalt.  I wanted Herb to paint it beige, but he refused.  -- No, just kidding.  

With the alley side complete, we begin work on the side toward our parking lot and the highway.   Pink caution tape still attached.

This view shows the completed alley side of the fence.

Work on the parking lot side begins.  First you measure.

One more trip to Home Depot for yellow paint for the bollards to warn traffic of the corner, and red paint to renew the "No Parking -- Day or Night" sign on our garage door and driveway.  We are good neighbors, but need access to our property.

While we are away, a camera at the parking lot side watches for motion.  Because it is Arlo brand, Herb names it Arlo.  The camera at the back of the motor home is also Arlo, but I name it Barlo.  It was raining the day I took the photos.

Sweet Caroline winks at us and thanks us for letting her rest.  She has been to Alaska, as far north as Fairbanks, but balked at traveling over the Top of the World Highway from Chicken AK to British Columbia. The unpaved road connects Dawson City Yukon to Tok AK.   We had stopped at a restaurant to ask about the road conditions ahead, and the lady asked us, "Did you like the roads you just travelled?"  We replied, "Not really; it was quite a washboard."  So she advised us to turn around because the road ahead is worse.

Canada is one country Sweet Caroline enjoyed, where Dr. Jake swam in the Yukon River at Whitehorse.  He swam once, but because it was so cold, he refused to fetch the ball a second time.  He told us, "You go get it!"  We had warm towels ready for him, after he shook some water off.

She also travelled to visit David and Patti at LaSerda del Norte, their cabin near Henry's Fork of the Snake River in Idaho.  Many states from Louisiana, then Texas to the Pacific Northwest, including Oklahoma.  Here she breaks into a song, "I've never been to Heaven, but I've been to Oklahoma."

Also to Missouri to visit Dwight and Nancy.

Now we are delighted to have a visit from our friend Donna, who was a neighbor when we lived in Avinger many years ago.  Life has moved us on, but we love these impromptu reunions.

Willie of Willie's Tug,
   and of Walldog, Willie and Jake
   Wednesday, March 22, 2017