Txjbird & Queenie on a Safari in a Safari

[jimindenver]

You are getting there Jewellanne

 

[gapper2]

Hey Jewellann,

   Great news on the van and if Lon replaced the whole wiring harness which I suspect for that part of the van he probably did you won't have to mess with that #$@# schematic.  Can't hurt  to have a copy though.  Don't know how you handle that southern AL heat and humidity.  I'm drenched  by the end of the day.  You and Queenie stay coool.

George

 

[Txjaybird]

 I went to Wally World and then Taco Bell after dark Thurs. nite.  After driving about 6mo with no right turn signal at night it was nice to be able to change lanes and make those R turns while letting other drivers know my intentions. 

 Taco Bell has sure changed.  When I worked for them in the late 1980s in TX we cooked and prepped all the food in house, each morning and through out the day as needed.  Fresh chopped tomatos and onions and lettuce, grated cheese, fresh fried chips and shells, fresh cooked and drilled refried beans.  I still like Taco Bell, however I think the old way was better....at least I remember it tasting better.

It has rained for about a week here.  I haven't been able to do any sorting or hauling at the storage units. Also with day time  temps. in the  80s and the 90s too [I think] I need to be ready to roll at daylight.  That's hard for me to do when I can't fall asleep until sometime between 1am & 4am.  I'm a night owl and have been since I was a young child.  I was probably born with my internal clock off kilter.  The only time it bothers me is when I need to be up and running shortly after going to sleep.

I've been pulling things from the kitchen cabinets and setting stuff aside to stock the Aliner. 

One problem I'm facing is food storage.  The first short trips will not be a problem.  When I'm out for longer lengths of time I intend to carry plenty of water and food.  You never know what will happen from one day to the next. 

 I used to travel from TX to SD and back often.   I carried a small ice chest with drinks, a pack of lunch meat, a loaf of bread, cookies and chips.  It was a 1,000 miles and appx 17hrs from just S. of Dallas TX to just S.E. of Sioux Falls SD.  Then one trip we only made it to Nebraska City NE, bad weather had moved in and we got there too late to get a room.  We slept in my little Datsun sedan in a Hardees parking lot.  Woke up the next morning with a 4in blanket of snow on the roof.  This was before I had a ATM card and forget about credit cards.  The local bank cashed a check after calling my bank in SD and they also called a motel and a room was held for us.  My son was 16 and had been driving my 1969 Ford pickup following me.  There's nothing like looking in your rear view mirror and seeing your only child sliding sideways on a bridge while crossing a river.  That's right up there with 2 days in a motel with a teenager and MTV  :huh:  OH NO!

If I'm lucky I can get some laundry washed and hung out for a while before it rains. Q has been out, eaten, had a good drink of water and gone back under the covers.  She is so lazy....no housework for her!
  The Expendables are waiting for me so gotta run.

Jewellann

 

[jimindenver]

Jewellann

Were you to have asked my mother she would have told you I did not sleep as a child when in truth I slept 3 hours a night. I am up to 4 to 6 hours a night but no matter what time I go to bed, I get up at dawn as I always have. People that know me now know when I am ill because I sleep later, go to bed earlier or most telling, take a afternoon nap. Anymore sleeping in late can not happen because Max wakes up at dawn. lol

 

[Txjaybird]

 Jim,  Queenie refuses to get up in the a.m. unless she needs to go outside OR I tell here we're going somewhere.  She's man crazy so if I start singing...... Bob Bob Bob, Bob's the man to the tune of Barbra Ann by the Beach Boy's, or Don de Don de DON........She's ready to go.  Bob is a old friend who has Rat Dawg, her litter mate and his Mom "baby sat" them and would have Bob call me so Q could go over for a "play date".  Queenie has been leashed since she was 2mo old because that's when I started Apt. dwelling.  I let her run loose some at the storage units after hours and on the weekends if it's not busy.

Don works at the storage facility and feeds her little bits of treats and she sits in his lap.  He is the first male that she hasn't known since puppy hood that has been able to touch her.  There is one LEO on Ft Rucker that for sure will not tell her how cute she is while reaching in our vehicle to pet her.  He's real fast so he still has all his fingers...........unless he tried to pet a larger and faster animal.  I never dreamed he would reach in my window across me to pet her.  I would have warned him if I'd have thought it a possibility.

Jewellann

 

[Txjaybird]

We've had nearly 2 wks of rain and now are under a flash flood watch until Thurs morning.  This Friday is the only time until next Tues, that no rain is forecast.

Work on the storage units, Safari & Aliner are at a stand still.

I intend to rest and spend time going thru small stuff here at home that doesn't require any med. to heavy lifting.  This a.m. I can't close my right and my lower back feels like I have been hit by a 2x4....it hurts.

Q is not only still in bed with me she is under the covers and SNORING too.  Lazy ol' thing.  When I get moving in a little bit I'm going to cook S.O.S. with butcher made sausage and homemade gravy from scratch.  Sometimes I cheat and use either country or pepper gravy mixes.  My favorite is Morrison Pepper Gravy mix.  I buy the big bag that makes a gal.  Then adjust the amounts of mix and water to make what I need.  

Now I think I'll watch the uncut version of "Marine" again...it's a favorite of mine.

Jewellann

 

[Queen]

Biscuits and gravy sounds awesome!! I get mine in a restaurant though, I have no clue how to make gravy except out of a jar at Thanksgiving, and have never baked a biscuit in my life.

 

[Txjaybird]

Biscuits and gravy sounds awesome!!  I get mine in a restaurant though, I have no clue how to make gravy except out of a jar at Thanksgiving, and have never baked a biscuit in my life.

Now this works good If you eat sausage or bacon. 

 Pack of dry white/country/peppered gravy mix which ever you like.  Cook your meat and drain on paper towels.  Cook gravy like pkg sez using about 1 to 2 tablespoons less liquid.  Add at least one teaspoon up to 2 tablespoons of drippins' from the meat when it starts to thicken 
 GOT a little intercoursed up on directions   Now it's O.K.....I Hope

 OR  # 1   Pour grease from meat cooking pan into a cup or bowl and save.    
         #2  Mix the gravy according to pkg. directions then pour into the  meat pan.  
          #3 THEN stir and cook slowly....you can add a little more liquid as needed.  Sometimes I use half water                      and half milk.

 Open a can of biscuits....even the cheaper house brands are good,  Put a thin coat of meat drippins' on your cookie sheet........ then wipe the top of a biscuit thru a small area and place it on the pan where you just wiped.

Bake 'til golden brown.  My oven damn near burns the bottom of every thing so when the bottom looks nearly done I gently turn them over and keep a eye on them.  If someone's not a pig eater just rub mar-ja-reen or butter on the cookie sheet and take it from there.

 When I cook these I turn on the oven,  Then cook the meat.  As soon as I have pan drippins' I get the biscuits on the pan and ready for the oven.  I've learned I can reheat the gravy eazier than cut the burnt bottoms off of biscuits....Don't ask...PUHLEESE.

Brown gravy mixed with a little oil from where steak or pork chops have been fried is good too, IMHWGAFO 
   Sometimes I use 1pk. mushroom and 1 pk brown or onion gravy mix.  The other night I cooked Stoufers meat loaves with added  fried onions and a can of Campbells beef gravy which I got for $1 at $ Tree.  I buy a lot of stuff there.  Most of my pot holders, and xtra kitchen stuff for the A liner came from there, also Close Up mouth wash that I have trouble finding anywhere else.

I'm afraid Q and I will look like sod busters in the Depression Era headed to CA when we "RUNN OFT" with all our worldly possessions tied on our rig.  Before anyone who is reading this gets all cross eyed over "sod busters" one side of my family began farming in OK in the 1880s and my Great Granma was married in "OKLAHOMA INDIAN TERRITORY" as it said on her marriage papers and my Grandma who.adopted me was born in Wewoka OK in 1902.  I have 2 Great Uncles who were part of the western migration.....And that's all I have to say about that 
 Hey since you didn't ask for a "WHITE Trash Cooking" lesson...No Charge   There really is a book by that name and I use it and read it too.  Good stories.  Compiled by a Southern fella a'course!  Crap now I'm hungry!!!
And   :huh:  IT"S STILL FREAKIN" RAINING....Maybe Wally World has a rubber boat left :-/ 

J & Q  {who is asleep again}

 

[rvpopeye]

Now I want biscuits !

I cheat and use Bisquick ...............

A plain 12"ceramic floor tile (or two) under the pan really helps those RV ovens not burn yer bottoms.. TJB

 

[Txjaybird]

I cheat and use Bisquick ...............

A plain 12"ceramic floor tile (or two) under the pan really helps those RV ovens not burn yer bottoms.. TJB

THANKS  for the tile tip...gettin' your bottom burnt is ruff....er...... so I've heard 

Movin' right along   2 quick receipe's from the Wagon Wheel Restaurants in TX.  I worked in the last one open in 1987 in Waxahachie

#1  Using biscuit dough from Bisquick, Pioneer, Jiffy or a similar baking mix  

 Cinnamon Rolls
#2  Roll dough on floured surface 'til about 1/3in thick.........brush with melted margarine or butter 


#3 sprinkle well with a mixture of cinnamon and sugar. .....#4 carefully roll up in to a log about 3in high.......slice with a pastry cutter or sharp knife into about one inch thick slices,  placing them onto a lightly greased or wax paper lined  cookie sheet as you slice.  Bake at 350 until golden brown.  #5 Mix some vanilla and a little water with powdered sugar to form a glaze that will drip from spoon.....drizzle on buns while they are warm.   some rum or orange flavoring can be added to the glaze.  Left overs make a killer bread pudding  

For Sausage Rolls/Buns

#1 and #2 above then sprinkle with some garlic powder and a little chili powder....If you get carried away it's your own damn fault     Next.......crumble and cook some  breakfast sausage....sprinkle it and then some shredded cheese on the dough...then #4 from above......If you want to, some shredded cheese can be sprinkled on them hot from the oven.   Chopped up ham or bacon can also be used in them.  You can vary the size by rolling smaller "logs" of dough before slicing and cooking.
 For the daring some chopped chiles or jalapenos :huh: maybe.......or pepper/jack cheese.....yummy...or not.

Now I'm hungry.....Anybody know a cook

Many years ago I read of a lady who made doughnuts from scratch.  When she stayed at campgrounds she offered samples to the managers and asked about taking orders to cook in the early A.M. and deliver right to peoples rigs.  If it was O.K. she would give samples to other campers,  This was a good way to earn money and not have to leave her family or pets to go off somewhere to do it.  These rolls/buns might work for that too?

Jewellann & Q  she's asleep again!  What a life she has.

 

[AbuelaLoca]

Thanks for the recipes, Jewellann! I'm looking for some easy "in the van" ways to cook decent meals, so I'm saving all the recipes that I can and maybe buying a book or two ( OP suggested "Manifold Destiny" which is cooking on the engine while you drive. In the "also bought" section, the "trailer trash" book was there... might be another one I buy LOL!

 

[gapper2]

Hi Jewellann and Q,
   I've been watching the radar closely for a week or so.  Hope you and Q are on the high ground most of the rain is not quite making it up to me but enough has come where I've had to put up a tarp over my van work area.  From what I've seen on radar you are singing "rain rain go away" I'm sure.  I guess the van is still running OK?  I know you're probably getting itchy feet.

  All that talk about biscuits and gravy has made me hungry.  So I'll go.

 

[highdesertranger]

I like the basic old time biscuit recipe on the Clabber Girl baking powder can. if you use canned milk and freeze dried butter, non of the ingredients need refrigeration. I have had old grubby prospectors ask if I was married after eating these. highdesertranger

 

[rvpopeye]

And that "Ain't Right"!

 

[Txjaybird]

 ( OP suggested "Manifold Destiny" which is cooking on the engine while you drive

I HAVE HEARD OF THIS....DIDN'T KNOW THERE WAS A COOKBOOK TOO.

. In the "also bought" section, the "trailer trash" book was there... might be another one I buy LOL!

WHERE DID YOU FIND THESE TWO BOOKS? THE COOKBOOK I SPOKE OF IS "WHITE TRASH COOKING" BY ERNEST MICKLER pub 1986  I JUST GOOGLED IT AND FOUND 2 @ BARNES & NOBLE UNDER $5 AND A SPECIAL ORDER AT WAL MART FOR 12.50.  iT HAS A LOT OF PICTURES AND STORIES,  I LIKE COOKBOOKS LIKE THIS ONE       JEWELLANN

Hi Jewellann and Q,
   I've been watching the radar closely for a week or so.  Hope you and Q are on the high ground most of the rain is not quite making it up to me but enough has come where I've had to put up a tarp over my van work area.  From what I've seen on radar you are singing "rain rain go away" I'm sure.  I guess the van is still running OK?  I know you're probably getting itchy feet.

  All that talk about biscuits and gravy has made me hungry.  So I'll go.

SAFARI IS STILL GOOD TO GO {I HOPE}       I'VE SPENT TOO MUCH TIME GETTING WET AND THEN COMING INSIDE WHERE IT'S COLD SO I'M STAYING IN MOSTLY.

LON, MY MECHANIC SAID HE IS BREAKING OUT HIS OLD  RAISED F250 WITH 38in TIRES TO DRIVE IN AND OUT OF TOWN.  HE HAS 2 BRIDGES BETWEEN HIS HOME & TOWN.

THIS a.m. I HAD TO CARRY QUEENIE DOWN THE BACK STEP THRU 3in OF WATER AND TO THE NEXT BUILDING WHERE MY MOM LIVES AS HER BUILDING SITS ON HIGHER GROUND. Q  IS SHORT LEGGED & WHEN I TOLD HER TO "GO P P" WHERE THE WATER WAS A LITTLE HIGH SHE GAVE ME A "ARE YOU CRAZY LOOK" SO WE SEARCHED FOR A HIGHER SPOT.

JEWELLANN

I like the basic old time biscuit recipe on the Clabber Girl baking powder can.  if you use canned milk and freeze dried butter, non of the ingredients need refrigeration.  I have had old grubby prospectors ask if I was married after eating these.  highdesertranger

I'VE USED THAT RECIPE AND YOU'RE RIGHT, IT'S GOOD.  THANKS FOR THE CANNED MILK AND FRZ DRIED BUTTER TIP.  WHERE DO YOU GET YOUR F.D. BUTTER?

 MY GRANMA USED TO MAKE "PET MILK GRAVY".  1/2 CANNED MILK AND 1/2 WATER.... AS FAR AS I'M CONCERNED THE BEST IS MADE WITH BACON GREASE FOR THE ROUX AND THEN CRUMBLED BACON IN IT.  I LIKE IT ON PLAIN  LIGHT [WHITE] BREAD.  MADE WITH SAUSAGE IT'S GOOD ON RICE, GOTTA ADD A FEW SHOTS OF "TEXAS PETE" ON TOP, OF COURSE.

LAST BUT NOT LEAST...WHAT DID YOU TELL THOSE DEAR 'OL FELLERS 

JEWELLANN

 HOPE ALL YA'LL KEEP YOUR POWDER DRY IF YOUR IN THE RAIN STORMS.
      ALSO ANYTHING ELSE YOU DON'T WANT MOLD A GROWIN' ON!

JEWELANN   &    QUEENIE.....BOY HOWDY SHE SURE CAN SLEEP

 

[highdesertranger]

I get my freeze dried butter from Honeyville.
http://shop.honeyville.com/?utm_sou...llegrain&utm_content=Honeyville Grain - EXACT
highdesertranger

 

[Txjaybird]

Thurs. I had a lot of errands to do that I had put off because of the rain.  I have become weary of either wet feet, damp clothing or wet hair.....Sometimes all 3 at once.  Yesterday when I first opened up the van there were ants along the dashboard from one side to the other and trails of them leading to the cargo area.  The 1st 3 yrs I was here in AL I constantly had to spray the interior of the Ranger for ants.  I've lived in 5 states and this is the only one where I've had to spray the inside of my vehicle for ants.

I ran by the Aliner to check on it and also stopped at one of storage units to grab a lamp. There was at least 1/4 in. of water that I could see within 2ft of the door.  I just cussed a lot and closed and locked the door
  I am sure  glad they installed new door seals.

Except for a small load of laundry and fixing a lunch of crackers and pimento cheese I have given myself and Q a day off.  We are watching Tarzan with Samuel Jackson and one of the vamps. from Tru Blood [I think]

Tomorrow it's very early in the a.m. to go deal with the storage units.  Ain't Life Grand :s

Jewellann

 

[Txjaybird]

  Whoopee!  No rain in the forecast for.................Wait................Wait..................July 24, 2017 

I Kid You Not.  That is the first day that rain of some degree isn't mentioned on the Accu Weather forecasts for my area.   I'd scream except it would wake up Queenie.  She has learned to ignore the crying and also the cussin',  as long as I don't get too loud.

Since my last post Q and I made it to the storage units once, rain was forecast for later in the day.  So I had 3 units open, including the one the floor keeps getting wet in from rain under the door......one of the ones with a new seal.  I dragged stuff out so some air could circulate thru there. 

 I seem to stay in a continuous state of PISSED OFF....just varying degrees of it.  The wet floor unit is the one with the really nice stuff that is not being done away with at this time.  Things for my family or myself or I intend to sell or trade for other things I need/want.  I was able to grab some clothes, linens, and books and pile them in the middle of the Safari and get all the units closed and locked just as the drizzle became a light rain.  Then I lucked out and had 1 day without rain since then.  I ran 5 loads thru the washer and hung them all out.  With the hot sun and a good breeze there were only a few things from the last load that I had to hang in the apt.  It's been like Christmas around here,  I've been trying on clothes then adding some to the "keep" tote and others to the "go away" tote.  The rain limits what I can do each day as far as storage units or even taking books to the library to donate or things to the mission store.

I'm still waiting to hook up the Aliner and take it and the Safari to Lon so he can rig the towing lights and make any needed adjustments to the rear helper springs.  I still worry about the suspension being to "soft".  Maybe it feels that way to me because I drove that 4x4 Ranger for 13yrs before I got the Safari?  If anyone has any info on the suspension of these Safaris please share it with me, it's a 1998 high top conversion.  Hopefully I can go from Lon's back to get the Safari realigned if it needs it.  If I'm lucky an oil change that's due will be the last $$$ on my "rig" that needs to be spent for a while. 

 I had some unexpected expenses during the last 6wks or so and used about $1,400 of my savings.  Things have settled down now so I can start saving again.  I don't know if these could be considered the "Good Old Days" or not, however "Back In The Day" there have been times that I worked 2 jobs and on 2 different times held down 3.  That was what I needed to do to get what was needed so I just worked  extra until I had the funds I needed.  I started working when I was around 10 or 11 yrs old.  I did chores and babysit in the neighborhood.  I also traded labor for piano lessons.  I liked to work.  Once my husband pulled my VW engine out and sat it on the garage floor so I couldn't go to work.  A good man, mostly.  You could say we had "control issues".   Now I could some xtra Dough.
 Just call me Crazy, I wish I could work now......... Just Not In The Rain 

I hope everyone has a good July 4th, you Canadian folks too.     

I'll be 39 on July 2nd....To Those That Know Me....Stop That Damn Laughing and Snickering Right Now!  :angel:

Jewellann and the Sleeping Dawg Laying, Queenie

 

[AbuelaLoca]

Sounds like you managed to be productive despite the rain!! Happy 39th in a few days!!

 

[Txjaybird]

Sounds like you managed to be productive despite the rain!! Happy 39th in a few days!!

Thanks!  You've had 2 "Shake Down Cruising " camping trips so far?  Right?  So what's next trip wise?  I don't think I'll ever be able to actually "go camping".  I'm so slow I couldn't even get to the Rangers office in Andalusia AL before it closed, I need to get another Access pass,  so after driving for a hour........ IN THE THE FLIPPING FRACKIN' FANTABULOUS RAIN......The SSA office is right next door and I needed to go there first for some documents.  Of course they close at the same time.

I traveled part of the way on the "El Camino East West Corridor" that is in 5 states & was the "EL Camino Real", The Kings Highway that leads down into Mexico out of Texas.  It began as a Native American Trail and then the Spanish "improved" it.  There is now an expansion going on to make it a 4 lane road from GA thru AL, MS. LA, TX to Mexico.  I liked the rolling countryside.  I would have liked to have seen it 50 or 75ys ago before so much "progress" and logging in this area.

It's about 3:30am here.  We just got back inside.  I took Queenie out the front door for her last nitetime visit.  She just had stopped  P'ing and some guy says HEY!  WE DID NOT WAIT AROUND TO SEE WHO HE WAS TALKING TO. 

 I live 2 blocks from the police station.  Over a mile from a open store.  There are no places around here this time of day/nite for people to be going to or from work.  No matter what time I go out there always seems to be someone lurking around.   If we hadn't been inside since before dark due to the weather I would have taken her out around 8pm.  We used to walk around 10pm however that stopped a few years ago. 

 My son has referred to me as violent or dangerous only because I always have a weapon or something that can be used as one nearby.  I never go out alone at night without something handy.  As much as I like to be alone I do worry about traveling and camping alone.  Gonna have to see how that works out. 

Are you planning anything for the 4th?

Jewellann