I came to Ocala to boon dock so that I could enjoy a more natural nature. I do enjoy camping in organized nature parks, and I camp in them frequently. But organized parks usually have lots of people and, therefore, less nature.

Please don’t get me wrong. My idea of enjoying nature is to bring my bed, refrigerator, shower, and kitchen sink and then watch in comfort while a black bear wanders through the campsite. And part of this comfort is to have coffee in the morning. Since boon docking means no electricity, coffee must be prepared without using my beloved 4-cup electric drip pot. (It also has a timer to be brewed before I wake up!)

So, to make my coffee, I purchased an enamel percolator. On the first morning, I filled the basket with coffee and then filled the pot with water. The water promptly leaked out. NOT GOOD. I checked the pot, and I could then see that the enameling did not completely coat the metal. The joint was not sealed!

I have water, and I have coffee…..just how did those travelers on wagon trains manage to make their coffee?

The answer is Cowboy Coffee! Go to google or yahoo or whatever you use, and type in Cowboy Coffee. You’ll find recipes, but I’ll give you the recipe that I use!

To make cowboy coffee………

Boil one quart water in a saucepan.
Add ¾ cup ground coffee.
Boil again, but just enough to get the grounds wet.
Remove from heat and cover.
Wait until grounds sink….about five minutes.

It really is delicious. You’ll like it! And, you will figure out how to pour the coffee without getting the grounds.

Ya’ll take care,
Suzanne

Quick and short summary…..the solar panels are probably OK, and I was using too much electricity when I was in Sebring.

Quick and short summary……after two days of boon docking, my batteries were in the red! Either the solar panels weren’t working, or I was using way too much electricity. I’ll have a better idea in the Ocala National Forest when I join a group who are very familiar with solar panels.

So long for now.

(I'm still traveling.....so, it's "Life on the Road.")

I began knitting about two years ago. Just decided that it would be a nice hobby…didn’t take up much room, was portable, and was inexpensive. (My hobby before that was Scuba diving!) So far, all these things have proved to be true.

My first knitting project was a cap. My second knitting project was a cap. My third knitting project was a cap. My fourth project was a washcloth. (Isn’t that amazing that a dishcloth can be knitted!?!) I actually needed to change to a different yarn for this…..a washcloth needs to be cotton.

But now, here at the Ham-A-Rally in Christmas, FL, I have learned to change yarns in the middle of a project! I have met Martha. She is such a knitter. She actually travels with lots of different yarn and with yarn that isn’t just bought at Wal-Mart. (She mentioned that I might enjoy finding a yarn shop where lessons, information, and yarn are available.)

Anyway, she invited me down to her trailer to teach me how to change yarns. She pulled out four or five yarns that she wasn’t using and picked out the best color to go with my project. Then, she sat next to me and placed that new color on the next row and said “knit”. Immediately, I forgot how. I decided to stumble my way through, though, and somehow managed to start knitting.

And just like that…..I am now knitting with two colors!

This project is pretty neat, and it is almost finished. And, as you have probably guessed, this project is a beautiful two-color cap.

So long for now.

(I am currently traveling....so, it's "Life on the Road".)

When I purchased my trailer four years ago, there was a padlock attached to the hitch coupler on the trailer. Its purpose was to prevent that hitch coupler from accidentally opening. If that padlock wasn’t there, it might be possible for the trailer hitch to disconnect from the trailer. And if that happened, the trailer could go off from the truck! So, it was rather important that the padlock be there.

So what if the padlock had no key?

Now it’s four years later, and I am in Christmas, FL, talking to my next-door neighbor. He has noticed that I have the same hitch as his and has asked if I know how to do the “routine” maintenance on it. I reply that I know how to do some and have done that. But, I also confess that I really don’t know everything that the manual is talking about. (Just what is a zerk?)

So, Jim offers to teach me the procedure. What a great opportunity! We get started…..he’s teaching, and I’m doing. I’m even writing notes so I won’t forget that the long lug nut is removed before the short one. And then Jim proceeds to the next step.

Jim….."Unlock the padlock so we can grease the coupler."

Suzanne….mumble, mumble

Jim…."Did you say 'no key'?"

Suzanne….mumble, mumble

Jim quietly shakes his head and then says…"You’ll need your hacksaw."

I’m new at being the handyman, but I know that a hacksaw on a padlock will be a long and painful job. BUT…at this point, one of the people in the crowd offers the use of his electric saw. Hm…..do I work for hours cutting with a hacksaw, or do I allow this gentleman to assist me? The time to ponder this question is so minute that it cannot even be calculated. My part in cutting the padlock off is to provide the extension cord. I am so thankful.

The rest of the maintenance goes smoothly. The hitch is reassembled, and I’m able to travel once again.

The week at Christmas, FL, was great. I learned a lot about Ham Radio and also about my hitch. I’m now in Sebring, FL, and am learning about my solar panels!

I’ll talk with you later. Take care.

P.S. Are you wondering where the crowd came from? A crowd appears anytime that someone opens a tool chest in an RV Park.