Time for some domestic chores. I find it surprisingly easy to install the
new spring on the RV stabilizers although after tightening the nut as much as I
can the rocker bar that connects the two springs still has some play. The one on the other side doesn't. We'll call the people tomorrow and ask about
this - maybe this is why the first spring came off!
Still, the real test will be when we drive away. But I'm happy to get it done.
I have less success with the non-working lights. I'm able to take apart some of the fixture
above the kitchen sink - enough to see that all the wire connections there are
tight. But to go further will require
removing four screws, all of which refuse to budge, so that fixture remains
inoperable. The light above my side of
the bed, which sometimes comes on and can be made to work at other times by
just touching the bulb, seems like a classic case of loose wires. I'm able to take that fixture down but again
see no loose wires. It does come on when
I try it, but it remains to be seen whether it's really fixed.
Vicky is working on another HRB
course, so I decide to research the Italian city of Treviso,
where our new cheese comes from. I'm
delighted to find that it's a walled city, described by several websites as an
undiscovered gem full of medieval buildings, churches with works of art, and
even some canals and small gardens that sound delightful. Best of all, it's only a half hour train ride
from Venice, where we're spending 5 nights on our trip next May. This sounds like a must do day trip,
especially as I find a restaurant there - specializing in meat, that gets rave
reviews from people from all over the world.
Thank you, cheese lady, for helping me find this place!
Later in the day we drive down to the main parking lot of
the resort and walk over to the lake, tranquil today as it's past the time for
boat rentals. We walk around for a
while, enjoying the natural beauty, then find a bench facing the lake where we
spend the best part of an hour in quiet contemplation. We see a lone duck - maybe a coot - swimming
around, and a family of wild turkeys that was originally on the hill by the
parking lot comes to take some water.
They then start foraging (or whatever wild turkeys do) in the woods
across the lake.
When we resume our hike we immediately spot three deer - a
mother and two babies, and watch them as they graze. Are these the same family we see by our
campsite? If so, they've walked over a
mile. We debate whether they could drive
one of the ubiquitous golf carts we see around the resort, then realize that
the youngsters are about the same size - maybe twins. Our local family has two fawns that are
clearly at least a year apart in age, so this must be a different one.
As we set off back in the car we see two more young ones,
one of which is much smaller than any we've seen so far. These are mule deer, and this little fellow
is all ears and eyes. When we finally
tear ourselves away and drive up the hill we spot a family of six, including a
young buck, who are grazing close to another campsite and are clearly
unconcerned about either them or us.
Back at the RV, we grill the smoked salmon and some shrimp,
and Vicky prepares a delicious stir fry from many of the fresh vegetables we
bought yesterday. Quill is always sitting
quietly next to me when we eat - we call her our dining companion - but this
time she won't leave me alone. The smell
of the fish is obviously too much for her.
I take pity and leave a little salmon and put the plate down for
her. We're amazed when Cosette also
comesover and starts attacking the salmon, and Quill doesn't object. This is the first time in 17 years we've ever
seen them share a plate. Vicky also
leaves a little on her plate but for some reason Cosette stays away so Quill
gets all of that to herself.
Earlier Vicky put out some salt, hoping that would attract
the deer family. After dinner I'm
sitting outside and the deer walk up the road behind our site, ignoring the
salt. Animals have their own priorities
and we can't figure them out.
But it's been another beautiful day and we still have one
more full day before we again head into the mountains at the start of our two
week return journey to Phoenix. I'll be sorry to leave the beauty of Central
California but not sorry to leave their prices, which seem higher
than most other places.
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