Keep CALM and CARRY ON

This week has been insanely busy! Since we got back from Alumapalooza, I threw a surprise birthday party for Rick who turned 60 and then attended his retirement dinner from the Police Department (37 years!) Friday morning we started packing to return to Ohio to pick up the trailer and start our journey to California and sometime during the shoving of my hands into various and sundry cloth bags, I noticed that the diamond from my engagement ring was missing! 
We were already delayed, having a hard time tearing ourselves away from our cousin Kelly who had come from Australia to attend her father's memorial service at University of Toronto's group burial of medical department organ donors. It was very moving and we were glad we were home for all three events. 

a box of band-aids from our friend Kimmie. Perfect!

After some calm searching for the diamond, we decided to continue on and had one quick stop in London to pick up (and emphasis on "pick up") our bike rack. The fact fact that it had to be modified and we were delayed another 2 hours, still didn't get us down, nor did we flinch when we started the Jeep and heard an ominous knocking sound coming from under the hood.
     We pressed onward, but I, of the keen sense of hearing (and smell, I'm a Dog on the Chinese Horoscope)knew things were amiss in Tow Vehicle Land.
     Sure enough, by the time we got to Jackson Center, (after hours on a Friday night, of course) we knew Jeepalah needed to see the Vet.

Kelly's didn't have the airconditioner we needed, but they replaced a bald tire for us!

Since it was Saturday morning by the time we saw the mechanic at Kelly's and he assured us the unhooked AirConditioner Compressor would cause no further harm....we continued on our way towards California, hoping to make it to Boulder, Colorado by Monday to camp near friends while repairs were done. Little did we know how unpleasant riding on the highway with the windows open in 90 degree temps could BE!

 we were shade seeking missiles. Look at this cool spot for aluminum dog house on wheels in Indianapolis. What a clean city it is!

No matter, we endured it a day and a half and then BROKE DOWN at the gas pumps in Lawrence, Kansas.

The good news is, we were towed to a Kansas City Jellystone Park and the truck to a Meineke's and while they toiled in a new A/C, clutch fan and alternator WTF'inFF (we just replaced the A/C in Florida in December!) we biked, swam, laid in the sun while the laundry got did

...... and played ball with the hounds in the lovely grassy knoll of a DogRun. PLUS....I had a picture taken with Yogi. (Sadly, Yogi and I have the same body shape. :-( for NOW! I biked and swam remember.)

By the way, (BTW) this campground is very nice and has bunnies hopping all around and so many beautiful birds! Right above our picnic table were 4 Oriole nests and we saw several finches too. I recommend it if you don't mind children, 'cause there were plenty of those too. Perfectly fine in a grandchild but not so hot in a horde of happy to be arriving at the poolness. I skeedaddled!