The Squirrel Circus is in town.

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It’s in town because I made the Squirrel Circus here. No, this isn’t another story about that ex-boyfriend who went off to join the circus. You’re welcome.

This post really is about squirrels I got to jump through hoops, sort of. It’s more like running through tubes and boxes than jumping through hoops, but close enough.

At the state park I’m camped at, my volunteer job (in exchange for free RV parking) is to sell permits, help customers, stock shelves, tidy up the place, etc. In the downtime I started building a Squirrel Obstacle Course.

No lie.

When Park Officials come to check how the park is doing, I tell them it’s our Squirrel Enrichment Program. One asked if I had a degree in Animal Psychology.

BWAAHAHAHAAA!

The squirrel acrobats are: PeeWee (a tame-ish female, currently pregnant again, and mother of at least one of the following squirrels), Jr. (aka “Hangin'” <— ahe name the Rangers gave him), Rocky (a male, very skittish), and Cinnamon (a female, also very skittish).

The Squirrel Obstacle Course/Habitrail is perched on a picnic table, right in front of the office entrance. You can’t miss it when you walk in.

The Squirrel Obstacle Course in an early phase.

The Squirrel Obstacle Course in an early phase. That’s a squirrel in the cantilevered tube on the right.

As you can see it’s made from used drink bottles and cardboard boxes. And a LOT of tape.

It’s my pride and joy. But, wait! There’s more…

Busier than a cat trying to cover up crap on a marble floor.

Kernut the Blond Posted on by

That’s me… busier than a cat trying to cover up crap on a marble floor.

The squirrel video is posted (or will be as soon as it uploads to my YouTube channel, which is currently happening at a snail’s pace), but I wanted to update you all on items from the last post.

Sorry, there have not been any more people doing the nasty in the park wearing nothing but boots. This post is mostly fluff and random updates to keep us all occupied while I wait for the squirrel video to load.

Kitties, kitties, and more kitties

I did not get the kitty I mentioned before. She was sick every time I went to see her and/or adopt her. While the ailments are things that will eventually go away with treatment (worms, skin fungus, the sniffles, kitty acne), she’s just not being medicated or watched closely so as to take care of those issues in a timely manner. Even when brought to someone’s attention, issues have gone unmedicated. And as much as I wanted to save her – or any kitty – from that, I just can’t take care of a sick cat again for a long time. So I’ve opted not to get one at all for a while. (Sadly, none of the cats at this local shelter are fairing any better. Cross-contamination runs rampant among the rescued kitties. It’s terribly sad. I’ve considered reporting them, but then what would happen to the kitties when the facility is shut down? I fear they’d be euthanized.)

RV Issues

They persist like a turd that won’t flush. But, wait! There’s more…

Naked people, RV issues, and kitties.

Kernut the Blond Posted on by

There is a post coming on the Squirrel Obstacle Course, but I’ve been too busy to edit the video. So all I’ve got for you is a generic update of randomness. Your excitement is palpable, even from here.

You’re really wondering about the naked people, aren’t you? Don’t worry, that wasn’t just a catchy title, they’re coming. Err, umm, maybe they already did? I don’t know, I didn’t get to ask them.

RV Slide-out Issues

The living room slide on my RV has issues. It probably needs therapy, but I can’t find an RV shrink within 100 miles. There is only one, yes ONE, RV technician willing to make the long drive to this town with ten a hundred cows for every human. When describing the problem to him, his answer didn’t exactly exude confidence. I can tell he’s never encountered a problem like this one before. Crap.

I can’t close the slide to drive it to the shop over an hour away in which I have more confidence (it’s Camping World, but they don’t do mobile).

In Winnebagos with a couch attached to the living room slide-out, the carpet under the couch is covered in a sheet of clear, thick plastic (like Visqueen). This wraps around under the slide to protect the other carpet that’s part of the house/coach floor.

Most of this plastic/visqueen has come lose, rolled up under the slide, and is sticking out of the weatherstripping on the outside. (see photo) When I attempted to pull it out all the way, I realized part of it is still attached, AND a glide/slide-out strip (probably used to help glide the slide smoothly) has also come lose.

Winnebago Sightseer Slide-out issue - plastic sticking out.

Well, this just sucks.

But, wait! There’s more…

Texans have some really big nuts.

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Remember when I said ‘Texans have big balls‘? Well, they have some really big nuts, too.

Please drive slowly, our squirrels don't know one nut from another.

But they let me in anyway.

I went to the nuthouse. I know you’re all thinking, “Well, it’s about time!”

No, not as a patient! It was just for a visit thankyouverymuch. Besides, it wasn’t that kind of nuthouse.

But before we get to the nuthouse, I’m going to tell you about the World’s Biggest Nuts. And they’re in Texas, of course.

Seguin, Texas, Home of the World's Largest Pecan

Seguin, Texas, Home of the World’s Largest Pecan. But which one? There are three and this is the small one.

But, wait! There’s more…

Big oilfields and big money in Texas

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In this part of the country, atop the Eagle Ford Shale and in between all the cows, oil derricks dot the land.

Large oil derrick in Texas

One of the larger oil derricks in the area, and the subject of my tour.

Besides the cows and oil derricks there’s not a lot around for many, many miles. In this particular town the bovine to human population is 10:1. At the very least.

Bovine traffic on the way to the rig.

Traffic on the way to the oil derrick.

I really wish I owned land here.

Why? you ask. Do you like cows? you ask. But, wait! There’s more…

Ten Things: Ten More Reasons Dating REALLY Sucks

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A while back I wrote Ten Things: Ten Reasons Dating Sucks.

Because of my mixed feelings about dating vs. remaining single, I now have ten more reasons dating sucks. And because I’m apparently a glutton for punishment.

single vs relationship

I’m on the “Single” side right now. Rather wary of the opposite sex at the moment.

MamaSteph, in her article Men… Ugh…, put it better than I ever could have…

I am not at all a stupid person, in fact, I like to think of myself as rather smart, but on occasion I do some very stupid things, most of which involve men. I love men, everything about them, wide shoulders, hairy chests, deep voices, big hands, the way they smell… anyway, where was I? Oh yes, for a relatively smart girl I have made some bad choices in men, bad choices, like if stupidity was a crime I would be a lifer with no parole. If I walk into a room with 100 men the ones who hone in on me first are the most unstable, I will then pick the worst one of them to date, it’s a character flaw.

I feel a kindred spirit to this woman, a complete stranger. But she knows me and I know her. Like her, I, too, am not desperate for a relationship, I am single by choice. However, I would welcome the opportunity to share my life and adventures with the right man. Emphasis on RIGHT.

But, wait! There’s more…

A big shrimp at the Aransas Pass Shrimporee

Kernut the Blond Posted on by

And the gratuitous photos just keep coming. This is the last post in the “wanna be like Playboy” series of photos with little or no storyline (don’t pretend you don’t know what I’m talking about), finishing off my time on the Texas Gulf Coast.

Aransas Pass Shrimporee – A festival about shrimp.

The Aransas Pass Shrimporee festival has shrimp, like the Fulton Oysterfest has oysters. Yup, that’s how they name the festivals around here.

Aransas Pass Shrimporee

Nothing quite like posing with a big shrimp. Sadly, it’s probably not the first time.

Despite how it may look, I am NOT pregnant. (That would require having had sex recently.) The wind caught my dress. When that happened to Marilyn Monroe, it looked sexy. When it happens to me, I look pregnant. But, wait! There’s more…

The Nina, Pinta, and the Santa Maria in Corpus Christi. And a little alligator.

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…but without the Pinta and Santa Maria. No, I don’t know where they are. They probably blew away in one of the many hurricanes.

It’s been one year since I got my RV and simultaneously became a full-time RVer. ONE YEAR! It’s gone by so fast, and I still haven’t seen even half the things I want to see.

I’m sorry I don’t have a fascinating post to mark the occasion but, frankly, it snuck up on me. I’ve been a bit preoccupied with missing my feline copilot, a little not-so-local sightseeing to distract myself, and looking for a *choke* job. Preferably one that keeps me traveling with my RV.

So instead of a witty wordy post, I offer another of those “mostly photos” posts because I’m phoning it in this week. Like Playboy does, but without the nakedness.

Corpus Christi, Texas

While I was on the Texas Gulf Coast, I made it to Corpus Christi a few brief times. Corpus Christi is a beautiful, clean city with a stunning shoreline. Alas, being the lousy photographer I am, I don’t have any pictures of the aforementioned stunning shoreline so you’ll just have to take my word for it.

In my defense, I always thought I’d have the opportunity to come back and take the photos I wanted, but I never got that chance. Neither did I get to see the U.S.S. Lexington or the Maritime Museum. While I did enjoy a couple concerts at nice concert venues courtesy of some friends, I only got to try one (so-so) restaurant. I’m sure there are better ones.

For your viewing pleasure I offer you one photo of the Nina, without the Pinta or the Santa Maria. (But I’d bet it’s one more photo than you’ve ever seen of the Nina.)

The Nina, without the Pinta and the Santa Maria.

The Nina, without the Pinta and the Santa Maria.

Ok, so it’s But, wait! There’s more…

Giant Shark in Port Aransas

Kernut the Blond Posted on by

The next few posts are going to be mostly photos because I don’t have much of a story to go with them. Think of it like Playboy, but without the nakedness.

This one is about Port Aransas, locally known as “Port A”, an island in the gulf coast of Texas. It’s reached by a free ferry ride.

Ferry to Port Aransas

Ferry to Port Aransas.

View of the channel from Port Aransas

View of the channel from Port Aransas.

Port A is a beautiful place, albeit a bit touristy. There are lots of colorful shops, but my favorite was this one with a Giant Shark for a door… But, wait! There’s more…

Knot A Clew is the name of the sailboat I was on. Seriously.

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Knot A Clew. It’s like they knew I was coming aboard.

The sailboat Knot A Clew.

“Knot A Clew”… I’m sure they named it after me. This should totally be my boat.

I don’t even need to make this stuff up, it just finds me. Like flies find fly paper.

“Not a clue” is the theme of my life, particularly when it comes to dating. Thankfully, this wasn’t a date.

Sail of Knot a Clew

Probably one of the better photos I’ve taken in a while – or will take for another long while. So much for that photography class in college. I knew that “B” was generous.

Two friends own this aptly named sailboat. They’ve just started a blog about their misadventures with the boat, The Misadventures of the SV Knot a Clew. Considering some of the hilarious stories they’ve already told me, it’s sure to be a funny blog. Plus, they use real cameras so their photos will be better than mine.

Setting Sail for San Jose Island

But, wait! There’s more…