Happy Valentine’s Day first of all!

In yesterday’s post, I mentioned my dental issues brought on by head and neck radiation. Some readers that aren’t aware of my history may wonder what that’s all about. Around Christmas 2001, I was diagnosed with stage 4 throat cancer. It had spread into my lymph system. In January of 2002, I started an aggressive course of treatment that included surgery, chemotherapy and radiation. I kept a journal of that experience, but for now, suffice to say I survived. Maybe I’ll tell more of that story another time.

Yesterday, I saw our neighbor perched precariously on a step ladder. He was trying do something to the slide topper over his living room slide-out. I casually stepped outside and said, “Good morning.” After we exchanged pleasantries, I asked him what he was doing. He told me there was a window shade that’s supposed to extend from his slide topper. In case you don’t know, a slide topper is a canvas top that unfurls as the slide-out extends. It keeps leaves, rain or other debris from the top of the slide-out. You wouldn’t want that stuff on top of the slide-out when you retract it. The motorhome is new to him and he hadnot tried the window shade before.

I asked him if he wanted to use a taller ladder. I got my Werner MT-17* Multi-ladder out of the trailer.  Once we had that set up, he could easily reach the slide topper. I watched him try to get the roller to extend further and release the shade. The roller looked like it would spin, but the arms that need to extend the shade wouldn’t budge. He kept pulling at it. When something like this happens, I usually stop and look things over instead of trying to force the issue. I looked at the arms that were supposed to extend and support the window shade. I asked him if he thought the plastic sleeves on the arms were locks, maybe they need to be slid into a position that unlocks the arm. He tried moving the plastic sleeve and voila! The arm unlocked and he pulled the window shade into position. Neither of us had seen this style of topper/shade before.

Topper extends into a window shade

It’s always nice to learn something new. After we got his window shade in place, I thought I should extend our shades as well. The weather guessers said that the day would be clear and sunny with the temperature rising into the 80s. They had it right!

Our shades are separate from the topper. This is the more usual configuration.

Window shade separate from topper

Donna knocked off work around 3:30pm. We put on our bathing suits, I filled a small cooler with cold beer and we walked to the community pool. It felt good to take a swim. The last time I was in a pool was last September when we swam with the grandkids in Washington. We lounged beside the pool and read in the sun. The sun felt good after swimming. My swimming trunks dried quickly.

After an hour or so, we headed back home. We made a stop at the fruit stand on the way. The fruit stand here in Apache Wells RV Resort consists of several tables covered with bags of citrus fruit free for the taking. Right now, the trees in the park are producing so much citrus that the bags are overflowing the tables onto the sidewalk. We grabbed a bag of white grapefruit to take home with us.

Bags of citrus fruit

Last night, I grilled chicken sausage stuffed with feta and spinach. Donna served it with green beans and smashed garlic potatoes. Delicious!

Chicken sausage with feta and spinach served with green beans and smashed garlic potatoes

By the way, our friends, Emily and Mark Fagan posted more great photos of the Salt River and Tonto National Forest in their blog, Roads Less Traveled. They even included the shot Mark gave me for our blog banner and a link to our blog!

Today will be another warm one. I think another trip to the pool will be in order.