I’ve been feeling restless lately. Last night, Donna admitted she was feeling the hitch itch as well. We’ve been here at Mission Bay RV Resort for two and a half months. We really enjoy our stay here. The location is perfect for us and we love having the opportunity to spend time with family and friends in the area.

We didn’t meet up with as many old friends as we did last year, but we hooked up with a few. Last year, we had my high school reunion, which put us in touch with a lot of people. The holiday season makes it a busy time for most people.

We also utilized our time here in San Diego to have dental and medical check-ups. My last physical exam was over a year and half ago, before we left Michigan. All my life I’ve had low blood pressure – usually in the range of 100/60 with a resting pulse of about 60 BPM. Before we left Michigan, my blood pressure had crept up to about 130/80. I didn’t worry about it – I thought it was an anomaly of some sort.

When I had the surgery on my hand in September, my blood pressure was higher again. I attributed it to anxiety over the surgery. When I visited the doctor three weeks ago, my blood pressure was way high. Dr. Ryan suggested blood pressure medication (Lisinopril). I started taking 20mg per day.

High blood pressure is a silent killer. Most people with high blood pressure don’t realize it until they have it checked. Left untreated, it can result in heart disease, artery damage, strokes or embolism. I’m usually an active person. Losing 10 pounds might help lower my blood pressure, but it wouldn’t be enough. The biggest factor for me is heredity. High blood pressure runs in the family.

Lisinopril reduces the blood pressure. After having my blood pressure slowly increase over time, my body accommodated to it. The sudden reduction in blood pressure left me feeling lethargic and a little off stride. I haven’t been very active for the last two weeks. I’m feeling better now. I have a follow-up appointment next week and Dr. Ryan may raise the Lisinopril dosage.

Anyway, the lack of activity over the past couple of weeks contributed to my feeling of hitch itch. In 17 days, we’ll hitch up the trailer and move east. We’re planning to boondock for a couple of nights in the desert before we continue east to the Colorado River.

Yesterday, Donna and I tackled an overdue chore – we defrosted the refrigerator. An excessive amount of ice had built up on the cooling fins. This has been problematic, especially in areas with higher humidity. The seal on the refrigerator door doesn’t seal completely, allowing outside air to enter through several leaks. The moisture in the air then condenses on the cooling fins and forms ice.

I found a replacement seal kit from Dometic for $300. This didn’t sound good to me. Because the door is warped, I’m not sure if a new seal would work any better than the one we have and I’d be out $300. I’ve been on the lookout for a replacement door. We may end up replacing the refrigerator.

While the refrigerator was defrosting, I rode the scooter to Ace Hardware. I bought a self-adhesive 1/8 inch-thick compressible rubber seal. I seated this seal on the refrigerator where the door seal makes contact. The door seal now seats against it and seems to be sealing well. Time will tell.