Okay, we have all seen the sight of someone doing minor vehicle repairs in the parking lot of an auto parts store. You know, changing a light bulb, replacing an air filter, adding oil etc. That we have all seen, we chuckle, perhaps shake our head and move on. What I saw this weekend tops all that.
Picture this, there is a couple who own and live in this full sized motor home parked in my Western Home. This thing is the size of a bus and takes up two spaces, one after the other, you know across a parking lot island. Fine, no big deal.
They are doing repairs to this thing; again, we have seen this so okay. I am not talking about minor repairs, but replacing insulation and drywall and essentially gutting this thing and redoing it . . . in my Western Home! How do know this? Because they have bits of: insulation, wall boards, new drywall and whatever else they have pulled out, all stacked up outside the motor home.
It gets better. Apparently due to the extent of the repairs to this motorhome it has become unlivable. So they bought a second, older, used, yet long fifth-wheel trailer to live in. It is obvious that he is a trucker by trade because he pulled up with this trailer, towing it with a nice, new looking big rig truck.
So, in case you were wondering, yes those big rigs can pull a fifth-wheel trailer. I wonder if a pickup truck can pull a full sized tractor trailer? Hmm, there is a YouTube video in the making.
So there they were, trying to figure out how to park this thing and ended up with the trailer pulled up three spaces over from the motor home and the rig cut over at the last moment to fit in. It formed a U-shape with the motorhome. To top it off they parked their car in between the two.
It got interesting when a large wind blew through the area and ripped bits of roofing off of this motorhome and strew it around the parking lot. I retrieved a large piece and returned it to them, as it appears they weren’t home at the time.
I find this humorous and an extreme example of someone taking advantage of the generosity of a corporate neighbour. I always am appreciative each time that I am able to park in my Western Home or wherever I do.
I don’t disconnect, nor do I stay for too long, even when I do, I park far away from the door, so as to allow regular customers to come and go unhindered. I also shop there, when I need to get something, a small way to say thank you to the owners of my Western Home.
To me, to see a motorhome or trailer parked in the same spot for months is a bit much. Repairs are one thing but rebuilding is another. I just found this interesting, and had to share. I thought about taking a picture but decided against it, as I don’t want to embarrass anyone, but just use this as a learning example.
As for me, I was able to finish one and three quarters chapters this weekend. I laughed yet felt guilty at the same time. One chapter was hilarious and the other was funny yet still very tense for one particular character.
The first bit of the first chapter was us outside of a room listening to the beginnings of a very intense “amorous rendezvous.” This takes place between two characters who have been attracted to each other yet been holding back, until they can’t. Add in the fact that they are having troubles getting clothes off before the fun can really started and you understand the humour. Trust me it is freaking hilarious.
The second chapter involved one character (who is under immense pressure) trying to recruit another character yet trying to avoid talking about the large elephant in the room. Again, tension, good dialogue and exchange is had between the two.
Yet with all that his character is going through, I kinda feel guilty for doing this to this character. I know that she doesn’t actually exist, but as a writer and creator of this character, she is kinda my kid . . . sorta . . . in a way. Writers will understand (I hope).
But the good this is that I am now half way (word count wise) through book two. Gee, it would be nice to hear some feedback on book one. *He says looking out through the internet to one particular person . . . hint, hint, hint . . . you know who you are.*