POST 685: 08/15/12: SALVO, OUTER BANKS, N.C.

Finally, I have a functioning home. A number of boxes remain to be unloaded, but Kitchen, Living, Bath, and Bedroom are all up and running - even the hot water tank....weeeee, hot baths !

Have checked in at the Food Bank (Food Pantry) and have received the "key" with the advice that it is all mine. Am informed that as soon as local schools re-start, locals will flood to the Food Pantry. During the Summer, tourist activity apparently keeps locals busy and in food essentials.

Trailer is on display at the LIFEBOAT CHURCH, sponsor of Salvo, N.C. Food Pantry, having Highway 12 exposure. Hope for a sale in a few days. The motorcycle has been put through it's paces and performs OK - now in the protection of Landlady Linda's garage. MPV / Mazda is relieved from it's burden of the trailer and also performs like new - even with nearly 253,000 miles...and having been rebuilt three times:

Yes, my MPV has been in three crashes...two involving deer requiring new sheet metal to the front window - engine and suspension totally avoided damage -, and a third injury to both front and back: Nephew Dale driving, stopped in traffic in Seattle when a speeding motorist crashed into the U-Haul trailer Dale was towing to pick up shipments from Europe. The crash was so severe that the trailer hitch broke free and went flying through the MPV rear door...at the same time pushing the front end into the flatbed truck stopped in front.

All running features of the MPV avoided damage. Metalwork was perfect during all three repair efforts...and the MPV runs, as I said, like new.

But, I do have a major problem involving the MPV. It is parked on the "crab" grass in front of my new 2-bedroom home, about 100 feet away. Walking from the MPV to the front door results in a swarm of mosquitoes attacking every exposed bit of skin. Running to the front door results in a half-dozen bites...opening and entering lets in 5 or 6 mosquitoes...which I spend the next hour tracking down.

Have been in Salvo one week and have at least 25 bites still irritating and itching.

...that is until today. Today, I offered to mow the grass of Linda's three homes, of which one is mine. Linda has a small manually pushed gas mower to chop down a large expanse of grass, some of which is over 1.5 feet high. Wearing long heavy pants, long sleeve shirt and hat with ear flaps protected all except my face and neck. At this writing, the right side of my face - from forehead to neckline, is swollen with too numerous to count mosquito bites...

...and I itch like crazy.

I MUST find a defense against the millions of mosquitoes which rise up from the sodden - been raining for nearly three weeks - grass at every step. The town "mosquito" spray truck trundled by yesterday sending out clouds of mosquito spray. The truck passed by quite fast, pointing the spray nozzles mostly over the pavement...not many mosquitoes live in the pavement..., but not much spray over the grasses lining the roadway.

I do have a "bee" net which I received as a gift from Ed and Betty (Oregon) two years ago. I used Betty's bee net extensively until I became oxygen deprived in Georgia and collapsed, ending up in ER. Nonetheless, I have broken out Betty's bee net, which will become a required garment when walking to and from the MPV.

Began my quest to find employment. No luck today, but am encouraged by learning of three businesses looking for "help". Perhaps tomorrow will land me a source of $$ income...which I need to pay off trailer and MPV repairs incurred en-route from Bellingham.

My home is 1 city block from the Atlantic Ocean Beaches; 3 blocks from Pamlico Sound, and 3 blocks from the Food Pantry. Am pleased that I need not drive the MPV much for the moment.

Have not walked significantly since leaving Bellingham two weeks ago. Most folks living in OBX are runners. Have not run since giving up Marathons 35 years ago...perhaps it is time to get my old body back into running condition...must be cautious, however, not to re-damage either knee, both of which have received ORTHOSCOPIC surgery to repair running damage of years ago.

Sure is fun growing old...especially since I am keeping myself healthy and finding so many interesting and intriguing activities ... not to mention oodles of new / old friends.