Addiction

I was shock Monday afternoon to learn of Robin Williams death by suicide.  I was not shocked to learn that this wonderfully creative soul struggle with addiction and depression.  As he has said many times, "Been there, done that".

There are so many that struggle to overcome addiction without the benefit of professional help.  While I managed to beat my addiction to alcohol without help it is not something that I would try again.  Several years later while under an amazing amount of stress, depression set in sending me spiraling downward.  It is surprising to me that I didn't answer the little voice that Robin Williams talked about in his interview with Diane Sawyer, "just one".  I didn't take one, but I did seek professional help and I believe it has helped.

Loved ones with addiction and depression will say anything to continue down their self destructive path.  We must somehow learn to recognize the signs and seek help for those who can't or won't.

No Big Trips Yet

Wow, it has been over a month since my last post and I can truly say we have done very little traveling in that time.  We spent most of it either home or at our lot in Gold Bar.

We have enjoyed our time at the trailer in the park.  It has been quiet during the week and with the heat we have been able to visit the pool daily around 6 pm to float.  We get to meet some of the other folks in the park doing the same thing.  Weekends get a  little busier and noisier but we enjoy the weekdays.

My step moms patio decking was rotting and she had gotten a couple of bids to repair it.  None of the came in with a bid to repair.  They all wanted to replace the entire deck.  The costs were $2500 - $3200.  Money which neither one of us has.  So I took a look and decided to replace the really bad boards and finish it with the new product that we had tinted to a cedar color.

It takes two gallons for the almost 300 square foot deck so you get the required two coats.

The deck with new boards installed ready to sand and coat.

The deck with two coats of Rescue and I am told that it still looks really good two weeks later.  There are a couple of more things to do to the deck, steps and a hand rail.

We had visitors in the park during our most recent stay.  Two young raccoons were left in a tree next to our trailer by mom as she went out forging thru the park.  I was fixing dinner so I grabbed the camera for some shots.  While cute, they can be very destructive.

That is it for now.  Hopefully everyone is well and enjoying the summer.  August is a no trip month for us but we are planning a short trip to the Oregon Coast in September.