I got my first deck of my own- the standard Rider-Waite- in seventh grade, and really never connected with it. I had a book or two where friends and I would look up each card in a reading one at a time for each other, but the mythic cycle of the cards never really made SENSE to me. I put it back on the shelf for a while, to pick up again later.

The summer between my junior and senior years of high school, I took a summer course at Queens’ College, Cambridge, for high school students. It was a lot of fun, but the POINT of this story is that on one of our trips into London for Cultural Things we spent an hour or two in Covent Garden and I ducked into the little metaphysical store there, which I’d found on my previous trip to London with my parents but not managed to actually get more than a minute in, since my mother is desperately allergic to Anything Woowoo. (And the incense smell WAS kind of strong, to be fair.) This time, I had time to browse to my heart’s content, and came out with a Brian Froud dayplanner (which I promptly lost), and the first Tarot deck that I’d ever really enjoyed- a copy of The Mythic Tarot, which has beautiful pen-and-watercolor art inspired by Green mythology.The mythology isn’t ‘authentic’ in the sense of ‘I’m a history geek’; but the art reminded me of my very beloved D’Aulaire’s book of Greek Myths, without the super-sanitized (which isn’t to say Disney versions) of the myths. It used story-cycles I was very familiar with for the four Minor suits, and even on a casual glance through, I could identify all the personalities on each of the Major Arcana cards. It was just a deck that I *clicked* with. Unfortunately, it was lost at some point during my move to NY and back again, and I had never gotten around to replacing it.

I checked periodically at Half Price Books and Borders when i was in the store, but it never turned up, and the last time I’d looked it up, it was out of print. Tarot Decks from the major publishers come and go, and most that sell well (and the Mythic Tarot is not terribly popular but it’s been reprinted several times already) and I’d expected it would be again. This time, I noticed that it was still out of print- and there were a VERY small number of used copies available- and the price was rising.

Enough was enough- there will probably be another printing someday in the future- but I went ahead and ordered the last new set available on Amazon zShops at the time! It came today, and I’m so happy to have it back. It’s a sweet deck, without being quite so whimsical as the other deck I really enjoy, The Moon Garden Tarot, which likes to play tricks like randomly losing cards. and then recovering them when you go to count later.  I’ve done some Tarot-themed art in the past, and hope to again in the future.

Anyway. I let Kaylee and Lizzie out, closed the door behind them, and went to get dressed. Then proceeded to have a heart attack as I walked past the window because the GATE WAS OPEN. By the time I got back to the door, the dogs had reached the gate. Kaylee came RIGHT back when I called. Lizzie chased the Little Red Dachshund That Visits back down to his house (he lives 4 houses down) and had to be retrieved. Fortunately, everyone is home safe. I’ve got to get back in the habit of locking the gate when there’s a thunderstorm- the wind blows the gate open, which is pretty impressive, since it’s a heavy chain link gate!

I just ordered a palm sander (A 5″ Porter-Cable Random Orbit Sander) off Amazon. (Thanks Awesome Handy Curtis for deciphering the specifications for me and figuring out what would work best for what I plan to use it for. Curtis belongs to Emily @ Dreameyce.)

Also, today I went to the auto parts store and bought Bondo, which has a bunch of scary warnings on it but will apparently be exactly what I need to fix the dents in my camper.

I found a blog with photos that have confirmed for me that this trailer is almost certainly a 1964 Winnebago. That blog is located here. (I’d put it in the blog roll but the writer sold the unit after restoring it and it’s no longer being updated.) There is one small difference that isn’t accounted for by the inside of my camper being stripped, and that’s the quilted-patterned siding at the bottom edge of my camper, which isn’t present on the one on the other blog. I’ll continue to research.

I’ve drawn up a variety of floorplans but I’ve got a ways to go before having to make a final decision, so I’m just spending a lot of time thinking about which one will work best for me.

Anyway, Jessica and I (along with WHV puppy Reed) drove down to Mabank today in her Ford Escape (my car doesn’t have the hitch on it yet) and picked up the camper. Along the way, we stopped (immediately, and yes, it was a planned stop!) and got some new tires for the camper. The tire store folks were very kind to us, and hitched and unhitched the trailer (I need practice, but greasing the hitch so it doesn’t require a hammer will help, as will it NOT being 105F- my brain shuts down about 99F and I start feeling awful around 101F and just staying upright becomes Interesting.) and installed the new tires while we ran down to the auto parts store and picked up a set of magnetic towing lights so we could be legal, as the electric connector on Jess’s towing hitch didn’t match up with the connector on the trailer!

Mike, the fellow I bought the trailer from, is apparently as much of a camper junkie as I am, because over the weekend while he’d waited for me to pick up the mystery camper, he’d found himself another project- a 13′ 1964 Shasta! (no wings, though!). It may be up for sale, and it’s already restored, so if anyone in Texas is interested, drop me a comment and I’ll forward you his information.

Getting the camper into the driveway was another adventure, but we got it in (with some assistance from the guys across the street), and she’s now sitting in my driveway, waiting for me to start work on her.

She’ll need a lot of work, but has already had most of the really hard parts done (mouse sh!t removal, major leak repair, and stripped down on the interior) but she’s going to be just perfect for me and plenty light to tow with my Pontiac Vibe. (I love my car, I can’t believe they aren’t making them anymore! Boo!)

The camper is a mystery camper- title and registration are LONG lost, but I suspect may be a Winnebago from 1962-1964 or a Midjet that’s even a bit older than that. (The Winnebago is somewhat more likely numerically, but I believe Mid-Jets may have been made in Texas or OK as I’ve seen a number of others for sale locally.) She’s 10′ and features a dinette, tiny closet that previously housed a portapotty, and a counter where a stove sat on top, which PROBABLY had an icebox mounted underneath (but which has been ripped out. Plans are still pending, and Jessica and I are going to pick it up on Monday!

I can see lots of things for us to work on, but it was a good start, too! We had a really great front cross that worked just like I planned, and her teeter was really controlled, despite an equipment failure (tab got caught as she jumped off, which didn’t phase her at all). This was her first time running under lights at night, too, andI think that affected her tunnel performances.

Oh well. It’s getting HOT now. Lizzie and Kaylee are doing well on their weaves and I’m hoping to take Lizzie to some TDAA and CPE stuff soon.

I still do not understand crosses. I need like, Sesame Street Agility videos with “FRONT CROSS.” “REAR CROSS” “FRONT CROSS” “REAR CROSS” demonstrations.