Tents, Trucks and Jury Duty

We are getting a tent, courtesy of Hub’s company!  I mentioned several blog posts ago about Hubs receiving a rewards catalog to choose a gift.  More or less a random thing, plus a boss can give out additional certificates.  I thought Hubs might want to get a new tablet as his current one is getting slow.  Hubs ended up choosing to get a Coleman 4 person tent.  He could also choose one other item from the “lower-level” of the catalog, so he chose an insulated cooler backpack thing. 

Purchasing a tent has been something that we have discussed from time to time.  In the past, we’ve done a fair amount of camping.  We went from tent camping to owning a fifth wheel, which we sold several years ago.  There have been times when we’ve taken longer day trips where we thought it would be nice to spend the night.  Being frugal and not wanting the expense of a hotel, we’ve always just come home.  We prefer the rustic state forest campgrounds, which cost $20/night.

As for other camping gear, we would need an air mattress, camp stove, and eventually a couple of sleeping bags.  I’d likely focus the purchase of these items in that order.  Hmm, the more I think about it, we have a queen-size air mattress at my MIL’s house.  When we stayed at her home temporarily (seven years ago, between house moves), we put the mattress in her four-season room.  MIL had already moved out, but I couldn’t bring myself to sleep in any of the beds in the house.  The air mattress was still there and inflated the last time I was there.  Good SIL and her DH used it when they came for MIL’s funeral.  Potentially one less thing we will need to purchase.  Since I have not come up with anything to use my “E” and “L” dollars for, I think camping gear is it!

Hub’s is in another truck.  According to Hubs, it is a pig with lipstick.  But let me back up a minute.  Unknowingly, Hubs parked that (cough) fine rental car in his boss’s parking spot.  Once his boss realized it was Hubs, he apologized profusely for both the color and size of the rental car.

As for the new-to-him truck, the number of check engine lights on, oh my!   Hubs pointed this out to his boss, who told him to drive it anyway.  Then the trailer was another issue.  Hubs hauls cryogenics, which is a specialty trailer.  Only a few places in the country will work on them.  Knowing the problems with the trailer were a DOT ticket waiting to happen, Hubs got a letter from the safety department stating why he was hauling it.  There is a good chance this rig won’t even make it the 200+ miles it needs to go.  Hubs told me the “stop engine immediately” light has been flashing and dinging non-stop since he left the truck yard.  His last rig did this, and Hubs ended up needing both his truck and trailer towed.

The company Hubs works for isn’t a small mom-and-pop operation.  They are a huge company, so you’d think they would have decent equipment.  All I can say is that it is a good thing Hubs doesn’t lose money when their equipment breaks down…because this happens a lot!

I see via my informed delivery that I have a federal jury summons in the mail.  This letter represents the fourth time I’ve been called upon for jury duty, but the first for federal court.  I needed to show up a couple of days for the others, but my assigned group wasn’t selected to be on the jury.  I haven’t planned on going anywhere for a few days, so I’ll deal with the letter when I do go out.  As I’ve mentioned before, we are almost three miles from our mailbox!