June 16, 2025 (mon.) - otis vs. water, whiskey night
Since we were originally supposed to leave Box Elder today, nothing major was planned. The day turned into one of light chores, moving prep, and Kirk’s much-anticipated Whiskey Night with a few of the guys from the RV park.
We gave Wilderness Dog Park a try, but it ended up being pretty underwhelming—just a short trail along the road. So it was back to our tried-and-true Braeburn Dog Park, where Kirk gave it his best shot to get Otis into the water, but no dice—he’s not a fan! He took a few steps in but quickly turned around. Even when another friendly pup splashed in to greet Kirk mid-stream, Otis held his ground—not today, water! Not even a little doggy envy could convince him. Guess he’ll be sticking to dry land adventures for now.
By 5 PM, the whiskey circle began. Ron (the camp host) and Martin (our neighbor) came by, and a few other guys dropped in to swap stories and sip spirits. While the guys relaxed on the patio, Lynn stayed inside with blogging duties and Fox News.
Things took a dramatic turn around 7:30 PM when storm clouds rolled in fast, bringing lightning, thunder, and a full-on downpour—definitely more intense than the usual rain we’ve had.
The party migrated indoors, and soon Martin’s wife, Tanya, joined the mix. We spent the rest of the evening laughing, chatting, and listening to their stories. Meanwhile, Martin brought out the Stagg bourbon, and he and Kirk pretty much polished it off. I reminded Kirk he’s got an early 8 AM dentist run—so… that’s going to be fun for him tomorrow. 😅
Not a lot of pics from today other than the dog park. Forgot to take pics of whiskey night (too much fun going on).
Weather – High 81*, Low 61*. No rain or storms forecast but that obviously changed in the evening!
Traffic – None.
Food – Nothing major to report. Ate in RV most of the day.
Notable – Whiskey Night, storms
videos : trying to get Otis in the water
Kirk managed to coax Otis into the water—just a few tentative steps before he decided he’d had enough. Meanwhile, another enthusiastic pup dove right in and made a beeline for Kirk, happily soaking up all the attention.
The last video captures that adorable water-loving dog lapping up stream water—a short cute video.
June 17, 2025 (Tue.) - endodontist, recovery day
The day kicked off bright and early with Lynn’s 8 AM endodontist appointment in Rapid City. As expected, Kirk was feeling the effects of last night’s whiskey festivities, but in true trooper fashion, he rallied and drove her anyway.
The best part? No root canal needed—woohoo! The dentist reviewed the X-ray and, with everything looking healthy, decided it wasn’t necessary. He did run three sensitivity tests, which were uncomfortable (as expected), but ultimately confirmed that tooth #30 was fine. Now to get scheduled for the replacement crown which will keep us in the Custer/Rapid City area a bit longer until its fixed.
After the appointment, we rewarded ourselves with a delicious breakfast at Colonial House—Kirk needed sustenance and yes, we also restocked the peanut butter cookie dough for future baking fun!
We made a stop at Americas Mailbox to grab a few packages, including our sleek new compact “Our Place” air fryer—a big win over the oversized Ninja we’ve been shifting from counter to counter and back again. So far, it’s performing well and saving us space already.
Also waiting in the pile? Kirk’s long-awaited fog lights—finally! Though judging by his current post-Whiskey Night condition, installation may need to be… rescheduled. Priorities, right? 😄
We also made an Amazon pickup at Michael’s, and had one of those lightbulb moments: we should’ve been doing this all along! No more per-piece fees like at Americas Mailbox (cost is about $1.06/item up to $3.19 for an oversized package).
The rest of the day was mellow. Kirk napped off the bourbon while Lynn dove into decluttering mode, sorting out duplicates and cleaning up the space.
The only photo today? A side-by-side of the old and new air fryers—exciting for us, maybe not so thrilling for the highlight reel.
Tomorrow, though… we finally head to Custer, SD—can’t wait for the change of scenery!
Weather – High 74*, Low 57*. Winds 5-27 mph.
Traffic – None.
Food – Colonial House, Culver’s. Nothing major to report.
Notable – No root canal needed! New air fryer and fog lights.
