Exit the Hornet, Enter Lucille

Yes, I know it's been ages since I've posted anything. But, nothing much has been happening.  Until now, that is:  There’s a new woman in my life—Lucille!


No, not that kind of woman—Sandy would hardly approve. Lucille is pretty, sleek and has big hips, but I would not want to cuddle with her on a cold night!


For those who don't have the curiosity (and who would?) to go back in this blog and find out the meaning of its title (“Homer and Lucille”) and its former moniker (“Homer and the Hornet”), I'll give you a brief primer here.


Sandy and I have always had a habit of attaching human names to some of our inanimate possessions. The reason for this is not clear, except perhaps to mental health professionals who may stumble upon this blog. I suppose one could postulate that such juvenile behavior can be ascribed to empty nest syndrome or the fact that we don’t have any pets. (It’s not that we don’t like animals; we just don’t like the bondage associated with their care.) However, this can’t be the reason, because we have given names to things since Sandy and I were hitched back in 1976, irrespective of children or pets in our home. Our vehicles have almost always had names, and the 2003 Dodge ¾ ton pickup we just sold was named “the Hornet” because it was painted a metallic green color and had a rather noisy diesel engine. The (new to us) replacement is a 2006 Dodge one-ton diesel dually (hence the big hips mentioned above), silver in color, and her name, “Lucille,” is reprised from several other trucks I have owned in the past. (I’m sure Little Richard would be pleased with the reference to his rock and roll hit of the fifties, but that was not a consideration in choosing the name; it just fits, somehow.)


I found Lucille, this unbelievably pristine truck, on eBay, advertised by a fanatical owner in Florida who kept it looking, literally, as the day it was built. (He would put it on a lift in his garage and wash the underside if he drove trough a puddle.) I bought it on the spot after flying down to look at it. This was typical of my vehicle acquisitions; I simply cannot bring myself to buy new, even though I can afford it. I would much rather find one like this—barely used—and save about twenty grand. Besides, this was the last year for the 5.9 Cummins engine before all the emissions junk got loaded onto the 6.7 engine in 2007. Perfect for many years of RV travel in my upcoming retirement!


Homer II, our 2006 Forest River fifth wheel, is our second fifth wheel and gets its name because it is a rolling home—Homer—get it? (I told you it was juvenile.) Our next rig—probably a Carriage Cameo—will also be named Homer--Homer III. More about Homer and our future plans in subsequent posts.