F150 Transmission Failure - Towing Too Heavy

As faithful dog parents our trip to Washington began months before we actually hit the road. We follow the rule of "if our dogs aren't welcome, we ain't going!" We weren't going to fly or board them for one entire month. We did the next best thing. We planned a camping trip around the drive up to see my husband's gramma. 

We packed up the trailer and the truck full of everything a dog parent would need for one month. All was perfect. We drove up the 5 freeway and rested in a quaint town called Los Banos, CA. 

Back on the road, no stopping until we reached

Senior dog. 

Redding CA, except of course pee brakes. One of us, had the runs. Little old man. How do you say no to this face. I never could. Rest in peace my love.

Here is where it gets sticky. You don't realize how ill equipped you are until it's too late. Driving the 5 fwy from Redding to Oregon is very mountainy. Many different elevations and our F150 was struggling. 

We had to pull over passing Whiskeytown Lake to let the truck cool off before we got to our Campground at Lewiston Valley. Which by the way I highly recommend a stay here, very laid back and chill. 40 gallons times eight pounds each gallon equals hundreds of pounds of extra weight for an up hill drive with a small engine ecoboost or not.  

It was a very wonderful two weeks at our next campground on Trinity Lake. No troubles with the truck anymore, but we did have a choice to make. Go back the way we came or continue straight up through the mountain road, Hwy 3 and hope for the best. 

Neither of us had been that way before, we asked a few people and they were no help. We did the most logical thing and went back how we came, at least this time, we emptied the fresh water tank and were at more of a descent until we passed Redding.

From here on out, both of us clutching our seats but staying quiet as to not scare one another. 102° outside, we can't us the A/C, windows down and hot air blowing at us.  The transmission oil temperature kept creeping up. There is nowhere to pull over at times. We prayed for a safe place to pull over.  We found one, and again we pulled over in Weed, California because well, it's a fun little place. 

We managed to slowly drive into Oregon. We decided to find a campground in Ashland, Or. We knew we couldn't go on like this. Either we had to cut the trip or buy a new truck. We didn't want to disappoint gramma, so we went to went to Crater Lake Ford in Medford, trailer in tow. 

The transmission was shot. There wasn't too many options with the truck shortage going on around the country but we found a 2019 F250 Superduty Diesel truck. Wow this thing roared. It was clean, it was beautiful and it was ours! Meant to haul a house. It was a scorching day, 102°, thanks to the very sweet salesmen who helped us move all our stuff from our old truck to the new one. 

Ah what a relief, air conditioning! And, per my husband, it was as if we weren't towing anything behind us. He could not feel the trailer behind us in this truck. What a difference. Smooth sailing from here to Grammas in Washinton. But not before stopping at the Rogue River for a few days to catch our breath and just relax for a moment. Also, one of us had to work.

Happy Camper! Dog enjoying air conditioning.

Let this be a cautionary tale, it's one thing to tow around the city. But really think twice before you buy a camper and make sure your truck can handle it. We encountered more than one 8% grade out there. I really cringe when I see an SUV towing a full-size camper trailer. And don't get me started on the Ford Lightning... Not gonna cut it folks. Better to have it and not need it in this case.            

Help! I'm Allergic to my Dog!

What Do You Do When You Discover a Pet Allergy After You Brought in A New Pet?

In my case, a new puppy. But my symptoms didn't begin until a year or so after bringing him home. 

It didn't add up at first. 

I remember in March of 2022 I developed a cold that turned into a sinus infection that was later diagnosed as bronchitis. My symptoms mostly resolved with a dose of prednisone and an Advair inhaler. The sinus infection never left. 

From June until the end of December was great! I can deal with a chronic sinus infection compared to the non-stop coughing and congestion. But now, the cough is back. It started off at night a little here and there, then nightly. Now again, all day and night. NOTHING HELPS! I managed to find some cough syrup with Codeine, and it has helped but I'm all out and the doctor won't give me anymore.

Because of the cost of healthcare these days, I am putting off gong to an ENT.  My doctor suggested an allergy test, B-I-N-G-O! Highly allergic to Dogs, cats, cow milk and egg whites. Specifically, my puppy, a cattle dog/papillon mix. 

So, I was given some Zyrtec 10 mg, a rescue inhaler, and some Tessalon pearls for the cough. Such a cough that I would not wish it on my worst enemy! I'm talking pee your pants and vomit bad! The pearls don't work btw. 

Just to be sure, I am investing in a few additional items that God allowing, I will be able to replace any potential dependence on any prescription. 

Causes of Pet Dander

Duh, easy answer is animals. If the animal has fur or feathers, it sheds dander. I've had hypo-allergenic dogs in the past and they didn't cause a stir. Some dogs just have a stronger proteins in their skin.

What is Pet Dander?

Pet dander is animal skin flakes. Tiny, microscopic flakes that float around the air. It is not necessarily the hair that causes allergies. It is the dander. 

Why Are Some People More Allergic Than Others?

Everyone's immunity is different. I was sick with a cold and subsequent sinus infection (chronic). My immunity was low at the time, I wonder if I invited the pet allergy in and it just took over my system? 

Different dogs emit different dander. Being exposed to dogs over time can increase your allergic reactions. The likelihood of exposure at a time of lowered immunity can possibly take a bigger toll on one's immunity.

Is There A Cure?

No. Pet dander allergies are not curable. The most effective thing someone can do is keep their living areas clean and take over the counter medications like Zyrtec or Claritin. 

The experts say to:

• wash your dog once a week.
• vacuum at least every other day with a vacuum that has a HEPA filter. 
• air purifiers can help keep dander from flying all over the place.
• wash your hands often.

What Are Some of the Symptoms?

In my case, it is a chronic sinus infection. Coughing, itchy throat, congestion and wheezing. Other side effects are:

• swollen nasal passages
• shortness of breath
• hives
• asthma
• cough
• sinus infection
• sneezing

How Do I Keep My Allergies at Bay?

In doing my own research, I discovered a couple items on Amazon that I think can be helpful or at least help your allergy symptoms. 

• Allergena Pet Dander Drops. This is a homeopathic remedy made from animal antigens and some additional herbal ingredients to help for drainage. You are basically ingesting the allergens and creating a natural immunity to them. The directions say to take 10-15 drops three times a day.  It is too soon to tell but, well worth the price if it helps tame my cough. $19.99

• Pet Hair Remover Roller. This on the lower price of the spectrum compared to similar items. Works great in the car. My puppy sheds a lot. Every time i get in the car my allergies act up. after a good vacuuming and rolling, I feel better getting into the car, allergies are a bit less noticeable. $11.99
• Allergy Asthma Clean Allergen Mineral Spray. Just add water, shake and spray. This stuff immobilizes the protein in pet dander, killing it immediately. I use mainly in the bedroom. The majority of my allergies happen at night when I lay down. I start wheezing and coughing like crazy. I notice coughing less during the night. Mainly at the time I law down and wake up with a couple spells during the night but much less than before. $18.99. This can be bought at some Whole Foods stores as well, if you don't have an Amazon account.

• Nasal Guard Airborne Particle Blocker. It's a tiny little tube for $9.95 but, if it works... I can't actually say it works great. I dab it on and go in for a cuddle but still cough and wheeze. I will use the rest, but I am not that convinced.  You dab a tiny amount on your finger. Work it in with your thumb and dab around and under your nose. Should create a barrier for 6-8 hours. I think it makes my nose run. 

            I cuddled my boys without any product and I started coughing right afterwards. I applied the                 product and went in for a cuddle, I think it worked. No coughing! But my nose is running.

•  A VacLife Hand Held Vacuum. $35.99, this thing is amazing. Both my dogs shed a lot. My puppy creates dust bunnies at double the rate as my other dog. In order to keep a cleaner environment, having this little guy handy is a must! I see dust bunnies, I attack! I had virtually no problem sucking up the dog hairs in my car using the brush attachment.

• Febreeze Pet Odor Eliminator Spray.  This is something I had laying around anyways. I think it works great considering the cost comparison to the mineral spray above. In fact, I even have the Wal-Mart brand. It doesn't claim to get rid of pet dander, but I think it works just the same.  I spray the living room everyday. 

These are some of the things to look out for. Zyrtec alone didn't help me. It reduced my symptoms of not being able to breathe out of my nose and everything else by like maybe 20%. There are some over the counter remedies that I hope start kicking in so I can have my cuddle time back!

I made a commitment to my boys. Rex, my puppy is here to stay. That is why I am going out of my way to accommodate my baby. 

UPDATE: I used half of my Advair. The symptoms resolved but come back about every six months. I take a couple weeks work of Advair and Zyrtec, the symptoms go away for a while. This is the best way to reduce my allergy cough. 

Last week I my cough came back with a cold and I am currently going through treatment with Advair and occasional rescue inhaler. I expect I should be good to go in a week or so. Just need to get rid of this phlegm.

.

Honest Review of Beetles Gel Polish Kit with UV Light

Ever since the pandemic, I too decided to do my own nails. How hard can it really be right? I tried the glue on nails. I tried the nail stickers. I bought a gel nail sticker kit. That one was great by the way.  

Before purchasing this kit, I looked at quite a few. I tend to fall in the DIY category of people. I'd rather cheap out and create things myself rather than pay someone. I'm not sure it's the cheapest thing, but it is the fun way of doing things. (Full disclosure, as an Amazon Affiliate I receive a small portion of the sale. You are not charged any additional money and this in no way affects my review. I paid full price.

I am a little ashamed to say that I bought this kit for someone else as a Christmas gift but based on the price I wanted to try it out first in case it sucked. So yes, I will buy another one and gladly gift it. I chose the Coffee Cafe collection which is a set of five different neutral brown colors.

Review Summary

This product is easy to use. Comes with clear instructions and everything you need to make beautiful nails in a few minutes time.

This kit is perfect for those who don't have a lot of time but still want pretty and quality nails. This kit is perfect for those of us that don't want to spend a lot of time and money on getting our nails done but still want that fresh from the nail salon look and feel. Plus, it gives you a nice variety of colors. 

What You Get

Cute colorful box that includes everything you need to give yourself a nail makeover.  The kit includes everything except for gel polish remover. Your trustee reviewer does not have the gel remover but has noticed that the paint easily peels right off.

• small UV light with USB cable
• six nail polish colors
• one base gel
• one top gel
• two nail files
• a detail brush set
• gold and silver foil
• cuticle pusher/scraper
• nail clipper

Alternatives

There are so many alternatives. Too many to count. This Beetles Gel Polish Kit with UV Light is so cool. It was the cheapest one I could find with a UV light. You could go out and buy the most expensive, a mid-priced and the cheapest one if you have that kind of cash and time but I don't. 

If I had to choose over, I would go with a bigger UV light. I think this is what most of the reviewers on Amazon also said. Other that the size of the light, this kit is well worth the money. I definitely got a great deal!

Plus, once you have a UV light, buying additional gel colors is relatively cheap.

Results

It has been 4 days since I applied the gel polish. You have to understand that I wash a lot of dishes and I wash my hands a lot too. I tend to use scalding hot water. And my nails chip very easily. I just started taking collagen. I hope it helps. My pinky nails seem to be the strongest. Polish always lasts longer on my pinkies.

That said, Day one was awesome. It only took 10- minutes to apply (I wanted to be careful, and I've never used this kind of kit before) and my nails were so shiny and smooth! 

Day two, I think I started noticing some slight chipping. I must have got my nail caught in something because my entire nail was broken.

Day three, I noticed more peeling on my right hand. I am right-handed, so my right gets used more than the left hand. But once I see peeling, I have to keep going. Just like when I see one nail broken, I have to bite all of them. Weird I know.

Day four, two polished peeled completely off. My right ring and middle fingers are bare right now. 

I am going to do a second coat on these two nails. Otherwise, the rest of my nails still look fabulous, and I can't stop staring!

8 days later... as you can see, only the polish on my pinky and ring fingers remains. I use my thumb, index and pointer fingers a lot. I am probably rougher than the average lady. 

Pro-tip: if you get paint on your finger the chance of it peeling off early is higher. I did that with a couple nails and I started to feel my hair getting stuck in between a couple days ago. 

But the good news is that none of my nails have chipped since the paint, and they are growing out nicely! 

Beetles Gel Nail Polish Kit

Overall, for the price, this kit is worth it. If you have a bigger budget, definitely go with a regular size UV light. I don't mind the smaller light. It works fine. Salon quality nails on a tight budget. 

My nails lasted longer than any regular polish has ever lasted but only by a couple days. 

I will update my post with a double coat and see if it makes a difference.

Click here to go directly to the listing on Amazon (as an Amazon affiliate I get a tiny portion of the sale,
 but this does not affect the price you pay).