It's about time.

Many of you can relate to Working long hours at your career. Raising your families. Buying a home and paying all the bills related to being homeowners and parents. We're now retired and don't need all that work and expense. Now "It's about time" and what we do to follow our dreams.

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Wednesday, November 30, 2016

Solution Found Back At The Source.


Our Location today is Casa Grande, Arizona, U.S.A. 

Last night when I went outside to count the number of Pull Through Sites I noted at least ten were filled. Around 6:30 MST this morning the sound of a Diesel Pusher idling nearby had me turning over to get back to sleep. Closer to 7:00 MST it sounded as if someone was running a small Air Compressor topping off their tires. I managed to roll over again for just a few more minutes of sleep. At 7:30 MST right after the Garbage Truck finished emptying all eight waste containers someone nearby thought it was time to start cutting wood with a circular saw and then nailing their creation together. I finally just got up and started my morning. 

When Kathy joined me in the dining room for breakfast shortly after 8:00 I told her of all the noise. Her response was “I didn’t hear a thing”. By that time the park had quieted down and all that could be heard was the distant traffic noise. After finishing our meal, we brought our coffees to finish at the computers. The Weather Network again showed Deming, New Mexico 27 F (-3 C), (glad we left when we did) Casa Grande 36 F (2 C) feeling like 30 F (-1 C) and McGregor, Ontario was 46 F (8 C). “We did leave for the warmer temperatures, didn’t we?” 

Besides our morning reading I had compiled a list of phone numbers locally to try to locate the 3/8 NPT Electrical Conduit Nuts that I spent much of yesterday afternoon looking for. All those calls did was to send me back to the place that I had purchased them at. 

Since we are leaving Casa Grande in the morning and heading to Quartzsite I had other pressing issues to take care of. We had just purchase a second set of Flannel Sheets from Big Lots for our bed that needed a quick wash along with some other clothes. It was nearly 11:00 by the time I had everything sorted and on my way to the Park Laundry Room. I counted only four RVs still filling the Pull Through Sites. It would be nearly 2:00 by the time we would have our lunch today. 
Kathy's Pork Stir Fry with Spaghetti.
Kathy had made the Pork Stir Fry again that she had recently just tried. It tasted as good this time as the last and she had a different combination of Vegetables in the mix. 

Once we’d finish cleaning the dishes we headed out the door to finish some shopping today because we’ll be on the road tomorrow. The first stop just up the road was Fred's Bolt and Nut Shop on Pinal Ave. Jan Mains had mentioned it in a comment as well as most of the electrical shops in town. They all said “If Fred doesn’t have it nobody does” and they were right he didn’t have it and neither did they. However, Fred sent me to a different electrical supplier. 

Before backtracking further, we continued down Florence Boulevard where we picked up another set of Flannel Sheets at Big Lots because you can’t beat their prices. 

Driving down Pinal Avenue past Fred’s and past our RV Resort we again arrived at the Airport Commercial District. Arriving just as they were shutting down for the day I spoke with Larry who was amazed that he didn’t have the parts in stock. He even took the time to go Online to confirm the parts were available from his supplier in Phoenix.

Leaving there I drove around the corner to the company that had sold me the Wire Cinches in the first place. When I went inside today it was an older gentleman at the counter. By the tone of his voice I’d spoken to him on the phone from Deming, New Mexico last week. I explained getting the Wire I’d spoken to him about as well as the Wire Cinches. I explained they had come without the nuts and I couldn’t find them anywhere. His response was the nuts should have come with them and his assistant should not have sold them to me that way. He will contact his supplier in Phoenix and have them shipped directly to me in Quartzsite.

Back Home at Casa Grande RV Resort as we were getting out of the truck a gentleman walking his dog came over to greet me. Charles was the person who had commented the park didn’t have Pull Through Sites because there are none on his side of the park. Charles lives just outside of Chatham, Ontario which is about forty miles from where we live. Who knows we might be getting together some time during the summer back in Ontario. 
Salad and Chicken for supper.
Tomorrow we’ll be heading for Quartzsite and who knows what kind of things we’ll get into along the way. Thanks for following along and feel free to leave a comment. Be Safe and Enjoy! 

It’s about time.
Krackers 

Words of Inspiration 

The most ideal human passion is love, which is also the most absolute and animal and one of the most ephemeral.

George Santayana, Spanish Philosopher

Tuesday, November 29, 2016

Found A Blood Donor Clinic and Still Searching For Fasteners.


Our Location today is Casa Grande, Arizona, U.S.A. 

Once again, we both had a great night’s sleep and even though Kathy still has her Sinus Infection it isn’t bothering her as bad as it was and she hasn’t taken any Antibiotics which means that along with just taking over the counter medications her own Immune System is fighting the problem. Not being in much of a hurry to do anything today we even slept in until nearly 8:00 MST this morning before getting up for breakfast. 
When we finally got on the computers the first thing I did was to check the Outside Temperature. The Temperature here in Casa Grande, Arizona was 41 F (5 C) when back in McGregor, Ontario the Temperature was 45 F (7 C). To think we came south for the Warmer Temps. 
We had finished our morning reading before I remembered to call the number Kathy had found to United Blood Services in Phoenix. When I explained about finding addresses for Donating Blood Online that were no longer valid, all Donna could do was agree with me about removing or editing those invalid Websites. After giving her our present Zip-Code she was able to find a Blood Drive that was taking place in a building right next door from the Medical Blood Lab I’d gone to yesterday on Florence Boulevard. She even managed to book me an appointment for 12:15 MST today. 
We had an early lunch so that we wouldn’t be starving by the time I got done. Kathy brought a new book she was reading and decided to stay in the truck away from the possible crowds there might be inside.  
Even though I had filled out the Personal Information Form Online to avoid having to do it at this location it still fouled up the same way it happens back in Windsor. Shortly after I started making my 104th donation an earlier donator had an issue with the room spinning and a loss of balance and it all had to do with not drinking enough liquids today. Then to add to the excitement the Fire Alarm went off. Since we couldn’t go anywhere they simply sealed the room off and waited for the alarm to stop. When I got back to the truck Kathy was wondering why the Fire Trucks had come and gone. 
Our next stop was Walmart where we had a few things along with food to get. The walking felt really good. 
Driving up the road we stopped at Home Depot where I once again struck out on getting the three/eighths Electrical Locking Rings that I needed to fasten the Solar Panel Cables into the Junction Box on the roof of the trailer. The associate did recommend trying the ACE Hardware Store just up the road from our RV Park. 
Heading up Florence Boulevard we soon came to a Police Road Block that seemed to be detouring traffic from a four or five block section of the road. There was no visible activity happening so we’ll have to try and find out what happened Online. 
We easily found the ACE Hardware Store and after explaining what I needed they tried their best to help me out but to no avail. Kathy did find a longer Shower Hose to replace the short one that came with our Oxygenic Shower Head.
Kathy was really starting to get disoriented by the time we left the store and she had been drinking plenty of liquids so the only thing we could think of was she was overly hungry since we had eaten an early lunch. Since there was a Taco Bell across the parking lot we walked over to have our supper. Their menu is quite different than what it is in Canada. The U.S. Taco Bell outlets do not serve French Fries in an effort to make their menu Healthier. 
We got Home just before the sun set again today and after getting everything put away we sat down at the computers. A comment from Charles on last night’s blog post said there are No Pull Through Sites at Casa Grande RV Resort. Since we are in fact parked on one of those sites but I wasn’t sure how many there were I went outside and counted. There are in fact Fifteen Pull Through Sites not far from the office but the remainder of the sites are considered Back In. I mentioned how small the patios are on these sites. If you have a neighbour that opens his slides that patio is much smaller. It’s a good stop over park but too tight for our liking. 
Tomorrow is our last day here before we move on to Quartzsite and we’re not quite sure what we’ll be up to. Thanks for following along and feel free to leave a comment. Be Safe and Enjoy! 

It’s about time.
No pictures taken today.
Picture from our Files.
Taken by Kathy.
Krackers 

You Might Be a Redneck If 

You have a 98 percent hit rate with a fly swatter.

Monday, November 28, 2016

Chasing Wrong Addresses and Ontario Neighbours.


Our Location today is Casa Grande, Arizona, U.S.A. 

It felt good not to have anything pressing to do this morning so when the sun started to peek around the edge of the window blinds I simply ignored it. When Kathy got up at her usual morning hour and saw me lying there she just lay back down to get a little more rest time in. After the high winds from last night had been having their way with the slide covers the silence sounded good. After opening the living room blinds evidence of the heavy rain that we experienced was visible in the huge puddles that covered the Asphalt Roads in the Park. 
Water puddles left over from last night's rain.
Soon after 8:30 as we finished our morning coffees at the computers I was once again verifying the addresses for the Local Blood Donor Locations in Casa Grande as well completing my morning reading. After 9:00 I was able to once again call Renogy about the extra Solar Panel Cables they had sent me. We had no intention of paying for a second set of Cables we had not ordered. I had called before Thanksgiving Day to inform them of the problem but they had never E-mailed the Return Shipping Label. Today I spoke with yet another person who guaranteed me action within twenty minutes.
An hour and a half later as we were about to leave for the day, I was sitting at my computer telling Kathy there was no message when it suddenly popped up as I was about to shut the computer down. Luckily the printer was already set up and we carry the Clear Packing Tape Dispenser with us so two minutes later we were out the door with a purpose in mind. 
As mentioned in last night’s post all the researched addresses were all listed on Florence Boulevard so that was the direction we headed in. We looked for the FedEx location we’d found Online first. It turned out to be a Strip Mall that we drove the length of four times but there was no evidence of a FedEx location. 

We then started looking for the Red Cross Blood Donor location. Finding the building with the address I had found Online turned out to be a Medical Laboratory and nobody even knew if there was a Blood Donor Clinic in Casa Grande.  They did tell me the FedEx Depot was at the Strip Mall we’d already gone to.  

Back at the Strip Mall I finally went into the Fry’s grocery store where they said the FedEx Depot was in the Post Office. Driving to the far end of the Mall to the Post Office when you entered the doors, there was a sign about three inches tall that said this was an Authorized FedEx Depot. Too bad they didn’t have a sign outside or at least in the window. 

Since it was going on noon we stopped in to Wendy’s where we both enjoyed one of their Chicken Sandwiches. We had no sooner given our orders when the place seemed to suddenly be filling up. Sitting at a table that faced the parking lot we watched as the line of people trying to get in the building started to stretch outside. 
After eating we continued our search for the Local Red Cross Blood Donor Clinic. Three of the addresses turned out to be empty store fronts and the fourth was an Auto Recycling Yard. Businesses that move or close down and have Websites should have the courtesy to Edit or Remove them but most don’t.
We needed to get to City Electrical Supply to get the wiring that is needed to wire our Progressive Industries EMS (Electrical Management System) in the trailer. Having double checked its location Online this morning we were surprised that it was only two miles from our location and the only place we had the correct address for. The best part was that price was much less than I expected. 
Needing to get some exercise we decided to walk around Big Lots for awhile. They were just setting up their Christmas Displays which we thought were cute but that wasn’t what really caught our eyes. Those of you that have been reading for some time know we have already celebrated the Canadian Thanksgiving and Christmas together (Merry Thanksmas) with our family back in Ontario. What caught our eye were more Gifts we’ll be giving for our Christmas Celebration in 2017. 
Old Baptist Church.
We had more than walked off lunch by that time so we stopped at Dairy Queen where we enjoyed their Value Meals that include Ice Cream Sundaes as part of the meal.  
Wanting to be Home by dark we discovered we had new neighbours when we arrived. It turns out that Willie and Linda are from Fort Frances in Northwest Ontario. They have been slowly making their way from Texas and are now headed further west in Arizona. We’ll get a chance to talk with them more before we all leave on Thursday. 
Inside for the night Kathy found a phone number for the Red Cross in Phoenix that I’ll be calling tomorrow. Thanks for following along and feel free to leave a comment. Be Safe and Enjoy! 

It’s about time.
 
Pictures taken
by Kathy.
Krackers 

The World's Great Proverbs 

Confucius Says 

Man who sit on tack will soon get the point.

Sunday, November 27, 2016

Long Day, Short Drive.


Our Location today is Casa Grande, Arizona, U.S.A. 

I was tired enough last night when we went to sleep in the Cracker Barrel Parking lot that other than to roll over a few times my eyes didn’t open until just before 8:00 MST this morning. Kathy on the other hand seemed to have had an issue with all the surrounding road noise and she also had a little bit of an upset stomach that added to her wakefulness. Within minutes of my getting up Kathy sensed that I was already packing up my CPAP equipment so she immediately got up. This wasn’t a travel day but we needed to find a campground for a few days in the area. 
This is called a Sampler. Good thing it wasn't a serious meal.
Yesterday when we drove from Deming, New Mexico we were having issues with our New Rand McNally GPS giving us the silent treatment so out of desperation to find someplace to spend the night we had taken the Florence Exit into Casa Grande, Arizona. Finding out that there was “No Over Night Parking” at the Walmart we lucked out finding the Cracker Barrel where we spent the night. 

Kathy had spent the evening checking the settings on the New GPS and found nothing wrong with it. After writing the Blog I did additional research as to the location of the nearest Tractor Supply Company as well as a Harbor Freight, the location of a nearby Blood Donor Clinic and an Electrical Supply Store. It seemed they all had one thing in common, their locations are all on Florence Boulevard. 

After closing up the inside of the trailer we noticed we weren’t the only RV that had spent the night at Cracker Barrel. We had a better balanced breakfast this morning having juice and coffee with our meals. We discussed where we were going before Kathy would turn the GPS on for the Campground she had entered in because the GPS doesn’t like it when you ignore their instructions. 

The first place we went to after leaving Cracker Barrel was the Tractor Supply Company. This seemed to be the only chain that carried the Aluminium Angle Material that I can use to mount our Solar Panels on the roof of the trailer. I took the few pieces they had in stock just like I had back in Deming but I didn’t stop there. I also raided the Stainless-Steel Fasteners that I’ll need to attach it all together. 

Continuing down Florence Boulevard in the same direction our next stop was at the Walmart. It was a little tricky finding a place to park because of the way the cement curbs had been installed. Finally parked so nobody could block us in we headed inside. Because we weren’t really traveling today we just started looking around before getting our groceries. Kathy has the unique ability of putting herself in the place of Family Members so by the time we started our grocery shopping we had already scratched Three more Christmas Gifts off the 2017 Shopping List. 

It was past lunch time before we got things loaded into the trailer. During that time period, we watched as two smaller Half-Ton Fifth Wheels that were under thirty-foot in length struggle to get in the lot that I’d had no issues maneuvering our forty-foot unit through. 
Beautiful cool day. Take a look closer at the Cactus.
Just the other side of the curb in the parking lot was Dave’s a new burger franchise we’ve seen in the southern states. With time on our hands we walked over where Kathy enjoyed a wonderful Garden Salad and I had a Burger. We enjoyed the time just sitting there talking and not being in a rush to get somewhere. 
Looks like this Cactus is trying to grab the cars.
By 1:00 MST we had driven the mile up to Harbor Freight. While Kathy stayed in the truck I went inside looking for a Stand to convert my Hand Drill into a Drill Press. That was something from the past they no longer carry but they did have a Small Drill Press that would have been a pain carrying in an RV. 

Since their parking lot abutted the one to Lowe’s I talked Kathy into going for another walk. She looked around the Christmas Decorations while I looked for a Storage Basket. I’d purchased a Mounting Block at Lowe’s in Windsor to mount the Storage Baskets I already had on the basement wall in the trailer. The Baskets we had would not stay in place on that Mounting Block so a different Basket was needed to make it work. They did have the shorter Eighteen-inch Basket even though it is deeper but the longer one was a shelf not a Basket which is not practical holding things when bouncing down the road. The Baskets would help keep the smaller things that are often used from getting lost under the larger containers or furniture in the basement. 

We were now ready to find the Campground so Kathy set the new GPS to the address. Before we left the parking lot it had changed our direction twice and had us pointed towards Phoenix instead of where Kathy had programed it for. Kathy sent me into the trailer to retrieve the old Rand McNally GPS. Even though it is badly in need of an update, Kathy was able to enter the address and within fifteen minutes we were arriving at the Casa Grande RV Resort. 

It was 2:30 MST when we went to register and we found the office long closed for the day. Luckily a gentleman that was walking his dog pointed out the manager’s husband to us. He checked the reservation list and said to park anywhere but the one reserved site and we can register tomorrow. All the pull through sites have FHU and a six-foot by ten-foot patio, and other than the paved roads everything is covered under about six-inches of gravel. I had to put the truck in All Wheel Drive to pull the trailer through that much gravel and when walking through it we were both struggling. 

Kathy made Hot Roast Pork Sandwiches for supper and it was more than enough. Later this evening the wind really started beating up the Slide Toppers before suddenly changing to Rain. Yes, we are getting Rain. We've also added the Walmart shortcut to our computers. Tomorrow we have some errands to run and if I do any work while we are here it will be only minor things. Thanks for following along and feel free to leave a comment. Be Safe and Enjoy! 

It’s about time.
Krackers 

You Might Be a Redneck If 

Four decades of Ford products are represented in your yard.

Saturday, November 26, 2016

Saying So Long, Stunned By The Scenery and Parked For The Night.


Our Location today is Casa Grande, Arizona, U.S.A. 

Both Kathy and I had the typical Pretravel Night of Sleep. We would just get to sleep only to wake wondering if we had put such and such away when it wasn’t even morning yet. We finally just couldn’t stand the tossing and turning any longer and were both up by 6:30 MST. We really concentrated our efforts on closing the inside of the trailer and were fairly well packed by the time we went out to breakfast. 
Kathy half frozen from the wind.
Ready to roll.
 
Every Saturday morning at Dream Catchers RV Park between 8:00 and 9:00 they serve different types of Burritos with Tatter Tots, Orange Juice and Coffee that are prepared by the Volunteers starting at 6:30. The cost varies depending on which one you get so it cost us all of $8.00 for the both of us. McDonalds can’t beat that price. This also gave us one last chance to socialize with the people we’d gotten to know at the park. Many having seen me working on the trailer asked if I’d completed my work. Kathryn recounted how she had looked in the basement at the multitude of hanging wires and had run away in fear. When we said that we’d be back next year but I had no intention of working on our trailer at that time, Greg said that was good because he’d set us up next to his trailer and he’d keep me busy. As we were about to leave I mentioned about going for fuel across the street and at least five people told me of a better less expensive place to go. 
The beauty of the distant mountains
We enjoy the Cultural Displays on Public Structures.
Back at the trailer after I released all the Stabilizers and Kathy brought up the Rear Jacks while I flushed the Black Tank and dumped the Greys. Even though the temperature was in the Mid Forties the wind sent a chill right through you body. Kathy continued to watch how and what I do when hooking up the trailer not to be critical but just in case she would have to do it in an emergency.
Without turning on the heat in the truck,
I needed a sweater this morning.
Five minutes after getting on I-10 west bound we were already getting off. We found the service station everyone had recommended due to the lower prices as well as the fact that it had a separate RV Fuel Island that made getting in and out of the lot much easier. We first topped off our Diesel and with Kathy’s help I filled both our Five-Gallon Jerry Can and our Honda Generator. Since I hadn’t completed the Solar System installation before we left McGregor Kathy insisted we bring the generator with us just in case. 
We were actually moving faster than the trains
We were back on I-10 by 9:20 MST headed for our next destination, Casa Grande in Arizona. The scenery is so desolate that to us it is beautiful. Due to the little bit of sleep she had last night Kathy kept saying she was going to take a Snap (short nap) but then the view would catch her eye and she just hung in there. It was 10:20 when we crossed the Continental Divide and Kathy was upset with herself for not having the camera ready to take a picture of the sign that she knew would be up ahead. The problem was she was too much in awe over the scenery. 
We stopped at a TA Truck Stop shortly after crossing into Arizona around noon. We first wanted to stretch our legs, then have a potty break, have our lunch and then top off our fuel. We resisted the Weekend Buffet and just ordered something light from the menu. Due to the length of our rig we have to park with the Semis so that helped to partially walk off the lunch we’d just had before bringing the truck around to the RV Fuel Islands to again top it off. 
Shortly after 11:00 MST
Back on the road Kathy never did get that Snap she wanted and it wasn’t only because of the scenery. There was distant rain over the mountains and clouds that filled the sky for the entire afternoon. While driving through the Tucson area the outside temperature actually hit the low Eighties but as we left the area we were once again back in the lower Seventies. 
Rain in those mountains
It seemed that our new Rand McNally GPS was giving us the silent treatment. Kathy reset it a number of times but it seemed that it was just along for the ride. Finally, just after 4:00 MST Kathy said it was time to stop for the night so we took the Florence Street Exit off I-10. Looking to spend the night at the local Walmart we were disappointed to see signs saying there was “No Overnight Parking Allowed”. We had passed the Cracker Barrel on the way in so we headed back there. 
Kathy making a new friend.
Birds filling the tree tops for the night.
Our spot for the night.
It felt good to sit down and have a light Home Cooked Meal to end our day. When we were done our meal, we walked around their store getting more gift ideas for future giving. After driving 293 miles today we got Permission to Park For The Night. Tomorrow we’ll find a local RV Park to stay in for a few more days as I still need to pick up a few supplies while we are here. Thanks for following along and feel free to leave a comment. Be Safe and Enjoy! 

It’s about time.
Krackers 

Words of Inspiration 

Restlessness is discontent and discontent is the first necessity of progress. Show me a thoroughly satisfied man and I will show you a failure. 

Thomas A. Edison, American Inventor