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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Sunday, December 31, 2017

Getting Packed and Enjoying A New Years Eve Gathering.

Our Location today is La Posa South L.T.V.A., Quartzsite, Arizona, U.S.A.

The last few days Kathy has been having Congestion Problems but is normally able to get it under control by the time she goes to bed. Last night just wasn’t one of those nights. After not being able to breath through her nose even with her CPAP Mask on after a few hours she went and sat upright in her recliner and covered herself with a Fleece Throw Blanket to keep warm. A couple hours later still not being able to sleep sitting up she returned to the bed where it was warmer. 
At 8:00 this morning.

I managed to sleep quite soundly last night not waking until shortly after 7:00 this morning because I was getting really cold. It was strange that when I sat up there were no Blankets on my side of the bed. Kathy had been so cold in the living area when she came back to bed she pulled the Blankets tight up to her neck. Still being cold after falling asleep she continued pulling the Blankets snug around her neck until she had all the Blankets piled on top of her. I don’t know why I was cold! 
Clouds everywhere.

I just went downstairs and opened all the Window Shades before getting things ready for breakfast. I then had a chance to sit back and watch the Sun come up behind a bank of Clouds. Once the show was over I was able to get nearly half my morning reading on the Computer completed before Kathy woke up to start her day.

The temperature had risen slightly but we still needed to cycle the Furnace to take the chill out of the air. Our hot Coffees turned to Two while we finished all our reading and Kathy even tried leaning back in her chair for a morning Snap. After reconstructing the bed while Kathy got dressed I warmed up some Tomato with Basil Soup for our lunch. The Soup not only quelled our hunger but helped to warm us even more.

We worked together at putting away all the Christmas Gifts we have purchased which required reorganizing our Closet and Cabinet in the bedroom a few times to make it all fit. 
Ready for this evening's Campfire.
Kathy noticed Wayne heading over so we took a break. He had found a brochure about Vent Covers after I had mentioned to him that we couldn’t find one to fit over our new Clam Shell Roof Vent to protect the lid from UV Ray Deterioration. We spoke for a few minutes and invited Sue and Himself to come share our Campfire after dark. 

With the Window Shades all open you could see the dust glittering in the sunlight so Kathy busied herself vacuuming inside while I got our chairs out and set up the Firepit
No Grilled Sweet Potatoes tonight.
For supper Kathy had me grill a couple of Boneless Pork Chops and a couple of Sweet Potatoes while she made a wonderful Garden Salad to go with it. We should have started the Sweet Potatoes long before so they finished cooking while we ate the rest of our meal so we shared a Bagel in its place and will have it with a meal tomorrow. 
Sun setting in the west.

The Sky had become mostly Sunny this afternoon but when the Sun was just about to set the clouds seemed to gather along the horizon nearly blocking the Sun from view. As we were watching the Sunset to the west the Moon was coming up in the east. 
Moon rising in the east.

Right on schedule around 6:00 Wayne and Sue came over to enjoy the Campfire we had going. We had a great evening visiting until the Wind changed direction and started blowing the smoke in everyone’s eyes. It was nearly 9:00 when we wished one another Happy New Year and called it a night. Before they started walking back to their trailer I turned our Security Light on. They didn’t even need their Flashlights to see. 
Kathy, Sue and Wayne along with my empty chair.
After making a Hot Apple Cider to warm up and sitting at the Computers we could hear the Coyotes having their own “Howling at the Moon” party quite close by.

Kathy and I would like to wish everyone a Safe and Happy New Year. Thanks for following along, feel free to leave a comment and click on the pictures to enlarge them. Be Safe and Enjoy!

It’s about time.

Krackers

Ask a silly question:

Why is there an expiration date on my sour cream container?

Saturday, December 30, 2017

Letter To The BLM Office, Change Of Plan and New Years Eve Plans.

Our Location today is La Posa South L.T.V.A., Quartzsite, Arizona, U.S.A.

I was busy raising the Window Shades by 7:30 this morning but found myself being distracted and only managed to get a couple of pictures of the Sun rising. There is always something different be it the Clouds or the Contrails that fill the sky and they all have their own way of enhancing the landscape. Even though we woke to temperatures in the lower 50’s this morning after a single cycling of the Furnace had it quite comfortable inside our Home
7:45 MST
We got caught up on our morning reading on the Computers and once the inside Chores were finished while Kathy reviewed her Lists she had me creating specialized tags that will accompany them. Getting the message across is the easy part but making everything fit on the sheet just perfectly is the hard part that requires constant fitting and checking. 
7:55 MST.
After having been busy yesterday by the time we settled in at the Computers last night I just didn’t have the time to write a letter to the Bureau of Land Management as their Field-Officer Bill had suggested. It took longer then expected detailing what a Blogger-Fest is in order to actually reserve the Ramada (Pavilion) for January 27 2018

Kathy cleaned up lots of leftovers from the Fridge using the last of the Homemade Chicken Vegetable Soup along with the last of the Tuxedo Cake that she picked up while we were in Yuma this week. 
Just before 5:00.
Every couple of weeks Kathy normally checks our Banking and Credit Card Statements On-Line as a way of making certain they haven’t been compromised. Today was the day where one of those accounts would not let her check it out. I finally had to call to see what was happening. In the past whether it was Amazon, TracFone or Verizon I’ve worn Ear-Buds to hear clearly but have complained about the constant looped Loud Music they all play. That has given me Headaches and brought me to near insanity. Kathy had only said that it couldn’t be that bad so when I called today I put the phone on speaker. After a Half-Hour of listening to that Loud Looped Music Kathy was ready to throw her new Cell-Phone out the door. When we finally spoke to someone they said the problem was the Server was down for routine Maintenance but because Kathy had tried unsuccessfully Four Times she was “Locked Out” and will have to wait until tomorrow to get back in. Kathy ended up with a major Headache from the looped Music and said she now understands why I got so upset. 
Dust along the Mountains
Once Kathy’s headache eased a bit we headed to Quartzsite with the intention of mailing the letter to the BLM Field Office in Yuma. When we got to town we found out the Post Office wasn’t open on the weekend and there was no place to get stamps. Guess where we’ll be on Tuesday morning. 

Having done Laundry yesterday we had lunch out so we didn’t have Fish and Chips. After recovering from her headache that’s what Kathy said she wanted for supper. We went over to Taco Mio where we recently learned that they serve All-You-Can-Eat Fish and Chips seven days a week. Just like the last time everything tasted great and we were satisfied with only a few pieces each. 
Inside Taco Mio it's Cute, Clean and Comfortable.
We’ve already made plans for bringing in the New Year. Even though it’s a bit early we hope that any of our readers that are going out to celebrate the big event remember to “Don’t Drink & Drive”. It could be not only Costly but end up Fatal. Arrange for rides or a reliable Designated Driver that will get you home Safely. To those hosting an event have some way of getting your guests home Safely or someplace for them to spend the night. Thanks for following along, feel free to leave a comment and click on the pictures to enlarge them. Be Safe and Enjoy!

It’s about time.

Krackers

Signs You're Not Getting a Year-End Bonus

Your desk and stapler are sold for scrap

Top Ten List, Late Show with David Letterman

Friday, December 29, 2017

The Price Of Keeping Warm, Forgetting Something Important and A Busy Day.

Our Location today is La Posa South L.T.V.A., Quartzsite, Arizona, U.S.A.

It is amazing that when you think that you will be on the road or even taking a Day-Trip, your mind keeps you awake most of the night before. Now if you tell yourself that you want to get an early start to your day because you have a lot that you want to accomplish, the exact opposite happens, you not only sleep soundly but you wake later then you wanted.

It was 8:30 MST when I woke this morning so I didn’t waste any time nor was I quiet about my actions. I had the Furnace on, all the Window Shades open, the Water Kettle boiling, the Cereal Bowls filled and I had the Laundry sorted before Kathy made it down the stairs. She knew that we had a busy morning scheduled but didn’t realize that I’d also slept late.

We’d barely finished breakfast when Bill from the Arizona BLM Field Office called returning my Phone Call. After I explained about the Yearly Blogger-Fest on January 27th he gave me the information that is needed to secure the use of the Ramada for that day which requires submitting a Formal Application.

As soon as we were dressed and the Truck loaded I checked our Propane Tanks only to find out what I already suspected. With our need to run the Furnace in the mornings and some evenings because I haven’t completed the installation of our Blue Flame Heater the Automatic Regulator was showing half Green and half Red. What that means is the Tank dialed in as he primary Tank and was totally empty and the second Tank was soon about to expire. Thank goodness that we had purchased a Back-up Propane Tank last winter so after getting it set up we were on our way to Quartzsite with another errand on our list.

Our first stop was the Main Street Laundromat and after parking as soon as I got out of the Truck something didn’t feel right. A quick pat of my hip told me I was right. In my rush to load the Truck and gather the Empty Propane Tanks I forgot to grab my wallet. As far as money to do the Laundry we had our pouch of Quarters in our Laundry Supply Bag, but we had other things to do.

Luckily Kathy had her purse with cash and her I.D. so we were set. As I started setting up the Washers I sent Kathy to find someplace to sit to read because I had layered the clothes in the basket so she couldn’t help start it. As soon as the machines were doing what they were supposed to I had to keep telling people I was using those machines. They would go to check if the Washers were empty without looking at the “In Use” light so I just stayed with them.

I started talking to Sue from British Columbia just doing her wash. She and her husband are Avid ATVers and are parked towards the rear of the LTVA so she’ll hang their clothes on a line without worrying about all the dust. They’ve been coming to Quartzsite for years. Then I met Kevin and Kate also from B.C. who will only be in the area for another week before heading out to the Imperial Dam for a couple of weeks. (Sounds like what we did last winter.) While our clothes were in the Dryers Kevin and I compared notes on Solar Equipment we had installed in our RVs. When it came time to fold the clothes Kathy and I each had our own Baskets but had no Folding Tables so we started working over the Baskets themselves until space became available.

It was past 1:00 by the time we had everything loaded in the Truck and we were feeling hungry. We walked back inside to the Main Street Diner where we both ordered a grilled Sandwich with Sweet Potato Fries. The meals were the perfect size and we weren’t over filled. They did send us on our way with extra Iced Tea to-go.

The next stop was Family Dollar just up the road so I could use the Water Dispensing Machine to fill our Drinking Water Containers. Kathy went inside to look for a small Cosmetic Case for herself while I tried to fill our Containers. The smallest currency that Kathy had given me was a Ten Dollar Bill and this Machine only took Singles or Coins so I had to go inside for change. Standing in the bright Sun while filling all our Water Containers by the time I had finished it felt like I had been cooked over a fire.

Our next stop up the road was at Quiet Times Greeting Card Shop where the package we had ordered the other day was waiting for us. They joked about having to check Kathy’s I.D. when the package was in my name.

We were finally heading north on Arizona 95 where we stopped at the RV Pit Stop to get our Two Propane Tanks filled before we headed back Home at La Posa South LTVA. Not having my Discount Card with me they simply gave me another saying I would easily fill them both by the Due Date of April 15 2019.

After opening all the Windows and Roof Vents to cool the Trailer it took time unloading the Laundry and bringing in our Drinking Water as well as installing a second Propane Tank. It was past 4:00 by the time we had the Laundry all put away and we needed to relax. 
Tonight's Sunset
That was when we finally had the chance to do our morning reading that we missed today on the Computers. It seems that everyone we follow had something written after being away for some time. It wouldn’t be until we started having a hard time reading that we noticed the Sun was setting and we had to start closing up the Windows and Vents
Sixteen Minutes Later just a calming glow.
We also realized at 7:00 that we hadn’t eaten so Kathy warmed up some of her Homemade Chicken Vegetable Soup for our supper. We also had some Cream Cheese on Wheat Thin Crackers with a touch of Cranberry/Orange Relish as a side. 

Not sure what we’ll be up to tomorrow. Thanks for following along, feel free to leave a comment and click on the pictures to enlarge them. Be Safe and Enjoy!

It’s about time.

Krackers

Words of Inspiration

Wrinkles should merely indicate where smiles have been.

Mark Twain, American Writer

Thursday, December 28, 2017

Watchful Neighbour, Getting Project Supplies and Sharing A Box Meal.

Our Location today is La Posa South L.T.V.A., Quartzsite, Arizona, U.S.A.

Trying not to be totally taken over by the Arizona Time Zone as soon as the Sun starts peeking around the Window Shades it’s enough to wake me up. Getting down to the living area I get to open all the Shades before starting to get things ready for breakfast. I even managed to check The Weather Network before Kathy started moving around upstairs.

Unlike what I had stated last night due to Kathy’s Diabetic Medication we each had a Blueberry Muffin along with our Coffee for breakfast. It didn’t take long before we were getting caught up on our morning reading. By 10:00 our normal inside chores were finished and it was time to get busy.

Kathy had to sort all the packages that we had purchased in Yuma yesterday on our Day Trip. She verifies that we are not charged for products that we did not receive by marking the receipts as to what the actual item is next to the SKU and she is also able to mark who it is for or what it will be used on. 
Some people here are actually staying in tents.
I busied myself taking out the trash as well as gathering our Drinking Water Containers and putting them in the Truck. Seeing Wayne working on his truck I wasn’t surprised when he started walking over. He’d noticed our absence yesterday and like most good neighbours would occasionally look in the direction of our Trailer. He’d seen people walking their dogs quite close to our unit and was worried that they had taken something. We talked a while longer before Kathy called me for lunch. 

Even though we had moderate temperatures this morning the North Breeze added a bit of a chill to the air. Kathy realized that and served us some of her Homemade Chicken Vegetable Soup for lunch. 

I made a few phone calls while Kathy continued separating and storing articles that were purchased as gifts. I then went outside to transfer the last of the Water from our Fresh Water Barrel to our Tank. I also had some correspondence on the Computer to take care of before making up a parts list for another one of the projects that I’ll be working on. 

Around 3:30 we both needed a break so decided to go to Herb’s Hardware in Quartzsite to get some supplies. When you go to Herb’s there lots of people that work there that will help you find what you need. They don’t care if you are repairing something that was store bought or making something on your own they will patiently work with you to gather your supplies. 

I could only find most of the things that I needed so we ended up at the Grocery/Hardware store down on Main Street only to walk out empty handed. We stopped at the Electrical Vendor and managed to find a couple of switches at a reasonable price. 

It was past 4:30 and we were starting to feel just slightly hungry so we went to Carl’s Jr. where we shared one of their $5.00 Meal Boxes and simply added an extra drink to the order. 

We managed to get home before the Sun totally disappeared behind the mountains. Tomorrow we’ll have a few errands to run having us spend more time in town. Thanks for following along, feel free to leave a comment and click on the pictures to enlarge them. Be Safe and Enjoy!

It’s about time.

Krackers

You Might Be a Redneck If

The first three words you say every morning are "that damn raccoon."

Wednesday, December 27, 2017

Long Day Trip, Someone Looking Out For Us and It’s Over.

Our Location today is La Posa South L.T.V.A., Quartzsite, Arizona, U.S.A.

When we went to bed last night I somehow forgot to delete the thought from my memory that we were doing a Day Trip today. Just like before any trip we have I spend more time awake than sleeping and allowing my body to properly recharge itself. Still laying in bed and noticing the Sun beginning to peak through the Window Shades I knew it was time to start the day. 

The first thing I did was to turn on the Furnace before opening any Window Shades and I immediately got the Water Kettle going to make our Coffee/Tea. The Ignitor on the Stove had done the trick as far as waking Kathy but a quick reminder of our plans soon had her coming down for breakfast. As soon as we’d eaten we didn’t even go to the Computers but got dressed and were heading out the door by 9:00.

Our first stop in Quartzsite was at the Chevron station to top off our Diesel so we wouldn’t have to worry about that for the rest of the day. By 9:30 we were back on Arizona 95 heading towards Yuma.

It was hard to believe that it had been ten months since our last Day Trip to Yuma. The scenery that we had become so familiar with at that time, we were once again looking at almost as if we were looking at it for the first time. The Dips in the road that coincided with the Washes that would flood the roads during Monsoon Season to certain mountain formations that we had given our own personal names to. 

We had an added bonus of seeing a couple of Armored Personnel Carriers creating their own dust clouds as they went bouncing through the Proving Grounds not far off the road. Kathy was so thrilled to see them she totally forgot to take any pictures. 
The familiar Artillery Pieces that mark the entrance to the Imperial Dam Complex was a welcome sight reminding us that we were only half way to our destination. Finally reaching the edges to the city of Yuma the landscape changes from that of desert to green fields of Agriculture. Sharing the roads with Trucks bringing the harvest from the fields to the Processing/Packaging Plants can sometimes be a little unnerving. 
We had a list of things we needed to look for today, along with a list of places to search for them in. At this point we were only going on what I recalled seeing on the Computer as to where these stores were located but with little certainty. I’ll call it what it was, by chance we happened to look up and there on a Shopping Center Post of stores in its complex we spotted our first stop. 
After using other parking lots to turn around we found ourselves at Big Lots. Our plan was not to rush today but simply take our time. We managed to scratch a few things off our lists along with things we had not even considered. The beauty of it all, was we left there without breaking the bank. 

Still going according to the written addresses and not using the GPS we turned on to the street and only drove a block and a half when we arrived at Harbor Freight but it was already past 12:30 and we were hungry. In the corner of the parking lot was a Jack-in-the-Box that proved to serve decent enough food that we had lunch. Back to Harbor Freight it took some time to find the helpful gadgets that I had been looking for and then Kathy even found some Heavy Twine that we had been looking for. 

We had been lucky to this point but we finally had to use the GPS. It must have been insulted that we had gotten this far on our own because it gave us all kinds of problems trying to enter new addresses. We were finally on our way to Dollar Tree where we were searching for something we had found in Blythe. GPSs are programmed to getting you to places on Streets but when we finally arrived there we realized that it had brought us around the block where if it had brought us through the side entrance we could have saved a half mile of driving. 

We ended up with more supplies that we needed at this Dollar Tree but not what we had been searching for. Going back towards the Truck we noticed a store we were not familiar with that was called dd’s Discounts. I would say it is similar to Big Lots but they carry a lot of clothing and everything is priced to sell. We once again walked out having scratched a few more things off our list. 

The only other address the GPS would allow Kathy to enter was to the nearby Walmart. As we were following Arizona 95 we noticed another Dollar Tree as we drove by but we went on to Walmart. Strangely after walking around for nearly an hour the only thing we walked out of Walmart with was a lot of groceries and information as to the location of another store we were looking for but the GPS would not enter.

Driving back to the Dollar Tree we had earlier passed we lucked out finding not One but Two of the things we had been looking for. As we were leaving we again noticed another dd’s Discounts just a few doors over. This time Kathy found something that she needed for herself.

Back on Arizona 95 heading north of the I-8 we found the entrance to the Mall that we didn’t know existed. This is a Mall where not all the businesses are under the same roof and there are roads that connect parking lots to other parking lots. The GPS does not recognize those roads so that is why it would not except the addresses.

We finally found Hobby Lobby near the back corner of the Mall. We’ve been looking for Room Dividers that we’ll be able to use while at staying our daughter’s in the spring and later for additional privacy back at Wildwood Golf and RV Park in McGregor. Since no other stores we had looked at today had them, we knew we had seen them at Hobby Lobby before. As we were searching the aisles we came across the only Two Identical Room Dividers in the store and they were “Reduced to Clear”. Last year they had tons of them around, but now they are a “Discontinued Item”. The staff wrapped them in Clear wrap to protect them and even helped us load them in an already full back seat.

It took us Five Minutes just to drive back to the road from the rear of the Mall. We then drove Golden Corral where even though we were cautious on what we took to eat we still over-ate. It was past 9:00 MST by the time we got Home at La Posa South LTVA and unloaded the Truck.

Kathy has said we would never be able to buy half as many gifts if we waited until we were back in Ontario in the spring. Most of things that are available here in the southwest this year will not be available back Home until next winter when we are not there. She also said that someone was looking out for us and that our 2018 Christmas Shopping is now complete. Thanks for following along, feel free to leave a comment and click on the pictures to enlarge them. Be Safe and Enjoy!

It’s about time.

Krackers

The World's Great Proverbs

Marry in haste and repent at leisure.

Tuesday, December 26, 2017

Tasty Chicken Croquettes and Inching Forward With Another Delay.

Our Location today is La Posa South L.T.V.A., Quartzsite, Arizona, U.S.A.

Even though we are much warmer then what it is back in Ontario where we live, the night-time lows here in the desert near Quartzsite are still cool enough that we aren’t throwing the covers off to sleep at night. Not running any form of heat source also means that you are dependent on the Blankets on the Bed and your own body temperature to keep you warm. This morning I even chose to do like Kathy and pull the Blankets over my head and hope for a few more minutes of sleep.

Once I was up the first thing I did was to fire up the Furnace to take the chill out of the air. Once the Window Shades were all lifted I did a quick search of the sky and was only able to find a glow behind the clouds that indicated as to where the Sun might be. It wasn’t long after that we were having our breakfast and appreciating the Hot Cereal that was warming us up from the inside.

Taking our Coffee/Tea over to the Computers we spent part of the morning getting caught up on what was happening in the world, back home and in other Bloggers lives.

Once dressed and active we both had things we needed to work at. Kathy busied herself cleaning the Chicken off the bones we had bought at Safeway last week with plans to recreate it. I busied myself using a Wood Rasp to smooth and enlarge the hole that was drilled through the floor to run the Propane Line for our New Blue Flame Heater. By the time I’d completed that there were no longer any splinters left to snag my fingers. 
The hole that was drilled to run the Propane Line to our
New Blue Flame Heater, You can see insulation on our
Fresh Water Tank. The Cavity is 4" high.
Since it was nearly lunch I washed up and gave Kathy a hand finely chopping Onions, Celery and Chicken in a bowl that Kathy used to make Chicken Croquettes for lunch. In another bowl I just cubed Onions, Carrots, Celery, Potatoes and Chicken that would be used to make Kathy’s Homemade Chicken and Vegetable Soup later. 

The Chicken Croquettes served with a touch of Homemade Tartar on them and a Salad were excellent. Even without serving the Chicken on a bed of Rice they were more then satisfying.

After dangling a lit small LED Flashlight off a screwdriver in the hole for the Propane Line, I went back outside under the Trailer trying to locate where the opening would be. I tried running both a flexible and a rigid Electrical Fish from the inside as well as the outside with no luck at finding the opening in the cavity. Feeling quite frustrated with this problem I explained to Kathy what I would need to do to fix the problem.

After closing up the underside of the Trailer again I got washed up and settled in on the Computer. I searched the Catalogs of different Chain Merchants only to come up empty handed. I finally found the tool that will help put an end to this puzzle at Amazon. We’ll just have to use our Furnace until it comes in but once the Blue Flame Heater is installed it will keep us warm at a fraction of the cost.

The 64 F (18 C) temperature started dropping by 4:00 this afternoon so we didn’t waste time closing all the Windows and Door but we got carried away. Since it was already so dull looking outside we closed the Window Shades thinking the Sun had set and missed when it did.

We were also so busy working on the Computers that we didn’t think to have supper until after 7:00. We weren’t really hungry but because of Kathy’s Diabetes she had to eat something. Looking in the Fridge she found Strawberries that were needing to be cleaned up. After she cleaned them she made us each a Large Pancake that we covered with the Strawberries and a dollop of Cool Whip for flavouring. 

Tomorrow looks like the Sun will be back and our day will be a busy one. Thanks for following along, feel free to leave a comment and click on the pictures to enlarge them. Be Safe and Enjoy!

It’s about time.

Krackers

You Might Be a Redneck If

You think Lyme disease comes from Limes.




Monday, December 25, 2017

Christmas Calling and A Wonderful Christmas Dinner Visit.

Our Location today is La Posa South L.T.V.A., Quartzsite, Arizona, U.S.A.

I spent the night tossing and turning again and it’s due to hearing something like Reindeer landing on our roof but before I had chance to check they were taking off. Without the snow that our families are being hammered with back in southern Ontario I later thought Santa would have probably just arrived driving an ATV. When I woke this morning, I knew he’d been here because laying right next to me was my Christmas Gift
7:35 MST
I caught sight of the Sun as it made a beautiful entrance to the day before it slid behind a row of clouds. Even though one of Kathy’s Christmas Wishes was to be able to “Sleep just a little longer” as soon as the Window Shades were up I turned on the Furnace and started making breakfast. The sound of the Stove Igniter is like an alarm to her and she was soon joining me downstairs. 
7:45 MST
As soon as we had eaten our breakfast we set Kathy’s New Phone on the table and started calling our families back in Ontario. With all the Minutes that are attached to that phone we were not worried about how long we would spend on the phone. 
7:55 MST
Our first call was to our son Kevin and daughter-in-law Melissa’s only to find Melissa inside suffering from a cold with Kevin having the boys Cameron and Matthew being outside shoveling the eight inches of fresh snow that fell overnight. We said we’d call back later.

Next was our daughter Karen and son-in-law Greg’s where we got to talk to everyone individually. Ashley was home for the Holidays from her teaching job in Spain. Tyler will be going to visit friends in the middle of the week. Kylla is still studying On-line, working and missing us. The family was working together for the arrival of Greg’s side of the family Christmas Celebration. The only one we didn’t speak to was Sanford but he was standing close by with his new toys.

We spoke with my cousin and Aunt and Uncle who were happy to hear from us but wishing there was less snow in Windsor. We tried a number of others but only connected to their voice mail. After spending nearly an hour on the Phone it was time to get our inside chores completed and get ready for lunch.

Last year we met Wayne and Sue from the state of Washington here at La Posa South LTVA and before heading back home in March we exchanged contact information. When we arrived here this December they were waiting to greet us and once we were set up we had a short visit. When we decided to make reservations for Christmas Dinner at Times Three Family Restaurant last week we asked if they would like to join us and they agreed.
 
We arrived before our 1:00 reservation and even with others already leaving the entire place was packed. They had additional wait staff and the place was hopping. We were getting caught up on things when the food started coming out. This is what you would call a Traditional Christmas Meal that you would experience at Home not in a restaurant. The meal included a non-alcoholic Beverage, Soup or Salad, Dressing, Green Beans, Sweet Potatoes, Green Beans,  Mashed Potatoes with Gravy, lots of Turkey with Cranberries, a large slice of Ham with Apple Sauce and a slice of Pumpkin Pie. The entire time we were eating someone at our table was talking and with all that food it was hard. Needless to say, there was food brought Home for another meal and all at a very reasonable price. 
Everyone's plates were the same. Salad and Pie not pictured.
We invited them back to our Trailer to continue our visit over a glass of wine. After they went home to let their dogs out for a few minutes they made it over. We all learned a lot from one another, everything from different State Laws to Technical Advice. It wasn’t until the room started to darken that we realized the sun was starting to set because we had been there that long. It was a wonderful visit and we’ll be getting together again for more visits as well as Campfires
Wayne got comfortable before coming over.
After they left we realized that we were having so much fun talking that we had to make our later calls later then we had said we would. We got to call our friend Vera, Kathy’s aunt Lydia and our daughter-in-law Jen along with the grands Connor, Haigan and Emma all who were overjoyed to hear from us. 
Love these Sunsets
To those we couldn’t reach today we are hoping that everyone had a Safe and Merry Christmas whether you were able to celebrate in the traditional sense, helping those in need or just sharing time with Friends. Thanks for following along, feel free to leave a comment and click on the pictures to enlarge them. Be Safe and Enjoy!

It’s about time.

Krackers

Words of Inspiration

Thinking a smile all the time will keep your face youthful.

Frank G. Burgess, American Humourist

Sunday, December 24, 2017

Kathy’s Turn, Another Hiccup, Last Minute Scramble and Our Christmas Wish.

Our Location today is La Posa South L.T.V.A., Quartzsite, Arizona, U.S.A.

After getting to bed early for a second night in a row I was hoping that things would be back to normal so that I could accomplish what needed to be done today. As soon as my feet slipped out of the covers I knew that I would be turning on the Furnace but first the Window Shades needed to be opened. There to greet me as I lifted the first Shade was the glow that shines on the mountain range just before the Sun makes its appearance. 

Continuing with opening the remaining Shades then getting things ready for breakfast a quick glance showed the Sun had already started our day. I had barely turned the Furnace on when Kathy was getting out of bed. If she had only waited another five minutes the 43 F (6 C) temperature wouldn’t have been such a shock. 

While we were having breakfast, I noticed that I was feeling better then the last couple of days. That’s when Kathy started asking me about the symptoms that I’d experienced because she wasn’t feeling well this morning. Living together in an RV even when you go outside germs build in your Home and most times your partner gets what you had.

It was still a double cup of Coffee morning at the Computers where I had to play Catch-up on a number of Blogs. By 10:00 we had our indoor chores completed and I was moving things around in the living area. Having measured inside as well as outside the Trailer more then a dozen times it was time to drill the Hole through the floor where our new Propane Fitting would be located. It is being set so when the slides are being brought in it will not be affected so it is towards the Living Area. It is also under the edge of the Kitchen Counter by what is referred to as the Kick Plate. By having it at this location it will save a lot of Stubbed Toes.

The hole was drilled and minutes later as I was about to go outside Kathy suggested an early lite lunch. Since she was now dealing with the stomach issues that I’d had, I knew that Chicken Noodle Soup would help. We also topped it off with a cup of Tea as well as a Yogurt meaning the only solids we were consuming were in the Soup. Lunch helped us both but now Kathy had to lay down for a bit.

Outside standing in the direct sunlight wearing my coveralls I was too hot to be comfortable, but as soon as I tried standing on the shady side of the trailer I was freezing. I ran back inside to grab my work sweater that I put under the coveralls. As soon as I got outside there was our neighbour Wayne returning the tools I’d loaned him. As he continued talking I coaxed him to the shady side of the Trailer so I wouldn’t pass out from being too warm. 


After Wayne left I shut the Propane Tanks so the Fridge would drain the Line. Under the Trailer I used a China Marker to layout where the Underbelly would have to be cut. Again, I remeasured inside then out. Making the cut everything was exactly where it needed to be until I cut the Insulation. There right where the Propane Line would be routed was our Fresh Water Tank. Looks like I’ll be fishing the line between the Floor and the Tank. Just another Hiccup!

After the Propane had drained from the system I removed the Line that had been run for the RV-Q. Where it was assembled you couldn’t see that the Manifold had all Pipe Threads which meant that none of my Brass Pressure Fittings would work. Not wanting to struggle replacing the hose into the Manifold I started checking my Hardware Supplies. The only Pipe Plug I had was a 1/2” while I needed a 3/8”.
Back through the Wash
RVers help RVers and since I helped Wayne I went knocking at his door. He checked his dozen Organizers and Tool Boxes that weren’t organized and came up with zilch. He did suggest two places in town that could still be open even though it was Christmas Eve.

Even though Kathy wasn’t feeling well she came along for the ride for the fresh air. With all the Vendors already closed our first stop was the Grocery/Hardware Store on Main Street in Quartzsite. They had 3/4”, 1/2” and 1/4” but no 3/8” in Brass or Steal.

We headed to RV Pit Stop and the attendant looked in every bin they had with no luck but then he saw a box with a lone fitting in it. There was the 3/8” Pipe Thread Plug that we needed. 

It was nearly 4:00 by then and with us not feeling top notch we decided to go through McDonalds Drive-Thru and head for Home. The Chicken Nuggets proved to be more filling then our Lite Lunch and helped us both feel better. After eating I went back outside to install the 3/8” Pipe Plug and close up shop for another day. 

Kathy and I would like to wish all our Family, Followers, Friends and Readers a Blessed, Safe, and Merry Christmas no matter how they celebrate it and above all “Peace on Earth”. Thanks for following along, feel free to leave a comment and click on the pictures to enlarge them. Be Safe and Enjoy!

It’s about time.

Krackers

Ebenezer Scrooge: I suppose you'll be wanting the whole day
                                tomorrow.
       
      Bob Cratchit: If quite convenient, sir.

Ebenezer Scrooge: Every Christmas you say the same thing.
                               And every Christmas it's just as inconvenient
                               as the Christmas before. Good night.

A Christmas Carol