Out Of Town Trip and Celebrating The New Year With A Campfire.

Our Location today is at the La Posa South, LTVA, Quartzsite, Arizona.

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Don’t know why but I was tired enough to sleep until 8:00 this morning but when I opened the Window Shades downstairs and couldn’t see the Sun through the heavy Cloud covering I understood. With a certain Chore that needed to be done today as early as possible I wasn’t as quiet as normal getting things ready for breakfast. Soon Kathy joined me downstairs.

After breakfast while Kathy was busy reading on her Computer I was changing our Bedsheets and collecting the rest of our Laundry. With that completed things still had to be sorted and some treating done it was already noon so Kathy made us Macaroni And Cheese for lunch.

The first place we headed to was RV Lifestyles to get a 3/8” Pipe-to-Compression Fitting so that I can replace our Automatic Propane Regulator. It looked like they were selling all kinds of things but the Parts Desk wasn’t busy. I was back in the Truck in less then Five Minutes.

When we arrived at the Main Street Laundromat we were surprised to see a sign on the door stating that they would be closing at 2:00 today. With less then Two Hours left we knew that wouldn’t work so we decided to go to the Laundromat in Blythe. By driving a Half Hour away when we arrived it was only 12:20 PST and this place wasn’t closing early. 

Kathy went to get some change while I started to get Four Washers in a row loaded. When I started putting money in to start the Washers Two would not start so I had to move the Laundry from those to Two others. One of those Washers did the same thing, it would not take the money so I had to move that to yet another Washer. Finally once everything was getting cleaned I spotted the Manager who was working on a Dryer and I informed him of the problem. He figured someone had tried forcing the machine.

By the time Kathy and I finished folding all our Laundry it was nearly 4:00 MST so we decided to have Popeye’s Chicken for supper. We both enjoyed a Two Piece Meal and found them satisfying.

Kathy bundled up, keeping warm.

It was nearly 5:00 when we got Home in La Posa South LTVA in Quartzsite. With this being New Years Eve we had planned on having a Campfire tonight so watching which direction our Windsock was blowing I parked the Truck to block the Wind.

The first thing we did was get all the Laundry put away before I headed outside to set up the Firepit. With the Chairs and Tables in place it didn’t take long to get the Firewood in set up. The Thick Cloud Cover stuck around well after the Sun had set so all we could do was focus on the Fire tonight. Wayne and Sue made it over by 6:30 after they had their supper.

Our Sunset this evening.

Among some of the things we were talking about we found out that they had been doing some Grocery Shopping in Blythe around the same time we were doing our Laundry. The fire was keeping us warm for a while so to offset the Cold Temperatures I made a round of Hot Chocolate for everyone. We toasted our New Years early with these hot drinks. It was 10:45 MST when we were all feeling chilled and called it a night. As soon as I checked The Weather Network I realized why. The temperature was only 39 F (4 C) outside and it’s going to Freeze tonight.

Sue, Wayne and Kathy enjoying their Hot Choclate.

We hope everyone had a Safe and Happy New Year Celebration. Thank you 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

You can see at least one TV from anywhere in your home.

Problem On Propane Repair, Cleaning Pits, Grilling Supper and New Years Warning.

Our Location today is at the La Posa South, LTVA, Quartzsite, Arizona.

Click on the pictures to Enlarge

With the continuing cold spell we are presently experiencing I immediately turned on our Blue Flame Heater this morning. There was just enough light beginning to show through the open Window Shades that I could see where things were inside the Trailer without turning on the Lights. After doing my usual morning prepping I settled in on my Computer.

The Weather Network showed we actually had a few degrees more than the family did back in Ontario and the slight breeze we were getting was from the south. When Kathy joined me downstairs we had a Lite Breakfast before bringing our Coffee/Tea over to the Computers. After seeing most people outside all bundled up we just kept ourselves busy reading and researching on the Computers.

For our early lunch a nice hot bowl of Split Pea With Ham Soup along with English Muffins with melted Cheese on them all topped off with a Chocolate Pudding Cup for dessert. Someone on a comment noticed we eat a lot of Cheese and the reason is to help maintain our Bone Density which is something seniors have to watch. Eating Cheese Sticks is also handy when hiking or even as a late snack.

Around noon I headed outside to do a little Maintenance and more setting up. After replacing the Empty Propane Tank with the Full One I started to replace the Old Automatic Propane Regulator with the New One. Getting the Compression Fitting disconnected was no problem but when it came to removing the Pipe to Compression Fitting from the Old Regulator there was no way it wanted to come out. Having been together for at least Four Years Brass and Aluminium are practically fussed together. Since today was Sunday and the RV Lifestyles was closed Wayne offered to take apart his spare unit for me but instead I’ll pick up a Connector tomorrow.

Kathy and I both like to leave any site that we use cleaner then when we arrive. The other day she spotted a Firepit behind our Trailer closer to the Wash that was filled with Nails and Screws. Somebody had burnt old Pallets and didn’t clean up after themselves. Using our Floor Magnet Kathy collected nearly Fifteen Pounds of Scrap Metal from that Firepit. She now feels better knowing that Nothing or Nobody will injure themselves around that Firepit. She found other Pits in the same condition a little further away so I had to restrict her to One Firepit a day.

I also managed to check all our Battery Connections making certain that they are tight. Don’t need loose connections that could arc and start a Fire. I installed our small Windsock helping us spot the Trailer from a distance. Then using our Stiff Rake I graded where our Patio Mat would sit so no Sharp Rocks would pierce it.

With only a high of 52 F (11 C) even the slight breeze we had from the south seemed to penetrate our bones. We had the door to our Trailer closed by 4:00 to conserve any warmth inside. For supper I grilled some Hamburgers on the Weber while Kathy made up a Pineapple covered Cottage Cheese dish for our dessert.

With tomorrow being New Years Eve many people like to go Parties. If you do and you have any kind of Alcoholic Drinks do yourself and anyone else on the road a favour “Don’t Drive”. Spend the night, have a Designated Driver, take a Cab. It’s better to “Arrive Alive” then to get in an Accident that you would regret for the rest of your life if you survive.

Kathy and I want to wish all our readers a Safe and Happy New Year. Thank you for following along and feel free to leave a comment.

Be Safe and Enjoy!

It’s about time.

Krackers

The World's Great Proverbs

Pride goes before a fall.

Propane Problem, More Research, Replacing A Regulator and Checking Out The Vendors.

Our Location today is at the La Posa South, LTVA, Quartzsite, Arizona.

Click on the pictures to Enlarge

It felt wonderful getting a solid night’s sleep and only waking when my back said it was time to move at 6:30 this morning. After getting the Window Shades up and things ready for breakfast I headed to my Computer. Since we were expecting a Hard Freeze here last night so the first thing I looked at was The Weather Network. At least this morning we weren’t the cold spot where it appeared London, Ontario where my sister Anna lives appeared to be getting that White Stuff we have been avoiding. With the cold North Wind it felt worse then if you were able to be out of the Wind itself.

 Suddenly I heard a low High-Pitched sound coming from our kitchen. When I got out of my chair I noticed the Pilot-Light on our Blue Flame Heater was off. Following the sound to the display on the Fridge where it showed “NO LP”. We have an Automatic Propane Regulator that as long as the other Tank is turned on it is supposed to switch from the Empty Tank to the Full One. It did this once to us last winter then worked fine afterwards even though both Tanks were on.

I shut the Fridge off to stop the Alarm before getting dressed to go outside where I simply rotated the Switch manually and verify that the second tank was already in the on position. Inside I simply restarted the Fridge before going to relight the Pilot-Light on the Blue Flame Heater. In that Single Minute that I went outside the inside temperature of the Trailer had dropped and even the warmth from the Pilot-Light itself felt nice. I had just sat back in my chair when Kathy came downstairs oblivious to what I had just been through.

Tyson Wells Road.

Once we had eaten breakfast and settled in at our Computers with our Coffee/Tea it didn’t take long for me to finish my morning reading so I went back to doing more research. We’ll be heading to Yuma for a day next week and we might as well get things there that we can’t get anywhere around here. At the same time with the help of Mapquest I lined up all our stops in the shape of a loop so there would be no wasted Time or Fuel especially in a city we are not familiar with.

Lunch was a Hot Bowl of Soup with Cheese Sticks, a Mandarin Orange and an Apple Sauce Cup for dessert.

We were soon out the door headed over to RV Lifestyles to get a replacement Automatic Propane Regulator. With this being the Second Time this has happen I don’t want to wait for the Third Time when it might not switch over even manually. There was more stock being put on the shelves in preparation of the Big Tent Event. That is when they have a hard time taking care of the needs of RVers that come to Quartzsite and find they need work done or want to purchase a Blue Flame Heater to keep warm and save Propane.

Instead of heading straight back Home we stopped to check out the few Vendors that are already set up on Tyson Wells Road. Even though it feels like there are less people here at this time the Vendors that were there were all busy. There were a few people walking around that had others doing Double Takes and one of the Vendors had no problem calling it the way he saw it.

What would you call this young man?

When we got back to La Posa South LTVA we drove down to the Trash Bin Area to get rid of what we had in the back of the Truck. The Smaller Bins had all been emptied but the Large Roll-Off Bin was still overflowing. It does look like there is a more permanent location for the Roll-Off Bin is being made but will have to wait until the Government Shutdown is over.

Since we had basically walked off lunch a long time ago Kathy decided we should have a more hearty supper so she made us both Open-Faced Sloppy-Joes. It wasn’t until after we were sitting at the Computers that we realized just how big a meal we had just eaten. Definitely no snacks necessary tonight.

With slightly warmer temperatures and less Wind tomorrow it looks like we’ll get more accomplished in setting up tomorrow. Thank you 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

You buy your cough medicine at the liquor store.

Restless Night, Colder Then Home, Researching Old Blogs and Making Data Entries.

Our Location today is at the La Posa South, LTVA, Quartzsite, Arizona.

Click on the pictures to Enlarge

It was a good thing that we weren’t travelling today or we would not have gone very far. One of the side effects of Sleep Apnea is Insomnia and last night it was bad. One’s mind starts to race thinking of things to do, things they’ve done, things they are concerned about and even replaying an old song that hasn’t been heard in ages.

After spending more then Half The Night awake my back let me know at 6:30 that it was time to start my day. It was still dark outside but that didn’t stop me from getting things ready for breakfast, opening the Window Shades, turning our Blue Flame Heater on low and knocking off Three and A Half Difficult Cryptograms before Kathy came downstairs for breakfast. By the end of the day my eyes are so tired that it is impossible to solve those Cryptograms but when my eyes are fresh in the morning they are easy to solve. With the Cold Winds still blowing after breakfast I finished the Last Cryptogram before turning on my Computer.

The first thing I checked was The Weather Network to find that it was warmer back in Essex which is close to Wildwood RV Park where we stay mostly in the summer then it was here in Quartzsite. We could already hear the stronger North Winds gusting to around Thirty MPH rattling the Cables to our Solar Panels on the Roof.

Essex is near our Home Park.
London is where my sister lives.
The Freeze Warning is for Quartzsite tonight.

There wasn’t much we could do as we watched the occasional Dust Devil off in the distance but otherwise the air seemed clear of dust. Most people that were walking outside were bundled up with Coats, Hats and some with Gloves. After completing some inside chores we settled in to do some research on the Computers.

For lunch we had a nice Omelette along with an English Muffin as a filler and Yogurt Cup for dessert.

Both Kathy and I made Data Entries on different Spreadsheets we maintain before going back to more research some of which involved looking at Five Year Old Blogs. Wow have things changed that much?

Supper was simply Chicken and Wild Rice Soup along with Cheese Sticks then a piece of Pecan Pie for dessert. We took our hot drinks to the Computers until it was time to do the dishes. Because of the weather I haven’t had a chance to check the Connections on our Batteries so we are not taking any chances to run the Main Inverter too late in the evening until then.

Cloud-Free finish to a Blustery Day.

Since I didn’t sleep too well last night maybe I’ll do better tonight. Thank you for following along and feel free to leave a comment.

Be Safe and Enjoy!

It’s about time.

Krackers

Words of Inspiration

A heart in love with beauty never grows old.

Turkish proverb

Cooler Yet, Stocking Water, Gifted Firewood and Higher Winds.

Our Location today is at the La Posa South, LTVA, Quartzsite, Arizona.

Click on the pictures to Enlarge

Even though we were warm enough under our Bedcovers last night the moment we exposed our faces we could feel the cold air inside the Trailer. Again the Sun was just rising over the Mountain Range to the east as I opened the Window Shades making an impressive start to the day. When Kathy joined me downstairs it was still cool enough that she needed to wrap the Throw Blanket around her legs to feel slightly warmer.

It turned into a Two Cup Morning while on our Computers reading the News, Morning Blogs and Communicated with others. With our Drinking Water supply nearly depleted and wanting to check something out for ourselves we were heading out the door just before noon.

Our destination was the Main Street Restaurant that we have spoken of many times. Last year they could not get enough Dedicated Servers to work so they were only open for Breakfast and Lunch. We got Michelle the Owner as our waitress whom we also became friends with over the last couple of years. She verified that they have enough staff this year that they will be open for Dinner as well.

Cowboy Nachos.

Since this was Thursday we saw that they were also serving Cowboy Nachos like last year. Their Potato Chips are made in-house and the fact that they use Shaved Smoked Beef with the perfect blend of Vegetables the taste is wonderful. They also serve it on Rice or Salad instead of the Chips as healthier versions. Warning: There is so much preparation for that meal that it is not served during the month of January because of the large crowds they can not keep up but it will be back in February.

Before leaving we checked out the adjoining Laundromat and noted that they have some new Front Load Washers for those that prefer those.

We then headed across the road where I filled our Drinking Water Containers. One Reverse Osmosis Dispensing Machine was marked “Out of Order” and the other seemed to be struggling to fill our Containers. Then as I was securing our Containers in the back seat I noticed a couple of more mature women struggling to fill a Counter Top Container in the Machine I had just used. I Gave them a hand but it seemed most of the problem was in the Currency Department.

By the time we got Home the Wind seemed to have picked up which meant that Kathy had to spend more time inside. I noticed that Wayne and Sue’s kids were getting ready to leave so I wanted to be certain they got their Camping Chairs from under the front of our Trailer. They had already gotten them and left the pile of Firewood they had brought to use the other night with ours.

I made certain to Thank them and was talking to Wayne when we saw a couple of Sheriff’s Pick-ups heading out of the LTVA. We also noticed a Front Load Trash Compactor heading in towards the Trash area. We found out that even though the Government Shutdown affects Park Staff it does not stop the Contracted Services like Trash Pick-up. The Christmas Holiday will take the blame for their tardiness.

Transporting our Blue Flame Heater in an upright position didn’t work too well on its Plastic Legs. I installed the new Legs that we picked up yesterday before it got too late because we’ll be needing to start using it. When we get back to Windsor I’ll make Durable Metal Legs that we won’t have to worry about.

We only had the door open for an hour today because of the cold North Wind but in that short time Wayne came over with a couple of Banana Boxes so I could pile the Firewood in it. Thank You Wayne.

Kathy made Chocolate Chip Pancakes for supper after 6:00 and used the last of the Strawberries for a topping. We only have One Night of below freezing temperatures headed our way this weekend but we have Thirty MPH Winds coming tomorrow instead. Thank you for following along and feel free to leave a comment.

The Winds are starting early.

Be Safe and Enjoy!

It’s about time.

Krackers

Joke of the Day

A midget fortune-teller who escapes from prison is a small medium at large.

Cold Winds, More Set-up, Sharing Water and Freeze Warnings.

Our Location today is at the La Posa South, LTVA, Quartzsite, Arizona.

Click on the pictures to Enlarge

By the time we got to Bed last night it was starting to feel a little on the cool side. During the night it must have gotten even cooler because Kathy kept herself covered the entire night. When I woke this morning and felt the cold air on my face it made me just lay there for a while longer but once my Back told me it was time to get moving I headed downstairs.

It was perfect timing because the Sun was just coming over the Mountain Range to our east. With running our Computers on their own power at night so we have enough Battery Power for our CPAP Machines I busied myself solving Cryptograms until Kathy joined me at 8:30. When it came time to drink our Coffee/Tea at the Computers we could see on the Charge Controller Monitor that the Sun was already busy topping off our used energy.

Reading the Blogs it appears most everyone had a busy and happy celebration for such a Blessed Day. Checking The Weather Network our temperature was in the Low Forties with a Brisk North Wind. Once I’d finished my reading and inside chores it was time to head outside to do a little more setting up.

When we left Jojoba Hills SKP Resort on Sunday after filling our Fresh Water Tank as we were leaving I could see in the mirror a trail of water had come out the Overflow wetting the pavement leading to the road and we more then likely lost more along the way. When I checked our gauge this morning it showed Empty so we only had about Ten Gallons at most. At present even with the Government Shutdown we can get Water but if we couldn’t we would have to go to the RV Pit Stop to fill up. My thought was why wait.

I was laying on my old rug I carry unfastening our Fresh Water and Waste Barrels when Wayne came over to talk. Like most people around I was wearing my Work Sweater to keep warm from the cold wind. Wayne was wearing Shorts, a Muscle Shirt and Crocks. I nearly asked him if he was part Polar Bear? We talked a while longer before Kathy came outside with all the Trash for me to get rid of. I had just finished getting the Fresh Water Barrel set up in the back of the Truck when Kathy called me for lunch.

After driving over to the Water Fill Area it was easy to fill our Barrel but when it came to getting rid of the Trash the Huge Bin along with all the Dumpsters were overflowing with Trash. With it being that full in such a short time it looks like some businesses have been using them at night. Our trash is still in the bed of our Truck for now.

After filling our Fresh Water Tank I connected our longer Drinking Hose to the Pump and with Wayne’s help put the rest into his Fresh Water Tank. The best part was my Transfer Pump was running off the Batteries that were being charged by our Solar Panels from the Sun’s Energy.

With the Barrels stored by the Trailer we headed over to RV Lifestyle for a few supplies. We managed to get most of what we set out for since some of their shelves are still empty.

Then we headed over to Road Runner Market. We had missed a few things the other day so we got those before heading Home.

With the continuing Cold Wind we didn’t even try to sit outside. Later we both enjoyed a nice warm shower. We’ll see what we can accomplish tomorrow and there are Freeze Warnings for our area for the weekend. Thank you for following along and feel free to leave a comment.

Be Safe and Enjoy!

It’s about time.

Krackers

Words of Inspiration

Gracefulness is to a body what understanding is to the mind.

Francois De La Rochefoucauld, French Writer

Spoke To My Aunt, Christmas Dinner and Campfire Get-Together.

Our Location today is at the La Posa South, LTVA, Quartzsite, Arizona.

Click on the pictures to Enlarge

Even though it was a day of very special meaning because of last nights news of my Uncle Bob’s Passing I planned on getting up at my normal time to call my Aunt Anna. Great time for my body to need extra sleep. When I saw it was 8:30 I nearly ran downstairs to get on the phone. It didn’t take long before she answered. She was happy to hear from me but at the same time I could hear the shock in her voice from losing the love of her life for the last 58 years. She was too choked up to stay on the line but I’ll make calls during our time away and we’ll be visiting with her as soon as we get back to Windsor in the spring.

Merry Christmas Sunshine.

Kathy heard me talking and was soon downstairs before I started getting things ready for breakfast. Looking out at the mountains as we ate was our gift to one another but we wanted to share it with our family. One by One we called them knowing their Family Traditions of being together for the day.

We called one only to get their Voice Mail then we called the other to get a Busy Signal. Part of their Traditions was to call one another. We waited a minute before trying again. You could here the excitement in our son Kevin’s voice as he heard us wishing them a Merry Christmas. The boys were happy that we were calling all the way from Arizona just like last year and Melissa was glad that we were safe after reading about our mechanical problems.

Next was our daughter Karen’s house. Their Tradition was having a Family Brunch so there was a flurry of activity happening. We spoke with Karen, Kylla and Ashley who was home for the holiday from her teaching job in Spain. We got a shout out from Greg as he was cooking on the stove but we missed Tyler who was taking a shower.

It was nearly 10:00 by the time we sat down to the Computers. We would like to thank everyone for their Heart Felt Condolences regarding the loss of my Uncle Bob. I can only hope to be able to say that I was able to influence someone in as positive a way as he did for me.

We were in bed shortly after 11:00 last night and were just about to drift off to sleep when we heard Wayne and Sue talking outside then their Truck started and drove away. Thinking there was a problem we just lay there wondering what had happen. About ten minutes passed when we heard the sound of their Truck returning but minutes after it shut down it sounded like it was just pulling up again before shutting down. Then we heard more voices talking but didn’t think it was Santa so we went back to sleep. Sitting in my chair at the Computer this morning I looked out the window and got the answer to our riddle.

Wayne and Sue’s Son and his Family had arrived but not knowing the area had driven past on the main road. Wayne and Sue had seen them go by so had to go to the Fresh Water Area and lead them back to their sight.

Rain on the Mountains.

I’ve written in the past how Mary a Foot Nurse from Healthy Heals tends to Kathy’s feet because of her Diabetes when we are back in the Windsor district but when we travel I fill in for her. She allowed me to watch what she was doing and explained why. This morning Kathy’s feet were bothering her so I set about to fix that. We have tools that we only use strictly for her feet and she appreciates it. By the time I finished she said it felt like she had new feet for a Christmas Gift.

We had a lite snack rather then a normal lunch because we were going out for a Christmas Dinner later this afternoon.

We all drove to Times Three Family Restaurant on West Main Street and arrived just minutes before our reserved time. There Wayne finally introduced us to his Son, Daughter-in-law, 10 Year Old Grandson and 7 Week Old Grandson. Sorry folks but due to too much fresh air I’m having a hard time remembering my own name.

Kathy ready for our first Campfire of the season.

We had great time visiting during the short wait for our meals to arrive. We were served a Traditional Christmas Meal with Beverage, Salad, Dinner Rolls with Butter, Mashed Potatoes, Sweet Potatoes, Green Beans, Dressing, Cranberry Sauce and Turkey then top that off with Pumpkin Pie all for $15.95. We all noted the Plate size was smaller this year but it was still worth the money. Last year everyone was taking home Doggy Bags but not this year.

Outside Wayne and Sue planned to show the kids around but we headed straight back Home. The reason for that was to set up the Chairs and Campfire. We also had the chance to watch Rain falling over the distant Mountains. It didn’t take long after the Sun set that the Temperature dropped quite quickly. It was getting cooler and all the Fresh Air soon had us all yawning so we said our Good Nights before 9:00.

Kathy and I hope that everyone had as enjoyable a Christmas Day as we did. Thank you 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

Your Christmas tree was growing in your neighbour's yard at Thanksgiving.