Sunday, February 25, 2007
Day 54: Mesa Swap Meet Shopping........
Ahhh.......do you get a bit tired of me talking about this FANTASTIC weather out here??? Huh??? I BET YOU DO!!!!! I'm damn sure I would if I was sitting somewhere right now reading this and the cold, wet winds were blowing against the windows and the crunch of ice and snow could be heard by the cars slipping down the street. SORRRRYYYYY!! But...it has been another incredibly gorgeous day......and we love them!!!! (try to visualize the bright blue sky above the browns and beiges of the desert, the bluish/purple craggy mountains in the distance, with the temps in the low 70's and little, if any, wind)
After a couple of cups of Fr Roast coffee, we jumped into the truck, went around the corner, and picked up Mac and Gail for our trip up to Mesa and the HUGE Swap Meet which is only open Friday thru Sunday. It is difficult to describe how LARGE this place is........acres of parking for the hundreds and hundreds of vehicles, and four long, long shed like structures filled on both sides of the walking aisle with 1600 stalls and booths selling everything from dried mangoes and soy nuts to huge southwestern items that would necessitate a mansion to house.
So, you ask.....what did we buy???? I bought a new wallet......a good buy for only $6.00, a knife sharpner, and I believe we will return next weekend to purchase an area rug for TheHowserHouse den. We found the one we wanted but we thought it would be toooooo wide to fit between the heating vents on the floor. Soooo, we decided to return and re-measure it one more time. I really do believe that it will work.....it will only hang over each vent about 1/2"....which leaves PLENTY of room for the heat to enter the room without causing any damage to the furnace. We also purchased four drink coasters of a sandstone and southwestern design that do not jump up and hit you in the face.......very monochromatic like the desert we see each day. Can't you tell that we are the "last of the big spenders"???
After about three hours at this most interesting place to shop, we were hungry!!! And....so after several cell phone calls to get the correct driving instructions from friends back down in Casa Grande, we found "Filly's"......a large western watering hole that serves wonderful chicken!!! Well....when we arrived all parking spaces were filled, the extra lot was filled, and the street was lined on both sides by cars and pickups. Loud country-western music was blaring loudly from the rear of the building where a couple of hundred people were sitting at long tables, eating, having some cold beer, and dancing to live music. Among these people were many in western dress including chaps.....and everyone having a great time under the tall and very, very old saguaro cacti. A bit farther back were many horses tethered to a rail........standing there patiently as their riders enjoyed the bright sun and the cool long necks and doing the country two-step.
As there was no place to sit, we entered from the front of the cafe/bar and sat close to the back entrance so we could watch the crowd and enjoy the music. The food was really good, the Corona that I consumed quickly was cold and thirst-quenching.....and we enjoyed an hour on a Sunday afternoon in an Arizona watering hole.
Returning to Sunscape RV Park and TheHowserHouse........we carried all of our purchased inside.....all three items. And.....now as I write this I am being constantly interrupted as my attention turns to the Oscar presentations. This is a great show........soooo different than many, many of these shows. LOVE the shadow figures as they roll out behind the screen and form various shapes and figures..........soooooo creative!!!!!!!!! IF you didn't see this.......well, that is toooo bad......it is super!
It has been another great day.......relaxing but filled with sights, aromas, and sounds that make Life soooo enjoyable......and because of all of these things.....
LIFE IS GREAT.....and I hope it is for all of you, also!!!!!
After a couple of cups of Fr Roast coffee, we jumped into the truck, went around the corner, and picked up Mac and Gail for our trip up to Mesa and the HUGE Swap Meet which is only open Friday thru Sunday. It is difficult to describe how LARGE this place is........acres of parking for the hundreds and hundreds of vehicles, and four long, long shed like structures filled on both sides of the walking aisle with 1600 stalls and booths selling everything from dried mangoes and soy nuts to huge southwestern items that would necessitate a mansion to house.
So, you ask.....what did we buy???? I bought a new wallet......a good buy for only $6.00, a knife sharpner, and I believe we will return next weekend to purchase an area rug for TheHowserHouse den. We found the one we wanted but we thought it would be toooooo wide to fit between the heating vents on the floor. Soooo, we decided to return and re-measure it one more time. I really do believe that it will work.....it will only hang over each vent about 1/2"....which leaves PLENTY of room for the heat to enter the room without causing any damage to the furnace. We also purchased four drink coasters of a sandstone and southwestern design that do not jump up and hit you in the face.......very monochromatic like the desert we see each day. Can't you tell that we are the "last of the big spenders"???
After about three hours at this most interesting place to shop, we were hungry!!! And....so after several cell phone calls to get the correct driving instructions from friends back down in Casa Grande, we found "Filly's"......a large western watering hole that serves wonderful chicken!!! Well....when we arrived all parking spaces were filled, the extra lot was filled, and the street was lined on both sides by cars and pickups. Loud country-western music was blaring loudly from the rear of the building where a couple of hundred people were sitting at long tables, eating, having some cold beer, and dancing to live music. Among these people were many in western dress including chaps.....and everyone having a great time under the tall and very, very old saguaro cacti. A bit farther back were many horses tethered to a rail........standing there patiently as their riders enjoyed the bright sun and the cool long necks and doing the country two-step.
As there was no place to sit, we entered from the front of the cafe/bar and sat close to the back entrance so we could watch the crowd and enjoy the music. The food was really good, the Corona that I consumed quickly was cold and thirst-quenching.....and we enjoyed an hour on a Sunday afternoon in an Arizona watering hole.
Returning to Sunscape RV Park and TheHowserHouse........we carried all of our purchased inside.....all three items. And.....now as I write this I am being constantly interrupted as my attention turns to the Oscar presentations. This is a great show........soooo different than many, many of these shows. LOVE the shadow figures as they roll out behind the screen and form various shapes and figures..........soooooo creative!!!!!!!!! IF you didn't see this.......well, that is toooo bad......it is super!
It has been another great day.......relaxing but filled with sights, aromas, and sounds that make Life soooo enjoyable......and because of all of these things.....
LIFE IS GREAT.....and I hope it is for all of you, also!!!!!
Saturday, February 24, 2007
Day 53: Relaxing on a GORGEOUS DAY
The 1st Lady and I got up not toooo early, but a bit after the sun popped over the eastern mountains and into our windows. After breakfast.....and my Fr. Roast coffee.....we went over and spent some time with Mac and Gail.......checking on him and to see how he was progressing after a small procedure that he had done day before yesterday. A small problem as a result of his Parkinson's and so he had to have a few uncomfortable things done that day.
Then the 1st Lady and I walked all through the streets of the RV Park.....and checked on sites that are for sale and/or rent. Still just in the thinking stages.....and probably won't go any farther than just....thinking. We also walked through the cactus garden on the west of the park, just outside the fence. There we met a couple whose lot backs up to the garden....and had the nicest visit with them.....they are from Minnesota and have a park model here for the winters and one in Minnesota for the summers. GREAT arrangement.
Later this afternoon we took a bike ride a mile down the road to a small subdivision and checked out the houses and southwestern landscaping that each house had. NO grass out here......all various kinds of small rocks/gravel and all different colors of stones. Lots of different types of cactus are used as well as rosemary and sages.
Returning on the road to the RV Park we saw a couple of roadrunners and attempted to get a picure but they sure did like to run!!!!!!! They were off and gone almost before I could snap a photo......
Gail prepared dinner this evening for us......and as always when she cooks.......EVERYTHING is absolutely DELICIOUS!!!!! She is wonderful chef!!!!!! After dinner we went across their street to where some of their friends....and now, our friends also.........and sat around a bonfire within a mesh container and chatted and laughed and enjoyed the very cool evening under the most incredible clear sky with gazillions of stars!!!! WOW.......just fantastic......made me wish I had a long range telescope to look at some of the stars closer......just unreal!
As the temps dropped quickly, we weren't out there toooooo long and then we returned to TheHowserHouse and quickly turned on our fireplace to get the den toasty warm. LOVE that fireplace!!!
Tomorrow we are off to Mesa....an eastern suburb of Phoenix.....to the weekend "Swap Meet". I was there a couple of years ago and it is HUGE.....and that is an understatement. They have 1600 stalls/booths all in long, long, long sheds with roofs and well........it just can't be described. I will attempt to get some pics tomorrow, but it will never show it the way it really is.
A good day, today.........and as always for me.....
LIFE IS GREAT....and I hope it is for all of you, also!!!!
Then the 1st Lady and I walked all through the streets of the RV Park.....and checked on sites that are for sale and/or rent. Still just in the thinking stages.....and probably won't go any farther than just....thinking. We also walked through the cactus garden on the west of the park, just outside the fence. There we met a couple whose lot backs up to the garden....and had the nicest visit with them.....they are from Minnesota and have a park model here for the winters and one in Minnesota for the summers. GREAT arrangement.
Later this afternoon we took a bike ride a mile down the road to a small subdivision and checked out the houses and southwestern landscaping that each house had. NO grass out here......all various kinds of small rocks/gravel and all different colors of stones. Lots of different types of cactus are used as well as rosemary and sages.
Returning on the road to the RV Park we saw a couple of roadrunners and attempted to get a picure but they sure did like to run!!!!!!! They were off and gone almost before I could snap a photo......
Gail prepared dinner this evening for us......and as always when she cooks.......EVERYTHING is absolutely DELICIOUS!!!!! She is wonderful chef!!!!!! After dinner we went across their street to where some of their friends....and now, our friends also.........and sat around a bonfire within a mesh container and chatted and laughed and enjoyed the very cool evening under the most incredible clear sky with gazillions of stars!!!! WOW.......just fantastic......made me wish I had a long range telescope to look at some of the stars closer......just unreal!
As the temps dropped quickly, we weren't out there toooooo long and then we returned to TheHowserHouse and quickly turned on our fireplace to get the den toasty warm. LOVE that fireplace!!!
Tomorrow we are off to Mesa....an eastern suburb of Phoenix.....to the weekend "Swap Meet". I was there a couple of years ago and it is HUGE.....and that is an understatement. They have 1600 stalls/booths all in long, long, long sheds with roofs and well........it just can't be described. I will attempt to get some pics tomorrow, but it will never show it the way it really is.
A good day, today.........and as always for me.....
LIFE IS GREAT....and I hope it is for all of you, also!!!!
Friday, February 23, 2007
Day 52: Phoenix......and 1st Lady flies back!
Another great day this morning when I had stepped out of TheHowserHouse. Looking northwestward I could see the heavy dark clouds building.....and supposed that the Arizona rains would materialize like predicted.
Went across the fence and visited with Gail......Mac still in bed following his procedure yesterday. At least he CAN sleep!! When I left I took one of my propane bottles down to the refill station here in the RV Park and left it for them to fill. An hour later....I returned and picked up the filled bottle and then re-installed in TheHowserHouse.
Shortly thereafter, I head in Casa Grande to return THREE jars of Peter Pan peanut butter. DAMN.....Do I EVER love that stuff.......why oh why did it have to be Peter Pan brand?????? Well, since I had eaten from 2 of the three jars and did not become ill ....well, perhaps I could have kept them. BUT.....the little numbers 2111 were on the lids and so I stood in line for 30 minutes to get my $6 and change refunded back to my pocket.
From Walmart....I merged onto I-10 and headed north to Phoenix. It IS a rat race on this interstate.........crazy, crazy drivers here in Arizona!!!!! Stopping at the shopping "mall" which is spread over several blocks and on two sides of I-10......I spent some time "window" shopping inside several stores. Then I headed to Barnes & Noble.....and spent a couple of good....VERY good.....hours looking, drinking cappuccino, and doing some reading. What a great and wonderful way to spend a couple hours or more!!!!!!
Then......as it was 3pm and her flight was to arrive at 4:45, I decided to head on into the city center where Sky Harbor International is located as I didn't know how long it would take me to get there, park, and shuttle to the terminal. I know I have said this earlier.....last week probably.....but this airport is really a well planned facility!!!! Soooooo easy to get around and such wonderful shops and cafes and coffee shops in the terminals!!!! When I arrived and had parked and caught the shuttle to Terminal 4........I discovered her flight was going to be 45 minutes late!!!
Soooo, I visited a couple of the museums and art displays within the Terminal. How many airports do we know that have a museum and displays of art in special rooms for the travelers to enjoy while waiting for their flights??????? Incredible!!!!! Such a great place to spend some extra time waiting on planes........
The 1st Lady arrived at 5:30......and after we picked up her luggage......we shuttled out to where I had parked the truck....and then slowly, oh sooooo slowy merged into the horrendous rush hour traffic. It took about an hour to get completely out of the city/suburbs. We decided to drive on down to Casa Grande before stopping for dinner.......and when we stopped at this pizza place......OH MY GOD!!!!! IT IS SOOOOOO DAMN GOOD!!!!! The 1st Lady had eaten at the same place but only in a different location when we first arrived and she had raved about it then. I believe it has to be some of the best....if not THE best.....pizza I have ever eaten.....and I have eaten pizza in many countries all over the world. INCREDIBLE!!!!!
We then drove out to the RV Park. The 1st Lady was soon heading upstairs for the bed. Think she is much tireder(a word?) than she thought she was.
I have downloaded some of the pictures she took while back in Misery and will post a couple or so this evening. Of COURSE....they are of the granddaughters that she flew back there to visit for a week!!
It is good to have her back here........TheHowserHouse already seems more full of Life......and with that statement I will continue with.....
Life is GREAT.....and I hope it is for all of you, also!!!
Went across the fence and visited with Gail......Mac still in bed following his procedure yesterday. At least he CAN sleep!! When I left I took one of my propane bottles down to the refill station here in the RV Park and left it for them to fill. An hour later....I returned and picked up the filled bottle and then re-installed in TheHowserHouse.
Shortly thereafter, I head in Casa Grande to return THREE jars of Peter Pan peanut butter. DAMN.....Do I EVER love that stuff.......why oh why did it have to be Peter Pan brand?????? Well, since I had eaten from 2 of the three jars and did not become ill ....well, perhaps I could have kept them. BUT.....the little numbers 2111 were on the lids and so I stood in line for 30 minutes to get my $6 and change refunded back to my pocket.
From Walmart....I merged onto I-10 and headed north to Phoenix. It IS a rat race on this interstate.........crazy, crazy drivers here in Arizona!!!!! Stopping at the shopping "mall" which is spread over several blocks and on two sides of I-10......I spent some time "window" shopping inside several stores. Then I headed to Barnes & Noble.....and spent a couple of good....VERY good.....hours looking, drinking cappuccino, and doing some reading. What a great and wonderful way to spend a couple hours or more!!!!!!
Then......as it was 3pm and her flight was to arrive at 4:45, I decided to head on into the city center where Sky Harbor International is located as I didn't know how long it would take me to get there, park, and shuttle to the terminal. I know I have said this earlier.....last week probably.....but this airport is really a well planned facility!!!! Soooooo easy to get around and such wonderful shops and cafes and coffee shops in the terminals!!!! When I arrived and had parked and caught the shuttle to Terminal 4........I discovered her flight was going to be 45 minutes late!!!
Soooo, I visited a couple of the museums and art displays within the Terminal. How many airports do we know that have a museum and displays of art in special rooms for the travelers to enjoy while waiting for their flights??????? Incredible!!!!! Such a great place to spend some extra time waiting on planes........
The 1st Lady arrived at 5:30......and after we picked up her luggage......we shuttled out to where I had parked the truck....and then slowly, oh sooooo slowy merged into the horrendous rush hour traffic. It took about an hour to get completely out of the city/suburbs. We decided to drive on down to Casa Grande before stopping for dinner.......and when we stopped at this pizza place......OH MY GOD!!!!! IT IS SOOOOOO DAMN GOOD!!!!! The 1st Lady had eaten at the same place but only in a different location when we first arrived and she had raved about it then. I believe it has to be some of the best....if not THE best.....pizza I have ever eaten.....and I have eaten pizza in many countries all over the world. INCREDIBLE!!!!!
We then drove out to the RV Park. The 1st Lady was soon heading upstairs for the bed. Think she is much tireder(a word?) than she thought she was.
I have downloaded some of the pictures she took while back in Misery and will post a couple or so this evening. Of COURSE....they are of the granddaughters that she flew back there to visit for a week!!
It is good to have her back here........TheHowserHouse already seems more full of Life......and with that statement I will continue with.....
Life is GREAT.....and I hope it is for all of you, also!!!
Thursday, February 22, 2007
Day 51: A Lazy Day...
No post yesterday.........just didn't get it done last night. Not really anything new that happened or anything exciting......just a day in the desert.
Today......just about like yesterday. Beautiful.....mid-70's......cloudless blue sky.....very little breeze.....PERFECT!!!!
I was....and am.....lazy today. Spent a lot of time outside.........riding my bike for almost an hour this morning. This afternoon.....well, just sat on the patio and enjoyed the sun and the temps.......and read a book. EXCITING??????????? Well, not exactly......but it was very enjoyable.
Talked with the 1st Lady......and will meet her at Sky Harbor International in Phoenix tomorrow when she flies in around 4:45pm. Told her we would just have dinner at the airport and let the horrendous Phoenix rush hour traffic clear out a bit before we start south for Casa Grande. The traffic and accident rates are soooo much worse than in STL......and I just don't care to have to fight that kind of statistics!!
We have only two weeks left here........and all of sudden there are quite a few things we want to do and see before leaving, so we will have to get organized with a planning guide. Will sure be great to have my camera back...........sure she has enjoyed getting pics of the granddaughters, though.
Saw a lot here in the RV Park for sale today........35' x 60' with a concrete patio and storage shed included. Asking price: $32,000.00 That is lower than the others I have seen which are running around $42,000......but it is also not as wide. Am I interested?? No.....I don't really think I am........it would only be for an investment. They seem to have been going up by about $10,000 to $12,000 each year for the past couple of years.............too bad we can't see the future! Just thinking........
And sooooo........as this is STILL a lazy day...........as always...
Life is Great.....and I hope it is for all of you, also!!
Today......just about like yesterday. Beautiful.....mid-70's......cloudless blue sky.....very little breeze.....PERFECT!!!!
I was....and am.....lazy today. Spent a lot of time outside.........riding my bike for almost an hour this morning. This afternoon.....well, just sat on the patio and enjoyed the sun and the temps.......and read a book. EXCITING??????????? Well, not exactly......but it was very enjoyable.
Talked with the 1st Lady......and will meet her at Sky Harbor International in Phoenix tomorrow when she flies in around 4:45pm. Told her we would just have dinner at the airport and let the horrendous Phoenix rush hour traffic clear out a bit before we start south for Casa Grande. The traffic and accident rates are soooo much worse than in STL......and I just don't care to have to fight that kind of statistics!!
We have only two weeks left here........and all of sudden there are quite a few things we want to do and see before leaving, so we will have to get organized with a planning guide. Will sure be great to have my camera back...........sure she has enjoyed getting pics of the granddaughters, though.
Saw a lot here in the RV Park for sale today........35' x 60' with a concrete patio and storage shed included. Asking price: $32,000.00 That is lower than the others I have seen which are running around $42,000......but it is also not as wide. Am I interested?? No.....I don't really think I am........it would only be for an investment. They seem to have been going up by about $10,000 to $12,000 each year for the past couple of years.............too bad we can't see the future! Just thinking........
And sooooo........as this is STILL a lazy day...........as always...
Life is Great.....and I hope it is for all of you, also!!
Tuesday, February 20, 2007
Day 49: The number of readers of TheHowserHouse continues to grow......
A rainy night.....but what a fantastic day it became!!!! Crisp....in the low 60's....and very clear......MY kind of weather.
I spent the morning working on our "problem" with the dining room table and chairs. Don't know if I made a difference.......time will tell if I have contained the problem!!??
As TheHowserHouse has been included in the listings of rv travel journals on a website devoted to selecting the best of these journals.........well, my readers have increased beyond all belief!!!! I have now been registering between 400 and 500 readers each day!!!! WOW.......who would have ever thought when this little "diary" began that it would grow to become such an internationally read blog????!!!! Sometimes I just can't believe it........
Did you ever wonder why there are people ( like myself) that tap into a blog and read about someone else's life....their thoughts....their travels...their suggestions about great places to eat and stay?????? What is this magnet that pulls them into these blogs each day.....and oftentimes MORE than once each day for certain blogs???? I could express my thoughts on this.....but....well, they are just MY thoughts and I do not wish to offend anyone on here.....hahaha.
And while we are discussing this blog.......I received an email from a great couple that we met while we were staying in Llano Grande Lake Park Resort in the Rio Grande Valley.....and,.......
They had been to Dirty Al's on South Padre Island to eat the incredible shrimp which is served there. The 1st Lady and I had strongly urged them to eat there......because of the shrimp. Well....they went recently and while sitting at the bar......noticed a picture of me...and a copy of the blog that I wrote recommending Dirty Al's as a great place to eat......all there inside the restaurant. Guess I am read and remembered by a lot more people that I ever thought I would "touch". GREAT!!!!!
Sunscape RV Park is a very quiet place...........while there are quite a few streets, each one seems to become it's own little neighborhood. And when I bike up and down the various streets it becomes very noticeable........the small gatherings that occur at anytime of the day always bring out a few people to talk, to laugh, to share their thoughts and problems. This is just like a small community.......one that has these same little friendly neighborhoods. In a way......it is quite nice to know that there are friends only a few steps away if there is a need!!!
For people who do NOT have an rv or who do not travel in them to any great extent........well, they have NO idea just how many people and rv's there are in the south and southwest........all trying to follow the warmth and the sun during the winter. There were a quarter of a million rv'ers in the Rio Grande Valley during the month of January......and who knows how many there are out here in Arizona!! It is almost like tribes of nomads who gather behind walls and gates for protection from various intruders who might wander into their little communities. Hmmmmm........nomads.......yep.....if you travel down any of the highways out here you will certainly notice that there would appear to be a law that all vehicles on the highways must be either a traveling house in box on wheels which is being towed......or a house with a motor!
Traveling senior citizens........Americans, Canadians, and Mexicanos........the nomads of the 21st Century.
And so......each day passes quicker than the previous one.....and the 1st Lady and I have now finished our 7th week of this journey! Believe our life record of traveling is 8 weeks....which means we will set a new "personal best" for being on the road......as it will be April 1st, around that time, before we return to our stick and brick. And we will not pause there for very long.......Life is tooooo short to stay in one place for any length of time! But.......nevertheless.....
LIFE IS GREAT......andI hope it is for all of you, also!!!!
I spent the morning working on our "problem" with the dining room table and chairs. Don't know if I made a difference.......time will tell if I have contained the problem!!??
As TheHowserHouse has been included in the listings of rv travel journals on a website devoted to selecting the best of these journals.........well, my readers have increased beyond all belief!!!! I have now been registering between 400 and 500 readers each day!!!! WOW.......who would have ever thought when this little "diary" began that it would grow to become such an internationally read blog????!!!! Sometimes I just can't believe it........
Did you ever wonder why there are people ( like myself) that tap into a blog and read about someone else's life....their thoughts....their travels...their suggestions about great places to eat and stay?????? What is this magnet that pulls them into these blogs each day.....and oftentimes MORE than once each day for certain blogs???? I could express my thoughts on this.....but....well, they are just MY thoughts and I do not wish to offend anyone on here.....hahaha.
And while we are discussing this blog.......I received an email from a great couple that we met while we were staying in Llano Grande Lake Park Resort in the Rio Grande Valley.....and,.......
They had been to Dirty Al's on South Padre Island to eat the incredible shrimp which is served there. The 1st Lady and I had strongly urged them to eat there......because of the shrimp. Well....they went recently and while sitting at the bar......noticed a picture of me...and a copy of the blog that I wrote recommending Dirty Al's as a great place to eat......all there inside the restaurant. Guess I am read and remembered by a lot more people that I ever thought I would "touch". GREAT!!!!!
Sunscape RV Park is a very quiet place...........while there are quite a few streets, each one seems to become it's own little neighborhood. And when I bike up and down the various streets it becomes very noticeable........the small gatherings that occur at anytime of the day always bring out a few people to talk, to laugh, to share their thoughts and problems. This is just like a small community.......one that has these same little friendly neighborhoods. In a way......it is quite nice to know that there are friends only a few steps away if there is a need!!!
For people who do NOT have an rv or who do not travel in them to any great extent........well, they have NO idea just how many people and rv's there are in the south and southwest........all trying to follow the warmth and the sun during the winter. There were a quarter of a million rv'ers in the Rio Grande Valley during the month of January......and who knows how many there are out here in Arizona!! It is almost like tribes of nomads who gather behind walls and gates for protection from various intruders who might wander into their little communities. Hmmmmm........nomads.......yep.....if you travel down any of the highways out here you will certainly notice that there would appear to be a law that all vehicles on the highways must be either a traveling house in box on wheels which is being towed......or a house with a motor!
Traveling senior citizens........Americans, Canadians, and Mexicanos........the nomads of the 21st Century.
And so......each day passes quicker than the previous one.....and the 1st Lady and I have now finished our 7th week of this journey! Believe our life record of traveling is 8 weeks....which means we will set a new "personal best" for being on the road......as it will be April 1st, around that time, before we return to our stick and brick. And we will not pause there for very long.......Life is tooooo short to stay in one place for any length of time! But.......nevertheless.....
LIFE IS GREAT......andI hope it is for all of you, also!!!!
Day 48+: An Addendum to the post below.......
TheHowserHouse blog has just been "picked up" by Hitchitch.com and included on their website!!! This is a sight that features blogs written by RV'ers on the road.....traveling down the highways and byways of North America.....not just the states. There are about 50 blogs....and I wish I had to the time to read all of them each day.......but......impossible!!!! Check it out!!!!
Life IS Great........!!!!!!
Life IS Great........!!!!!!
Day 48: Not much new.......
The day arrived with clouds in the sky.......and cooler temps. I had my Fr. Roast as I watched a bit of the Today Show......and then a bit after 9am I drove into town to pick up some ingredients for the Jambalaya that I always enjoy preparing.....AND consuming!!! Tonight was the night I had promised to provide the main dish for dinner with Mac and Gail.
I went to Walmart....and found what I needed there....except I couldn't get ANYONE to bag me some fresh shrimp from the seafood dept. There were several others waiting in line there ahead of me.....and after more than 5 minutes I became irritated and just gave up on the idea. I picked up a bag of frozen shrimp and then headed for the check-out......still irritated!!! If a store is going to sell something that requires a human to count, weigh, and bag the item.....then they MUST have someone working in that area ALL the time!!!!!!!!!!
I drove on west on the the main drag of Casa Grande and found Food City......a smaller market type store that seems to cater to the Latino/Mexicano citizens of the area. Went inside and wandered around looking for some of the items that I had purchased in Progeso, MX last month. Couldn't find any of them, but did find the freshly baked tortillas that are sugared and then broken apart into large pieces.......OMG, but are they ever wonderful!!!! Gail had purchased some over the weekend and I couldn't stop eating them. I also stopped by the bakery area and purchased a couple of.....hmmmmm, the Mexican name excapes me, but they are a very light and crisp pastry....much like layers of phylo(sp?) dough shaped much a like wings.....with sugar on them. I had one in Progreso.....but these were even better than I remembered!!!!!! SOOOOOO good with coffee!!!!
Went back to TheHowserHouse.....and before long it was time to start the preps for the kettle of yummy jambalaya that was to cook all afternoon. Chopped up onions, garlic, celery, red and green peppers, sliced a few fresh mushrooms, sauteed all of this in olive oil. Then I added the rice and the pound of smoked sausage that I had sliced into quarter inch slices. A can of Rotel tomatoes and chilis, and then a can of chicken broth. As this cooked down.......more cans of the broth were added during the afternoon of simmering. During the last 30 minutes I added a can of western beans.....and during the last three minutes I added the pound of shrimp that I had thawed out and removed the tails...... They only need about 3 minutes before they begin to get a bit tough, which I don't care for.
At 6pm I carried this large pan of simmered goodies, a new loaf of semolina bread, and a bottle of dark red medicine over to their park model.........and with the ensalada that Gail prepared.....we had a really great meal. They had never eaten this before......and I warned them that it was not only hot from the cooking process, but hot from the ingredients. I think they enjoyed it........at least they ate more than one bowl(didn't you??).
This evening......as it did on and off all afternoon,.....the rains came down. Not drenching rains....in fact, they hardly wet down the street, but it sure was strange to have moisture/humidity in the air!! It made it seem sooooooooo thick and heavy outside.......do I REALLY want to return to Misery??????? Hmmmmmmm.........better not answer that online!
Not looking forward to leaving in a bit less than three weeks, but I am excited about spending a few days in Las Vegas. Plan to see a former student of mine.....and his growing family......who live in Henderson....a suburb of Vegas. He was a trumpet player of mine....graduating in 1985....and I last saw him at their class reunion 1.5 years ago. For those of you who are Eldonites, it is Zane Simpson that I will be seeing. He NOW performs on the Police BagPipe Band there in Vegas, as he is a city policeman, but is currently "on loan" to the FBI unit there. He took up the bagpipes a few years ago and really enjoys playing them.
The 1st Lady is with her mother now.......will be in F'town for one day this week prior to flying back out here on Friday. Think she is enjoying herself...........
And so........as I said above, there is not much new with me. Tomorrow is supposed to bring more rain and still cooler temps, so it might not be toooo enjoyable outside........DAMN!!!! I love getting outside, even if only to ride my bike for an hour or so!!!!
And in doing just that.......or even not riding my bike.......
Life is GREAT.....and I hope it is for all of you, also!!!!
I went to Walmart....and found what I needed there....except I couldn't get ANYONE to bag me some fresh shrimp from the seafood dept. There were several others waiting in line there ahead of me.....and after more than 5 minutes I became irritated and just gave up on the idea. I picked up a bag of frozen shrimp and then headed for the check-out......still irritated!!! If a store is going to sell something that requires a human to count, weigh, and bag the item.....then they MUST have someone working in that area ALL the time!!!!!!!!!!
I drove on west on the the main drag of Casa Grande and found Food City......a smaller market type store that seems to cater to the Latino/Mexicano citizens of the area. Went inside and wandered around looking for some of the items that I had purchased in Progeso, MX last month. Couldn't find any of them, but did find the freshly baked tortillas that are sugared and then broken apart into large pieces.......OMG, but are they ever wonderful!!!! Gail had purchased some over the weekend and I couldn't stop eating them. I also stopped by the bakery area and purchased a couple of.....hmmmmm, the Mexican name excapes me, but they are a very light and crisp pastry....much like layers of phylo(sp?) dough shaped much a like wings.....with sugar on them. I had one in Progreso.....but these were even better than I remembered!!!!!! SOOOOOO good with coffee!!!!
Went back to TheHowserHouse.....and before long it was time to start the preps for the kettle of yummy jambalaya that was to cook all afternoon. Chopped up onions, garlic, celery, red and green peppers, sliced a few fresh mushrooms, sauteed all of this in olive oil. Then I added the rice and the pound of smoked sausage that I had sliced into quarter inch slices. A can of Rotel tomatoes and chilis, and then a can of chicken broth. As this cooked down.......more cans of the broth were added during the afternoon of simmering. During the last 30 minutes I added a can of western beans.....and during the last three minutes I added the pound of shrimp that I had thawed out and removed the tails...... They only need about 3 minutes before they begin to get a bit tough, which I don't care for.
At 6pm I carried this large pan of simmered goodies, a new loaf of semolina bread, and a bottle of dark red medicine over to their park model.........and with the ensalada that Gail prepared.....we had a really great meal. They had never eaten this before......and I warned them that it was not only hot from the cooking process, but hot from the ingredients. I think they enjoyed it........at least they ate more than one bowl(didn't you??).
This evening......as it did on and off all afternoon,.....the rains came down. Not drenching rains....in fact, they hardly wet down the street, but it sure was strange to have moisture/humidity in the air!! It made it seem sooooooooo thick and heavy outside.......do I REALLY want to return to Misery??????? Hmmmmmmm.........better not answer that online!
Not looking forward to leaving in a bit less than three weeks, but I am excited about spending a few days in Las Vegas. Plan to see a former student of mine.....and his growing family......who live in Henderson....a suburb of Vegas. He was a trumpet player of mine....graduating in 1985....and I last saw him at their class reunion 1.5 years ago. For those of you who are Eldonites, it is Zane Simpson that I will be seeing. He NOW performs on the Police BagPipe Band there in Vegas, as he is a city policeman, but is currently "on loan" to the FBI unit there. He took up the bagpipes a few years ago and really enjoys playing them.
The 1st Lady is with her mother now.......will be in F'town for one day this week prior to flying back out here on Friday. Think she is enjoying herself...........
And so........as I said above, there is not much new with me. Tomorrow is supposed to bring more rain and still cooler temps, so it might not be toooo enjoyable outside........DAMN!!!! I love getting outside, even if only to ride my bike for an hour or so!!!!
And in doing just that.......or even not riding my bike.......
Life is GREAT.....and I hope it is for all of you, also!!!!
Sunday, February 18, 2007
Day 47: A day of rest.......
The day was one of clouds, some late afternoon sun, and temps in the upper 70's........all in all it was a great day for the middle of February!!!!
I found myself doing a bit of biking this morning, after I had consume some Fr. Roast coffee along with one of the hand-picked grapefruit from Texas and a hand picked orange from their also. Still soooooo good.....wonderful fruit! I then biked around the rv park....up and down each street TWICE....and returned feeling great. Such a great place to ride a bike!!!
This afternoon I spent on the patio......sitting in a patio chair and reading a book......and also playing as if I am an old man...with a few periods of nodding off into a very relaxed little nap. The day passed quickly with no effort from myself...........it was just a very quiet, relaxing day which I enjoyed thoroughly.
At 7pm......Mac and I went to the Clubhouse to play Trivia........different structure than the Trivia parties in F'Town....but very enjoyable!!!!!! Then a bit after 8pm we returned to his park model and Gail had prepared a delicious light dinner....with a WONDERFUL cake. Now......I am sooooo stuffed that I will never sleep well with soooo much good food inside my aging hulk.
Tomorrow is my time to cook.......have planned to cook jambalaya(sp.??). I have a good recipe that I have used many times........and probably have discussed it on this little blog before.
Sooooo.....you know .....this day was gone before I actually felt like I had even started it...HAHA! Am I complaining????? Hell no! It was the day AND a day of rest........
Life is Great....and I hope it is for all of you, also!!!!
I found myself doing a bit of biking this morning, after I had consume some Fr. Roast coffee along with one of the hand-picked grapefruit from Texas and a hand picked orange from their also. Still soooooo good.....wonderful fruit! I then biked around the rv park....up and down each street TWICE....and returned feeling great. Such a great place to ride a bike!!!
This afternoon I spent on the patio......sitting in a patio chair and reading a book......and also playing as if I am an old man...with a few periods of nodding off into a very relaxed little nap. The day passed quickly with no effort from myself...........it was just a very quiet, relaxing day which I enjoyed thoroughly.
At 7pm......Mac and I went to the Clubhouse to play Trivia........different structure than the Trivia parties in F'Town....but very enjoyable!!!!!! Then a bit after 8pm we returned to his park model and Gail had prepared a delicious light dinner....with a WONDERFUL cake. Now......I am sooooo stuffed that I will never sleep well with soooo much good food inside my aging hulk.
Tomorrow is my time to cook.......have planned to cook jambalaya(sp.??). I have a good recipe that I have used many times........and probably have discussed it on this little blog before.
Sooooo.....you know .....this day was gone before I actually felt like I had even started it...HAHA! Am I complaining????? Hell no! It was the day AND a day of rest........
Life is Great....and I hope it is for all of you, also!!!!
Saturday, February 17, 2007
Day 46: INCREDIBLE weather!!
Soooo, how many times can I try to tell how wonderful, incredible the weather has been out here for almost two week????? I am sure you are getting tired of reading the same thing.....for the month of January it was all about the rainy, dreary, cold weather of the Rio Grande Valley. NOW....it is about the fantastic weather here in the Sonora Desert, just outside of Casa Grande, AZ. Well......it is just difficult to describe the mornings, the evenings, and the hours between the two.......such outdoor type weather. Love it!!!
This morning......well, it went by during the process of awakening, having Fr. Roast coffee, and then heading to Casa Grande at noon. It just disappeared. I sat outside on the patio amidst my pots of purple and white pansies and studied/reviewed my Spanish.....as I had purchased a book yesterday in Phoenix at Barnes & Noble. Much of the pronunciation returned to me quickly, but the names, nouns, verbs, tenses.....well, now that is a very different story! But.....I'll get it done.....what else do I have to do, huh????
At noon I left the RV Park and headed a couple of miles south of Casa Grande to the Outlet Mall. And that was a wasted effort!! There were not any really good stores/bargains there that I could find. The best thing was that I walked the entire length of the strip-type mall from one to the other end...and back. I also am continuing with my record: three outlet malls since the 1st of January and I have not purchased one tiny item at any of them.....WOW!!!! Congrats, John!!!
Then I head west and up to Casa Grande, arriving at the back door of the town. It appears that there was some type of festival as there were small tent like structures/booths where many beautiful pieces of silver jewelry with many turquoise stones, as well as other Mexicano or Arizona stones inbedded into the silver. Some very stunning pieces were on sale......at STUNNING prices, also!!! WAY, WAY out of my price range!
From there I found the local Safeway store......and it is really a great store. A wonderful selection of wines......deli prepared foods, and many other wonderful food items which I have not seen at some of the other facilities that I have visited in the past 45 days. A nice market to shop in!
Then it was back to Sunscape RV Park. I had diced up some Roma tomatoes earlier this morning and sprinkled some salt on them to bring out their natural juices. Upon returning, I minced some fresh garlic and began a short infusion process into my extra virgin olive oil.....adding some dried basil, oregano, black pepper, and salt.....and then mixing it as thoroughly as I could without a small wisk. I then let it set for a couple of hours before .......a vehicle arrived in my driveway: Mac and Gail.....who had also been in Casa Grande at an eye appt. for him.
Inviting them to come on inside, I sliced up a baguette and we had the tiny slices of bread to dip into the infused olive oil and topped then with the salted Roma tomatoes. Hmmmmm... along with some dark red medicine as the evening approached, this little appetizer went down very easily. The perfect way to end a gorgeous day!
A bit later I carried some sliced fresh strawberries over to their park model and joined them for some very, very tasty tacos. These were followed by a sugared, fried tortilla.....Mexicano style from a Mexicano grocery store....along with my strawberries. A really nice meal to end this nearly perfect day!
And.....guess what???? Once again...
LIFE IS GREAT.....and I hope it is for all of you, also!!!!
This morning......well, it went by during the process of awakening, having Fr. Roast coffee, and then heading to Casa Grande at noon. It just disappeared. I sat outside on the patio amidst my pots of purple and white pansies and studied/reviewed my Spanish.....as I had purchased a book yesterday in Phoenix at Barnes & Noble. Much of the pronunciation returned to me quickly, but the names, nouns, verbs, tenses.....well, now that is a very different story! But.....I'll get it done.....what else do I have to do, huh????
At noon I left the RV Park and headed a couple of miles south of Casa Grande to the Outlet Mall. And that was a wasted effort!! There were not any really good stores/bargains there that I could find. The best thing was that I walked the entire length of the strip-type mall from one to the other end...and back. I also am continuing with my record: three outlet malls since the 1st of January and I have not purchased one tiny item at any of them.....WOW!!!! Congrats, John!!!
Then I head west and up to Casa Grande, arriving at the back door of the town. It appears that there was some type of festival as there were small tent like structures/booths where many beautiful pieces of silver jewelry with many turquoise stones, as well as other Mexicano or Arizona stones inbedded into the silver. Some very stunning pieces were on sale......at STUNNING prices, also!!! WAY, WAY out of my price range!
From there I found the local Safeway store......and it is really a great store. A wonderful selection of wines......deli prepared foods, and many other wonderful food items which I have not seen at some of the other facilities that I have visited in the past 45 days. A nice market to shop in!
Then it was back to Sunscape RV Park. I had diced up some Roma tomatoes earlier this morning and sprinkled some salt on them to bring out their natural juices. Upon returning, I minced some fresh garlic and began a short infusion process into my extra virgin olive oil.....adding some dried basil, oregano, black pepper, and salt.....and then mixing it as thoroughly as I could without a small wisk. I then let it set for a couple of hours before .......a vehicle arrived in my driveway: Mac and Gail.....who had also been in Casa Grande at an eye appt. for him.
Inviting them to come on inside, I sliced up a baguette and we had the tiny slices of bread to dip into the infused olive oil and topped then with the salted Roma tomatoes. Hmmmmm... along with some dark red medicine as the evening approached, this little appetizer went down very easily. The perfect way to end a gorgeous day!
A bit later I carried some sliced fresh strawberries over to their park model and joined them for some very, very tasty tacos. These were followed by a sugared, fried tortilla.....Mexicano style from a Mexicano grocery store....along with my strawberries. A really nice meal to end this nearly perfect day!
And.....guess what???? Once again...
LIFE IS GREAT.....and I hope it is for all of you, also!!!!
Friday, February 16, 2007
Day 45: Piled Pizza in Phoenix for lunch........
Oh my......I didn't have to be QUIET when I got up this morning.......the 1st Lady is not here to sleep in after I rise up from my horizontal position!!!!! She flew off to Misery(STL) yesterday and so I could groan and throw back the bedcovers and turn on the lights and flush the stool and...and...and... and not have to worry about her getting upset at me making sooooo much noise. AHHHHH.....it is the little things in Life that can be irritating to the other person you live with, isn't it???? HAHAHA!!!
Well, I had to be up and ready by 9am this morning as the Sunscape RV Park members were all .....well, not ALL.....eating at the "Organ Stop Pizza in the Mesa area of Phoenix.....in the eastern part of the city. So, Mac and Gail and I loaded up in their vehicle with this old sagging man here driving into the city for them. Took a little less than an hour to get there.....we took some very interesting "back roads" across the Sonora Desert into south Phoenix, but it was pretty much due north of the RV Park, rather than have to go west to I-10 and then north.
Arriving a wee bit early, we got in line with all of the rest of the "older folks".......THANK GOD I can't see myself because I STILL do not consider myself part of the "older folks"...refer back a few daily posts to my discussion on getting older. Anyway.......finally the place opened up for us......all 326 of us...or thereabouts. It reminded me of a "herd"(may be the wrong term) of sheep all being shoved and herded into the building going to slaughter, but in this case they/we were being shoved inside to the salad bar to get out salads. Did we have a choice to make.....? Well....our choice was the salad dressings....everything else was already prepared and into bowls for us old folks to pick up and carry to our tables. There were signs posted along the way that if we couldn't carry the tiny bowls they would assist us......oh yeah....we are getting old!
We were at the end of the line...almost....and so we found our selves going upstairs to the balcony area where there were ample tables. When finally seated, we were then told by the sheep herder(the pizza man) when we could go get our pizza. Welllllll......our provided dish for the pizza were no larger than saucers beneath a coffee cup!!!! Now really......just HOW MUCH pizza can one of those little saucers hold????? After eating our salads, we were then instructed as to how to go and get our pizza.......it was called "follow the lead sheep" as we were told to go behind the pizza men to the correct location where we would all be given our wonderous slices of pizza.
Well.....we rushed back to our tables after piling the pizza on these tiny saucers....and we began to look around the sheep barn. It was important that we eat quickly as many of the sheep needed to get their home stalls for their afternoon naps. In this large cavernous room....were all sorts of strange instruments and bells, and drums, and keyboards, and tubes, and other weird looking objects hanging from the ceiling. In the front of the room was this vacant space......but.....BUT....after being seated from receiving our piled pizza on the little saucers, this space began to rise up and from the lower depths of this place came this magnificent black and gold trimmed organ.....rising up like a volcano from the bottom of the sea! And.....seated at the organ was the organ player.......a gentleman who had received advanced degrees from various universities in organ performance. Being seated at this GRAND instrument he had hundreds of stops, keys, and four keyboards to make all of these strange hanging instruments from around the sheep barn issue forth with musical(?) sounds.
He continued for about an hour as we sheep chowed down on these little saucers of piled pizza....and some of us even re-piled pizza on these saucers after the first round of slices were consumed. The music???? Well........it was "age appropriate" for us aging sheep...and so most of us recognized the tunes from the middle of the last century that were performed by the maestro at the organ and we hummed and swayed to the vibrating beat of the organ.....too much vibrato was used for many of the tunes! The pizza???? Well.......let me just say that I do not believe that I would return to that particular place again to have pizza!!!!!
Following the "concert" and requests, the organ maestro and his magnificent black and gold organ slowly descended into the darkness below.........as all of the sheep oohed and ahhhed from the glorious sounds that he had presented to us during the hour of performance and piled pizza in Phoenix. And sooooo, another new experience in my long Life of experiences came to an end!! Was I fulfilled??? Was I filled???? Hmmmmm.............no comment.
Leaving the Organ Stop Pizza, we headed west to the shopping center in Chandler....and spent some time in Borders and in Barnes and Noble Bookstores. OF COURSE, I had to have my usual cappuccino while I perused the books and magazines ..........both of these places are such wonderful shops to become totally lost in......both mentally and physcially!
We returned to the RV Park and myself to TheHowserHouse around 5:30pm.......about 35 minutes from the shopping center. This evening I went to Mac and Gail's park model and we had ice cream while I presented more assistance in their valiant effort to become part of the technological 21st century with their new lappie. And....in the course of the evening.....I showed them to the area of the lappie where they could enjoy some games which are built in to the brain of their new little family member.
And sooooo.....another day in my ever-shortening Life has swiftly slipped away......and I am left with memories of this magnificent black and gold organ rising up and sinking from sight as we consumed piles and piles of pizza on little saucers.......all 326 of us "older folks"! And......as always.....
Life is GREAT!!!!.....and I hope it is for all of you, also!!!!
Well, I had to be up and ready by 9am this morning as the Sunscape RV Park members were all .....well, not ALL.....eating at the "Organ Stop Pizza in the Mesa area of Phoenix.....in the eastern part of the city. So, Mac and Gail and I loaded up in their vehicle with this old sagging man here driving into the city for them. Took a little less than an hour to get there.....we took some very interesting "back roads" across the Sonora Desert into south Phoenix, but it was pretty much due north of the RV Park, rather than have to go west to I-10 and then north.
Arriving a wee bit early, we got in line with all of the rest of the "older folks".......THANK GOD I can't see myself because I STILL do not consider myself part of the "older folks"...refer back a few daily posts to my discussion on getting older. Anyway.......finally the place opened up for us......all 326 of us...or thereabouts. It reminded me of a "herd"(may be the wrong term) of sheep all being shoved and herded into the building going to slaughter, but in this case they/we were being shoved inside to the salad bar to get out salads. Did we have a choice to make.....? Well....our choice was the salad dressings....everything else was already prepared and into bowls for us old folks to pick up and carry to our tables. There were signs posted along the way that if we couldn't carry the tiny bowls they would assist us......oh yeah....we are getting old!
We were at the end of the line...almost....and so we found our selves going upstairs to the balcony area where there were ample tables. When finally seated, we were then told by the sheep herder(the pizza man) when we could go get our pizza. Welllllll......our provided dish for the pizza were no larger than saucers beneath a coffee cup!!!! Now really......just HOW MUCH pizza can one of those little saucers hold????? After eating our salads, we were then instructed as to how to go and get our pizza.......it was called "follow the lead sheep" as we were told to go behind the pizza men to the correct location where we would all be given our wonderous slices of pizza.
Well.....we rushed back to our tables after piling the pizza on these tiny saucers....and we began to look around the sheep barn. It was important that we eat quickly as many of the sheep needed to get their home stalls for their afternoon naps. In this large cavernous room....were all sorts of strange instruments and bells, and drums, and keyboards, and tubes, and other weird looking objects hanging from the ceiling. In the front of the room was this vacant space......but.....BUT....after being seated from receiving our piled pizza on the little saucers, this space began to rise up and from the lower depths of this place came this magnificent black and gold trimmed organ.....rising up like a volcano from the bottom of the sea! And.....seated at the organ was the organ player.......a gentleman who had received advanced degrees from various universities in organ performance. Being seated at this GRAND instrument he had hundreds of stops, keys, and four keyboards to make all of these strange hanging instruments from around the sheep barn issue forth with musical(?) sounds.
He continued for about an hour as we sheep chowed down on these little saucers of piled pizza....and some of us even re-piled pizza on these saucers after the first round of slices were consumed. The music???? Well........it was "age appropriate" for us aging sheep...and so most of us recognized the tunes from the middle of the last century that were performed by the maestro at the organ and we hummed and swayed to the vibrating beat of the organ.....too much vibrato was used for many of the tunes! The pizza???? Well.......let me just say that I do not believe that I would return to that particular place again to have pizza!!!!!
Following the "concert" and requests, the organ maestro and his magnificent black and gold organ slowly descended into the darkness below.........as all of the sheep oohed and ahhhed from the glorious sounds that he had presented to us during the hour of performance and piled pizza in Phoenix. And sooooo, another new experience in my long Life of experiences came to an end!! Was I fulfilled??? Was I filled???? Hmmmmm.............no comment.
Leaving the Organ Stop Pizza, we headed west to the shopping center in Chandler....and spent some time in Borders and in Barnes and Noble Bookstores. OF COURSE, I had to have my usual cappuccino while I perused the books and magazines ..........both of these places are such wonderful shops to become totally lost in......both mentally and physcially!
We returned to the RV Park and myself to TheHowserHouse around 5:30pm.......about 35 minutes from the shopping center. This evening I went to Mac and Gail's park model and we had ice cream while I presented more assistance in their valiant effort to become part of the technological 21st century with their new lappie. And....in the course of the evening.....I showed them to the area of the lappie where they could enjoy some games which are built in to the brain of their new little family member.
And sooooo.....another day in my ever-shortening Life has swiftly slipped away......and I am left with memories of this magnificent black and gold organ rising up and sinking from sight as we consumed piles and piles of pizza on little saucers.......all 326 of us "older folks"! And......as always.....
Life is GREAT!!!!.....and I hope it is for all of you, also!!!!
Thursday, February 15, 2007
Day 44: 1st Lady leaves for "Granddaughter Fix"!!
Yep......we were up before 5 this morning and left a bit after 6 for Phoenix and the Sky Harbor International Airport. Traffic was pretty bad for the last 20 minutes or so....as it really slows down as the arteries feeding I-10 heading north just seem to make it soooo much more congested. As it was though, we were there in a little over an hour and the 1st Lady was checked in and ready for some hot tea.
I parked the truck, took the shuttle, and met her inside Terminal 4 at the Starbucks shop. Does that surprise you.....hahaha!! After she went on thru Security and down the concourse, I stayed there with my trusty lappie......and read the newspapers while the traffic sorted it's self out on the highways. I then found a Border's Bookstore....and remained there for some time....more than I thought.....as I can never find the door when I get into a big bookstore.
Arrived back at TheHowserHouse early afternoon......and then just hit the bed as I was really tired.....exhausted. Slept tooooo long and then have had difficulty waking up.
Guess we will not have any new pictures during the next week as the 1st Lady took the camera with her.....sniff, sniff, sniff!!!! Means I will have to do a better job of describing what I see and do....!
Well.....no grand thoughts, no soapbox stands tonight, no philosophical sayings.......just a quick little report for today. We are fast sneaking up on 50 days of our journey!!!!
Life is Great....and I hope it is for all of you, also!!!
I parked the truck, took the shuttle, and met her inside Terminal 4 at the Starbucks shop. Does that surprise you.....hahaha!! After she went on thru Security and down the concourse, I stayed there with my trusty lappie......and read the newspapers while the traffic sorted it's self out on the highways. I then found a Border's Bookstore....and remained there for some time....more than I thought.....as I can never find the door when I get into a big bookstore.
Arrived back at TheHowserHouse early afternoon......and then just hit the bed as I was really tired.....exhausted. Slept tooooo long and then have had difficulty waking up.
Guess we will not have any new pictures during the next week as the 1st Lady took the camera with her.....sniff, sniff, sniff!!!! Means I will have to do a better job of describing what I see and do....!
Well.....no grand thoughts, no soapbox stands tonight, no philosophical sayings.......just a quick little report for today. We are fast sneaking up on 50 days of our journey!!!!
Life is Great....and I hope it is for all of you, also!!!
Wednesday, February 14, 2007
Day 43: Valentine's Day
AHHHH......the day all florists live for......the day they make/take soooooo much of our hard earned $$$$$. In the past I always gave some of my $$$ to a florist, but this year I decided not to do this. I always sent a dozen red roses to the 1st Lady but after hearing the news stations in Phoenix and Tucson talking about the 30-40% increase THIS week in roses........insteadof around $80 for a dozen....they would this year cost close to $120 for a dozen ($10 per rose!!!).......I told the 1st Lady that I would not spend that much on a few flowers that would not last but a couple of days. AND......with her flying to Missouri tomorrow to spend a few days of weather "Misery" as she gets her granddaughter fix....she couldn't enjoy them for more than one day.
And....she agreed.
Besides, Mac and Gail, ourselves, and 5 other couples who winter out here had decided that we would run into Phoenix and eat at the Red Lobster to celebrate this day. The 1st Lady did go to two hours of line dancing classes this morning......and then we just hung out waiting for 2pm.....and then I drove Mac and Gail up to Chandler......a "suburb" in the south of Phoenix.
We had a GRAND time......with everyone in a festive mood. A table for all 14 was ready by the time everbody had arrived........and the two servers who were assigned to us did a super job at the never-ending tasks of taking care of us. I ordered the Alaskan King Crab Legs......1.5 pounds of wonderfully prepared crab legs......the meat was perfect and the natural sweetness of it was still very prominent despite the hot, salty drawn butter into which I dipped each succulent bite. WOW.....I have not had crab legs THAT GOOD for several years!!!! Oftentimes they are overcooked or just plain mushy.....but not today......ummmm good! It was an "excellent choice".
We returned to Sunscape RV Park and TheHowserHouse by 7pm.......after driving a few extra miles to purchase some diesel fuel.....$2.45 per gallon......and it was selling in the Casa Grande area for $2.53. And....I got an extra penny off of each gallon's price as I have a Flying J Card which gives discounts on fuel, food, etc. This last tank of gas brought me 17 miles per gallon...and that was also while I was towing the last 150 miles into Casa Grande........of course, we were coming down in altitude which helped with the better mileage.....and I have only driven on flat, desert highways for the last 270 miles of that same tank full. Outside of this tank, I have averaged around 9.5 gallons to the mile as I towed TheHowserHouse from southeast Missouri to the Rio Grande Valley and then out here to Arizona.
Well.....from somewhere we are on the receiving end of a rather quick and suprisingly hard rain storm.......and with the winds howling across the desert, I quickly ran outside and put the flower pots full of petunias that were on our drink tables onto the concrete patio to keep them from being blown over. The rain sounds nice as it makes interesting rhythms on the rubber roof of TheHowserHouse.......good for sleeping.
And speaking of sleeping I am going to bring this to a close as I must get my sagging ass out of the horizontal position at 5AM in the morning so that we can fight the horrendous traffic into the center of Phoenix where Sky Harbor International Airport is located. It is a wonderful facility.....as I have flow in and out of there four times in the past four years as I visited out here each winter. The website for Sky Harbor is really, really wonderful.....and so user-friendly!!!!! What a joy it has been to use this website as we prepare to go up there in the early, early morning!!!
OK...... A VERY HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY TO EVERYONE!!!!!! And....as always......
Life is GREAT.....and I hope it is for all of you, also!!!!
And....she agreed.
Besides, Mac and Gail, ourselves, and 5 other couples who winter out here had decided that we would run into Phoenix and eat at the Red Lobster to celebrate this day. The 1st Lady did go to two hours of line dancing classes this morning......and then we just hung out waiting for 2pm.....and then I drove Mac and Gail up to Chandler......a "suburb" in the south of Phoenix.
We had a GRAND time......with everyone in a festive mood. A table for all 14 was ready by the time everbody had arrived........and the two servers who were assigned to us did a super job at the never-ending tasks of taking care of us. I ordered the Alaskan King Crab Legs......1.5 pounds of wonderfully prepared crab legs......the meat was perfect and the natural sweetness of it was still very prominent despite the hot, salty drawn butter into which I dipped each succulent bite. WOW.....I have not had crab legs THAT GOOD for several years!!!! Oftentimes they are overcooked or just plain mushy.....but not today......ummmm good! It was an "excellent choice".
We returned to Sunscape RV Park and TheHowserHouse by 7pm.......after driving a few extra miles to purchase some diesel fuel.....$2.45 per gallon......and it was selling in the Casa Grande area for $2.53. And....I got an extra penny off of each gallon's price as I have a Flying J Card which gives discounts on fuel, food, etc. This last tank of gas brought me 17 miles per gallon...and that was also while I was towing the last 150 miles into Casa Grande........of course, we were coming down in altitude which helped with the better mileage.....and I have only driven on flat, desert highways for the last 270 miles of that same tank full. Outside of this tank, I have averaged around 9.5 gallons to the mile as I towed TheHowserHouse from southeast Missouri to the Rio Grande Valley and then out here to Arizona.
Well.....from somewhere we are on the receiving end of a rather quick and suprisingly hard rain storm.......and with the winds howling across the desert, I quickly ran outside and put the flower pots full of petunias that were on our drink tables onto the concrete patio to keep them from being blown over. The rain sounds nice as it makes interesting rhythms on the rubber roof of TheHowserHouse.......good for sleeping.
And speaking of sleeping I am going to bring this to a close as I must get my sagging ass out of the horizontal position at 5AM in the morning so that we can fight the horrendous traffic into the center of Phoenix where Sky Harbor International Airport is located. It is a wonderful facility.....as I have flow in and out of there four times in the past four years as I visited out here each winter. The website for Sky Harbor is really, really wonderful.....and so user-friendly!!!!! What a joy it has been to use this website as we prepare to go up there in the early, early morning!!!
OK...... A VERY HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY TO EVERYONE!!!!!! And....as always......
Life is GREAT.....and I hope it is for all of you, also!!!!
Tuesday, February 13, 2007
Day 42(6 weeks); Not much happening........
A spot of rain last night......and about every 2-3 hours today the broken clouds healed themselves by coming together and dropping a few more raindrops on us. A bit of wind today.....and then it would whisk away the clouds to allow the sun to shine down upon us for a small amount of time.....what kind of English is "down upon"???? Is that a contradiction? Oh well......
And so, we just rather hung out around here today. This afternoon I help Mac and Gail in their pursuit of learning how to use a computer/lappie........and things ARE progressing. I keep trying to remember back about 10 years to when I was working at understanding just how to open windows, press delete keys, etc., etc. and then get the damn thing turned off! WOW......how things have changed in 10 years!!!!!!!!
Now I have a TIVO.....two laptops......one desktop pc.......satellite radio.....a 42" plasma tv.....two DVD players......3 outdated and almost useless VCRs........a digital camera......a scanner/copier/fax/photo printer.......a printer for TheHowserHouse.....surround sound in TheHowserHouse........two cell phones.......6 land phones in the stick/brick.......2 walkie-talkies in TheHowserHouse and who knows what else!!!! THINGS HAVE CHANGED IN 10 YEARS!!!!!
Hmmmmm......as I review the "list" above......my thoughts are churning......am I really....REALLY...better off with all of those technological gadgets?????? To answer that.....well, I will just have to think for awhile.......
American Idol: THANK GOD we were not subjected to the auditions in the various cities again tonight!!!!! I really believe that is all staged and planned for the tellie audience's ratings......there is NO WAY that some of those would make it through several levels of the auditions to make it to perform(???) in front of Simon, Paula, and Randy.
Today????: relaxing was the word of the day........and with that, as you know.......
Life is Great......and I hope it is for all of you, also!!!
And so, we just rather hung out around here today. This afternoon I help Mac and Gail in their pursuit of learning how to use a computer/lappie........and things ARE progressing. I keep trying to remember back about 10 years to when I was working at understanding just how to open windows, press delete keys, etc., etc. and then get the damn thing turned off! WOW......how things have changed in 10 years!!!!!!!!
Now I have a TIVO.....two laptops......one desktop pc.......satellite radio.....a 42" plasma tv.....two DVD players......3 outdated and almost useless VCRs........a digital camera......a scanner/copier/fax/photo printer.......a printer for TheHowserHouse.....surround sound in TheHowserHouse........two cell phones.......6 land phones in the stick/brick.......2 walkie-talkies in TheHowserHouse and who knows what else!!!! THINGS HAVE CHANGED IN 10 YEARS!!!!!
Hmmmmm......as I review the "list" above......my thoughts are churning......am I really....REALLY...better off with all of those technological gadgets?????? To answer that.....well, I will just have to think for awhile.......
American Idol: THANK GOD we were not subjected to the auditions in the various cities again tonight!!!!! I really believe that is all staged and planned for the tellie audience's ratings......there is NO WAY that some of those would make it through several levels of the auditions to make it to perform(???) in front of Simon, Paula, and Randy.
Today????: relaxing was the word of the day........and with that, as you know.......
Life is Great......and I hope it is for all of you, also!!!
Monday, February 12, 2007
Day 41: How did it get to be EVENING????????
It was a bit cooler this morning when I came down stairs and turned on the coffee maker......chilly enough that I switched on the fireplace to warm up the den. The sun began to rise quickly....and soon TheHowserHouse felt the full effects of the warming globe of gas in the sky.
The 1st Lady was up and gone for two hours this morning to the line dancing classes held at the Clubhouse. While she was gone......I sat out on the patio with my second cup of Fr. Roast....and then when Mac and Gail were up, I hopped across the fence and sat on their porch for awhile "shooting the shit" with them. When the 1st Lady returned.......well, she did another load of laundry and me.....well?????.....not certain what I DID do, but probably wasn't anything very important.
As I have often said before......these wonderful, beautiful days in the desert just have some uncanny way of slipping by soooooo damn quickly......I just cannot begin to understand how disappear so rapidly!! Is it the lack of responsibility that I have acquired with retirement and now living, albeit temporarily, in an 55+ community???? Is it the lack of daily commitments that I have evolved into as we live out here for the winter????? Do I really miss any or all of these commitments and responsibilities???? HELL NO!!!! I honestly believe that my bp has probably dropped quite a bit with this very casual, relaxed style of Life.........I haven't had on a pair of slacks or dress shoes since...........shit, I can't even remember when I did "dress up"!!!! And.......does this bother me.......HA!! What do you think?????? As I have said ever since I walked out of the h.s. band room that last day...........it is NOT retirement, but it is rebirth!!
Now that is not to say that I don't miss being with young adults......even high school kids. I still love talking with them.....and still, as I always did for thirty years of teaching,.....I still learn from them! But........I am now soooo much more involved with older adults......retired senior citizens.....and it is a new experience.......one that is very enjoyable......and an experience is something we learn from....and I CERTAINLY am learning these days.
I still have lots of BIG thoughts and dreams of the things I want to accomplish.....to see. Oh yeah......THAT never leaves my mind. Remember.......what I have always said:
IF YOU DON'T THINK BIG.......NOTHING BIG WILL EVER HAPPEN!!
And.....I do think Big!
Well.....how the Hell did I get onto a soapbox and began to rant around.......above???? Good God.....is this my age showing????? Hmmmmm.......now that's a thought!
Anyway......the 1st Lady ran into town to pick up some items to cook for a light supper tonight.....to serve to Mac and Gail....as he had to go to the Dr. for a rather ....ummmm....personal examination. Still trying to learn about Parkinson's.....it's effects....and how to live a daily and active lifestyle with the onset of this disease.....which is progressing. This will be a new journey for him and Gail........and a new journey for me as I stand by the "road" and watch him go down that road ......to what, we don't know.
And soooooo, after a wonderful day to be alive..........
Life IS GREAT!!!!.....and I hope it is for all of you, also!!!
The 1st Lady was up and gone for two hours this morning to the line dancing classes held at the Clubhouse. While she was gone......I sat out on the patio with my second cup of Fr. Roast....and then when Mac and Gail were up, I hopped across the fence and sat on their porch for awhile "shooting the shit" with them. When the 1st Lady returned.......well, she did another load of laundry and me.....well?????.....not certain what I DID do, but probably wasn't anything very important.
As I have often said before......these wonderful, beautiful days in the desert just have some uncanny way of slipping by soooooo damn quickly......I just cannot begin to understand how disappear so rapidly!! Is it the lack of responsibility that I have acquired with retirement and now living, albeit temporarily, in an 55+ community???? Is it the lack of daily commitments that I have evolved into as we live out here for the winter????? Do I really miss any or all of these commitments and responsibilities???? HELL NO!!!! I honestly believe that my bp has probably dropped quite a bit with this very casual, relaxed style of Life.........I haven't had on a pair of slacks or dress shoes since...........shit, I can't even remember when I did "dress up"!!!! And.......does this bother me.......HA!! What do you think?????? As I have said ever since I walked out of the h.s. band room that last day...........it is NOT retirement, but it is rebirth!!
Now that is not to say that I don't miss being with young adults......even high school kids. I still love talking with them.....and still, as I always did for thirty years of teaching,.....I still learn from them! But........I am now soooo much more involved with older adults......retired senior citizens.....and it is a new experience.......one that is very enjoyable......and an experience is something we learn from....and I CERTAINLY am learning these days.
I still have lots of BIG thoughts and dreams of the things I want to accomplish.....to see. Oh yeah......THAT never leaves my mind. Remember.......what I have always said:
IF YOU DON'T THINK BIG.......NOTHING BIG WILL EVER HAPPEN!!
And.....I do think Big!
Well.....how the Hell did I get onto a soapbox and began to rant around.......above???? Good God.....is this my age showing????? Hmmmmm.......now that's a thought!
Anyway......the 1st Lady ran into town to pick up some items to cook for a light supper tonight.....to serve to Mac and Gail....as he had to go to the Dr. for a rather ....ummmm....personal examination. Still trying to learn about Parkinson's.....it's effects....and how to live a daily and active lifestyle with the onset of this disease.....which is progressing. This will be a new journey for him and Gail........and a new journey for me as I stand by the "road" and watch him go down that road ......to what, we don't know.
And soooooo, after a wonderful day to be alive..........
Life IS GREAT!!!!.....and I hope it is for all of you, also!!!
Sunday, February 11, 2007
Day 40!!: A lazy, warm Sunday......
AHHHH......what a nice warm and somewhat cloudy Sunday. My body rose from the horizontal postion about 7 this morning......turned on the coffee maker....and soon the wonderful aromatic French Roast coffee was dripping into the coffee pot.....and just as quickly I had a cup and began enjoying the first cup of the day.
About 7:40 I turned the tellie on and to my surprise....."Meet the Press" was almost over!!!! Never gave a thought that it would run at this early hour, rather than at 8am like it is at the stick and brick. But.....did catch a little of the discussions........
After the 1st Lady was up....and had had her tea, she decided to do some laundry. I began the task of unpacking and installing our new HP printer/scanner/fax machine. WOW....it IS larger than I expected and quite a bit heavier......but it seems to have soooooooo many bells and whistles that I am certain it has a mind of its own......just like my lappie!!! UGH!!! The manual of instructions is almost as thick as a fictional novel like the 1st Lady is always reading.
It took about 27 minutes to install the printer onto my lappie.......and then I tried the scanner, and the printer and they work very well. Next I will work with all of the photo printing possibilities.....and hopefully get so that I can understand just how it is all done!! WHEW!!! (Don't forget that this old aging hulk is technologically challenged!)
I did some various tasks around TheHowserHouse as the day wore on.......and then the 1st Lady and I took a bike ride down each street in the RV Park.....and then rode out the gate and down the road to a new subdivision and went through all of the streets there. Rode for about 45 minutes......
Then it was hurry, hurry to get some things prepared to take to Mac and Gail's for dinner with them. We had a great meal....and conversations touching on many subjects. Afterwards, Mac and I went to the Library so he could begin to understand how to access the internet and use the various options. He will soon be ready for the 21st Century!!!!!!!
And so.....it is raining off and on.......as predicted. Will be a bit cooler tomorrow....might have to find my jeans as I have worn shorts since we arrived last Monday afternoon!!!!
Nevertheless............
Life is GREAT.....and I hope it is for all of you, also!!!!
About 7:40 I turned the tellie on and to my surprise....."Meet the Press" was almost over!!!! Never gave a thought that it would run at this early hour, rather than at 8am like it is at the stick and brick. But.....did catch a little of the discussions........
After the 1st Lady was up....and had had her tea, she decided to do some laundry. I began the task of unpacking and installing our new HP printer/scanner/fax machine. WOW....it IS larger than I expected and quite a bit heavier......but it seems to have soooooooo many bells and whistles that I am certain it has a mind of its own......just like my lappie!!! UGH!!! The manual of instructions is almost as thick as a fictional novel like the 1st Lady is always reading.
It took about 27 minutes to install the printer onto my lappie.......and then I tried the scanner, and the printer and they work very well. Next I will work with all of the photo printing possibilities.....and hopefully get so that I can understand just how it is all done!! WHEW!!! (Don't forget that this old aging hulk is technologically challenged!)
I did some various tasks around TheHowserHouse as the day wore on.......and then the 1st Lady and I took a bike ride down each street in the RV Park.....and then rode out the gate and down the road to a new subdivision and went through all of the streets there. Rode for about 45 minutes......
Then it was hurry, hurry to get some things prepared to take to Mac and Gail's for dinner with them. We had a great meal....and conversations touching on many subjects. Afterwards, Mac and I went to the Library so he could begin to understand how to access the internet and use the various options. He will soon be ready for the 21st Century!!!!!!!
And so.....it is raining off and on.......as predicted. Will be a bit cooler tomorrow....might have to find my jeans as I have worn shorts since we arrived last Monday afternoon!!!!
Nevertheless............
Life is GREAT.....and I hope it is for all of you, also!!!!
Saturday, February 10, 2007
Day 39: Fantastic Friends and Fabulous Vistas!!
The 1st Lady and I were up, Fr. Roast coffee and hot tea, and on the road by 9am this morning as we headed north by northeast to Apache Junction......an eastern suburb of Phoenix and Mesa. There we pulled into Gold Canyon RV Resort at 10am....and soon found ourselves being greeted by two Cedar Creek RV Owners Club members.....Jim and Judy Watters. They are residing in the Resort for two months in their Cedar Creek 5'er.
We enjoyed coffee and lots and lots of talk and rv comparisons in their rv......and it is the same model as TheHowserHouse, but one year newer. Then we decided to head up into the mountains to Tortilla Flats for a bite of lunch. Well..........
The desert mountains were absolutely gorgeous!!!!!!! I will post pics BUT.....they do not show the magnificent colors as the sun was just high in the sky and did not allow for good and accurate color photos. We made a couple of viewing and walking stops along the way. At Tortilla Flats.....an really interesting little "village" we managed to be seated at the cafe there in about 20 minutes......and had some wonderful hamburgers!!!!! REALLY YUMMY!!! Then it was on up the mts. and as the paved road gave way to crunchy gravel, the hairpins became sharper and road much steeper as we climbed up and and up until we were able to look down into Fish Creek Canyon. WOW...........such a view on such a beautiful day here in Arizona!
We had many laughs, a few squeals from the 1st Lady as we rounded hairpin corners where no line of sight around the mt. was available and with only steep drop-offs along the gravel road.....AND no barriers. But.....THE COLORS.....of the cliffs, the distant mountains, and incredible sky just brought the vistas and views alive! WOW!!!!
Returning to the RV Resort and Jim and Judy's Cedar Creek, we took our leave for TheHowserHouse and a prior commitment that had to be kept. It was SOOOOOOOOOO GREAT to spend time with such a lovely couple (who just 2 weeks ago celebrated their 50th anniversary!!)......and to renew the friendship we made a year ago. We are looking forward to seeing them again in June at the Wisconsin Dells when we have our 2nd International Cedar Creek RV Owners Club Rally!!!!!!
Me......tonight????? Well, we are a bit tired......but it is a "good tired" from walking in the mountains......enjoying a delightful lunch in a very unique cafe.....and having such a great time with friends!!!! How can it be anything but.......
LIFE IS GREAT!!!!!.....and I hope it is for all of you, also!!!!!
We enjoyed coffee and lots and lots of talk and rv comparisons in their rv......and it is the same model as TheHowserHouse, but one year newer. Then we decided to head up into the mountains to Tortilla Flats for a bite of lunch. Well..........
The desert mountains were absolutely gorgeous!!!!!!! I will post pics BUT.....they do not show the magnificent colors as the sun was just high in the sky and did not allow for good and accurate color photos. We made a couple of viewing and walking stops along the way. At Tortilla Flats.....an really interesting little "village" we managed to be seated at the cafe there in about 20 minutes......and had some wonderful hamburgers!!!!! REALLY YUMMY!!! Then it was on up the mts. and as the paved road gave way to crunchy gravel, the hairpins became sharper and road much steeper as we climbed up and and up until we were able to look down into Fish Creek Canyon. WOW...........such a view on such a beautiful day here in Arizona!
We had many laughs, a few squeals from the 1st Lady as we rounded hairpin corners where no line of sight around the mt. was available and with only steep drop-offs along the gravel road.....AND no barriers. But.....THE COLORS.....of the cliffs, the distant mountains, and incredible sky just brought the vistas and views alive! WOW!!!!
Returning to the RV Resort and Jim and Judy's Cedar Creek, we took our leave for TheHowserHouse and a prior commitment that had to be kept. It was SOOOOOOOOOO GREAT to spend time with such a lovely couple (who just 2 weeks ago celebrated their 50th anniversary!!)......and to renew the friendship we made a year ago. We are looking forward to seeing them again in June at the Wisconsin Dells when we have our 2nd International Cedar Creek RV Owners Club Rally!!!!!!
Me......tonight????? Well, we are a bit tired......but it is a "good tired" from walking in the mountains......enjoying a delightful lunch in a very unique cafe.....and having such a great time with friends!!!! How can it be anything but.......
LIFE IS GREAT!!!!!.....and I hope it is for all of you, also!!!!!
Friday, February 09, 2007
Day 38: EVERYDAY here seems to be beautiful!!
OH YEAH....another great weather day!!!! Honestly, I am not at all certain where this day disappeared to........it just did!!
After my French Roast coffee on the patio........the morning was soon gone. Did a bit of research online on a couple of topics.....and then the 1st Lady and I went into town. MY God.....but there is a large amount of traffic in a this town of 24,000!!!! And....it makes it take forever to get through from end to another. We stopped at several stores, including Home Depot where I purchased a few Pansies to plant in a couple of pots for around the patio. Then I took the dirty truck to a car wash.......and got it washed, not properly.....but it does look better than this morning.....and looks better than after I finished washing it when I was in the RGV.
We then head to the Supermart........and purchased a few necessities. Isn't everything that is in Walmart a "necessity"?????? We returned to TheHowserHouse and before I could turn around twice, it was time for our 5pm dinner at Mac and Gail's home. AHHHHH........a fresh mixed salad, a HUGE cassrole of Lasagne, and some incredible garlic bread. Gail is a master at Italian cooking.....and it is always a wonderful pleasure to eat some of her cuisine!!!!
The ladies soon disappeared for some card playing and Mac and I sat down so I could begin showing him how to use his BRAND NEW computer!!!!! Since it has Windows Vista on it, I was a bit lost at first........but we spent two hours on the pc and he is beginning to understand some of the quirks, etc., etc of using one. He will have access to Wifi internet service by Monday evening, so that will add a new dimension to this task.
It is now going on 9pm.....and we do have to get up and going early in the morning. We are headed up to the Phoenix metro area.....on the east side by Mesa.....to visit friends and have lunch with them: Jim and Judy Watters......members of our Cedar Creek RV Owners Club from the Chicago area who are wintering at a large RV Park east of Mesa. It will be fun to visit with them........we were last together last spring in Memphis, TN at the International Cedar Creek RV Owners Club Rally.
Didn't take any pics today......I know that they somehow didn't get online last night, even though this site told me they had been published. Oh well.....they are below this post.
And........what do you think..........while it is soooo wonderful out here.....
LIFE IS GREAT......and I hope it is for all of you, also!!!!
After my French Roast coffee on the patio........the morning was soon gone. Did a bit of research online on a couple of topics.....and then the 1st Lady and I went into town. MY God.....but there is a large amount of traffic in a this town of 24,000!!!! And....it makes it take forever to get through from end to another. We stopped at several stores, including Home Depot where I purchased a few Pansies to plant in a couple of pots for around the patio. Then I took the dirty truck to a car wash.......and got it washed, not properly.....but it does look better than this morning.....and looks better than after I finished washing it when I was in the RGV.
We then head to the Supermart........and purchased a few necessities. Isn't everything that is in Walmart a "necessity"?????? We returned to TheHowserHouse and before I could turn around twice, it was time for our 5pm dinner at Mac and Gail's home. AHHHHH........a fresh mixed salad, a HUGE cassrole of Lasagne, and some incredible garlic bread. Gail is a master at Italian cooking.....and it is always a wonderful pleasure to eat some of her cuisine!!!!
The ladies soon disappeared for some card playing and Mac and I sat down so I could begin showing him how to use his BRAND NEW computer!!!!! Since it has Windows Vista on it, I was a bit lost at first........but we spent two hours on the pc and he is beginning to understand some of the quirks, etc., etc of using one. He will have access to Wifi internet service by Monday evening, so that will add a new dimension to this task.
It is now going on 9pm.....and we do have to get up and going early in the morning. We are headed up to the Phoenix metro area.....on the east side by Mesa.....to visit friends and have lunch with them: Jim and Judy Watters......members of our Cedar Creek RV Owners Club from the Chicago area who are wintering at a large RV Park east of Mesa. It will be fun to visit with them........we were last together last spring in Memphis, TN at the International Cedar Creek RV Owners Club Rally.
Didn't take any pics today......I know that they somehow didn't get online last night, even though this site told me they had been published. Oh well.....they are below this post.
And........what do you think..........while it is soooo wonderful out here.....
LIFE IS GREAT......and I hope it is for all of you, also!!!!
Thursday, February 08, 2007
Day 37: Laptop shopping and debugging TheHowserHouse
ANOTHER FANTASTIC DAY!!!!!! A beautiful sunrise......a great cup of French Roast coffee......and the dry, clear atmosphere out here in the desert made the start of today just perfect!!! By the middle of the afternoon the temps had reached 86 degrees here.....and WOW.....what more could you ask for on Feb 8th????
This morning, Mac and I discussed laptops......places to buy one....costs....things that he wants to do on a laptop....etc, etc.,etc. Soooooo, we decided to head to town around noon. The 1st Lady had fixed a great breakfast this morning: hot biscuits, bacon and eggs, and of course, to start off with: fresh grapefruit which we hand-picked in Texas.
For the past few days we have noticed what looks like very fine saw dust under and around our dining room table. Well.....upon further inspection, I discovered that the table top base on one side had many, many tiny holes in it!!!! Looking further we discovered a couple of tiny, tiny dark long bugs.....and began to think that they must be the wood eaters. NOT termites, but not certain what they are/were!!!!!! So before we headed into town, we removed all the food items, all the pots and pans, all the dishes and other eating utensils and eating items.......and then closed up TheHowserHouse, turned off the batteries, unhooked the electrical umbilical cord, and turned off the propane.....and then we set off a "bug bomb". We had to be out of the place for a minimum of two hours which worked out fine for our trip to town.
In Casa Grande we went first to Office Max.........and after much discussion, questions and answers, etc., the 1st Lady and I purchased a new scanner/fax/printer........one that we can make pictures from negatives AND SLIDES. Well......I have thousands of slides from the past 40 years, so this will be fun to make some of the into pics.
Mac and Gail found a laptop that has the specs on it that they like and want......and so may run back into town tomorrow to purchase it. It is a 17" screen with a built-in camera for sending out live broadcasts to those that have a pc that is capable of getting the live picture.
We made a quick stop at the Supermart......and then headed for the RV Park. When we returned.....the aroma in TheHowserHouse was pretty bad, so I turned on the Fantastic Fan....the A/C....and opened the windows. Before long most of the odor was gone, BUT.....then there was the tasks of cleaning the kitchen, we decided to go ahead and be safe, and we washed all of the dishes, etc., etc......and then returned the canned goods and boxed goods to their proper shelves and cabinets. There WERE many of those tiny little wood eaters lying in repose on the carpet under the table........and I hope that we debugged the entire HowerHouse completely. Time will tell........
We went to Mac and Gail's for wine and cheese, and other goodies for supper......just a really light little repast. I opened the bottle of Cabernet Sauvignon....St. Genevieve.....that we purchased in Ft. Stockton, TX. The advertising states that it is the LARGEST winery in Texas. Well, it might be the LARGEST.......but it is not the #1 wine I'm certain. Very little depth in the flavor.......the color was toooo light......and the bouquet was just not what a quality wine should have!!!!! Glad it didn't cost me an arm and a leg.......in fact, it was less than $5.....purchased at the local market in Ft. Stockton, where it is made.
Soooooo, another great day.......(minus the wine quality).........and the plans are being finalized for the next couple of days. Saturday we are going to join friends from the Cedar Creek RV Owners Club who are spending the winter just east of Phoenix in an RV Park there........and we are going to meet for lunch and some good conversation. I'm really looking forward to the time we will have together!!!!
Guess what??????? With another great day.......how could it be anything BUT.....
Life IS GREAT......and I hope it is for all of you, also!!!!!!
This morning, Mac and I discussed laptops......places to buy one....costs....things that he wants to do on a laptop....etc, etc.,etc. Soooooo, we decided to head to town around noon. The 1st Lady had fixed a great breakfast this morning: hot biscuits, bacon and eggs, and of course, to start off with: fresh grapefruit which we hand-picked in Texas.
For the past few days we have noticed what looks like very fine saw dust under and around our dining room table. Well.....upon further inspection, I discovered that the table top base on one side had many, many tiny holes in it!!!! Looking further we discovered a couple of tiny, tiny dark long bugs.....and began to think that they must be the wood eaters. NOT termites, but not certain what they are/were!!!!!! So before we headed into town, we removed all the food items, all the pots and pans, all the dishes and other eating utensils and eating items.......and then closed up TheHowserHouse, turned off the batteries, unhooked the electrical umbilical cord, and turned off the propane.....and then we set off a "bug bomb". We had to be out of the place for a minimum of two hours which worked out fine for our trip to town.
In Casa Grande we went first to Office Max.........and after much discussion, questions and answers, etc., the 1st Lady and I purchased a new scanner/fax/printer........one that we can make pictures from negatives AND SLIDES. Well......I have thousands of slides from the past 40 years, so this will be fun to make some of the into pics.
Mac and Gail found a laptop that has the specs on it that they like and want......and so may run back into town tomorrow to purchase it. It is a 17" screen with a built-in camera for sending out live broadcasts to those that have a pc that is capable of getting the live picture.
We made a quick stop at the Supermart......and then headed for the RV Park. When we returned.....the aroma in TheHowserHouse was pretty bad, so I turned on the Fantastic Fan....the A/C....and opened the windows. Before long most of the odor was gone, BUT.....then there was the tasks of cleaning the kitchen, we decided to go ahead and be safe, and we washed all of the dishes, etc., etc......and then returned the canned goods and boxed goods to their proper shelves and cabinets. There WERE many of those tiny little wood eaters lying in repose on the carpet under the table........and I hope that we debugged the entire HowerHouse completely. Time will tell........
We went to Mac and Gail's for wine and cheese, and other goodies for supper......just a really light little repast. I opened the bottle of Cabernet Sauvignon....St. Genevieve.....that we purchased in Ft. Stockton, TX. The advertising states that it is the LARGEST winery in Texas. Well, it might be the LARGEST.......but it is not the #1 wine I'm certain. Very little depth in the flavor.......the color was toooo light......and the bouquet was just not what a quality wine should have!!!!! Glad it didn't cost me an arm and a leg.......in fact, it was less than $5.....purchased at the local market in Ft. Stockton, where it is made.
Soooooo, another great day.......(minus the wine quality).........and the plans are being finalized for the next couple of days. Saturday we are going to join friends from the Cedar Creek RV Owners Club who are spending the winter just east of Phoenix in an RV Park there........and we are going to meet for lunch and some good conversation. I'm really looking forward to the time we will have together!!!!
Guess what??????? With another great day.......how could it be anything BUT.....
Life IS GREAT......and I hope it is for all of you, also!!!!!!
Wednesday, February 07, 2007
Day 36: Keep these FANTASTIC days coming!!!!!
BEAUTIFUL Arizona weather…….again, again!!!!! When that bright sun rises….the warmth immediately is felt……and the cloudless sky becomes even a brighter blue with each passing hour. It is sooooo great to have that deep, dark French Roast coffee on the patio in an atmosphere of very little, if even any, humidity……and such incredible temperatures.
Soooo…..how did this day progress?????? Well, the 1st Lady was up and left TheHowserHouse by 8:45 AM this monring to go where??? LINE DANCING!!!! Oh yeah….she checked the resort schedule and found that there was a class meeting at 9 this morning, and so out she went……climbed onto her bike….and rode away to the Clubhouse.
Me??? Well………since the Wifi here sucks big time……absolutely unavailable to those who don’t pay the $30 per month….UNLESS, you take your own lappie to the Library or to the Clubhouse where there IS free Wifi. And so….that is what I did. Checked out the email, the newspapers, the weather in F’town, and in the RGV in Texas. Then…..
The 1st Lady returned and quickly got ready to go to lunch with a group of other ladies who are all friends with Mac and Gail……our friends. Soooo, I just hung out around TheHowserHouse……talked with some other people from Missouri…..and another guy who has a Cedar Creek 5th wheel. Then Mac ambled over……and we sat and discussed his entry into the 21st century……..he is going to purchase a laptop while we are here so we can teach him and Gail how to use a computer.
Later on, we moved over to his park model home…..and the rest of the afternoon was spent on his covered patio……talking with other guys whose wives were “out to lunch” in that group. Mid-afternoon Gail and the 1st Lady returned and so we remained on their patio and just played “catch-up” on our families, our homes, our plans…..all the events that have occurred since we were out here last spring.
This evening…….well, each Wednesday evening they have a “jam” gathering in the Clubhouse auditorium and so we went to listen to these “old timers”……..and it was certainly evident that none of them will be asked to make a CD any time soon. In fact……I think they are way past their prime with their musical(??) talents….haha. It was fun to listen……as some of the tunes they played/sang were from the time when I was still living with my parents and my dad would listen to some of these recordings on a 78rpm turntable or on his large Philco radio…….sure brought back those memories of a different era!!!!!!
I attempted to get into the Library before they were to close this evening at 9pm, however…..it was already locked. Last night I was over there when they came to lock the door, but since I was in there, all I had to do was turn out the lights and lock the door when I left……which I did about 11pm last night. Therefore…….I HOPE that my cell phone will be able to send this post out into cyberspace this evening.!!!!
We plan to go into town tomorrow. Need some restocking of the pantry, I HAVE to get my 69 hairs on the top of my head shortened, and Mac wants to check on any laptops that might be on sale there. Sooooo, there will be a change of pace when we return to a busy town with lots of traffic.
This RV Park is out in the desert!!! Tonight as we returned to TheHowserHouse we could hear the coyotes outside the fence perimeter baying and howling………rather fun to hear them so loudly!!!
To recap…….a very peaceful and relaxing day went by……all too quickly, just as my Life is doing. But…….all of the other residents here in the Park are in the same aging process and their lives are slipping away just as quickly. Mac and I had a long discussion about Parkinson’s Disease, of which he was diagnosed last year as having……and we talked about how it was affecting him…..how he was changing……and the hopes of living with this for another 20 years….a distinct possibility the medical doctors tell him. But….no one can predict how fast the disease will progress inside his body and how it will destroy him, just as it is doing to Michael J. Fox and thousands of others. His right hand and leg/foot are really the most prominent appendages that have the characteristic tremors and shakes…….as of now.
I also talked with my cousin who lives in Phoenix for the winters. She was diagnosed with liver cancer a couple of years ago……and it, too, is progressing in it’s deadly grip. I hope she feels well enough for me to visit her, if only for an hour or two at her home before she and her husband have to fly back to Virginia on Monday. She is returning because of her failing health and to be nearer to her medical doctors that she has put trust and hopes in.
And soooooo……as my Life goes on with each beautiful day out here in Arizona……out here in the desert with the coyotes soooo near…….no matter how fast these days go by……
Life is GREAT…..and I hope it is for all of you, also!!!!
Soooo…..how did this day progress?????? Well, the 1st Lady was up and left TheHowserHouse by 8:45 AM this monring to go where??? LINE DANCING!!!! Oh yeah….she checked the resort schedule and found that there was a class meeting at 9 this morning, and so out she went……climbed onto her bike….and rode away to the Clubhouse.
Me??? Well………since the Wifi here sucks big time……absolutely unavailable to those who don’t pay the $30 per month….UNLESS, you take your own lappie to the Library or to the Clubhouse where there IS free Wifi. And so….that is what I did. Checked out the email, the newspapers, the weather in F’town, and in the RGV in Texas. Then…..
The 1st Lady returned and quickly got ready to go to lunch with a group of other ladies who are all friends with Mac and Gail……our friends. Soooo, I just hung out around TheHowserHouse……talked with some other people from Missouri…..and another guy who has a Cedar Creek 5th wheel. Then Mac ambled over……and we sat and discussed his entry into the 21st century……..he is going to purchase a laptop while we are here so we can teach him and Gail how to use a computer.
Later on, we moved over to his park model home…..and the rest of the afternoon was spent on his covered patio……talking with other guys whose wives were “out to lunch” in that group. Mid-afternoon Gail and the 1st Lady returned and so we remained on their patio and just played “catch-up” on our families, our homes, our plans…..all the events that have occurred since we were out here last spring.
This evening…….well, each Wednesday evening they have a “jam” gathering in the Clubhouse auditorium and so we went to listen to these “old timers”……..and it was certainly evident that none of them will be asked to make a CD any time soon. In fact……I think they are way past their prime with their musical(??) talents….haha. It was fun to listen……as some of the tunes they played/sang were from the time when I was still living with my parents and my dad would listen to some of these recordings on a 78rpm turntable or on his large Philco radio…….sure brought back those memories of a different era!!!!!!
I attempted to get into the Library before they were to close this evening at 9pm, however…..it was already locked. Last night I was over there when they came to lock the door, but since I was in there, all I had to do was turn out the lights and lock the door when I left……which I did about 11pm last night. Therefore…….I HOPE that my cell phone will be able to send this post out into cyberspace this evening.!!!!
We plan to go into town tomorrow. Need some restocking of the pantry, I HAVE to get my 69 hairs on the top of my head shortened, and Mac wants to check on any laptops that might be on sale there. Sooooo, there will be a change of pace when we return to a busy town with lots of traffic.
This RV Park is out in the desert!!! Tonight as we returned to TheHowserHouse we could hear the coyotes outside the fence perimeter baying and howling………rather fun to hear them so loudly!!!
To recap…….a very peaceful and relaxing day went by……all too quickly, just as my Life is doing. But…….all of the other residents here in the Park are in the same aging process and their lives are slipping away just as quickly. Mac and I had a long discussion about Parkinson’s Disease, of which he was diagnosed last year as having……and we talked about how it was affecting him…..how he was changing……and the hopes of living with this for another 20 years….a distinct possibility the medical doctors tell him. But….no one can predict how fast the disease will progress inside his body and how it will destroy him, just as it is doing to Michael J. Fox and thousands of others. His right hand and leg/foot are really the most prominent appendages that have the characteristic tremors and shakes…….as of now.
I also talked with my cousin who lives in Phoenix for the winters. She was diagnosed with liver cancer a couple of years ago……and it, too, is progressing in it’s deadly grip. I hope she feels well enough for me to visit her, if only for an hour or two at her home before she and her husband have to fly back to Virginia on Monday. She is returning because of her failing health and to be nearer to her medical doctors that she has put trust and hopes in.
And soooooo……as my Life goes on with each beautiful day out here in Arizona……out here in the desert with the coyotes soooo near…….no matter how fast these days go by……
Life is GREAT…..and I hope it is for all of you, also!!!!
Tuesday, February 06, 2007
A BEAUTIFUL DAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
OMG........what a wonderful change this is from the wetness of the RGV. Granted.....in all fairness I believe things have made a turn for the better with the weather down in the Texas RGV, but today here was one of those days that couldn't be better. It was a clear blue sky, wonderfully warm temps....in the 80's......and just right for staying and enjoying the outside!!!
After coffee.....and a quick visit with Mac and Gail before they departed to Tucson for the day.....I pulled out my ladder from the basement and was soon on top of it with a sponge in one hand and the hose in the other........washing the dirt, the grime, and the MUD off of TheHowserHouse. I spent almost 4 hours doing just that.......and then I went around it again washing all of the windows until the sparkled in the sunlight.
The 1st Lady and I did walk to the Security Gate to turn in our paperwork for the proper entrance forms that we must have. We already have a remote so that the gates will open and close when we need to enter or leave........and then we went to the Clubhouse and got our mailbox key.
Later this afternoon, the 1st Lady headed for the swimming pool.......and when I got over there, it was almost filled with the residents of this Sunscape RV Park. Lots of people were taking advantage of this incredible February weather here in the desert just outside Casa Grande. The 1st Lady enjoyed the swim....the lounging in the sun......and just the relaxation it provided after the last few days of touring San Antonio and the two day drive from there on out here.
I was more worn out than I thought I was from the washing of TheHowserHouse......and soon found a lounge chair on our patio.....and was in the horizontal position very quickly. It felt sooooo good to just lay there in the dry, warm weather that Arizona is famous for at this time of the year.
The 1st Lady prepared a great little dinner for the two of us.......angel hair pasta with garlic/butter shrimp. UMMMMMMM......it was sooooooo good, and of course, I had a couple of doses of my dark red medicine to assist with the digestion, and my health.
And sooooooo, we hope that this wonderful sunlight continues this week as it is predicted it will. Because.........without a doubt.....
Life is GREAT.......and I hope it is for all of you, also!!!!!
After coffee.....and a quick visit with Mac and Gail before they departed to Tucson for the day.....I pulled out my ladder from the basement and was soon on top of it with a sponge in one hand and the hose in the other........washing the dirt, the grime, and the MUD off of TheHowserHouse. I spent almost 4 hours doing just that.......and then I went around it again washing all of the windows until the sparkled in the sunlight.
The 1st Lady and I did walk to the Security Gate to turn in our paperwork for the proper entrance forms that we must have. We already have a remote so that the gates will open and close when we need to enter or leave........and then we went to the Clubhouse and got our mailbox key.
Later this afternoon, the 1st Lady headed for the swimming pool.......and when I got over there, it was almost filled with the residents of this Sunscape RV Park. Lots of people were taking advantage of this incredible February weather here in the desert just outside Casa Grande. The 1st Lady enjoyed the swim....the lounging in the sun......and just the relaxation it provided after the last few days of touring San Antonio and the two day drive from there on out here.
I was more worn out than I thought I was from the washing of TheHowserHouse......and soon found a lounge chair on our patio.....and was in the horizontal position very quickly. It felt sooooo good to just lay there in the dry, warm weather that Arizona is famous for at this time of the year.
The 1st Lady prepared a great little dinner for the two of us.......angel hair pasta with garlic/butter shrimp. UMMMMMMM......it was sooooooo good, and of course, I had a couple of doses of my dark red medicine to assist with the digestion, and my health.
And sooooooo, we hope that this wonderful sunlight continues this week as it is predicted it will. Because.........without a doubt.....
Life is GREAT.......and I hope it is for all of you, also!!!!!
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