Can Don Come Out & Play

We spent Wednesday night at a closed down Kmart in Demining, NM. Yes just down the road from the Escapees Park.  Just couldn’t see paying $6 and half bucks to park/sleep on their lot.  We don’t use their facilities at all except to take up space.  The Walmart next to the closed Kmart was jammed pack with RVs and big trucks overnight.  Why?  There was one other RV with us.  No interruptions at all.  We paid $2.45 for diesel over by Denny’s. 

It was a peaceful night and damn cold.  Turn off the freezer.

Back on the Interstate heading West by about 7:30 AM.  No rush that’s what time we were ready to go.

If you are missing your Thing, they got it!  I wonder if I can trade them?

170 miles later we were at Sharon & Don’s place.  They got it outfitted (Navy talk) real nice as all the lots are here in their park here in Benson.  “Outfitted” - I have to talk that Navy talk around here.  Anchor’s away and all that stuff.  Oh, Don was on a submarine so I have to griggle ever so often like I’m under water. 

Here we are at our little borrowed space of Frank & Gloria King’s place.  We just hooked up the electric.  Our black water tank doesn’t leak that bad.  I wonder where all this TP came from.  Thanks guys…

Sharon brought over their doggie.  She looks mean at the moment but only because I caught her yawning.

Here she is looking at our kitty cat.  The cat didn’t really mind the dog being there at all.  She gets along with dogs but not other cats.  Strange….

The important stuff.  Don came back home from the hospital earlier today.  Hey Don, your getting that saying, “Keep coming back” mixed up with the hospital people.  It’s not their saying.  Don’t keep trying to go back to them.

Don lost a bunch of his excess ballast and looks like a young seaman.  I think that’s sailor talk for a young slender sailor.  Getting those barnacles off your ass I mean anchor will happen.  Your in dry dock for now getting your pipes refitted.  They are old and rusty evidently.  Too much sea water?

Don wanted some fried liver and chicken for dinner.  Now that’s my kind of dinner except there isn’t a Popeye's around.   We settled for Chester’s and KFC to go and brought it to Don. 

We spent some quality time with Don & Sharon poking fun at Don who was laughing at himself.  Of course if he looks in the mirror he can get a real good laugh as always.  He has more doctors than we’ve had RVs and that’s a lot.  He knows he was really really sick before.  Maybe he don’t.  He slept thru some of it.  smile Don…It will take more time to get your sea legs back.  He wishes it was a lot sooner as we all do.  Hang in their guy.  Time fixes a lot of things (except our looks).

Don, don’t worry, I won’t give out your email (don80444@gmail.com) so people can wish you well.  Everybody – send him a chicken or something.

It was a very quite night.

Retirement is finding out how good your medical plan really is.

See ya……..

Broke Our New Policy–600 miles

Last night in Abilene, TX

Woke up to this (not snow) and

this.  Parked a little close.  Their car was disconnected so why did they park it that way.  Never mind…….

We decided to turn right and go North thru Hobb, New Mexico.

Here’s the other side of El Paso.  In El Paso we got the oil changed in the RV at SpeedCo.

In New Mexico again.

We ended up in Deming, New Mexico at the closed down K-Mart.  Here it is….over 600 miles today with a layover in El Paso for an oil change.  The northern route was real nice for a change.  El Paso traffic at 4 PM wasn’t bad at all.

Diesel was $2.25 in Merkel, TX and $2.45 in El Paso and Deming. 

Retirement is going further out of choice rather than a need too.

See ya….

Leaving Livingston, TX

We are leaving Livingston in about an hour (7:30).  The adventure of 16+ years will continue.  We are heading West to reunite with our long time friends.

Mark Nemeth, Ed & Sandy Kruty, Carol and myself are in charge of the Escapees Social Hour at Quartzsite this year.  It’s only one day, the 18th Jan, and it will be out Plomosa Road.  Follow the signs.  Maybe we could have a drawing for a Prevost RV Bus?!  I will run it past Headquarters and see what they think.

Stay tuned……

We drove Northwest on red line and even some blue line roads.  It was a nice route even if you were in a hurry which we were by no account.  We came out the South side of the city of Baird, TX.  Supposedly there was a Passport America (PA) park there.  I found a park with the GPS and it was terrible.  Probably THE worse park I ever seen in any type of membership type parks.  The name is  the Walnut something.  DUMP CITY or maybe I was in the wrong park.  We drove on down to Abilene and stayed in a Walmart lot.  It cost a little more.  We were said and done about 3 PM and 360 miles I think.  Really didn’t pay attention to that stuff this time. 

Carol went and got us a canned Chinese dinner from Walmart.  We had the rice.  It was good.

We watch some local channels and went to bed about 8:30 PM.  It was restful and peaceful evening.

Retirement is enjoying the freedom of movement and when to move.

See ya……….

One Day Down

We left Livingston about 7:30 AM Tuesday 27 Dec.  We drove Northwest on red line and even some blue line roads.  It was a nice route even if you were in a hurry which we were by no account.  We came out the South side of the city of Baird, TX.  Supposedly there was a Passport America (PA) park there.  I found a park with the GPS and it was terrible.  Probably THE worse park I ever seen in any type of membership type parks.  The name is  the Walnut something.  DUMP CITY or maybe I was in the wrong park.  We drove on down to Abilene and stayed in a Walmart lot.  It cost a little more.  We were said and done about 3 PM and 360 miles I think.  Really didn’t pay attention to that stuff this time. 

Carol went and got us a canned Chinese dinner from Walmart.  We had the rice.  It was good.

We watch some local channels and went to bed about 8:30 PM.  It was restful and peaceful evening.

Retirement is enjoying the freedom of movement and when to move.

See ya……….

How Much!

Oh my, it will cost $950 to take down a very tall leaning tree on our lot and take it away.  If it falls it will hit the mobile so it has to come down now.

D & D Tree Service said it could stay up for another 20 years or fall down tomorrow.  It’s very tall so topping it would cost almost the same to take it out.  I guess we should take the little camper out West to save money.  Carol said, “Looks like we don’t go!”.  No, we are going out West with our home (Winnebago).  Nothing is changing.  I guess we eat spaghetti without meat for awhile.  We did when we started full timing in June 2000.  Yep,  that’s a long time ago. 

Bill, Ed and myself helped Mark put an aluminum roof over his old regular shingle roof Saturday.  It turned out to be a major job.  I was the ground man.  Maybe because I had 15+ years age wise on two of the guys and I didn’t want to go to the ER.  I’m trying to break my own record of not going to the ER during this calendar year.  Only a couple of weeks to go so I stayed on the ground most of the time.  We started at 8 AM and kinda finished about 7 PM.  Kinda in that all the major roofing was done.  Another time for the little piece work around the edges, etc.

The temps dropped into the 20’s last night (Sun/Mon).  Day time temps are in the low 40’s and windy.  We brought Lisa’s little kitty inside and put it in the mobile.  The big Tom Cat we are sure will be fine in his hiding place.  We have been feeding them twice a day since Jim/Lisa been gone.  We will keep the kitty at least another day/night in the mobile.

The camper needs washing and the big rig needs one too.  Hard to say when that will be done.  Maybe Wednesday when they take the big tree down.  Suppose to be in the 50’s.

We got the camper frig emptied and the portable freezer too.  The portable freezer is staying when we leave next week.  The mobile  freezer is empty and working on the frig part.  There’s only one way to empty these frig’s out and I have gained over 5 lbs doing it.  I need some fat around these bones for these cold temps.

Everything else is same ole same ole..

Retirement is sometimes like waiting for a storm.  Sooner or later it’s going to happen.

See ya…..

Start Loading It up!

Tuesday….two weeks and we will be gone.  I will have to start organizing the big rig for going out West.  Whoa, I got stuff spread all over.  The rig is just about empty and I got stuff in the barn, camper and mobile.

Here’s the little dent before and after picture of my backyard fix it…..

Pork… I took both of the butts out of the smoker at 200 degrees and wrapped each one up in foil, then a heavy towel then into an ice chest. 

Bud and Cathie came over later and we gave them one of the butts for Christmas plus a bottle of West Va wine.  Yes, West Va wine? 

Next I put in some pork ribs.  They turned out pretty good.  Carol & I munched on them some.  We gave Wayne & Beth the rest.  No room in our freezer anymore.  Still got a turkey to do for going down the road.

We went over Lisa & Jim’s place who are visiting their relatives up North.  Each day we are feeding their one cat we thought.  Another one appeared.  A big tom cat.  The last couple of days we could hear him meow but he wouldn’t come out of the woods.  He does now and really wants to be petted a lot.This is a happy cat!!!!!!  Looks like Carol after a massage.

Now this kitty below has adopted Lisa and they got her fixed already but can’t keep her.  Lisa is allergic to cats.

She’s ready for anybody who would like to have her.  She likes to be petted too.  She’s a tiny kitty.

The big lovable male is also available.

I filled the DEF tank on the big RV with the new Walmart DEF I got.  The 4 boxes here are empty but I carry them to fill up at a truck stop when ever I get a chance.  Nope, not anymore.  Since I can get the Walmart cheaper brand now (on top) I will only carry probably two containers of it.  When my DEF tank is full I can go about 3,000 miles max.  I have been know to run it down with a gallon left.  About 2,000 miles is a good range before lights start blinking at me around 2,500 miles.

Gotta go………

Retirement is like being President-Elect, always getting into trouble for saying something.

See Ya

Count Down Is Really Happening Quick

Friday.  We got a lot to do but not sure what to do first.  I made a list and checked it twice.  I do that without it being Christmas time.  I got to take care of the camper like getting the gas tank filled, putting stabilizer fuel additive in it, empty ALL the tanks.edn

Took the big RV to the repair shop to get it started on it’s repairs, AC and awning arm.  It’s all covered on our extended warranty 100% except the shipping $200.  Latr that day they told me they couldn’t get the AC for 3-4 weeks maybe.  Stop…..we will be gone.  They understood.

Saturday I emailed RV Lifestyles in Quartzsite.   Yes they would take over the repair work and I have to send them the paperwork to make sure since it’s an extended warranty company (Cornerstone).  I will pick up the paperwork Monday and send it out to them. 

Sunday I slept most of the day away for some unknown reason.  I guess that’s why my doc is trying to figure it out.  No results from the blood test yet.

I did get information out to the 2017 Loosey Goosey Alaska members.  We got 18 rigs I think so far.  It’s going to be interesting.  Like I tell people.  I’m not a tour guide nor is this a caravan.  I just have some good information about prepping for Alaska and what to expect kinda.  I will try and hook up some people up with each other so they can travel a little bit together if they so choose.  Thus Loosey Goosey.

Monday.  I emptied the gray/black water tanks.  Then I opened the fresh water and hot water heater tanks.  Then I drove to get fuel and the water emptied out pretty good with the valves being open.  Got back and settled the camper in under the carport to await our return in March.

I called Ron Pinner (Bob’s brother) of Akiva Glass in AZ to get a price for the windshield of the Mercury.  It is broken BAD. His price is about the same as here in Texas.  I rather deal with someone that I have done business with in the past.  Ron replaced our Jeep windshield and got a real good price.  He knows we will call him when we get out his way in February.

Next was to compound and scrub the marking in the right front up top of the camper.  I got that marking when I scraped a side of an overhang of a building at a gas station.  It cleaned up pretty good.  Then I found some old white spray paint.  Hey, why not.  It looks pretty close to normal again.  I can tell but you wont.

I started my last two pork butts.  They will be ready tomorrow.

It’s been running in the 70s the last few days and the warm weather will continue.  It’s a little rain now and then but just misty type rain like in Alaska.

Two weeks from tomorrow and we are out of here but whose counting……

Retirement is like waiting for something to happen.  Then you have to make it happen or it won't happen.

Camping Basics For Us

Tuesday.  Left TTN Conroe RV Park and headed for my Doc’s nearby office for an 8:15 appointment.  We got there and I got to see the Doc immediately.  This & that, a shot and some blood tests afterwards.  He will call me with the results. We left there and headed for Padre Island.  Along the way we stopped at Church’s Chicken and got their chicken fried steak special for $3.99.  It was good.  Then we went into Dollar Tree where everything is a dollar.  For $8 bucks it felt like we bought out the store.  We drove the northern part of Padre Island (rt 361) thru Port Aransas and even a free ferry.  Then down Padre Island just below Corpus Christie.  Nice drive next to the ocean.

We arrived on Padre Is National Seashore Park at Malaquite NP campground around 5 PM.  It was pretty full especially the sites facing the ocean directly.  About 40 total sites.  We got in one row (the only other row) behind them on slightly slanted asphalt with an ocean view.  The camp host was in front of us which was what we wanted.No hook ups and $4 bucks a night with the disabled veteran old fart pass.  The camp host was amazed that my pass was 20 years old.    They do have toilets and showers here. We didn’t turn on the inverter or generator because there was no real need to.  No Sat TV (forgot the do hickey), no antennae TV reception, very poor Verizon and sometimes none, no internet, damn – we must be camping!  We did some night walking on the boardwalk down to the beach.  It was nice…..just a slight hummming of generators.  The waves covered up the little bit of noise.  I slept a straight 8 hours.  I can’t remember the last time I did that.  Carol slept pretty good too.

Wednesday.  We woke to the pounding of the nearby ocean waves hitting the beach.  It’s been a long time since we heard that.  Interesting morning without 110 power and on battery (2) power.  We’re at 12.3 volts if anyone is wondering.  Still dark out but the sun is coming up at 6:45 AM.  I went down to the showers to take a shower but changed my mine.  Why? No hot water!  Sorry, not that basic of a camper when there is no need to.  We got a gas fired hot water heater and I used it for sure.  The temps outside are 66 degrees and the same in the camper at 7:30 AM.  Not to shabby.

We moved closer when we saw this site become available.  It’s the best site (16) here.

The waves got bigger throughout the day and the temps were falling.

Thursday.  About 1 AM Thursday somebody turned on the wind machine.  Yes we knew about the gale wind warnings of 20-40 mph with sustained winds of 60 mph.  That little camper rocked and rolled all night long and the temps really dropped.

In the morning the wind was really howling and the waves were bashing down on the beach now.  OK, I’m a little slow.  It was now time to leave.  Now we got about 300 miles to get back to Livingston.  We had a strong head wind all the way.  Poor fuel mileage.  We got back about 4 PM and now they are calling for temps below freezing.  We got “stuff” spread out between the camper, the RV and the mobile.  Guess what?  19 more days and we head West.

Well, the little camper did pretty good and we did too all things consider.  No major screw ups for us.  Our maiden voyage to seek out any problems was accomplished with none found.  The camper is ready for Alaska and we are too!

See ya…………….

Yep… I Really Hit It!

Last Sunday (27 Dec).  I worked on the camper front curtains around the windshield.  We had hook (eyelets) with loop attachments  (curtain thing) for the curtains but they were just not working very well.  Today we went to Lowes and got some magnets and 3M double sided stretch tape.  It’s the tape once it’s installed you pull on the tape like taffy and it comes off.  The “normal” double sided tape just don’t work long term.  This new tape just might.  One magnet (with tape) every few inches on the camper molding  above the seats and a magnet sewed in the liner of the curtains.  Works great.  Just need a little more tuning but we got it under control and its working.  Great. 

For dinner we had 11 bean soup and corn on the cobb (leftovers).  It was just getting good being a day old.  I had buffalo wings (leftovers) for lunch.

Monday.  Jon & Sue Glick returned home from their mini vacation to somewhere that I couldn’t pronounce and or remember.  They now have  a cat that comes and visits us ever so often.

I got two pork butts in the frig and are now thawed out.  I think I will smoke them both at the same time.   Then they will go into the freezer for a rainy day next year.  I also got a turkey I want to smoke.  It’s frozen like a rock.  I want to use it for our trip going West meals/sandwiches.  Looks like the mobile frig will be coming into the big RV frig pretty soon.

Tuesday.  Got the little Honda CT110 and tools ready to work on it tomorrow.  Mark is coming over to replace the clutch springs on the Honda.  I hand him the tools.  He said he really likes and wants to work on the little Honda.  It reminds him of his Honda he had many years ago he says.

Wednesday. Mark came over and worked on the little Honda 110 cc.  We (he) installed new clutch springs.  The Honda now idles (never did) and now starts on 1st kick all the time.

Thursday.  La Colonea Mexican Restaurant for lunch.  I had something new.  Can’t pronounce it or spell it but it was good and very filling.

Friday.  The big RV went to West RV for extended warrant repair.  The AC/heat pump went up a couple of weeks ago.  I was there about a half hour while they checked it out and took pictures.  They will deal with the extended warranty company, Cornerstone, and will let me know.  I left with the RV and went back to the lot. 

Cigar and Whiskey night for the guys at our place.  We smoked those big ole nasty cigars and drank whiskey.  We sat outside on the covered porch due to the rain.  We also had our usual campfire on the porch.  Yepper.  It was one of those old people LP fire pits.  It was a little chilly (coats required) but it was really nice.  We broke up about 10 PM.  The rain continued all night.  It’s gonna be a very wet weekend according to the hippy dippy weather people.

Saturday.  Breakfast at the Livingston downtown Whistle Stop Cafe.  It’s a nice little place to eat breakfast ever so often.  Then on to Walmart.  No traffic on the road or inside Walmart.  I bought Walmart brand DEF for diesels.  They just started having it.  Two & half gallons for $7.78 where normally it was $12 bucks for the normal stuff.  Wow, I bought all they had (4).  Oh yea, I bought a rubber ducky.  I’m gonna glue it and it’s two little ducky's on the back of the storage compartment of the camper.  We’re going camping next week, probably Padre Island, Texas.

Sunday.  Jim & Lisa Koca arrived back on their lot for a few days.  We went on to dinner at their special invite.  We went to Patron’s a nice Mexican restaurant.   Teresa Moore showed up and ate with us all.  It was great.  Thanks guys..

Monday morning I loaded the camper up with water, clothes and stuff.  I glued the little ducky's to the lid of the rear compartment.

Carol got back from Line Dancing and started to load stuff too.  We had lunch and took off camping finally.  Hitch itch to the max gonna be taken care of.

1st stop was the nearby gas station.  I ran into their overhang on the right side of their building with the camper.  YES I DID… DAMN…..  I was going very very slow.  You know what that means?  I got a longer scrape because it was slow.  Hey, what the hell.  I talked to the owner that happened to be there and saw me do it.  The building is going down in less than 2 months for a bigger station.  Here’s what I did…

We got to TTN Conroe RV Park in about 1 hour or so.  We found this sight that is pretty level and called it home.  Tomorrow I got an early Dr follow up appointment/meds/etc.  Then  we will head down to Padre Island (National Park area) for a few days.

See ya………………..