Saturday, December 28, 2013

HITCHITCH

OVER THE YEARS WE’VE HAD TONS OF READERS BROUGHT TO OUR BLOG FROM OUR LISTING ON HITCHITCH.COM.

RON AND TERRY MAINTAIN AN EXCELLENT LIST OF FULL TIME RV BLOGS. WE RECENTLY WERE “CUT” FROM THE LIST. I CAN CERTAINLY UNDERSTAND THE REASON AS WE HARDLY PULL OUR TRAILER UP AND DOWN THE ROAD ANYMORE.

OUR MOUTAINEER TRAILER WAS JACKED UP THREE AND A HALF YEARS AGO AND MADE PERMANENT WHEN WE ADDED THE 10 X 30 PORCH. THEN WE BOUGHT A PARK MODEL UP ON “THE MOUNTAIN”, THAT IS ALSO SET UP PERMANENT.  BOTH TRAILERS ARE IN RV PARKS.

BEING “CUT” FROM THE LIST GOT ME TO THINKING, IF WE AREN’T FULLTIME RV’ERS ANYMORE, BUT HAVE TWO TRAILERS SETUP IN RV PARKS, DOES THAT MAKE US SOME KINDA TRAILER TRASH?

TRAILER TRASH, MEDICARE, RETIREMENT, SOCIAL SECURITY, AND BINGO. DOESN’T SOUND LIKE GOOD BLOG TOPICS FOR THE COMING NEW YEAR, DOES IT?

Thursday, December 26, 2013

Merry Christmas And Happy New Year !!!

By Uncle Hans

Thanks for the Christmas card.  We don't do cards, so you get a Christmas blog.  The  pictures are a reminder of why you don't live here any more.  I just finished snow-blowing for the 6th time.  A record for Christmas day!

ss-001

The yardstick is not a good measure.  We must have had 24 inches of actual snowfall so far.  The snowmobiling is great, going out this evening with Jake and Jen.......

ss1

.......The heavy snow is a problems for the lakes.  It insulates the ice and causes slush to form under the snow but above the ice.  The little speck in the picture is one of the sleds, frozen into the slush.  Jake got it stuck in the slush a few days ago trying to set some tip-ups to do some ice fishing.  Getting that sled back will be a challenge.........

ss2
Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!!

By Uncle Hans

 

ss1-001

Wednesday, December 25, 2013

CHRISTMAS EVE CAMPFIRE

I’VE BLOGGED BEFORE ABOUT CHRISTMAS WITHOUT SNOW, BUT A CHRISTMAS CAMPFIRE WITH THE NEIGHBORS ACTUALLY SEEMED KINDA FESTIVE.  THE BEER AND THE WINE WENT DOWN SMOOTH AND ALL SEEMED RIGHT FOR THE HOLIDAYS.

EVERY OTHER LAP SEEMED TO HAVE A DOG ABOARD, AND A BLACK MINATURE DACHUND MADE ME SMILE.  THIS MORNING WHEN I WAS WALKING UP TO THE DUMPSTER TO THROW OUT MY CAT SHIT I MET THE SAME DOG WITH A CHRISTMAS WREATH AND RED BOW FOR A COLLAR.

MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYBODY !!!

Wednesday, December 18, 2013

Be Careful….Very Careful

I’ve mentioned once or twice how much I like Trader Joe’s.  A stop at Trader Joe’s is the carrot Rex uses to get me to look forward to going to Vegas.  Otherwise I am not that much of a Vegas fan. 

Trader Joe’s puts out a publication called Fearless Flyer in which they feature various items on their shelves.  These items are not “sale” items because they never have sales.  The philosophy behind their store is they offer the best prices they can each and every day…..so no “sale” items.

Anyway when we first get to Trader Joe’s Rex always heads for the Fearless Flyer and looks it over.  A few months ago he found an item that interested him called Cookie Butter.

COOKIE 010

The label reads “Speculoos Cookie Butter”, a deliciously unusual spread reminiscent of gingerbread and made with crushed biscuits.  All you have to do is taste it to understand!

Since the first time we bought it,   it has been on our list every time we go.  So a couple of weeks ago when we went to Vegas to have the car serviced, I looked for the Cookie Butter.  What, NONE on the shelf…..sorry Rex you are out of luck.  Then just by chance I head someone else ask one of the employees about the Cookie Butter and he was told it was at the customer service counter.  How come I wondered as I headed for the customer service counter.

And the reason is:  The stuff sells out EVERY DAY so they limit people to two jars.  WOW!  That is how addictive it is…so be careful if you try it!!

Sunday, December 15, 2013

OUCH !!!

JESUS, WHAT’S THAT SMELL? IT SMELLS LIKE BURNING HAIR AND IT REALLY STINKS.

DO YOU REMEMBER THE MIDWEST FARM STORY OF THE YOUNG BOYS CATCHING PIGEONS AND STICKING FIRECRACKERS UP THEIR BUTTS?   IT WAS GREAT FUN UNTIL ONE OF THE PIGEONS TOOK OFF AND FLEW INTO THE HAYMOW AND THE BARN BURNED DOWN.

THAT’S WHAT WENT THRU MY MIND AS I REALIZED “AZ” GOT TOO CLOSE TO THE GAS HEATER AND TOOK OFF TO THE BEDROOM……

I HAD VISIONS OF THE BED IN BLAZE OF FIRE…..

COOKIE 007-001

MY SPOTTED CAT HAS A COUPLE OF WEIRD LOOKING SCORCHED SPOTS ON HIS BACK. THE HAIR BURNED ABOUT HALF OFF AND IT DIDN’T GET DOWN TO HIS SKIN, SO DELETE THAT E-MAIL TO THE ANIMAL RIGHTS PEOPLE WILL YA?

   “SUNNY & 64”

Thursday, December 12, 2013

INTERNET PROBLEMS

WE’VE BEEN OFF LINE THE LAST 10 DAYS WITH INTERNET PROBLEMS. THE COMPANY THAT PROVIDES OUR SERVICE STOPPED OUT YESTERDAY AND REPLACED ALL OF THEIR EQUIPMENT. NOW WE’RE BACK UP AND RUNNING FINE.

WHILE WE WERE GONE,THE PACKERS FINALLY WON A GAME WITHOUT RODGERS, YAHOO!!!

OUR TIME OFF HAS BEEN SPENT TAKING THE CAR TO LAS VEGAS.  IT STARTED WITH A SIMPLE OIL CHANGE, AND ONE OF THOSE SMALL GRINDING NOISES TO CHECKOUT. THE NEXT MONDAY WE RETURNED TO REPLACE A WHEEL BEARING AND AXEL BEARINGS. ON THE ROAD TEST THE NOISE WAS STILL THERE SO IT’S BACK TO VEGAS A THIRD MONDAY IN A ROW TO REPLACE THE WHEEL BEARINGS ON THE OTHER SIDE. FORTUNATELY THIS STUFF IS ALL UNDER WARRENTY.  WE MET UP WITH PAULIE THE FIRST TRIP AND IT WAS GOOD TO CATCH UP WITH HIM AND HEAR ABOUT HIS FALL TRIP TO NORTHEAST IOWA. AFTER THREE WEEKS IN A ROW, WE MAYBE REGULARS AT JAKE’S LOUNGE ON EASTERN.

LIKE YOU, OUR WEATHER HAS BEEN IN COLDSNAP MODE, AND WE’VE BEEN BURNING LP BY THE TANKFUL. UNLIKE YOU, OUR TEMPS WILL RETURN TO THE LOW 70’S NEXT WEEK.

THIS IS WEEK #20, ONLY 20 WEEKS UNTIL WE TAKE THE SUMMER OFF FROM THE CASINO BUSINESS.

  “SUNNY & 52”

Sunday, December 1, 2013

South Padre Island

By Uncle Hans

So we were forced to go to South Padre Island recently to fix this problem.  The upper bunk bed has no ladder and no safety rail.  A child could fall out, strike the tile floor, break his skull or neck,.... and sue us.
Can't have that.
(we did NOT go down there because it was 6 degrees here and 85 degrees down there!)

spi1

  .....we took along an 8-foot decking board, and measured it to the right length....

spi2

.....sand it.....

spi3

.....cut it.....

spi4

....paint it (two coats and sand in between).....

spi5

......and install it.   Problem solved......

spi6

  ....of course, in between those steps we had nothing to do but walk the beach with Charley to our local beach bar (200 yards) at 85 degrees.  The Miller Lights never tasted better!

spi7

spi8

On the way home we went a couple hours out of our way to Houston to see the USS Texas Museum.


The US has 8 battleship museums.  The Texas is the oldest.  100 years ago, it was under construction.  It served in WWI and WWII and was retired to Houston in l948 as a museum.  It has been rebuilt once in the early 90's in a dry dock because it was corroded that it was sinking.  Now it is getting there again and a plan is in place to put it permanently into dry dock in the next few years......

spi9

spi10

spi11

....the first picture is out an old-fashioned porthole cannon  (no more side port cannons after this ship was built).  If you look closely, you sill see that the Rialta is in the cross-hairs!). 

spi12

The second picture is of the galley (900 men, three meals a day)

spi13

and the third picture is of some 14 inch shells. 

spi14

These guns were the most advanced in 1914, about 1000lbs and a range of 12 miles.  Performance peaked in l943 with the 16inch/50calibre Mark 7 guns of the Iowa class.  2700 lbs and range 24 miles.  And accuracy?  If they were shooting at someone's house, the gunnery officer had to ask, "the living room or the kitchen?"


Seriously


  These guns were last used in Iraq, Desert Storm, on, of course, the USS Wisconsin.


      If you think of how many people in the world live within 24 miles of the water, that puts nearly 80% of people in range of those guns. 

Almost all of North Vietnam was in range of the New Jersey until the Russians quietly demanded that she be withdrawn or there would be no peace talks.  They wanted our pilots to be put at risk and killed or captured, whereas the New Jersey could cause much more destruction while putting NO ONE at risk.  This Russian demand was carefully kept secret until recently.  We wanted peace talks, so the New Jersey went home to "be repaired".


     The US has 63 of these 16 inch guns, 9 each on the other 7 museum ships (USS Massachusetts, USS North Carolina, USS Alabama, USS Iowa, USS Missouri, USS New Jersey, and the USS Wisconsin.  Kathy recently toured the Wisconsin.  I did too in about 2005.  You don't get much more than a deck walk on the Wisconsin tour.


    I suspect that is because she is really secretly being kept in nearly combat ready condition for the use of those big guns, if ever needed 

     I have now seen 3 of the 8 and will report on the blog if I ever get to see the other 5......

By Uncle Hans

Friday, November 29, 2013

10 – 40, REALLY?

WHOA BE THE PACKERS, AND THEIR QUARTERBACK PROBLEMS. I’M SICK AND TIRED OF READING THAT SHIT ON THE INTERNET. THIS YEAR OUR OPPONETS HAVE SCORED 305 POINTS IN JUST TWELVE GAMES.

THE QUAERTBACK DOESN’T PLAY ON DEFENSE DOES HE?

AND LAST YEAR THERE WERE  336 POINTS SCORED AGAINST THE PACKERS. WHAT WE HAVE HERE IS A COACHING PROBLEM, AND THE DEFENSIVE COACH’S NAME IS DOM CAPERS. THIS GUY IS ALMOST AS OLD AS I AM, AND HE’S GOT TO RETIRE NOW!  SEND HIM TO HATTISBURG. WITH FARVE RUNNING THE OFFENSE AND CAPER RUNNING THE DEFENSE HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL WILL NEVER BE THE SAME AGAIN.

HAVE A NICE RETIREMENT COACH CAPERS AND DON’T LET THE DOOR HIT YOU IN THE ASS ON THE WAY OUT……..

Monday, November 25, 2013

Oven

We used to have a built in combination oven.  The combinations were microwave, convection, and “half-time” oven.  After about 9 years it became unhappy and died.  I looked but could not find a replacement. 

Our good neighbor Steve had given us a small toaster oven, which I used for about 6 months.  Then we bought a larger one which I have been using.  In the last 6 months it has been failing…..

So after some research decided to replace it. 

 

m 001

 Here comes UPS…….

m 002  The box is pretty big…..

 

m 003

 Breville is the brand Rex had been reading about in different rv blogs.  Calls itself a “smart” oven.  I just hope it works using even temperatures.  

 

m 004

Looks pretty nice doesn’t it??  Haven’t had a chance to bake anything yet but I have been happy with what I’ve used it for so far.  Big improvement over the other one.

Friday, November 22, 2013

It’s Cotton Pickin Time!!

November in Mohave Valley means cotton pickin time….

 

m 005

 Rex looks dwarfed by this BIG roll of cotton.  This is the first year we have seen the cotton in rolls like this.  Must be the newest and latest in cotton  packaging.

 

m 010

 See all those rolls in the distance???  Lots and lots of cotton here.  There is actually more cotton rolls here than this picture shows.  This is just one field and there are many more.

 

m 012

More rolls along the road.  I don’t know what cotton goes for these days, but I bet there are hundreds of thousands of dollars here.  

This is reservation cotton, the Indians here are farmers and also grow hay which produces about 8 crops a year.  I find the cotton fascinating because it is a crop I’d never seen before moving here.  Each year I find look forward to seeing it grow and harvested.  They do most of the harvesting at night for some reason.  Maybe the heat.

Monday, November 18, 2013

BIG HISTORY PROJECT

We have recently been watching a show called Big History.  If you like history it is really interesting.  We get it on the H2 Channel that we find on Direct TV channel 271. 

The most recent episode I watched was about salt and it’s impact on civilization.  Salt was so important to mankind that at one time it was more valuable than gold.  Roman soldiers were paid in salt, hence the word “salary”.

Roadways that were  taken from the trails of animals were actually roads that animals took to find salt.  Salt is important to animals too.

Salzburg, Austria got it’s name to designate it as a source of salt.  Any place in England that ended in “wich” was also a place to find salt.

Another episode concentrated on the value of horses.  Remember Romans and their flowing robes and the robes of ancient Egyptians?  Mankind started wearing pants in order to ride horses.  Pretty interesting!!

If I have whetted your interest you can go to www.bighistoryproject.com to find out much, much more.

Thursday, November 14, 2013

ALL DONE !!!

JESUS, I’M FINALLY DONE WAXING THE TRAILER. I THOUGHT I WAS CAUGHT IN A MOVIE LOOP OF THE KARTE KID AND GROUNDHOG DAY. “WAX ON, WAX OFF” DAY AFTER DAY AFTER DAY THE SAME THING, “WAX ON WAX OFF”.

  “SUNNY & 80”

OK, WHERE DID I PUT THAT SCOOTER KEY? …..

Sunday, November 10, 2013

KINDA LAZY AROUND HERE

 

p 001

 

“AZ” SUMS THINGS UP AROUND HERE.

I HAVE ONE LAST ITEM ON THE FALL “TO-DO” LIST AND IT’S TAKING FOREVER.  THE LAST PROJECT IS TO WASH AND WAX THE TRAILER. THE EXTERIOR IS FIBERGLASS AND AFTER ALL THESES YEARS IN THE HARSH DESERT SUN THE SURFACE IS ALL CHALK LIKE. THAT REQUIRES A DE-OXIDATION STEP WHICH IS LIKE SANDING THE WHOLE TRAILER WITH A LIQUID SANDPAPER TO REMOVE THE CHALK. LOT’S OF HAND RUBBING AND WORK. IF THE TRAILER IS CHALKY AGAIN NEXT YEAR THE PROCESS WILL HAVE TO BE REPEATED WITH AN ELECTRIC BUFFER. THOUGHT I’D TAKE THE CHEAP ROUTE FIRST ($25).

   “WEEK #24”

Wednesday, November 6, 2013

NEW WEBSITES

TODAY I’VE GOT SOME NEW WEBSITES FOR YOU TO CHECKOUT.

THE RV PARK WE USE IN THE MOHAVE VALLEY WAS SOLD THIS LAST SUMMER AND THE NEW OWNERS HAVE A NEW NAME AND A NEW WEBSITE.  WE HAVE LIVED IN THIS RV PARK DURING THE WINTER SINCE 1999.

http://www.crossroadsrvspace.com/index

 

ON “THE MOUNTAIN” THE RV PARK THAT WE’RE IN CREATED A NEW WEBSITE THIS FALL. YOU CAN CHECK THAT OUT BY CLICKING HERE:

http://pineshadowsaz.com/

UNCLE HANS HAS UPDATED HIS PHOTOS ON THE WEBSITE YOU USE TO RENT HIS CONDO ON SOUTH PADRE ISLAND. NICE LOOKING VACATION SPOT. GO AHEAD AND CLICK THE LINK AND SNOOP AROUND THEIR CONDO.

http://www.pirentals.com/rental/florence-i-407?PropertyID=104442

 

ENJOY THE WEB BROWSING ……..

Monday, November 4, 2013

CLOSED

 

mountain 053

 

THAT WILL WIND IT UP FOR THE “THE MOUNTAIN” THIS YEAR.  WE WERE ABLE TO SPEND A TOTAL OF SIX WEEKS VACATIONING HERE.

THE PARK MODEL IS ALL WINTERIZED AND CLOSED UP AWAITING THE 2014 SEASON. WE DIDN’T GET THE FRONT STOOP REBUILT, SO THAT’S WHERE WE WILL START NEXT YEAR, ALONG WITH PAINTING INSIDE, AND HOOKING THE CAT CAGE TO THE FRONT PORCH.

mountain 054

“WEEK # 25”

Saturday, November 2, 2013

CARPET CLEANING

I’VE CLEANED A LOT OF CARPET OVER THE YEARS, BUT THIS WAS THE EASIEST EVER. DANIEL BOUGHT THE SOAP AND AMY BROUGHT HER KIRBY FROM HOME AND CLEANED THE PORCH CARPET. I SAT AND SUCKED ON COLD BEER.

mountain 041

BEFORE:

mountain 038

AND AFTER:

mountain 043

THANKS AIM !!!

Thursday, October 31, 2013

ALAN, EDDIE, & JOEY

MY GRANDSONS WERE HERE FOR THE WEEK-END.  NOW THERE ISN’T MUCH FOR THIS AGE GROUP IN A 55+ RV PARK

mountain 032

BUT, HERE THEY ARE PLAYING WITH MY PILE OF BRICKS.  THIS PILE IS EDDIE’S WOOD CARVING SHOP.

I WAS CAREFUL TO RAKE THE FALL LEAVES ON TO THE PATIO BEFORE THEY ARRIVED SO THAT THERE WOULD BE A PILE OF LEAVES TO PLAY IN.

mountain 036

mountain 037

mountain 024-001

WE HAD A GREAT FALL CAMPOUT. THE PARK IS ABOUT EMPTY SO I CALLED AND TOLD THEM TO BRING BIKES AND SCOOTERS TO TERRORIZE THE NEIGHBORHOOD, AND THE WEATHER WAS WARM ENOUGH TO WEAR SHORTS IN THE AFTERNOON.

WE ONLY HAD A COUPLE OF PROJECTS ON THE AGENDA. THE FIRST WAS TO MOVE THE OUTDOOR CAT CAGE.

mountain 012

THE BOYS TOOK TURNS POUNDING THE ANCHORS BACK IN.

mountain 020

NOW IT’S IN THE RIGHT POSITION TO ATTACH TO THE PORCH NEXT SUMMER.

mountain 035

mountain 044-001

Tuesday, October 29, 2013

FALL COLORS

FALL COLORS? ONE OF OUR MAJOR OBJECTIVES IS TO STAY IN “SUNNY & 80” WEATHER, SO WHY IN HELL ARE WE ON “THE MOUNTAIN” IN LATE OCTOBER DOING A BLOG ABOUT FALL COLORS?  ESPECIALLY WHEN OCTOBER IS ONE OF THE TWO PRIME MONTHS ON THE LOWER MOHAVE DESERT FOR “SUNNY & 80”.

mountain 006

A COUPLE OF REASONS: FIRST, THE ORIGINAL PLAN WAS TO BE HERE THE SECOND WEEK-END OF OCTOBER WHEN AMY AND THE BOYS HAD A COUPLE OF EXTRA DAYS OFF FOR COLUMBUS DAY AND A TEACHERS DAY.  MARY AND I WERE NOT ABLE TO TAKE THE WEEK OFF BECAUSE THERE WERE TOO MANY DEALERS ON VACATION ALREADY, SO WE SCHEDULED THE TIME OFF AS SOON AS WE COULD, AND ENDED UP WITH THE END OF OCTOBER.  THE GOOD NEWS IS THAT DANIEL, AMY, AND THE BOYS ARE JOINING US FOR THE WEEKEND!!!

THE FOUR YEAR ALBUQUERQUE ASSIGNMENT  FOR DANIEL IS QUICKLY COMING TO A CLOSE, AND THE NEXT DUTY STATION IS DAYTON, OHIO.  BEING AN EIGHT HOUR DRIVE FROM THEM, ALLOWED US TO SEE THE BOYS TWO OR THREE TIMES A YEAR.  WE’RE REALLY GOING TO MISS THAT, SO A FALL CAMPING TRIP ON “THE MOUNTAIN” AND SPRING BREAK IN APRIL ARE MIGHTY IMPORTANT TO US.

THE SECOND REASON, IS WE NEED TO WINTERIZE THE TRAILER, WHICH AMOUNTS TO CALLING THE PLUMBER, PUTTING AWAY THE LAWN FURNITURE, AND REMOVING ANYTHING THAT CAN FREEZE.  ACTUALLY WE HAD PHONED A NEIGHBOR BEHIND US IN EARLY OCTOBER TO CHECK ON THE WEATHER, AND THEY REPORTED ALL WAS WELL.  LAST WEEK ONE DAY THEY CALLED US BACK TO SAY HARD FREEZE WARNINGS AND SOME SNOW WAS IN THE FORCAST FOR THURSDAY.  WAS THERE ANYTHING THEY COULD DO FOR US? HELL YES, THE KEY IS HIDDEN UNDER THE ROCK, AND GO INSIDE AND TURN ON THE FURNACE AND CRACK THE KITCHEN FAUCET SO IT DRIPS AND THE WATER WON’T FREEZE UP, AND THANKS FOR CALLING.

mountain 010

THERE ARE NO FALL COLOR PICTURES TO COMPARE TO THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER BUFFS OF MARQUETTE OR MARI-LEE WOODS SOUTH OF FRANKVILLE, SO DON’T LAUGH AT MY PICTURES.

EVEN THE RED MAPLE IS PART OF THE LANDSCAPING AT THE HOSPITAL AND NOT NATURAL.  THE ONLY FALL COLOR IN THE WEST IS YELLOW FROM THE ASPEN TREES.

mountain 008

Saturday, October 26, 2013

Some Assembly Required

By Uncle Hans

The damned kids have hit my mailbox again!  That's  the fourth time in 18 years.  When this was a problem at my house on Spooner Lake, I built a box out of steel square pipe and that solved the problem.  I should have moved the box with me.  I think the weapon of choice is a baseball bat, while leaning out the passenger window.  This nice $30 plastic box did not stand a chance....

box 

.....so now it is off to the machine shop to buy materials for a new "vandal-resistant" box.....

box1

  ......so far, I have $40 invested in the aluminum flat and angle stock ($40 is the minimum at the machine shop, these are probably $10 worth of scrap parts in reality)  Add a $30 trip to the hardware store for nuts bolts, magnet latch, numbers, and I am ready to start building.....

20131009_143203

20131009_152343

......then, I burn up my old drill by working it to death.     A heart attack, I think.   Add $42.95 for a new drill.  I also broke two drill bits.  This aluminum is harder than I though, tough enough for a baseball bat, I'll bet!!.....

20131009_175806

20131009_181032

......Add the numbers and we are ready to mount the thing.  Now bring on the little vandals!  This happened between 0700 and 1000, as I left for work early and returned to find the pieces strewn across the driveway.  I called the cops as usual and they made a full report as usual, but justice will never be served.


    But when I did this 25 years ago in steel, they hit me one more time.  The box was unscratched, but the mounting post was loosened and had to be reset.  The bat did no damage (probably hurt the kid more than the box!), so they resorted to bashing it with the from of their vehicle.


      But I took IMMENSE PLEASURE in finding some plastic grill parts in the dirt at the base of the mounting post.......

20131010_132501

20131010_132624

By Uncle Hans