RATTLESNAKE

THE BEST PART OF SUMMER CAMP THIS YEAR HAS BEEN THE WEATHER.  WE’VE SPENT THE BETTER PART OF MAY ON THE LOWER DESERT THREE DIFFERENT TIMES IN THE LAST ELEVEN YEARS, AND THIS YEAR HAS BEEN BY FAR THE COOLEST WEATHER.

IN FACT, SO FAR WE HAVEN’T EVEN RUN EITHER OF OUR AIR CONDITIONERS.  THE SECOND A/C IS ALL HOOKED UP IN THE BEDROOM, BUT SO FAR SO GOOD.

THE HOLDING TANKS FINALLY FILLED UP AND IT WAS TIME TO TACKLE THAT DREADED CHORE.  THIS YEAR, IT’S MUCH EASIER.  THE OWNER BROUGHT IN A FEW LOADS OF FILL TO MAKE THE RV SITE LEVEL WITH THE GARAGE AND THIS YEAR MY SHIT RUNS DOWN HILL TO THE SEWER PIPE. 

YOU HAVE NO IDEA HOW GOOD THAT NEWS IS !!!

THE OWNERS ALSO HAVE A DOG WHEN THEY ARE HERE AND HE SUCCESSFULLY RAN OFF ALL THE PESKY CHIPMUNCKS OR GROUND SQUIRRELS.  WE CAN ONLY HOPE THEY STAY AWAY !!!

I WENT AROUND THE HOUSE THE OTHER DAY AND FOUND THIS RATTLESNAKE TAKING ADVANTAGE OF THE SHADE UNDER THE ROOF OF THE BACK PATIO.

 

NEEDLESS TO SAY, THE SNAKE GAVE MY HEART A LITTLE JUMP AND I FROZE WHERE I WAS STANDING.  I BACKED OUT AND WENT TO GET MARY AND THE CAMERA.

WHEN WE CREPT BACK UP ON THE SNAKE IT HADN’T MOVED, AND MARY SAID SHE THOUGHT THE SNAKE WAS DEAD. I THREW A ROCK AND THE SNAKE DIDN’T MOVE, BUT THE FIRST STEP I TOOK TOWARD THE SNAKE, AND HIS HEAD CAME UP AND SO DID THE RATTLES.

I GUESS THERE’S A GOOD REASON WHY ARIZONA CALLS THEIR BASEBALL TEAM THE DIAMOND BACKS.

Here Comes Summer

Summer made a dramatic arrival this weekend to northern Wisconsin. It seems late, but it is right on time. We rode the motorcycles, fished, and sunned on the pontoon. when all the weekend guests had left, we rode the bike to town, got a Reese's Peanut Butter Cup McFlurry from MacDonald's and sat by an old railroad bridge to watch the sun go down..........

This bridge is part of our proud railroad heritage, now abandoned. Like so many, though, it has found new life as part of a snowmobile, four-wheeler, bicycle, walking trail..........kinda cool........

............Renee had lots of lilacs at her old home in the Cities. She misses them at this time of the year. So we stole some off a roadside bush and she was happy...........

This promises to be a great summer!

By Uncle Hans

Buick Centuries

A couple of years ago I was driving my Buick and T-boned a young girl who had run a stop sign. Rex may be able to link to that blog. Anyway, it occurred to me that that car saved my life, so I bought another and use it to this day. Renee has two sons who both needed transportation and some incentive to get off the party circuit and enrolled in college. She sold her car and bought two of these older Buick Centuries like mine to "lend" to her boys pending their successful enrollment. It worked like a charm as both are happily enrolled in school. Then, Shannon, the girlfriend of Spencer (the youngest), needed a car and Renee helped her to buy yet another Century. They all ended up at our house recently and the "photo-op" was just too tempting.................

............you will recognize the Grandma car at the far right, which, ironically, is a Buick Century (can you see a pattern developing here?)...........

 
these pictures took me to the roof to shoot..............

...................the rest of the party missed me, wondering where I had gone........

They all braved the ladder and caught up with me. The left is Garrett, Renee's oldest. The middle is Emily, drowning her sorrows with cheap champagne as she is the only one now without an old Buick Century (she drives a Jeep).

By Uncle Hans

SUMMER KITCHEN

A NICE PERK OF SUMMER QUARTERS IS THE BIG GARAGE ATTACHED TO THE NEW HOUSE.  ALTHOUGH IT DOESN’T HAVE GARAGE DOORS INSTALLED, IT STILL GIVES US A HUGH ENCLOSED AND SHADY PATIO.

MARY SET UP A BIG SUMMER KITCHEN, COMPLETE WITH A FULL SIZE FRIDGE, TABLES, TOASTER OVEN, HOT PLATE, THE GAS GRILL, AND LOT’S OF COOKING AREA.

 

THE OTHER AREA OF THE GARAGE INCLUDES A TV, THE WII, CHAIRS AND TABLES.

 

ALL THE COMFORTS OF HOME …….

PURGE

WITH THE PERFECT WEATHER AND A HUGH GARAGE TO SPREAD OUT OUR STUFF WE DID A BIG PURGE OF OUR EQUIPMENT AND CLOTHES.

 

LOOK WE EVEN EMPTIED OUT THE BACK OF THE BIG RED PICK-UP.

 

WE ELIMINATED FOUR OF THOSE BIG TUBS.  TWO WENT TO THE GARBAGE, AND TWO WENT TO THE LOCAL LEGION HALL GARAGE SALE.

“REMEMBER WHEN?” STORIES WERE IN OUR DISCUSSIONS AS WE RAN ACROSS ITEMS FROM OUR TRAVELS AND OLD PROJECTS.  THOSE OLD MEMORIES ACTUALLY MADE THIS MUNDANE TASK FUN AND, AT TIMES FUNNY, WE HAD A LOT OF LAUGHS.  IT’S BEEN A HALF A DOZEN YEARS SINCE WE’VE DONE A PROPER PURGE.

IT TOOK US TWO DAYS TO COMPLETE THE PURGE, AND GIVES US A LOT MORE ROOM.  EVEN THOUGH WE LIVE IN A SMALL SPACE, WE SURE SEEM TO FILL IT UP. A GOOD JOB DONE.

MOVING TO THE MOUNTAINS

WE USED THE REST OF OUR VACATION DAYS TO MOVE THE CAMPER UP INTO THE MOUNTAINS.  GONE ARE THE DAYS OF THE BEAUTIFUL SIERRA NEVADAS AND LAKE TAHOE. INSTEAD IT’S BACK TO THE BLACK MOUNTAINS OF OATMAN AND THE SAME HOME CONSTRUCTION SITE WE WERE AT LAST SUMMER.

THE CONSTRUCTION SITE HAS BEEN CLEANED UP, THE BIG DUMPSTER IS GONE, THE LANDSCAPING HAS BEEN IMPROVED AND LEVELED, AND THE NAILS HAVE BEEN PICKED UP, BUT NO ADDITIONAL CONTRUCTION PROGRESS HAS BEEN COMPLETED.

I KNOW WE SHOT THESE SAME PICTURES LAST YEAR.  WHAT ABOUT A PICTURE OF THE HOUSE INSTEAD OF JUST THE GARAGE?  WELL, IT’S NOT OUR HOME TO BE POSTING PICTURES OF ON THE INTERNET, BUT HERE IS A PICTURE OF THE BACK OF THE HOME TO ILLUSTRATE HOW THEY MOVED THEIR MOTORHOME TO THE OTHER SIDE SO WE HAD ACCESS TO SEWER AND POWER ON THE RV SITE BY THE GARAGE.

THE BEST PART OF THE MOVE WAS THE WEATHER.  THE TEMPS WERE IN THE HIGH 80’S AND LOW 90’S.  THINGS JUST DON’T GO GOOD FOR ME WHEN IT’S TOO HOT, SO IT WAS A PLEASURE TO MOVE IN DECENT WEATHER.

SUSIE-Q, THE CAT, IS HAPPY TO HAVE US HOME AND HAS BEEN BUSY CHECKING OUT THE CHANGES IN HER CAMPER BOTH INSIDE AND THE SCENERY OUTSIDE THE WINDOWS.

4 YEARS OLD

THE "HAPPY CAMPERS BLOG" IS FOUR YEARS OLD TODAY.  THAT'S A LOT OF STORIES, TRAVELS, ADVENTURES, AND BULL SHIT.

1,220 POSTS, 3,550 PICTURES, AND 96,000 HITS.  FOUR YEARS AGO I WOULD HAVE NEVER BELIEVED IT.

THINGS CHANGE FAST ON THE INTERNET.  TODAY IT'S ALL ABOUT SOCIAL NETWORKING, FACEBOOK, TWITTER, YOUTUBE, MYSPACE, ETC.  I HAVE ALL THOSE ACCOUNTS, BUT ONLY USE THEM TO SNOOP ON ALL MY OLD FRIENDS.  I ESPECIALLY LIKE TO SEE THEIR PHOTOS.  IT'S FUN TO SEE HOW ALL THOSE FRANKVILLE KIDS TURNED OUT AND WATCH BABY JACK GROW UP. 

WE STILL PREFER THE BLOG FORMAT.  WE THINK IT TAKES A LITTLE THOUGHT AND EFFORT TO WRITE A BLOG, INSTEAD OF USING YOUR CELL PHONE TO POST WHAT YOU'RE DOING RIGHT NOW ON TWITTER.

BEING PINNED DOWN BY THE ECONOMY, WE QUIT BLOGGING DAILY ABOUT A YEAR AGO.  THAT DECISION CAUSED OUR READERSHIP TO DROP BY ABOUT 50%, FROM 120 READERS A DAY TO 60 A DAY.

SO NOW THE QUESTION IS:  DO I HAVE IT IN ME TO GO ANOTHER FOUR YEARS?  WHAT DO YOU THINK?

WE MADE IT HOME

WE FINALLY MADE IT SAFELY HOME, AND WITHOUT A SNOW SHOWER IN FLAGSTAFF, AZ.  WE SAW ONE CAMPER UPSIDE DOWN
IN THE DITCH AS A RESULT OF YESTERDAY'S DUST STORM.

WHEN WE GOT TO KINGMAN, AZ, I TALKED MARY INTO TAKING OLD ROUTE 66 UP THE BLACK MOUNTAINS INTO OATMAN.  WE GOT ABOUT 15 MILES OF THE 22 MILES DONE WHEN THE ROAD WAS CLOSED DUE TO AN ACCIDENT.  REX AND HIS SHORT CUTS....

WE BACK TRACKED TO I-40 AND CAME HOME.

WE'D LIKE TO THANK EVERYONE FOR THEIR HOSPITALITY AND ESPECIALLY FOR THE TIME THEY TOOK TO SPEND WITH US.   WE ENJOYED IT VERY MUCH.

AFTER WE FINISH UNPACKING IT WILL BE TIME TO PACK UP AND MOVE THE CAMPER UP INTO THE BLACK MOUNTAINS BY OATMAN TO SPEND THE SUMMER.  ALTHOUGH WE WON'T HAVE AN INTERNET CONNECTION WE'LL KEEP YOU POSTED ON THE BLOG OF OUR SUMMER ADVENTURES.

THE PLAN

WE WERE SITTING AROUND AT HEATHER'S HOUSE IN LA CROSSE SATURDAY AND DECIDED TO RETURN TO LAUGHLIN ON I-80 FIRST THING MONDAY MORNING.  THIS WILL BE FUN, WE GET TO DRIVE THROUGH THE ROCKIES IN WYOMING, THE WASATCH MOUNTAIN RANGE JUST EAST OF SALT LAKE, AND MADE RESERVATIONS TO SPEND THE NIGHT IN VEGAS BEFORE WE RETURN HOME.

WE EVEN CALLED DAVE, THE COLORADO KID, TO MAKE DINNER ARRANGEMENTS IN CHEYENNE, WY FOR TUESDAY NIGHT.  AN EXCELLENT PLAN !!!

IT'S BEEN FREEZING COLD IN LA CROSSE AND SUNDAY MORNING I CRANKED UP THE INTERNET TO CHECK MY E-MAIL, AND DECIDED TO CHECK ON THE WYOMING WEATHER FOR TUESDAY.  HOLY CRAP, THERE IS A 75% CHANCE OF SNOW!

THAT'S IT !! MARY, I'M SICK OF BEING COLD, PACK THE CAR, AND AFTER MOTHER'S DAY DINNER WE ARE HEADED STRAIGHT SOUTH.  SUNDAY NIGHT WE MADE IT JUST SOUTH OF DES MOINES, IOWA TO TERRIBLES LAKESIDE CASINO.

WE GOT AN EARLY START MONDAY MORNING AND WHEN WE GOT TO TOPEKA, KS HIT A COLD DRIVING RAIN STORM.  WE WERE SURE GLAD THIS WASN'T SNOW, BUT CARS WERE IN THE DITCH ANYWAY.  WE CLEARED WICHITA, KS TO LINK UP WITH THE OLD HWY 54 CUT ACROSS AND AVOID OKLAHOMA CITY.

AFTER THE OKLAHOMA PAN HANDLE, THE SUN CAME OUT AND IT WAS 75 DEGREES.  THAT'S MORE LIKE IT !!  THE CELL RANG, AND IT WAS HEATHER.  WHERE ARE YOU?  TORNADOS ARE RIPPING APART OKLAHOMA CITY......

WOW, WE DODGED THE BULLET ON THAT ONE.  WE CROSSED THAT LINE OF STORMS FAR ENOUGH NORTH THAT IT WAS JUST A HARD COLD RAIN AND NOT TORNADO'S. ARE WE LUCKY OR WHAT !!!

CROSSING NEW MEXICO WE COMMENTED THAT IF WE HAD THE CAMPER ON THIS TRIP THESE STRONG WINDS WOULD HAVE HELD US UP IN TUCUMCARI, NM AGAIN AND INTO THE LIZARD LOUNGE LIKE SEVERAL YEARS AGO.

WE'RE GOING TO BE HOME BEFORE DARK, A DAY EARLY.  SURE GLAD WE LEFT EARLY ON SUNDAY AFTERNOON.  AT NOON AS WE CROSSED THE ARIZONA BORDER WE HAD ONE OF THOSE ELECTRONIC FREEWAY SIGNS ANNOUNCING THAT I-40 WAS CLOSED 103 MILES AHEAD DUE TO A SEVERE DUST STORM.......

WE IMMEDIATELY GOT OFF THE FREEWAY AND LEARNED THAT I-40 WAS CLOSED AT 8:35 AM.  WINSLOW AND HOLBROOK WERE FULL OF STRANDED TRAVELERS.  AS WE TURNED AROUND AND HEADED BACK TO GALLUP, NM TO FIND A ROOM, THE STRONG WINDS WERE UPON US.  I MEAN SANDBLAST THE PAINT OFF YOUR CAR STRONG.

ONLY 350 MILES FROM HOME AND NO WAY TO GET THERE.  AS I SIT HERE IN THE SUPER 8 MOTEL IN GALLUP, TYPING THIS BLOG, AND WAITING FOR MILLER TIME I DECIDE TO CHECK THE WEATHER FORECAST FOR FLAGSTAFF, AZ FOR TOMORROW MORNING.

JESUS, YOU'RE NOT GONNA BELIEVE THIS.  THE FORECAST IS FOR SNOW SHOWERS........

"IT'S 5 O'CLOCK SOMEWHERE" AND MILLER TIME .......

SORRY WE MISSED YA

SORRY WE MISSED YA !!!  LIKE ALL TRIPS HOME OUR TIME GOT AWAY FROM US AND WE MISSED SEEING SOME BLOG READERS WE REALLY WANTED TO SEE.  WITH OUR TIME AT HOME SO SHORT WE CONCENTRATED ON IMMEDIATE FAMILY FIRST.

WE ESPECIALLY MISSED TERESA, JUDY, LINDA, ROSIE, MARK & JAYNE.  WE CRUISED THROUGH YELLOW RIVER ON THURSDAY AFTERNOON, BUT A TAP ON YOUR CAMPER DOOR BROUGHT HOWELLS FROM THE GIRLS AND WE MISSED YA.  CHARLIE AND GRACE WERE DOWN FOR AN AFTERNOON NAP, AND BEING CAMPERS OURSELVES, WE KNEW BETTER THAN TO INTERRUPT A GOOD NAP.  YELLOW RIVER FELT LIKE HOME TO US BOTH, GOD WE MISS THOSE DAYS......

TODAY HAS US HEADED WEST TO FIND THE SUNSHINE AND WARMER TEMPERATURES.  

HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY

SO HOW WAS YOUR MOTHER'S DAY?

MARY'S WAS PERFECT !!!

SHRINE OF OUR LADY OF GUADALUPE

IT'S NOT OFTEN YOU RUN ACROSS A SHRINE OPENED IN 2008.  I WOULDN'T CALL IT A PILGRIMAGE EXACTLY AS IT WAS ONLY A HALF MILE OUT OF WAY.  WE VISITED THE SHRINE OF OUR LADY OF GUADALUPE.

THE STATUE OUT FRONT OF THE CHURCH.

ALTHOUGH MOST OF OUR WORSHIPING IS DONE ALONE IN GOD'S BEAUTIFUL OUTDOORS, WE FOUND THE SHRINE TO BE A QUITE, PEACEFUL, AND A REVERENT PLACE TO PRAISE THE LORD.

WE EVEN LIT A CANDLE, THAT WAS THE 7TH CANDLE IN THE 7TH ROW.  EVEN GOD SMILED AT THE LUCKY 7'S FROM A COUPLE OF CASINO WORKERS.

MT HOPE, WISCONSIN

WE ENJOYED OUR VISIT TO MT HOPE, WISCONSIN, POPULATION 138.  HOME-AGINS BAR IS THE CENTER OF TOWN, AND MARY'S MOM MAKES THE TRIP DOWN THE BIG HILL ON FOOT AT LEAST THREE TIMES A DAY.

ON HER BIRTHDAY, FRIDAY, BILLY, MARY'S BROTHER, TOOK US TO FENNIMORE FOR A BIG BREAKFAST.  AFTER BREAKFAST BILLY AND I CONTINUED ON TO DUBUQUE TO CHECKOUT THE DIAMOND JO CASINO.  IT IS A BEAUTIFUL CASINO ON LAND INSTEAD OF AN IOWA RIVERBOAT.

WE WERE ALSO ON THE "BOAT" AT MARQUETTE, WHERE WE FIRST DEALT BLACKJACK, AND THAT CASINO HAS RECENTLY BEEN REMODELED AND RE-BRANDED AS THE LADY LUCK.

FRIDAY NIGHT WAS A TRADITIONAL FRIDAY NIGHT FISH FRY IN WOODMAN, WISCONSIN AT SPIT AND WHISTLE BAR AND GRILL.

THE BAD WEATHER FINALLY ROLLED IN AND WE SAW 37 DEGREES........  IT WAS QUITE A SHOCK TO THE SYSTEM !!!

MT HOPE IS SO SMALL, THAT WE BOTH NOTICED A NEW BORN CALF IN THE PASTURE BEHIND THE HOUSE.  POOR LITTLE GUY SURE PICKED A COLD WET MORNING TO ENTER THIS WORLD.

Happy Birthday Mother!!

Today is my Mother's 89th birthday.


A very special Happy Birthday to you!!

WISCONSIN ROAD TRIP

WE’RE TOO BUSY HAVING FUN TO BLOG, BUT HERE ARE THE PICTURES ON THE CAMERA:

DOWNTOWN LA CROSSE PACKER BAR.  ARE THEY A LITTLE BITTER?

 

THIS IS WHERE WE DID OUR MUSHROOM HUNTING.  PEOPLE WE’RE HAULING IN SACKS FULL TO SELL AT $14/POUND, AND WE WERE TAKING THEM OUT AT $20/ POUND.  THE MUSHROOMS WE HAD AT LUNCH THAT DAY WERE IN THE BUILDING A TOTAL OF FIVE MINUTES.

 

TWO SMILING FACES OF GRANDMA MARY’S GRANDCHILDREN.

 

WELCOME TO LA CROSSE….

 

 

 

TODAY’S BIG CARD GAME AT HOME-A-GINS INCLUDED MARY.  MARY’S MOM , WHO IS CELEBRATING HER 89TH BIRTHDAY IS RIGHT ACROSS FROM HER. (NOW WE KNOW WHERE MARY GETS HER SILVER HAIR FROM).

 

YOU KNOW YOU’RE IN PACKERLAND….

 

GAS UP THE HONDA, AND LET’S KEEP MOVING !!!

GREEN BAY WRAP-UP

I REALLY ENJOYED THE GREEN BAY VISIT.  LIKE I SAID IT'S BEEN A LONG TIME SINCE I WAS THERE TO VISIT AND I HADN'T SEEN MY MOTHER FOR A YEAR.

IT WAS GOOD TO GET CAUGHT UP ON WHAT LAURA AND SARA WERE UP TO ALONG WITH HANNAH.

NEIL HAS A GREAT DECK FOR RELAXING AND VISITING.

 WE CHECKED OUT THE RIVER WALK WITH WOODY AND BUDDY FOR A NICE STROLL.

HERE IS PHOTO PROOF THAT WE PAID OUR RESPECTS TO THE HOLY LAND........

NOW IT'S BACK TO LA CROSSE AND THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER TO SPEND SOME TIME WITH MARY'S FAMILY.

Woody’s Bursectomy

     We were all in Green Bay to visit with Rex and Mary.  Jake’s dog Woody came along too.  He has been having trouble with a nasty lump on his elbow. Typically, when we all get together, we have some sort of bizarre activity like wood-cutting, or butchering a sheep, or cutting up a front quarter of beef.  Wierd, but fun. 

     Woody’s elbow lump has become our group entertainment.  He looks so calm here, like he is not worried at all.  That’s because Neil has already given him the anesthetic drug, called Ketamine.  In 5 minutes, he is ready for the prep.






     Neil does the positioning……….



…………….and the shaving………….



…….once shaved, you can see this lump is a monster, as big as a golf ball!







………..Photographer Mary put her finger in for size reference………….



Neil has another bizarre tradition, if you bring him a pet for some surgery (for the family “discount”) he makes you do it yourself!  So I get the scalpel……



Neil and I thought it was a cyst (sebaceaous) or a fatty lump (lipoma), but it was suspicious that it was fixed to his elbow………….



When it came down to the end, it was attached to his elbow bone (ulna, I think) and it would not come off without opening.  It contained some clear fluid, which means that this was an olecranon bursae.  In humans they swell up like this if they are bumped repeatedly or otherwise traumatized.  Sometimes they get infected, but this was not.  Often they can be treated medically, but not at this size. 


  
The closure was a bit of a problem.  I took off too much skin with the bursae.  I had to really reef on the remaining skin to get it to close…..



………….it closed, but this joint will be stiff for a while until the skin stretches out and he can bend it easier then.   He did well, post-op, and is up running around like always. He does favor his operated leg, however, a four-legged Chester from Gunsmoke.

By Uncle Hans