un Noticed!!

Was I preoccupied?  Wasn’t I not paying attention?  Probably all of those things.

I missed an anniversary,  it was a 9th anniversary. 

The 9th anniversary of quitting smoking, something I really feel is one of my most proudest achievements!!  AND I FORGOT??

Does that mean I am such a successful reformed smoker that the anniversary slipped right by me??  I think it does.

So today is my 9 year, 1 month anniversary of becoming a non smoker!!  And yes, it really is one  of my proudest achievements.

MOHAVE BROADBAND

FOR THE LAST SEVERAL YEARS I’VE BEEN STRUGGLING WITH THE “FREE” WI-FI AVAILABLE HERE IN THE RV PARK.  NOW IN THE HIGH SEASON WITH LOT’S OF RV’S HERE IT’S ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE TO GET ON LINE, THERE JUST ISN’T ENOUGH BAND WIDTH AVAILABLE.

NORMALLY WHEN I GET HOME FROM WORK LATE AT NIGHT I’M ABLE TO GET ON AND READ MY BLOGS AND NEWSPAPERS, UNLESS THE SYSTEM HAS CRASHED AND NEEDS TO RE-BOOTED.

LAST WEEK ONE DAY AFTER BEING WITHOUT INTERNET FOR TWO DAYS I GOT UP AT 5 AM TO USE THE CONNECTION, AND IT NEEDED TO BE RE-BOOTED.  I HAVE A KEY TO THE SECERT JANITOR’S CLOSET WHERE THE MODEM AND ROUTER ARE STORED, BUT IT’S A BIT OF A HIKE IN THE PITCH DARK AND COLD.

WHEN I GOT BACK TO THE CAMPER I STILL COULDN’T GET CONNECTED !!!

THAT CRACKED MY SWISS TEMPER WHICH IS USAULLY UNDER CONTROL. MY SWISS TEMPER SEEMS TO CALMLY BUILD UP THINGS THAT PISS ME OFF AND STORE THEM, THEN THE SLIGHTEST LITTLE THING WILL TRIGGER AN EXPLOSION.

I WAS PISSY ALL DAY AND ATTACKED THINGS THAT ANNOYED ME.  CUPBOARDS GOT REARRANGED, A NEW VACUUM CLEANER WAS BOUGHT, LOTS OF SHIT GOT THROWN OUT, AND I BOUGHT INTERNET SERVICE.

NEEDLESS TO SAY, WHEN MY TEMPER BLOWS YOU DON’T WANT TO BE ANYWHERE AROUND ME, AND A FEW DAYS LATER I ASKED MARY HOW MANY TIMES SHE’S SEEN ME HAVE ONE OF THESE TEMPER TANTRUMS?  HER ANSWER WAS ABOUT SIX TIMES OVER THE LAST FOURTEEN YEARS.  ODDLY ENOUGH IT’S USUALLY EXTREMELY HOT WEATHER WHEN THEY OCCUR.

WHEN IT COMES TO BUYING THINGS LIKE INTERNET SERVICE, CELL PHONE, OR SATELLITE TV MY MIND DOESN’T SEEM TO SEE THE LOW MONTHLY RATE OF $49.95, BUT INSTEAD SCREAMS WHY DO I HAVE TO PAY $600 A YEAR FOR INTERNET? OR $800 A YEAR TO WATCH TV? I KNOW, I KNOW, GET OVER IT REX…..

BUYING INTERNET SERVICE IS A BIT OF CHALLENGE FOR ME AS I DON’T HAVE A PHONE LINE, CABLE TV, OR AN AIR CARD.

I WENT WITH A COMPANY CALLED MOHAVE BROADBAND FOR UNLIMITED INTERNET SERVICE PROVIDED WIRELESSLY THROUGH THIS ANTENNA.

GREAT INTERNET SURFING CAN’T BE FAR BEHIND.  WE’RE BOTH EXCITED TO CHECK OUT YOU TUBE VIDEOS, SKYPE, PLAYING POKER, AND WHAT EVER ELSE NORMAL INTERNET USERS GET. I’M GUESSING MY OLE LAPTOP WILL BE NEXT TO GO, AND FOR $600 A YEAR AND TWO YEAR CONTRACT, THIS CONNECTION BETTER BE PERFECT.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY !

ISN’T THAT FACEBOOK APP THAT REMEMBERS EVERYBODY’S BIRTHDAY COOL? I MEAN I DIDN’T EVEN THINK ABOUT IT BEING MY BIRTHDAY UNTIL I STARTED GETTING ALL THESE BIRTHDAY WISHES IN MY E-MAIL BOX FROM FACEBOOK.  HELL, I GOT BIRTHDAY WISHES FROM SOME PEOPLE IN MY HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATING CLASS THAT I WOULDN’T KNOW IF THEY STOPPED ME ON THE STREET AND BOUGHT ME A BEER.

I WONDER HOW THAT WILL WORK OUT, WHEN I GROW UP AND I’M DEAD?  WILL I STILL GET “HAPPY” BIRTHDAY WISHES?  I WONDER IF FACEBOOK EVER FORGETS SOMEONES BIRTHDAY?  HELL I WONDER IF I WOULD HAVE REMEMBERED MY OWN BIRTHDAY WITHOUT FACEBOOK?

NOW I’M BEGINNING TO WONDER WHAT ELSE, FACEBOOK KNOWS ABOUT ME?  DOES IT KNOW IF I’VE BEEN DRINKING 10-20 BEERS?  DOES IT KNOW THAT I DON’T WEAR UNDERWEAR ON MY DAYS OFF? 

OR WORSE, DOES IT KNOW MY MOTHER’S MADIEN NAME? MY SOCIAL SECURITY NUMBER? MY CREDIT CARD NUMBER? MY PASSWORD?

COME TO THINK ABOUT IT, TWO WEEKS AGO I HAD TO CHANGE MY PASSWORD, BECAUSE ACCORDING TO FACEBOOK I LOGGED ON FROM ARGENTINA.  REALLY? REALLY?

WHO THE HELL OWNS FACEBOOK?  DO THEY HAVE TO FILL OUT GOVERNMENT FORMS? DOES THE GOVERMENT KNOW MY ABOUT MY UNDERWEAR HABITS?

IF A NEW OUTFIT COMES ALONG AND WHIPS FACEBOOK, WILL THEY BE FOR SALE? IN THE END, IF I BOUGHT OUT FACEBOOK WILL I KNOW ABOUT YOUR UNDERWEAR?

AFTER REREADING THIS POST I KNOW IT’S TRUE, THAT YOU GET SMARTER WHEN YOU GET OLDER.

REX

SNOW

WHILE THE REST OF YOU ARE WAKING UP TO THE BEAUTIFUL WHITE SNOW AND FREEZING TEMPERATURES……

HERE IS OUR EARLY MORNING SUNRISE AND A TEMP OF 53  DEGREES.

WHICH IS YOUR CHOICE?

IT’S ALL OVER…..

WELL THE FOOTBALL SEASON IS ALL OVER FOR US PACKER FANS.  IT SURE WAS AN EXCITING SEASON WITH ALL THE GAMES WON, BUT AS USUAL IT’S MOST IMPORTANT TO PEAK AT THE END OF THE SEASON.

LET’S NOT WASTE ANY CYBERSPACE ON EXCUSES AND I TOLD YOU SO’S, BUT GET BACK IN THE OFFICE AND IMPROVE OUR DEFENSE.

A WHOLE WEEK WENT BY WITHOUT A BLOG, AND I GUESS THAT SHOWS JUST HOW BORING OUR LIVES HAVE BECOME.  WE WORKED 37 HOURS THIS LAST WEEK WHICH IS ABOVE OUR AVERAGE, AND WE WERE OUT HOUSE SITTING A COUPLE DAYS.  THAT’S IT.

WE DID GET A REALLY NICE PICTURE OF MARY’S MOM IN AN E-MAIL FROM HEATHER WE’D LIKE TO SHARE.

NOT BAD FOR 90 YEARS OLD, EVEN IF SHE IS WEARING VIKINGS PURPLE.

CHORE LIST

ABOUT MID-WEEK WE START A LIST OF THINGS THAT NEED TO BE TAKEN CARE OF ON OUR DAYS OFF. THINGS LIKE EMPTY THE SHITTER HOLDING TANK, LAUNDRY, ETC.  THE LIST ALSO INCLUDES ERRANDS WE NEED TO RUN, LIKE THE LIBRARY, GO WATCH THE PACKER GAME, ETC.

SINCE THERE WASN’T A PACKER GAME, THE LIST WAS LONGER THAN USUAL THIS WEEK-END, AND WE DIDN’T GET IT ALL DONE, AND STARTED NEXT WEEK-ENDS LIST ALREADY.

WE ARE ALSO OFF FOR A DOGGY FIX AND WILL BE HOUSE SITTING A COUPLE OF DAYS, MAKING OUR CHORE LIST EVEN HARDER TO ACCOMPLISH.  SINCE AMY POSTED GRANDMA’S SUGAR COOKIE RECIPE ON FACEBOOK RECENTLY I HAD MARY MIX UP A BATCH TO BAKE WHILE WE’RE HOUSE SITTING.

ONE OF THE ITEMS ON THE CHORE LIST IS TO RENEW OUR PASSPORTS.  HAS IT REALLY BEEN 10 YEARS SINCE OUR FIRST TRIP TO BELIZE? MAN, TIMES SURE FLIES WHEN YOU’RE A HAPPY CAMPER.

THE JANUARY WEATHER HAS BEEN BETTER THAN IN YEARS PAST, AND ALTHOUGH THE FURNACE RUNS AT NIGHT, IT’S BEEN SUNNY AND WARM DURING THE DAYS.

THE PORCH

I WROTE A LOT OF BLOGS ABOUT OUR NEW PORCH LAST YEAR, BUT ARE WE USING IT IN THE WINTER?

WE FOUND LAST SUMMER THAT WE USED THE PORCH UNTIL IT GOT TOO HOT AT 105 DEGREES WHEN WE MOVED INSIDE TO THE AIR CONDITIONING.  OF COURSE ALL OUR COOKING WAS DONE OUTSIDE ON THE PORCH AS WELL.

THIS WINTER THE CAMPER DOOR COMES OPEN WHEN THE THE PORCH TEMPERATURE HITS 60 DEGREES OR ABOVE.  LAST WEEK THE PORCH WAS WARM ENOUGH EVERYDAY.

THE PUZZEL TABLE HAS BEEN IN USE SINCE THE “TO DO LIST” WAS FINISHED.  WE HAD THREE 2 PM START TIMES AT WORK LAST WEEK AND LEFT THE PORCH DOOR OPEN FOR THE CATS TO ENJOY WHILE WE WERE AT WORK.    SUSIE CHECKS IT OUT RIGHT AFTER DARK, AND “AZ” PRETTY MUCH LIVES OUT THERE WHEN THE DOOR IS OPEN.  HE SUNS HIMSELF IN THE MORNING WHILE SITTING IN THE CAT TREE, AND KEEPS A CLOSE EYE ON THE NEIGHBORS.

WITH A TEMPERATURE RANGE OF 60 TO 105 DEGREES, THE PORCH GETS A LOT OF USE.  OF COURSE THE WINTER SNOWBIRD NEIGHBORS WERE HAPPY TO BE INVITED IN TO CHECK OUT THE BIGGEST PORCH IN THE RV PARK.

MY LAPTOP HAS BEEN INSIDE, BECAUSE I LIKE TO BE ON THE INTERNET AFTER WORK AND FIRST THING IN THE MORNING, BUT I’M SURE IT WILL LIVE OUT ON THE PORCH AS SOON AS SPRING ARRIVES.  WHICH CONSIDERING WE’VE HAD TEMPS IN THE 70S THIS WEEK, MIGHT BE SOONER RATHER THAN LATER.

“SUNNY & 70”

 

Florida Keys

By Uncle Hans 

Renee and I spent our Christmas on the Florida Keys.  Great weather. 80 and sunny each day. 
We drove, as crazy as that sounds.  It was 2060 miles, a little further than I thought.  The driving went well, good weather on the way down and no traffic problems.  We stopped at a Waffle House, which is a southern, fast food breakfast place.  It is inexpensive and a unique experience as the whole kitchen is exposed along with all the noise and chaos to the customer.  People seemed to like it.  I had a pecan waffle and it hit the spot...........

 

 


Our favorite place, however, was Chad's in Tavernier on the Keys.  We found this place in April when we were down.  A great deli like place that bakes all it's own bread.  Everything is so fresh and good.  They were closed Christmas eve and Christmas day so the only day we could go was the 23rd.  Too bad!

 


....................We found something from history:  Smoking in bars!   You are a "bar" if less than 20% of your revenue comes from food.  Several "restaurants" have attached off-sale liquor stores so they could bring their % below 20 and the patrons could smoke.  a cute trick.........

 



   .....................The Keys are famous for sun and fun, but the dirty little secret is that they have virtually no sand beaches.  There is one at mile marker 70 called Anne's Beach and another, nicer and larger. around 37.  That's it.  Anne's is sort of narrow, depending on the tide.  But there is a little park there and some walking paths.  It is in a spot on the island where you literally can stand in the water and throw a rock to the other water.  Over the park, over the two lane road and over the shoulder on the far side of the road.............

 

 

 



Of course, we have to make observations about RV living.  It is the reason for Rex and Mary's Blog!  The park takes up the entire small island and has at least 800 spots.  We stayed in one of the 20 motel rooms.  It is called Fiesta Key.  Occupancy was about 20%, but the motel rooms were full.  Some of the Christmas decorations were quite elaborate.......

 



.........The "regulars" put on a nice feed on Christmas Eve and cooked up a pig.  Santa Clause did a celebrity gig as DJ, and got a kiss from Renee.............



 



..... I did my damnest to get invited for a tour of this beauty, a four slide-out land yacht, but to no avail.  They were parked across the road from us and managed to stay aloof from the poor Wisconsin white trash in the Buick..........

 

 



.......this sculpture caught our eye.  It depicts a Grandpa spinning a yarn about a big fish that he caught to his grandson, while a monster fish is rising up out of the water behind him.  A little hard to see, but very imaginative..........

 



.........a highlight of the trip was a stop in Leesburg on the way home to visit AJ and Ruth  (our Dad's Brother).  Cousin John was there for Christmas from Atlanta.  We had  brunch at the IHOP, and set out in search of a tavern to be Rechsteiners.  Taverns are scarce as hen's teeth in the south, but we were very dedicated.  They looked good and we enjoyed the stop..........

 



..........we decided to try driving after some harrowing experiences in the airport lately.  It was 2060 miles one way and that distance is gruesome.  But we did not have to rent a car.  We bought some fun and clunky souvenirs.........because we could. The expense was less than a third of flying, but takes two extra days out of your vacation.  Yuck!  You get to see how people live along the way. 

    The verdict?  Both methods of travel are equally unsatisfactory.

    I leave you with a sunset on Anne's Beach.........................



By Uncle Hans

355 DAYS

AS USUAL WE WORKED ON NEW YEARS EVE AT THE CASINO.  I ENJOY WORKING NEW YEARS EVE. IT’S FUN TO BE A PART OF THE CASINO ACTION.

THE V.I.P. DINNER PARTY HAD A MOB THEME FROM THE 1920’S AND MANY OF THE CUSTOMERS GOT INTO IT WITH SOME SEXY LITTLE BLACK DRESSES AND SOME DAPPER PIN STRIP SUITS FOR THE MEN.

THE LIVE BAND IN THE COCKTAIL LOUNGE WAS ONE OF MY FAVORITES AND ALTHOUGH THE GUY CAN’T SING FOR SHIT, HE PLAYS AN AMAZING SAXAPHONE.

THE BALLON DROP AT THE STROKE OF MIDNIGHT IS SO LOUD AND CRAZY WE ACTUALLY HAVE TO SHUT DOWN OUR GAMES TO LET THE CROWD CELEBRATE.

AND SO 2011 IS IN THE BOOKS AND WE’RE HEADED INTO 2012, LOOKS LIKE THIS NEXT ONE WILL BE THE LAST ONE.

AS YOU KNOW, THE MAYANS PREDICTED THE END OF THE WORLD ON 12-21-12. THAT IS WHEN ALL OF THE MAYAN CALENDARS COME TO AN END.  THAT SHOULD BE GOSPLE…RIGHT?

ME, I AM CURIOUS AS TO JUST WHAT WILL HAPPEN ON 12-21-12.  IS THERE JUST A BIG BANG AND POOF IT’S ALL GONE?  OR IS IT JUST THE END OF THE CALENDAR? 

ANYWAY I’M GLAD MARY DIDN’T GET ANY EXTENDED WARRENTY CRAP THEY TRY TO PUSH ON HER.

WHAY’S IN STORE FOR THE NEXT 355 DAYS (MINUS 10 FOR THE DEC 21ST THINGY), MORE OF THE SAME SHIT, JUST A DIFFERENT YEAR.