FINALLY PICTURES

PICTURES OF OUR NEW (TO US) PARK MODEL.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Love, Love, Love, Love It!!

I can’t stand it……and have to let the cat out of the bag!!

We did, in fact, purchase a park model trailer in the White Mountains.  If you go back 5 or 6 weeks to the blog titled “Plan B”, you can see pictures.  I can’t help it, I love this place and it came with virtually everything.  Dishes, pots, pans, vacuum cleaner, FOUR easy chairs, two sets of table and chairs, a desk, several end tables, a real bed with a pillow top mattress, A STACKED WASHER/DRYER, gas grill, patio furniture, plus bedding and towels.  What the hell is not to love??

 

We were scheduled to head back to Mohave Valley today and had everything packed up.  We just had to vacuum and leave BUT luckily, I said to Rex “you know, next Monday is Labor Day and we might have to work Sunday because of the fireworks”.  Maybe we will have Tuesday off instead of our usual Sunday.  So I called the pit and asked, not only do we have Tuesday off we also have Wednesday off.

How lucky are we??  So Rex asked “WOW what other good thing could happen to us?”  My thought……we could win the lottery and not have to go back to work at all….Now that would make us really, really, really lucky!!

Technical Difficulties

We are on vacation in The White Mountains this week.  The weather is perfect but we are having difficulty locating a reliable internet connection….

AND

Rex forgot his camera cord to download pictures.

We will get the blog caught up next week….we have exciting news to report!!

BACK TO THE MOUNTAINS

TOMORROW WE’RE HEADED BACK TO THE CABIN IN THE WHITE MOUNTAINS AT PINETOP, ARIZONA.  WE CAN’T WAIT, THIS SUMMER HEAT HAS BEEN HARD ON US BOTH.

THIS SUMMER WE WILL HAVE SPENT TWO WEEKS IN THE MOUNTAINS AND NEXT SUMMER WE PLAN TO SPEND A MONTH.

THE MONSOON SEASON IS STILL WITH US.  WE HAD A RAIN SO HARD THAT THE WATER WAS SIX INCHES DEEP ON THE LAUGHLIN BRIDGE. ANOTHER STORM PROVIDED US WITH STRAIGHT LINE WINDS THAT SNAPPED POWER POLES, AND KNOCKED OVER FIVE YEAR OLD TREES.  THE LAST STORM HAD A LIGHTENING BOLT THAT STARTED THE BRUSH ON FIRE ALONG THE COLORADO RIVER DOWN AT NEEDLES, AND THE FLAMES WERE SO HIGH THAT THE FIRE ACTUALLY JUMPED THE RIVER AND WAS BURNING ON BOTH SIDES IN BOTH STATES, ARIZONA AND CALIFORNIA.

NEXT WEEK WILL DO US BOTH A WORLD OF GOOD SITTING ON THE PORCH SWING AND WATCHING FOR DEER IN THE MEADOW.

   “SUNNY & 109”

I Got Mine---Will You Get Yours?

I have been thinking about this for a long, long time.  So I finally did it.

Since I had  chicken pox when I was a kid (like we all did), I decided to have a shingles shot.  I hear that having the shingles is extremely painful and I sure wanted to avoid that.  So why did I even hesitate?  The price of course.  The shot cost me $170.00 plus tax at Safeway Pharmacy.  I priced it at Walgreens and there the cost was 230.00.  At least at Safeway the price went toward my fuel credit and they gave me a 10% coupon off my groceries. 

What a deal!!

How about you, are you thinking about a shot to avoid shingles??  I recommend it.

 

Hey Tinker….

 

Hey tinker-

Is it just me- or do you think that buffalo wings really taste like chicken?

HEAT RELIEF

DAWN GOT TIRED OF READING ON THE BLOG ABOUT OUR SUFFERING IN THE HEAT, AND CALLED TO INVITE US TO SHARE THEIR POOL.

I’VE GOT TO ADMIT, I’VE BEEN COMPLAINING A LOT ABOUT THE HEAT, BUT JUST BE THANKFUL YOU’RE NOT HERE TO LISTEN TO ME DAILY, COMPLAIN…….

THANKS DAWN AND COLE FOR A WONDERFUL AFTERNOON, TOPPED OFF WITH WISCONSIN BRATS OFF THE GRILL.

THANK GOD THE PACKER FOOTBALL SEASON IS COMING AND THE RETURN OF “SUNNY & 80”.

 

Happy Birthday Kathy

By Uncle Hans

So Neil called me about a month ago and told me about a problem he had. He had pulled off a successful surprise birthday for Kathy for her 40th (the convertible, the barn on the fairgrounds, and the snorkel mask full of cotton balls..........Oh! You had to be there!).

Then he TOTALLY pulled off the surprise 50th party. (Two Guys and a Banner. Susie the Duck Parade. The barn......Oh! You had to be there!).

But, now, his chances for surprising her on the 60th were almost zero. So he came up with a brilliant plan. He was inviting us to Kathy's surprise 60th birthday party, but a week or two before her 58th birthday!! She would never see that coming.

Here she’s stepping out of the truck and walking to the (of course) barn.................

......He planned this thing with more precision and secrecy than the Normandy invasion of France. And the plan came together beautifully, although the pig did not enjoy his assigned role............

The only glitch was me getting lost picking up the cake. WE straightened out the mess over cell phones and I made it to the party with minutes to spare. A friend, John, did the cake, and it was beautiful..........

.......the pig did not get lost and arrived on schedule with the catering people. It was delicious.......

......The barn belongs to a friend who keeps it as a party place. It was just the right size, and the huge bar proved to be a big hit........

.....Lots of family and friends quietly showed up the night before and the morning of the party to set up. This is the food line, which was outside. Even the weather cooperated, with the rain holding off until after the food was served............

...................Adam and his band "Chasin' Steel" were there to entertain all afternoon. This is his oldest daughter, Savannah.................

.............Sara managed the bar and all the kids were bartenders (only in Wisconsin!)............

......Once the food and drink started, I forgot the camera business and missed a lot of important pictures (like the huge sign outside "Happy Birthday Kathy” (Chasin Steel).

Here are a few random shots.

View Full Album

A good time was had by all, most people simply retreated to the Casino Hotel to sit by the pool and eat 10 pizzas.

The most common "good-bye" words were: "See you at the wedding!"..........

By Uncle Hans

Bears

By Uncle Hans
Who can remember "Boo Boo. I'm smarter than the average bear!"? Well, we have got a problem at our house. The trash pickup company has automated their business and issued us all these bright blue containers, so they can pick them up with a hydraulic lift on their trucks. To the bears, who have become plentiful around here, they look a lot like a "picnic basket".

     

My trash used to live in a wooden bin with a closing cover that was hinged. That system, while "bear-proof", is not compatible with the "new and improved" system that the garbage company imposed on us. Now, the bears go door to door, knocking these picnic baskets over and grazing. They leave a trail of stinky, sloppy garbage and you will never guess who has to pick it up.

Yup. Hans AKA "Ranger Rick"

Something needed to be done!

This is Bearstopper version 1.0. The handle of the trash bin is lifted up over the three screws and hooks on the wood that is attached to the garage wall, quite securely.     

Well, Yogi was smarter than that! He just knocked on the picnic basket a little harder until it jumped back over the three screws and fell over. Then Ranger Rick had to pick up sloppy stinky trash again...............



that lead directly to bearstopper version 2.0. This has a large hook that holds the handle and a large hinge flips down over the hook to hold the handle securely in place.

     

or maybe not. Damned Yogi!
That lead to bearstopper version 3.0. In this version, the hinge flips down over the large hook and a locking pin goes through the large hook making it IMPOSSIBLE ( I am almost certain) for Yogi to knock down the trash bin.

     

Now keep in mind that bearstopper must stop the bear, but NOT stop 100 lb Ranger Renee from being able to take the trash out to the road on trash morning. It must be what they call ingenious.....

For the last 6 weeks, Ranger Rick has not picked up any sloppy stinky trash. But I have a feeling that Yogi and BooBoo will not take this lying down.

I don't have Bearstopper 4.0 completely worked out on the drawing board, but keep in mind that Jake is an electrician and a switch in the garage could easily be flipped to send 110 volts through the picnic basket .......................and make for some singed paws!

I will keep you posted
Uncle Hans

MORE HEAT

ANOTHER BATTLE WITH THE HEAT

THE BATTLE WITH THE EXTREME HEAT OF SUMMER ON THE LOWER MOHAVE DESERT CONTINUES. THIS WEEK MY OLE FAITHFUL WATER FAN QUIT, JUST UP AND WALKED OUT, DROPPED DEAD OUTSIDE THE FRONT DOOR.

SHIT, I CAN’T SIT OUT ON THE PORCH WITHOUT MY WATER FAN. OK MARY, LOAD UP FOR ANOTHER RUN TO LOWES.

 

WHAT’S NEXT?

IF IT WERE UP TO ME, I’D PICK OCTOBER TO BE NEXT.