NYE

NEW YEAR’S EVE AND THE STRANGEST ENDING TO A YEAR I CAN REMEMBER IN THE LAST FIFTEEN YEARS.

FIRST OF ALL THE TEMPERATURE ON THE PORCH IS ONLY 36 DEGREES AND THERE ARE SNOW FLURRIES BLOWING IN THE WIND. NOT ENOUGH SNOW TO ACCUMULATE ON THE GROUND, BUT SNOWING NEVER THE LESS. IN FIFTEEN YEARS WE SAW SLUSH ON THE PICNIC TABLE ONCE, BUT THIS IS THE FIRST TIME WE’VE EVER SEEN SNOW IN MOHAVE VALLEY. I KNOW THIS BRINGS A SMILE TO YOUR FACE, BUT IT IS NOT MAKING US SMILE AT ALL !!!

 

SECOND, AND AS STRANGE AS SNOW IN THE MOHAVE VALLEY IS THAT WE HAVE THE DAY “OFF”. I CAN’T REMEMBER THE LAST TIME I HAD NEW YEAR’S EVE OFF WORK. NOTHING SPECIAL PLANNED, MAYBE A COUPLE OF COCKTAILS THIS AFTERNOON, AND BIG POT OF CHICKEN NOODLE SOUP TO RING IN THE NEW YEAR AT HOME.

LAST YEAR’S RESOLUTION WAS TO LOSE 40 POUNDS. I STARTED OUT GREAT AND LOST 25 POUNDS BETWEEN JANUARY AND MAY 1ST. I THOUGHT I HAD IT MADE WITH ONLY 15 POUNDS TO LOSE OVER THE SUMMER. DIDN’T HAPPEN, I ACTUALLY GAINED 10 POUNDS BACK. MUST HAVE BEEN THE NEW GRILL, THE EXTRA BEERS OF SUMMER, AND A MONTH OF EATING FRESH GULF SHRIMP ON SOUTH PADRE ISLAND. SO IN 2015 THE GOAL IS TO LOSE 25 POUNDS (AGAIN). I DUG MY PEDOMETER OUT OF MY UNDERWARE DRAWER AND 75,000 STEPS A WEEK IS THE GOAL.

HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYBODY !!!

WTF ???

Snowmobiling

By Uncle Hans

Snowmobiling is off to an odd start this year. We got 15 inches of snow on the 10th of November but the trails don't open until December 15th because the DNR doesn't want snowmobilers in the woods with deer hunters. Naturally, by that time the snow was gone.  Finally a couple of days ago we got a little dusting so we went out on the lake. We made Charlie stay in the house so that when we got home and let him out he jumped on the snowmobile and wouldn't get off.  Could be a long year. We may have to buy him goggles........

 

MORE HOLIDAY CHEER

YESTERDAY WE MET DON AND CAROL FROM GREEN BAY, WISCONSIN FOR A HOLIDAY COCKTAIL.  IT’S ALWAYS FUN TO GET TOGETHER WITH THESES TWO ON THEIR ANNUAL TRIP TO LAUGHLIN.

HOLIDAY DRINKS

WE MET OUR GOOD FRIENDS DAWN AND COLE FOR HOLIDAY DRINKS AND LUNCH AT COCKTAILS YESTERDAY. WE’VE REALLY BEEN MISSING THESE TWO THIS YEAR. IN PAST YEARS WE’D GET TOGETHER EVERY SUNDAY TO WATCH THE PACKERS PLAY, BUT SINCE MARY AND I ARE WORKING SUNDAYS THIS YEAR WE HAVEN’T BEEN ABLE.

MARY AND I, AS WELL AS UNCLE HANS AND RENEE, HOPE YOU HAVE TIME DURING YOUR HOLIDAYS TO ENJOY COCKTAILS AND LUNCH WITH YOUR FRIENDS, AND WISH YOU ALL A MERRY CHRISTMAS !!!

Road Trip

By Uncle Hans

We have been in Phoenix the last few days enjoying the Sun visiting Renee’s brother and extended family and putting a few miles on the motorcycle. We have made the decision to run the back roads back to I-40, that will take us through Show Low.

 

Doesn't that picture remind you of cousin Eddie from National Lampoon's family vacation Christmas? Right down to the leaking black tank valve. Scary!

By Uncle Hans

CALIFORNIA GAS PRICE

THESE TWO GAS STATIONS ARE ABOUT A MILE APART. THE FIRST IN NEEDLES, CALIFORNIA, AND THE SECOND IN MOHAVE VALLEY, ARIZONA.

THAT’S A DIFFERENCE OF $1.23 PER GALLON FOR REGULAR GASOLINE……..

INTERESTING

 

LOOKS LIKE AN OLD OLDSMOBILE HERSE? ALL I KNOW AFTER TAKING THE PICTURE 3 OR 4 PIT BULLS JUMPED UP AND STARTED BARKING, AND THE WINDOWS ARE ROLLED PART WAY DOWN, I DIDN’T LINGER…….

T’IS THE SEASON

ANOTHER ARIZONA SUNSET

CLOUDS

I’M SURE YOU SAW PICTURES OF THE GRAND CANYON THIS WEEK WITH THE CLOUD INVERSION. THE WARM AIR TRAPPED THE CLOUDS IN THE CANYON MAKING WHITE FLUFFY CLOUDS APPEAR TO FILL THE CANYON LEVEL FULL ACROSS THE RIM.

WE HAD A SIMILAR SITUATION ON OUR SECTION OF THE COLORADO RIVER.

New Sink

 We have needed a new sink for a while, but kept putting it off.  So now the problem is critical….see the water dripping out of the faucet???  That is constant and we all know how irritating that dripping noise can be.  

 

  See the yellow wash cloth wrapped around the handle??  That’s there because otherwise water sprays out of the seam when you turn on the water…yes we desperately need a new sink!

 

 So old sink out…..and the hole is ready for a new one.

 

 The new sink……did you know faucets are not part of the sink??  Yup they are extra.

 

 Here’s the guys doing all the work.

 

Here it is, my new sink!!!  I call it mine because Rex does not do dishes so it is MINE!!

SCOOTER RUN

THIS WEEKS SCOOTER RUN HAD ME RUNNING MY ERRANDS. FIRST STOP WAS THE BANK.

THEN OUT TO THE CASINO, TO PICK UP THIS WEEKS NEWS MAGAZINE, THE LAUGHLIN ENTERTAINER, TO FIND OUT WHAT’S HAPPENING IN THE CASINOS THIS WEEK.

 

THEN OVER TO NEEDLES, CA.

OF COURSE IT WOULDN’T BE A SCOOTER TRIP WITHOUT A COLD BEER STOP……

OR TWO…….

 

AND CHECKOUT THE WEATHER……

 

NOT BAD FOR DECEMBER.

  “SUNNY & 75”

ARIZONA SUNSET

Fire And Ice

By Uncle Hans

Every year about this time we have a fire.  The trees on this place are ill with a fungus and constantly falling down or threatening to fall down.  (I will write a separate blog on this someday).  so, as they fall or get "harvested" I stack the wood to burn and the branches on this huge pile in the woods.  Then, when the snow comes, and it is safe to burn without fear of spreading to a forest fire, we have a big fire......

 

.....it is a tricky thing to get a brushpile covered in snow to ignite.  The first step is to collect corrugated cardboard in a large box, actually three large boxes.  The second step it to use the chainsaw to carve our a "cave" in the pile......

 

.....then the box of corrugated cardboard is doused liberally with diesel fuel.  (only firestarters with a death wish use gasoline, which is wicked volatile, explosive and dangerous).  Then the boxes are placed into the caves and the area around them is similarly doused........

 

......then, finally, you light them.  The boxes must be place on the "upwind" side so the wind drives the fire into the pile as it spreads.......

 

.....Then sit back and open a beer.  The snow makes it very safe, just hard to start. Soon, the burning place is all ready for another year's worth of branches.  Just wish the branches would collect themselves, march to the pile, and jump on, all by themselves......

By Uncle Hans

Here It Comes ….

 

 

 

By Uncle Hans

DATE TREE?

Opening Day

By Todd Wilkinson

Tyler and I had a good opening day..

EDITOR’S NOTE: TODD IS MARY’S NEPHEW, AND OUR FINANCIAL ADVISOR. IF YOU NEED TODD’S FINANCIAL ADVICE GIVE HIM A CALL IN PRAIRE DU CHEIN, WI.

HAPPY THANKSGIVING

HAPPY THANKSGIVING FROM THE MOHAVE VALLEY, AND A NON-TRADITIONAL THANKSGIVING DINNER.

 

 

Happy Thanksgiving from Spooner. Renee saw in a magazine where you could take the breasts off of a turkey and stuff it with stuffing and tied all back together with twine. This is what it looks like. But it tastes good.

The weather is here I wish you were beautiful

Still 2 for 4 dollars!

On our last walk(: 

Sun is going down on this south padre adventure. We're coming back in March

By Uncle Hans