Monday, August 31, 2015

Susie Weighs In

 Susie hates change…….

 

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 Even though we now have this beautiful cabin to live in…….

 

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 See that lump in the bed?? That is Susie and she spent everyday of the first 3 weeks in the cabin there.  She would get up and wander around once it got dark.

 

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 When she finally decided to explore during the day, she found this window sill to perch on.  That window is actually 5 feet from the floor…..

 

 

 

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 For some reason the washer interested her.  Can’t you just see her thinking “I’d better get the hell out of here before someone decides to turn this thing on”!!

 

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She always wants to be helpful when I paint…not usually appreciated by me!! 

 

 

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 I have no idea what she is watching, but it’s got her back up whatever it is!!

 

 

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We are so glad that Susie has finally decided to settle into our new home!!

Saturday, August 29, 2015

Making Wood

By Uncle Hans

It's a great morning to Blog!!   The blog has not heard from Uncle Hans for a while and I apologize. 

Today's blog is the tree project on Cable Lake. , As you remember, our beautiful oaks are all sick and dying.  several have fallen over in wind storms, causing damage.  So we are taking the rest down, a few every summer, to prevent further damage.  Here is a load of fireplace size logs, loaded and ready for splitting.

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Also a "city-girl" visitor being taught to use a chainsaw (almost as entertaining as a "craps-table-virgin")

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    Unfortunately, I have lost the pictures from June, when Rex and Mary helped me with the cleanup of the downed trees.  So I am asking the editor to find and post those pictures.

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........The next step is splitting.  In these pictures, Renee's family, like Rex and Mary, is drafted into helping.  No actual digits were harmed in this demonstration.....

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.......here is the finished product.  Many hours of work went into this pile, but it represents about 4 years of wood for our "recreational" fireplace burning.

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By Uncle Hans

Wednesday, August 26, 2015

More Cats

A few years ago, my friend Dawn gave me a “cat portfolio” by artist James Lockhart for my birthday.  I have had them stored away because I really didn’t have a place to display them.  So guess what??  The cabin has a perfect place for them!! 

 

 

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 Here they are….and aren’t they beautiful??

 

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Another shot of the cats.  I have always loved these pictures and now I get to enjoy and appreciate them on a daily basis.

Thank you Dawn!!!

Thursday, August 20, 2015

Happy, Happy Campers

Since you are reading this, I guess you know that we have a blog called “The Happy Campers”.  You are also aware that we recently purchased a cabin in the mountains.   So here are some new pictures of our cabin.

 

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When we were in Wisconsin in June, Kathy Rechsteiner gifted us the top sign that says “Happy Campers”.  This was way before any cabin was in the picture.  The “Welcome to our cabin” sign was already in the cabin when we bought it.  Don’t you think cabins and bears sort of go together??

 

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See what I mean…..he just looks so at home here…and he was here when we got here too.

 

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The geraniums on the deck.  This is Rex’s favorite flower…..this summer anyway.

 

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And of course the deck would not be complete without pizza on the Devil’s egg!!

This cabin is just so damn cute I can’t stand it!!!  We are so blessed!!

Tuesday, August 18, 2015

Sentinel Cats

We have a nice screen porch on the cabin with double doors.  They are very convenient when moving large items in.

 

 

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Sure wish you could see the yard beyond this picture because it is a nice view, one which we look at nightly over cocktails!!

 

 

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Ah….these are the sentinel cats….one looks outside and one looks inside.  I feel so much better knowing they are on duty.  They make me feel so protected and looked after…..

 

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My farmer’s market zinnias.  They are so pretty…love them.  How do you like the vase???  Yup an empty bottle of Gentleman Jack.  It was really good too.  This is also a shot of the screen porch.  Gotta be my favorite room in the cabin.  So cozy and inviting.  So in that spirit, I am inviting anyone that wants and come visit the mountain cabin!!

Sunday, August 16, 2015

YARD SALE

THE WEEK-END IS OVER AND THE YARD SALE WAS A SUCCESS. THE LITTLE OLE LADIES THAT DO YARD SALES START EARLY TO GET THE BEST STUFF, AND MARY’S FIRST SALE WAS AT 6:45 AM ON SATURDAY MORNING.

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A PICTURE ON THE BACK DECK OF THE MOUNTAIN CABIN.

 

I’D CALL THE YARD SALE A SUCCESS, AND MARY TURNED A BUNCH JUNK INTO A COUPLE OF HUNDRED IN CASH. SHE’S GOING TO SPEND THE MONEY ON SOME PAINT FOR THE CARPORT AND FEW OTHER SMALL PROJECTS FOR SEPTEMBER AROUND THE CABIN.

 

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THIS IS THE OTHER CORNER OF THE DECK, WHERE THE DEVIL’S EGG IS READY TO FIRE-UP FOR SUNDAY NIGHT PIZZA.

 

TOMORROW WE HAVE A COUPLE OF TUBS OF STUFF TO HAUL FROM THE PARK MODEL TO THE CABIN, A LITTLE VACCUMING TO DO, AND THE TRASH TO HAUL OUT ONE LAST TIME AND WE WILL BE DONE. BY TUESDAY AT NOON THE BUYERS OF THE PATIO PAVERS SHOULD HAVE THEM PICKED UP AND LOADED.

 

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PARKING FOR THE HONDA AND SCOOTER, THE TRUCK LIVES IN THE STORAGE LOT BEHING THE CABIN.

 

TUESDAY HOPEFULLY THE BUYER WILL SHOW UP WITH A CASHIER’S CHECK AND PINE SHADOWS AND THE PARK MODEL SHOULD BE HISTORY. IT’S MY UNDERSTANDING THAT THE BUYER IS HAVING THE PARK MODEL AND PORCH MOVED TO ANOTHER RV PARK  IN PINETOP.

 

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THIS IS THE VIEW OFF THE BACK DECK OF THE RANCHER’S WATERING POND ON THE PROPERTY NEXT DOOR.

 

SORRY I DIDN’T GET ANY PICTURES OF THE YARD SALE, BUT THINGS WERE HAPPENING TOO QUICKLY AND WE WERE CLEANED UP AND SITTING AT THE BAR WITH OUR FRIEND’S THE HUNTERS BY NOON. INTERESTINGLY ENOUGH AT THE END OF THE YARD SALE A REPRESENTATIVE OF THE PINETOP LADIES CLUB CAME AROUND AND OFFERED TO HAUL AWAY ALL THE REMAINING STUFF (IN OUR CASE THE FROGS) AND CLEAN UP FOR US. THEY TAKE THE STUFF AND HAVE THEIR OWN YARD SALE IN TWO WEEKS AS AN ANNUAL FUND RAISER.

   “SUNNY & 80”

Wednesday, August 12, 2015

MOVING

MOVING BY DESIGN HAS BEEN A LONG DRAWN OUT AFFAIR.  WE NEED TO DRAG IT OUT SO THAT WE ARE STILL RESIDENTS OF THE OLD RV PARK ON SATURDAY AUG.15TH TO PARTICPATE IN THE PARK WIDE YARD SALE.

WE STARTED BY GETTING THE FURNITURE IN THE CABIN TO KEEP OR IN THE TRAILER TO SELL. WE MUST HAVE ARRANGED FURNITURE 10 DIFFERENT WAYS IN THE LIVING ROOM. THEN WE HAD TO DECIDE WHICH BED TO KEEP AND WHICH MATRESS WAS TO OUR LIKING?

THE PARK WIDE YARD SALE IS AN OPPORTUNITY TO SELL ALL THE ITEMS OUT OF THE TRAILER AND THE CABIN THAT WE DON’T NEED OR WANT. THINGS LIKE A COLLECTION OF STUFFED FROGS AND TWO DOZEN COLLECTOR BIRD HOUSES FOR EXAMPLE. IT’S A LOT OF WORK PRICING, SORTING, DUSTING, ETC., BUT COME SATURDAY AT NOON, IT WILL BE ALL GONE AND OVER!

ON MONDAY, “LARRY, THE CABLE GUY” IS SCHEDULED TO HOOK UP TV AND INTERNET, AND TUESDAY THE GAS COMPANY WILL REMOVE THE LP TANK FROM THE TRAILER, MARY WILL FINISH UP CLEANING THE TRAILER, AND REX WILL GO LOOK FOR THE BUYER AND TRY TO GET THE CHECK FOR THE OLD TRAILER.

THAT SHOULD DO IT, AND THEN WE CAN FINALLY SETTLE-IN JUST LIKE “LAZY AZ”….

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Thursday, August 6, 2015

The Yard

 

 Our new cabin on the mountain has a great yard.  Doesn’t have any grass but plenty of space for plants. It is a big yard for an RV park and needs a lot of work.  I see progress every day but it will take years to get it to where I want it.  Hope I live long enough….

 

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 Some of the plants we moved over from our other place.  Looks sunny right now but most of the day this area is in shadow because of the number of trees we have.  It is really cool to have a yard that actually looks like a park.

 

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 The yard has a lot of different areas so we have given them names.  This area is called Rex’s garden.  It is right out the door of the screen porch. 

 

 

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Much to our shock and surprise, the yard has underground sprinklers that are on a timer.  It is also divided into two zones.  The first set of sprinklers turn on a 4:37 PM, waters for 10 minutes, then the second set goes on and sprinkles for 10 minutes.  It is really cool.  We actually have decided that they are our own “Bellagio Fountains”!

Every afternoon we are right there to see them!!

What can I say……we are easily entertained!!

Tuesday, August 4, 2015

CABIN UPDATE

WE’VE BEEN BUSY SINCE WE BOUGHT THE MOUNTAIN CABIN. WE’VE BEEN WORKING ON MOVING ALL THE OUTSIDE STUFF AND CLEANING OUT THE SHED.

THERE IS A YARD SALE AT PINE SHADOWS RV PARK ON SAT. AUG. 15 AND MARY HAS BEEN GATHERING UP ITEMS AT THE CABIN AND THE TRAILER SHE HOPES TO TURN INTO CASH.

WE HAVE ACCEPTED AN OFFER TO PURCHASE ON OUR PARK MODEL AND HOPE TO CLOSE ON THE DEAL AUG. 24TH. MEANWHILE THE PLAN IS TO BE COMPLETELY MOVED OUT BY AUG 20TH.

LET’S SEE IF I CAN FIND A FEW MORE PICTURES OF THE CABIN.

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THESE THREE DOORS ARE IN THE BACK. STRAIGHT AWAY IS THE DOOR TO WHAT WE CALL THE BASEMENT. IT’S REALLY JUST A DUG OUT AREA UNDER THE CABIN. IT’S USED FOR STORAGE, AND ACCESS TO THE PLUMBING, ELECTRIC, TV WIRES, ETC. TO THE RIGHT IS A DOOR TO THE SHOP. IT’S USED FOR STORAGE, AND HAS A WORKBENCH. FOR A SHOP IT’S PRETTY NICE, AT ONE TIME IT WAS USED AS AN OFFICE, SO IT HAS A BIG WINDOW, AND THE ROOM IS ALL DRY WALLED.

THE CLOSEST DOOR TO THE RIGHT IS THE SHED. IT’S 4 X 8 AND STORES MY GRILL STUFF, DUTCH OVENS, ETC.

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THE “DEVIL’S EGG” GRILL GOT A NEW YELLOW CANVAS COVER ON THE BACK DECK. NOTICE THE UMBRELLA, NOW I CAN GRILL DURING THE MONSOON RAINS OF JULY AND AUGUST.

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   “SUNNY & 80”