YARD PICS

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

MEN’S BREAKFAST

TALL PINES RV PARK HAS A SOCIAL CALENDER EACH SUMMER. IN AUGUST IT INCLUDES A MEN’S BREAKFAST, WHERE THE MEN COOK AND SERVE BREAKFAST. IT’S BEEN A LONG TIME SINCE I’VE HAD ANYTHING TO DO WITH FOOD SERVICE, BUT I DECIDED TO VOLUNTEER.

I SHOWED UP AT 6PM ON FRIDAY NIGHT TO HELP SET-UP AND GET MY ASSIGNMENT. TEN MEN SHOWED UP TO VOLUNTEER, AND I HELD BACK FOR AN ASSIGNMENT INSTEAD OF PUTTING UP MY HAND FOR ANY COOKING. I FIGURED I’D END UP DISHWASHING. MY CHORE WAS TO SERVE THE PANCAKES AS PEOPLE CAME THRU THE LINE.

32 PEOPLE SIGNED UP FOR BREAKFAST AND 10 OF THEM WERE THE MEN VOLUNTEERS, HOW HARD CAN IT BE TO SERVE 22 PEOPLE PANCAKES?

ALL 10 GUYS STAYED TO CLEAN UP AND OF COURSE THE WIVES COULDN’T STAND IT AND DID MOST OF THE WORK. I THOUGT SOMEBODY WOULD HAVE PICTURES UP ON FACEBOOK BY NOW THAT I COULD STEAL.

AND HERE THEY ARE , LATE:

NEXT UP IN A COUPLE OF WEEKS IS AN ITALIAN NIGHT WHERE THE PARK PROVIDES THE COOKED PASTA, THE SAUCES AND THE SIDE DISHES ARE POTLUCK.

THIS WILL BE MARY’S ITALIAN POTLUCK ENTRY. IT’S ONE OF THOSE FACEBOOK RECIPIES USING CRESENT ROLLS. IT’S STUFFED WITH PROVOLON CHEESE, SALAMI, HAM, AND PROSCIUTTO. HALF ALSO HAS ROASTED RED PEPPERS AND BANANA PEPPER RINGS AND A REALLY NICE SELECTION OF MUSTARDS FOR THOSE THAT USE IT.  THE PICTURE IS FROM A COUPLE OF WEEKS AGO WHEN MARY TESTED THE RECIPE AND TOOK IT TO A THURSDAY AFTERNOON COCKTAIL HOUR AT THE CLUB HOUSE.

IN SEPTEMBER WE HAVE AN 899 MILE GRAND CANYON SCOOTER TRIP PLANNED, SO AFTER THE MEN’S BREAKFAST WE LOADED UP THE SCOOTER AND DID 125 MILE LOOP OUT TO ST JOHNS AND SNOWFLAKE, AZ.

WE’VE GOT TO CONDITION OUR BUTTS TO DO 250 MILES A DAY. SUNBURN WAS THE LESSON OF THE DAY.

   “SUNNY & 80”

LEAK NUMBER THREE

SOMEHOW I GOT WATER RUNNING OUT OF MY ELECTRICAL CONDUIT? FROM THE LEAK IN THE WALL THE WATER WAS RUNNING INTO WHAT WE CALL THE BASEMENT. GOOD GRIEF……

IN A LONG AND FRUSTRATING SEARCH WE FOUND THE PROBLEM.

 

ODDLY ENOUGH THIS SEPERATION IN THE ELECTRICAL CONDUIT WAS JUST 6 MORE INCHES IN THE VERY SAME HOLE THAT WE DUG OUT WITH THE FIRST TWO LEAKS.

IT LOOKS LIKE AN EASY FIX, BUT TURNED INTO A REAL CAN OF WORMS, WHICH EVEN LEFT US WITHOUT ELECTRICITY ONE NIGHT. NOW THAT IT’S ALL REPAIRED THE NEXT STEP IS TO REPAIR THE WALL IN THE SHOP.

HOPEFULLY WE’RE ALL DONE WITH WATER LEAKS. THE GOOD NEWS IS THAT NONE OF THE LEAKS WERE RELATED TO ME WINTERIZING THE CABIN MYSELF.

ROOF COATING

SCRATCH ANOTHER ITEM OFF THE WINTER PROJECT LIST, ROOF COATING. THE CAMPER HAS A RUBBER MEMBRANE FOR A ROOF THAT’S GUARENTEED FOR 10 YEARS. AFTER 12 YEARS ON THE DESERT, I’M GUESSING IT NEEDS A COATING JOB.

SO I GOT OUT MY TOOL BOX, WHICH CONTAINS A PHONE BOOK AND A CHECKBOOK AND HIRED A PAINTER TO COME OVER AND COAT THE ROOF. EASY, DIDN’T TAKE MORE THAN 3 THREE HOURS TO WATCH HIM WORK.

ACTUALLY A PLASTIC VENT COVER CRUMBLED AND I HAD TO RACE ACROSS TOWN TO FIND A REPLACEMENT.

NICE TO HAVE ANOTHER PROJECT DONE!

WELCOME BACK !!!

CROSSROADS RV PARK HAD THEIR “WELCOME BACK” PIZZA PARTY. NOW THAT THE SOCIAL SEASON HAS OFFICALLY OPENED WATCHOUT FOR HORSESHOES, BOWLING, POKER, EUCHER, CAMPFIRES, POTLUCKS, ARTS AND CRAFTS, BIBLE STUDY, AND STARTING THIS YEAR, MARY’S EXERCISE CLASS PROMPTLY AT 8AM, M-W-F.

THE PARK IS HALF FULL AT THIS TIME, BUT MANY SNOWBIRDS WAIT UNTIL AFTER THANKSGIVING OR CHRISTMAS TO SEEK WARMER WEATHER.

UNFORTUNATELY, DUE TO EL NINO WE ARE EXPECTING A COLDER AND WETTER WINTER THAN USUAL. LAST NIGHT THEY HAD SNOW DOWN TO 3,000 FEET. NO WORRRIES HERE AT 650 FEET ABOVE SEA LEVEL.

THE PICTURES WERE TAKEN BY LARRY HULL.

(Looks like 30-40 pizzas stacked on the back counter.)

WINTER CAMP

WE SUCCESSFULLY LANDED AT WINTER CAMP EARLIER IN THE WEEK. BECAUSE WE’VE SPENT THE LAST 16 WINTERS IN MOHAVE VALLEY IT ALWAYS FEELS LIKE WE’RE COMING HOME.

IT WAS A SHOCK LEAVING THE SUMMER WEATHER AND THE SOUTH PADRE ISLAND BEACH TO ARRIVE BACK ON “THE MOUNTAIN” AND WHAT AMOUNTS TO WINTER FOR MARY AND I. WE HAD MR. HEATER AND THE ELECTRIC HEAT GOING FOR THE LONG WEEK-END WE SPENT CLOSING DOWN.

THE CABIN IS SET UP LIKE AN RV WITH WINTERIZING THE PLUMBING. THERE ARE TWO LOW POINT DRAINS, DRAIN THE HOT WATER HEATER, A WATER HEATER BY-PASS, AN RV WATER PUMP WHICH WE HOOKED TO THE OUTDOOR FAUCET AND PUMP THE LINES FULL OF RV ANTIFREEZE, OPEN EACH FAUCET AND RUN THE PINK STUFF DOWN THE DRAIN. DON’T FORGET THE CLOTHES WASHER OR THE KITCHEN SINK SPRAYER. I’LL HAVE TO REPORT BACK IN THE SPRING IF THE PLUMBER HAS TO COME AND FIX WHATEVER I SCREWED UP!

OUR BIGGEST CONCERN RETURNING TO WINTER CAMP WAS THE SCREEN MATERIAL COVERING THE PORCH. THE CLOTH LIKE SOLAR MATERIAL HAS A LIFE OF 5 YEARS, AND OURS HAS BEEN UP 6 YEARS. WE WERE EXSPECTING IT TO BE FLYING IN THE WIND. GOOD NEWS EVERYTHNG IS IN TACT!!!

NOW WE HAVE THE FALL “TO DO” LIST AND THIS AFTERNOON MARY IS OFF TO THE DENTIST, MY DENTIST APPOINTMENT IS IN TWO WEEKS.

I’D LIKE TO REPORT THAT THE WEATHER IS “SUNNY & 80”, BUT IT’S ONLY SUNNY & 70 THIS AFTERNOON.

TALL PINES RV

JEEES, WE’VE BEEN LIVING IN A NEW RV PARK FOR OVER A MONTH AND I’VE NEGLECTED TO SHOW YOU AROUND.

HERE IS THE FRONT ENTRANCE AND MAIL BOXES.

 

THERE ARE 64 UNITS SPREAD OUT OVER SIX STREETS, THREE GO NORTH AND SOUTH, AND THREE GO EAST AND WEST. THIS IS A TYPICAL STREET SHOT.

THE ROADS ARE NOT PAVED, LIKE THEY WERE IN OUR LAST PARK, BUT IT CALLED TALL PINES FOR A REASON AND IT’S NOT A SUN PATCH LIKE OUR WINTER PARK. THE CENTER OF THE PARK IS THE CLUB HOUSE.

ON THE BACKSIDE, RIGHT OUTSIDE THE LAUNDRY DOOR, IS A HANDY CLOTHES LINE.

 

AND INSIDE IS A FIREPLACE. THE NICE THING ABOUT THIS CLUB HOUSE IS THAT’S IT’S HEATED AND OPEN ALL WINTER. YOU COULD VISIT IN THE WINTER AND NOT UNWINTERIZE YOUR UNIT. JUST USE THE RESTROOMS AND SHOWERS IN THE CLUB HOUSE.

INSIDE SHOTS.

 

THE PARK ALSO INCLUDES A STORAGE LOT TO STORE YOUR UTILITY TRAILER, RV, PICK-UP, ETC.

AND WE HAVE OUR VERY OWN POND.

IT’S A FUN PARK, SO FAR I’VE BEEN TO THE WEEKLY COFFEE, AND WEEKLY POKER GAME.

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.

 

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??

 

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

 

 

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

 

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!!

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”….

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.

 

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.

 

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.

   “SUNNY & 80”

BRICKS AGAIN

DO YOU REMEMBER MY BRICK PILE? IT’S 336 BRICKS THAT WERE PILED IN THE SIDE YARD WHEN I BOUGHT THE TRAILER. MY THREE GRANDSONS PLAYED WITH THEM LIKE LEGOS. I HAD THE PLEASURE OF RE-STACKING THEM A COUPLE OF TIMES.

THEN I HAD THE BRIGHT IDEA OF USING THEM TO BUILD A SCOOTER-PORT. I MOVED AND HANDLED THE BRICKS SEVERAL MORE TIMES.

AFTER MOVING THESE BRICKS SO MANY TIMES, I’VE BECOME ATTACHED TO THEM AND DECIDED TO MOVE THEM TO THE CABIN.

I’M POSITIVE I PILED THEM IN THE WRONG SPOT, AND I’LL HAVE TO MOVE THEM ALL AGAIN?