Happy Birthday Randy !!!

HOY !!!  HOY !!!  HOY !!!

AND HAPPY 42 AND BIRTHDAY RANDY !!!!  ENJOY YOUR DAY AND CELBRATE WITH ALL THOSE KIDS.

COMMUTE TO WORK

USUALLY MARY WRITES THE BLOGS ABOUT OUR COMMUTE TO WORK, BUT I THOUGHT I’D GIVE IT TRY THIS TIME.

FIRST THING IS THE HIDDEN DRIVEWAY DOWN TO THE MAIN DIRT ROAD.

THE SECOND PICTURE SHOWS THE WASH THAT THE DRIVEWAY GOES THROUGH. THIS IS THE AREA WE ARE WORRYING ABOUT DURING THE MONSOON SEASON. HERE IN THE WEST INSTEAD OF BUILDING UP THE ROAD AND PUTTING IN A CULVERT THEY JUST BUILD THE ROAD OR DRIVEWAY DOWN THROUGH THE WASH AND IF IT’S A PAVED ROAD, THEY PUT UP A LITTLE YELLOW SIGN THAT SAYS, DO NOT ENTER WHEN FLOODED.

HISTORICALLY THE MONSOON SEASON STARTS THE LAST TWO WEEKS OF JULY, AND CONTINUES THRU AUGUST.

A MILE UP THE MAIN DIRT ROAD TAKES US TO THE ORIGINAL ROUTE 66 AND INTO OATMAN. DRIVING THE TWO BLOCKS OF THE MAIN DRAG IN OATMAN IS ALWAYS A CHALLENGE. THEY CLOSE THE STREET TWICE IN THE AFTERNOON SO THE COWBOYS CAN DO A GUNFIGHT, THE BURROS STAND OUT IN ROAD WHENEVER THEY WANT, CARS ARE OFTEN DOUBLE PARKED, AND THE PEDESTRIANS USE THE STEET INSTEAD OF THE BOARD WALKS.

AFTER OATMAN COMES MY FAVORITE PART OF THE 22 MILE COMMUTE. FROM OATMAN TO THE CEMENT PLANT DOWN BY HWY 95 YOU CAN SLIP THE TRANSMISSION INTO NEUTRAL AND COAST FOR 13 MILES DOWN THE MOUNTAIN.

IF YOU LIVE IN OATMAN, YOU NEVER SAY, DRIVE DOWN THE “MOUNTAIN”, THE LOCALS ALWAYS SAY DRIVE DOWN THE “HILL”. IT’S SOME KIND OF “WESTERN CODE” LIKE A SECRET GANG HANDSHAKE. THE SAME WAS TRUE AT SOUTH LAKE TAHOE. IF YOU LIVE ON THE MOUNTAIN YOU SAY “HILL”, BUT IF YOU LIVE IN THE VALLEY OR ARE A VISITING TOURIST YOU SAY “MOUNTAIN”.

ANYWAY BACK TO THE COMMUTE……

HERE IS THE AZ CAR COASTING DOWN THE MOUNTAIN PAST THE INTERECTION WHERE ROUTE 66 SPLITS OFF TO NEEDLES, CA WHERE THERE WAS A BRIDGE ACROSS THE MIGHTY COLORADO RIVER, DURING THE HEYDAYS OF THE MOTHER ROAD.

OF COURSE FOR EVERY DOWN THERE IS AN UP, AND HERE IS THE SIGN GOING BACK UP INTO THE BLACK MOUNTAINS AND HOME. YES, THAT MOUTAIN ON THE RIGHT IS OUR OLD FRIEND THE BOUNDRY CONE. ALSO WE’VE LEARNED FROM THE LOCALS THAT THE MOUNTAIN IN THE PICTURE ON THE HEADER OF THE BLOG IS CALLED WATERFALL MOUNTAIN.

THE 4TH OF JULY

THE “OD” USED TO SAY THAT SPOONER, WI ONLY HAD TWO SEASONS, WINTER AND THE 4TH OF JULY. WELL, HE SHOULD HAVE TRIED THE 4TH OF JULY HERE ON THE LOWER MOHAVE DESERT.

WE ZIPPED THOUGH JUNE WITH SMILES AND LOT’S OF “SUNNY & 80” HERE IN THE BLACK MOUNTAINS. THEN CAME JULY !!! THE HEAT IS TRULY EXTREME !!!

I HATE THE HEAT !!! AFTER 110 DEGREES MY PERSONALITY IS LIKE AN ASSHOLE TURNED INSIDEOUT !!!

EVERYTHING GOES WRONG FOR ME IN THE HEAT. THE OTHER DAY THE AZ CAR QUIT, TOOK A HALF A GALLON OF ANTIFREEZE AND IT WAS GOOD TO GO. CO-WORKERS SAY I CAN EXPECT THE CAR BATTERY TO DIE NEXT, SEEMS THE BATTERIES ONLY LAST TWO YEARS HERE ON THE DESERT.

THE FRIDGE GETS BUCKY AT 110 DEGREES TOO. I BOUGHT THIS FRIDGE FAN TO GIVE IT SOME HELP.

THE LAST DAY OFF MARY AND I RAN DOWN THE MOUNTAIN TO DO LAUNDRY AND SOME ERRANDS, INCLUDING A NEW GRILL HANDLE, SEEMS “HOT REX” MANAGED TO TIP OVER THE GAS GRILL WHILE PULLING A WATER HOSE PAST. LET’S NOT GO THERE !!!

I SPOTTED THIS SIGN AT OUR NEW VALLEY VIEW HOSPITAL.

AN INTERESTING PUBLIC SERVICE MESSAGE. SO JUST HOW HOT WAS IT?

IT’S JUST LIKE BEING HOME IN WISCONSIN AT –20 DEGREES. PEOPLE STAY INDOORS, CANS OF POP AND BEER BLOW UP IF LEFT IN THE CAR, PLASTIC CARDS LIKE CREDIT CARDS WARP AND BEND IF LEFT IN THE CAR AS DO CD’S, THERE ARE STRANDED MOTORIST ALONG THE HIGHWAY, THE ONLY EMERGENCY VEHICALS MISSING ARE THE SNOW PLOWS.

PEOPLE THAT WORK OUTSIDE USUALLY START WORK AT 4AM OR 6AM AND WORK UNTIL NOON OR 2PM. THE TEMPERATURE PEAKS BETWEEN 2PM AND 3PM.

I’VE RECENTLY BEEN DEVELOPING SYMTOMS OF CABIN FEVER. I HAVEN’T SUFFERED FROM CABIN FEVER SINCE THE WINTER OF 1998.

ONCE AGAIN I RECOMMEND YOU NOT CAMP ON THE MOHAVE DESERT IN THE SUMMER !!!

CATS AND TRAPS

CATS AND TRAPS, THE MOUSE WAR CONTINUES.

I’M SURE THAT MICE IN THE DESERT, PLAY A MAJOR ROLE IN THE FOOD CHAIN AND ECO-SYSTEM OF THE DESERT. ONE LOCAL EXPLAINED THERE HAVE ALWAYS BEEN MICE IN THE AREA, HOWEVER IN THE LAST 10 YEARS THERE SEEMS TO BE MANY MORE THAN IN THE OLD DAYS.

SHE WENT ON TO EXPLAIN THAT SINCE THE MOHAVE VALLEY HAS EXPLODED WITH THE CONSTRUCTION OF HOMES AND RETAIL TO MAKE ROOM FOR THE ESCAPING CALIFORNIA PEOPLE, THAT THE MICE SEEMED TO HAVE MOVE UP INTO THE MOUNTAINS.

WE MADE A MISTAKE IN THE MOUSE WAR. WHEN WE BROUGHT IN THE KITTEN, MARY SAID SHE WOULD LIKE THE KITTEN TO STAY OFF THE FRONT KITCHEN COUNTER WHERE SHE PREPARES FOOD, STORES HER FRUITS, AND BREAD ITEMS.

THE KITTEN IS VERY SMART AND LEARNS QUICKLY. ON HER SECOND CRUISE OF THE KITCHEN COUNTER, SHE JUMPED DOWN INTO THE SINK AND I NAILED HER WITH THE SQUIRT BOTTLE. AT THIS POINT WE THOUGHT THE MOUSE WAR WAS OVER.

THE MICE BEGAN A SECOND INVASION AND THE EVIDENCE WAS CLEAR, THE KITCHEN COUNTER, FOOD, WATER, AND LOWER KITCHEN CABINATES ARE THE OBJECTIVE OF THE MICE. OUR MISTAKE, IS THAT WE HAVE EFFECTIVLY TRAINED THE NUMBER ONE WEAPON, THE CAT, TO AVOID THIS AREA.

TO UNTRAIN, OR RETRAIN THE CAT TO RETURN TO THE BATTLEFIELD WAS THE OBJECTIVE. I DON’T KNOW IF YOU’VE EVER TRIED TO TEACH A CAT ANYTHING, BUT EVEN THE BOOKS AND VIDEOS WE SELECTED FROM THE LIBRARY AGREE A CAT DOES WHAT EVER IT WANTS!

IF YOU TRY TO TEACH A CAT SOMETHING, THEY SIT BACK AND SIMPLY ASK, “WHAT’S IN FOR ME?”

I BOUGHT THESE CAT TREATS.

I LEAVE ONE OF THESE TASTY CAT TREATS ON THE COUNTER TOP EACH DAY AND ENCOURAGE HER TO PATROL AND FIND THE TREAT. SUCCESS !!! SHE HAS RE-ENTERED THE BATTLE GROUND.

I ALSO LEAVE ONE OF THESE TREATS IN HER NEW PET CARRIER (CAT GARAGE), AND SHE GOES IN TO CHECK THAT OUT EACH DAY TOO. BEING RV’ERS SHE NEEDS TO LEARN TO TRAVEL. HER NEXT BIG TRIP WILL BE AT THE END OF THE MONTH WHEN WE TAKE HER BACK TO VEGAS FOR CAT SHOTS.

SUSIE-Q IS PRETTY YOUNG TO BE MUCH OF A “MOUSER”, BUT I THOUGHT HER PRESENCE WOULD KEEP THE MICE OUTSIDE.

OUR NEXT OFFENSIVE IN THE MOUSE WAR WAS TO MOVE EVERYTHING OUT OF THE LOWER CUPBOARDS. WE SET THE TRAPS INSIDE WHERE SUSIE-Q COULDN’T ACCIDENTLY TRIP A TRAP, AND THEN THE NEXT WEEK OPENED THE CUPBOARD DOORS TO GIVE THE CAT FULL ACCESS AND PATROL FOR MICE.

SO FAR WE HAVE TRAPPED 4 MICE, AND THE CAT HAS SUCCESSFULLY STARVED ONE TO DEATH KEEPING IT TRAPPED IN A FURNACE DUCT.

THE WAR CONTINUES……..

I’m Home

By Susie-Q

I learned a lot on that hot car trip across the Mohave Desert.  It seems my purpose in life is to keep the mice out of the camper. Failure or or any unacceptable behavior will result in something called “Coyote Bait”.

A couple of phone calls were made to get advice on kitten training. The first call was Uncle Neil, who described the squirt gun training method, and what “fun” it is to correct mistakes in behavior. Not sure I’m going to like that “Uncle Neil” fellow!!!

The second call was Steve, and I liked his advice much better, which was to teach me the word “NO”. I think Steve and I are going to be great pals!!

In the end, I helped them out a little, and had them make a stop at the Laughlin library for this book.

One thing for sure, becoming “Coyote Bait” is to be avoided. I made a plan in my head to put on the cutest kitten show of my life once I was released from this box!!

On my release in the camper I found they created a Cat Hut under the table in the camper. WOW, is this cool, look at that, a my size sand box, and food vending tower with at least 10x my body weight in dry cat food!! They only have to feed me once a month at the most. But look at that cat bed? I haven’t seen anything that ugly color since the 1970’s.

I put my plan into action, and made a stop at the feeder, water bowl, and climbed into my sand box to shit and piss.  Better suck up to Mary, she signed my papers, and named me “Susie-Q”.

Man I’ve had a couple of ruff days, Major surgery, freedom from the dog pound, all in all, a lot of stress !!! I need a Cat Nap Now!!  So I continued the short version of the kitten show and curled up in that God Ugly cat bed in my new Cat Hut, under the table for a nap.

I slept with one eye open, to keep an eye on the Happy Campers. Strange, they are filling a flask with Jack Daniels to smuggle into the beer bar in Oatman. Hmmm, a couple of rule breakers, I may fit in just fine. While they were on their run to Oatman I enjoyed my nap and slept so soundly that I didn’t even dream about coyotes.

A few hours later I awoke to to the delicious smell of fried pork chops and fried rice with shrimp.  I got to get up, and checkout that fried rice!! I forgot my manners and immediately jumped and climbed up on the table to taste that rice. “NO”, was the response, at all 20 of my attempts, but my lucky day continued and there was no sign of that green squirt bottle weapon.

After supper I took my first computer and blogging lesson.

This is easy. All you have to do is read the book.

One more story, and I’ll let you get back to work, or go check your e-mail.  That first night, I gave up on that God Ugly cat bed and found it a snap to slip under the closed doors and join the Happy Campers back in the big bed. Holy Cow, this camper has a whole another room back here, and look at the closet, the whole wall, and mirrored doors to boot.

I inspected the whole room, including under the covers. As Rex was sleeping and Mary was quietly reading her book, I pranced down the bed and suddenly spotted, what I thought was my sister, in the closet. I was so happy to see her I took a flying leap to bump heads with her, say hello, and BAM!!

(note to self: glass mirrors are hard, and I Damn near knocked myself out! Don’t try that again.)

Till next time, when I may reveal my secret Hide-Out.