Tuesday, November 16, 2010

A SHORT LITTLE JEEP RUN TODAY

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Transitioning from our permanent Ontario Canada digs to our roving lifestyle in the American Southwest always requires us to switch heads.  It was apparent this morning that we do not have our southwest heads screwed on quite tight enough yet.  Temps dropped below freezing last night & I had forgot to unhook our water hose so it wasn’t long & our water sputtered to a stop because the long hose outside was froze up.  No problem though because we have a full tank of onboard water.  Next oversight we made was taking the dogs out for a walk at 7:30 this morning.  The sun was not yet over the mountains & it was soooooo cold.  I came back & put on my lined winter pants & tried again.  Two minutes later I was back in the rig vowing I would not set foot outside again until the sun floods our side of the valley with it’s warming rays.   By 9 o’clock I was out of my lined pants & into jeans & short sleeves.  Always amazes me how it can be sooooo cold one hour & so warming up the next.

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THIS IS NOT A STAGED PHOTO….KELLY MISTAKENLY DID THIS TO HERSELF  EARLY THIS MORNING (I think she has been around me too long)

I used a bit of logic to convince myself to wash the Jeep today although 10 seconds after driving out of here it will look like a big old dirt encrusted Idaho potato just plucked from the barren dusty ground.  Told myself the Jeep still had some Ontario & Michigan road salt on it that needed to be taken off, otherwise washing a vehicle out here is pointless.  Next job is to get all that grime & road salt off the big white boxy looking thing we drove down here.  I’ll save that for a cloudy day….if there ever is such a thing here in sunny Arizona:))

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IN SEARCH OF FIREWOOD

And, speaking of the big white boxy looking thing, we decided to re-position it this morning.  We are now facing East/West instead of North/South.  The morning sun will strike the coach broadside in the morning & warm it up faster inside plus we now have a better view of the Swiss Helm Mountains out our living room windows.  Computer window now faces the main gate so we can keep a better look-out for Fuller Brush salesmen!!  A neighbor (Tony) drove in this morning & coincidentally we had met him & his wife last year when they gave us a tour of their house near by.  Had met them at a Quaker Thanksgiving dinner last year just about now.  They moved all the way here to the Sulphur Springs Valley from Alaska years ago.

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WE REPOSITIONED THE RIG TO FACE SOUTH INSTEAD OF WEST

I think one of the reasons my blogs have been a bit on the long side lately has to do with the fact I have too much time on my hands first thing in the morning.  I manage to get a few blogs read & then have to surrender the Verizon modem when Kelly gets up so I have been in the habit of starting the blog sometimes at 5 or 6 in the morning just for the sake of having something to do.  And, of course that leads to a lot of blathering on my part.  Our Cradle Point router should arrive by the end of the week & hopefully that will solve my long winded chattyness.  D’ya think!!

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LUNCH BREAK

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THIS IS THE ROAD LEADING TO WHERE WE ARE

Decided we needed a fire pit for camp fires so this afternoon we decided to head on over closer to the mountains where we were a bit familiar with the area & look for some big rocks.  On one of our excursions last winter we had ventured up a road with the Santa Fe before turning back because of rough terrain.  We didn’t have to worry about that today:))

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LOADING UP SOME ROCKS FOR OUR FIRE PIT

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ARE WE HAVING FUN YET:)))))

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WE WILL RETURN BACK DOWN THIS ROAD INTO THOSE MOUNTAINS SHORTLY

Hadn’t gassed up the Jeep since leaving Ontario so headed into the little western Arizona town of Elfrida & filled up.  It’s a gas station we have used for the past couple years & it’s just like the old days.  No credit cards for these pumps.  Nosiree, just drive up, remove the nozzle & pump your gas.  When you go inside you just tell the fella how much gas you got & that’s it.  I remember when this was the way things were done many years ago.  Except the garage owner usually came out himself, filled your tank, checked your oil & cleaned your windshield.  Today’s fill up was $35.  In Canada, today’s fill up would easily have cost about $50.

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Unloaded our stones & made a circle.  Soon we will have cozy campfires:))

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RICK has a good blog today on volunteering & Club affiliations.  Although we come from very different work backgrounds both Rick & I arrived at basically the same conclusions on our thoughts about doing volunteer work or joining various clubs & organizations.  We do have our disagreement’s on things from time to time but we do have a lot in common as well.   All’s I can say is that it is a good thing we humans are such a diverse bunch of characters because in a strange way that somehow works to keep us all together & forces us all to get along & stuff…..or whatever, well sort of, well OK maybe not everybody!!  Knock it off Al……..OK:))

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GROANER’S CORNER:((  How do you get a kleenex to dance?
… Put a little boogey in it.

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Tourists see the world, travelers experience it.

Until one has loved an Animal, part of their soul remains un-awakened

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The only thing better than right now will someday be the memories of right now...... AL.

12 comments:

  1. Regular gas yesterday was 112.9/litre in Ottawa so we only got $15. We filled up in Smiths Falls when we got home at 108.9 and today it's 106.9!

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  2. what a great husband you are..letting your beloved Kelly bring more than one pair of shoes!!!

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  3. You're going to LOVE having the Cradlepoint Router...we do!

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  4. I like your chattyness, and I LOVE Kelly's shoes!

    What a difference in day and night temps. I'm not sure how I will deal with that.

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  5. Let me see a picture of Kelly loading Rocks, Kelly carrying rocks, Kelly Loading brush, Kelly pumping gas, is a pattern developing here, Oh I forgot, Al is holding the camera. I was going to ask what your secret was Al. Be safe out there and have fun, you too Kelly. Sam & Donna.

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  6. I love the picture of the furry friends, and I can't wait to experience a gas station that trusts its customers.

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  7. Kelly seemed to be getting a good workout yesterday, good thing you were there to record it all with your camera!

    Sure looks like a nice spot with a great view for your rig to be parked.

    Thanks for the mention, and it's true, we are a diverse bunch of characters here in blogland, but I still think we share more characteristics than any minor differences we may have.

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  8. Yeah, we can even still think of you guys and Rick and Paulette as good friends, even though you aren't members of any organizations or on the work crews. You bring us joy and good news every morning, and that's a delight!

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  9. I LIKE your long blogs, Al. I am just going to have to get up earlier to read the daily updates. Love Kelly's shoes, I have one just like one of them.

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  10. I like your chatty blogs. They're some of your best. Please don't stop.

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  11. Diesel fuel here at the WalMart is $3.17, and down the road at the BP it's $3.29...yikes!!
    A wandering mind (and blog) is the sign of a creative person. That's how I rationalize MY ramblings!! Love the firepit...gotta have one out there just for the ambience!

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  12. I could not help but smile at your post today. I found it quite fun. I think the phrase "gluttons for punishment" came to mind once or twice. Freezing water lines, crack of dawn dog walks and hunting big rocks on rough roads :)

    Sounds like you are having fun!

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