Sunday, December 25, 2011

CHRISTMAS DAY….THE QUIET WAY:))

IMG_1461
SNOOZING WITH TEDDY
It was another very cold night with temps down around the 24F mark again.  We normally just use a small electric heater plus our propane fired Legacy Blue Flame heater but last night we actually kicked on the rig’s rarely used furnace.  One has to be ever mindful of water pipes in these kinds of temperatures.  Should add that winter temps are always colder here in southeastern Arizona because of the higher altitude we are at.  Around 4300 feet above sea level I think.  It is called the high desert.  Last winter this area was rocked with record breaking cold temperatures.  Water lines and water pumps were broken and decades old Prickly Pear cactus froze and died.  Folks will definitely be warmer down around Yuma way:))
IMG_1446
HAD TO BREAK THE ICE IN GLEESON & PEARCE’S BIG WATER DISH THIS MORNING
Had myself a perfectly fine Christmas morning finishing up my little corral cleaning job.  Big Arizona sun in the morning sky and Sand Hill Cranes in the air overhead.  Distant mountains all around held the Valley in a quiet silence.   Certainly not everybody’s idea of a fine Christmas morning and years ago it wouldn’t have been my idea either.   But, for me, it was a right place to be:))
IMG_1455
IT WAS A WORKING CHRISTMAS MORNING FOR PHEEBS & AL
IMG_1453
HAD A LITTLE PROBLEM KEEPING MY HELPER MOTIVATED
We have sometimes been asked why we just don’t go to Florida for the winters because it is half the distance from the southwest. Perfectly logical question and one we have been asking ourselves as well lately, especially in light of recent medical developments.  My heart is in the Southwest and always will be. I think readers well understand my love for the scenery and the way of life. The wide open spaces, the great boondocking sites, the lack of people congestion and traffic chaos. And of course the whole history of the West.  I think I am one of those fellas who was just simply born on the wrong side of the country.
DSC_5312
A SCALE QUAIL SKITTERS BY THE RIG
In the past few years we have tried to come up with some kind of a practical idea on how we can assure us a warm place ‘down south’ in the coming winters. We considered moving to British Columbia to be closer to the southwest but it was just not practical. We considered full timing at one point but we just couldn’t get that plan off the ground either. Each year we have looked at properties both in New Mexico and Arizona but in the end it is always the long distance of travel that causes us to pause and reconsider our thoughts.
DSC_5322
DSC_5321 DSC_5326
We have an older aging Motorhome. Our financial resources will not last forever and we are a couple of slowly aging Senior travelers. At this stage we have to be realistic about our future and we have to be realistic about future medical challenges.
IMG_1456 IMG_1457
DROPPING OFF A LOAD OF BUNS
Traveling days end for everyone regardless of who they are and we are finding ourselves having to ask ourselves some unavoidable and necessary questions. Will we have to alter course, bring the bow around into a fresh head wind and set ourselves a new course. No, not planning on giving up traveling (Egads)……just maybe plotting a course change in the future with steerage into new seas closer to home.  Sometimes we just gotta do what we gotta do and simply make the best of it.
IMG_1448
PHEEBE RUNNING FAST ALONGSIDE THE SPEEDING ATV
Wished I could tell you we were out exploring some new hiking trails or scenic mountain roads today but once again we never ventured far from the rig. We have been spending a lot of time on our computers looking at future travel option ideas and areas.  The winds of change are once again a blowing……………….
IMG_1462
DID SOMEBODY MENTION FOOD………
GROANER’S CORNER:((  In Africa, some of the native tribes have a custom of beating the ground with clubs and uttering spine chilling cries.
Anthropologists call this a form of primitive self-expression.....
In North America we call it golf.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------
-Tourists see the world, travelers  experience it.
- Home is where your pet is:))
BAYFIELD BUNCH PHOTO ALBUMS https://picasaweb.google.com/117858411710794543295
The only thing better than right now  will someday be the memories of
right  now...AL.

17 comments:

  1. Merry Christmas Al & Kelly! Our family loves reading your your blog!

    Robin, Mike, & Alexis of www.frogturtlefriends.blogspot.com

    ReplyDelete
  2. We totally understand your feelings, Al. Florida is sooo much closer to Indiana than the southwest. But, the expenses seem to be so much higher. Boondocking is harder to find, etc. And we have another thing pulling us to the SW....we have a loving daughter who wants us to be close by.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Merry Christmas guys. I hear what you are saying about travelling to the south west, we too love it here. The scenery, history, lack of crowds, dryer climate, we don't explore as much as you but still love it here anyway and realize that someday we may have to winter closer to home. We like Alabama and Louisiana better than Florida, but still something special about Arizona. Good luck with your research.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Been giving some thought to that also..The price of fuel and aging relatives back home might keep us in Texas this year..NEVER give up travel..just change course ...There is sooo much of this country South of I-10 to see. Cold damp winter here so far..Having the same temps we got in Illinois, so why are we here???

    ReplyDelete
  5. Just love your photos of the dogs, and especially Motormouse's photos today. She's such a little cutie.

    Hope it warms up soon for you guys, but it sounds like you're set up well for the cold weather.

    Merry Christmas!

    ReplyDelete
  6. Medical uncertainties make everything seem uncertain, so fix one problem at a time. At least that is what seems to be working for me. Who knows we may all meet in Florida next year, that is then and this is now!

    ReplyDelete
  7. We've had excellent luck finding good doctors for Jim here in the Phoenix area which was one of my big concerns. We tried Florida and it just wasn't the place for us. Even though it's been cold here in the valley, I still love the desert and always will. But I sure do understand the cost of fuel and miles to drive. Health issues definitely are increasing as we get older. Not fun but that's life. So you need to make the best decisions for you and Kelly. The fur kids are going to be happy no matter where you go because they will be with you.

    ReplyDelete
  8. Timing post today and I also have many of the same things going through my mind. I have to return all the way back to NL this coming Spring and it's a l - o - n - g drive back to Arizona for next Winter.

    One Day At A Time and I'm sure all will fall into place.

    p.s. Oh you're gonna hate the pics I took today hehehehe

    ReplyDelete
  9. Merry Christmas to you and Kelly. Moving to the west coast sounds like a good plan. You would have some great friends to hang out with. The winters are liitle milder than the east coast.

    ReplyDelete
  10. sure sounds like you had a nice quiet day doing what you love!..that is the most important thing!!

    ReplyDelete
  11. Glad to see you had a nice Holiday working on the ranch, your day was just what you wanted. Be safe out there. Sam & Donna..

    ReplyDelete
  12. I guess we all have to look to the future at some point, but there may be other options for the south west.

    ReplyDelete
  13. Sure can understand your looking at the future and remembering that you are adding years and seeing future health challenges. We've certainly been that route, as we are a ton of years older than you guys. The solution is to wring the most of out each opportunity today, so tomorrow you can look back and see what a wonderful life you have had so far. Even when you are older and greyer, there will still be many opportunities.

    ReplyDelete
  14. As long as the winds of change don't blow you off the road, all will be good! Merry Christmas to you all!

    ReplyDelete
  15. Love your doggie pics, Al. Happy New Year to you all.

    ReplyDelete
  16. It looks like you and Pheebs are having some fun while driving the ATV and doing chores around the ranch. Weather is so unpredictable these days but the high desert is gonna be chilly in the winter. Best wishes to you, Kelly and the furkids for a happy and healthy 2012!

    Virginia

    ReplyDelete
  17. I guess that's the downside to retiring and aging. You need to consider your health care and I'm sure this latest kidney stone scare probably shook you up too.

    Retiring early probably means that you are broke most of the time (unless you planned really early!), but you may not have the drawbacks of health care to consider either.

    Too bad we can't have the best of both worlds.

    Merry Christmas down there in the wonderful desert!

    Cheers!

    ReplyDelete