Saturday, March 24, 2012

A CLOSE ENCOUNTER WITH ONE OF THE LOCALS

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BREAKFAST ON THE PORCH THIS MORNING…YOU CAN SEE OUR LITTLE MOTORMOUSE IS BACK TO NORMAL:))
Pheebs & I narrowly missed a close encounter of the third kind Friday night with one of the locals.  I’m in the habit of taking Pheebs out for a little walkabout after dark.  It’s a time I enjoy seeing all the stars.  Not a busy road here so we had walked out onto the pavement for maybe 20 yards.  Very dark because there are no street lights but I carry a flashlight.  I was standing on the road looking at the Planets, Jupiter & Venus when I glanced to my right & thought I detected a slight lighter patch of darkness on the ground about 10 feet away.  Pheebs was about 10 feet in front of me sniffing alongside the road.  Looked back at the stars for a few seconds & then looked to my right again.  The lighter patch had moved.  Oh Oh!!  Quickly fumbled for my flashlight as the object moved again slightly parallel to my right.  Hit the switch on my light & yikes, I was looking directly at the unmistakable business end of a skunk.  Tail high in the air.   It immediately ran down into the ditch without firing a shot at us.  I instantly turned towards Pheebe to stop her from running after the skunk, but…….there she was was still blissfully sniffing along the roadside.  Luckily she had not detected either the movement or the scent of the skunk.  We were both soooooo lucky to have not been sprayed!!  We quickly & quietly retreated back to the Motorhome.
DSC_6321THIS LITTLE HOUSE SPARROW IS LIVING IN ONE OF OUR FRONT YARD SAGUAROS
Kelly picked up the scent of Saturday morning garage sales first thing so not wanting to try the Jeep clutch with her sprained ankle yet…I was designated driver again.  There was a sizable auction going on in Congress as well but fortunately she didn’t have a bee under her bonnet about going to the auction.  Time consuming Auctions are not one of my favorite things.
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D’YA THINK IT WILL GROW….. 
First garage sale we hit I saw some colorful dishes I really liked, so ‘bang’ we got em.  Had my eye out for a cheap radio for some background noise in the house & ‘bang’ found one of those too.  Kelly wangled the price down from $12 to $8 & we were off.  Next stop was the Congress Library.  More house forms to pull off the computer, print, sign & fax.  They sure bury ya in paper work on this side of the border.
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IT WAS THE COLORS THAT CAUGHT MY EYE…LADY SAID WHEN SHE FINDS THE SECOND CUP SHE WILL PHONE US 
Free coffee & donuts at the library.  I bypassed the coffee but had a doughnut.  Awwwww nuts, what a super great home made doughnut it was & darned if they aren’t put together just up the mountain in Yarnell about 9 miles away.  Yep, Kelly has the Corner Stone Bakeshop on her list now for next week.  Oh Dear:((
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KELLY PRINTS OFF & FAX’S SOME MORE PAPERWORK
Speaking of Yarnell, Gaelyn from GEOGYPSY came down off the mountain today to check out some Congress garage sales as well.  Her Brother-in-Law lives just behind us so while in the neighborhood stopped by to say Hello.  I was in the process of watering the house & moping our wood floors down with Murphy’s Oil & Wood soap so Kelly gave Gaelyn the Grand Tour.  When I am in full blown work mode I have to keep going because if I stop to chat I lose my momentum & likely as not I will be found a short time later sound asleep in my chair.
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NOT VERY WESTERN LOOKING BUT IT PLAYS AM/FM ALONG WITH CD’S TOO.
Besides trimming some tree branches away from the roof I did get in my 3 mandatory house waterings today.  Always find watering enjoyable, whether it be a garden, trees, shrubs or a house.  Haven’t been able to get my painting Mojo back yet but maybe tomorrow between house waterings. 
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STORY BEHIND THIS FRAME & PAINTING IS THAT IT IS OUT OF A SALOON SOMEWHERE ALONG THE RIO GRANDE RIVER 
Pack Rats.  Some readers have mentioned about leaving their rigs outside for extended periods of time with no Pack Rat damage.  Not surprised because Pack Rats are not everywhere.  Just so happens we are in an area where Pack Rats live.  In fact, Doby, who has grown up in this area, pointed out two nests in the thick Mesquite just behind our property.  With the great variances in altitude here in the Southwest, animals & plant life vary from one area to another.  Pack Rats are probably not found in urban areas with heavier populations & acres of cement & pavement.  We have endless acres of desert here.
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ANOTHER GARAGE SALE ITEM
Kelly informed me this morning I had that money transfer between our bank on Canada & our American bank all screwed up.  That was done a week ago & the transaction Friday transferred the funds to the Title Company meaning the house is now officially ours & paid for.
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STILL WATERING
Can’t imagine spending a cold Canadian winter in an RV but the folks from AT HOME ON THE ROAD did.  Not something they would care to do again but do admit they were extremely lucky with Southwestern Ontario’s unusually mild winter this year.  Lucky break for sure:))
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EARLY MORNING SHADOW PATTERN ON THE HOUSE
Welcome to JERRY & LU LARSON as our most recent Blog Followers.  Clicked on your link folks but Google came back with a 404 error.  Thanks for tagging along guys:))
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Since the day we pulled into our property here in Congress nearly 2 weeks ago we have just been going & going & going.  Tonight, for the first time, we pulled up a couple lawn chairs & sat under our 2 big front yard Saguaros for awhile.  What a whirlwind month this has been since first stopping to look at this house & piece of property for sale just over a month ago on February 23rd.  What a whirlwind indeed…………….10-4:))
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RELAXING UNDER THE SAGUAROS
GROANER’S CORNER:))  The new iPad went on sale this week. The picture's so fantastic, you can see with amazing clarity just how obsolete the iPad you got for Christmas is.
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- Tourists see the world, travelers  experience it.
- Home is where your pet is:))
- The only thing better than right now will someday be the memories of right  now...AL.
stargeezerguy@gmail.com

32 comments:

  1. Wow..you're buying a house! How fun for us to follow along. Love the plates. Congrats and enjoy!...

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  2. Al,
    My wife puts moth balls in the flower beds to keep the dogs out. Some people load their rv up with moth balls to keep the critters out when the store it. I don't swear that it will work but you might try it.
    Christopher

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  3. ditto on the dishes...perfect for the house decor!!

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  4. You are moving along so fast you're making my head spin! Good thing Pheebs didn't figure out about the skunk, and good thing the skunk backed off. If you have noticed these animals nearby, maybe it would be a good idea to get some neutralizers on hand. I hear tomato juice takes away some of the smell, although I am not sure about that.

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  5. I had a great visit today. Your place is cute and I love the Adobe look. Much warmer down there as I'd need a coat and blanket to sit out at night here on the top of the hill.

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  6. I think you should start all over on the cabinets and kitchen and paint them all to match the plates! :)

    I have a photo of the rear end of a skink spraying inside the kitchen door of a house I was living in. The door was glass and I spied the skunk, then opened the door and took it just as the skunk turned and sprayed. Thought I was gonna get a cute photo of a skunk and he showed me. barely missed me, and the smell stayed forever. So, youse guys are lucky!

    That house is gonna turn into a big pile of mud if you keep watering it. :)

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  7. Took one look at your funky new dishes and thought...here are Al's colours for the kitchen! My suggestion...paint all the walls the Desert Sand...(adds light & makes for nice visual flow between kitchen & dining room)...keep your cupboards the dark orange they are now...paint the cupboard doors & drawers the goldy, orangey yellow from your dishes...and if you want more contrast...paint the sagey green from your dishes on the front panels of each drawer. What do you think?
    Renee from Saltspring.

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  8. And you said Pheebs, don't fail me now! Lucky she had her mind on other things.

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  9. Al. I'm not good with comments but I have enjoyed the last month so much reading about the new house, the color choices, Motormouse(I'm glad she is doing so much better), the adorable Pheebs and all the things that you and Kelly have been doing. Each morning I can't wait to read your blog to see what you have done next. Keep up the good writing, I absolutely love it.

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  10. We're happy to see that motor mouse is doing well again. What a relief for you! Your house looks great with that stucco.

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  11. Everything is coming together nicely for you guys and looking really good. Keep up the good work.

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  12. I have to agree with the others... the colors of the new dishes are perfect for the colors of your kitchen! LOL! Great dishes! I also love the painting and frame you bought! I used to own a frame shop and art gallery in Apalachicola FL and it looks like you have a very old frame there, beautiful!!! Good garage sales buys! The mothball trick works! Had my stuff in storage several years and nary a mouse, a moth or a bug bothered my things thanks to mothballs! I am sooo glad Motor is feeling better! Please give her a hug from me!

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  13. Pack rats are a real problem there Al, ask Jerry and Caryl. We have a severe problem with the dang things in Montana too!! The rats love to build nests in prickly pear cactus--that's why Caryl and Jerry removed all those when they bought their property. They get into our vehicles here in MT eating the wiring and anything else they can find, UGH, hate the things!

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  14. Soooo..I guess I'm the dumb one here..What exactly IS a Pack Rat...I thought McGyver was one cause he won't get rid of anything..Are they actual "rats", mice, rodents of some kind??Your house is looking great...and I love the dishes...You will have to find more to match, by the looks of all the visitors you will have to the Bayfield Adobe Abode..(try to say that 3 times in a road)>>

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  15. We lived remote for 20 months one time. Skunks got upset in the small little "neighborhood" and sprayed at all 10 or so places that one night. Smell stayed the entire time we were there. I have heard that ammonia will chase them out of a garage as they do not like things that stink, imagine that. But never tried it.

    Glad to hear your good news on all fronts today!!
    Elizabeth

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  16. The posts of your AZ purchase make TM & I wonder if we should look for a retirement 'home base' ther instead of FL!
    I love the photos of your home, your dishes, even your radio, and of you watering the house [lol]. However, the photo I love the most is of a 'feeling much better' Motor Mouse snuggled on momma's lap.
    Be safe in your upcoming travels.

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  17. WOW...I thought our encounter with the rattlesnake was scarey. I think a skunk would be much worse!!!
    The dishes are beautiful. Wonder why she wouldn't have found the second cup before she put the set up for sale? People are strange.
    Love the Friendship key plaque. Looks awesome.
    Kelly looks so peaceful. Glad you two took time to stop and smell the roses. Enjoy your Sunday. ~whereseweaver

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  18. Just loving all your updates on the house and thank goodness that Pheebs avoided an encounter with a Sachet Kitty!

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  19. A lady--with a park model in one of the parks where we stayed--heard what she considered to be a hissing noise one night. She stepped out to check her propane tank and was struck (and bitten) by a rattlesnake. Lots to be aware of in the desert! Great finds at the yard sales! Wahoo for the Mouse getting better!

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  20. Those dishes are definitely your style, but what are you going to use for utensils? Cactus needles?? :)

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  21. Those dishes are perfect! Hope she finds the other cup to tie them in together.
    I love the new look, it's one of my favorite. can't wait to see what the house is going to look like once it's painted. Great color choices.
    I'm with the other about tying the kitchen in with the dishes. It looks like it might work.

    Glad to hear Cora is doing better.

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  22. Glad the Mouse is doing well. Please make sure to keep up with the antibiotics until they are all gone, even if she looks OK!

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  23. Love the dishes and agree with the others about accenting some of those colors in your kitchen.
    You and Kelly have accomplished so much in such a short time. When you head back to Canada it will probably seem like a dream.
    Best of wishes.
    Sylvia
    Murrieta, CA

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  24. Love the color of those dishes!

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  25. You are moving right along on the house making it yours. You will have to go back to Canada to get some rest. Like the touches you have added.

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  26. Yeah, the pack rats are true rodents and they looove nesting in the oaks around here. We have cats so no rodents in our carport but just over the hill from us, the nasty critters had a smorgasbord in my friend's auto wiring. THAT bill was $300 plus. I have dryer sheets all around in our little trailer and if I could find mothballs, I'd put them in there too, cats or no!

    Great looking colors on your dishes!

    Happy Sunday!

    Emjay

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  27. Is there an echo in here about those dishes? I'd have snatched those up too.

    As for mothballs as deterents, what do you do to get rid of the smell they leave on EVERYTHING??? Sure wouldn't want those rodents but there must be something else other than mothballs. The smell is awful.

    House looks fabulous. The speed with which you've done this would give normal people whiplash.

    Sherry
    www.directionofourdreams.blogspot.com

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  28. It's amazing how far you have progressed in just a month! Seems just like yesterday, you were on the Darby Wells Road with Rick and Sue. You have really taken that place up 50 notches from stem to stern in record-breaking time.
    Love your colors and accent pieces.
    Great curb appeal also with the stucco.

    Virginia

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  29. Add me to the list of "I love those dishes and so thankful motormouse is feeling so much better.

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  30. wow house is looking great..love the dishes..glad motor is better and hope Kelly's ankle is 100% in no time :)

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  31. One summer about 10 years ago, a friend and I were spending the night in a cabin about 6 miles south of Prescott. We let the dogs out about 10 p.m., and they both got sprayed by a skunk! What a mess. Fortunately, I had bought a small can of V8 juice for breakfast, so we used it on both of them, then bathed them in the shower. I think the tomato juice did help, although the skunk smell lingered for several days.

    Re Oleanders. I have had very tall mature ones on the east side for 50 years, but a year ago they got a virus and all but two have died. The virus is killing mature bushes all over Phoenix. I hear Orange County in Calif is also affected. There is no cure. We always thought nothing would kill them. Not so.

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