Thursday, April 03, 2014

ALL SYSTEMS ARE GO FOR TAKE-OFF IN THE MORNING……….10-4

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PHEEBE RESTS UP AFTER HELPING ME MOVE ALL OUR PORCH FURNITURE INSIDE
Coincidentally turns out we will be leaving for home the exact same day we left last year.  With the death of my Uncle Harry our trip home was rushed last year.  The year before we also made a quick trip home after our little Cora (Motormouse) died the very morning we left.  This year we hope to stop & smell a few roses along the way.
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WE ARE ALL HOOKED UP & READY TO ROLL
Nice to wake up to clear sunny skies this morning.  Only 41F but we knew our day would warm up quickly in more ways than one.  Today was crunch day with all the last minute loose ends to be tied up before departure in the morning.  I kinda like occasional crunch days because they are a welcome break from the sometimes too many back to back routine days.
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PHEEBS MET A NEW NEIGHBOR THIS MORNING & IT WAS SMOOCHES AT FIRST SIGHT
Well I’m feeling just about the way I figured I would be feeling on the eve of any major departure either North or South.  Excited & anxious to go but always sad to be leaving wherever I happen to have been for any length of time.  Two years ago, last year, & this year again I feel sad about leaving our Congress house.  Again the house & property have provided us with so many great memories over the past five & half months.  So comfy & cozy here & yet in a matter of hours we will turn out the lights for the last time this season, walk out the door in the morning, drive away, & leave our old Ghost Town Road house all alone by itself again.  And that makes me sad.   As I have said before I somehow get more attached to things than I do people it seems.  Even throwing an old pair of blown out running shoes in the trash is an emotional experience for me.  Threw away my old torn pair of Jammies a couple months ago & almost had go for counseling.  Don’t know what it is about me about that but it is what it is.  My sadness will begin to lift after we get ourselves a few miles on down the road & the business of getting us home becomes foremost in my mind.
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<<< HAPPY TO SEE ABOUT 90% OF THE CACTI I PLANTED THIS PAST WINTER ARE DOING WELL
Air was cool enough for us to take a last morning walk out into the desert & have us a look around at the surrounding mountains we will be so happy to see once again when we return sometime in October.  Funny but I’m already anxious to resume our morning desert walks in the Fall & we haven’t even left yet.  With temperatures due to be in the 80’s & 90’s next week we are getting out of here just in time.  Don’t like the cold we are going home to but don’t like that high heat either. 
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HOUSE/INDIAN ROCK CAN BE SEEN DEAD CENTER OF THE PHOTO….SEE YOU IN THE FALL:))
I have $7.64 left.  That’s it, all I got.  When we arrived in Congress back in late October of 2013 Kelly gave me $40 in American money with the stern warning, “now don’t you dare spend this all at once or in one place.”  I didn’t, but somewhere along the line I did manage to spend $32.36 of it.  And I didn’t even buy myself one single darn hot dog at the gas bar this year.  Can’t remember where I obviously squandered the rest of it but if Kelly asks me how much I have left I’m a gonna tell her $36.45.  And I know I am going to have to come up with a pretty darn good excuse for what I bought with that $3.55 I spent.  And I’m not good at remembering to keep receipts either………. Oh woe is me:((
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Pat & Mike McFall dropped in this afternoon to have a look at our Winnie Wagon.  They were curious about the floor plan & general layout of Winnebago’s Access Premier Class C.  Always nice to see these folks & glad they dropped by.  All the best to you both:))
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A comment on my Wednesday night’s post led me to the sad story of a couple losing their RV in a storage facility fire along with another 30 or so RV’s.  GOING RV WAY had been happily planning a trip to Alaska but those plans have now gone up in smoke.  And it was a sad goodbye for TIOGA GEORGE when he went to see Ms Tioga after he was released from hospital.  The accident brought a final end to George’s beloved Class C Tioga Motorhome.  Reading his latest post I felt sad knowing how he truly is feeling inside.  A sad, sad, goodbye for a couple of best Pals who spent all those adventuress traveling years together.  So many memories for George & Ms Tioga.  And such a sad end.
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Our T-Mobile phone arrived at the Congress Post Office this afternoon so we are cleared for take-off in the morning.  Drained the house’s hot water tank late this afternoon.  We will shut off our own electricity in the morning & the Congress water department will shut off our water Friday afternoon.  Walked around the property & through the house umpteen times making sure we had not forgot anything.  Rigs loaded, Jeeps hooked up, Pheebs toys are on board, & we are ready to go…………….
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JUST TAKING A WALK AROUND THE PROPERTY TO MAKE SURE WE HADN’T FORGOT ANYTHING
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ME & DUCKY ARE READY TO GO DAD
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Watching the news this afternoon I see where we have luckily dodged a major weather bullet in the mid-west.  Tornados along the very corridor we often use coming & going to Congress.  As I’ve said many times before when we leave here at this time of year knowing how volatile & deadly the weather can be along our usual route we never dally or lolligag along.  If the weather’s good we push hard for home.  Hoping our route further north this time will carry us above that weather.  We did have hard rains & a tornado warning one time when we overnighted in Hope Arkansas.  We were fast out of there first thing in the morning & kept the pedal to the medal all the way to the border. 
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ALL SYSTEMS ARE GO FOR A MORNING LAUNCH
Topped up Winnie’s propane tank this morning but not the fuel tank.  No need to pull a fully loaded gas tank up the Yarnell Hill.  We will fill up later in Chino Valley north of Prescott.  Our 300 mile destination for the day will be one of two free CAMPGROUNDS at Arizona’s NAVAJO NATIONAL MONUMENT
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OUR BIRDS ARE SURE GOING TO MISS US
The area we are heading for Friday is in Arizona’s MONUMENT VALLEY North-East of Flagstaff & West of Kayenta.  We have heard there may be little or no internet service out there in those far reaching expanses of wide open Hopi & Navajo Indian lands so if you do not see a post from us for a few days do not worry.  I will of course write my daily post or posts but it may be a day or two before I am able to publish them so we’ll see y’all whenever……………..:))
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GROANER’S CORNER:((  After being retired for a couple of years and completing all the jobs my wife had lined up for me, I began to feel somewhat useless and decided to enroll in a couple of courses at the local adult-education school.  I noted, upon registration, that there was no tuition fee for a person over 65.  As I handed my tediously-filled-out papers to the clerk, I announced, "I'm 68." Then, pulling out my wallet, I asked if she wanted to see my driver's license.  She replied, "No, that's okay."  A little surprised, I asked, "Oh, do I look honest?"  "No," she answered. "You look 68."

25 comments:

  1. Travel safe, you two. I'll be thinking of you. So glad you will get to spend time in the red rock country. Enjoy.

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  2. safe travels..make sure you spend those last few dollars before you cross the border!!

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  3. Confused here, apparently Canadial math is different than American. You said you started with $40, spent $42 and change and ended up with $7 and change. Please explain how you did that, I really would like to know so I can do the same.

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  4. I trust you have safe travels and find interesting places to visit on your way north. Look forward to seeing you again next year.

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  5. Bon voyage and a wish for good weather throughout your trip. Get home safely!

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  6. I'm almost as bad as you are about throwing something away. I have two pairs of jeans that I loved, which are still 2 sizes too big for me, but I just can't get rid of them. Safe travels to you guys and good weather!

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  7. Saying goodbye is always bittersweet. Wishing you all wonderful trek home full of wonderful memories. So glad that Ducky got packed.

    Happy and safe travels.

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  8. Safe travels. I know we'll see some beautiful pictures of your visit to that area.

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  9. Just know you all are ready to rock and roll on down the road ...... Hoping the trip is lots of fun and smooth as silk all the way to Bayfield ..... It is always sad rolling out of the drive way at one end or the other but once you get rolling Nelly bar the door, you are off and running.... Then there is next year and the hope that your return is on schedule with all the fun and miles in between ..... It is all good and such an exciting way to enjoy retirement !!! BE SAFE ....

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  10. Safe travels hope you get a chance to stop and smell the roses

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  11. be Safe. I'd be sad too, to leave such a beautiful place as you have there in Congress.Hopefully spring and warmers temps will take hold up here soon.

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  12. Travels safe, enjoy the journey and take your time, bringing some warm weather back to Ontario with you.

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  13. I can relate so much to your feelings about leaving a dear place and going somewhere else. We love the new surroundings, but tend to hang on to known and loved ones.
    In order to avoid the volatile weather of the mid-west it is a good idea to head north through Utah before crossing over to the east. And besides the area north of you is so beautiful. Have a safe journey home! If I see you on my way west to Alberta I'll honk my horn. :-)

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  14. Safe travels to you Al
    NHJim

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  15. Man oh man, the months seem to fly by, and milestones come up pretty quickly. Hope the trip is a safe one.
    Nice to hear that Pat and Mike are alive and kicking.

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  16. I find myself looking forward to seeing the big trees in Bayfield and how your gorgeous yard fared the harsh winter. Suspect you will have a busy Spring and Summer! Safe travels and enjoy the beauty.

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  17. Have a safe trip, guys, and I'll be looking forward to seeing your photos from Navajo National Momument, as well as those from Bayfield and your adventures there!
    ~Cheryl Ann~
    By the way, 80 and even 90 I can tolerate. But, when the temps get into the triple digits, I begin to wilt!

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  18. Safe travels Al, Kelly and Pheebs! Enjoy your leisurely trek north. I have certainly enjoyed your stay in Congress this winter thru your blog.

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  19. Keep the rubber down and have a wonderful journey.

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  20. Safe travels on your journey home.

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  21. I can understand your sadness leaving your cozy house. It is THE cutest. I remember your last two times leaving--cried with you about each. Safe home. You might be able to pick up internet in Monument Valley if you drive over to Gouldings. Not sure, it's been a while since I was there.

    Isn't it wonderful that you have a nice RV to travel in and another cozy home to go to. I'd say you have the best of three worlds.

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  22. I can understand your sadness leaving your cozy house. It is THE cutest. I remember your last two times leaving--cried with you about each. Safe home. You might be able to pick up internet in Monument Valley if you drive over to Gouldings. Not sure, it's been a while since I was there.

    Isn't it wonderful that you have a nice RV to travel in and another cozy home to go to. I'd say you have the best of three worlds.

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  23. I am wondering if you leave your house unattended at ambient temperature all summer? We live in Shasta County CA and typical July-Sept temps are 95-105. If you leave a house uncooled for long the temp will rise over 110 and the furniture will all come unglued and various other dire scenarios. A week without irrigation would be a total disaster. I am never comfortable to leave the place for more than a week or two in summer and always leave the AC set to 90 while gone.

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  24. great thing about a second home in the desert, you dont have to worry about having someone cut the grass while you are gone. Weather has been very volatile the last couple of days but has passed eastward, so hopefully by time you hit midwest you will have smooth sailing.
    Take care.

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