OH DEAR, ANOTHER DECISION TO MAKE

IF IT’S GREEN & GROWS IN THE DESERT IT IS PROBABLY GOING TO BE PRICKLY…THIS FELLOW IS IN OUR FRONT YARD

Despite another great weather day I had trouble motivating myself to keep busy with anything except some more packing of the rig & even that was a rather half hearted effort.  Did manage to do myself a load of laundry.  And, fired up the weed whacker for a little dusty twirl through some of last years dried weeds out along the road.  That seemed to drain today’s limited energy supply.  Some days it all comes together nicely & other days things just kind of end up in a pile of tatters.

 

SHED IS CLEANED UP IN PREPARATION FOR LEAVING NEXT MONTH

Frustrated myself this morning by trying to figure out how to lengthen a new camera strap cord.  I should know better than to tackle things like that in the first place because my mind is no help to me whatsoever when it comes to figuring that kind of stuff out.  Wasted nearly half an hour on that.  It is not easy being me:((

 

KELLY WORKS ON MY CAMERA STRAP PROBLEM

Happy to say, when Kelly returned from Wickenburg this afternoon she was able to figure out that strap configuration & all is well in la la land again.  Took her awhile though & I did hear her mutter, “why do they have to make things so complicated”.  This BLACKRAPID RS-4 strap is a beauty though & as soon as I hung my Nikon D-40 & heavy 300mm zoom lens on it I was pleased as punch.  Best & most comfortable camera strap I’ve ever had.  Thanks to Chris over at TRAVELS WITH CC & DIXIE for the tip & link to Blackrapid.

   

NEW STRAP IS THE ONE ON MY LEFT SHOULDER CROSSING MY CHEST

KINDA LIKE PACKING A 6 GUN ON MY RIGHT HIP

For you folks who have a hankering for some fine writing skills & photos I once again remind you to keep an eye on & watch for Mark’s posts over at the BOX CANYON BLOG.  He’s always got some darn good words going on over there.  And it won’t be long & Mike over at PHANNIE & MAE  will be doing the Limbo, the Watusi, & the Boogaloo.  He finally set the cane aside & has already taken the big 40' diesel banger for a drive.  The word Hippy may have new meaning for Mike now:))

WE HAVE OUR OFFICIAL ‘WIND SPEED INDICATOR’ WINDSOCK ON THE RIG NOW:))

Reading Karen’s post from RVING: THE USA IS OUR BIG BACKYARD I was reminded once again how important photos are & how fortunate we all are to be living in the age of computers & digital cameras.  Karen & Steve have been touring around BIG BEND NATIONAL PARK in Texas & yesterday took a drive to Presidio.  Kelly & I stayed at Big Bend for a few days back in late December of 04.  My fading memory now struggles to tell me of all the wondrous sites we saw.  I have less than half a dozen small 4x6 35mm prints from the whole trip & that’s it.  And no photos of the great scenic drive between Big Bend’s western border & the small town of Presidio.  Karen’s post reminded me this morning of how important it is to record as much as we can, while we can if we want something to remember in later years.  At the end of each post I always include a few sayings one of which is one of mine that says, ‘ The only thing better than right now will someday be the memories of right now’.  When all is said & done, for many of us, it will be the photos & written accounts of our travels that will remind & stir old memories otherwise irretrievably lost in the cobwebs of our aging minds.

KELLY RELAXES WITH A BOOK IN THE BACK YARD

Unbeknownst to us we almost had ourselves a visitor in the night.  It seems a lost traveler in the Arizona hills spotted our house nestled in this Sonoran valley here in Congress Arizona.  Sensing a safe haven, the traveler ventured forward & low & behold Pheebs ran to meet her.  And all this while Kelly & I were asleep.  We didn’t even know Pheebs was out.  Had it not been for MERIKAY'S comment on our blog this morning we would never have known all that was going on last night.  In that comment Merikay said, “Had a dream last night that I was lost in the hills in Arizona. Then I looked down into a valley and saw your Congress house. I knew I was safe. Pheebs came to meet me”………….:)) 

PLUGGING AWAY AT FILLING UP OUR DINETTE STORAGE SPACE

Easy to tell it is March break.  The kids are out in the desert tearing it up with their dirt bikes again.  So disappointing on our walks to come across the ruts & gouges in the struggling to be green Sonoran terrain.  And yes it’s kids.  You don’t find older responsible & mature adults doing that sort of thing on dirt bikes.  If it were older folks on those bikes there would be an endless parade of ambulances out here picking up all the aging & injured gray beards ker-splunked into the desert rocks, sand, & barbed cactus.

 

OK, about that decision.  Over the past month readers have been sending in emails & comments suggesting we register our Sunseeker here in Arizona & put Arizona plates on it.  Pros & cons of course but as of today we are giving the Arizona registration idea some serious thought.  A call this morning from our good friend Ron up there in Grand Bend Ontario kind of pushed the wheels over the edge & got them rolling.  Ron is the fellow we bought our Damon Motorhome from back in April of 07.  Ron owns FOUR SEASONS PERFORMANCE in Grand Bend.

FIRST TIME I’VE SEEN A GAMBLE’S QUAIL IN A MESQUITE TREE

Kelly has been doing a lot of research on the internet plus headed into Wickenburg today with a list of questions for the Motor Vehicle people.  Keep in mind Kelly is a U.S. citizen with dual citizenship.  We both have our Arizona ID cards & Kelly will be picking up her Arizona driver’s license shortly.  All those things figure in plus we do own property in the U.S. but don’t know if that would have anything to do with anything.  Cost wise it is cheaper to register the Sunseeker here in Arizona as opposed to Ontario.  Cheaper for insurance as well & no border Import paper work.  That one is a big plus because I don’t want to end up shackled to a Dungeon wall at the border!!  Oh, & no over the top Ontario safety inspection costs either.

OUR 90 DAY TEMPORARY ARIZONA LICENSE PERMIT IN OUR BACK WINDOW…THIS IS GOOD TO GET THE RIG BACK TO CANADA UNLESS WE REGISTER IT HERE IN ARIZONA >>>

Anyway, that’s the decision we are facing this week.  We will just have to take some time & think this whole thing through.  What if after returning home we decided to sell the American registered Sunseeker in 3 months?  What about crossing the border back into the States next Fall?  Silly questions…..maybe, but there is a lot of silly rules & regulations when it comes to this kind of stuff & one has to tread very lightly through this minefield of changing unknowns.  And finally, finally, finally, from the dealership where we bought our rig, we received our clear title of ownership for the Sunseeker today.

    

Ever had someone tell you the right way to do something when you already had your heart & mind set on the wrong way to do something.  Naw, I didn’t think so.  Must just be me again.

GROANER’S CORNER:((  Robert told his doctor he wasn't able to do all the things around the house that he used to do. When the examination was complete, he said, "Now, Doc, I can take it. Tell me in plain English what's wrong with me."
"Well, in plain English," the doctor replied, "You're just plain lazy."
"Thank You." said the man. "Now give me the medical term, so I can tell my wife!"

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- Tourists see the world, travelers experience it.
- Home is where your pet is:))
- "If having a soul means being able to feel
love and loyalty and gratitude, then animals
are better off than a lot of humans."
(James Herriot)
- The pessimist complains about the wind; the optimist expects it to change; the realist adjusts the sails -William Arthur Ward
- The only thing better than right now will someday be the memories of right now...AL.
- It is not so much having nothing to do as it is not having the interest to do something....AL.