BIG BAD WINDS AND FRIDAY AFTERNOON COMPANY

LIGHTS OF MEXICO ON OUR SOUTHERN HORIZON

With night's becoming warmer now it is much nicer being outside under a great canopy of stars.  Took a few photos and the thought occurred to me how nice with no mosquitos in the air.  Just another one of the many fine perks here in the south-west during these winter months.   In my books no bugs is good bugs:))

YUMA'S GLOW OVER THE HORIZON WITH THE RV LIGHTS OF FELLOW BOONDOCKERS VISBLE IN THE FOREGROUND

THREE VIEWS OF THE CONSTELLATION ORION FOR MY AUNT JEAN IN FLORIDA

THE BIG DIPPER STANDING ON IT'S HANDLE

IF YOU LOOK VERY CLOSELY TO THE EXTREME LEFT YOU CAN SEE GORD AND CATHIES 'UN-LIT' RIG

Had us big wind advisory going on for today so this morning I anchored our satellite dish down real darn good and positioned the Jeep as a windbreak.  Winds howled and barreled in from the south-east and by noon there was no keeping a hat on anymore while outside.  Surrounding horizon lines disappeared into clouds of blowing sand.  Had we stepped out we would have had our socks blowed right off.

OUR UNSEEN SATELLITE DISH IS SANDWICHED BETWEEN THE JEEP AND THE MOTORHOME

HEY WANDERING WILLY I HAVE TWO OF THOSE LEGS TIED DOWN LIKE YOU SAID, A 900 POUND ROCK ON THE OTHER LEG AND THE CENTER TIED DOWN TO A SPIKED IN YELLOW DEVICE ON THE GROUND PLUS A  SUSPENDED WATER  JUG......OH YA THEN I WELDED EVERYTHING IN PLACE 

On the leeward side of the coach before the winds reached their worst potential for the day Kelly was able to barbecue a steak.  Would you believe neither one of us could even remotely remember the last time we had barbecued while traveling.  We're guessing almost 5 years ago about the time we bought our Congress house in late February of 2012.  Of course our orange barbecue was used a lot while at the house but even on our short winter side trips we never bothered taking it along.

HEY THIS IS GONNA GET AWESOME GEORGE SALIVATING

 Here's an on-line semi-monthly newsletter/magazine I recommend for fellow South-West RV travelers.  It's called Desert USA . Always interesting articles focusing on the southwest with much to be learned about history and things to do and see in these vast deserts and mountain lands.  Articles are not lengthy and I often get a kick out of how many of the places it features we have already been to.  And while I'm at it check out Desert Magazine and be sure to have a look at the archives from as far back as the 1930's.  This magazine is chocked full of western history for all you old history buffs out there.

A RELAXING MORNING AT OUR HOUSE

And here's another example of where my memory is at these days.  Looking for something in a cupboard above the dash on the drivers side this morning I noticed a brown case tucked down in the back.  Pulling it out I realized it was my 15x70 Celestron binoculars I had bought several years ago for star gazing.  I had completely forgotten I had them and the last time I remember using them was one night at our Congress house 2 years ago.  Makes me wonder what other little treasures I have sitting around somewhere I have forgotten about.  On Thursday I completely forgot to email Cathie and Gord directions to where we were parked on Ogilby Road.  When Kelly came home she asked me if I had remembered to email Gord and Cathie............nope I hadn't.  Kelly quickly dashed them off an email with directions and they wandered in a short time later after driving around for miles upon desert miles looking for us.  Like I've said before, it's not easy being me:((

LOOKS LIKE I'M GOING TO HAVE TO GET BUSY AND DUST THOSE BINOS OFF

Cathie and Gord headed off into Yuma this morning to have themselves a look around and I replied to an email they sent inviting them over for coffee when they returned so we had us a nice afternoon here in the rig chatting.  Gord's very savvy with technical things so we learned a lot of cell/smart phone stuff.  Well Kelly learned a lot of stuff.  I was lost right from the get-go but did manage to throw a few chirps in here and there whenever I thought I was familiar with something.  'Thought' was the operating word there. 

CATHIE GORD AND KELLY ARE ALL BLACKBERRY USERS SO THEY HAD LOTS TO TALK ABOUT.....NOBODY SEEMED TOO INTERESTED IN HEARING ABOUT MY PEN AND SHIRT POCKET NOTE BOOK

With Kelly's help I am very much enjoying setting up this new computer of mine.  I've transferred via thumb drive and email links most of the stuff from my Toshiba already.  Photos and music especially.  Took a bit of searching but Kelly was able to find a download for Picasa 3.9 so I am a happy camper for now.  Of course the writing is on the wall for Picasa and I really should begin learning myself another photo editing program.  Compared to Picasa Googles photo editing program is a joke.  It's obviously geared to 'snap-n-go' cell phone users and not people with any kind of a photography interest who take some pride in having their photos look as good as they can be.

JUST BECAUSE THIS IS A TOUCH SCREEN  MACHINE IT DOESN'T MEAN I WILL BE TOUCHING IT AND GETTING MY GREASY LITTLE FINGER PRINTS ALL OVER IT.....I MUCH PREFER MY TRUSTY MOUSE THANK YOU VERY MUCH

I'M GUESSING THIS  NOTEBOOK/TABLET CONFIGURATION WOULD BE BEST FOR TOUCH SCREENING.....NOT GONNA HAPPEN

At the time of publishing this tonight some of the wind gusts have really picked up.  Saw 2 Marine military helicopters earlier making their way back to their Yuma base from manoeuvers in the Chocolate Mountains and they were hugging the ground pretty close in the wind.  They were partly obscured by blowing sand at times.

CAN'T EVEN SEE THE CARGO MUCHACHO MOUNTAINS ON THE HORIZON

Weather people say we have a huge rain front accompanied by thunder and lightning headed our way and due to arrive in a couple hours.  Said some of the dry washes may even be running from all the water coming down off the mountains.  I've always wanted to see water running in these washes.  Maybe I can get a few photos in the morning because we are right beside one.............. Come on rain let er rip:))

THESE NIGHT PHOTOS WERE TAKEN IN MUCH CALMER AIR THURSDAY NIGHT

GROANER'S CORNER:((
Three Little Pigs went out to dinner one night.. The waiter came and took their drink order.
'I would like a Sprite,' said the first little piggy.
'I would like a Coke,' said the second little piggy.
'I want beer, lots and lots of beer,' said the third little piggy.
The drinks were brought out and the waiter took their orders for dinner
'I want a nice big steak,' said the first piggy..
'I would like the salad plate,' said the second piggy.
'I want beer, lots and lots of beer,' said the third little piggy.
The meals were brought out and a while later the waiter approached the table and asked if the piggies would like any dessert.
'I want a banana split,' said the first piggy.
'I want a cheesecake,' said the second piggy.
'I want beer, lots and lots of beer,' exclaimed the third little piggy.
'Pardon me for asking,' said the waiter to the third little piggy,'
But why have you only ordered beer all evening?'
The third piggy says -
'Well, somebody has to go 'Wee, wee, wee, all the way home!!

I AM ABLE TO ENLARGE THE PRINTING OF SOME JOKES I COPY AND PASTE BUT NOT ALL...........

A man lost two buttons from his shirt and put them in his pants pocket. But the pocket had a hole, so the buttons fell into his shoe. Unfortunately, the shoe sole also had a hole, so he lost the buttons. As pockets with holes, holes without buttons, and shoe soles with holes are useless, the man ripped the buttonholes out of his shirt and the pocked from his pants and tossed them in the trash along with the soles of his shoes.A police officer who was observing the man asked him for some identification. The man gave the officer a document that shoed he was an ordained minister of the gospel. When the officer began to escort him to a mental institution, the minister protested violently, asking why he was receiving such unjust treatment.“Look, we both know it’s the best place for you now,” the officer replied. “Anyone claiming to be a preacher who doesn’t save souls or wear holy clothes has probably lost his buttons.”