YES TOTO, THERE ACTUALLY IS............. 'A PINK STORE:))'

All of tonight's photos are in Palomas Mexico.  It is home to the widely renowned Pink Store.  We were there in December of 06 & again a few months later in 07.  We probably made half a dozen visits here & just basked in the beautifully colored ambience of the store itself.  Good food, live Mexican bands & free Margaritas for those so inclined.  People were handed the Margaritas as they walked in the door to shop & browse.  It is one of those places you have to see to believe.  You all know how much I dislike browsing & shopping but I sure enjoyed the time we spent in this Christmas colored Toyland:))  The Pink Store's owner got to know us & once drove Kelly & I across the border in her truck.  Can't remember her name but she was a nice person.  I also had some dental work done & we both obtained new eyeglass prescriptions in the Pink Store's plaza.  With all the trouble in that area now I'm sure glad we had the opportunity to see & enjoy the Pink Store when we did.  Many fond memories..............

 

Had it not been for my Doctor's appointment this morning the day would have ended up being pretty flat.  Another test & another bucket of blood left at the Hospital.  My instructions are to phone the Doctor guy's office Friday for today's test results.  Boy, a fella sure has to jump over a lotta barrels & through a lotta hoops just be accepted into the new Canadian Astronaut Program:))

Handyman Bruce brought over & assembled the rig's computer station & it's going to work well for us freeing up some much needed space.  Just a few minor alterations & the project will be finished Thursday.  Our night time temps have been down around 26F so I've had to leave some heat on in the coach the past couple nights to keep waterlines from freezing.

 

Came across an interesting blog this morning & it turns out Kelly has been reading this RV full timing ladies blog for a long time now.  Jennifer does her own repairs & maintenance, took a professional mechanics course & had an RV dealership teach her how to drive.  I read some of her bio & was impressed with her honesty.  Back from Alaska this summer she is currently kicking up a bunch of dust in New Mexico with her 2006 Gulf Stream Vista Cruiser Mini.  Check out, LIVING IN MY CAR

For the second year in a row we will leave here in a few days with empty spaces in our Motor Home bins.  That's a big departure from our first few years Snow Birding when we both felt we had to fill every last inch & ounce of space with at least 'something!!'  Just didn't seem right to be going somewhere & not be fully loaded to the rafters.  We bundled aboard all kinds of heavily weighted canned goods & probably brought a third of them back home with us again.  It's a common mistake a lot of RV'ers make starting out & I am reminded of that every time I see vacant space in our bins.  But you know what, I still have the urge to fill those spaces with at least, something!!

ONE BLOCK WALKING DISTANCE FROM THE BORDER

 

AWWWWW, THOSE WERE THE DAYS:))

GROANER'S CORNER:((  And remember, some people hear voices. Some see invisible people. Others have no imagination whatsoever.

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Tourists see the world, travelers experience it.

Until one has loved an Animal, part of their soul remains un-awakened.

OUR BLOGGER WEBSITE http://thebayfieldbunch.com/

OUR PHOTO ALBUMS

http://picasaweb.google.com/stargeezerguy/

AL'S SMUG MUG PHOTO GALLERY http://stargeezer.smugmug.com/

The only thing better than right now will someday be the memories of right now...... AL.

AS THE EARTH TILTS FURTHER NORTH, WE SAY GOOD-BYE TO UNCLE HARRY BEFORE LEAVING

ATOP CORONADO PEAK NEAR SIERRA VISTA, ARIZONA

With each passing day the earth is tilting further & further to the north lessening the warming effects of the sun's rays.  It is the the cold air that now dominates in the northern latitudes.  It is a time now of winter coats, mitts, warm sweaters & hot chocolate.  It is time for Northern Snow Birds to flex winter wings.  A time to fill gas tanks, check tire pressures, oil & transmission fluids.  And it's time to load up the furry kid's toys.

GAZING INTO THE HEART OF MEXICO

     

THAT LINE YOU SEE ACROSS THE DESERT FLOOR IS THE ACTUAL BORDER BETWEEN THE UNITED STATES & MEXICO AS SEEN FROM CORONADO PEAK (click to enlarge)

Kelly & I headed off to Mitchell Ontario this morning to visit with my Uncle Harry at the Ritz Lutheran Villa Care Facility.  He was dozing in his chair listening to music when we got there.  We had the TV cable company set up the music channels for him shortly after he moved to the Villa at the end of last June.  We did the same thing for my Mother when she was in a Nursing Home in Tavistock, Ontario a few years ago.  And, just as it was with my Mother, it is the music Harry enjoys everyday the most.  He still has a keen interest in watching hockey & baseball but it is the music that is bringing the most contentment to his 93 years.  Henry Mancini,, Glen Miller, Andre Kostelanitz, Mantovani, Richard Clayderman, Frank Sinatra, & the list goes on & on.  And, so does the music in Harry's room.  Sometimes 24 hours a day.  I am so fortunate to have come from a family who so much has enjoyed their music over the years.  I have said this before & will say it again here.......if you were to ask me what one single thing in my life has brought me more peace, joy, happiness & entertainment...... my one word simple answer would be, 'music.' 

     

It was a sad goodbye with Harry this afternoon because at age 93 you know there are not as many goodbyes left today as there was yesterday.

      

PATHWAY LEADING DOWN FROM CORONADO PEAK

As always, it was a quiet Halloween night for us & that is by choice.  We live in an Adults Only Park so there are no trick or treaters anywhere.  But, it does bring back many good memories from a 4 year time period years ago when I did get to know a little person.  She was the only little person in my entire life & we had an absolute blast for the whole time I knew her & her Mother.  I remember taking her trick or treating on Halloween nights, winter toboggan rides, sunny days at the beach, browsing through shops in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico helping with school projects, shop till you drop marathons, ice cream, laughter, & once while her Mother was out we even got into the kitchen cupboards, got some flour, eggs, & cake mix going & baked ourselves a cake from scratch. (I have pictures of that & will try to find them)  What a mess the kitchen was.  What a happy mess we were & what a big mess of trouble we had ourselves in when her Mother came home.  Halloween just hasn't been the same.

A NICE BENCH TO SIT AWHILE & DREAM OF MEXICO......THEY WAY IT USED TO BE

Tuesday morning I am off to see the Doctor.  It is the same appointment I missed a couple weeks ago.  Wants to talk to me about something that the receptionist said will only take 5 minutes.  Well, that's fine with me.  As long as he doesn't chase me around the room trying to stick me with a big scary looking needle.  Remember those totally traumatic times in public school when we all had to line up for those excruciating painful vaccination shots & stuff.  We always new when the medical team ambushed the school because we could smell that cleansing alcohol smell in the halls & classroom well before ever seeing the lab coated torture squad!!  I still think of that fear when I detect that smell in hospitals to this very day.

THE MEXICAN BORDER IS ONLY ABOUT HALF A MILE AWAY

It has been 4 months now since bringing that bumpity square box of a Jeep Wrangler home & I am enjoying that silly little thing just as much now as when we first got it.  In fact, I think it might even be turning into a love affair.  Long time since I had a vehicle with such an affection tied to it.  It's just a simple little Mossmagator of a thing.  No bells & whistles.  No cheesy fancy plastic chrome around the windows & taillights.  No headlight clusters that look like they belong on an Alien space ship & no dash interior that looks like an exploded boom box on steroids.  Like Joe Friday from Dragnet years ago used to say, "Just the facts ma'am, just the facts."  Only, in our case it's, "Just the basics man, just the basics:))"

LOOKING ALONG THE WEST SIDE OF THE HUACHUCA MOUNTAINS IN THE GENERAL DIRECTION OF TUCSON ARIZONA FAR AWAY IN THE DISTANT MOUNTAIN RANGE

RETIRED ROD sent me over a blogsite today that looks interesting.  This fellow has similar interests to ours & likes to get out on the trails, get the boots dirty & go scratching around looking for old southwest history.  His name is Steve & you can find his adventures here.... STEVE'S RV TRAVELOGUE

THE EAST SIDE OF THE HUACHUCA MOUNTAIN RANGE...AZ.

And, I did run into a piece of technology that logically agreed with me today & it has to do with telephones.  'Voice activated dialing!!'  Finally, the tech Gods have had enough of my complaining & have come up with something practical.  If I could pick up a cell phone & not have to strain my eye balls right out of my head picking through a tiny bunch of numbers with the tip of my pen (Blackberry) I might take to carrying one of those cell phone things around myself.  Just press on, wait for the dial tone & say into the phone whomever it is you want to call.  Example, "Call Bill," "Call Mary." or "Call Santa."  Fifty voice activated numbers can be programmed in.  This is now being offered by Bell Telephone here in Ontario & I'm sure other companies have it as well.  And, only 5$ a month.  My kinda phone technology & my kinda price:))  Now, if I could just get me a cool Jitterbug phone................

MOONDOWN OVER THE MULE MOUNTAINS...PHOTO TAKEN FROM 'THE RANCH' NEAR McNEAL, ARIZONA  (200mm)

GROANER'S CORNER:((  A man and his wife were awoken at 3:00 am by a loud pounding on the door.
The man gets up and goes to the door where a drunken stranger, standing in the pouring rain, is asking for a push.
"Not a chance," says the husband, "it is 3:00 in the morning!"
He slams the door and returns to bed.
"Who was that?" asked his wife..
"Just some drunk guy asking for a push," he answers.
"Did you help him?" she asks.
"No, I did not, it is 3:00 in the morning and it is pouring rain out there!"
"Well, you have a short memory," says his wife. "Can't you remember about three months ago when we broke down, and those two guys helped us?
I think you should help him, and you should be ashamed of yourself!"
The man does as he is told, gets dressed, and goes out into the pounding rain.
He calls out into the dark, "Hello, are you still there?"
"Yes," comes back the answer.
"Do you still need a push?" calls out the husband.
"Yes, please!" comes the reply from the dark.
"Where are you?" asks the husband.
"Over here on the swing," replied the drunk.

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Tourists see the world, travelers experience it.

Until one has loved an Animal, part of their soul remains un-awakened.

OUR BLOGGER WEBSITE http://thebayfieldbunch.com/

OUR PHOTO ALBUMS

http://picasaweb.google.com/stargeezerguy/

AL'S SMUG MUG PHOTO GALLERY http://stargeezer.smugmug.com/

The only thing better than right now will someday be the memories of right now...... AL.

EIGHT YEARS AGO ON HALLOWEEN NIGHT.....

FOR TONIGHT'S PHOTOS & IN KEEPING WITH THE HALLOWEEN FEEL, LETS GO UNDERGROUND TO THE....CARLSBAD CAVERNS IN NEW MEXICO (December 21/06)

Halloween night 8 years ago was cold & pouring rain.  I remember that specific night because it was the night we drove out of the old farm house lane near Fullarton Ontario for the very last time.  Kelly had gone on ahead of me in her little 323 Mazda loaded with last minute household things.   I wasn't too far behind her with our 97 Dodge Ram pick-up truck loaded to overflowing with the very last of our possessions.  Just enough room in the cab for Max & I.  It would be another couple of years before we met Checkers & the Motormouse.  So, with windshield wipers slapping time in the darkened night & the truck heater keeping Max & I warm & toasty, we made the 40 minute drive to our new beginnings.  It was the night we moved from the cold & drafty old rented farmhouse we had lived in for 8 years to our newer home here in Bayfield Ontario.   It was Halloween night & despite a nasty 'trick' the weather was playing on us, it was a real 'treat' to be moving into our very own warm & very cozy little place.

It was truly an exciting time for us back in September & October of 2002.  We had signed the papers for our 'new to us' place the weekend after Labor Day & from that week-end on until we moved the last of our stuff Halloween night, it was many trips back & forth ferrying our stuff from point A to point B.  Our move from Fullarton to Bayfield was all made possible by my Uncle Harry.  It was one of the last times I remember being that excited about something except when we later bought our Motor Home of course.

Last year on Halloween night we were in Columbus, New Mexico for an overnighter in a quiet RV Park....we were the only one's there.  A little Mexican boy came to our door dressed up as a........ little Mexican boy.  Had been quite awhile since I heard the word, 'Trick or Treat.'  Three years ago we were recovering at a quiet little RV Park in Ellis Kansas.  We had just tangled with a nasty Kansas cross wind earlier that day & had part of our side awning destroyed.  This is my blog from that stressful day....BIG KANSAS WIND.

I have put together a short photo album of Carlsbad  below........

View Full Album

I am probably going to be using mostly file pics from now until the time we roll out next Saturday.  Our weather is cold, gray & damp.  Not many leaves left on the trees & our countryside has been transformed from beautiful Autumn colors to a drab gray forlorn landscape so not very photogenic.  We did have some hail go through late this morning & some snow showers late this afternoon.

We are down to the final 5 days before heading out on our southwest journey so this is the week the majority of pencil check marks will be be hitting our 'to do' list.  If our list had 50 things on it, 40 of the 'things to do' would all be last week stuff with the majority of those 40 tasks coming down to the last couple days & final hours & minutes before leaving.  Yes, it's going to be a busy week.........at last:)))))))))

GROANER'S CORNER: And, it is only because it is Halloween that I give you this one..............

A man is walking home  alone late one foggy Halloween night, when behind him he hears: BUMP...BUMP...BUMP...
Walking faster, he looks back and through the fog he makes out the image of an upright casket banging its way down the middle of the street toward him.  BUMP...BUMP...BUMP...
Terrified, the man begins to run toward his home, the casket bouncing quickly behind him.FASTER...FASTER..BUMP...BUMP...BUMP.
He runs up to his door, fumbles with his keys, opens the door, rushes in, slams and locks the door behind him. However, the casket crashes through his door, with the lid of the casket clapping.  Clappity-BUMP...Clappity-BUMP....Clappity-BUMP...
Spinning around on his heels the terrified man runs.  Rushing upstairs to the bathroom, he locks himself in. His heart is pounding; his head is reeling; his breath is coming in sobbing gasps.  With a loud CRASH the casket breaks down the door bumping and clapping toward him.  The man screams and reaches for something, anything, but all he can find is a bottle of cough syrup!  Desperate, he throws the cough syrup at the casket...and,
!

!

!

!

The coffin stops........................

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Tourists see the world, travelers experience it.

Until one has loved an Animal, part of their soul remains un-awakened.

OUR BLOGGER WEBSITE http://thebayfieldbunch.com/

OUR PHOTO ALBUMS

http://picasaweb.google.com/stargeezerguy/

AL'S SMUG MUG PHOTO GALLERY http://stargeezer.smugmug.com/

The only thing better than right now will someday be the memories of right now...... AL.

JOURNEYING BETWEEN TWO PLANETS

TONIGHT'S 5 SCENIC'S ARE FROM OUR NOVEMBER 2008 VISIT TO ARCHES NATIONAL PARK IN UTAH....NEAR MOAB

Can't help but notice how much longer it stays dark in the mornings now as our light of day steadily diminishes.  There is a coldness in the air & I see by next week we have a few days coming up  with night time lows below the freezing mark.  Going to have to crack a little heat on in the RV I guess.  Don't need any froze up water lines etc.  It's just the unavoidable hazards of waiting this long to head south!!  Oh well, at least we're not stuck here having to wait until after that Christmas thing like a lot of other folks.

THE GUYS ARE WAITING FOR THEIR PRE-BREAKFAST CEREAL SNACKS THIS MORNING

Handyman Bruce showed up this morning to begin building a little computer station for us in the rig.  Sure will be nice to have some extra space now that the big Tiffin desk is out of there.  Hopes to finish up the project Monday.  In the meantime our rig is sure in a big upside down state of affairs inside so we'll have to do some scrambling next week for sure.

   

BRUCE SETS UP HIS TOOLS & LEVELS UP THE FIRST PIECE OF LUMBER

 

WE GATHER OUR HOUSE PLANTS INTO THE SUNROOM FOR THE WINTER

MY 'PINK' PERIOD IN THE MID 80'S

Looking for some photos to include in tonight's blog I came across an old picture of myself taken about 1986. (hope I haven't posted this one before)  This was in what I call my 4 year 'pink' era.  The girl I was going with at the time always made me dress up & wear stuff I was never comfortable in.  She had a favorite pink shirt for me so that's why I called it my 'pink' period.  I do not like wearing any kind of jewelry whatsoever so of course she had me walking around with a gold wrist bracelet & neck chain plus a ring.  I was typically a fish out of water for about 4 years.  I much preferred my good old grubby look so needless to say that relationship never did have much of a future.  Notice the pen & notebook in my pocket.  That has been an everyday tradition of mine since 1983 & I still carry a pen & notebook in my shirt pocket to this very day.

PARK AVENUE

Snow Birding is like living on two different planets.  Our sticks & bricks here in Bayfield is like our own Earth & our travels to the great American Southwest are like long journey in space to our other home on the planet Mars. (the southwest)  The two lifestyles have very little in common aside from the eating & sleeping basics.  When on Mars, I seldom think back to our planet Earth here.  Right from the moment we blast off each fall, our sticks & bricks lifestyle immediately fades into a distant memory mode for me & I rarely think of our Earth home' at all for the next 5 months.

Doesn't quite work the other way around though.  When we are home here in Bayfield for the summer I think often of our other lifestyle in the Southwest.  From the day we arrive back on Earth I am already counting the days to when we will return to our planet Mars with all it's adventures, vistas, unknowns, new horizons, & physically challenging good days.  Where will we go, what new areas of the planet will we see & explore.  What kinds of new characters will we meet & how many new & adventuress things will we learn.  Will we return to Earth with the crew & ship intact yet again.  All unknown factors & all a part of our other great lifestyle. 

IN THE DEVIL'S GARDEN

The transition between planets is not always easy for Snow Birds like us.  Within minutes of leaving home we begin the transition from our oh so familiar routines & surroundings to our life on the road.  My big comfy recliner, wide screen HD television, & favorite cabled in ambient stereo surround sound music is suddenly gone.  Long hot morning showers, my own big double comfy bed in my very own room, big monitor computer screen in a beautifully scenic sunroom is all left behind in a matter of minutes.  What must we be thinking!!!!  Our other totally different lifestyle, that's what............on our other Planet which sometimes seems so long ago in a Galaxy so far, far, away:))

GROANER'S CORNER:((  Lynn & Judy (two local blonde gals) were doing some carpenter work on a Habitat for Humanity House.  Lynn was nailing down house siding, would reach into her nail , pouch, pull out a nail & either toss it over her shoulder or nail it in. Judy, figuring this was worth looking into, asked, 'Why are you Throwing those nails away?' Lynn explained, 'When I pull a nail out of my pouch, about half of them have the head on the wrong end & I throw them away.'  Judy got completely upset & yelled,  'You moron! Those nails aren't Defective! They're for the other side of the house!'

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Tourists see the world, travelers experience it.

Until one has loved an Animal, part of their soul remains un-awakened.

OUR BLOGGER WEBSITE http://thebayfieldbunch.com/

OUR PHOTO ALBUMS

http://picasaweb.google.com/stargeezerguy/

AL'S SMUG MUG PHOTO GALLERY http://stargeezer.smugmug.com/

The only thing better than right now will someday be the memories of right now...... AL.

HAD ME A BAD, GOOD, BAD, BAD, BAD, GOOD, BAD, GOOD, KIND OF A JEEP KEY DAY!!

STORMY WATERS BREAK OVER BAYFIELD'S NORTH PIER

As the mornings turn gradually colder our walks become progressively shorter.  I'm not a cold weather guy although I did enjoy cross country skiing years ago & one season of downhill skiing.  When it's cold outside I much prefer to be inside.

I may have been a little hasty in throwing the 'greed' word around in last night's blog  because this morning I learned a little bit about the newer technology of....automobile keys!!  I had myself a real session of bad news, good news, bad news, bad news, bad news, good news, bad news & finally some good news.

First bit of bad news this morning.....missing key still not found:((  First bit of good news....local hardware store was able to make a key that opened the Jeep door & started the Jeep.  I was so happy about that I had the hardware store lady make two more keys.  Figured I had better make sure the new keys worked so tried them out.

Bad news....the Jeeps engine stalled about 5 seconds after starting with the two new keys.  Oh no!!  Do I have an engine problem now!!!!Good news.....Jeep started fine with original key so that turned a little light on in my head.  The original key must have a micro chip transponder in it knocking the engine out of actions as an anti theft function.  Bad news.....this is gonna get expensive:((  I headed off for the town of Exeter about 35 minutes away in hopes a locksmith there might have some good news for me.  Bad news........the locksmith did not have good news for me!!  Good news......there is a Chrysler Dealership in Exeter & when I went in they said yes, they can build me a new key & reprogram the Jeep.  Bad news......a new key was going to cost me $94.52:((

Despite the high cost of the key (no way around that) I was very impressed with EXETER CHRYSLER JEEP. The fellow at the counter took my Jeep key & immediately set the wheels in motion for getting me a new one.  He needed photo ID & the Jeep ownership.  One fellow fed all the necessary info into a computer while another chap got to work on the physical make up of the key.  Twenty minutes later they pulled the Jeep into the shop & reprogrammed the onboard computer & 10 minutes after that I was on the road with my new Jeep key.  My total time in & out of that dealership was well less than an hour & I was impressed at how they took me in right away without having to make an appointment.  Two thumbs up for Exeter Chrysler Jeep:))

I HAVE TAKEN A REAL LIKING THESE PAST MONTHS TO MIXING HALF A GLASS OF VANILLA FLAVORED SOY MILK WITH HALF A GLASS OF VARIOUS FLAVORED FRUIT DRINKS. (smooooth)

Now, a word of warning!!  Little did I know this morning that had I tried either one of those two new hardware store keys in the Jeep's ignition one more time the Jeep's computer system would automatically have gone into a maximum security lock down mode totally immobilizing that Jeep & nothing would have worked!!.  Nothing!!  The Jeep would have had to be towed to a Chrysler Jeep dealership & it's computer reprogrammed before it would ever start again.  It's all sophisticated anti-theft stuff these days so my little 'greed' rant last night was a tad off base.  Oh, and before I forget, the final piece of good news is..............I am now finally done with this good news bad news routine:))

            

I LIKE BIG SCREEN MONITORS & BIG NUMBERS ON TELEPHONES:))

Came across a new RV blogger this afternoon who, after thinking about it for 2 years, has finally put together her very first post.  I wonder how many of us can remember back to the apprehension & excitement we felt over our first post.  Might be kind of nice to drop by with a word of encouragement for Kathy & welcome this gal to our little world of folksy family RV bloggers.  DON'T FENCE ME IN

 

REMEMBER THURSDAY NIGHT'S BLOG ABOUT THE CIRCLING FOOD SHARKS!!

GROANER'S CORNER:((  A 54 year old woman had a heart attack and was taken to the hospital.

While on the operating table she had a near death experience.. Seeing God she asked "Is my time up?"

God said, "No, you have another 43 years, 2 months and 8 days to live."

Upon recovery, the woman decided to stay in the hospital and have a face-lift, liposuction, breast implants and a tummy tuck.

She even had someone come in and change her hair color and brighten her teeth! Since she had so much more time to live, she figured she might as well make the most of it.

After her last operation, she was released from the hospital. While crossing the street on her way home, she was killed by an ambulance.

Arriving in front of God, she demanded, "I thought you said I had another 43 years? Why didn't you pull me from out of the path of the ambulance?"

God replied: " I didn't recognize you."

------------------------------------------------------------

Tourists see the world, travelers experience it.

Until one has loved an Animal, part of their soul remains un-awakened.

OUR BLOGGER WEBSITE http://thebayfieldbunch.com/

OUR PHOTO ALBUMS

http://picasaweb.google.com/stargeezerguy/

AL'S SMUG MUG PHOTO GALLERY http://stargeezer.smugmug.com/

The only thing better than right now will someday be the memories of right now...... AL.