Winter is a time for saving.
The crew and I will resume travels when the warm weather rolls around. As you know, travel costs money. That’s why I like to stay put during the winter months in a warm location like Yuma or Ajo, Arizona.
(It’s been a beautiful, sunny day with a slight, occasional breeze. The photos look dark because they were taken at sunset.)
My oh my, look at that wax job!
This morning I finish recording income and outgo for January.
I also update the Recurring Expenses page to reflect a slight increase in my retirement income, as well as an increase in — surprise, surprise — health insurance premiums.
Bridget makes a health-insurance-is-boring face to illustrate this section.
For those of you new to my blog, I lay out my financial information for you and the rest of the world to see in the pages under “Money” in the header.
I do this for people who are unsure if they can afford to live full-time “on the road” in a manner similar to mine. And, also, for people who are just plain nosy.
I also work on the “Shopping Links” pages.
It’s kind of fun putting product descriptions together, especially when readers suggest the products. I hope you find both my money pages and the shopping pages interesting and helpful.
My neighbor Pat, a reader of this blog, walks over today.
That’s her Class C across the road from our campsite. Several campers have left Darby Well Road in the past few days. In fact, Pat and I stand looking out over the Sonoran Desert from my “back yard,” and not one camper is visible. This is my “back yard.”
The peace and quiet are heavenly.
Occasionally one hears a boom from the Barry Goldwater Missile Range. This morning we’re strafed by fighter jets (minus ammunition, I happily report… But then if we were strafed with ammo I wouldn’t be reporting at all so that was dumb.) The jets are close and loud as they bank around where we’re camped.
The crew and I go to Cow Plop Mountain.
It’s a great hike, but, guess what. I’m not going to tell you about it. You see, I forgot to check to see if the memory card was in the camera. Immediately out of the Perfect Tow Vehicle, I spot a great shot. Darn! No pictures on this hike!
Bridget, Spike, and I will go back and repeat our hike and I’LL REMEMBER TO LOAD THE MEMORY CARD THIS TIME before we take off down the road. Sheesh.
Tonight’s sunset is a good ‘un.
I’ll probably have to hitch up and tow the BLT into town soon.
The waste tanks will need to be dumped. Now that I’ve written at the beginning of this post that we stay put during the winter months, I’m liable to get down to Belly Acres RV Park, take care of emptying the waste tanks and taking on fresh water, and find myself and my crew rolling down the road to who knows where.
It wouldn’t be the first time that’s happened!
rvsue
Your back yard is beautiful !!!
Ginger Las Vegas
Isn’t it though!
Ginger took the words right out of my hands – I was going to say the exact same thing!
I now understood what boondocking really is from an RV’er blogger I met last month. I don’t have a RV, only an SUV. And I have no problem sleeping in rest areas to go through the night just to save money when traveling. 😀 And, like you, I planned to go to desert places during cold weather. The mountain in your backyard is whoa-some!
Be cautious in those rest areas, Rommel. I prefer truck stops over rest areas when I want to get from point A to point B without a lot of expense. It’s a personal preference which you choose. Best wishes for great boondocking!
We list our expenses too, mostly to prove how inexpensive it can be to live… and travel as well! We’ve found that although most people think it’s interesting that we can do so much with so little, they have no interest in doing it themselves!
Do you mean they’re not interested in RVing at all or they’re not interested in doing “so much with so little?”
We find that they are not interested in doing so much with so little!
I find it interesting to read about how people live this lifestyle on less, in part because it helps me to know that we can do it, too, and also because I keep hoping I can convince my wife to go sooner rather than later. 🙂
Hi Walt,
That’s the big motivator for writing this blog — to demonstrate that one can live on less and enjoy travels, too. I could have waited until full retirement age to do this, but I would’ve missed this past year on the road, and what a year it has been! Kevin and Ruth certainly are living life to the fullest.
As you know (and maybe your wife needs reminding?), “sooner” is here and “later” may never come. Best wishes to you both.
Oh too bad about the memory card…guess that goes into the “to be continued” file 😉
And yes, you are blindingly shiny!
Maybe I’ll see better pictures the second time. Shiny is good. I love shiny.
Regarding your wax job: girl, you done GOOD! I hope you got a nice reward for that, like something cold and wet? (no Spike, not your nose in her ear)….something like a beer, root or otherwise!
Have a great weekend 🙂
You have a great weekend, too, Lacy!
The yards here are great and the best thing……..NO YARD WORK!!!!!!!!! The neighbors are pretty nice too. I know that this is where I am going to be be spending more winters.
Pat, DWR
Hi Pat!
I agree. This is a place I’ll come back to again and again to stay warm and happy in the winter.
NuFinish on my wish list. Got our carpet today. Lord….can’t even spread out in one bedroom. So excited plenty of room to spread out, yoga, and light as a feather…cool beans! Cant wait to view the new stop. Thanks for pic of Bridget…I’m smiling!!
I haven’t seen an outdoor mat I like better. The color is cheerful and the design is not overdone. When you have your awning out over it and a few chairs positioned just so, you’ll have a lovely outdoor room. I try to pick out or rake any sharp stones before placing it down to extend its life. However, one time I didn’t. I put it down on volcanic rock and we walked on it repeatedly…no holes! If I don’t put that mat down, the crew brings in dirt from lying on the ground. I know you will enjoy your new mat! Can you tell I love mine?
Yep, once the coupling up is done there is something almost immoral about going back to the same spot. When I came back from the trailer doctor yesterday, it was hard to go back to the same place. Even a change of a few hundred meters is like a new world sometimes.
I like the way you put it, Barney. It’s immoral to go back to the same spot! . . . when you have wheels!
Shiny, Shiny, great wax job! What a backyard view!!!!! We don’t have those here in Montgomery, Alabama. lol Love Bridget’s couldn’t give a care look!
What? No big mountains and saguaros in Alabama? Always nice to hear from you, Judie.
As a permanent full time resident of Arizona, I personally invite you to spend the entire summer with us here in the valley of the sun! No need to rush off elsewhere. Hey! It’s not THAT hot!!! *laffin…..Hi Sue….
The views are pretty, yes. I don’t think I’d much care though when the temps are 115 degrees! Thanks for the invitation, Jim. I think I’ll pass. 🙂
Try our White mountains…pines, water and cool in summer…Slow Low a good start!!!
The rigs “Sparkle” in the evenings sunset……nice job of waxing. Love the picture of your backyard because it is so similar to ours (just around the bend on Darby Wells). Cow Plop Mountain is quite a name and without a photo’s to see……well my imagination is working overtime. I’m looking forward to reading about a high stepping adventure.
Hi Merle… If you’re just around the bend from us, you should be able to spot Cow Plop Mountain. It looks like a big, well, a big cow plop! Photos forthcoming . ..
Hi Sue,
I’m the one that was camped below Bill & Ann in the motorhome. Like your bolg and style of writing and love the pictures. BTW, good luck with the XM/Sirus sat. radio system. I hope I was a least bit of help.
Happy trails to you and the crew. We will be reading along.
Evan & Wanda
Hello! So nice to see you here! I got your goodbye gift… Thank you.
Stay tuned to my blog as I’ll be writing about my radio plans and your helpfulness. You were a GREAT help. Stay safe and happy!
Sue, I would.love to be where you are right now. There is at least 18 inches of snow outside and it will keep coming down until about tomorrow afternoon sometime. Luckily I still have power and have no where I have to be so I can take my time shoveling out. Your back yard is gorgeous! Thanks for sharing that photo.
Hi Donna. MB in Virginia just popping in to say that I hope you are still safe and warm this morning….with a big cup of hot coffee!
Hi Donna… Quite a storm you’re dealing with. For those who’ve never experienced it, eighteen inches of snow is a LOT of snow. And that’s flat snow, not the drifts! Bundle up to shovel. Spring will come again.
Thanks for the notes. I’ve got 2 to 3 feet on my driveway depending on where it drifted. But didn’t lose power so that’s the best thing. I did a little shoveling but will have to find someone to plow it. There is just too much! Ah well, I’m warm, have food in the house and have no where I have to be. Needless to say, I am really looking forward to spring.
Cathy in Kansas says: We lived for 6 years in Marana, north of Tucson, and I love your photos! I also really appreciate that you are sharing your budget info and how you write it up because it is so practical compared to most I have seen. Would love to trade places with you but since I can’t do that, I’ll settle for following in your footsteps on down the road. Thanks!
I appreciate the feedback on my budget pages, Cathy. While working on them, I reach a point when I say to myself — Hoo-boy, why bother? I do find them helpful for me, too.
I’m glad you’re following along with us.
I envy your backyard, and the one before that, and the one before that too. Changeable backyards has to be the best option ever!
katydid, south of Chicago (where the snow covers our backyard)
Hi Katy,
I became very tired of my backyard, nice as it was, at my regular house in Georgia. I think I could tell you what every inch of it looks like . . . The vision of me retiring to days in that back yard made me want to crawl out of my skin!
That is exactly the way I feel. For me, there is something almost terrifying in the thought of retiring to the same house, the same yard..the sameness of everything. I find it almost suffocating to think I would work hard all my life to face the same day and the same routine every day. I want to enjoy, not just exist.
Yet there are people who can’t imagine living any other way and are actually happy about it. To each his own…
Love the backyard! Ours is currently covered in about 12 inches of snow, but also beautiful. Still…the road pulls at my heart. Someday. sigh.
Don’t bother to shovel. Stay inside, get comfy, and keep warm.
My backyard right now is Sebastian Inlet SP in FL. Enjoying the beautiful weather, sea birds and dolphins swimming by. Next week Myakka River. Ahhhhh – life is good, isn’t it? Back home there’s two feet of snow. It sure is pretty when it’s fresh fallen but I am glad I don’t have to deal with it.
Hi Marcia! I remember Sebastian Inlet… beautiful! I know you must be enjoying your stay there.
That is some backyard!!! And what a gleam from the waxing! Love the sunset pictures but then again I love all pictures. Looking forward to the Cow Plop pictures….oops I mean CP MOUNTAIN. Have a great day.
Hi Pauline… Always a treat to hear from you. Hope everyone is well and happy. I bet you’re getting excited about “hitting the road!” Don’t worry. You can take Jerold out of Mississippi but you can’t take Mississippi out of Jerold. 🙂
That is why our trip will only be 5 days. Jerold will start having withdrawals. Sent you some pictures of my puppy and me…
Looks like I am back to my full name…WordPress does this every once in a while.
Great pics, Pauline! That Sassy is a lovey-dovey girl!
Absolutely gorgeous backyard! Oh my….you are talented with your camera. Some people will take a picture and aren’t able to capture the beauty. You ma’am have NO problems.
Cow Plop Mountain? That is hilarious.
Have a great time in town.
No mention of the blizzard? Are you snowed in?
We got 12 inches………we aren’t technically snowed in because we don’t have to be anywhere….like work. Lots of shoveling and roof raking….
Thanks for asking
Cabeza Prieta Wildlife Refuge is also part of the gunnery range. If you go in, which I did, you must get a permit and you go at your own risk. There are unexploded shells to be found. No, thanks. It’s a great spot to explore if they’re not using it for practice when you go.
You pretty much explained why I haven’t gone over there. I have enough to amuse and fascinate me here.
It is a snow covered wonderland here in Massachusetts. I wonder why I am still here. Winter 2015 will find me in the dessert walking my dogs and chilling out. instead of shoveling out! Keep it up Sue you are my motivator!
Oh Al, you are in deep…. snow. I saw the pictures. When you get out to the desert, the sunshine and warmth will be precious to you, as it is to me, a former upstate New Yorker.
Cell Phone: $30.51 (Straight Talk)
something you could look in to on the internet for airvoice it uses ATT/VERISON but run by western union 250min,s 500 tx for 30 days 10$$ pr mo, but you need a sims card and you can reload over the phone and if you reload on the 27/28 day your min,s rollover if any
i run 3 phones 2 are 3G 1 is 4G never had a drop call
How’s the coverage in the West? I don’t know what a sims card is. I’ll look it up. Thank you, Mr. Ed.
sorry this is so long your straight talk phone needs a SIMS card to use this setup
Straight Talk and Verizon
Straight Talk offers low-cost, fixed-rate cellphone plans using the networks of Verizon and AT&T, two of the major cellular service providers in the United States. Because its primary network provider is Verizon, Straight Talk has been called a Verizon plan in essence, allowing Verizon to draw from a customer base beyond those using its contract plans. Although Straight Talk phones operating on Verizon’s network have access to the same coverage area as Verizon itself, phones operating on AT&T’s network offer coverage in AT&T’s area, which isn’t equivalent to Verizon’s.
CDMA and GSM Phones
The type of coverage available through Straight Talk depends on the type of cellphone purchased. Users of Straight Talk’s plans must purchase a Straight Talk phone; although phone numbers can be transferred to a new Straight Talk account, phones from other carriers can’t. Cellphones conform to two major telecommunications standards: Code Division Multiple Access and Global System for Mobile. These standards differ in terms of coverage and phone data storage; CDMA is used largely in North America and Asia, while GSM is the European and international standard. CDMA phones have information programmed directly into the phone, while GSM phones use a SIM card that you can transfer from phone to phone.
Straight Talk Phones and Networks
Straight Talk phone options include both CDMA and GSM standard phones, and each of these has a different coverage area. CDMA phones purchased through Straight Talk use Verizon’s networks, with coverage generally equivalent to Verizon’s own. However, Straight Talk’s GSM standard phones use AT&T’s network. For GSM phones, Straight Talk also has a roaming agreement with
###note###
your phone your useing now has a SIMS card in it now
boy I would love to do that, not just for fun but because I am one of jehovah witnesses i would love to go to places where they need help in preaching and teaching, like the middle of the country where the people aer few and far between and my hubby doesn’t have to work so hard, only one problem how does one make an income while doing that? I just found your blog so I am just wondering.
I think it’s safe to say that most of us are retired, having put in many years of hard work already.