Friday, June 29, in Arizona
Today’s post includes photos of various camps enjoyed by me and my crew, except for the first one which was taken from our backyard, yesterday before sunset.
No roof work today.
The roofers will return on Monday as there is much more work to be done.
First thing this morning I load up the Perfect Tow Vehicle with branches and dead yucca, neither of which bag up easily for the regular trash pick-up. I cut a low branch off the pine tree and toss that in. (There’s more to be cut off the pine but it can be bagged.)
Lastly, I wheel a trash container full of construction refuse left behind by the previous owner and heft that into the back of the PTV.
Lone Rock dispersed camping, Lake Powell, Utah
“Goodbye, sweeties. You stay. I’ll be back in a little while.”
A few pats for Reg and Rog and I board the Perfect Tow Vehicle. I haven’t had breakfast yet, being in a big hurry to beat the incoming heat. Instead I sip a freshly made and frosty smoothie on the way to the transfer station.
One of my best decisions:
Buying a personal smoothie maker! I have a smoothie every day. I like to take a smoothie out to the porch. Even on the hottest of days, occasional breezes waft through the pine boughs and across my chair. Sitting in a shady spot while sipping an icy smoothie through a straw is very refreshing!
Falls View Campground, Olympic National Park, southwest of Quilcene, Washington
This morning’s smoothie:
Almond milk, orange juice, frozen raspberries, frozen banana, frozen pineapple, and flax seeds.
Recently Wal-Mart had a sale on frozen fruit and I stocked up with different kinds. Now I know which fruits make the best smoothies. Strawberries, pineapple, and banana are my favorites. (I buy fresh bananas, let them turn very ripe, then freeze sliced pieces in zip-loc bags.)
I prefer almond milk over coconut milk. And carbonated water flavored with fruit makes a light, refreshing drink (Thanks to a reader for that idea!).
Pelican Lake, BLM free camping, west of Vernal, Utah
A bit of breeze and I’m motivated for yard work.
Under a blue sky with a few clouds, I take my saw out to the pine tree. Several limbs were cut about 2-3 feet out from the trunk. Who does that? The condition of that pine has been bugging me.
I lift the saw to begin and WOW! RAIN! The boys and I dash to the porch. My realtor had described how the rains of summer appear suddenly.
She wasn’t kidding!
This rain is a deluge. I sit in my camp chair on the porch and watch it pound the street. Reggie and Roger watch, too. When the rain lessens to a gentle shower, our resident sparrows and finches alight on the chain link fence to fluff and flutter their feathers in it.
We experience two more sudden showers within a few hours. In between I remove those ugly stubs from the pine.
Anvil Draw boondock, Flaming Gorge National Recreation Area (west side), Wyoming
Saturday, June 30
The fun thing about Saturdays this summer are Nancy’s emails about her shopping forays. She’s living in a well-to-do area of south Florida. It’s an expensive place to live which is one reason she began to think about moving elsewhere for her retirement, leading to our plan to share expenses in Arizona.
Anyway . . .
Her neighborhood thrift store and consignment shop are stocked with quality items, to say the least. The bargains are so good that it makes sense to grab and haul them to Arizona.
Ashley National Forest, south of Flaming Gorge, Utah
Saturday mornings Nancy goes hunting.
A previous Saturday she scores the perfect light fixture for over the dining room table and a painting.
This morning she sends an email reporting that she bagged a light fixture and a coffee table for the living room! She’s refinishing the coffee table as I type this.
(The hunt is still on for a full-sized sofa for the living room. The love seat from her apartment will go in the den.)
Kofa National Wildlife Refuge, between Quartzsite and Yuma, Arizona
Coming home to cuteness . . .
As I pull up to the house after a trip into town, the boys recognize the PTV. Happily they trot and wiggle to the gate, tails wagging. I squeal their names with delight to make sure they know I’m as happy to see them as they are to see me.
Sometimes I get the chance to watch them before they realize I’ve driven up. They look so cute, little sentinels for their home. I sense that Reggie and Roger like their yard so much that they don’t mind staying to guard it.
Full moon over the Big Maria Mountains, Midland LTVA, Blythe, California
In fact, I believe they prefer staying to going, especially when, like today, I bring home a rotisserie chicken for our lunch!
rvsue
NOTE: To read about and see more of the camps in this post, do a web search for “RVSue + name of camp.” — Sue
~ ~ ~
HELP FOR THOSE WHO LOST THEIR HOMES IN THE EASTPOINT, FLORIDA, WILDFIRE:
The people of Eastpoint are taking steps to recoup from the devastation caused by the recent wildfire. Today a “Charity Low Country Shrimp Boil and Cornhole Tournament” is being held to raise funds toward purchasing replacement mobile homes.
If you would like to help the victims who in many cases lost everything they owned, make a check payable to “Franklin County Disaster Relief Fund” and send it to:
Franklin’s Promise Coalition, P.O. Box 192, Apalachicola, FL 32320
Geri, a blogorino and Eastpoint resident along with her husband, Chuck, confirmed for us that all donations will go directly to the victims. Thank you for sharing.
~ ~ ~
THANK YOU FOR VISITING MY BLOG!
To see products recently purchased by readers or to browse and shop at Amazon, follow any of these links:
Kids Sun Hat w/Neck Flap
Men & Women’s Flip Flops
Oscillating Outdoor Misting Fan
Organic Mosquito Insect Repellent
AICOK Personal Smoothie Blender
Marine/RV Polish & Gloss Enhancer
RVSue and her canine crew is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.
Hi Sue!
HI, MARILU! YOU’RE FIRST! 🙂
#2 whoo hoo
Whoo hoo to you, pookie and chuck!
Smoothies are the best!! Enjoy
Thanks, I am. 🙂 You and pookie and chuck are together in 2nd place today!
FIRST?
Colorado Sue
Not quite, Sue. Glad you’re here!
smoothie sure sounds good and cool
Oh, they are. I have to hold myself back so I don’t get brain freeze. You know? I have life figured out: Tostadas and burritos off the griddle in the cool months, fruit smoothies when it’s hot. 🙂
I am so enjoying your ‘at home adventures’!
Going to be between 90 and 100 for the next week…hazy, hot & humid….my least favorite weather ….even less than snow…seems like only yesterday I was moaning about all the snow….LOL. Well, I have my air conditioning going so am quite comfortable so this too shall pass :).
Beautiful light and patterns in your first picture!
Love that the boys have become quite content in staying behind to guard their new home.
Hi, Jan,
Thank you regarding the photo. I remember enjoying the light patterns and colors changing on those rocks. OOPs… You were talking about the backyard sun photo. 🙂
I’m very pleased with my crew. Not only are they good about staying, their barking has lessened to the point that I’m confident they won’t bother the neighbors while I’m gone. Roger was very noisy the first few weeks. Now he recognizes people and their dogs and limits his barks. Reggie always follows Roger’s lead.
Keep cool!
Hi, Sue! You have a sweet backyard view. The other pictures are nice, too. The campsite at Olympic National Park is very pretty, although it takes a lot of rain to grow scenery that green. (I live in a green place, Ohio.) Also, both Kofa National Wildlife Refuge and the Midland LTVA picture with its moonrise or moonset speak to me.
Hi, Calvin,
You’re yearning for dry desert air, it seems. Those are the photos that you like. 🙂 I tend to like the places that you like. Thanks for complimenting me on my pics.
Heat or no heat, I am indeed yearning for desert air. We’re finally getting temperatures in the 90s, but the humidity is low for the Great Lakes States. I’m good with that, but it’s far less humid in Tucson, Las Cruces, and other desert climes.
Maybe someday I’ll drive over to your part of the country. I want to go and then I remember humidity and fleas and I don’t. I know that’s probably very unfair, but I’m spoiled with low humidity. I suppose our humidity will rise as we go further into monsoon season.
I looked online for houses in Las Cruces until we found this one.
I’m not sure about the humidity with monsoons. Your rains are briefer and produce less rainfall than we get here. I just looked at Las Cruces on a weather site. Despite showers in the area, their dewpoint is in the 30s.
Las Cruces is a pretty town with the Organ Mtns as a backdrop.
Your smoothies sound tasty and refreshing and sitting on the porch sounds great!
Rain? Hasn’t rained up (loosely) here at all.
Ah rotisserie chicken….a RVSue trademark!
Have a great day…and a quiet 4th.
Thanks, Cinandjules. Same to you!
The 4th of July is so noisy, my dogs hate it but your crew was subjected to roof work so they will be used to the noise. It is illegal to have fireworks in our city but people still manage to shoot them. Enjoy your summer, won’t be long before you can share it with new eyes.
Hi, Ruthie,
The crew adjusted to the noises on the roof once they saw the cause. Fireworks may still bother Reggie. Yesterday I dropped a calculator on the floor and Reggie ran for the door to get away. Even the crinkle sound of a plastic bottle makes him flee. May your dogs get through the 4th without distress.
I hope you’re enjoying summer, too.
Sue, I can’t remember; have you checked into a Thunder Shirt for the boys? Friends of mine have had very good responses to them. They help with fireworks, too.
Linda Sand
Thundershirt SPORT Dog Anxiety Jacket
Linda: I replaced the link you provided with one for Amazon. — Sue
No, I haven’t. I’ll wait and see if we have fireworks noise here. The other things that scare him are unexpected so a thundershirt is not practical.
Thundershirts were a godsend for my 75 pound Aussie! Thunder or fireworks sent her over the edge until She wore her Thundershirt a few times.
Your photos bring back some pleasant memories. Now that we have our truck camper, we are enjoying some of those places and others. We are in such a dry area in Colorado that all fireworks and open flame of any kind is banned. However, it did not stop the latest “Spring” fire, which was started by a person allegedly burning trash. It has consumed over 33,000 acres and caused hundreds to evacuate, not knowing when they can return and what they will return to at the end of the day. People cannot be too careful, please send your rain north when you are finished with it!
Hi, Mary,
I wish I could share our rain to help firefighters. How terrible it must be to be told to leave one’s home, not knowing if you’ll ever see it intact again.
I hope people have the good sense not to play with fireworks this holiday in places where a wildfire could start. When it’s very dry, even a spark from an engine or portable stove can start a blaze. And no campfires!
I’m glad the photos are enjoyable for you.
Jim in AZ emailed me today with a few words to let us know that he’s still a blogorino, even though he’s been absent. He’s been in the hospital (“lungs and heart”) for 11 days.
Pray for his health to improve so he can go home and be with Detta.
We love you, Jim! Get better!
Prayers, love & hugs on the way. Miss you “Uncle” Jim! Feel better.
Thank you, Sue, for letting us know this.
Oh, Jim, I’m so sorry you have had to be in the hospital this long, yet am grateful you are getting the help that you need. I’ve missed you ! Sending prayers, love and hugs for you and Detta. I hope you can let us know how you’re doing again,
Your friend and fan, weather
Keeping Jim and Detta in my thoughts and prayers. *hugs*
Absolutely! Sending off prayers for strength to Jim, wisdom and skill to those providing care, and courage to Detta waiting for his safe return home.—Audrey
Prayers for Jim and Detta…I agree Barb in Florida, you are our “Uncle”…hope you are back home soon and back to sending us more of your wonderful stories.
Take Care
Hugs Jim and Detta. Health problems are worrisome so I hope you enjoy a quick recovery. And Detta I hope you can relax a bit as Jim gets better. Sending good thoughts to you from Salem, Oregon area.
Jim, I hope you are getting better and will be back with us before long. Prayers for healing and strength are being said.
RVSue,
Would you pass on my email to Jim or tell him I am available to help Detta in any way. They live a couple of miles away. I think they live off of Meeker.
Certainly, Cindy. You’re kind to think of that!
LATER>>> I sent your email address and phone number, as you requested. 🙂
Thanks….I’m pretty sure Jim ran the errands etc…without knowing their situation…I just didn’t want Detta to go without…groceries, Dr appts or even visiting him!
IIRC, there is a neighbor who is helpful. Eleven days, more help may be needed. Knowing you’re in the wings ready to help is reassuring.
Jim, know you have many prayers and good wishes going to you and Detta. If you can, ask questions about anything you do not understand. If not, ask for a patient advocate, one who will speak for you if you cannot speak for yourself for any reason.
There are a lot more stories you have not told yet, and we would love to hear them. God Bless.
Prayers for Jim and Detta. Sorry to hear of your health issues flaring up again. Take care.
I have been on vacation until today. . Jim, I hope you are doing better and can join us again soon. Praying that your issues will be over and you will feel like a new person soon.
We are having wonderful rain today too! I was outside working on Mermaid Tears when the soft sprinkles began! It brought a nice breeze and cooler temps! I loved it, it did start raining harder but I was protected under the portable carport cover. I worked for about another hour then the thunder boomed and lightning flashed! Ok, I came inside!
I want to thank all of you for your donations! I will never know who donated, but I love you anyway!💗
Eastpoint has really surprised me and how well we have pulled together to help out the Fire victims The people here are GOOD people! One man is financing free rib barbeque for all Eastpoint residents! 💗 ok I know I am bragging about my town, but they have made me proud!
Thank you all again!💗
That is such wonderful news, Geri! 🙂
Hi, Geri,
I want to thank you for sending me information and graphics to encourage people to donate. Every donation is meaningful, even if only the price of a cup of coffee. When you’re down and out, the smallest gesture of kindness is encouraging. Thank you, Geri, and thanks to all who share.
I’m happy that you love your new town and the people in it. This struggle will make new bonds and strengthen old ones. Go ahead and brag! Nothing wrong with that!
Also good to know Chuck is feeling better. Hugs to you both!
Hi Sue! Please ask Mr. Monsoon to travel west. It’s beautiful here at a perfect 70 degrees with a good breeze coming off the ocean but a little water would be nice.
I just thought of something when you mentioned the dogs in the yard. Have you checked with the neighbors about coyotes in the neighborhood? I know that your yard is fenced, but coyotes can easily scale a 6 foot fence, or maybe even more. We have them in some areas of our neighborhood where coyotes have been found in peoples’ back yards. I live in a regular California tract home neighborhood where everybody has about 6’+ block walls and they get in an kill family pets. We also had 3 raccoons attack a Jack Russell Terrier in his back yard. Just wanted to make sure that the boys are safe!
I’ve lived in this house for 33 years and we never had anything more than squirrels. Then we got possums, along came the coyotes and then the raccoons. It’s an urban jungle of animals now!
It’s fun looking back at your photos. Ashley National Forest looks like my kind of place, as long as there aren’t any ticks! Looks so relaxing.
I wish that you were able to show the house transformation. I’m a remodel/fix it nut and love to see buildings and homes get cleaned up and personalized. Retired facility manager, of course I love projects! But I totally understand the privacy issue. I’ll just get a drone and fly it over! You do know that I am kidding, right?
I’m sort of grounded right now. I had meniscus surgery Feb 23 and it didn’t get rid of any pain. Then I had a series of shots into my knee that didn’t help. Pain started getting worse and I got a cortisone shot that did nothing. I saw the doctor on Thursday and he took an X-ray and sat next to me and told me that I need to consider a knee replacement. He told me that I could thank my mom and dad’s genes. lol He wasn’t sure how I would react. I told him it was my mom. Didn’t phase me, I knew it was coming. I thought that I was getting off easy but it caught up to me. My mom had both knees replaced, my sister (1 year older than me) had both knees replaced. I was all happy thinking that I escaped that nasty gene and boom! I tore my meniscus! That’s when it all started and went downhill since. Osteoarthritis! Things could be worse!
I’m going to try the smoothie recipe. I love banana stuff. Banana ice cream, banana popsicles, banana cake, etc. Of course a smoothie with banana would be my favorite. I’ve never had almond milk, so I’ll give that a try too!
I think that I covered everything! Until next time…..
Stay cool!
ChrisB
Good morning, Chris,
I’m so sorry the surgery didn’t rid you of pain. And neither did the shots. Sounds like you’ve had the rug pulled out from under you lately.
Ah, genetics. Love the good ones, but when they’re bad, they’re horrible.
On the bright side, years ago my uncle had both knees replaced and the surgeries were a tremendous success! And an added bonus was the ease and speed with which he was up and walking again with no pain. I appreciated that because I was in charge of his home care and I hate being someone’s nurse. I had made a bunch of preparations for a long bed-stay, stuff to keep him entertained, and most of it wasn’t necessary. With his new knees he could walk up and down slopes without any trouble or pain.
I think the worst part of the surgery is thinking about it. It seems so invasive and icky. Block that out and go for it, Chris!
On the topic of house transformation… I’d like to show what changes will be made to the exterior and to the yard as we have big plans. Can’t do that, but instead I’ll post the progress inside. I know I’m going to be very proud of whatever Nancy puts together and will want you to see it.
Thanks for taking the time to update us. When we share our experiences, good and not-so-good, we help others. Hugs to Diego! Howdy to Clete!
You stay cool, too!
Dear Sue,
Your post today is just great! I want to go so bad to all the places in your pictures. Except your backyard:) Very cool cloud and sun photo.
Your smoothie sounds good & refreshing. They’re banning plastic straws on the beaches down here. Some places are trying the paper ones. Remember those? If you sucked too hard or your shake was thick, the straw just collapsed. They said most straws are only used, on average, 90 seconds and so many end up in the ocean. Alot of the bars with beach acess are just not using them anymore. Haven’t heard how it’s going. Saw some stainless steel ones in the water/beer/wine aisle at the store. I wonder with a frozen type drink if they would stick to your lip? Anybody ever try one?
Good morning, Barb,
I can remember sitting on a Florida beach, toes in the sand along with a plastic straw. Your comment spurs me on my search for a reusable straw. I want one for a self-centered reason. The plastic straws are too short to reach the bottom. I like to drink right out of the blender “glass” and it’s tall. I hadn’t thought to look in the wine aisle….
Thanks for the nice compliments on the post and photos.
I got the summer taste for a cocktail once the temperature was over 90. I was mixing up some vodka, simple syrup I made, some crushed spearmint you enticed me to plant, a little water and a squeeze of lime someone gave me from the farmer’s market. All that was missing was a glass swizzle stick. Made me think of my Uncle Jerry and his cocktail accessories. My favorite uncle and a great host;) I also tried it another day (had to use that great lime) without the spearmint and instead some grapefruit Perrier. I like that Grapefruit/lime combination.
That’s where I saw the stainless steel straw, shopping for the perrier. I’m trying to get away from plastic & aluminum. SS and cast iron for stove and glass for oven. Parchment on cookie sheets/papers for muffin tins. Anybody have experience with glass pans (pots) on a glass electric stovetop? Or ever seen a glass muffin pan?
I forgot about using Spearmint. I’ll put some in my next spritzer smoothie!
Blgorinos: Anybody have experience with glass pans (pots) on a glass electric stovetop? Or ever seen a glass muffin pan?
How about these?
Libbey Glass CRI56347 24 Piece Just Baking Cupcake
Camp Chef True Seasoned Muffin Topper Cast Iron Pan
Sue, I purchased reusable silicone straws a couple of years ago for my smoothies. I think I ordered them off the internet, maybe even from Amazon using your link. They included a little spiral pokey thing to use to clean the inside, but it wasn’t really long enough so I just bought a package of pipe cleaners from the hobby store and they work great.
These look like what you’re describing — Perfect!
Hiware Reusable Silicone Drinking Straws, Extra long Flexible Straws with Cleaning Brushes for 30 oz Tumblers RTIC/Yeti – 10 Pieces – Bpa-free – No Rubber Taste
I was missing you this morning. 🙂 Great to see you here, Cynthia. I hope your trip was fun.
Glad the dogs like to guard the house.My guy Eddie (25 pounds) stood nose to nose with a bear last night through the spindles of my deck railing.He held his ground until I went out and scooted the bear.
Pennsylvania is the bear capital of America.In our small county (25000 k people) over 300 bears are taken in a 5 day hunting season.
Way to go, Eddie! You’re a very brave boy!
I didn’t know that about PA and bears and never would’ve guessed.
Chas, Which area of Pennsylvania is that? I don’t want to go hiking there.
A smoothie sounds so refreshing. It is so humid here it feels like being wrapped in a hot, wet blanket. A rotisserie chicken might be just the ticket for dinner.
It is interesting to see the way some prune trees. Some friends of mine hacked theirs up something terrible. I have never seen anything like it before or since.
Nice to revisit some of your older posts. Gorgeous photos as always.
Good morning, Gingerita,
Thank you for the compliment on the photos. Hope you’re cooler than when you wrote your comment yesterday afternoon.
Removing those limbs made a great improvement. Imagine bare limbs sticking out from the trunk like arms expressing pain. That’s what it looked like!
Thanks for the pictures Sue. It gave me information to plan for a future trip!
I’d never heard of sparkling water and fruit for a smoothie – what a great idea! Thanks to whoever suggested it.
How exciting for your sister to be planning such a wonderful retirement. Had it not been for you and the fact you two get along so well, all this would not be possible. God bless you.
Thank you, and may God bless you, too. You’re welcome on the pics, Renee. I’m glad you find them helpful when planning.
The sparkling water with fruit smoothies are better with some OJ added. Play around with combinations and amounts til you find what you like best. That’s the fun of smoothie making! Sometimes I’ll fill the container halfway, blend the ingredients, taste, and then adjust with more ingredients. Better living through chemistry!
Hi, Sue. I’m feeling so weird thinking that up til three months ago I lived less than fifty miles from Eastpoint and now we’re in New Mexico experiencing the monsoon with you. It poured here yesterday evening and last night. Cooled down to 65 degrees and stayed cooler (91 now) today. I love the weather here! So much less humid even after a storm! Can we see some of your house? We’re still in the RV till we get our apartment. I’ve redone the curtains and added throw pillows but the urge to decorate must be held in check. I must live vicariously.
Hi, Fran,
I’ll post photos of the interior when I have more to show than empty rooms, bare windows, and blank walls. There seems to be interest from several readers to follow along with the decorating as it develops. I understand the “live vicariously” thing. Did that myself with Tioga George, back in the day. 🙂
Yeah, so far, I’m liking the weather, too. Enjoy New Mexico! We were open to buying a home there until we found this one.
The photo you took from your yard is gorgeous! I’m glad you are enjoying your ever changing sky and summer rains . So far I have only looked at the post about Falls View Campground, how lovely for you to have been camped among all those trees. It’s nice to picture you now with the breeze wafting through the pine boughs as you sip an icy smoothie. It’s wonderful for you to have ways to enjoy your home’s porch even on the hot days.
It’s great that Reggie and Roger like their yard so much. Their wanting to guard it is so cute. Now you able to run errands and shop without rushing, I imagine the PTV gets much too warm for them to wait in it during summer there. You are really fortunate to have someone with such good taste in furniture and decorating doing all the shopping that Nancy has been doing. Gosh, she should be getting there in just a few weeks, right?
Good morning, weather,
The pleasantness of the porch was a big factor in choosing this house. It’s such a comfortable, peaceful place, set back far enough from the street to be private, yet close enough to wave and exchange greetings with anyone walking by. I love the way the birds sing from predawn to dark, the smell of the pine in the breeze, the shifting light, the big, smooth place for the boys to tussle. They love it as much as I do. In the morning, after running around outside, they come onto the porch and lie belly down in the sunshine.
Yes, Nancy brings much to our partnership. Only six weeks to go!
Thank you for your response to the backyard photo and for opening up previous posts. Wishing you a wonderful day!
Hi Chris! Getting both my knees replaced about 12 years ago was one of the best things I have ever done for myself!
Thanks, Geri. I’ve heard that many times and I’m looking forward to it with the exception of missing out on my fall camping. California provides year round camping but I just wont’ be able to go to the 10,000 foot elevation. First available surgery is Sept 26. So now I wait…..3 long months…. On the up side, my backyard garden is looking great! Say “hello” to Chuck for us!
Hi, Sue,
I love the first picture of the clouds before sunset! So many cloud shapes, colors, and shadows – really pretty! 🙂 I enjoyed the pictures from the past…especially seeing handsome Spike!
Sounds like you have been happily taking care of chores and updates on your (and Nancy’s) home. All of the elbow grease will pay off. Once you all have the updates and repairs complete, you will be able to relax and enjoy your handiwork. With you doing the painting, and Nancy gathering light fixtures and furniture, your home will come together very quickly. I have the feeling that Nancy will have all the boxes labeled just so, and that each room will be complete in no time. It must be fun, with each of you sending updates to each other. 🙂
We are having miserable, very humid, hot temps today. Other than taking Gracie pup out for pottie breaks and walking down my driveway to check the mail, we are staying inside, thankful for our A/C. All that talk of the shrimp boil and rotisserie chicken has my mouth watering! I need to decide what I am going to throw together for dinner. Maybe a tuna or chicken salad sandwich. Simple and quick. 🙂
Thank you again for sharing the info about Eastpoint. I am so glad that everyone in need will be helped by the funds collected. Thank you Chuck, Geri, and weather, tool!
Little Peanuts update: The twins are gaining weight, and as my niece texted me the other day, “nothing else is new.” This is one situation where no news is wonderful! Thank you all so much for keeping my family in your thoughts and prayers!
Have a good evening, Sue! Reggie and Roger have adjusted to their home beautifully! It has to be a relief knowing that you can leave them at home and that they are not stressed out. Maybe not happy, but when you come home with rotisserie chicken, all is good! 🙂 Sending you and your little sentries Reggie, and Roger lots of love and hugs from me and Gracie pup! 🙂
P.S. – So sorry that the PTV is still having transmission issues. I understand your frustration! Years ago, I had a beloved car that would start to buck while I was driving….always happened when I was at least 2 1/2 hrs from home, in the dead of night, or out in the boondocks on quiet, low traveled roads. Took the thing to multiple dealers and shops. Replaced the spark plugs, put HEET in the gas tank, and several other costly fixes that did not fix the problem. I eventually ended up trading it towards a new car. Here’s the kicker….several years later, I started a new job. One of my co-workers had my old car! Someone must have figured out what needed to be replaced. He said he had no issues with it!
Good morning, Denise,
Thanks for the great update on the twins! Glad to hear they’re doing well and gaining weight.
Interesting story about the bucking car! I wonder what caused it to do that. I have a feeling the mystery of the PTV’s transmission will not be solved as long as she’s mine. I admit it has shaken my confidence in her.
Yes, it is fun going back and forth with Nancy in emails about our plans for the house and what we’re doing to turn it into our home. I sent her photos of the progress made on the roof and she sent me photos of her thrift store purchases. We’ve exchanged more than photos, diagrams, too, of plans for the house and yard. I call it The House of a Thousand Projects. 🙂
Thank you for mentioning “handsome” Spike and complimenting my photos. I hope you and Gracie pup are enjoying a not-too-humid Sunday!
🙂
Just saw the comments above regarding the Thundeshirt. I am going to have to try that for Gracie pup. In the past year, she gets frantic when a storm come through. Poor thing paces, pants, and looks out the windows to see the wind in the trees. Nothing calms her. When I hold her, she digs her nails into my shoulder.
Hi Denise. My boy Toby totally loses it with fireworks noises. I bought him a thunder shirt and we will try it this year. I also have some Xanax in dog dose size. We will go there if the thunder shirt does not work well enough. It’s so distressful to see our babies so stressed out. I despise fireworks now that I have a dog.
Hi, Stephanie,
Please let me know if the Thundershirt helps your little Toby. I agree with trying the shirt before medication. I hope he gets relief! A yahoo was setting off firecrackers this afternoon. Thankfully, Gracie was snoozing in a deep sleep and was blissfully unaware. 🙂
Annie used to be ok with thunder..until one night we were out on the last potty run…when it cracked so loud and close..jules and I ducked. From then on.. Annie used to pant, drool and shake during storms or fireworks. We used to “add” to it by acknowledging her being scared…”you’re alright”….that didn’t work! Benadryl made it better. One night we decided to make her do all of her tricks…a thousand times…she didn’t pant, drool or shake. Now she’s fine. Try distracting her during the event.
Hello Sue and boys,
It’s been very hot here, but no rain yet. Your photo of the clouds from your backyard looks like you have monsoons brewing. Is the view from tbe backyard looking west where you will catch those amazing sunsets that the monsoons bring? Your photography is always so spectacular that I can’t wait to see what you will
find to. share with us.
Your smoothie sounds so fantastic in this heat! I’ll have to start making it again, I also use ground hemp seed in mine, so very full of nutrients.
I’m so glad Reggie and Rodger have settled in to home life and love their yard. Such sweet boys you have! Take care
***Tell Barb in Florida that I use a stainless straw and love it. Just be careful you don’t put it in your mouth too fast, don’t want to chip a tooth. I use it with my “rtic ” 30 oz mug that is so well insulated that I ice up in the morning and still have ice cubes in the evening. A must have for us desert dwellers in the summer, these can be,purchased on amazon too.
Howdy Everybody!
My weather alert monitor sounded for the first time this year somewhere around 4:39PM yesterday. I checked NOAA radar on my computer and sure enough there was some serious stuff brewing to the far southeast of me. My first thought was RVSue and The Crew are gonna get wet!. At my house the sky was blue and the sun shining but when I squinted I could imagine seeing dark clouds way, far away. I even thought I could smell the desert rain at one point. For the next several hours I just followed the radar and the storms. Some communities really got hammered but nary a drop at my house. Very typical of how severe the monsoons can be or totally a non-event for the house across the street.
It was about ten years ago this time that I had some big excitement at my house one evening. I remember it was the hottest day of the year and about dusk. I was cleaning up from supper when I heard Sasha’s (my husky) deep throated growl coming from my great room. It was a growl that I had heard before and I took it as a serious warning of that someone or something was encroaching “our” space.. Sasha was standing at the glass sliding doors with a continuous growl. I looked out the doors which open to my back patio. I could see nothing out of sorts and wondered what the heck Sasha found so upsetting. As I put my hands on the slider’s handle to open the door I glanced down to where I would be stepping over the threshold, as was my custom. Then I spied it. A rattle snake was stretched out in the aluminum tracks of my door seeking relief from the excessive heat by absorbing some of the cool A/C conducted through the sliding door. There was no doubt in my mind that I had a rattle snake at my back door! I could make out the rattles. My slider is a total of eight feet and this snake easily stretched to more than half of it.
I Immediately ran to the doggie door in another room and sealed it off. I was afraid that Sasha would slip outside and conduct further investigations, although she always had a healthy fear of snakes and kept her distance. Still, this one was in her jurisdiction so I wasn’t sure of her reactions. Eminent danger avoided, I now had to consider what to do. I weighed my options and considered risks. Ultimately I called the “back line” (a unpublished phone number) to the fire station nearest me. I was privileged to have it and it was the only time I have ever used it. One of the guys answered on the second ring and I explained my dilemma. Within five minutes a fire truck came up my driveway lights flashing and four firemen jumped out and approached my front door. Normally, all these strange trespassers would have set Sasha off into a frenzied mode of protection and yet this time she stood by the door with tail wagging. I let the guys into the house and led them to the glass door where they could plainly see the rattler. A plan developed and the snake was easily trapped and placed into a protective snake box and the snake was carted off and released in the desert about ten miles from my house. Sasha got lots of attention from the guys and of course she thought they had all come to visit with her and not catch a snake. I later noticed that she remained on guard the entire evening. She frequently checked the sliding door and when I let her outside, she would stand still and survey “her” yard before beginning a sniffing survey of the patio working out into the yard.
Lessons learned?? You betcha! I was no novice desert rat at the time of this event but it served me well in that it reinforced what I already knew. First is the fact that the snakes are no longer active during the day once the heat soars. They come out at night to hunt and feed so they are even more difficult to see than in daylight. Second is that I never, ever open any door to the outside without first looking to see where I’m going to place my feet. I even check the pass through door to my garage from the kitchen. More than once I have startled a lizard that managed to make it into the garage while my garage door was up. If a lizard could get into the garage, so could a snake. I never leave my garage door up and unattended either. Same goes for the glass sliders in the house. Always closed once I’m inside, even it’s for a two second retrieval of a tool or gadget. In the heat, too many critters are looking for cool refuge. Everything from tarantulas to birds. I don’t blame them one bit but I don’t want them in my garage (or kitchen in the case of a tiny gecko).
I don’t think either Sasha or I slept that night I we each replayed the evening’s events. It took a long time for me to once again let Sasha use her doggie door. I kept it closed and she went in and out the conventional way. It never happened again even though I have a decent size bull snake that I occasionally see in my yard. It comes up from the wash behind my property but I’ve not seen it even close to the house.
This was a one time occurrence in nearly twenty years of living on the desert. But it only takes a single time, right? Sasha got plenty of treats for days afterwards for sounding her alarm system and the guys at the fire station? Well, do this day I’ll bake a batch of cookies, a casserole, or banana bread and deliver it to the station as a thank you for all they do, including snake removal service.—Audrey
Great story Nivrapa in AZ, very well written. Dogs are great at alerting. We moved in to our new to us house 25 years ago and one day our Pomeranian starting barking in the house and wouldn’t stop. We checked the commotion and found a big, long centipede. I don’t remember how we got it out of the house but it looked very scary.
Whew! That was a scary day for you and Sasha. I am glad it had a happy ending. Thank you for sharing, Audrey. BTW….I plan to go to the grocery tomorrow morning. Peanut M &Ms are on my list. 🙂
Wow, Audrey, that is a powerful story! Sasha saves the day! What a hero! And what a relief to be helped by the guys at the fire station. There are good people in this world, people who do their jobs well and are ready to help another person, whether it’s part of their job or not. Too much attention is given to the complainers and attackers. I’m glad you showed us what the fire service did for you.
Yeah, give them banana bread and cookies! 🙂
Thanks for entertaining us and informing us about the habits of rattlesnakes. Also the value of a good dog.
The best place to shop…at thrift stores 🙂 I went looking for lawn chairs the other day and found two Adirondack chairs….score! I just need to sand it and repaint them. I get a lot of my flower pots there also. I also found a perfectly good pop corn maker…red retro looking. Came home and sanitized it, then later that evening popped Orville Redenbach…wow pop corn came out fluffy.
BTW thanks Geri and RVSue for heads up on engine light on…I’m not going to worry about it. My truck is 2002 Dodge Dakota Sport.
You made quite a haul, rita! I’d like an air-popper for the house. You reminded me to ask Nancy if she has one. Great thing about combining our belongings — I get stuff without having to buy it! 🙂
Happy Thrift Store Hunting! What color will you paint the Adirondack chairs?
Your sister’s thrift shopping sounds so fun…it will be interesting to hear how she and you put things together!! So nice you are getting some rain…for several days now we have thought it might rain…but nothing more than a few drops here and there…but 65 degree days are nothing to complain about either!!
65 degrees? That sounds good, Elizabeth. We’re having a cold snap today, only going up to 98 or so.
Up to 70 degrees anyway, our landlords LOVE to burn their trash in their wood stoves…and fill our place with nasty smells…oh well, we can close up the house…but I do LOVE letting those nice sea breezes blow through!! Wow…98 tis a bit hot dearie…drink lots of yummy drinks etc and lay low…at least it is usually not humid!! Daughter says it is about that there in her area in NC PLUS dripping with humid…don’t miss that I tell ya!!
Ahhh, those wonderful sea breezes…. Oh well, I have piney breezes. 🙂
Piney is plenty nice too!! LOVE trees!!
Hi again, Sue,
My sister wanted me to let you know that she and my brother-in-law placed an Amazon order for six backseat baby monitors. She hopes you get credit for their purchase. 🙂
Today they ordered some crib sheets and burb pads. 🙂
I see them! Do send a big thank you, okay? I do appreciate the support.
Denise, I don’t see the backseat baby monitors. Can you give me an idea when the order was placed? How far back should I look? (There isn’t a search function.)
If they aren’t in my orders reports, it may mean they haven’t shipped yet. Items appear when they are shipped. I’ll look again later.
At any rate, I thank your sister and BIL for thinking of me and my crew! Best wishes to them and their peanut babies. 🙂
Hi, Sue,
The order was placed late (11:30 PM EST) 06/30. I am passing on their thanks for your kind wishes. xo 🙂
Thanks, Denise. It hasn’t appeared yet.
Mystery solved….six backseat baby mirrors to monitor the twins. Mirrors….not monitors! 🙂
Haven’t seen them yet…
Sue, the photo at the top of the post is just spectacular, especially as I am reading this post on Sunday morning.
I’m jealous of your smoothies as we sit here in 98 degree heat in Lone Pine, on the last stop of our trip before heading home tomorrow. I only have a big heavy Vitamixer at home, which I don’t like to bring on the motorhome. Guess I’ll have to look for something smaller for our trips.
I hope you and the boys have a tranquil 4th of July!
Thank you, Cynthia. I wish you and yours the kind of holiday you enjoy best.
I wonder if the AICOK smoothie blender that I have would be good for your motorhome. You can get it with two tumblers. Since it’s small, it does the work with a few bursts of the power button and a short running time.
My electric coffee grinder works great in the BLT. I haven’t tried the smoothie blender off the inverter.
Thank you for the great compliment on the first photo. It does have uplifting light which is what had me running inside for the camera. 🙂
Have a safe trip home tomorrow!
Beware if looking for that couch in thrift stores There is a nationwide epidemic of bedbugs. I used to buy furniture at auctions a lot but no more.
Good reminder, Ozarkjoy.
Good thinking on looking down as you go out a door. When we were kids my younger sister was bitten by a copperhead just that way. It was laying across the doorway.
Sounds like things are coming along with the house furnishings and repairs. You were talking about Roger and Reggie guarding the house.
Angel is a great watchdog. She was funny this am. One of my closest friends was in town and we got together fore breakfast this morning and I haven’t been to the other side of town in several years, so I went out to the garage to program the GPS, but you have to have the engine running. I guess Angel thought I was stealing the car as she was inside barking her head off. When I came in she had to go look to see if all was okay. DH wanted to know what the heck she was barking at for the last 10 minutes. It was hilarious.
Love the photos of the camps. They are always to beautiful. You have been to some gorgeous areas.
No Grand Theft Auto with Angel on duty! I remember when you were thinking about getting a dog and then you and Angel found each other. She brings a lot of laughter to your home.
She does have her moments.
She does have her moments. I’ve had her almost 3 yrs. now.
The photos of your previous campgrounds still make me smile. I’ve been reading your blog for 3 years now and it never fails to inspire me. I dream of going on the road like you did!! But, my daughter is about to have my first granddaughter in a few weeks and I know I want to be around for her!! So I am putting my dream on hold for now, reading your blog, and thinking about travelling.
I always have a fruit smoothie in the morning!! Here’s a hint: if you put in a couple of scoops of Protein powder like this one it is a complete meal! Very nourishing and filling at the same time!! https://www.amazon.com/365-Everyday-Value-Protein-Natural/dp/B074MFDHG8/ref=sr_1_64_a_it?ie=UTF8&qid=1530535278&sr=8-64&keywords=protein+powder (change that link to yours if you can?)
Hi, Betsy,
The arrival of a first grandchild! Exciting! The travels can wait…
Your suggestion to put protein powder in breakfast smoothies is very timely for me! I’ve been thinking about doing that. The flax seeds don’t seem sufficient and they sometimes add grit. I looked at the one you suggest. While not bad, it does contain Stevia which I avoid, plus reviewers mention seeing GMO on the back label. You probably could confirm or debunk this assertion, since you have a can of it in your possession.
Thank you for reminding me about protein powder. Best wishes to you and to the new mom and the precious cargo she carries! 🙂
Sue,
With the fruit that you add, you could likely go with an unsweetened protein powder in order to avoid stevia or other sweeteners. There are so many options these days. I use a good veggie protein powder as I try to avoid the whey proteins. Some Greek yogurt or even some PB or other nut butters are good options for adding protein.
Enjoy the 4th of July and hopefully not too many loud noises for the boys. I know around here, fireworks have been going off since last Friday and I imagine will continue through next weekend.
Great ideas, Jan! I have been putting Greek yogurt in some of my smoothies. It tends to make them very thick which I don’t always want. I’d like to try protein powder. Besides enjoying the smoothies, I’m losing weight! I think it’s because they hold back my sugar cravings and I haven’t binged on cake or ice cream since I bought the blender. I hope that continues!
You have fireworks for a week? Ever notice how people don’t let things be special anymore? It’s seems few people know how to wait. Much of the enjoyment of special things is the anticipation. I hope you enjoy the holiday, Jan.
Always a ‘nice’ side effect to lose weight without trying :).
Yep, whole week…I can sit in my recliner which is next to my bay window and look to my left and see a fireworks show most nights…sometimes it is the other side of the house but even with my hearing aids out, I can hear them. When I first moved here, I thought, how cool, I can sit in my front yard on the 4th and watch the fireworks…never really been a big fan of actually going some place to see them anyhow….it got old really fast when it was no longer ‘special’ and it goes on too often throughout the summer. So needless to say, I agree with your comment that things can’t be left to be special any longer.
My 4th was nice and quiet as I like it…how you enjoyed yours as well!
Hi Sue! It’s so great that Roger and Reggie love their new yard so much! I was thinking that it must be really nice for you this holiday, when you don’t have wo worry about holiday campers crowding you, with generators and ATVs making noise! You get to sit back and enjoy your lovely home! Although you still might have to put up with fire works. I am grateful that my cats don’t seem to care about the noise of fireworks. Although, my one cat, who has since passed, would get freaked out by the sounds of gunshots, as would I! I lived in a sketchy neighborhood then. No one ever got shot, but you would occasionally hear a gun go off. I was relieved when I moved out of there! The only reason I moved there was they would take my large dog. I felt secure with him around.
All your talk of smoothies is making me want to start making them again. Years ago, I would make smoothies. I still have the nutri bullet blender. However, it has a really hard time breaking up ice. As I want to drink my smoothies IMMEDIATELY! I have little patience to make them without ice and then freeze them. Hmmm need to practice my delayed gratification! 😉
Hi, Dawn,
I don’t understand the need to use ice or to freeze your smoothies. I use frozen fruit with a cold liquid such as almond milk or spritzer or OJ. With a lot of frozen fruit, the results are slushy, thick but smooth.
I’m glad you’re in a better neighborhood.
. Hey Sue,
Happy smoothies and a lovely 4th. It gave me a smile to think of the boys waiting happily on the porch for your return. There’s nothing like a wagging tail to say “Welcome Home”
If the Thunder shirts aren’t an option, you can try wrapping an Ace bandage around the pups ribs, just snug, be careful it’s not too tight. At least you could see if the “hug” helps. I remember Reggie does well with a comforting hug. Another option is Rescue Remedy. It’s a liquid natural herbal supplement meant to reduce anxiety in pets (and humans) I have used it on my 20 year old, 8 lb cat with good results. As always try a low dose first. I hope your 4th is quiet and pleasant.
Thank you, Lisa. Reggie doesn’t have terrible panics at fireworks. I’m hoping Roger will show him that it’s nothing to be concerned about. I appreciate you sharing all those ideas!
Add some vodka to those afternoon smoothies, and then go take a nice nap.
Don’t need any vodka. Naps are easy for me. 🙂
Sue, R, R, & all Blogarinos:
I saw my Surgeon today for a re-check on the Gall Bladder surgery. App. 1 month post-op…we waited ONLY 1 1/2 hours, for about 60 seconds total with him! Long enough to tell me I made him WORK that day, not to do that to his friend (my PCP) again, God Bless you, and I gave him a big bear hug for saving my life! Which he did, just that!
Sat. PM, we lost power @ about 4PM, called power co. to report the outage…they said we’d have restoration by 10:30PM…it wound up being 3:30AM the next day! Sun. PM, @ about 4PM, it happened, again…the usual call to the power co.,…restoration by 10PM. Along about 1AM, power was back on. I’m thinking it was due to the unusually hot weather (hi 80′ & 90’s all this week!). So, we’ll see what tonite holds for us. My DH said, “Yep, next time they’ll use Gorilla tape, rather than cheap ol’ Duct tape!”
Happy Independence Day, everyone! 🙂
Hi, Cherylin,
Happy Independence Day to you, too!
I’m glad for your excellent report from your doctor. Your health has been restored and your power also. May you keep both!
Hi Sue, I am loving your posts lately. You are doing some of the same things that I am doing. I am newly retired. My house and yard are in great need of tender loving care. I am working on cutting tree limbs and taking limbs and weeds to the refuse. I am also getting ready to start painting the inside of my house. Reading your posts and looking at the past pictures are a great way to take a break from it all. I have a small vegetable garden with tomatoes and peppers and squash also. Life is grand. Thank you for being you and sharing you with us.
You’re welcome, Jean. I’m happy to do so.
You and I are living parallel lives! I don’t have a vegetable garden but I may some day. I hope your painting goes well. I keep losing ambition so it progresses in fits and starts. I’d much rather be outside doing yard work or other outdoor projects but the heat chases me inside.
I’m glad you’re enjoy retirement. Thank you for “loving” my posts. 🙂
Hi sue, we are camped at Dalton Springs CG tonight. Tmro is Mesa Verde, and the 4th is a room in Durango due to all the forest closures and fires. The 5th is a KOA in NM. Rice on Monday the 9th. Can’t wait!
Tenting with a kitty has been challenging to say the least. Ha! we’ve been on the road now for 5 days. I haven’t looked back Sue, and we are having a blast!
Thank you so much for this blog.. I can’t tell you that enough. You’ve been our inspiration for a long time and given us so many tips! We liked your review of Dalton Springs and so, here we are! It fit our plans with our route to rice. Still sad about Pagosa Springs, bye we’ll see Kinney Flats another time. Sorry for typos- I’m in the tent and it’s 10pm.
Cheers!
Dalton Springs worked out for you!! I’m so happy!! You know I was hesitant to recommend it wholeheartedly because I sensed it could turn out to be very good or very bad. I’m so glad it turned out to be the former!
Here’s a link for readers: “Dalton Springs and Buckboard Campgrounds, Manti LaSal National Forest, Utah”
Thank you very much for the update, Suzi. I was wondering about you last night before I went to sleep (should’ve checked here one more time!). How exciting to have your Casita waiting for you at the end of this journey. 🙂
Keep on “having a blast!”
Oh dear, I looked at that post and now I see that I confused Dalton with Buckboard! Well, it worked out great for you anyway… 🙂
😄👌🏼
Have you tried fresh pineapple and some water in your smoothie machine? My sister turned me on to this – I love it! Tall glass of pineapple water every morning – great way to start my day and sometime at night I will add about a quarter cup of my pineapple elixir to soda water – VERY refreshing in the heat!
Good morning, Kellee,
No I haven’t tried fresh pineapple with water. I do like frozen no-sugar-added pineapple in many of my smoothies and blended drinks. It adds a pleasant sweetness. Thank you. I’ll keep your suggestion in mind during the next trip to the grocery.