“Hello! Hello!”
I wonder who that is . . . .
“Just a minute. I’ll be right out!
Quickly I snap Reggie into his cowboy harness, slip on my sandals, and head to the door. A trim, tanned man of retirement age greets me with a smile. He says he’s a “neighbor,” camping at Midland LTVA (Blythe, California).
I clip Reggie to his tether.
The man exclaims, “I have a dog that looks just like your dog!”
His car is parked across the wash, beyond the ironwood tree. A white dog with a brown spot over one eye has his head out the back window.
“Oh, he does look like Reggie! May they play?”
While the man returns to his car to let out his dog, I dash inside the Best Little Trailer for my camera.
The man and I talk and the dogs get to know each other.
They become instant friends.
Reggie has been starved for canine companionship.
Gee, he’d would be so happy if he had a regular playmate like this one . . .
The man mentions he retired recently.
I ask him what he retired from.
“I had an RV park between Salt Lake City and Twin Falls, had it for many years. Sold it and now I’m living in my fifth wheel and lovin’ it.”
Wait a minute. . . . I think I’ve met this guy!
“What was the name of your park?”
“Lottie-Dell in Snowville.”
“I know you! We met a couple years ago! I camped at your park!”
We reintroduce ourselves.
His name is Delbert. You may remember reading my August 2015 post about the owner of the RV park. He’s in his 80s and looks in his 60s. Maybe the detail that he’s married six times will spur your memory . . . “Leaving Idaho’s mountains, fleeing smoke!”
Skeeter wants to see Reggie’s house.
Delbert assures me that Skeeter will not run off. I figure Reggie isn’t going to stray far from Skeeter, so I unhook Reggie from his tether.
Reggie says, “C-mon, Skeeter! I’ll show you where I live!”
Delbert asks if I’ve seen any desert tortoises.
When I tell him I haven’t, he describes what to look for.
“You’ll see a small mound a bit larger than the tortoise. You can tell a tortoise is in there because the opening is flat on the bottom. That’s because a tortoise is flat on the bottom. In front of the opening the ground will be scratched back toward the mound where he’s covered himself up.”
All this time two more dogs have their heads sticking out the car window.
“Who are these guys?” I ask, scratching their necks.
I’m told this is Simba and (darn, I forgot the black dog’s name).
“I have a fourth dog, a lab,” Delbert says. “He’s asleep in the back. He’s very old and deaf.”
Reggie and Skeeter have a grand ol’ time . . .
The sun is high in the sky and it’s becoming hot.
Reggie and Skeeter slow down their play. Reggie can’t take his eyes off his new pal!
Delbert and I agree it’s time to take the dogs where they’ll be cool.
When Delbert calls Skeeter to jump into the car on the driver’s side, Skeeter does so. Reggie is tight behind him and attempts to jump in, too!
I catch Reggie just in time and hold him in my arms.
“Sorry, Reg. You can’t go with them.”
~ ~ ~
Thursday, March 9
Southeastern California is heating up! In the eighties during the day. The nights and early mornings are still cool.
Reg and I go into Blythe this morning.
I drop off the handbag I bought from Amazon at the UPS Customer Center, the no-charge return slip that I printed previously at the library taped to the box.
Next we go over to Madd Jax Laundromat.
The morning is heating up. Fortunately the laundromat has a roof extending over where vehicles park and also across the front. While waiting for the wash to be done, Reggie has a brief walk-around and then we sit together — well, I sit and Reggie snoops and greets people — in the cool shade at the front of the building.
I want to have these things done before leaving the Blythe area.
I’ll buy propane for the one empty tank and return library books. Oh, and also dump the waste tanks at Midland LTVA’s station the morning we hit the road to a new camp sometime in the next few days.
Unless I change my mind. There’s always that possibility.
rvsue
NOTE: The identity of the flowers in the previous post have been added at the bottom of that post. — Sue
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First?
Number 1??
Now I’ve had a chance to go back and read….and jealous of all the cute dogs running around in the almost too warm sunshine! Up here in Oregon in has been a particularly rainy/snowy winter. They have had over 36″ of new snow at Timberline Lodge (elev. 6000′)….base is over 150 inches… on Mt. Hood, and a snowboarder has been missing since Tuesday…multiple avalanches. What I’m saying, is to be careful on your way north….the snow and cold weather may stick around for a long time.
Another Tie! Congrats CC and Canine! We did it today!
Just turned on computer happy to see a posting!
Aw…Doggie Fun…go Reggieman…Enjoy Life! Today is Miss Mollie’s 15 birthday…lots of Reggie pics to share…
Fernando and Miss Mollie
Spell check made me a Fernando…LOL, 1st and last time I blog reply to you on my phone, do much better with the laptop…
Today at Miss Mollie’s Vet, we were told she might have Cushing’s disease…need to study this disease before any decisions are made…the Vet felt it may not be necessary to start mediation for a while…Miss Mollie seems fine except that her hair, that was shaved to remove several lipomas last September, still hasn’t grown back…
I am enjoying the last photo, thanks…
Deena and Miss Mollie
They are ADORABLE together!!!! Too bad they can’t be regular buds!!!
Hi! I guess maybe i am at least in the top 10?? Hot here too in san fernando valley. 90 degrees says my in the shade therm.ometer. Speaking of desert torties, i have 2 males, both rescues, both legally registered.
It is funny you mention them in today’s post because my big boy just woke up from brumation today. Been asleep since mid november. He had a long drink of water and is now eating some yummy spring mix. My other guy is not quite awake yet.
I love that you have two rescues. Imagining him waking up after his long winter’s nap, chomping on lettuce brings a smile to my face 🙂
Hi Nancy! I learned a new word today “brumation”. Didn’t even know that turtles did that. Thanks for the lesson 😉
Hi Dawn!
I finally learned not to say “hibernate” with regards to reptiles!
Hi jo! It is fun to see them when they first wake up, sleepy eyed and moving oh so slow the first few days.
Top Ten! Wow!
Skeeter is really cute! Del is a glutton for punishment traveling with FOUR dogs! Thje other two would have like to come out to play too, lol.
Hi Sue, My girl Lola behaves just like Reggie when she makes a new friend. I lost my old coonhound Beau last May, so she has been an only dog since then. This past 10 months has been the first time in 25 years I have had only one dog. She also tried follow a new doggie friend into her rv. Hmmm… like you I am keeping my heart open for the possibility of adding a new family member.
It’s 78 degrees with a cool ocean breeze 3 miles inland from the beach. I love spring weather!
It’s funny how dogs know when the other dog is the same breed or similar. Reggie looks like he was having a blast with Skeeter. Instant buddies!
We will be going wildflower hunting tomorrow. On the DesertUSA.com scale, the blooms in Anza Borrego are an 8, up two notches from yesterday!
Clete says “Hi!”
Chris B
Our Great Dane Juneau used to hang out with either the other “big kids” or the humans at the dog park. Our new dog – a Klee Kai (mini husky) and shepherd mix always hangs with the Huskies.
It’s just so funny how they know. My dog is an Italian Greyhound and when there’s one at the dog park, he’s playing with him! There’s a group of people who meet up at a local park and there’s about 10-15 Italian Greyhounds and it’s hysterical! They like to face each other and box like kangaroos!
Skeeter would be a great friend for Reggie if you were staying longer! Glad they got to meet and have a day of fun! He is quite dashing with that patch over his eye. Maybe Delbert might be willing to adopt out his youngest, since he has quite a car full of furry canines already! At 80 I have to admire Delberts’ energy level to have such nice well mannered dogs who respect and mind him! He must be a good guy, dogs always know!
Hope you got all your chores done so you can be free to head out! Have you got that slight tremble of excitement in your belly, knowing you will be pulling out soon? I used to get it all the time. Ear skritches for Reggie and love to you!
Looks like Reggie had a great time with a new/old friend from Utah, yep, it’s a getting warm a bit and soon it’ll be in the 90s, time to roll on to cooler camps,,,,, 👣👣🐾
How have you been doing Rusty? I worried about your not getting a house. I hope that it was your choice and that you are having a better time with your health.
Hi Dawn of NC,, yes it was my choice not to get a home, I didn’t like the neabourhoods , they are not safe to our liking and were to far from everything, we’ll be better off staying on the road,,, my health is doing great as long as I stay away from the meds the va wants to give me, I’m truly eating better foods and drinking a gallon of water a day, filtering as I go, for the both of us,, thanks for your consideration on our well being,,, have a great weekend and stay safe,,,, Rusty n Piper
Reggie and his buddy really are two peas in a pod. Both still have that little boy gleam in their eyes, full of joy…and beans:) Such a great post! Do let us know if you spot a tortoise.
Hi Sue!
Kim from Houston (currently in Zurich here). Thanks as always for your fun post with lovely photos. Given your love of desert blooms I’m wondering whether you’ve heard of the ‘super bloom’ conditions that I read about recently for Southern California obviously right near where you are ….
from the article I read … “Believe it or not, “super bloom” is a technical term. And just in case you aren’t good at being literal, it means an “overwhelming abundance”—as in the kind of naturally occurring wildflower spectacle you see once in your life. The one that’s happening right now is taking place in Anza-Borrego Desert State Park”. Apparently the heavy rains recently set up the unusual conditions that are causing this.
I don’t know if links are allowed so if the one I post below gets removed or doesn’t show up, you can go to afar.com and look for ‘another-super-bloom-expected’..
would love to see photos!
Warmly, Kim
http://www.afar.com/magazine/another-super-bloom-expected-in-southern-california
Hi Sue and Reggie, Small world! What a nice surprise to have Delbert and his dogs show up for a visit!
Oh, I am so happy Reggie found a buddy to play with!!! And what a coincidence that you and Delbert met up for a second time. Sounds like you have been a busy lady with all you have done…and will do. Love, love, love the pup pics in this post. Thank you so much for sharing. Enjoy the rest of your stay. Belly rubs, hugs, ears scratches and prayers!!!
AWE! Two peas in a pod! Wow that is a lot of pup going on for one man to deal with! How fun that you knew him!
Hope you have a great rest of the week. I have been sick all week and am dragging my bu– around still. Icky cold. BLAH.
Hugs (from a distance!) from Hoquiam,
Barb
Well phooey!!! Won’t let me post. No matter. I did so much enjoy the pics and commentary!!
Those two are enough alike to have been litter mates.
What a perfect playmate Skeeter is for Reggie….I think that is a sign, Sue ;). The are quite adorable together.
Work has been crazy busy and haven’t had much of a chance to comment.
This week has been especially stressful and I’m feeling quite exhausted. I survived a round of layoffs this week but nervous there might be another round that I won’t survive. Really hoping to work here for 5 more years but at this point I’ll be happy to squeeze one more where I would then qualify for early retirement. Just not sure how easy it would be for me to find another job comparable to the one I have at this point….scary and I feel so bad for those that didn’t make the cut…a large number of my teammates as well as my manager which really saddens me. There are jobs in the company just not in the roles they currently have so they will have opportunities to post for those jobs – 60 days which is pretty good…still scary though.
Enough of the depressing news. I have been reading and enjoying your posts. They are a great release at the end of some long days.
Good luck with your next move….hard to believe spring is ’round the corner…course it is supposed to be pretty cold here in NH this weekend but we have been having a few warm days thrown in here and there.
I am sorry about the layoffs Jan. How stressful indeed! I am glad that you still have a job. Hang in there!
Thank you, Dawn! How thoughtful of you to reach out.
Little Skeeter is almost as cute as Reggie. I agree with Geri, he would be a good companion for Reggie.
Angel got to go outside, besides her walks today. We tethered her to the chair and let her roll around in the grass and have one of those cut up soup bones to chew on and get the marrow out. She loves those things, but can only have them outside as they are would make a mess on the carpet and she won’t stay in the kitchen. She really likes the outdoors.
A Reggie dog. How cool.
Love thw pics! Hugs to both. 😊
Funny that I saw a dog today that looked like reg. U have become an important part of my life! I’m not a gusher but you have certainly expanded my universe of travels. Thank you.
Reggie was quite the debonair playmate with his scarf around his neck! So glad he got some time to play with Skeeter. Just wondering why Delbert didn’t let the other dogs out too – maybe he thought it would be overwhelming to Reggie? I hope you’re able to scoot over to Anza-Borrego to see the incredible wildflower bloom – it isn’t often that it looks like it does now.
Awwwwwwwww, so cute seeing the dogs at play!! I love dogs with such lovely markings on their faces…seems so much more expressions can be seen!! Glad you both had a nice time, Sue!
I totally remember Delbert and his place! Great that Delbert is enjoying retirement!
Skeeter is a cutie! And Reg man got to play off his tether! Bet they were running like precision jet Fighters! AND Reg man didn’t run off! Yay!
Can’t wait for a tortoise sighting!
RVSue, rootin’ tootin’ Reggie, and all,
I came across this poem today and want to share it with all the animal lovers. Even though it’s pug specific, I imagine it could be the sentiment of just about any dog or cat:
Pugs Bedtime Prayer
Now I lay me down to sleep, the king size bed so soft and deep,
I sleep right in the center groove, my human beings can hardly move.
I’ve trapped their legs, they’re tucked in tight,
and here is where I pass the night.
No one disturbs me or dares intrude,
’til morning comes and “I want food.”
I sneak up slowly to begin, and nibble on my humans chin,
For mornings here, it’s time to play, I always seem to get my way.
So thank you Lord for giving me, this human person that I see.
The one who hugs me and holds me tight,
and shares their bed with me at night.
author unknown
Sweet dreams to all,
Irene, Izzy and Lilly
Love the poem…gave me a giggle.
Reggie & Skeeter are so cute, great pics. I’m so happy you all had a fun day. Happy tails.
Thanks, Ladypugs, for sharing that poem. I love it!
Love the poem Irene. The first & last paragraphs really applies to Angel. She never intentionally wakes me, though. She is actually almost like a sleepy teenager in the mornings, not big on getting out of our bed unless I mention taking a walk, then we are ready to go.
I did remember you meeting & talking about Delbert from the earlier post. Mostly because of his unusual name. My DH has an unusual name as well. I’m sure it was nice running into him again.
Skeeter must be a fairly new dog for him as I don’t remember that part. Simba is beautiful, looks like part Samoyed or Husky and part Golden Retriever. The black dog looks like a terrier.
Well need to get to work for the day, take care and safe travels.
What a pair of cuties!! They really so look so much alike. I remember Delbert and glad to see he’s still traveling. That’s quite the crew to move around with.
What a treat for Reggie and Skeeter to play with someone of their own size and energy levels! The match, in those ways, and their appearances , is quite remarkable. It must be encouraging for you to know there really are other dogs out there so well suited to become part of your crew. When you all do meet each other I see years of joy following, how wonderful that will be.
Reggie must have so enjoyed being untethered as he and his pal ran around. I’m not sure it would have occurred to me that he’d stay close to Skeeter, and so would have given him that freedom. It’s precious that he brought a friend to his home the way that he did. They really as so much like human children that have just met someone they like a lot.
Being able to have four dogs must be terrific for Delbert. He has a history of enjoying a big family before he began full timing. Now he still does, and the pooches all have one, too. That makes for a great life for all of them . I just love happy stories 🙂 !
It’s nice that getting all of the tasks you need to prior to moving can be done nearby and conveniently. All those little day trips have added many times of pleasure to your and Reggie’s stay there. I wish you inspiration about where to go next. So many places still to see that you’d once only dreamed about being able to…I’m all happy sighs for you, Sue.
What a nice blog, Sue. Skeeter, save from a few missing brown spots, appears to be identical to Reg. The photos make me smile. My Lilah loves dogs more than anything or anyone (myself being the exception, of course). It doesn’t matter what sex or size, she will try to get that dog to play with her. Nice, how you run into folks you have met in the past!
A friend of mine just sold their house, now she and her husband (& 2 dogs) are full-timers as of last week! Hooray for them! She said they may do some camp-hosting up in OR for a while, but not straight away. They are heading to Anza-Borrego within a couple weeks, so I may wait and go then….IF I can wait. 🙂 I should refer them to your blog. My friend would enjoy it, and would have access to some very good advice & tips! And, more Amazon points for you!
Peace
I have some questions for Sue and any Casita Deluxe owners. Can either a Toyota Highlander or 4Runner pull one? They each have a 5000 # max towing capacity. I have tried to find this out, but I am not understanding torque and wheel base and about a dozen other things. The carpeted walls and ceiling seem as though they would hold a great deal of dust. And I have allergies. How do you keep them clean and dusted? I thought about a dust buster, but I am afraid it will pull too much power. I am not a fan of microwave ovens, so could I use a toaster oven without using up too much power? Solar power is a real “pip”. I know about Sue’s solar setup. Any other suggestions on how I can have solar energy? Would I be able to upgrade to two 12V batteries vs the two 6V Casita installs or would additional wiring be needed?
I have talked to Casita and they don’t install solar, nor is there any alternative to carpeted ceilings and walls. If you own a Casita Deluxe, which model do you have and why? It would just be myself and my Shih Tzu, Willee. I like the Liberty and Freedom, but would like input from others (not you, Sue, as I know your take on models). I am also considering the Oliver Elite, but gosh even the smaller one is expensive.
Thank you all for any help you can give me. Have a blessed and peaceful weekend.
Though I don’t have a Casita I may be able to offer useful information. Both vehicles you mentioned can pull one because their towing capacity is for anything about double the weight of a Casita. Their adequate wheel base is part of why they are rated with that towing capacity. Short wheel base, less capacity, longer wheel base, much more.
An example of how adequate torque comes into play is during long uphill pulls. It’s a steady motion power measurement that helps give the vehicle the oomph needed during drives on those, without having to slow to a crawl speed as the difficulty increases.( Horse power is more a measurement of helpful power needed to increase speed such as when passing on or entering a highway.)
Amazon carries vacuum cleaners that run on lithium-ion batteries. No other power source(solar or any other type) is needed. I checked those out because my T@B also has carpeted walls They are light cream colored and I’d like to be able to keep them that way, yet still camp on dirt patches near sometimes dark colored sandy beaches or in soil covered forests, where I can enjoy wind blowing through it’s windows.
Hopefully other folks will address your other questions.
Might consider the escape 17b. No rat fur on walls & can do a lot of customization including solar. Web site is escapetrailer industries. Be prepared for long wait. They are popular.
Thank you so much!!! You have helped.