This sign greets anyone coming up the lane to our campsite.
The white Pima County Sheriff car comes bouncing up the rocky dirt lane and stops next to the saguaro at our camp. The crew and I are out in front of our Casita, having recently returned from a short walk to greet the morning. It’s been raining for two days here on BLM land near Ajo in southern Arizona, and we want to take advantage of every break in the weather. I wonder why he’s come up here.
I give him my best smile and a good morning as he steps out of his vehicle.
“Good morning, ma’am.” I can see from his tan uniform that he’s a sheriff’s deputy. “We’re going around to all the people camping up here to let you know we spotted some illegals over by the mine.”
“Over that way?” I point to the north. “How many did you see?”
“Five or six. Keep aware of your surroundings and if you see anything, dial 911. Do you have a firearm?”
I hesitate. “Yes, I do.”
“Okay. Who’s up on the hill?”
“Oh, that’s Rick. He lives alone with his dog.”
He continues up the lane to Rick’s Scamp.
A few minutes later he drives down past our camp on his way out.
Later that afternoon, I ask Rick what he would do if some “illegals” showed up at his door.
“It’d depend on their demeanor,” he replies simply. Then he adds, I guess in consideration of my newbieness, “Don’t worry. The last thing they want is to draw attention to themselves. They aren’t going to bother you.”
I’m not going to let it go at that.
Rick’s been camping in this area for twelve of his twenty years of boondocking. “Have you ever encountered some illegal immigrants?”
“Oh, sure. Last year I was over on the other side of the road.” He points to the south. “They were over there.”
“What did you do?” I ask, knowing there must be more.
“I made them up a bunch of sandwiches.” He pauses. “It was Christmas Day.”
rvsue
hi there
there was nothing on the post, maybe its just my computer. hope all is well and you had a better night.
computer is acting funny … don’t know if it’s wordpress or what.
I think you either forgot something, lost power or lost your WiFi connection.
You don’t need to post this. Just giving you a heads up.
I didn’t lose connection. This sort of thing happens a lot. Posts just disappear when the publish button is hit. I apologize for the spotty posting these days. Maybe tomorrow it will cooperate. Bye everybody . ..
Hi Sue
At least we know your ok! Hope your staying dry n warm.
I will see if I can scrape up some extra patience here. You can have it, don’t have to give it back, it will be yours to keep:))
Glad to know you are ok. Take care and have some fun!
Yes, just enjoy the beautiful area, and relax. glad to hear that you are good.
Okay Ms. Lucky, I have just signed off on my computer here at work, after having been here for about 10 minutes shy of 12 hours…. and you have spotty internet.. there in your adorable little Casita, sitting near your mighty steed of a PTV in your beautiful off- the-grid location with lovely views and all the time you want to do whatever you want… hmmm…. I am having a little trouble feeling your pain… 🙂 Seriously though, glad to hear from you, even if only a ping to let us all know you are okay. Give the furry kids a hug.
Dear, dear Carol,
Your point is well taken. I do have it pretty good. When I think back to what I would be doing if I hadn’t retired . . . I shudder.
Silent auction, cafeteria noise, fun Friday, exporting grades, the list goes on and on….puts in all in perspective! Enjoy your dream. We do miss you though.
Love through Christ,
Betty
Hi, Betty!
Oh, you bring back memories of the other planet I used to live on.
Best wishes to you all .. . .
Oh Sue I wish I had some patience to give you. I’ve always wished I had patience. Not sure who got it all but it wasn’t me. If you figure out how to get more, please let me know.
EZ doze it …. If I could reach you I would give you a couple of cups of patience or some hot tea and honey…. Everything will work out fine just takes time. Give the fur kids a tussle and stay snug where ever you feel the best and when the new day dawns we’ll see how it goes =)
Hang in there Sue, tomorrow will be a better day!
Maybe it’s your spirit guides telling you to unplug for a little while – mine do that from time to time. Love & Light!
Glad to at least hear you are still out there! Isn’t this rain something else? Here in Phoenix we still have it this morning. I hear the sun will be out this afternoon and tomorrow will be sunny all day. Time will tell. My Jack Russell isn’t too thrilled with this weather, how do your little ones do with it?
My ;little ones sleep . . . a lot.
Ah yes, I understand that rat terriers (my Scout, and your Spike & Bridget, obviously) have a definite “off switch”… And in the winter that seems mostly in the ” off” position!!
A cold night and a morning without power, followed by a day tethered to some storefront to charge up your brand new batteries… well, that’s discouraging. But the important thing is to realize there is nothing basically wrong here. You’re just hung up on what in some quarters is called the “last mile problem”. Getting power or service across the last mile, there is often a hang-up.
Or, in this case, the last 20 feet. In a way that will be self-policing and trouble free.
Cheer up. It’s not brain surgery. And there’s nothing unworkable about your system. You’ll figure it out. It’s only 20 feet, right?
Bob
Finally, it looks like you will have a pretty day in the desert! The rain has stopped, the sun is shining, the solar will be collecting and the crew will be dancing amongst the desert cacti! Life is good!
Gotta have a few lousy days to make the good ones look great! Even with all the BS, lots of people would love to be walking in your shoes instead of theirs!
Looking forward to today, we are also waking up to sunshine and 45 degree temps!
It was warmer and sunnier today . .. still lots of clouds. I was able to sit in my camp chair and soak up some warmth, and we did some exploring. Sounds like you are out from under the storms for a while .. . .
Sue… No patience here to give,,, But I hope you got all those HUGS I sent…
One day you will be helping out a newbe and saying to them what you were told,,,,
hang in there ” 20 feet to go “
Susan, sit back, put your feet up, take some deep breaths, have a cup of tea, read your Kindle or count all the blessings you have received in your new RVing life. You have no control over cyber space and believe me it has a mind of its own. You have been so faithful to post and we have gotten in the habit of expecting your posts. We miss you when we don’t hear but we understand the problems of living in the boondocks. Enjoy what you are doing…don’t fret over this blog. I understand how devastating it is to write and write…click the button and it all vanishes. That is when you re-read the first sentence I wrote and be Scarlett (remember her?) Think about it tomorrow.
I love you!!!!!
Wisdom from Big Sister . . . you’re right, as usual. Love you, too!
Sue, I don’t know if this will help or not, but you might try logging into your blog from a different browser. For example, if you usually use Firefox, try logging onto your blog with Google Chrome. When I have problems with Facebook being weird, I try this and most of the time it solves the problem. I don’t know why, but it works for me. Good luck. We really look forward to your posts!
Good advice, Mike. I’m going to try that. For some reason I can’t use Firefox with wordpress. And Internet Explorer is so lame . . .
Glad to see your post! Gladder still that Rick is up the hill, and not over it! ewwww bad pun, sorry!
Sounds like Rick is an amazing person. Feeding them on Christmas was very nice
But Be Safe!
Too funny!
Sue, Welcome to Arizona. We indeed have a “unique” state. Around every corner is a different view and a different climate. Just so you are aware, Since July of 2011, it is legal for any adult non-felon to carry a concealed weapon in the state of Arizona. If you are legal to buy/own a weapon, you can carry it. It can either be “open” carry or concealed. Use this information to your best interest.
Thanks, Larry. Good to know.
Glad you are safe. Rick sounds like someone I would like. A little compassion goes a long way!
Rick’s a ;live-and-let-live kind of guy.
HI Sue, you spoke of sitting in your camp chair…I have purchased an anti-gravity chair exactly like yours and found it to be less than comfortable. Was wondering if you have found yours worth the weight & space of having it along or if you use the folding cloth chairs much more???
Hi, Judy!
I’m sorry you aren’t happy with your anti-gravity chair. I’m really surprised to hear that. Mine is very comfortable for me. I crank it back so my feet are as high as my head. As for space, it fits nicely behind the driver’s seat and the metal grill in my van.
I use it mostly when I want to take a snooze in the sun or read. I sit in it about one-fourth the time I sit in the camp chair, but when I want to sit in it, I’m glad I have it.
Hi Sue,
I’m glad to know that your chair is comfy for you…I either have a faulty chair or I simply don’t fit it. In the fully reclined position, it doesn’t allow my head to be on the same level as my feet and the slight bend that should be behind my knee hits me at the upper calf. I can fasten the pillow under my feet to lessen the pressure at my calf. But I still feel like I want the chair to lay back further than it will go.
I sleep in a recliner a lot and at one point tried sleeping in the anti-gravity chair in the van overnight. What a disasterous night that was.
That chair sounds all wrong for you. You should be able to reach a point where your feet are as high as your head in a natural position. At first my head wasn’t comfortable and then I moved the head rest lower and it was fine. I wish you could have tried it before you bought it.
I like Rick’s compassion. A good story for any season but especially Christmas. These people are our brothers and sisters.
Hi, Terry!
It’s easy to complain about illegal immigrants. Yet when I look at the terrain these desperate people try to cross . . . My God, I’m thankful I was born here.
Sue,
Be wary. I grew up in Yuma, and it wasn’t unusual for thieves to come across the border, steal items from homes and storage sheds (including cars), and then high-tail it back to Mexico. My dad worked for the school district, and over the years, they had several vehicles disappear across the border. That’s probably not going to be the case with illegals out in the desert, but pay attention to your surroundings just the same. I’m glad you have your pistol and know how to use it!
Maybe you mentioned this in an earlier post. Will you be traveling to Quartzsite in the next few months? I’m guessing there will be a gathering of Casita owners in Quartzsite–maybe a chance to pick up a few pointers about your new home.
Hi, Denise,
I probably will go to Quartzite. Everyone tells me it’s something to experience. I don’t usually like crowds, but I guess I can always retreat to the desert!
Chuck and I will be leaving here headed towards Quartzite the first week of January! When I was there 30 years ago, it was just a big rock and mineral show! We may meander down the desert area where you are for a few days, either before or after Quartzite or both ways! We are getting gypsy feet and are ready for the highway to be under our wheels!
Sue, I don’t have any problem using WordPress with Firefox. I don’t understand why things work and why they don’t… I just try to do what works for me. By the way, Do you read http://www.imperfectdestiny.com ? She has a Caita and I think she must be very close to where you are. My wife and our four little dogs are hoping to be down that way in a couple of weeks.
Sue,
If you make it over to Quartzsite drop us an email…would love to pop by and say Hi!