Yuma AZ and Hockey Gold

Pulled into a park in Yuma, AZ today after leaving Casa Grande in pouring rain this morning.  I’m beginning to think there is no one left in Canada after all the whooping and hollering after the Canadian Hockey win today.  People on bikes ringing their ding, dings while balancing their cocktail with the other hand.  People standing in the street daring oncoming vehicles to move them out of the way.  People covered with tatoos toasting and clinking bottles on the motorcycles.  I became a Canadian today to save my family. 

Old Geezer??

Does this look like an old geezer to you???

Well, I guess I am now.  Went to McDonald’s today and WITHOUT EVEN ASKING FOR IT I was given the “senior” discount for the coke I was buying.  I thought I was being an “honest” person and letting the clerk know she wasn’t charging me correctly…she informed me she gave me the “senior” discount.  Crap.  Double Crap.  

Blogging

I don’t know how people can write on their blog on a daily basis.  I follow a few blogs and am amazed how they have something to write about every day, post blogs featuring recipes (with pictures detailing the procedures on how to make the recipe)…the time it takes!  If I had to make my living by writing I would be in deep doo-doo.  Writing on this blog usually takes place in my head about 2am.  I’m really prolific then.  I have all sort of ideas, titles, things to write about.  Stuff you’d really like to read.  Pictures  that you would ooh and ahh over.  Recipes that would make your mouth water.  You would be hooked on this blog.  I could even add “Google Ad Sense” because there would be so many followers of this blog I’d make a fortune from all the “clicks”  made on the ads. My blog would be nominated for Best Blog of the World.  There would be a cookbook released from all the recipes I posted and it would make the NY Times bestseller list.  Not to mention the coffee table book of my pictures (which, of course, is also on the NY Times bestseller list).  However, when I wake up in the morning…I don’t remember a thing.  I’m not sure if I was really awake at 2am or had been dreaming about blogging.  Too bad you can’t get in my dreams…there’s some really good stuff there.

Grandma...!

We were driving back from Tombstone passing through St. David when I saw this building. I made Tim turn around so I could take pictures. In case you can't tell from the picture...that's a coffin in the window. Maybe this is a memorial to Grandma Goodman!!

Quartzsite Weather

Here's a happy camper at Happy Hour last night. It was windy and chilly. Fortunately Russ had a tie on his hat so he could keep his hat and hoodie on. Don't think he had enough wine to ward off the chills!

We're parked with the RVForum.net group on BLM (Bureau of Land Management for those who don't know) land a few miles south of the town of Quartzsite. In the summer there are 5 people here. In the winter there are a million. The big draw is the RV Show which is held 1/16-24. You can see any and every type of rv that has ever been made. There's also a rock, craft and car show that happens before and after the RV show.
You can see how thrilled Lucy is with her new "Snuggie". Needs to be altered. However, I don't think it will make a difference. She doesn't move with it on. Just stands there and looks at me. Tim had the same look with his on, too. They just don't appreciate what I do for them to keep them warm on these blustery, raining (pouring and blowing at the moment) days.

19 years

Hard to believe it's been 19 years since we have seen John and Vickie. Tim and John worked together at Nestle-Beich (a life time ago). And, other than email contact, we haven't seen them until a couple of days ago. They came for a visit (we're in Desert Hot Springs, CA and they live in Santa Clarita, CA). They were both born in Greece and have a home there in a small town where Vickie was born. I think they said the population is around 2000 but grows to 4000 in the summer. We have a standing invitation to visit...just have to get some pontoons for the motorhome so we can take Lucy!! Vickie brought homemade Greek goodies - baklava and the lightest, butteriest, powdered sugered covered cookies with chopped almonds that I have ever tasted. Tim latched on to the baklava and I gravitated to the cookies. I've had to hide them to save us from ourselves. It was wonderful catching up on kids, work, travel. I just hope it isn't another 19 years before we see them again. We'd love to visit them in Greece...I wonder if Ebay would have any pontoons? But, for now, I have to go and find where I hid the goodies....

On the road again...

Sean and Yeon came to visit for a week. Why I waited until 15 minutes before they left to take any pictures...I have no clue...except while they were here I was busy getting everything done that needed to be done to get the house ready for the renters and the last of the "stuff" moved back into the moho. They were a great help carrying stuff from the house to the moho (now referred to as my "crate". Lucy has her crate where she escapes to and I have mine).

We left on Jan 1 and are now, finally, settled in one place - with wheels. And, a new washer/dryer combo! Do you remember the motels that had the machine you put a quarter in and the bed vibrated??? Well, that's sort of what it's like in the moho when the machine is in the spin cycle. Lucy and Tim both stopped what they were doing and looked at me for assurance all was OK. It's really not that bad...just a new experience for them.

I also had to remember how the remotes for the TV/Direct TV and DVD work. There should be just one remote for all TV's, etc no matter where you are or what brand you have. Same buttons. Same channels. Just one remote. Now for the Wii. I wonder where I put the directions??

What's important

The two smiles are what's important. Audrey and her grandma smiling...nothing else matters. Not even peppermint ice cream with an oreo cookie crust and special dark chocolate hot fudge warmed to just the exact temperature. Close...but not quite. I had brain sludge the last couple of days (maybe because of the peppermint ice cream with an oreo cookie crust and special dark chocolate hot fudge warmed to just the exact temperature) but then I looked at this picture and the brain sludge was not revelant. Who cares about health care? The twillon kagillon budget deficit? Nebraska gets something forever? Not sure exactly what...but who cares? AZ has closed rest stops? (I don't care...but Lucy does need a piddle stop here and there.) Tiger and the ho's? His wife may only get 1/2 of his estimated worth...$300 mil? I care? We went to a RV resort today to confirm our SkyMed seminars in February and as I was taking Lucy out of the truck and placing her on the ground...a worker bee came up to tell me no dogs were allowed in the area we were parked...the check-in area. The worker bee was friendly enough and said she, personally, didn't have an issue with dogs but rules were rules. This RV "resort" has a pet area and a non-pet area where people park their RV's. She said in the non-pet area people get hostile if you even drive your vehicle through the area with the pet inside. Obviously, they need to get a life. I just have to look at Audrey and her grandma Susie smiling. That's all that's important. Maybe I should show it to Lucy, too, so she doesn't feel bad about the jerks out there who don't want her in their space. Jerks. I think it's time for some peppermint ice cream with an oreo cookie crust, etc. etc. (Certainly can't hurt.)

Grandma's little helper

Yep, I'm going to have some help cleaning house tomorrow. I can hardly wait.

A Few Memories

Click on the link below:

Alabama -http://picasaweb.google.com/psdaugherty/Alabama?feat=directlink

Audrey’s now 2-1/2.  New pictures to come in a couple of weeks.  She’s coming to visit Dec 4

Buffy was a sweetheart.  I miss her.

Lucy – 6 weeks old.  She’s not a “pink bow” dog. 

Loved Scotland

So did Tim.

Tootise – She was the best.

7 Dwarfs

Can you name the 7 Dwarfs?  My brain was on overload a couple of nights ago.  Woke up at 11:30pm with my brain going in a million directions.  I’m mentally cleaning closets, sorting clothes, what piles go to Goodwill, Salvation Army, dumpster, what to sell, what to store, where to store, need locks, need palm trees trimmed, do I get a washer/dryer for the motorhome, what do I do with the stuff where the washer/dryer would go?, I need to go to sleep, nope…still awake, Lucy has to go piddle, put clothes on to take her outside, it’s 2:00am, hope coyotes are asleep, I wonder where that plane is going at 2:00am?, back in bed, what are the 7 Dwarfs’ names?  Sleepy (wish I was), Dopey, Happy, Sneezy (been doing that since we got back to AZ), Frisky, nope, don’t think that’s right, start over again…Sleepy, Dopey, Happy, Sneezy, Bashful…ok, got 5…just two more, Wacky, Horney (that’s the porn Dwarf that got kicked out – use to be 8 of the little fellas), Grumpy – ok – so there’s Sleepy, Dopey, Happy, Sneezy, Bashful, Grumpy.  I’m going to be grumpy tomorrow with this lack of sleep.  I’m missing one dwarf.  And, that’s the last I remember until I woke up at 5:30.  First thing I did was Google the 7 Dwarfs.  Doc.  I forgot Doc. 

Just a brief glimpse into my brain in the middle of the night.  Scarey, huh?

Before and After

Lucy a few weeks ago.














Lucy (today) after a visit to her groomer.

10,355 and Overwhelmed

That’s how many miles we put on the motorhome the last 6 months . 

Overwhelmed is the only word that’s even close to describing how it felt to walk back into the house.  Of course, opening up the garage door, seeing what’s there and realizing we have to start getting rid of stuff was only a prelude to walking back into the house.  It was definitely mixed feelings.  After living in less than 300 sq feet of space for the last 6 months the house is ENORMOUS.  For those of you who don’t know we have rented the house (furnished) starting in January and we have to remove all our personal stuff.  I immediately started taking inventory (Tim hadn’t even made it into the house yet…he was getting the water turned on).  As he walked in I looked at him and said “Is it too early to drink?”  (It was only noon.)  Lucy, however, remembered every nook and crannie of the house.  She was like a cut cat running everywhere.  Guilt.  She’s already laying guilt on us for confining her to 300 sq ft.  As for getting rid of, sorting through, giving away, shipping to kids, taking to Ebay store, I have to unload the motorhome first.  Oh my. 

Lost my Ka-thunker

Anyone who has known me for awhile knows I have been a kathunker.  I was a planner. A serious planner. I would have the seat assignments on an overseas flight 6 months in advance.  I would find the plane configuration (seat) we were flying (there’s a web site out there that has the info) and figure out where I wanted to be.  I knew the day (and time) I could select the seats.  I started calling 5 minutes before the phone center opened.  I have to admit it was a challenge with Asiana Airlines. She didn’t speak good English and I didn’t speak Korean.  However, I got the seats I wanted.

Now, I have lost my ka-thunker.  It started disappearing at times about 1-1/2 years ago (when I quit my job)…but now it’s totally gone.  My family is having a hard time accepting the loss.  They have always counted on me to ka-thunk.  They don’t know how to react when I tell them “I don’t know where we will be or when”.  My ducks which were totally in a row are now all scattered.  Hell, they’re gone.  Flew the coop.  I’m trying to reassure the family (and friends) that I’m OK.  Not to worry…Tim’s driving…not me…he’s never been a ka-thunker. 

Warm, dry and sneezing!

Yea! We're just about dried out from our 3 week venture in the south. (I10 from Daphne, AL all the way west to AZ hoping Tim would take the right exit through El Paso...didn't want to go to Juarez, Mexico.) Haven't been in AZ for 6 months and did that sign look good...real good. Of course, I started sneezing about 5 miles into AZ. Allergies. But, I can handle sneezing. Plus, the snakes here at least give you a warning with their rattle. Cotton Mouths, copperheads and water moccasins are sneaky. They don't give you any warning. And, there are no alligators in AZ that I know of. Zoos don't count.

Catching Up

Lucy's had her fill of humidity. She can't do a thing with her hair. We spent 9 days in Daphne, AL visiting with my brother and sister-in-law. Daphne is across from Mobile. As we were driving across the Bay Bridge I looked at Lucy and said "Lucy, we're not in Kansas anymore". Elevation was 37 feet. We parked in the driveway at the bro's house - worked out great.

I ate a lot of fish - especially catfish as the picture shows. Also, bought a ton of shrimp and loaded up my freezer. This is US shrimp. Not the farmed stuff from Thailand or wherever. I don't trust their farming methods. I paid 7.99/lb for super jumbo shrimp. I'm trying to figure out how my brother can ship it to me.

Spent a day with my nephew-in-law on his boat trolling the bay and took several pictures of alligators. As one might expect, they're everywhere.

We left Daphne and headed to San Antonio for a RVing Women Rally. We had rain almost all the way.



Spent the last week in San Antonio and I've had my fill of hot and humid. The park where we stayed for the rally had signs posted everywhere to watch out for water moccasins, cottonmouths, scorpians and fire ants. The temperature the first couple of days was 95 and 292% humidity. The nearest restroom had signs posted on the door of a snake and to "Beware and watch out".

We are now in Las Cruces, NM and will be in Benson, AZ tomorrow. First time back in AZ in almost 6 months. Hot and dry sounds wonderful.

It was really hard saying goodbye to my brother. He'll have to come west and bring shrimp with him. I'm just now starting to dry out!

Where are we????

If you ask Tim I've asked him that question a hundred times since we left Oklahoma City. I'm discovering I wasn't very good in geography. I'm much better in the West. I know Arizona from California.

After leaving OKC, we headed south to Dallas, hung a left and headed east. We stayed the night in Tyler, TX (across from the Tyler Rodeo Arena). From Tyler we drove East on I 20 to Vicksburg, LA - no wait - MS. We had to drive through LA - I was looking for alligators and swamp creatures and we were going to stay in West Monroe, LA but then decided to go further. I kept looking at the route we were taking to get to Daphne, AL and Tim kept changing his mind which way we wanted to go so you can see why I kept getting confused with the states of MS and LA.

Well, we pulled into Vicksburg, MS and guess what??? Dead truck battery. Some dead battery angels are messing with us. What did we do to them? I'm sure the people who answer the phone for Dodge Roadside Service say "Guess who? It's them again!" Left Vicksburg this morning and, once again, I'm driving the truck.

We are now in Slidell, LA - wait a minute - weren't we in MS? How did we get back in LA? We will be pulling into my brother's driveway in Daphne, AL tomorrow. I hope he hasn't moved...I'll never find him especially if I have to go through LA and MS again. He say's his driveway is long enough with no over-hanging tree limbs. Stay tuned...I'll let you know.

Oklahoma City

This picture was taken at the Oklahoma City National Memorial & Museum. This is the Field of Empty chairs. There are 168 chairs symbolizing a life lost, with smaller chairs representing the 19 children killed.

If you're every in OK City. This is a must see. It will evoke every emotion you have.

I just figured out how to make a collage using Picassa. I took a bunch of pictures, cropped them and used the "create a collage" feature, added background color...don't really like the color that much but can't go back and change once it's "created" and, voila! My first collage!





We met up with our friends, Tim and Crystal who once again played tour guide for us. They took us to the "stockyards" to show us some pigs - in particular a real ugly pig - but all the piggys were gone. So we went to lunch at Cattlemen's (will be featured on Diners, Drive-ins and Dives) and ate beef.

Cars and horses

We were at the Colorado State Fairgrounds for the Discovery Rally the last few days and there was also a "low rider" show and a rodeo going on at the same time.

I was fascinated with the low rider show. The work these young people put into these cars. The detail was unbelievable. Mirrors were a big factor to show off tires and the underneath carriage. Chrome was a factor. Lots of chrome. Sprinkle dust, rope lights. Crosses, skeletons, polish cloths. Hydraulics - stuff that makes the car bounce up and down.
I expected the the car in the second picture to rise, hover and fly. All of the cars at the show had to be cars that would start and run. We talked to one young couple who had an absolutely beautiful car. He had gutted the car, put 1800 hours in rebuilding it to show quality (can't imagine the $$ involved) and no additional insurance coverage other than basic car insurance. He drives it on the street and if it were totaled in an accident he would get whatever an insurance company would pay for an old car...in this case a '62 chevrolet. They can't afford any additional insurance.
















Then there was the rodeo. Cowboys, horses and ropes. Lucy wasn't crazy about the horses. Didn't smell like any dogs she knew. There's a link to my web album (below the cowboy picture) where you can see all the pictures:

http://picasaweb.google.com/psdaugherty

20 Minute Shower!!!

Yea! I'm camping! I took a 20 minute shower!

If you all read a previous post, you know my idea of camping is Marriott. Well, we are at the Pueblo Marriott: http://www.marriott.com/hotels/travel/pubdt-pueblo-marriott/ for the next two nights. The motorhome is at the Caterpillar dealer here in Pueblo having maintenance work done (something to do with the diesel engine) ($$ kaching $$) and we needed a place to stay. And, guess what? Pueblo has a real, live Marriott! And, Lucy gets to camp, too! She gets her own bed. We pick the moho up Friday and head to the Pueblo fairgrounds for the Discovery Rally. But, for now, I'm living in the moment...the Marriott moment. (Can you tell it's been awhile since I've been in civilization???)

Tim and I were trying to figure out the last time we were in a Marriott. We think it was our last trip to Ireland (about 4 years ago). I really like Marriott. I like the Marriott burger. I've missed Marriott. I've missed 20 minute showers. I've missed flushing a real toliet. I think I've flushed it 20 times already...just because I can. (Hopefully, we won't get an added water bill charge!) Hark...there's a knock on the door...it's room service! Later.