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Monday December 18
And you thought there was a Sunday this week..it didn't happen don't ya know.

by Ron
We did not get the big rain storm on Sunday. It was cloudy and windy on Saturday, but on Sunday morning 
it was clear and sunny. Told the checkout lady in the food store that I was sad it didn't rain and she said,
"Oh no don't want rain" as she has a leak in her trailer roof." 

Today I got an email form a reader from Reno who wanted to know how to find out what the daily local events were in Q.
 Like music jams, meetings of the clubs. And even what clubs there were. Sure the big tent show events are 
listed on the web. But what about the daily happenings. So I went to the QIA (Quartzsite Improvement Association's 
web site. They are the biggie in town with daily exercise, hobby and crafts classes, craft fairs, bingo, 
singles meetings, and food events. I found they have not updated their web site in over two years.
Next off to the Business Chamber of Commerce site. Yep... last newsletter dated 2004.  What gives with this place. 
When I did the free rock club web site they had a fit when I wanted to list the officers names and numbers on it.

I called the QIA and they said a new web site was being built and should be online by Jan. 1 www.qiaaz.org 

There is a great local free newspaper that does have all the local daily events (Desert Messenger) but it is 
not online to speak of. Quartzsite is just what it is a very laid back desert town that doesn't get to excited about anything. 
Now if you want a great place, check out the Quartzsite library.

Rice Ranch still hasn't got their water, sewer, or  electric even close to installed for this season. 
The venders are NOT happy. Nobody gets excited down here.
Like they say You will either love it or hate it   BUT you hve to al least stopy for a 14 day in 
the free BLM camping areas to find out.

7 PM UPDATE 

Going to send a copy of the 'Desert Messenger' to the reader from Reno via snail mail.

And another reader informs us about these music jams: 
If you are into country/bluegrass music there are jams in Brenda (just up the road on US HY 60) from 
Q that circulates around the 4 or 5 parks there.  She sez they have a jam almost every night at one of the parks. 
They should be in full swing by Jan. 

Q has jams in the RV parks also. All one needs to do is check out the 'Desert Messenger'.

Tuesday is a big rock club field trip going 40 miles north of Q on US HY 95 to Parker, AZ and then going west
into California for 15 miles and then 5 miles on desert roads to a site looking for Purple Jasper. 
A very popular trip so there should be about 60 vehicles in the caravan. That's a lot of us going down the road in a string. 

Pics and story later....

Tuesday December 19

Up and off to  Carl's Jr. for a special $1 egg and cheese breakfast sandwich. A decaffeinated cup of coffee 
and the USA Today newspaper and we are off to get in line in the caravan for the field trip.

135 k (hard to reduce this one)
49 miles later, we are there, and people rush off to the hills to find their treasure. 
Purple Jasper. 

57 K
This is what it looks like before it is cut down and pollished up nice.

76 K
Terry got this bucket full.

Wednesday December 20

 full. I had fasted last night as  went for a couple of blood tests this morning. Normal 3 month stuff. 
 We get questions about medical care while in AZ the winter. I have primary MD in IA and one in Blythe, CA 
20 miles to the west that both take our insurance. And he has an office in Q two days a week in the AM. 
No appointment neccessery. I just had to go and get blood drawn and they will, call, fax, or send me the results. 

Terry taught a silver casting class (like in ring making) at the rock club this AM. Cleaned some of teh crud from 
the truck this afternoon and we will go to Blythe on Thursday to stock up on groceries. I have a presents bought 
but I don't think Terry does so I think it will be panic mode. We don't do much as we buy whatever we want 
whenever we want anyway. So gifts are not a real big deal for us. We send things off to Terry's nephews but that is about it. 
On the main index page I said something about snow for Christmas in Q but watching the news looks like 
Colorado is really getting it, big time. 
 

Should be below freezing tonight even here in the great southwest ..Burr...

I left about 10 this morning and later picked up Terry at the rock club at noon. When we got back about 12:15 
the ranger stopped us at the BLM entrance as were driving in and he was driving out and said our alarm was going off. 
There we a couple of neighbors at our 5er when we got there. We shut off the alarm. The cable was not cut but it did alarm. 
One neighbor did say they saw someone around the 5er when we were gone just before it went off. SO looks like it worked. 
And we still have our expensive Honda generator.

6 PM Update
While talking about what we should get for food for Christmas, wondered if restaurants here would be open with specials
like they had for Thanksgiving. The La Casa Del Rancho will be closed where we that that great meal for Thanksgiving.
So we just called the Palo Verde Cafe in Q  at (305 N Central Blvd.)  and got reseverations for noon (it was that or 4:30) 
on Monday for dinner of either Ham, Turkey, or Prime Rib. Fine dinning in Q, table cloths and all. This will be great. 
No institutional food like at the buffet at the casino at Parker. Been there Done that... Not again.

Note: I looked at the above pics and found them to be 100 to 200 K went back and reduced them in size.
I need to get back to basics and do better on pic file size. It's all about your download bandwidth speed. 
Some of you are on dialup (OH MY GOD). So I will try to do better. 
With Verizon and other national cell internet services at about 130 K or more, WiFi in many places, and with home DSL 
and cable at 1 Meg or better and us mobile people, on satellite at good speeds (at times) it is not a problem but for you 
stuck in bandwidth hell I  hope others will also try to reduce the size of our pics so we ALL can enjoy the web.
But if you have low bandwidth, as time goes you could be left out. 

Thursday December 21

We went to Blythe, CA about 1 PM and attacked the K-Mart store (the only big box store within 80 miles) 
Looking for all we could buy. How do you buy presents when both of us are walking together next to the shopping cart. 
We found a fire extinguisher that we have needed. 

While in the electronic section I spotted something I could get into.  Terry said  I WILL BUY IT.
A  ROBOREPTILE   A fusion of technology and personality. 

You know how much we spent at Albertsons in Blythe when the checkout clerk said you saved $51. 
And we are going out for dinner on Christmas day. 
Terry is going to bake banana bread, date bread, and carrott cake. 
Also we have goodies to kill for. Who sez we can't have fun in the desert!! 

More on the new FRED (rebotics) with pics as it roams around the 5er. 
When we figure how to control it.

Friday December 22

Terry taught at the rock club and I finished my book and at about 3 PM we went to the library and after that 
went looking for the FedEx truck since it gets to town about 4  each day. They still have not delivered more 
Alarm It units to us. If you are waiting for a unit we are very sorry as we are waiting of the units to arrive.

It was overcast for most of the day, a rare event here in Q. 
I think this is the first day it has been like this since arrived in late Oct.

We have stocked up for a long winters night, but here in Q that doesn't make much sense...
But did it anyway (must be that midwest, must get ready for that big snow storm) see it did happen in Denver 
so we did get ready. 

We cleaned the 5er so it would feel good for the holidays. We are sung and happy for the holiday week. 
Goodies in the frig and things to bake as the weekend goes by. We are content, but wish 
and hope others who have less are somehow in a situation so they can also be happy at this time of year. 
Not only now but, throughout the rest of the year. There is a bit of a socialist in me that wants us ALL 
to be equal. No one should have to be poor, if not for their own actions, and the RICH should be caring to 
others of the human brotherhood. I am starting to ramble so time for supper and to reflect on my thoughts. 
 
 

Saturday December 23
by your roving reporter Terry
 

'Twas a day before Christmas and all through the town all the people were bustling and rushing about. 
The vendors were selling all manner of wares, one of this, two of that, and of course one of those.
shoppers were panicked the big day was near no time left to ponder the buy or tarry about.
We were quite happy, done with the shopping and watched with amusement the panic attack.

I could continue the bad poetry, but as I look at it, I think not.   Better a description of our day.

Did not get a lot done today.  Ron worked for most of the afternoon on a friends laptop computer.  The 
lap top was locking up, and had a great deal of spy ware on the hard drive, which has now been deleted.
 He then tried to load some of our software on their machine and couldn't get it to load.  After much frustration
we discovered our software was to old to install on their machine without modifying the installation programs.  I
am assuming Ron will be looking into the program updates in the next few days.

I worked on a new wax carving to cast next Wednesday at the rock club.  Have to keep the wax models coming
with classes twice a week till the end of the year.  Have a belt buckle that is getting close to being done and then I will 
need inspiration for my next project. 

Tried to bake banana bread last night, but had a bit of difficulty, and the bottom of the loaves got a bit on the black 
side.  Despite the burned bottom it is still very tasty,  just slice off the bottom crust.  Will try to bake date bread tomorrow,
wish me luck.