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Monday Novermber 27
If
I just change the date to Monday will you notice there was no Sunday post?
by
Ron
Had
to get up early, for me that is. Drove Terry to the rock club and I took
off for Blythe, CA to get
our
Honda 2000i generator in early so it could be tuned up. It has been running
rough since we didn't
know
we had to run it every week during the summer to keep it running good.
Like
the fact that CA is an hour later then here (and only 20 miles away) so
we can go late
and
still get there early. Neet...
So
we went back to get the gen. after Terry was done at the rocky club at
4 and got to Blythe at 3:45.
We
stopped a Albersons for food and came back and the generator run very smooth.
Fixed for $73.35
Like
they say a good running power system in the desert is priceless. After
all is is our only plugin out here.
We
are having tuna caserole tonight and holding out for chili for Wed. or
Thurs. since there is a freeze
warning
for those days. This is way to early for that down here.
We
have the tomato plant covered for tonight BUT tomorrow night will have
to bring it in.
Still
working on the logistics of that. Where do you place a hanging tomato plant
in a 5er?
This
could get interesting as this plant is NOT going to rule my comfort
level. If it turns out to be me, or it, IT is gone.
Fun
watching it grow but I can still remember the taste of tomatoes from our
summer garden.
It's
not like we are in the space station and depend on these.
Tuesday Novermber 28
Worked
up a help page for people wondering what they should be running to protect
their computers.
Protecting
Your Computer The
FREE programs you need for protection
This
is also listed on the index page. Hope it helps to give an idea of
what is available to protect us from all
the
junk that can mess up our computers if we are not careful.
Terry
is off washing clothes. And you thought everyday was paradise. We do have
to live, just not work at it too hard.
Cold and wind is forcast
so we moved the plants into the 5er basement.
The tomato is hanging from
a strap that holds up a sink drain pipe. This will not work later when
it gets bigger.
It could be up higher if
we don't hang it from the the bucket handle. Will have to think about a
better cold
weather hanging device.
Could get gusts of up to 50 mph. so have things tied down. Think of the
dust that will blow up.
Will not open any windows
in the 5er when the wind blows like that. Would have to clean for days.
Two guys living in a 5er,
cleaning tends to take a back seat at times. Our campsite was planned for
the fact
that we are protected from
dust storms. Dust is caused by people driving by and breaking up the natural
desert ground.
No traffic to the south
(a wash and dry grass) and right on the north the main BLM short black
top road.
You have to plan where you
do this boondocking thing esp. in the desert where IT DOES get windy from
time to time.
Don't yell, but we would
like to see a rain shower also from time to time. BUT watching
the national weather we are still
having it good like we say
compared to that thing we call UP NORTH.
Wednesday Novermber 29
We are having a desert blizzard...
wind gusts to 50 mph. Just like a blizzard. Blowing dirt. and cold, only
54 at noon.
OK ..OK nothing like where
your are at. But for southwest Arizona this is a winter storm.
The only good part is no
clouds and sunny so the solar is working great so I can be inside the 5er
and be on the internet.
Sort of like a snow day
back home where you curl up with a good book.
Just had a real big gust.
Hope it doesn't rip the solar panels and satellite dish off the on the
roof.
They act like sails in this
wind.. It is blowing from the back side of the panels, really catching
the wind.
This is a pic from last
year to give you an idea.
Will have to go for a ride
this afternoon when Terry gets back from the rock club and see how the
venders
are doing with their pole
and trap cities. This wind should be ripping them apart.
The venders are mostly closed.
No one out wondering around anyway buying anything.
All seem hunkered down out
of the wind. The General Store was selling hamburger
and chili fixens at a good
clip for people planing to make chili for supper tonight.
Terry wanted to fix pork
steak and salsa verde (which is a pork and green chili).
We settled on good old beef
stew. Cooked slow in a lidded cast iron deep fry pan (like a kitchen dutch
oven)
in the 5er gas oven. Will
be ready when he gets back from his wire wrapping night class at the rock
and gem club.
They learn how to make things
like this. Terry did this one.
Thursday Novermber 30
by
Ron
The
last day of the month. I love it! I know I have another pension check direct
deposited in my checking account.
We
stayed warm and the wind died down today, but still cool. Looking for better
weather in the next few days.
 Went
for flu shots at the QIA building in Quartzsite. Got there about 9:20
AM and got in line with about
15
people in front of us for a start of 10 AM. By 10 about a hundered or so
people were in line. The county health
service
got there and told the group they had enough vaccine for everyone so not
to get excited about being way
back
in the line. But of course a few will try to ruin it.A couple just inside
the door tried to butt in line right in fornt
of
us and I and others had to chaseise them for their poor social skills.
I had to get a little loud with them before
they
went to the back of the line. The county health service announced they
were trying to determine
(for
a study by the federal gov.) how fast they could deliver the shots. They
set up quick, and boy did the line move.
Our
thought was they wanted to see how many people they could vaccinate if
they had to do it for like a bird flu type event.
It
was a $10 donation and all were happy to get it.
After
that went to the library so Terry could get some rocky type books. Then
off to a vender that just opened,
for
green desert carpet for our site to put down so we don't have to walk on
the dirt. All the vender areas are carpeted
with
this, so it is a nicer environment for people to walk on. No one
wants to walk in desert fine dust.
We
have to yet nail it down so it doesn't blow away. So pics soon.
Friday December 1
Time
for a little tale of life in Q.
Reader's
Oasis Bookstore is an institution in Quartzsite.
 
Paul
Winer the owner came to Q in 1991 to get out of the harsh winters of Hew
Hampshire because his daughter Celia
needed
to the dryness for her health. He started a vender shop selling books and
T-shitts. He has survived several moves
and
the rained out and blown down stands over the years. In 1994 his daughter
Celia died and the town rallied behind the family.
Later
a botanical gardens was created in her memory in the town park. It is now
almost 20 acres and growing, and one of the
most
visited places in Quartzsite. In his last location he build up his selection
to over 80,000 titles.
Lee Goldberg and bookseller
Paul Winer (right) at Reader's Oasis July 2006
The
New just opened bookstore. 690 E. Main open 7 days 9 to 6
When
the New Horizon Community Bank cam to town, the loan officers took a look
at the businesses in the community and
decided
to offer loans to those they thought were good risks. They offered Paul
a loan to build a new bookstore.
From
an article in the winter visitor guide it sez. "He wanted to new store
to be just the same as the old one inside,
with
wider aisles and more space but not losing its unique look that our customers
liked." "Many were afraid that it would lose
its
offbeat charm but we assured them that it would not, just bigger with no
closures due to the weather. It's nice not to have
to
have to spend six hours covering up for rain and another six hours uncovering
again."
Saturday December 2
by
your roving reporter Terry
Did
not seem to accomplish much today, perhaps its a sign we are going native,
taking our inspiration from the pace
of
work at the various construction sites around town.
The
current leader in lack of progress would have to be Rice Ranch, as they
expand the area offered for vendors and
campers.When
we arrived in late October They had trenches open ready to install electrical
cable, water and sewer
pipe,
Currently they till have trenches open ready to install water and
sewer pipe. At this pace they might be ready
for
the 2008 Quartzsite Rv shows.or not depending on the work pace. It
is a constant source of amusement to watch
the
progress or more likely the lack of progress when we drive by on the way
to town.
We
have heard that there are a number of vendors who were displaced from the
North side of Kuhen Ave. when Rice
Ranch
sold that portion to one of the Big RV dealers, and they are growing impatient
as they wait for their promised
sites
to be prepared.We wish them good luck, they are going to need it if they
want to salvage any business for this
season.
We
have also been suprised by the slow pace that the vendors in the Main event
are arriving in town. Currently
there
are a couple ofvendors set up but not much in the way of new arrivals,
With the New month, I would hope that
they
will start to roll in. It was always fun to go shopping there.
My
big project for the day was to wash the solar panels, after a few
months the dust accumulates and a good
washing
is called for. It took all of ten minutes, and help keep me out of
trouble. We also had to get water and do
a
bit of house cleaning, the usual boring stuff that always seems to need
to be done.
Topped
the day off listening to NPR's "A Prairie Home Companion", which was being
broadcast live from Buffalo, NY.
We
were regaled with tales of the cities current and past weather conditions,
and wondered to ourselves what would
prompt
them to have the show in such a gawd awful place in the middle of the winter.
Think in terms of lots of snow and
ice,
things we seem to have developed a very distinct allergy to,
Else
where in the country, today was the opening day of Deer Season in Iowa,
and my nephew had to call with the
latest
body count. Their season runs through Wednesday, and I will probably get
a call each night. They promised to
ship
a bit of deer jerky when they make it in January.
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