Saturday
April 30
Is this normal
or what... Red Flag Warnings
As
you can see in the above map we are again today in a Fire Warning Alert.
Now to be sure we are not in Texas or New Mexico where they have have real
ongoing fires. Or in the southeast where they were blown away by F5 storms.
OMG. This is nothing compared... we have had no fires (Knock
on dry wood) but it seems every few days we have Red Flag high wind warnings.
That's when the humidity drops down to single digits with wind. Right now
we are at 7% humidity.
Now
the good part... people close by in our neighborhood are good at mowing
the high desert grass so we should not have to worry about fire affecting
our homes. That is not the case in other areas we have observed.
We did buy a mower after the first alert, and got the area around our buildings
knocked down to stubble so we should be safe. Also things are greening
up now that it is late spring. Even so we will take this over midwest weather
in the spring any day... where having to take cover every other day
due to severe storms is the norm. I have been through that and it effects
your psyche as you worry when the next weather alert alarm will go off.
And each time in an RV you run in the slides and head for cover. NO fun
at all. We do chain down the RV with hurricane anchors to the axles
while at our site at Terry's family. The RV body may blow away but the
axles should still be there.
Now
here at our winter home the big deal is the spring wind... our realtor
did say this was the windy season... Little did we know just what he ment.
Guess we have a bit to learn about weather patterns in this section of
the country. This is different than western AZ in the lower desert that
we spent winters boondocking in. High up (4200 ft.) sure we do have
wind free days, but a breeze most days. Me thinks that might be welcomed
when it gets warmer later in the season. We are at least 5 to 10 degrees
cooler than Tucson. We heard NPR reported Tucson has the third best air
quality in the whole country. Who would have thunk that... That makes us
feel good about slecting this as our winter home. Along with it not being
so hot like the rest of AZ in the summer.
Now
if John and Derek in Portland would send some of their rain our way...
I know, I know they say it will rain here in the summer. We may not be
here in the so called rainy season. So now would be nice...
Saturday
April 23
Life in the Arizona
southeast high country...
My
undies are now clean so time for thoughts more productive. The clothes
washer didn't even run today, but I found my new jeans (the ones that fit)
had not been washed so had to give some grief to my main maid, I mean former
pool boy, (hot tub not set up yet)... Ops... after this post
it may be my former best friend and partner Terry. After reflection
who needs jeans anyway... It's shorts here everyday anyway in this fantastic
Arizona weather. That must be the reason I didn't miss them.
Today
we did some house fixer uppers... I installed a new programmable
furnace/AC thermostat... Terry did a bit of grouting on our ceramic floors...
and got the garden hose out to water some of our Mesquite trees in the
yard. For the rose garden all we have to do is turn on the water to the
new irrigation tubes we installed. So slick.
This bush has bloomed big
time. Just one of several plants.
To think in the high county
of AZ we would have roses... it sort of blows me away.
All around it is dry and
baron but not in our little garden thanks to the prior owner who nurtured
his roses.
We will try to savor them
as he did. A trust to carry on his garden since he can't. He had to move
do to health issues.
While posting I'm using via
my Verizon Droid phone with an App tunein
blue toothed to my Aletc Lansing inMotion speakers listening
to Bob Door's every Saturday night show "Backtracks" on state and midwest
wide NPR KUNI in Iowa and streamed far and wide on Sat. nights with a huge
national following.
Terry is working next in
the kitchen getting stir fry ready for later. To say the least we
are doing fine in our new winter home.
Not that we have given up
on traveling in our 5er... Soon we will be on our way for summer travel.
Terry needs an eye procedure at the Wolfe Eye Clinic to cure his double
vision. I also have at times a light flashes in my peripheral vision
in my left eye. So me thinks the famous Wolfe Clinic will be seeing more
of us. (no pun intended) And we both have medical doctors who want
to probe to see if we are still fit or at least still kicking. I
need to address my cardiologist with more questions on my Afib heart situation.
I guess this is good as any
to explore our thoughts to explain why we, of all people, decided to set
up a winter home base. We are still domiciled in SD and someday plan to
make SD our home. Everyone needs to have a we can't do this anymore exit
plan. That's what they tell you when you go to one of those fancy RV rally
seminars isn't it. Not that we've been to one. For us just a winter
base is what we want at this point in our lives. I remember well after
the trauma of selling our last house (that took 8 months and that was in
2003 before the housing bubble crash) saying we would never want to have
one of those again. After all we have been promoting the fulltime RV lifestyle
for many a year now. So now we buy a property. What gives? Fulltimer
friends and future wannabes are wondering if we are turncoats, what's wrong
with those guys... they talked us into this... and now they are dropping
out.
We are not dropping out...
Just hedging our bets in this volatile housing market.. We felt now was
the time to secure a winter base at a below market price if we could find
it. And we did just that. So we went for for it.
Life is strange and us humans
are a fickle breed... Time passes and we evolve, what is great one day
is not the next. We were finding ourselves in a predictable pattern. As
time went on we had traveled to most of the territory we had wanted to
see. But as we spent more time stationary for months in the winter life
in 400 sq. ft was getting a little close. Now we have a winter base
to do more... and still be able to travel in the summer. What
works for us may not be right for you... so do follow your dreams...
and do your own thing.
Today getting back into the
lifestyle I added several new RV blog travel sites to the main site www.hitchitch.com
Check them out... So many
people sharing... their RV life... what the internet does best.
Thursday
April 21
My undies are
about to get clean again.
Since
my undies were getting to the critical point I again delved back into the
world of criagslist looking for washers and dryers. This time I looked
in the Tucson area and there were tons of them for sale but after checking
found many were by dealers who after talking to them found it might not
be wise to go any further than talking. Found another craigslist
section "I'll pick up your junk machines". Me thinks that's what I'd be
looking at... looks good, but junk.
Determined
a new unit with all the important bells and whistles can be had for a bout
$200 more than a who knows the condition of a used unit. Soooo. I
went to Lowe's, Home Depot, BestBuy, and Sears web sites looking... for
deals. Sure they had units but you may have to wait in some cases
up to two weeks for one. At last I found just what I was looking for at
the agency Hometown Sears Store in Green Valley and in stock. Just one
mind you. So I called them up just 15 min before they closed and they put
a hold on it for us till we could get over there today. We wanted
to go on an outing to that area anyway so off we went mid morning. They
had it... I bought it. and 15 minutes later we were off. They were friendly
and had it ready for loading on our truck.
Ta...
Da... Terry, I think likes his new Energy Star High Efficiency Kenmore
4.3 cu. ft. Model 21302 washer. $192 off on sale.
I
did
go for their $129 three year service deal. Ya never know about these
machines. They will come once a year and do routinue service for free.
If it breaks they replace it.
Now you don't want to know
the language we used on each other to get this sucker in the house and
out of the box... without a dolly.
Oh, not to worry while in
Green Valley we did stop at a Walmart Supercneter and at Fry's to stock
up on food etc. Stopped at Fry's since we couldn't find wheat bran at Walmart
(wanted bran muffins the other morning). Looking at Fly's flyer noticed
they had spiral hams on sale for $1.29. So got a nice ham for Easter. Why...
why not. The Fry's store I think might have been even bigger than
the Walmart Supercenter. HUGE. How they sell all that fresh food before
it goes bad is beyond me.
There are large tracts of
Pecan trees in the Green Vally area that we drove through.
They are leafing out and
being watered big time. And they say they are good for you.
See the Health
Benefits of Pecans Unless you are having a sugar
filled Pecan Pie that is. On that vein of thought... we did get some...
No Sugar added... Fat Free.. Caramel Toffee Crunch Ice Cream at Walmart.
Not sure you can still call it Ice Cream but the package sez it is. Once
in awhile us diabetics need a treat. Wanted plain Vanilla in No Sugar and
Fat Free but they didn't have it, so had to settle for the Taffee Crunch....
feel sorry for us ... Please.
After seeing the Green Valley
area south of Tucson we decided we still liked the small town atmosphere
of the Benson area. Just original country bumpkins from farms and
small towns in Iowa after all. Of course the midwest can keep the constant
spring storms. We have grown accustomed to the perfect weather that
lasts for weeks on end here in Arizona. Watching the national weather
radar on the internet we say Opps... they're getting it again. So
glad we are NOT there. Seems like the stoms are getting worse each
year. The last couple weeks OMG.
Sure we are going back to
visit and do doctor appointments. Hope the worst of it will be over by
then.
Will have to find our trusty
Radio Shack NWS weather alert radio. To Be Sure...
BTW... We are so Happy for
our friends Jim, Chris and that perfect Poodle Odie at Geeks
on Tour who are moving up to a Gulfstream Endura 'Super C' Diesel.
Monday
April 18
More mulch, Tombstone,
Terry's shop and DirecTV... what you want more.
Any
excuse will do anymore me thinks. Off we went to Sierra Vista again...
That was on Saturday I think. We needed more mulch before they sold out.
Any excuse will do... Terry had a couple of items to return to Lowe's also.
Lowe's still had just a few bags of mulch so we lucked out.
We
also wanted to stop at KG's Appliance. Still looking for a used washer
and dryer. Let me tell you my new supply of undies is getting low. Well
they had nothing. The ad we liked on craigslist still has a bad phone
number on it. He placed another add for other stuff and this time had an
email and phone number so I sent off a note to please call us as his number
was no good. No reply. Guess he doesn't want to sell stuff. He has
several ads for washers etc. and no way to contact him.
Anyway
after Sierra Vista we took the long way home via Tombstone... Just to drive
the roads.
Main street Tombstone. I
gave Terry the quick drive through and he sez he wants to go back in the
fall when we return. We spent a day here several years ago
and to me once you see a tourist trap you have seen them all, but of course
Terry wants more... We shall see. At leat they have benches to sit on why
he tours the shops. People watching is fun.
Just before teh turn to our
road... Double X Ranch Road we saw this sign this weekend. Terry got excited...
Rocky
Mountain ELK Foundation. We wondered what that was all about.
Told him to Google and find out. Now that I'm typing this he is doing that
search. (He sez it was a one day fundraiser field day.) We
are really in a great neighborhood for this to be happening right off our
private maintained rural road. There is so much to explore in the southeast
of Arizona. Did I mention real trout fishing just northeast of us in a
lake in Roper
State Park near Safford, AZ
Back at the acreage so to
speak... A look at Terry's shop.
Notice the outlets along
the wall... I lost count. Both 120V and 220V for all his shop stuff
he will be bringing down from Iowa this fall. Now working on the other
side of the building and new lights overhead. You don't want to know how
much electrical stuff costs. Glad I got me 55" LED HD TV when I did.
BTY it looks clean... as I made him clean up his mess a bit late today.
We have as a team (and if
you know us, know not a workable thing) to get our new house mounted DirecTV
dish aligned and set up. Now we have done this for years on the road using
a tripod while Terry moves it and I watch the setup screen. But for the
life of us we can't get this sucker to find the satellites. It is
a new dish we got from a dealer on craigslist. I have talked to him and
told him we have given up and he will come out from Tucson and bring another
one or make this one work. Not to worry we are still using the LNB BOW
on our DataStorm internet dish on top of the RV for DirecTV.
I know a big deal is to make
sure it is level. If this guy makes it tune right in Terry gets to
eat crow, but if it's defective and he has to replace the LNB Terry will
be a happy camper as he has spent way too much time moving it from side
to side and up and down. And yes we do yell at each other over the two
way radios. Or should I say scream. Has not been a pretty sight.
Mind you that's small
potatoes as we know we don't work together well on projects, each one wants
to run the show... I'm a proud LEO after all. But we are more than
that.... so much more. And so very happy with our new seasonal winter
home.
Saturday
April 16
Getting hands
dirty in the rose garden.
If
you are into working at all in a garden you know this is work. But fun
at the same time as you can see results in a short timespan. Sure it takes
time for plants to grow but in our case the rose bushes were already mature.
We just needed to showcase them a bit.
Also found was a underground
irrigation system. Revamped that and added new low flow 1/4" shoots to
each bush covered by mulch. We found leftover blocks form the house foundation
and used those to make the border. Now need to go back and do the final
alignment of the new border and glue them all together with builders construction
adhesive.
I know Terry is in the pictures
but I did some of the work as it was my desire to do the project. And since
I don't do pictures, Terry gets all the photo credits.
Tuesday
April 12
Tioga George and
team came to visit.
George
was big fan of www.hitchitch.com right from the start so it was a natural
that we would become friends.
His
blog was our lead listing for a long time and his following grew and grew.
He has a following of thousands at http://vagabonders-supreme.net
but I'm not telling you anything you don't already know.
Our first year in Quartzsite
George and team came to town and we had our first face to face.
March 9 2005
I looked back on old blogs to find the above picture. A treasure.
Reading his blog now in real
time (2011) we knew he was heading back to the states from Mexico so just
had to invite him to visit us at our new winter home. And guess what he
turned around in Casa Grande AZ and headed back east to find us in the
outback in the hills around Benson, AZ.
It's well known Tioga George
and team Travel for Adventure... Not sure we are a destination for
adventure but after Ms Tioga had to bounce down a couple of miles of washboard
dirt back roads to find us... me thinks the team now thought so.
George called for directions while on route and said "This is Exciting".
So George... excited about life! It's why we love him so. I
hope he had his dishes put away... bouncing on his way to find us.
We had a great visit to say
the least. Caught up on each others travels and lives. Each having blogs
makes for already knowing much about what we've been up to, so getting
together is like we are just meeting as if we just saw each other yesterday.
So at these times together it's more about revisiting feelings and thoughts
that are not included in a blog. The personal touch. Good food and friendship.
The human aspect that can't be shared electronically. Real social networking.
Face to face.
As part of the day George
and I helped Terry do his thing putting railings on the back steps that
the insurance company insisted needed to be installed. It's all about liability.
Late this morning George
and team headed out again for adventure. He is still on a quest to see
new territory beyond the curve in the road ahead... While we are finding
a winter home base more of what we are now into. We had discussions on
how both our lifestyles are changing. To be sure... We treasured
our time we had with George and knowing we will be following along in the
passenger seat of his life's adventures. Come back soon...
Tioga George. There will always be a place right here for you....
I did get started in my quest
to save and enhance the rose garden. I found the irrigation system
(see the bigger black hose I dug out of the ground) (It does run under
the cement walk. The wires on the walk are coax to the trailer and a garden
hose) and will need to do repairs on it. New watering spurs will be needed.
Oh My... not another run to Home Depot... Thinking ACE hardware can handle
the small stuff. But that's the fun part of doing a project don't
ya know. This area will blossom with ground cover and mulch and a functional
watering system. Just wait and see. Now to get a wheel barrow. Ya can't
do this in a campground. Loving it...
It's been a big couple of
days and of course Terry is still bending conduit and placing electrical
boxes in HIS shop big time.
Yes we are having fun...
yet still.... Tonight... missing Tioga George and his energy for
life. Hoping we absorbed some of it.
Friday
April 8
DirecTV, Insurance
Issues and our first rose.
It's
been windy and a couple of times and as a precaution I took down the DataStorm
dish which has our DirecTV BOW on it also. So what I needed was a
seperate DirecTV dish to mount on the house. So off I went to craigslist.
I found several and called one who said he had a new SL-5 dish and
mounting hardware for $60. Now that's a good price, but he was in Tucson.
I told him I was in Benson 40 miles east of him. Mind you this was about
6 PM and he said he was coming to Benson later that night and he would
drop it off. That synched the deal. So we met him at the I-10 exit at the
gas station and made the deal. Now just have to get it mounted. There is
an old Dish TV mount on the roof so it should be an easy install.
On
Thursday I got a call from our insurance agent for the house. The underwriter
had taken pictures of the property and he was calling to say they found
a problem. As you can see on the back side is an entrance to the
utility room. Notice no guard rail.
How did this ever pass inspection.
We noticed this right away when looking at the house but decided we would
add a large deck later on to back up to it and it would not be a problem.
Well they caught it. I told him we would get a railing up by early
next week. That would make the underwriters happy. I will email the
pictures to them to prove we have corrected the code problem. So guess
what... off to Sierra Vista again to round up railings. Both Lowe's
and Home Depot did not have the correct size in stock (we called) but an
old Southerlands store did...
We are still looking for
a door sweep (the rubber gasket the goes under the bottom of our front
door). We can't find one in the right configuration to fit our door. We
asked one guy in Southerlands where the millwork area was... he
gave us a blank look. Terrry said doors and wiondows... and
he said... OH that's me. We knew we were in trouble right there.
We may have to go online to order it.
While in the big city we
just had to stop at Walmart for another big cart of stuff. Who would know.
While at Walmart I bought a couple of packages of undies just in case,
some more shirts, and new walking shorts, as we still need to find a clothes
washer. That's going to be another graigslist deal as who needs a brand
new washer. Those things last forever... and a good used one will be just
fine. After all we are not above buying used. Not an appliance
you look forward to buying. Had checked on craigslist last week.
There are goods ones out there and people even offering to deliver, not
that we need that, but we are just not in the mind set just yet to do that.
Maybe next week. Two guys and washing clothes... not the first thing on
our minds...
On the way home I stated
I wanted to lay low and not go anywhere all weekend. I got agreement
from Terry. BTW they are closing I-10 at our exit both ways for bridge
replacement tonight Friday) from 9 PM to 7 AM so we are sort of
home bound anyway. No side roads to Benson only the interstate for
our access. Even the AZ DOT is trying to keep us from spending, me thinks.
The weather calls for much
colder for Saturday Hi 59 Lo 31 could see a snow shower or
two. But right back to great weather on Monday at 75 - 80.
Our first rose... My
nose, knows, this smell has been missing from my memery bank of smells.
Or some such thing.
Need to get the bags
of mulch we bought put down next week. I'm itchin to get my hands dirty.
Wednesday
April 6
Off to Sierra
Vista for more stuff... will it ever end.
With
another Red Flag Warning, (possible wind wiped fire conditions) it was
time to take action.
We
are in drought conditions according to the U.S.
Drought Monitor
We
are in southeast AZ.
I could
spend the rest of my life clearing the dry grown up buffalo grass from
this property by just using the our new weed wacker. So what's the
dreaded item that fulltimers left home and hit the road to get away from...
Yes indeedeee that's a lawn mover.
So
what did we do, we went back to Home Depot and got a new one.
One
with big 11" back wheels as this ground is not a lawn mind you, but high
desert.
I intend to only have to
use this once or twice a year. Famous last words...
I'm only going to clear
the front area around the house. Not any of the other 3 acres behind us.
Our neighbors have clean
grounds so we need to be good stewards also. You can see below what we
need to cut back. It's clean close to the house but this makes me nervous.
Picture taken from the gravel street which is wide and clear for a nice
buffer. But one spark and this would be a non controlled burn. This should
all turn green while we are away traveling this summer... That is after
it is all mowed down to stubble... As In Right Now. Will have time
the weather is to cool down for the weekend with possible rain.
Oh and wouldn't you know
while in Home Depot Terry informed me he needed to pick up a few more electrical
items he needs for the shop. Another couple hundred dollars but who's counting.
He's putting outlets about 5 feet apart around much of the building.
He sez if you're going to do it, do it right. Drop cords indeed.
Oh almost forgot as we were
walking through the garden dept. I spied bark mulch on sale. Didn't know
they even used it down here. Seems all is decorative rock. So instead
of gravel in the rose bush area it's now going to be mulched. 10 bags later
we were off for home. Love that word... home... as in winter
home. Told the mulch is treated and would not attract termites so
should be OK until they come knocking on our sliding patio door.
Another one of those, we shall see. They even have pop-up alerts... that
you stick in the ground and will alert you if they show up. (What
your Turkey is now cooked, if that happens, me thinks!) Much more
than I wanted to know right now.
So onward we go... and loving
it... to be sure!!!
Tuesday
April 5
Ready to do some
landscaping.
We
are settling in. Now in the tradition of RVDreams who reveal the costs
of everything... We can have fine dining in the great room (you did see
our Mission style dining set we got for only $400 via craigslist) and relax
while watching HD TV (now that was big bucks.. got $500 off but still $2K)
in our home theater (Sony surround sound $250) while sinking into our leather
funiture ($2K) at bargain prices. We have come a long way on the
inside stuff SO on Sunday or was it Monday, we headed back to Sierra Vista
to Lowe's so Terry could get supplies to fix up HIS gar/shop. He wheeled
up to the checkout over $550 of conduit, electric plug-ins, wire romax,
etc. All this to keep within the electric code. I said can't you
just run some drop cords. I got a look on that.. But a smile on his
face returned that siad he was a happy camper... even without a campfire,
and now off the road while he gets his shop in order so we can leave in
a couple of months to get things done back in Iowa. AND haul all his shop
stuff back down here. Now that will bring an even bigger smile to
his face. Nothing gives me more joy than to see him happy, as he
is the rock that does all the heavy lifting for us.
He
wanted to buy the shop elec stuff from his funds and I said no way as I
whipped out the trusty debit card. I did get a change to sneak a
peak at the ballance and it was still very good. Me thinks under budget
for what I thought we would be spending. After all we got this place at
a low ball price. So we can spend more on fixing it up so to speak. I've
got a pool, if you remember, lurking in my dreams don't ya know.
I think it is the first time in both our lives that we have just gone and
bought whatever we needed without worring about the cost. Because we can...
It's
ingrained in both of us growing up on farms in the mid-west that homesteads
were to be maintained in a clean and neat appearance. So I'm on an
early kick to clean this place up a bit. It is overgrown and just a day
or so ago we had a Red Flag Warning... meaning... possible wind wiped
fire conditions... Nothing became of it... This alert reminds me
of the tornado alerts in IA. I so hated sever weather alerts back there,
hiding underground in the basement due to mother nature.
We
need to get the dry grass knocked down before we leave for the summer.
We did a bit of weed whacking and it was a start as I can see, but you
may not notice, in the below picture. Weedwacking is hard work. Lower back...
you get the picture. A little wacking goes a long way.. A little each day,
me thinks is the ticket. We did get some solor lights put up on the front
to light up the house number on the sign on the other side of the fence.
And one shooting down the short drive, looking this way. We found
a great deal on six lights for $12.50 at ACE so those will go alone the
drive.
Now
as Tery works in the garage I want to work on the grounds. I have
big plans... Ya I know we will see what becomes of this... So will I.
We did find a landscaping company in Benson. Texas Canyon Rock and Sand
that the local lumber told us about. (A side note Terry feel in love with
the local lumber yard... Right out of small town USA. Floors creeked and
things hanging everywhere. Ya Just got to love it. And friendy...
Yes indeed. I think we are already on first name bases with the staff.
Everywhere we go we find just what we are looking for, like we remembered
from our youth. We are way out past the suburbs where people visit the
big city only when they need to. Buy local, is not a slogan, but a way
of life. Now don't tell anyone but Benson, AZ is a hidden gem...
NOW for landscaping...
I want to fill in the area
between the house and garage with 1/2 " Cor. Lite rock. At $20 a ton delivered.
A load is 12 tons. Moving the left over bricks from the house foundation
over to make a small surround wall in the rose plantings... below.
And the rose bush area that
came with the house needs to be restored as it is was a treasure to the
last owner (who had to move do to health issues) and will be so again if
I have anything to say about it. Terry originally said just let them die,
his mother would not be happy with those thoughts I reminded him, so we
are watering them and got rose fertilizer for them.
Now check them out... This
is the high desert and the rose bushes are looking good...
I want to surround the bushes
with the left over wall bricks.
Terry sez I should not use
mulch in the bed, do to termites, but use rock instead. I have noticed
I don't see pine bark mulch in the stores like up north. Or am I missing
smoothing. May have to relearn a few things being this far south and at
4200 ft.
Anyway these rose bushes
do need to be saved. Told need to water now and they will be fine
while we are gone in the rainy season in summer.
There are buds all over the
rose bushes. This one white, others red to be sure.
BTW we are loving our little
acreage in the great southwest....
Saturday April 2
At last... something
to eat off.
Craigslist came through big
time for another bargain which we drove to Tucson to find.. Not only a
bargain but fine furniture to boot. We feel we were so lucky to find
this Mission style dining room set by Basset. They even had a Mission end
table they sold us.
On the way we stopped at
Costco for a few things... $110... later we learned a lession to remember...
never go to Costco on the weekend. Packed but they had great crowd control,
and we did get out quickly.
Ok
here we go again pictures...
We had to fit all this into
our long box truck without any scratches (table, six chairs, hutch, end
table) and bring it back on I-10 to Benson. In Tucson it was hot at 95
so a many drops of sweat were produced and none of them were allowed to
find their way to the table finish, mind you. Now for setting it all back
up.
All we can now do is step
back and admire our furniture finds.
We hope you will agree,
without an interior designer we've done OK so far.
I did get a shot of Terry
admiring his favorite furniture style. Mission. The table has an 18" mid
leaf so it can expand for feasts with six chairs and a side board as
they call it against the back wall.
He has plans to make Mission
style table lamps like in the picture below.
That is after he gets all
his shop equipment down here.
Right now we are feeling
pretty uptown in our new home. Wondering how we are so worthy to be here
in what we feel is upscale living conditions for us. A long way from backgrounds
as kids of poor Iowa dirt farmers.
That background taught us
we had to work hard to advance in what they call the American dream.
Feeling humble and proud
of our current situation tonight.
Now to see what Sunday brings...
each day is a new adventure, just like our old RV saying...
The restless urge to see
new territory beyond the curve in the road ahead.
Friday
April 1
At last... something
to sit on.
Friday
Home Depot delivered our new range about 8 PM and now on Friday Sam Levitz
out of Tucson delivered our leather living room set. Like the title
sez we now can sit down in comfort in our own home. The camping chairs
and hammock have been relocated to a back bedroom for future campouts like
they were deigned for. Our living room has been transformed.
Now
for some pictures...
He would rather have had
a gas stove but this should do just fine. I think he looks he does
look a bit happy though...
We in true fashion bought
canola oil in bulk at Costco so he got a bottle to dispense it with. Oh
and Ya he does have some olive oil when needed. He likes to think he can
cook, and he can, but it is a leaning curve, with this new stove. I may
lose weight after all.
Now for the real deal. Even
the backs are all leather. So soft you just sink into it. Part of the deal
was a leather conditioning kit and 5 year leather warrenty.
Still needs to be arranged
a bit and of course needs end tables. Terry sez he wants build mission
style tables as soon as he gets his shop equipment moved down here. I told
him build away, but in the mean time I'm looking for end tables and if
he gets some built I will move mine to to other rooms. We shall see. Got
to keep him busy or else he will be out chasing range cattle.
That's why we all have fences
and gates to our properties.
In the mean time I found
a Mission style dining room set on criagslist and emailed them. They called
and we are again off to Tucson on Saturday morning to look. No rest I guess.
This is fun... who would ever think we would be in a position to be doing
all this. Life has it turns and we are on a roll right now to be sure.
Oh here is a picture from
craigslist...
They tell us it will all
fit in a long box truck if we bring lots of pads. Wonder if I also
could fit in a couple of end tables?
Not to stop... craigslist
has a fine selection washers and dryers... I'm not about to have to turn
my undies inside out for extended wear, anytime soon. BTW got to sleep
in a new bed in the house for the first time last night. SWEET.
If you are just getting here
hit the back button below for the rest of the story of us buying
a winter home after fulltiming for 7 years.
See
where we are at right now. DataStormUsers
map ID 98
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