Some Days Are Very Long

The voices in my head may not be real, but they have some good ideas!

Saturday turned out as planned.  My alarm clock started ringing around 3:00 PST (Pacific Standard Time).  I have to start on PST because the rest of the day was going to be on that time … well, most of the day was going to be.  When I arrived in Dallas from Phoenix I had to be on the local time in Dallas or I would have missed my flight.

The flights were uneventful.  You know how I love uneventful flights.  Anything other than that would have caused my blood pressure to rise and more stress than I would really want to deal with.

Love the gadget charger in the Phoenix Airport

I love being upgraded to first.  I wish that happened on every flight I take but it doesn’t.  This time the shortest flight was first and the longest flight was coach but at least I had good leg room in the bulkhead.  Some of those airplanes have seats so close your knees are in your chest and your neighbor’s body is sitting on yours.  So, things were good. 

At least in first I had a fresh fruit plate for breakfast and a good distance from the person sitting in the same row.  Some folks ride up there and start drinking as soon as the first one is offered.  They drink all the way to their destination.  Why?  Because they can and because it’s free.  It doesn’t matter the time of day.  At this time of the morning a couple cups of coffee was just what I wanted.  It was free too.

As the plane descended through the clouds into Portland, the lady sitting next to me acted a little surprised to see the clouds and rain.  Huh?  It’s the Pacific Northwest and it’s February.  It was sunny when we left Dallas but after all, what did she expect.

Terminal A at DFW has even added a Popeyes!

Tammi was at the airport in Portland right on time to shuffle me where I needed to go.  I spent most of the afternoon visiting with my aunt Jenny.  It was a one-sided visit but I’m thinking she knew I was there. That’s where I’m heading back today.

It was a long day.  It’s especially long when you fly from Phoenix to Dallas to Portland.  I’m thinking I’m going to change my mind on the return and go straight from Portland back to Phoenix.  That’s what I’m thinking at least.

‘Tis life on the road.

A Little Nesting …Then, Off to Portland

Lots of your friends want to ride with you in the limo but what you want is someone who will take the bus with you when the limo breaks down. 

Anytime we get into a place and stay for a period of time I feel like we’re nesting.  Birds nest and I guess people can nest too.  At times it’s fun to move around every few days but if you’ve been doing a lot of it, it definitely gets old.  Nesting at times feels good.  That’s when you get an opportunity to take care of business --- whatever business may need to be taken care of at the time.  Well, I feel like we’ve been taking care of business and nesting.   We really haven’t been here long at all but nesting is the best word I could think of to describe how it felt. Some folks refer to it as being a snowbird.  Nope … we're definitely nesting.

We’ve only been tethered here about ten days.  The first  seven of those days we were running ragged.  We had visiting to catch up on, places to go and lots of things to do.  Most of that is behind us and we settled into a whole new routine.  It felt good.  We have a great site right in the center of things.  We have fantastic neighbors and the weather finally seems to be cooperating.  There was even a little time to play around with hobbies, read interesting books and, of course, write a blog.  What more could we ask for?  

However ….. remember a recent blog title … Busy is as busy does?  The little relaxing time we did have is over.  It’s time to get busy again.  Terry arrived back from Portland this morning. Now that he's back we're getting ready to head out to Apache Junction to check on the new JAG (aka Wrangler).  It's supposed to be finished today so we need to roll out that wad of cash and pay for the base plate, brake system, light setup and a few other odd jobs we asked to have completed.    I like getting new and different things.  I just don’t like paying for them. 

Even though we still have plenty things needing to be finished around here, we're ready for a new adventure.  The hitch is itching again but we know we can't do anything about it for about another week.  Our route north has already been charted.  However, we’ve been to many of the places on that chart.    Have you been there, done that too?  There is a good side to changing destinations all the time.  It gives us something to do and definitely keeps our aging minds active.  Thus, change is in the air …. except the part where we’re meeting up with Mike and Deb in Petaluma.

Migration will soon start in a northwesterly direction

We normally target Palm Springs either coming or going and it's one of the few places where we need to make reservations.  The reservations are in place but will we go there?   We don't know but we are certainly pros at cancelling reservations when we want to.

 

 
We may not be ready to pack up the motorhome and start heading north right now.  It's just too early in the year for that. I do know that if you want to go north this time of year, it's best to fly. You can fly right over all that cold weather and snow.  That's just what I'm going to be doing early tomorrow morning.  I don't want to but feel I need to. My 93-year old aunt is deteriorating.  I'm not sure if she'll even know I'm there but I'll know. I'm not sure if I'm doing it more for her or more for me.  Maybe it’s just a selfish act but I just feel I need to say "goodbye" ..... especially when her own sons aren't going.

‘Tis life on the road.

My Valentine Baby and Cancer Free

“Anyone can catch your eye, but it takes someone special to catch your heart."

Today is Valentine’s Day.  It’s also Sandi’s 16th birthday.  She’s our Valentine Baby for sure.  Normally her mom takes the day off with her and they do something special together.  This year Tammi is on a business trip and isn’t able to do that.  However ….. that’s where Papa comes in.  He just happened to plan his doctor appointment at birthday time.  What does Sandi want to do?  She wants him to take her to a shooting range !!  What?   Last year she and her mom played Laser Tag.  She’s already got one of her birthday gifts ….. a scuba diving certification course! 

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, SANDI!

After the last few years with Terry and doctor appointments, we’ve not always had good news. Wednesday was another one of those appointments that I waited for the news … good news, I hoped.   All the blood tests had been done on Tuesday but the appointment with the doctor was the one I held my breathe for.   The last couple years he’s had good reports but the years before that the doctor appointments hadn’t always brought good news.   

I waited for the results.  Time sure goes slow when you’re waiting for news..  Finally the call came and the news was good.  Terry is still cancer free --- three years later.

Michael has been shuffling him around in Washington. At least he had a driver and someone with him. Now I’m not really sure between the two of them which one was the responsible adult … and which one wasn’t. Just because one is the grandpa and one the grandson, doesn’t really mean a thing with those two. They can both get into trouble ….. :~)

Michael is chauffeuring  Papa around.  Times change things and grandsons grow up.

On Tuesday I made a trip to the post office and mailed our packet of title documents and check for our license plates for the newly acquired JAG.  In Arizona the license plates belong to the owner of the car.  Thus, they are removed when the vehicle is sold  That, of course, meant we had no license plates.  We were hoping for a fast turn-around and that’s just exactly what we will get. The plates were put in an express mail envelope on Wednesday for delivery on Thursday!   How’s that for fast service?    

Happy Valentine's Day 

Happy Birthday, Sandi

‘Tis life on the road.

New Restaurants – Good and Bad

"What we love to do we find time to do."

                                                 

I try to do these blogs every couple days.  It’s the only way I can remember what has happened and keep up.  Where did the time go?  When we were working the weeks seemed so long and the weekends so short.  Now every day seems to pass way too fast.  Before we know it summer will be here.

Tempe Marketplace

First of all and most important, we had business to take care of with the new JAG.  It’s in the shop.  Since we no longer have a trailer to tow, we’re getting it all set up for towing behind the motorhome.  Boy!  That’s expensive!!  Secondly, we had to do all the paper work and get the title information in the mail in order to drive it legally with license plates.  Hopefully, we’ll get those back sooner than later. When we get them back … we’re on the road again.

Lucille's Smokehouse BBQ

My lunch "special" -  1/4 chicken (really?)  $13.99 !

On the way back from dropping the JAG off in Apache Junction, we stopped at Lucille’s Smokehouse BBQ in Tempe. Now we love good barbecue and this is one place we hadn’t tried.  My suggestion is if you’re in town and want barbecue go to Famous Dave’s or Joe’s BBQ.  They are both much better and less expensive too. Service at Lucille’s was slow and almost non-existent.  My chicken and ribs were both undercooked.  Terry loves brisket but not here.  He didn’t eat his meal either.   Ugh.

Tuesday morning Terry had an early flight to catch from the Phoenix airport.  Before we could leave we had to scrape ice off the windshield!  Now actually having to scrape ice means that it was really cold!  Thank goodness it was a one-time thing.  We don’t like ice or snow or anything like that.

Later that day cousin Shelley and I decided to try a new place for a late lunch.  Off we went to the Tempe Marketplace and the Thirsty Lion Pub and Grill.  My review …. we both LOVED it!

 

What do I do by myself when Terry is gone other than eat?  Well, I do anything I want.  I read, sew, walk Duchess, work on genealogy, visit and even shop.  One place I shopped was Barnes & Noble.  I’m not sure anyone would be interested in the type of books I’m reading right now but since others post their book titles, I can do mine too.  It may not be Killing Lincoln but it’s interesting to me.

My recent books!

This is Tempe Marketplaces’ campfire.  It’s right outside Barnes & Noble. Just like at Quartzsite you can gather your friends and enjoy a campfire here without bringing  wood.  They’ll light it for you and make sure it’s out when you leave.

’Tis life on the road.

Genealogy Fair, JAG, Deployment

"If you rest, you rust."

The Southeast Regional Library held a Genealogy Fair on Saturday.  Different classes were scheduled all day long.  I guess it’s kind of like going to an RV rally.  You pick the classes you want to attend, sign up and then attend.  Well, that’s what we did.  I did say WE because I drug Terry along with me.  The good thing was I only signed up for one class so he was okay with going too.  The class was on DNA.  Over the last few weeks I had been reading an awful lot about DNA and how it applies to genealogy.  I was excited about a class where I could learn so much more ….. or so I thought.  We all know a class is only as good as the instructor.  Well, this instructor stumbled a lot and read from whatever notes she had.  Her presentation picked up when she started telling her own family story.     I was hoping to learn more about DNA, chromosomes and genome results.   I walked away very disappointed.

I made Terry sit right in the front row as I wanted to listen to every single word.  I had grabbed a pad of paper and a pen from the RV before we left.  I thought I'd have lots of notes I might want to take.  When I got the pen out of my purse, I took a good long look at it.  Where in the world did I get this?  It certainly wasn’t from the place advertised on it …. Glen Eden Nudist Resort.  Honest … I don’t even know where that’s at … HONEST!  I know I’m a pen klepto but now am wondering who I picked it up from.  In the future I better be a little more careful who I swipe a pen from.  After all, I don’t want to give my grandkids the wrong idea.  

We didn’t get much of importance done that day.  Laundry was on our schedule but it didn’t get done until Sunday.  It felt good just to hang out and not do too much.  I think Duchess even enjoyed having us around.

There were a few things we did accomplish though.   One was that the JAG finally got put where it belonged …. on the hood of the Jeep Wrangler!

We also stopped by the airport and picked up a ticket for Terry’s upcoming flight to Portland.  We could have waited until Tuesday but getting tickets can be a hassle if the lines are long and especially since we needed to go to two different terminals.   If we’re flying on American Airlines there is no hassle.  We don’t need a ticket but if we’re flying on another airline we have to stop at AA’s ticket counter and get a ticket to present to the airline we’re flying on.  One of these days we may be able to do this online but for now we have to do it the old fashioned way.  Since American Airlines is in terminal 3 and Southwest is in terminal 4, we got the ticket from American on Sunday.  On Tuesday he can get the ticket from Southwest.  Glad that’s now taken care of.

One more thing happened Sunday evening.  It was actually the most important thing of the day.  We got a late call from Justin.  His ship is being deployed.  We knew he would be going but didn’t know the exact time.   He’ll be gone for about 8 – 9 months.  Tears came to my eyes.  He had just returned to his ship as a certified Navy Search and Rescue Swimmer.  I told him not to jump in that water to save anyone without a life jacket and if the Admiral got mad to tell him his grandma told him not to.  I don’t know that he’ll listen but I did my part.  We’ll miss talking to him for the next few months. We’re mighty proud of that boy!  

That was actually the second time in the day that tears showed up.  The first was earlier in the day when we got the news that my aunt may not last out the week.  She's 93 years old.  Most of us won't make it that long but it's still sad when the time is close.  I did get to talk to her on the phone.  That was a good thing.

Monday is here and we’ll be busy today but I certainly didn’t like walking Duchess this morning … in the rain!  What’s with this?  I thought we were in Arizona where it rarely rains.

‘Tis life on the road.

Apacheland, Goldfield’s and the Swap Meet

"Possessions dwindle; I mourn their loss. But I mourn the loss of time much more, for anyone can save his purse, but none can win back lost time."

Apacheland

When you have a lot on your plate you have to prioritize your activities.  That’s just what’s been going on with us this last week.  We’ve definitely had to figure out what things had priority and what things didn’t so much.  We’ve even had to prioritize our visiting schedule.  I thought we were busy in Quartzsite.  This week has made me realize just how relaxing Quartzsite was!

Friday morning we finally got to visit with Terry’s aunt and uncle at his mom’s place.  They live in Hannibal, MO (yes, John, another Hannibal relative) but recently purchased a mobile home in Apache Junction.  They used to be full-timers but settled back into a house about five years ago.  I think they finally got tired of all that snow and decided they really needed a place in Arizona so they could join the snowbird crowd there.  We sat around and chatted but they were really getting ready to head to one of the local casinos.  We didn’t want to get in their way.  Terry’s mom had a ride so we didn’t have to go and donate again to the slot machines.  Terry calls the money we put into those slot machines a “stupid tax”.  It’s stupid because we do it by choice and we know we aren’t going to win.  Well, we can hope.  Can’t we?

Friday afternoon we picked up Roger and Lynn for a half day outing.  We had spent time with both of them in Quartzsite and were looking forward to getting together again.  Our first stop was Joe’s Real BBQ in Gilbert.  We love Joe’s BBQ.  Besides, it was lunch time and we needed something to eat.

They had been in the Phoenix area a couple of weeks but had mainly been visiting with friends and relatives too.  They are getting ready to leave the area now as they will be heading south so we gave them quick tour  of a few touristy places they had missed.  First of all we stopped at Apacheland.  Lots of old western movies were made there. If interested, you can read about it here. 

Next we were off to Goldfield’s Ghost Town.  It’s not really a ghost town because people are there.  That is, of course, my opinion but maybe the ghosts come out at night.  Since we’ve never been there at night and don’t intend to go then, I don’t really have a clue.  You can certainly check it out yourself though.

Our last stop of the day was the Mesa Swap Meet.  We weren’t there long.  It was a quick stop while we walked through a couple of the aisles.  We mainly just wanted to show them where other snowbirds spend the weekend.

 The Saloon at Goldfield’s is always interesting.  The boots and hats are hung on the ceiling.

That’s it.  We were soon on our way back to Duchess.  She’s always waiting for us.  Our laundry is piling up and in addition to the Genealogy Fair, that too is on our schedule for Saturday.

No, this rattlesnake wasn’t on the trail.  It was locked up secure behind glass.  This is what they warn you to watch out for when walking on those trails though. 

‘Tis life on the road.

Elks, More DNA, Jeep Wrangler

"Life is what we make it, always has been, always will be."

 

Wednesday was another very busy day in our world.  My brother and his wife showed up at our door around 10:00.    They are Elk members and were very interested in checking out the RV sites at this Elks lodge.   It’s hard to look at one and think they are all the same.  They definitely aren’t.  Some just have facilities for RVs to dry camp .  Others are close to resort level with full hookups, swimming pools, bowling alleys and a restaurant.  One thing I do know is that joining the Elks was one of the smartest things we ever did.  Besides that the Elks is a great organization as they do many activities for their local community.  After checking it out we were off to the local Cracker Barrel.

My first DNA kit was from 23andme.com and I wanted to compare so I ordered another DNA kit but from Ancestry.com.  However, I didn’t donate the saliva to the little tube.  I had my brother do it.  The DNA results from a male donor gives more detailed results on the paternal branch.    I think 23andme is probably much more detailed.  In addition to ancestry composition, the results received also break down other inherited traits and genes that may contribute to good or bad health.  The Ancestry site on the other hand has a huge genealogical database and the results only reflect your DNA related to genealogy.   It will be interesting to compare these sites for future kits I may decide to order.

I had to take a picture of the applique on this cute bib at Cracker Barrel.  Not that I would make a bib but might want to use the idea for something else.

Duchess was thrilled that we did find time in the day to shop for her treats at the local Winco.  Her treat dish had gotten mighty low.  I think she thought we were punishing her.  The new Winco is located in Mesa … many miles away.  We also drug my brother to the Winco with us.  They had never visited but weren’t really impressed except for the bulk black jelly beans.  They stocked up on those. 

One of our bags never made it from the check-out stand into our basket so once home we had to make another trip to pick it up.  UGH!  That called for another dinner with brother and SIL.  This time it was at the local Coco’s in Mesa.  We had been to Coco’s the day before in Tempe and the salad was amazing.  However, salad wasn’t even close at this one and the service?  Well …. it was really, really bad. 

Thursday was supposed to be the day we were going to spend ushering Terry’s mom to the casino.  It didn’t happen.  We ended up being much busier than just sitting down in front of a slot machine and plugging in dollar bills.

Sorry Denise … couldn’t find a red one that had everything we were looking for.

Several days ago we found a Jeep Wrangler that had the options on it we wanted and at the price we were willing to pay.  It wasn’t intended to replace our Jeep Liberty but to replace the RZR we had just sold.  The hang up with the Jeep was that the seller had just paid it off at the bank and the release of her lien had not been recorded on the title at the DMV.  Today we finalized the transaction at the bank.  She got the cash and we got the keys … but that was just the beginning.  In Arizona the current license plates go back to the owner so first stop was at the Arizona DMV for a temporary permit while we wait for permanent ones.

We also made the obligatory stop at the first auto supply store we saw.  There are always things to buy when getting a different vehicle.  Then, of course, we needed to have spare keys made.  Next, was a fast trip to Apache Junction to set up the installation of a base plate, braking system and side steps.   One more stop on the way back at brother Bob’s to show him the Jeep and then we were off in the middle of work traffic and heading back to Duchess.  

Our Liberty is going to be put in storage not too far from the Phoenix airport.  We plan on flying back in May, June or July and taking a little vacation driving it to Washington State.  Who knows where we'll end up. 

We drove by this sign.  I had to take a picture of it since it’s my blogger name.

By the time we got back we were so totally zonked …. again.  

Terry’s tickets still need to be ordered for his flight on Tuesday to Portland.  Hopefully, I’ll get around to that on Friday … hopefully.  That’s the plan at least.  You know how good we are with plans though.

I liked this embroidery!  It says mountains!

‘Tis life on the road.