Feeling Like Home – Almost, and Catching up with Friends

Park Place RV Park

On Saturday, Nov. 2^nd we were all awake just before 6. I had stayed up watching a favourite movie last night until 11 so this was too early for me! I fought getting up until 6:45 and finally came downstairs. Bill was up and already had finished his shower. He had something to look forward to. 😊

Good morning
from Quartzsite!

I can't begin to describe how great it feels
to wake up to know we don't have to move
for 5 months. 💖

We had breakfast, a banana and yogourt for me and after giving Marilynne a call back home, he left for the flying field. It was a lovely morning, with a beautiful pink eastern sky to start. Clouds soon moved in and it was a tug of war as to what would win. Sun or clouds? After my tea, I had my shower and then took Gibbs for a walk. We didn’t go too far, he led, I followed, just around the fence along Riggles Ave.

I'm jumping to the afternoon now.
We took a drive to Roadrunner BLM after lunch.

We’ll go further later and I need to push myself to go early by myself. I have no excuses here! The peacefulness of the early morning always drew me back home and in past winters……so that’s a goal. I emptied a couple of cupboards, to start the winter cleanout and set out my bedroom knick knacks and my homemade books. It is starting to feel like home.

Gibbs took turns on Dad's, Riley's and Mom's
laps but never wandered. ♥

We carry Clemmy with us, so he sits in the bedroom with his portrait. ♥ Gibbs doesn’t mind. After Bill returned home from his first meet up with his flying friends, we discussed the day. Since Moon Mountain Mail is only open on Saturday’s until noon, we scooted over there and popped in to see our former managers, Patti and Rick. 😊 How great to see them again, as always.

And Lo and behold, the
Indian is STILL sleeping!

Back home for lunch, it was simple. A sandwich did it for Bill and I had a bowl of white bean chili from the fridge. We each needed a snooze, good grief! And then hopped in Black Beauty and took a run out to Roadrunner BLM. Our friends, Deb and Riley, are set up out there for a few weeks and we wanted to visit before the days got away from us.

How did the windshield get so dirty already?

We found them easy enough and fell right back into a friendly banter quickly, that it lasted for a couple of hours. It is always fun to get together and share experiences about our lives on the road in an rv. Deb and Riley are from Ontario too, so there were many. This was a rare visit when it was just the 4 of us and we truly enjoyed seeing them again. Gibbs was off leash and behaved like a champ. He can sure be funny though. ♥

A messy, delicious burger.
No surprise there!

We had Bill’s famous bacon cheeseburgers for supper and then we relaxed for the evening. I did have to post an ad for M back home but then got to my blog. It has been a really good day, the friend visits topping it off nicely. 😊 We reached a high of 78F/26C under partly cloudy skies. I hope you had a good day as well.

Beautiful sky
Beautiful day
Good night!

Thank you for YOUR visit.

Relaxing Day, Visit with Friends, Chili Making Day

It was 8:15 when Bill and I woke up for the day on Tuesday, Oct. 23^rd.  I was surprised but it wasn’t the best night sleep again, so maybe not too surprised. It was a dull morning with gray clouds overhead and quite a breeze. The tree tops were swaying. We had our tea and coffee, read blogs and bundled up for a walk. Bill went with me this morning to the Arkona Rd. and it was a pleasant trek together.

The sky was shark-gray this morning but we didn't get rained on

Back at the Suite, he sat down to work on a couple of blog posts that he has put off for the latter weeks of summer. You can check them out at On Our Way. It would be a relaxing day for both of us, hopefully involving a visit with friends in the park. It is also the day I’m making chili so at 11 I started frying the ground beef to make enough for quick meals on the road. I stole the idea from Rob and Pat, but with their permission. Ha ha!

the last of my peppers and tomatoes

At the same time, it was cooking I started bacon before cutting up the last of my green peppers, green onions and 3 red tomatoes to add to the mix. Bill isn’t big on tomatoes in chili so it is usually something I add alternatively to the batches I make. He agreed I could use these. :D  We ate breakfast and I left the chili with added spices and bean mixture for another hour to simmer. Then I started my post.

I didn't need the canned tomatoes this time

Bill offered to do the dishes up and I took advantage of some extra WiFi this month and finished putting my book together. It kind of got put on the back burner and I let it slide. No rush getting it ordered and delivered now but soon I’ll wrap it up. My chili was finished around 1 and I’ve put 5 containers of it into the freezer. Each container will be a meal for us and because we’ve been eating things from the freezer, there is room.

I don't make spicy chili but I do make attractive and tasty chili
Here it is just beginning to simmer

At 3:15 we put our drinks in the small cooler and because it was raining and still windy, drove to Loree and Ron’s up on the hill. They live in the park for the summer and travel for the winter in their Class A coach. We saw them this past summer when we came here so were looking forward to another fun visit. They are a sweet couple. Ron was waiting on the deck when we drove up and when we entered their home, Freddy and Loree greeted us.

Loree's little Cooper

We had a fun Happy Hour indoors today but it didn’t downplay the moment. Conversations flowed, first Bill, then Ron, then Bill, then Ron. Loree and I laugh that we occasionally got the floor but that is okay, it is all in good fun and as Ron says “we learn a lot!” We said goodbye a couple of hours later and I felt bad that their supper would be delayed. Clemson was at home waiting, patiently, for his own meal and while Bill fed him, I began our own.

So, I took a picture of our Happy Hour but the backlight left us in the dark

We moved to the living room and you can see
from this picture, exactly WHO is the boss
Freddy turned to the camera at the perfect time

Fried pork chops, hash browns and corn were the only menu choices. No complaints by anyone in the house and it didn’t take long to prepare. It tasted good but I forgot to get a photo.  We cleaned dishes up and watched NCIS reruns until I finished this post and we could watch the new episode of the season. We were too late eating for me to go for an after dinner walk in daylight so I’ll have to make up for it tomorrow.

Good night from Rock Glen

This has been a good day starting with a nice walk and ending with a nice afternoon visit with friends. I hope you’ve enjoyed your day.

Thank you for stopping in.

Morning Walk Together, More Than One Definition of Dry, Friends Go Home

On Wednesday, Sept. 20^th Bill, Clemmy and I got up around 7. With most of the windows open in the Suite, we knew that it was going to be a warm DRY day. We opened the blinds and I was optimistic for sunshine after yesterday’s rain. I was putting my runners on when Bill asked how far I was going as he’d decided to join me. I like that.

So, all three of us headed out the lane, down North Line and Baptist Church Road. Before we knew it, we arrived at the turbine lane and turned around for home. The eastern sky was performing its opening act with a most beautiful performance. I snapped numerous photos, each one seemingly prettier than the other.

Good Morning, sunshine!

We were back inside for maybe 15 minutes when we noticed our bunky guests were up as well. We sat and continued the chatter from the previous evening. There was no lapse in conversation, that happens each time we get together with Kathy and Derrick. It was around 9:30 or so when Bill lit the barbecue to grill the mini sausages. I prepared scrambled eggs and Pillsbury-type croissants inside.

The sky to the west was still fluffy with clouds

Clemson, off leash now, leads the way up the lane

Breakfast was great and I loaded the dishwasher for the second time this week. The sun made its way out and we felt like celebrating because we knew our clothes were finally going to DRY.

Breakfast with our good friends

Walking around the Ridge, we showed them my garden, peony bush and Rose of Sharon which we brought from London. Yay! The flowers on ‘Rose’ were blooming and beautiful! Late or not, they finally arrived! 

They are small flowers but I still love them
My favourite

The sunflower that I pulled out by the roots a month ago, I planted and lo and behold

4 new  blossoms arrived!

Derrick sets up the stage for his demo

Look Ma, no hands!

From my vantage point in the passenger seat

You man the gas and brake only

Derrick was telling us about the Park Assist in his Lincoln and Bill nor I had ever witnessed one of these in action. He was more than pleased to offer a ride in the vehicle while he demonstrated. This is awesome although it would take me awhile to trust it enough to allow it to parallel park my car.

It is pretty freaky to see the steering wheel turn this way and that on its own

After sitting outside for more chatter, and the Eaton’s catalogue got passed around, Derrick encouraged Kathy to finish packing up.

I'll have to wrap it in plastic over the winter to preserve it as much as possible

Everyone is intrigued with the pricing

They were soon on their way. It was around 1:00 when they pulled out heading back to the city. It was a short visit but a great one. No one wants to wear out their welcome so with the sun warming "Lincoln", they waved goodbye. Too bad there weren’t any turtles around for them to see.

It is fun to see the prices from so long ago

Of course, I love the shoes!

 The rest of the afternoon, for me, was lazy. I read my book outside in the shade in between periodically checking the laundry. Eventually, lying in the hammock, I finished my book and the clothes dried. It felt good to finally get them in, folded and put away. That was a long process! Next time, I won’t be so trusting of the weather man.

Such wonderful people, we loved having them visit

Friendship portraits

Bye guys, come back soon!

 Bill puttered away with the shelving unit for his cargo trailer and I must say, it is quite impressive. He had a plan and with a tweek here and there, he has done an awesome job. I only needed to help him ease it into place inside. Bill is his own worst critic and when I see something really well done, he can still see where an alteration might have made an improvement. 

The day was a great one, sad to say goodbye to friends but very relaxing in the aftermath. We had planned on a simple supper of burgers so Bill grilled those. All I had to do was get the condiments out with lettuce, onion, dill pickles and tomatoes. Now that is what I call a burger! We had two tiny pieces of the cherry cheesecake left from last night so that was our dessert around 8 pm.

My ultimate burger, nothing else required

Bill proceeded to fill his water bottles for the drinks he takes to London and I packed what he’ll need for supper. Phil texted and said that Airstream was treating the staff at CanAm to a barbecue so that sounds like lunch taken care of for tomorrow at least. That is very nice! Yes, Bill has 2 orientations Thursday and one, for sure, on Friday so I’ll say goodbye to him in the early morning.

We watched the episode of NCIS, recorded Tuesday night, as it was the last show of the previous season. Next Tuesday begins the new season and we wanted to refresh our memories where it left off. We love this show, probably our favourite, and can watch it over and over. Then we settled in for the Finale of America’s Got Talent. That was awesome and without revealing anything for those who haven’t seen it, our choice took the ‘gold’!

This is what Clemson and I did most of the afternoon - no complaints here!

I tried to stay up longer than 10 but by 10:15 and Bill’s Counting Cars show on, I gave up and went to bed. I hope you’ve had a great day too!

Thank you for reading today. Your comments are always welcome!

Laundry, Planning Pots, Company!

So, Sunday, Apr. 23^rd is laundry day for us. Maybe not quite the thing to be doing on a Sunday but every day could be a Sunday for all that matter when you’re retired. Not church goers anyway, I might has well do something useful and take advantage of this gorgeous day.

It is a gorgeous day

I (we) slept in this morning until almost 7:30, unheard of! It was obvious it was going to be a blue-sky day when I saw the sun beating in the windows when Bill opened the blinds. Wonderful! It was hovering around 5C (41F) which was cool but with a promise of 15C (59F).

Columbus checks out the front of our property

After my tea and some blog reading, I quickly sorted the laundry and gather up the coin needed for 3 loads. Bill loaded the bag into the car and I took my book so I’d have something to do while waiting. It isn’t necessary for two of us to go and this would give him an opportunity to vacuum and clean the bathroom. We share the duties just like every couple should.

I left at 9 and was home at 10:15 hanging the clothes on my clothes line. The wind was making it a bit of a challenge, spinning the line around on me. I knew it was just something to endure because they would dry very quickly in the wind and the sun. It felt good to be able to hang our laundry out again.

Clemson runs up the hill, he always thinks it is a race

When finished doing that I came in for a coffee and made up bacon and eggs for breakfast/brunch. The sun was going to rule the sky today so it was around noon hour that I unplugged the Suite and let the solar do its job. We are still a little confused about the inverter/panels/on/off process and need to get it straight once and for all. I won’t go into it, we’ll figure it out.

My corabelle are filling the shovel

After dishes, I set about pulling some of my planter pots out of the storage shed. I don’t know what Bill was doing but he was puttering around too. I get an idea in my head about something and if I can do it on my own, I get at it. This time it was just a plan about where I wanted to add some colour with potted plants. I placed the empty pots in places around the corral and property to visualize it. In a week or so I will take the next step and buy the plants to fill them.

Just like in the southwest, 4 wheelers run the road on a weekend

I was so excited while up on the hill to discover that the rhubarb Donna and I transplanted last spring, no in the fall of the previous year, was peeping up with bright little shoots! Yay! I have wanted rhubarb in my yard for years but didn’t have the appropriate spot while living at our house in London. Just not enough sunny garden space. Now I do and I can see our summer of desserts already.

Rhubarb!

By this time, the Suite was vacuumed and dusted and we went outside to wait for our company. Around 2, right on time, Rob and Pat drove up the lane way. I hadn’t seen them since we said goodbye at Pilot Knob RV Resort, Winterhaven, Ca. That was way back on February 26^th! I missed them.

Rob and Pat arrive

Pat and Rob thought this was a lovely place to be for the summer and we showed them around the property. We sat down outside in the sun and had a great Happy Hour for going on 3 hours as if no time had passed. That is what it is like with good friends. We shared our tea with them and they brought Timmy’s muffins to share with us.

We've missed Happy Hours with these guys

When they left it was with a promise to pop in anytime we felt like it and visa versa. Clemson got to reunite with his friends too although he is trying to play it cool, pretending to be aloof. He greeted Rob first as soon as he opened his car door. Too funny.

Good spot for a colourful plant

Another good spot, but might not use the pot
Also a little play with colour

 We enjoyed the outdoors today, one of the first days to be out and relaxing without feeling the cold. The temperature did reach 17C by 4 pm and that is encouraging.

I thought we’d have steak tonight but as the time passed we both realized that we weren’t hungry enough for steak. Must have been the muffins and veggie sticks we’d eaten with our friends. That’s okay, we’ll eat it tomorrow night. Tonight we had tomato soup and toast. It was enough, it was easy and we both agreed.

A little resting place I've created

After dishes some clouds moved in and covered the sun briefly. It was such a great day, we accomplished things and got reacquainted with friends from Durham. Maybe that is why I feel exhausted, in a good way. I’m going to settle into my recliner with my book and enjoy the rest of the evening with Bill until 9 o’clock when Madame Secretary is on.

this little guy had no fear of me so close

Robin redbreast

I hope your day was a good one too. 

Home Sweet Home for someone

Awesome sky tonight

Thank you for following us even when we’re not moving. All comments are welcome and appreciated.