Pulling up the Jacks, Feeling Welcome ♥♥

Park Place RV Park 

We woke and got up around 7:30 on Thursday, Dec. 1^st. A new month and that is fitting for us to move on and start it in a new place. We went about our regular routine, Gibbs and I starting the day with a walk. Once I dropped him back home, I gathered his ‘poop’ bags together in a grocery bag (TMI?) and walked up to the garbage dumpsters to dispose of them.

It was a nice morning again
with a few low hovering clouds

I took this picture because of the Canadian flag
but look at the background
The mountains are beautiful even when
their not clear

It wasn’t a long walk, so I shouldn’t be surprised that my steps were well below my goal today. When I got back, we had cereal and set to work packing up. It was 9:30 when we drove around behind us to say s’long to the neighbours on the other side of the wash. We learned yesterday from Marilyn that Rusty is an RC flyer too so Bill wanted to meet him before we pulled out. Rusty told us that they were stealing our site. Told ya it was a nice one! 😊

The last walk at La Posa South this trip

I'm glad we were here in November
it was quiet on this beautiful site

I’m sure Bill will see him at the field a few times. 

It was nice to see the diesel price had dropped
another .10¢/gallon - YES!
By the time we were set up, even the gas had dropped
to $3.79

Our home for the next 4 months

We arrived at Park Place RV Park by 10 and had everything set up, including the satellite dish, before noon. I had dusted the surfaces and the floors by then too and Bill had our long string of lights set out around the base of the Suite. They look so good and he did it easily enough, being sure that Gibbs couldn’t get tangled in it, that we may do it back home on the Ridge.

We parked out front and Bill went in to register
I snapped this picture of Don and Heather's home
Look closely

I think Dakota spends a lot of time
up there on the dash

Before I go much further, I should mention the greeting we received when we arrived. There are 3 hosts in the park as well as our Managers, Rick and Patty. We only know the Managers and one set of hosts, Don and Heather but they were both thrilled to have us back. Patty, after we hugged, said she had something in the office for me. “Nothing special”, she said. After our lunch, I wandered over to take our 5 or 6 books over to the exchange library and to mail a card.

My new puzzle from Rick and Patty
Fun!!

Patty watched my face when she handed me a 1000 pc. puzzle that her and Rick bought for me. I think she was thrilled with my reaction. I laughed and laughed and told her they were trying to drive me crazy! 😊 What a sweet gesture. Then she showed me another puzzle in their storage cupboard with my name taped on it. It is nice to have made enough an impression for them to remember us and to be happy we’re back.

Gibbs and I went upstairs to read and watch tv
Well, I did. Gibbs slept. 💗

Our site and a pretty sky
in the making

The afternoon turned a bit cool when the clouds took over the sky. It brought me indoors and Gibbs and I went upstairs and watched some tv while Bill watched a movie downstairs. 

For supper, he grilled burgers, the ones with bacon and cheese. ♥ They looked a bit funny because the buns were so small but they were messy and delicious. 

We topped our meal off with more cheesecake and then watched Dolly Parton’s new Christmas special.

This was a great day, getting into the park where we can settle until our next move on April 1^st. Yes, we’re here for 4 months and the feeling is great. No more rationing of power or water, no more generator and much less dust. We’re going to like it here. 😊

Gorgeous!!
Good night y'all!

Thank you for the visit today!

Whirlwind, Last Hugs, Renewing and Making Acquaintances

 

The Ridge

On Sunday, Nov. 7^th, we were up around 7:30, not bad after our late night. We didn’t waste any time nor did we rush. A couple of walks with Gibbs and we left Alma C.C. by 8:30 (after turning our clocks back for DST). We were in for another beautiful day with a high of 15C/59F. 

The drive for us was much improved from Saturday, we remembered Gibbs’ bed and he settled down in the back seat with it like the good puppy we know. 😊

The view out behind the Suite

It was a nice walking trail

If you remember, I still had the advent calendars for the grandchildren. I was able to distribute 6 to Bill’s side of the family yesterday at the wedding but still had my 3 in the Suite. Bill planned today’s route so that we could drive past Bridgette and Chris’ home near Woodstock. We parked on the country road and walked up the lane to drop 2 off for her to deliver to Taylor and Jake, if not before Dec. 1^st, before Jan. 1^st. 😊 That’ll work too!

We almost got in a horse and buggy traffic jam!
I've never seen so many in such a short time period
Church time

settling down nicely with his bed

Still some pretty fall colours

Parked at Bridgette and Chris' place

Cutie Patooties and great hugs
This is Chris who we bought Jazz from
Notice the shirt, hence the treble clef on the Yamaha

The first thing to do once arriving in London, was top up with fuel so we drove to Colonel Talbot Road. Sadly, the Flying M, our usual truck stop, was closed at the pumps. Actually, the pumps were completely gone. Crap! So, we drove back along the flying field road to the east side of town again to the Flying J. Their prices are always just those few cents more, which is frustrating but we needed it. Back to the west, the CanAm parking lot was mostly empty, with the #1 spot across the front wide open.

set up at CanAm

We set up and plugged into power for the night. It was a good start to our day and just mid-morning. I finally was able to sit an work on finishing yesterday’s blog posting, losing all track of time. We hadn’t eaten in the morning so I made us each a ham and cheese sandwich for lunch. Bill was out with Gibbs and noticed other rvers with an Airstream down the row and made acquaintance with Duncan and later Patty. 😊 There we go, one of the joys of this lifestyle.

Oreo and Gibbs try to be friends

Keith, our good friend, was at the flying field and popped in to see us once more. He didn’t want us to leave without saying goodbye. Gotta love those hugs! We had a short but pleasant visit with him and Oreo. She met Gibbs and although he was on his leash, making it difficult for a real meet and greet, they did pretty good together. We joined Duncan and Patty after they moved their chairs to the sun for some afternoon warmth.

Nice enough for a step sit

There’s never a challenge finding things to talk about with other travellers. As it turned out, they were storing their ‘new to them’ rv for the winter and picking up their cruising boat in Georgia. They too were debating just how soon to get on the road in the morning. They’ve never rv’d before so were quite interested in the tips and tools of the ‘trade’. 😊

The sun set over Dawn and Michaels rv

As the sun dropped leaving us shade, it cooled down and we parted ways, wishing them good travels from Florida and hopefully the Bahamas if the conditions are good for them.  It was in saying goodbye to them that two other rv’s pulled in and  we were greeted by Wanda and Mike. We first met this couple at CanAm a few years ago, maybe after our first winter south. Bill and Mike have kept in touch by text over the years so they were quite surprised to see it was us in the lot. Funny how things transpire.

Two more Cutie Patooties 
Two more hugs

Gibbs got to experience 3 more dogs, Oscar, Jewels and Lucky and we met Dawn and Michael, their travelling companions. What a treat this life is! Patrick, my son, and grandson Nate, arrived around 5 for another short visit. I was tickled that he lives close enough to make that work too. We didn’t unhook BB so the onus was on him to fit us into his day and I’m glad he wanted it too. We visited for a short hour and I was able to hand Nate his calendar. Hugs all around and we chowed down on reheated chili from the freezer.

Gibbs wasn't keen on Oscar's size
even though he was a gentle AussieDoodle

He much preferred Jewels and Lucky

I believe it was 6:15 when Gibbs and I said goodnight to the group outside and came inside for bed. I brought my book upstairs and crawled into bed but Gibbs couldn’t settle down until Daddy came in half hour later. 😊 Momma’s boy, my ass!! I read a few chapters but had to turn my light off shortly after 7:30 and rolled over. It wasn’t difficult for me to sleep at that hour, it had been a couple of whirlwind days. Bill said I was asleep when he turned his light off at 8.

Goodnight Ontario, Canada

Wow! It is truly happening and other than a couple of nasty batches of shingles, basically one right after the other, we’ve have been blessed to have things run smoothly. I’ll try to get on top of my postings but I know you all understand how things are and I value your support. This was another great day!

Two more wedding photos
 Bride and Groom
Good night!

Thank you for stopping by for a visit too!

 

 

On Line Shopping, Quiet Day at the Suite, Meeting New Friends

Elephant Butte S.P., New Mexico

On Sunday, Nov. 24^th I woke up at 7 and there was already sunlight coming in through the blind edges. I couldn’t believe we both slept so late. Well, late for us. It was that movie last night that we watched in bed until 11 that did it. I actually watched and enjoyed a couple of Hallmark Christmas movies.

I was an hour later for my walk and the sun was up
and reflecting off the lake

If there were pumpkins here.......
well, I guess frost on the gourds makes sense

My favourite was not the Graceland ‘Home for the Holidays’ but instead one called The Nine Lives of Christmas. Cute and a very different story from the usual: girl goes back ‘home’, puts on a Christmas concert, reunites with a high school boyfriend and big fancy job back in the city. This one was fun and the actors were unique and not perfect, making it a little more real for me. I’m sure there will be more that I’ll watch and enjoy with my sweetie before the season is over.

I like this
"Of all the paths you take in life, make sure a few of them are gravel"
this guy had a Class A with a beautiful motorcycle on the back,
this tow vehicle with a 2-wheel bike on top plus
a surf board
An adventurer, I'd say

I left for my walk while Bill made his coffee and prepped my tea. I went a different route again this morning that took me through Loop Quail Run, Loop Desert Cove up Ridge Rd. and back down Dirt Road. I managed 2 miles before I returned home 45 minutes later. I’m really enjoying my early walks. I saw Jack ahead of me on Sumac just before turning into our Level B at Lions Beach. He stopped and then was gone. No picture, he outsmarted me today.

The view from Quail Run was pretty nice

 I had my tea back home and caught up on our friends’ blogs. It seems most everyone who is heading to the southwest is on their way. With the exception of one couple. We’re waiting. It’s going to happen. 😊 When my tea was finished, I got washed and went online to check out Walmart for Instant Pot accessories. I want to replace the rubber ring and look at a glass tight fitting lid for when I sauté. The spatters can make a mess.

And as I made my way along Ridge Rd. another
pretty shot of the marina view

There was success with that and I discovered that if I spent $35 (rather than the $20 of my order) I would get free delivery and/or free pickup at the nearby store. It was easy to spend the extra $15 and found a silicone bakeware sling and a cake pan. Yay! I was excited and the order should arrive in a couple of days. I want the sling for roasting our turkey on Thursday. After placing the order, Bill went out to start emptying our gray tank. It is almost 100% full.

Can you see my shadow down there?

I made scrambled eggs and sausage for breakfast 

While out there, he met a couple walking by who are from Kitchener, Ont. Canada. Now that is fun! Kitchener is about an hour and a half from our home in Priceville. Small world. They hit it off and Bill called me out to meet Gail and Manfred. 

After chatting for a while, Gail thinks she met us at
the Toronto RV show a couple of years ago
She recognized Bill - kind of, sort of

I’m not a very good hostess as it took Bill, after half hour, offering them a coffee before I clicked into ‘mode’ and invited them to sit with us. I need to be better than that! I called Jo-Anne and Bob and invited them to join us since we are all about meeting new people and Canadians makes it even wilder!

Their unit that has been at the end of our row on Level B
since we arrived but never noticed
Darn! They're leaving tomorrow!

So, we sat and talked about travels. It is their 4^th year as well so we had that commonality. They are more freedom travelers, and don’t necessarily make too many definite plans like we do. They travel as she says ‘by the seat of their pants’ and that is very neat as well. Gail gave me some insight into websites like Boondocker's Welcome and told us about picking up a non-resident park pass for N.M. Talking to Manfred, we are put in mind that he and Benno (another blogging friend) would really hit it off. Maybe one day they will meet up.

Bill finished emptying our tanks

We shared the conversation and I learned about a new hobby that Gail is into and with Manfred’s machinist (?) skills, they have a successful little enterprise that has stemmed from it. Gail, at one point, after seeing our ‘personal’ card thinks that they met us a few years ago at the Toronto RV show. Now that is amazing!! The world got smaller even still when Manfred said that they have a campsite at Turkey Point back home where Bob and Jo-Anne have a cottage. 15 minutes apart. Are you shaking your heads?

Ignore the 4 spaceships (our indoor lights)
and enjoy this view to the east as the sun
declines in the west

 After exchanging a sample of her hobby with me and one of my painted rocks with her, we said goodbye with promises to keep in touch online until we meet again down the road. Sometimes you just click, eh? Bill went back out to fill our blue boy and take it to the dump station in Desert Cove. It didn’t take long and he was back for a second load emptying the gray tank.

view to the northwest

We think our black tank is okay but he decided to take one load of that as well. It only took one trip to empty it so we were doing good after 10 days. We could have gone another week with the black tank and then dumped on our way out but with the macerator up in the back of the truck, it was easy, not having to pull the blue boy down the road. Now, it’s done and we don’t have to think about it for the rest of our time here.

And a pretty sky to the northeast over the lake

I took my chair around to the back side of the Suite and sat in the sun for half hour or so. The sun feels so nice and there wasn’t any breeze so I was toasty. At one point, feeling restless again, I swept our mat off and the cement pad that our picnic table was sitting on. With my laptop outside on the table, I pulled up the park’s wifi and searched for a website with a scarf pattern. I have wool to use up and unless I make something soon, I'm afraid I'll forget how to crochet! LOL

It didn't take me long to come up with something for supper
Some days, I'm just not great at planning ahead

The wifi worked but not very quickly and it was difficult to see the screen in the brightness. When Jo-Anne offered a spot in the sun on their patio, I finished what I was doing and went up with my chair to join them. It was nice to sit and Jo and I discussed Instant Pot accessories and recipes. She is very curious, interested in ‘what can I make next?’ and is open to my suggestions and instructions. Bob was prepping a fire for tonight and invited us down after supper.

And here it is, a lovely fire

I came back when the sun disappeared behind the bushes and Bill and I had air fryer chicken breast pieces with salad for supper. A couple more pieces of cheesecake for us left enough for one more night. I still say ‘yum’ when I eat it, it was such a success. After dishes, around 6 the fire was ready so we dressed warm and I carried my drink and afghan up the hill. Bill carried his chair up since I'd left mine up there earlier.

Everyone is entranced by a fire

The fire was warm and within 15 minutes, Lynette, Bob and Jo-Anne’s neighbor, came over as well. It was nice to meet another rv’er and hear her relay stories of her life in the Navy and around New Mexico. She sounds like quite a remarkable lady and we enjoyed her company very much. She is full of life and joy, giving us cause to laugh out loud often. We had a nice evening and by 8:30 (I know that sounds early) the chill of the 44F air around us sent Bill and I back home.

Bob, Jo-Anne w/Higgins, Linette, my chair, Bill
good night
from E.B.L.S.P.

It is my back that gets chilled first and I know from experience that means it is time to move out of the cold. We said our goodbyes and will exchange cards with Lynette in the morning. What a nice day we’ve had. The only chore on the agenda, dumping tanks, was taken care of early and the rest of the day was relaxing. I hope you’ve enjoyed your day as well.

Thank you for dropping in!