KELLY COMES TO MY RESCUE IN THE NIGHT

SUNRISE AT OUR HOUSE

This is my Monday January 22nd post and I've had to use the Blogger (UGH) format so my post will look all bent out of shape plus Blogger would not upload my few remaining photos near the bottom.  As hard as Kelly tried Monday night and early Tuesday morning she was not able to resolve the #500 error.  We suspect changes from Google as the culprit again.  This brings me to a crossroads again with my blog.   

Had myself a bit of an embarrassing incident in the night not medically related but required Kelly’s help.  When we bought my rocker recliner a couple years ago it also swivelled.  Didn’t want the recliner to swivel so took off the heavy wooden base swivel assembly.   Recliner then simply sat squarely on it’s frame the floor and couldn’t swivel.  My chair sits in a corner and reclines back until it touches the wall and that is my sleeping position.  A few times the back has caught under the window valence when I tip up and that happened last night.  No problem as I freed it but then I made a mistake.  I pulled my recliner too far ahead and when I climbed back in and tipped myself back I dumped myself unceremoniously into the corner upside down with my legs and feet flopping in the air.   And I was stuck there unable to get out.  The recliner, without the base, had simply tipped over backwards with me in it.  It was about 4:15 a.m. and it was probably my swearing as I struggled to extricate myself that woke Kelly up who quickly came out to see what the heck was going on.  She tried pulling me up but that didn’t work.  No wonder, how could one pull and lift an old 215 pound sack of potatoes out of corner eh.   I got her to move the 2 small wooden tables on the right side of my chair which left a small opening for me to squiggle over onto my right side then feet first extract myself from the upside down crumpled corner I was in.  She said later she should have taken a picture.  I was glad she didn’t take a picture!!  All is well now and with a little bit of luck or maybe a whole lot of luck I just might remember not to pull my chair too far out from the corner again.  Not the best way to start one’s day by the way……

SOON AS THE SUN POPPED OVER THE AJO MOUNTAINS WE HAD US A FIERY SUNRISE ON OUR SURROUNDING MOUNTAIN TOP

MONDAY MORNING'S SUNRISE WAS SOON SPILLING INTO OUR COACH

SUNSHINE SLOWLY SPILLS DOWN THE MOUNTAINSIDE

HEY THERE'S SOMEBODY OVER THERE TAKING A PICTURE

YEP THAT’S ME OVER THERE IN MY RED AND BLACK CHECKERED PAJAMAS AND OLD GREEN HOUSECOAT…..’GADZOOKS’ I SAY

We arrived at Darby Well Road a week ago today and set up our Shaw TV satellite dish.  Kelly watched her shows Monday night and we haven’t turned the TV back on since.  If I really wanted to know what was going on in the world I suppose I could set some news channels up on my computer but I’ve noticed over the years that as soon as we get on the road each Fall I immediately lose all interest in worldly events and TV is one of the things farthest from my mind.  Kind of a strange thing I guess but it happens just like clock work every year.  Russia where??  North Korea what??  Canada when??  Trump who??

A COUPLE MORE PICTURES FROM HOME WHEN WE HAD ALL THE SNOW A FEW WEEKS AGO

RV friends Ann and Bill said there was another watering system set-up out past the old cemetery and down a Jeep road aways so this morning we set off to see if we could find that.

ROLLING OUT FOR A MORNING JEEP DRIVE WE NOTICED OUR NEIGHBORHOOD IS GETTING CROWDED

WE PASSED THIS CEMETERY ON ALONG THE WAY….I’VE TAKEN A LOT OF PHOTOS HERE OVER THE YEARS

WE HEADED SOUTH DOWN A  WELL WORN JEEP ROAD AND IT WASN’T LONG BEFORE WE FOUND WHAT WE WERE LOOKING FOR

WE FOLLOWED THE METAL WATER LINES FROM THE TANK TO A CEMENTED WATERING HOLE A SHORT DISTANCE AWAY

ALTHOUGH WE DIDN’T SPOT A SOLAR PANEL ON THE WINDMILL WE THINK THIS IS THE SPOT ANN AND BILL MENTIONED BECAUSE THERE IS A CRITTER CAM OVER THERE ON THAT POST NEAR THE WATER TROUGH….NO EVIDENCE OF ANY WILD BURROS

HEAVY DUTY TIMBERS MADE FOR A STRONG STOCKADE

NOTICE HOW ROCKS ARE USED IN THE CONSTRUCTION

From the old windmill and cattle pens we continued following the Jeep road for a few miles and picked up some more custom desert pin striping on the Jeep along the way.  Had to slip into 4 wheel  drive when I saw the road led through a long dry sandy creek bottom.  I don’t believe in waiting till one gets stuck to use 4 wheel drive I believe in using it to prevent one from getting stuck in the first place.  With the meandering road leading further and further out into the desert and not knowing where it went we decided to turn around and head ourselves back the way we had come.  Made it back to the rig about 11:30.

ROLLING ALONG A LENGTHY DRY CREEK BOTTOM

AT ONE POINT NOT KNOWING WHICH WAY TO GO I LOOKED AROUND FOR A SIGN AND SAW THIS TALL SAGUARO POINTING THE WAY SAYING ‘THATTA WAY BAYFIELD BUNCH THATTA AWAY’ AND THEN WE SAW A SAGUARO RABBIT JUGGLER AHEAD

SLIPPED QUIETLY AROUND THE DESERT JUGGLER SO AS NOT TO THROW HIS CONCENTRATION OFF

AND THIS FELLOW JUST LOOKS LIKE A BIG FLOOPY BLOOPY TO ME

WHEN WE REACHED THIS DESERT BERM MADE OF ROCKS WE DECIDED MAYBE WE HAD BETTER TURN AROUND AND HEAD BACK

HEADING BACK WE KNEW WE HAD TO KEEP THESE PEAKS AHEAD OF US

RETURNING THROUGH THE SANDY WASH ON JEEP ROAD 8114 KELLY SPOTTED WHAT LOOKS LIKE THE  EARLY BEGINNINGS OF A CRESTED SAGUARO ON THE WEST SIDE OF THE WASH

We first rolled into Ajo Arizona with our GMC truck and Rockwood 5th wheel in January of 2007.  No easy access Verizon service for us guys in those days and we had to rely on Wifi wherever we could find it.  Librarys, McDonalds, etc.  We found a little restaurant in Ajo that had a Wifi connection so we popped in there on occasion with our one laptop.  I wrote several blog posts from there as I recall.  Noticed the next time through Ajo that the restaurant had closed and it remained closed till just this year when the building was renovated and re-opened as the Agave Grill.  And it was the Agave Grill we headed for about noon this morning.  Kelly said it had great reviews.

HAD IT BEEN WARM ENOUGH WE WOULD HAVE SAT ON THEIR DOG FRIENDLY PATIO WITH YOU KNOW WHO

A REAL NICE RENOVATION JOB FROM THE WAY WE REMEMBER IT BEFORE

KELLY HAD THE HULL HULL BURGER’ AND I HAD THE ‘TERIYAKI BURGER’….BURGS WERE GOOD AND THOSE DARK THINGS ARE TASTY FLAVORED POTATOES

MY TERIYAKI AND BELOW KELLY’S HULL HULL COMPLETE WITH A PINEAPPLE RING ON TOP

 

THE AGAVE GRILL IS EASY TO FIND RIGHT BESIDE THE BIG SHELL STATION ON HIGHWAY 85 RUNNING THROUGH TOWN AND IT’S WHEEL CHAIR ACCESSIBLE TOO

Had more Blog publishing problems Sunday night when Google threw us a 404 error and prevented my post from publishing.  Kelly to the rescue again but couldn’t find a way to correct it so she copied and pasted my post again.  That’s Okay in a pinch but has a tendency to alter my post’s text and photo structure.  Don’t know what will happen tonight……….

I’ve noticed our morning walks have been getting later this year and maybe that is a sign we’re getting a little smarter.  The later the walk with the sun over the horizon the warmer it generally is.  We’ve been known to be out in the desert trudging along before sunrise sometimes.  Okay so that was years ago.  We finally realized there was still too much frost on the pumpkins that early.  Yep, we’re finally getting a touch smarter alright.

GROANER’S CORNER:(( In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth, and then He rested.  Then God created man, and then they both rested.  Then God created woman, and since then neither God nor man has ever rested.
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Ten Dog Rules
1. The dog is not allowed in the house.
2. Okay, the dog is allowed in the house, but only in certain rooms.
3. Okay, fine, the dog is allowed in all rooms, but has to stay off the furniture.
4. The dog can get on the old furniture only.
5. Fine, the dog is allowed on all the furniture, but is not allowed to sleep with the humans on the bed.
6. Okay, the dog is allowed on the bed, but only by invitation.
7. The dog can sleep on the bed whenever he wants, but not under the covers.
8. The dog can sleep under the covers by invitation only!
9. The dog can sleep under the covers every night.
10. Humans must ask permission to sleep under the covers with the dog.
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“I got a job working in a hayfield. After one day I bailed.”
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Had more Blog publishing problems Sunday night when Google threw us a 404 error and prevented my post from publishing.  Kelly to the rescue again but couldn’t find a way to correct it so she copied and pasted my post again.  That’s Okay in a pinch but has a tendency to alter my post’s text and photo structure.  Don’t know what will happen tonight……….

I’ve noticed our morning walks have been getting later this year and maybe that is a sign we’re getting a little smarter.  The later the walk with the sun over the horizon the warmer it generally is.  We’ve been known to be out in the desert trudging along before sunrise sometimes.  Okay so that was years ago.  We finally realized there was still too much frost on the pumpkins that early.  Yep, we’re finally getting a touch smarter alright.

GROANER’S CORNER:(( In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth, and then He rested.  Then God created man, and then they both rested.  Then God created woman, and since then neither God nor man has ever rested.
------------------------------
Ten Dog Rules
1. The dog is not allowed in the house.
2. Okay, the dog is allowed in the house, but only in certain rooms.
3. Okay, fine, the dog is allowed in all rooms, but has to stay off the furniture.
4. The dog can get on the old furniture only.
5. Fine, the dog is allowed on all the furniture, but is not allowed to sleep with the humans on the bed.
6. Okay, the dog is allowed on the bed, but only by invitation.
7. The dog can sleep on the bed whenever he wants, but not under the covers.
8. The dog can sleep under the covers by invitation only!
9. The dog can sleep under the covers every night.
10. Humans must ask permission to sleep under the covers with the dog.
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“I got a job working in a hayfield. After one day I bailed.”

IT WAS ONE OF THOSE THINGS NEEDING DONE SO TODAY WE JUST SIMPLY DID IT

THE TOP END OF A BARREL CACTUS
Stepping out with Pheebs at sunrise this morning I noticed we had clear skies overhead and not a cloud in sight.  A couple weeks ago while we were at Janna and Mike's I noticed one night, or was it morning while Pheebs and I were out a small light moving across the desert floor very close to us.  ‘Aha’ I thought, an Alien spacecraft has landed not far away and here comes the Captain of the ship to speak to me.  Well of course that thought was soon dispelled when I saw Janna in the glow of an outside light walking behind the moving lights only inches above the dark desert floor.  I quickly figured out it was little Emmi walking along with some kind of lighting device around her neck.  Thought that was really cool so we got the address from Janna of the company who makes BSeen Dog Collars and ordered one for Pheebs on Amazon.  It was less than $10.  That light collar came via UPS while we were at Nancy and Pat’s last week and Pheebs has been wearing her new light color every time we go out at night ever since.  The colored collar of your choice has 3 light settings, rapid pulse, slow pulse, or stationary.  We chose the green collar.  The collar comes in one length and you just easily cut it to fit your dog.  And here’s a nice thing, it has no batteries and you simply re-charge the collar with a USB cord into your computer.  USB cord comes with the collar.  The collar casts a bit of light ahead for doggy to see too.  Groovy:))

THE RED BUTTON ACTIVATES THE LIGHTS AND THE BLACK RETANGLE IS THE PLUG IN FOR RE-CHARGING
 
SHE’S QUITE PROUD OF HER NEW LIGHT COLLAR YOU KNOW
I don’t like clutter but on occasion my own clutter sometimes even catches my attention and so it happened this morning when I couldn’t find a clear flat spot to set down a glass of milk.  Below is a photo of my cluttered table beside my recliner and here’s a list of the clutter I found on it.  Clockwise from my red Kindle with my computer mouse on top it goes something like this, red flashlight, lamp with my Sony headphones which I can plug into the Sirius satellite radio, iPod, or computer itself.  Next is the Sirius radio antennae, USB card plug, Canon Powershot camera, my Nikon D3400 camera, camera case for my Sony Exmore, a camera brush, jackknife, nail clippers, a dish of doggy treats, my Nikon D7200 manual with my Sony Exmore camera on top, magnifying glass, a Nikkor 35mm lens, and a compass.  Somewhere in that clutter is also the computer end of my laptop’s power cord as well.  After taking a picture of my clutter I set about to get that mess all straightened out but further found an old banjo, the transmission out of a 59 Chevy  pick-up truck, 3 lost peanut butter sandwiches, a rusted orange juice can, half a dozen burritos, a spare Volkswagon tire I had misplaced  40 years ago and a Robin’s nest with a couple sky blue oval eggs in it………………….
 THE SHADOW COWBOY MADE AN APPEARANCE ON OUR WALK THIS MORNING
Welt, it had to be done and there was no use in putting it off any longer……laundry that is.  After our morning leg chug through the Sonoran desert’s finest greenery we loaded our laundry into the Jeep and headed the short back door way into Ajo.  Olsons for a few groceries, two breakfast burritos, and then to the laundromat.  Have to say this Ajo laundromat has always been one of our favs.  Bright and cheery plus clean and neat.  Machines are all in good working order with carts to move your clothes between washer and dryer plus folding tables.  Washrooms are spic n span. 

WHILE WAITING FOR LAUNDRY TO FINISH WE STAND OUTSIDE IN THE PARKING LOT SOAKING UP THE WARM SUN WHILE KELLY PHONES HER SISTER BECKY IN FLORIDA

KELLY CATCHES ME FOLDING MY LAUNDRY

OF COURSE I GIVE HER THE INFAMOUS BOSSENCE THOUSAND YARD STARE
We were back to the rig about 12:20 and had us a nice bright sunny day going on but we also had a chilly west wind blowing.  Found a sunny spot on the south side of our coach out of the wind and spent part of the leisurely afternoon tipped back in my chair reading and reflecting back on our RVing days here in the Southwest over the years.  For us it’s all about nature and the older we get the more we embrace nature’s wonders.  It’s the only place I feel comfortable anymore and the only place I prefer to be…………..

MY VIEW THIS AFTERNOON AS I SAT REFLECTING ON ALL OUR GREAT RVING MEMORIES OVER THE YEARS
  
ORGAN PIPE CACTUS ARMS
 
SAGUARO CACTUS
 
A SAGUARO AND AND A BARREL CACTUS

I stood quietly beside a tall Saguaro cactus today as a brisk and cooling West wind whispered through it’s prickly outer spines coaxing out inner secrets of  it’s long days and nights in the desert.  It told me of passing Coyotes, sheets of monsoon rains and thunderous lightning flashes.  It told me of Scorpions and Rattlesnakes, sunrises and sunsets and big scary winds.  Today’s winds were gentle and soothed the tall Saguaro bringing forth it’s whispering tales.  If you stand beside a Saguaro on a windy day you too will hear it’s many stories and in the photo below you can see the old Saguaro whisperer telling his tales.

AND IT WAS THIS TALL SAGUARO CACTUS I STOOD BESIDE  AS IT SOFTLY WHISPERED IT’S SECRETS TO ME
It was one month ago today we left Bayfield Ontario and headed south.  Only four weeks on the road and it already seems longer than that.  In two weeks we will be at the half way point in our travels and 8 weeks from today with a bit of luck we may very well be rolling into our driveway back home again.  It’s been quite a Snow Bird life we have been lucky enough to live these past years and yet I felt a sadness as I sat today in the sun looking out upon the scenery before me knowing it must come to an end one day and I will never get to see these beautiful lands of southwest enhancement I have grown so much to love with each passing year.

I didn’t end up with enough room for more of our Saturday mornings walk through the ruins photos so will try again to get them in tomorrow’s post.

TONIGHT’S QUARTER MOON
GROANER’S CORNER:((  A man named Donald bought a horse from a farmer for $250. The farmer agreed to deliver the horse the next day. The next day, the farmer drove up to Donald's house and said, “Sorry, son, but I have some bad news. The horse died.”  Donald replied, “Well, then just give me back my money.”  The farmer said, “Can’t do that. I went and spent it already.”  Donald said, “Ok, then just bring me the dead horse.”  The farmer asked, “What ya gonna do with him?”
Donald said, “I’m going to raffle him off.”
The farmer said, “You can’t raffle off a dead horse!”  Donald said, “Sure I can! Watch me.
A month Later, the farmer met up with Donald and asked, “What happened with that dead horse?”  Donald said, “I raffled him off. I sold 500 tickets at five dollars apiece and made a profit of $2495.”  The farmer said, “Didn’t anyone complain?”  Donald said, “Just the guy who won. So I gave him back his five dollars.”
Donald moved into the White House later that year.
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A couple was dining out when the wife noticed a familiar face at the bar. She recognized him as an old flame.  "Honey," she said to her husband, as she pointed out the man, "that guy at the bar has been drinking like that since I left him seven years ago."  Her husband said, "That's silly, no one celebrates that much!"