IT WAS A SIERRA VISTA KIND OF DAY

THIS COLORFUL MURAL WAS PAINTED ON A LARGE TANK AT SIERRA VISTA’S ANIMAL SHELTER

As I see it, I had two choices this morning.  I could stay home sitting in my chair reading all day or I could accompany Kelly to Sierra Vista on a shopping trip & sit in the car reading for part of the day.  I chose the second option.  At least that way I would get to see some scenery on the way to & from Sierra Vista.

CHECKING THE PAPER ON THE WAY TO SIERRA VISTA

I finally clued in today on one of the reasons I like Sierra Vista.  It does not seem to have a definite downtown & there appears to be no buildings over two stories high.  That means all the surrounding mountains are visible just about anywhere you are in town.  Sierra Vista is spread out & not bunched up & congested like other towns/cities of that size & to me that makes it a nice place.  So, with scenic mountain surroundings, I spent about an hour all together in a couple mall parking lots contentedly reading my Muleshoe Ranch book.

READING MY BOOK IN THE PARKING LOT WITH THE DOOR OPEN LETTING A COOLING BREEZE BLOW THROUGH

However, I did not get out of the shopping spree totally unscathed.  About 25 minutes in a Target store proved extremely hard on me followed by 10 minutes in a Pet Smart.  About 3 minutes in a Dollar Store just about finished me off but at least I did escape Marshall’s, Ross’s Dress For Less & my longest parking lot wait…..Dillard's!!

LOOKS LIKE MARSHALL’S HAD SOME BARGOOOOONS TODAY:))

Last time in Sierra Vista we had ourselves some good eats at the Texas Roadhouse so today we decided to head back there for lunch again.  And again, we were not disappointed.  I really like their daily baked & warmed homemade rolls with the yummy cinnamon butter that goes with them.  Crispy chicken with mashed potatoes & gravy with a side dish of apple sauce.  Yep, that sure works for me.  Two thumbs up for the Texas Roadhouse again.

 

KELLY CHECKS OUT THE SURROUNDINGS & AL STRUGGLES TO STAY AWAKE AFTER A HEAVY SHOPPING DAY

I wonder why it is a set of written instructions can’t be included with a lot of things anymore.  Nowadays, if you want to find out how your new camera, musical device or whatever works, you have to fire up your computer, find a website, find your product & download some kind of  adobe software & start scrolling around forever trying to find the exact page you are looking for.  Meanwhile the urgency of whatever problem you were trying to solve with your camera, IPod or whatever has long ago gone the way of the Dinosaur.  I want to be able to put a camera manual in a camera bag, I want to sit outside & relax with some IPod instructions.  I want to read or double check a set up manual in the field & not have to go home, fire up the computer, find the readable program….well, you know what I mean.  Argument on the other side of course is having all the instruction booklets in one place & carry them all in a laptop.  Try carrying a laptop up a steep hiking trail.  Try checking out a products technical point on a laptop screen outside on a bright sunny day.  Try putting your laptop in your shirt pocket!!!!!!  I’m not against modern technology but come on manufactures, how about a little old fashioned & simple common sense for the consumer.

It is sad watching our best friends age.  We all know life does not go on forever & for we pet owners it is particularly difficult knowing we only have our Pals with us for a very short period of time.  Our morning walks with the 3 guys were always brisk & far ranging up to just a few short years ago.  Both Max & Checkers would fan out blazing the trail ahead but always staying close.  Occasionally they would stir up a rabbit but luckily never had a chance of catching it.  It was fun watching them run when they thought they could.  Those days are in the past now.  Max’s running days are over & he walks very slowly.  Most mornings he prefers to stay at the Motor Home & not go too far.  He’s a happy Boy & wants to go, but he just can’t.  His boundless energy has been curtailed by aging arthritic joints.  Checker’s hips won’t allow her to walk fast anymore & she usually ambles along slowly behind us exploring this & sniffing at that.  She sometimes just stops & sits down telling us her aching hips won’t let her go any further.  It is difficult for Checkers to get up the steps of the Motor Home now so we always put our arms under her tummy & help lift her up the steps.  On the bright side, our little Motormouse seems to be holding her own against the ravages of age.  Her funny little face is turning whiter now but her energy has not diminished & she keeps right up with us on our walks.  She is still able to jump up & down off the couch & chairs & is always her little ‘Clown’ self stirring things up whenever she can.  She loves to snuggle up close to Max & loves playing ‘toys’ with Checkers.  All the guys are happy & we still have our zany play times every day. But sometimes the reality of the future slips in & just makes me very sad as I sit  here in my chair watching the guys contentedly snoozing their days away dreaming of long walks, startled rabbits, fetching sticks & balls, swimming in lakes, & RVing with Mom & Dad over the past few years to new & exciting places.  These are our best Pals of ever & sometimes lately, I just can’t help but feel a little sadder than usual sometimes.

 

GROANER’S CORNER:((  Things You Don't Want to Hear During Surgery

• Better save that. We'll need it for the autopsy.
• Someone call the janitor we're going to need a mop.
• Accept this sacrifice, O Great Lord of Darkness!
• Spot! Spot! Come back with that! Bad Dog!
• Wait a minute, if this is his spleen, then what's that?
• Hand me that...uh...that...uh.....thingie.
• Oh no! I just lost my Rolex.
• Oops! Hey, has anyone ever survived 500ml of this stuff before?
• Darn, there go the lights again...
• You know, there's big money in kidneys. Heck, the guy's got two of them.
• Everybody stand back! I lost my contact lens!
• Could you stop that thing from beating; it's throwing my concentration off.
• What do you mean he wasn't in for a sex change...!
• Anyone see where I left that scalpel?
• This patient has already had some kids, am I correct?
• Nurse, did this patient sign the organ donor card?
• Don't worry; I think it's sharp enough.
• What do you mean "You want a divorce"!
• She's gonna blow! Everyone take cover!!!

--------------------------------------------------------------
EMAIL THE BAYFIELD BUNCH:))
stargeezerguy@gmail.com
 
Tourists see the world, travelers experience it.
 
BLOGGER WEBSITE http://thebayfieldbunch.com/
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The pessimist complains about the wind; the optimist expects it to change; the realist adjusts the sails -William Arthur Ward
 
The only thing better than right now will someday be the memories of right now...... AL.

Technorati Tags: Sierra Vista,Texas Roadhouse,Dillards,Motormouse,Muleshoe Ranch,Sierra Vista Animal Shelter,Aging,Pals

TODAY WE MET JOE & NANCY…PERHAPS OUR ALL TIME LONGEST BLOG READERS:))

TONIGHT’S SCENICS ARE ALL FROM NEW MEXICO’S ‘CITY OF ROCKS STATE PARK’ NEAR SILVER CITY….NOVEMBER 27TH 2008

I must say right off the top that we were fortunate enough this morning to meet a couple of very fine fellow RV’ers who have been following our blog since the Spring of 2007.  Nancy & Joe Carrier reside in Virginia Beach, Virginia & are trekking across the country to take part as volunteers in the Pebble Beach Invitational Golf Tournament in California next month.  They also work the PGA, the U.S. Open & others.  They have been doing this for awhile now & thoroughly enjoy it.  Joe told us what their volunteering entails but my short term memory has misfiled that info so am hoping Joe can refresh my memory with an email later when they get settled.  I can tell you that it has to do with sharing the greens with the likes of Phil Mickelson, Tiger Woods & all the other golfing greats.  It’s all kind of old hat for these folks.

GREAT TO MEET JOE & NANCY AT SANDY’S RV PARK IN SUNIZONA ARIZONA THIS MORNING

   

  

Joe emailed a few days ago saying they were in El Paso & headed our way after a slight detour to the hospital for Joe with a very painful kidney stone.  Joe has emailed us from time to time over the past 4 years & really wanted to drop by & say hello.  I was able to email back directions to Sandy’s RV Park in Sunizona just a 20 minute drive north of us & not too far south of I-10.  Joe is driving a 43 foot Monaco diesel pusher so he needed a bit of room to turn that big rig around & Sandy’s RV Park was just the place.

We met Nancy & Joe in Sandy’s restaurant for breakfast.  And, I might add, it was a great breakfast too.  Probably the best Cowboy Omelet I have ever had.  Service was friendly & efficient.  Food was great & we all came away very satisfied 

Spent the next 2 hours together having a great non stop RV’ers chat.  Always lots to talk about & conversations just flow when RVing folks get together.   We’re quite a bunch of characters you know:))  They gave us a tour of their beautiful Motor Home & it sure makes ours look like a little upside down Mini Minor in comparison.  I am not always comfortable around people but I felt right at home with these folks & had the feeling Joe & I could hit it off real well as buddies if we ever hung out for any length of time.  We shared a common interest in photography as well & I always enjoy meeting folks with like minded interests.  And, I could tell Joe had a good sense of humor too.  It was so nice of them to take the time out of their travels to detour off I-10 & come down to see us.  I was really impressed with the fact they had already been up earlier this morning & drove to the Chiricahua National Monument for an early morning look see around as well.  Nice to see people actively interested in many of the same things Kelly & I are so interested in too.  Joe has been working on re-evaluating & revamping his Blog/Websites & you can catch Nancy & Joe at  RVING BEACH BUMS.  These are 2 truly nice people:))

Discovered a little something in my Microsoft Windows 7 program that is proving helpful.  It’s called ‘Sticky Notes’ & allows me to place one or more small square sticky notes on my desktop where I can type in reminders, etc.   Just like the 736 sticky notes we have on our refrigerator door back home.  The on screen notes can easily be moved around the desktop to any location. 

And, in the words of John over at THROUGH GATES OF GRACE this past Wednesday, “I often get the sense that others whom do not travel the way we do assume that all is great and wonderful with this kind of lifestyle.”  Oh oh, no brakes on the Motor Home!!

While re-setting up the satellite dish Friday morning I was suddenly alerted by the sound of a sharp shriek of what sounded like a large bird off to my left in a nearby pine tree.  Seconds later I heard it again & it caused me to stop short of what I was doing.  Owl, Hawk, Eagle….what could be so close.  I stared in the direction of the tree watching for movement.  Startled again, there it was, but this time I swore I heard a piano key, & then another piano key.  A split second later I caught site of it sitting motionless on our small aluminum outside table….our Bose!!  So intent was I at setting up the dish that I forgot I had entered my Dan Gibson playlist into our outside Bose sound system moments before.  Anyone familiar with Dan Gibson knows he is the naturalist fellow who for years had recorded the sounds of animals & birds.  Waterfalls, thunderstorms, the sound of rain, etc.  He had mixed those sounds with an orchestra of ambient music to create very soothing & nature oriented beautiful music.  What I heard was the shrill sounds of a circling Hawk preluding to the beginnings of a soft piano instrumental.  Check out DAN & his SOOTHING NATURE MUSIC.  Dan Gibson died on March 18th 2006 in Toronto Canada.  His ‘Solitudes’ series of music is lovingly appreciated by people all over the world.

Max woke me up at the usual 2 a.m for his outside constitutional & I have been up ever since so it’s another long day for me.  I did manage to fall off my feet for short 10 minute nap around 1 o’clock in the afternoon but that was it.  Say, have I told you how beautiful our weather is again.  Yes, yes, I know…….quit going on about the weather all the time will ya!!  Hey, I’m just a Canadian & that’s what we Canadians do…..go on & on about the weather all the time:))

And just a reminder folks, the photo editing program I use for my photos is Google’s free Picasa 3.8. & it’s probably the same program many of you have.  Picasa 3.8 is a relatively easy way for you to make your already good photos…..better:))

GROANER’S CORNER:((  Two nerds are riding along on a tandem bike when suddenly, the one on the front slams on the brakes, gets off and starts letting air out of the tires.

The one on the back says: "HEY! What are you doing that for!?"

The first nerd says, "My seat was too high and was hurting my butt. I wanted to lower it a bit."

So the one in the back has had enough. He jumps off, loosens his own seat and spins it round to face the other direction.

Now it's the first guy's turn to wonder what's going on. "What are you doing?" he asks his friend.

"Look mate," says the rider in the back, "if you're going to do stupid stuff like that, I'm going home!!"

--------------------------------------------------------------
EMAIL THE BAYFIELD BUNCH:))
stargeezerguy@gmail.com
 
Tourists see the world, travelers experience it.
 
BLOGGER WEBSITE http://thebayfieldbunch.com/
OUR PHOTO ALBUMS http://picasaweb.google.com/stargeezerguy/

The pessimist complains about the wind; the optimist expects it to change; the realist adjusts the sails -William Arthur Ward
 
The only thing better than right now will someday be the memories of right now...... AL.

Technorati Tags: Monaco Motor Home,Sandy's RV Park,Sunizona,EL Paso,Chiricahua National Monument,Pebble Beach Invitational,Cowboy Omelet,RVingBeachBums,Sticky Notes,Through Gates Of Grace,Dan Gibson's Solitudes,Picasa 3.8

MEXICAN SMOG IN BORDER TOWN DOUGLAS

 

BOON DOCKED AT PAINTED ROCK ARIZONA….DECEMBER 12/08

Despite our rogue winds Wednesday night our winter here has been much better than a year ago.  With the exception of a few cloudy cold days & a small bit of rain with little wind we have been very fortunate.  I think it has been a better weather winter all across the southwest this year.

Our decision this past summer to buy our Jeep Wrangler TJ Sport sure has turned out to be a right decision.  I totally love this gawky looking little thing & it sure has broadened our travel horizons.   

In the past we would often see interesting roads or areas we would like to explore but just couldn’t take a chance with our lower clearance 2 wheel drive Hyundai Santa Fe.   Great car, but we really did need a Jeep:))

We are not into extreme Jeeping like a lot of kids are where we could damage the Jeep so we don’t try to clamber up cliffs with it.  The trick is in knowing when to stop & turn around.   Not always an easy decision for some of us guys but with the little Missus sitting in the passenger seat nowadays there just isn’t too much good old darn foolishness left anymore:((

PETROGLYPHS AT PAINTED ROCK ARIZONA NORTHWEST OF GILA BEND

Noticed supplies were getting a little low this morning so we Jeeped ourselves down to Wally-World in Douglas for some groceries.  It is really unfortunate what has happened to Douglas Arizona.  We can see the air pollution hanging over the town long before we get there & we can sure smell it when we do get there.  Having grown up close to a set of railway tracks in the steam engine age it’s easy for me to recognize the smell of burning coal!!  Just across the border are what I think are coal fired factories in Mexico.  Obviously no pollution laws on that side of the border & Douglas is sure paying the price for that.  I first noticed smog last year while in this area & to me it seems worse this year.  I have a feeling those are American & Canadian factories that have moved there to take advantage of the cheaper Mexican labor.  Not sure & I’m just guessing at that but somebody sure is putting an awful lot of terrible pollution in the air at the south end of Arizona’s Sulphur Springs Valley!!!!

SUNDOWN ON MITRY LAKE NORTH OF YUMA

GROANER’S CORNER:((  A mechanic who worked out of his home had a dog named Mace.

Mace had a bad habit of eating all the grass on the mechanic's lawn, so the mechanic had to keep Mace inside. The grass eventually became overgrown.

One day the mechanic was working on a car in the backyard and dropped his wrench, losing it in the tall grass. He couldn't find it for the life of him, so he decided to call it a day.

That night, Mace escaped from the house and ate all the grass in the backyard. The next morning the mechanic went outside and saw his wrench glinting in the sunlight. Realizing what had happened he looked toward the heavens and proclaimed,

"A grazing Mace, how sweet the hound, that saved a wrench for me!

--------------------------------------------------------------
EMAIL THE BAYFIELD BUNCH:))
stargeezerguy@gmail.com
 
Tourists see the world, travelers experience it.
 
BLOGGER WEBSITE http://thebayfieldbunch.com/
OUR PHOTO ALBUMS http://picasaweb.google.com/stargeezerguy/  
The only thing better than right now will someday be the memories of right now...... AL.

Technorati Tags: Douglas Arizona,Painted Rock Arizona,Petroglyphs,Jeep Wrangler TJ Sport,Smog,Coal,Boon Docked