WE SWITCHED A FEW THINGS AROUND TODAY

A TOUCH OF FROST IN OUR MESQUITE TREES THIS MORNING

Ahhhh, definitely warming up a bit but noticed shallow puddles on our walk this morning were frozen over.  Had 3 of those puddles been joined together we could have strapped on some blades & went for a skate.  Maybe grabbed a couple sticks & shot a hockey puck around.

 

FROZEN DESERT WATER PUDDLES

Been here in the house about 7 weeks now.  Definitely overdue for some changes.  Spent part of the morning re-arranging our living room.  Went with some of our original ideas we first had last March.  TV on the fireplace mantel & go from there.  I have changed recliners too.

OUR NEW LAYOUT FACES US TOWARDS THE FIREPLACE…GOTTA REMEMBER TO RAISE THAT CLOCK A BIT

My legs are a bit too short for my size & the Mission chair had a long seat cushion making it uncomfortable after awhile.  Wasn’t too crazy about the wooden arms after a bit either.  Kelly likes her Mission chair but Pheebs & I have swapped recliners. 

PHEEBS ISN’T GIVING UP HER RECLINER EASILY

 

Best part is that Pheebs can once again jump up on my lap for snuggles & snoozes.  We were both missing that because of the wooden arms on the Mission chair making it near impossible for Pheebs to jump up on my lap.  And, the newer recliner is much friendlier to my back.  It sits me up straighter rather than lollying me way too far back.

PHEEBS NEW RECLINER DIGS

Terry, the roofing guy showed up from Wickenburg late this morning.  He pin pointed the roof’s trouble spots right away.  Said the roof’s pitch was way too shallow for shingles to have been put on in the first place.  The tin sections on the other parts of the roof are old & not made anymore.  No way to match the section in need of repairs to the older tin roof.  He suggested the best way to repair the roof section over the bedroom is to remove all the old shingles, lay down a new base over the whole section & apply an EPDM RUBBER ROOF.  Designed for flatter type roofs here in the hot summers of the southwest.  He gave us a price of $1,863 & the job will take him & another fellow one day to complete.  Said they can do it early in the new year & guarantees no leaks.  This fellow was recommended & is a reputable roofer in these parts.

 

FLATTER ROOF SECTION TO BE REPAIRED IS DIRECTLY IN FRONT OF JEEP

SHINGLES IN FOREGROUND WILL BE REMOVED   

Couple spelling errors to fix up from Wednesdays post.  Burrow became Burro & Carol became Caryl.  Thanks for the head’s up folks:))

 

ICE PUDDLE PATTERNS

ICE PUDDLE PATTERN……OR A LOW NECKLINE DRESS??:))

Our morning routines haven’t changed much over the years.  I’m generally the first one up & into my recliner with the TV on & my laptop on my lap.  Kelly gets up an hour or so later & plugs the coffee pot in.  I only ever have 1 cup of coffee & Kelly has a couple.  With computers on both our laps we spend an hour or so looking at stuff & keeping an eye on the television news & weather for the upcoming day.  Not much has changed over these past few years, except for our reading habits.  Kelly reads fewer newspapers & I don’t read any at all.  Our blog reading is way down as well.  It’s just impossible to keep up with everyone like we once did. 

NICE TO HAVE CARDINALS IN OUR NEIGHBORHOOD & BACK YARD     

AHHHHHH, NICE TO BE BACK IN THE WARM SUNSHINE TODAY

GROANER’S CORNER:((  Beggar: Can you spare a hundred so I can buy a loaf of bread? Passerby: Bread doesn't cost a hundred! Beggar: I know, I'm expecting company.

-------------------------------------------------------------
- Tourists see the world, travelers experience it.
- Home is where your pet is:))
- "If having a soul means being able to feel
love and loyalty and gratitude, then animals
are better off than a lot of humans."
(James Herriot)
- 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.
- It is not so much having nothing to do as it is not having the interest to do something....AL.
- OUR PHOTO ALBUMS -https://picasaweb.google.com/117858411710794543295/
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NINA, BURRITO & DUSTY

KELLY DOES MOST OF THE WORK BEHIND THE CAMERA TODAY & THIS IS BURRITO THE BURROW
‘Yousa’, only 1 degree above freezing this morning when I took Pheebs out about 5 a.m.  Rained a bit in the night so imagine there may have been some icy roadways at slightly higher elevations.  And, wouldn’t you know it…..because I posted Tuesday night that we haven’t had any winds around here since arriving on November 1rst, our lawn chairs were tipped over this morning, outdoor mats were blown up & we had a brisk north wind rumbling through the neighborhood giving us a wind chill factor somewhere in the mid to high 20’s.  It was a freezing fast walk around the block this morning holding my cowboy hat on with both hands.  But hey, all the heavy laden gray clouds were gone & we had us a big bright happy sunny Arizona day going on….even if we didn’t get over 45F:((
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I have known people who are not at all affected by weather.  Mainly ‘inside’ folks they are, & I doubt many of them could give a hoot, or would even know a sunny day from a cloudy one.  Some of us, like myself, are sunshine folks.  Didn’t grow up with that intent in mind, just sort of evolved that way.  Like others, my moods are many times affected by the weather & I would not do well living in England or along Canada’s West Coast with their often dull back to back days of cloud & rain.  Arizona suits somebody like me just fine for the winter.  Well, most days anyway.  ‘Brrrrrrrr’

AND, THIS IS KELLY POSING FOR HER ARIZONA ID CARD PHOTO ON TUESDAY
On our Sirius Satellite radio I like the newer ambient versions of old Christmas Carols.  No words, but the carols are recognizable & I like the new arrangements & instruments used.   I do still like some of the older standard vocals by Bing Crosby, Nat King Cole & Andy Williams.  It is those old chestnuts which bring back happy childhood Christmas memories for me.  It was the age of Peter Pan, Alice In Wonderland, Santa Claus, the Easter Bunny, Wise men & Manger scenes, Walt Disney’s Cinderella & Snow White.  An age of innocence & wonder.  The age of imagination.  I haven’t lost that imagination, but I haven’t let it cloud my grasp of reality either.   

OUR MEXICAN NEIGHBOR’S CHRISTMAS LIGHTS
A neighbor from down the road dropped in to say hello this morning.  Jerry & Caryl are old Montana rancher friends of JANNA & MIKE'S & Jerry dropped in on his way home.  Caryl was teaching a quilting class today so Jerry said for us to drop over after lunch.  From our place to Jerry & Caryl’s place is less than a mile.
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We got to meet Burrito the Burro & her best Pal, Dusty the horse.  They are both 29 years old & Jerry was in the process of giving them both their daily meds.  Also got to meet quarter horse Nina which Jerry has had about a year.  Jerry took her in after she threw her 85 year old lady owner for the second time a year ago.  That same lady, after recovering from her injuries, was just re-injured again when out for a ride (on a different horse) with a ladies riding group in Wickenburg.  Unsaddling her horse, it expectantly moved, knocking her to the ground breaking her arm above the elbow.  She is now in the process of recovering all over again.  They sure make the western Gals tough here in these parts. 

THAT’S JERRY IN THE BACKGROUND
Jerry’s a knowledgeable fellow so Kelly & I were able to gather more information about our area plus some of Jerry & Caryl’s hobbies.
 
CONVERSING WITH BURRITO & HAVING A WEE CHAT WITH DUSTY
Finally got hold of a roofing company in Wickenburg & the fella will be around Thursday or Friday to have a look at the section of roof we are having a water problem with.  It’s a shingled section & the only part of the roof that isn’t steel.  At home in Bayfield we had a new steel roof put on our place about 8 years ago.  Not likely we would ever consider putting shingles on a roof so we’re thinking the best way to solve this leaky roof thing is to just simply put steel over top that shingled section & be done with it.

NINA & BURRITO SHARE A BOWL OF CHOW TOGETHER
GROANER’S CORNER:((  A guy walks into a bar and notices three men and a dog playing poker. The dog is playing beautifully. "That's a smart dog," the man says. "Not really," says one of the players. "Every time he gets a good hand, he wags his tail."
-------------------------------------------------------------
- Tourists see the world, travelers experience it.
- Home is where your pet is:))
- "If having a soul means being able to feel
love and loyalty and gratitude, then animals
are better off than a lot of humans."
(James Herriot)
- 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.
- It is not so much having nothing to do as it is not having the interest to do something....AL.
- OUR PHOTO ALBUMS -https://picasaweb.google.com/117858411710794543295/
stargeezerguy@gmail.com

BECAUSE SHE TOLD ME TO…

A PAIR OF CACTUS WRENS ON OUR WALK THIS MORNING

Had myself a successful re-boot this morning.  The mind is much like a computer at times.  Needs regular maintenance, upgrades, an occasional system restore, scheduled brain disc clean-ups & a systematic defragging to get rid of clutter. Important to concentrate thought process’s into bundles of creative efficiency.  Or whatever……….  

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Cloudy day with a cold breeze.  But hey, it’s not raining.  Not exactly short sleeve weather, but it’s reasonably comfortable for working on outside projects.  Well, if one works fast enough that is.  Some folks may prefer those 80+ days but I am not one of them.  If a person likes to lay on a beach, sit outside reading a book, or spend their time basking in A/C, then those hotter temps are great for them.  For me, 70 to 75 is perfect.  Today, we struggled to reach 50.  A bit on the ‘brrrrrrr’ side:((

WE CHECKED OUT SOME OLD RAILWAY TIES ON THE WAY HOME FROM WICKENBURG  THIS MORNING…LOADED UP 3 SHORT ONES

Wind has always been our greatest nemesis while traveling & boondocking around the south-west.  Reading some posts from fellow RV’ers now over in Borrego Springs California, we well know their frustrations with the notorious high winds in that area.  Over the past 5 years we have spent some pretty restless nights being rocked about by loud buffeting freight train winds blowing through the Borrego Canyons.  RV’ers are out in the open at the Clark Dry Lake Bed & I remember a few years ago we left that region early because of the non stop high winds.  All the square corners, awnings, aerials, A/C covers etc on an RV makes being inside in a high wind a little like being inside a drum.  Howling, rattling sounds seem to be amplified, convincing people inside that nothing attached to the rig will still be there in the morning.  Anything not welded to the ground outside may very well lead to a search party the following day.  Those winds are very unnerving at times:((

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Not sure if it’s a fluke or we just happened to un-knowingly move to a low or no wind area but we have not had any wind problems here in Congress.  A couple slightly breezy days but not the big winds we have experienced at the Ranch near Tombstone, Quartzsite, or Canyon De Chelly Arizona.  And, nothing like Borrego Springs or Lone Pine California either.  Now, having said that, we will probably have the roof blown off the house tonight by the highest winds ever recorded here in Yavapai County.

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Not much going on today.  Kelly & I slipped into Wickenburg, filled out some forms & got us a couple Arizona ID cards.  Kelly has duel citizenship so her card only took a few minutes while mine took nearly half an hour.  Kelly’s card is good for ever, but being Canadian, mine has to be renewed every 6 months.  And, why did I get an Arizona ID card??  Because Kelly told me to, that’s why……:))

THIS YAKKY LITTLE YARD MUFFIN SURE RAISES A BIG FUSS EVERY MORNING WHEN WE WALK BY 

GROANER’S CORNER:((  The secret to success is knowing who to blame for your failures.

-------------------------------------------------------------
- Tourists see the world, travelers experience it.
- Home is where your pet is:))
- "If having a soul means being able to feel
love and loyalty and gratitude, then animals
are better off than a lot of humans."
(James Herriot)
- 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.
- It is not so much having nothing to do as it is not having the interest to do something....AL.
- OUR PHOTO ALBUMS -https://picasaweb.google.com/117858411710794543295/
stargeezerguy@gmail.com

IN NEED OF A RE-BOOT

Well, I did try to think of something interesting for tonight’s post but I’m afraid I came up short.  Not that there isn’t anything of interest out here.  Just couldn’t seem to gather enough brain cells together in one spot long enough to form a creative thought.  Not often that happens.  And, it’s not often I make it through a whole day without at least taking one photograph of something…….anything. But, today just turned out to be one of those days.  Figure the best thing for me to do is an early shut down tonight & then re-boot myself in the morning hoping for an ‘all systems go’:))

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Today we were joined by Blog Follower W6PEA.  Looks like a doggy person to me & of course animal people are always welcome here at the Bunch.  Thanks for stopping by W6PEA:))

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GROANER’S CORNER:((  How do you get holy water............ Boil the hell out of it.

-------------------------------------------------------------
- Tourists see the world, travelers experience it.
- Home is where your pet is:))
- "If having a soul means being able to feel
love and loyalty and gratitude, then animals
are better off than a lot of humans."
(James Herriot)
- 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.
- It is not so much having nothing to do as it is not having the interest to do something....AL.
- OUR PHOTO ALBUMS -https://picasaweb.google.com/117858411710794543295/
stargeezerguy@gmail.com

SNOW ON THE MOUNTAINS

On my way to bed Saturday night I glanced out my bedroom window & saw a night full of stars.  I knew we were in for a sunny Sunday. 

HEY, WHO’S BEEN SLEEPING IN MY BED………

Almost looked like frost on the Jeep’s windows this morning & I spotted snow up on the Weaver Mountains to our east.  Kelly slipped into Wickenburg later & said the whole Weaver range was topped with snow.   GAELYN lives just a few miles from us up in the mountains & mentioned in Facebook she spent part of Saturday watching it snow.

With the ground saturated with water I figured it would be a good time to dig me some more post holes for our wood fence.  Nice digging when the ground is soft.  That completed, I moved all the garden tools & lawn chairs back out of the shed.  And then I did something I do not normally do. 

DIGGING A FEW MORE POST HOLES WHILE THE GROUND IS STILL WET

Sat myself down in one of our lounge chairs, faced myself into the warm morning sun & tipped myself back with the express purpose of doing absolutely nothing.  How nice to close my eyes & listen to all the birds in our back yard flitting about in the Mesquite & Palo Verde trees.  Cardinals, Sparrows, Curved Bill Thrashers, Cactus Wrens, Pheebs, Gamble’s Quail, Mourning & Inca Doves. (thanks Judy) Even saw what I believe was a Gila Woodpecker later on one of our Saguaros.  All & all, a relaxing few hours spent on a quiet Sunday morning in our sun drenched back yard.  Again, I was reminded of how fortunate we truly are.  We may not have everything we want, but we do have way more than we need.

COLD RAINDROPS IN TALL GRASS

And what was Kelly doing in Wickenburg?  She had a $10 Alco coupon that expired today plus it was a 10% off everything on a pre-Christmas Sunday.  Figured we would grab ourselves another heater.  We are definitely heat seeking Canadian Snow Birds alright.

GROANER’S CORNER:((

The hardest thing in Hollywood is to keep the marriage a secret until the divorce leaks out.

-------------------------
- Tourists see the world, travelers experience it.
- Home is where your pet is:))
- "If having a soul means being able to feel
love and loyalty and gratitude, then animals
are better off than a lot of humans."
(James Herriot)
- 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.
- It is not so much having nothing to do as it is not having the interest to do something....AL.
- OUR PHOTO ALBUMS -https://picasaweb.google.com/117858411710794543295/
stargeezerguy@gmail.com

AWWWW NUTS, WE SPRUNG A LEAK:((

OUR SECOND DREARY RAIN SOAKED DAY:((

Our morning dawned with cloudy skies, cold 38F temps, & drizzling rain.  Not nice!!  And especially not nice here in sunny warm Arizona!!!!  Long range forecast says the weather will begin to turn around Tuesday & by the end of next week we will be back to full sunny 70F days:)) 

<<< CLEANED A FEW CEILING FANS TODAY & YOU CAN SEE A LEAK SPOT LEFT OF THE FAN

Woke up about midnight to a sound I did not want to hear.  Drip, drip, drip………. Awwwww nuts, we have a leak in our roof:((  Happens to be my bedroom with the slow leak a couple feet from my bed.  It is the only section of roof that has shingles.  Rest of the roof is steel.  We can tell by the ceiling, this room has been susceptible to leaks before.  We did have the steel part of the roof patched & recoated with an Elastomeric Solar Flex material last March but I can see where we will probably have to have the shingled part of the roof repaired & covered in steel as well.  It’s the only way to do it right & the only way to permanently put a stop to further leaks.  $Oh dear$ 

AT LEAST THIS LEAK IS NOT DIRECTLY OVER MY BED

A second slow leak started between the living & dining room but only a few drops then stopped.  I did have a look up in the spooky attic but everything appeared dry.

 

ATTIC ABOVE OUR DINING ROOM & YEP, I DID SEE A GHOST SCOOT BY WHILE UP THERE:))

Rain continued through the day so there was no going outside beyond our red crushed gravel.  To do so would be to sink into the desert mud.  And, it’s real gooey stuff.  Fortunately we park the Jeep on the gravel so Kelly, without getting all mudded up, headed off for some DVD’s at the Congress library.

EVEN SPENCER CAME IN OUT OF THE WEATHER

Despite me grumping about the weather, Kelly was quick to remind me of a few times we were stuck inside our Motorhome for a few days waiting out rainy days.  So much nicer to be in a sticks & bricks during rainy weather.  One of those times was on Ogilbe Road west of Yuma California when we were CONFINED TO THE BOX & another time was in Texas when camped beside a lake near Bob Sandlin State Park.  That turned out to be a couple COLD WET MISERABLE DAYS.

AW COME ON DAD…..GIVE ME A BREAK WILL YA!!

Not a real exciting day, but in a nutshell….cleaned 3 ceiling fans, 3 separate light fixtures, replaced an old toilet seat, took a few photos, blew my nose, put this post together, ate a couple peanut butter sandwiches, burned some cardboard boxes & grouched myself around the house a bit…….and you?    

RAIN LET UP ENOUGH TO LET ME BURN UP THE EMPTY IKEA CHAIR BOXES LATE THIS AFTERNOON…NOTICE I REPLACED THE CEMENT BLOCKS WITH ROCKS IN THE BACKGROUND CAMPFIRE AREA

Again, a word of thanks to readers for your kind Emails, your Comments & your Shouts.  Without you the readers, this daily blog would have dried up & blown away a long time ago.  Kelly, Pheebs, & I thank you all once again for your interest in the Bayfield Bunch:))

OH OH, THERE’S A LITTLE DOGGY ON THE NEW IKEA POANG CHAIR ALREADY…THESE $69 CHAIRS ARE VERY COMFORTABLE & THEIR LIGHT WEIGHT MAKES THEM EASILY PORTABLE…NEXT BEST THING TO A RECLINER:))

GROANER’S CORNER:((  Late one night in Washington, D.C., a mugger jumped a well-dressed man and held a gun to his ribs. "Give me your money!" he demanded. The man stiffened, but said indignantly, "You can not do this to me ? I am a U. S. Congressman!" "In that case," replied the robber, "give me my money!"

-------------------------------------------------------------
- Tourists see the world, travelers experience it.
- Home is where your pet is:))
- "If having a soul means being able to feel
love and loyalty and gratitude, then animals
are better off than a lot of humans."
(James Herriot)
- 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.
- It is not so much having nothing to do as it is not having the interest to do something....AL.
- OUR PHOTO ALBUMS -https://picasaweb.google.com/117858411710794543295/
stargeezerguy@gmail.com

WHAT A MESS THIS WORLD IS IN…….

Had a fair bit of rain in the night & I like the smell our Sonoran desert takes on when it gets wet.  Creosote shrubs give off a distinct sweet & slightly pungent aroma that is unmistakable.

 

Knew soon as I looked out the window this morning I was going to have myself an inside day.  Cloud cover was heavy & the air was cold & damp.  Our walk around the block was brisk & our warm house felt welcoming on our return. 

THIS PRETTY WELL SUMS UP OUR WEATHER TODAY

First on the agenda was the assembly of our new Ikea Poang chair & foot stool.  Tackled the stool first & soon had the easiest piece out of the way.  I did put together a couple Poang chairs about 4 years ago, but my memory did not readily retrieve the assembly files.  Took me about half an hour but was finally able to figure it out & the job was done.

 

KELLY TRIES OUT THE NEWLY ASSEMBLED CHAIR & FOOT STOOL

Sitting around the rest of the day doing the square root of nothing wasn’t in the cards so I wasn’t long in hauling out a can of paint, a brush, & a roller.  Our laundry room has a bunch of that ‘popular in the 70’s’ cheap light wood paneling on the walls.  Took me a few hours but I was finally able cover up that grim looking cheezy paneling with a couple coats of paint.

Turned the TV on late this afternoon & heard about the terrible tragedy of all those children & adults dying in another senseless mass shooting.  What a mess this world is in.

-------------------------------------------------------------
- Tourists see the world, travelers experience it.
- Home is where your pet is:))
- "If having a soul means being able to feel
love and loyalty and gratitude, then animals
are better off than a lot of humans."
(James Herriot)
- 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.
- It is not so much having nothing to do as it is not having the interest to do something....AL.
- OUR PHOTO ALBUMS -https://picasaweb.google.com/117858411710794543295/
stargeezerguy@gmail.com