Another Organizing Day

We aren't moving very fast on this organizing business, but we are moving. Today's projects were the kitchen pantry area and stowing the fishing poles. When we first looked at this motor home, Jim was excited to see that there are little round openings in the chasis frame. He measured them and bought pvc pipe to put in the holes to carry our fishing poles.

The poles fit into the pvc pipes that are placed into the holes in the chasis frame.

The other end of the pvc pipes

I decided to use the plastic covered wire shelves and plastic tubs to organize the pantry area. I used several medium sized tubs and about 8 shoe-box size containers.

This is an example of how I arranged the cupboards.

It's pretty easy to pull out one or two containers to get to the ones in back, and things will stay fairly stable when we're under way. I hope. I will probably use bungee cords to secure the cookbooks to the shelves.

Sandra stopped by today to return our containers which were used to send dinner home to Gordon a few nights ago. We got a progress report on his recovery from Valley Fever. They are hoping he's well enough to begin their journey back to Ottawa this Friday. Hopefully, he will feel up to going out to breakfast on Wednesday.

I made a recipe from a 1972 Pillsbury Bake Off Cook Book today. The price printed on the cover was 89 cents. When was the last time you bought a cookbook (other than in a used bookstore or garage sale) that cost 89 cents? This recipe is called Hearty Beef 'N Cheese Crescent Pie. I make it maybe once a year or so. Every time I make it, I remember why I keep the recipe around!

Here it is:

1 1/4 lbs ground beef, 2 cups (8 oz.) shredded Montery Jack or Cheddar cheese

1/3 cup chopped onion, 1/4 cup chopped green pepper

1 8 oz. can tomato sauce, 1 small can mushroom stems & pieces, 1 can green beans

1/4 tsp cumin seed, 1/4 tsp garlic salt (I use minced garlic), salt & pepper to taste, paprika

Preheat oven to 375. In a large fry pan, brown ground beef, onion and green pepper, drain fat. (I use really lean ground beef, so no fat to drain). Stir in tomato sauce, mushrooms, beans, cumin seed, garlic and salt, simmer while preparing crust. Separate crescent dough into 8 triangles. Place triangles in ungreased 9-inch pie pan, press over bottom and up sides to form crust. Combine egg and 1 cup cheese. Spread over crust. Spoon hot meat mixture into crust. Sprinkle with remaining cheese and paprika. Bake 20 to 25 minutes. Let stand 5 minutes before cutting into wedges. Makes 5 to 6 servings.

Opening games in baseball, finals in college basketball, oh so many choices! Jim was able to find enough to keep his channel clicking finger in shape today.

The last picture is to give my readers a break from motor homes and cactus. This is a flower garden in Tubac.

Another day in the life!

Little Things That Make Us Happy

Jim has a list going of the things that need adjusting, fixing, or just plain explaining on the new rig. We're taking the coach to the dealership on Thursday to accomplish these. Last night, he wanted to open the window behind his chair. He nearly turned himself upside down trying to get it open. Nothing doing. He added it to the list. Today, he turned around and just opened it. Seems the lock mechanism wasn't in quite the right position. I hope the HD/Satellite/Surround Sound issue turns out to be as simple. We are having senior trouble with the technology, I guess. I don't even understand it well enough to describe the problem!

He was up and sorting laundry before I had one eye open this morning. I asked him why he was up so early -- just awake, he said. When I asked if he'd slept ok, he said until 3, when he heard a rattlesnake! Well now. I didn't hear it, but I know he's very sensitive to snakes, so it's possible. I'm certainly keeping a close eye out when I'm out walking these days, especially with the dogs. I just learned that rattlesnakes are nocturnal, so the flashlight is on high beam when I go out with the dogs at night, too.

I did go to Target to buy two more rugs. While I was there, I couldn't resist looking around and ended up with a new crock pot. I have one, but it is tiny, and I thought I could fit a bigger one in the same place as the tiny one. Then I thought I should get a "present" for Jim to balance out the crock pot purchase, so I bought him a Handi-Vac. He's been lamenting the fact we didn't keep our Food-saver, so this little gadget might ease his pain a bit. It does the same thing as the big machine, but it's a little hand-held unit that runs on batteries. Jenny, one of the friends I met in the RV-Dreams chat room, mentioned it one night, and I happened to see it today. You can read her blog at Eleven Foot RV. The crock pot fits and Jim likes his present, so it all turned out good.

This is the kitchen area floor with it's two rugs on the floor.

This afternoon we strolled through the desert (while keeping sharp eyes out for any slithery critters!). Even though we've walked the same paths before, it all seemed new, as the ligtht and the level of blooming is ever-changing.

Golden Gate Mountain behind increasing greenery.

A stately Saguaro

Blooming cactus

Another type of cactus in bloom.

We seem to be in that "in-between" state of mind. We're getting anxious to be rolling down the road, but know we'll miss this very special desert area. New adventures await, and we'll keep our memories of our time here!

It's been another fine day!

Slowing Down and Settling In

This has been a mixed bag day. We said "See Ya Later" to the family as they started their journey back to Colorado Springs early this morning. They will make the trip, over 800 miles, in two days. Used to be that didn't faze me a bit. However, now that's a 3-day trip - at least. We'll be making the same trip starting April 7, and I'm sure it will take us at least 3 or 4 days.

We had a wonderful time visiting, playing cards, shopping and doing sightseeing while the family was here. We'll miss them, but it will only be a couple of weeks before we're back in Colo. Spgs. We'll pick up right where we left off, I'm sure.

Berta, Bob, and Ann just about to take off.


After the family left, Jim went to the store and I vacuumed. I'm using our new central vac, but I'm not sure if I like it all that much. I know I'll drag out my real vacuum cleaner now and then, but the central vac is kind of handy. Just grab the hose out of the little bag, put the wands together, slap on the floor attachment and I'm off and running.

Jim brought home some deli ribs and side dishes for lunch. Once the dishes were cleaned up, we piled in the car and headed over to Target to purchase some plastic tubs of various shapes and sizes to begin our task of organizing the cupboards and cabinets. There is more room in this coach, without a doubt, but the storage arrangement is very different. We were used to the cabinets and cupboards in the Bounder. It will take us some time to get things organized in a useful and efficient way in this coach.

We also bought two area rugs for our tile floors. Once we got them down, we realize we need a couple more, so I will let Jim start laundry tomorrow morning while I go back to Target to see if I can find two more rugs of the same color and style.

These pictures were taken over that past week.

This is a Gilded Flicker, I think:

Poppies

We found this dragonfly scuplture in Tubac

It hasn't been an exciting day, but it has been another good day in our lives!

The Boys of Summer Wilted!

The last home game of Spring Training was today - Arizona Diamondbacks at Colorado Rockies. We had tickets to see our home boys. Once again, the 5 of us piled into the Saturn Vue this morning for our day's adventures.

We started with a breakfast at Coyote Pause, one of our favorite restaurants in this area, before we headed over Gates Pass Road to Hi Corbett Field in downtown Tucson for the game. The wild flowers going over the pass are really beautiful right now. I need to explain for my Colorado readers that when I say "pass", this is an Arizona version of a pass. It takes all of maybe 3 or 4 good turns and a rise in elevation of perhaps 900 feet to go through. The pass connects the area west of the Tucson mountains with the main part of the city.

Even though we got to the ball park in plenty of time, the parking lot was full. Bob dropped us off at the ticket office while he went to find a parking spot. We window shopped the Rockies Dugout store while we waited.

Jim took this picture of Berta, Ann and me as we waited.

The sky was clear and the temperature hovered around 80 all afternoon. Here are Jim, Bob, Ann and Berta enjoying the people watching before the game started.

This is the Rockies star pitcher, Jeff Francis, warming up.

The Rockies started out great and were ahead 6 - 2 by the bottom of the 5th inning. But then, the second and third string players came into the game for the Rockies, while the Diamondbacks kept their first string players in. The Rockies gave this one up by a score of 11 - 8. Oh well, it was a fun afternoon.

There was a record crowd for the last game, over 8,000 fans.

On the way back to Diamond J, we stopped at a local pizzeria for supper. It was very good food, although the portions were much bigger than we could handle. Leftovers again tomorrow!

We said our "see ya's" to JoAnn and Doug this morning, wishing them a safe journey. We'll see them once more when they come back to Tucson for a Montana Owners Rally before we head back to Colorado.

And another great day has passed.

Family, Friends and Fun

We feel as if we've been swept up in a whirlwind for the last few days. Or weeks. These days are going by quickly. We know all too soon we'll be talking about how much fun we had when our friends and family came together in Tucson.

Sunday afternoon the 5 of us, Jim, Ann & Bob, Berta and I piled into Ann & Bob's Saturn Vue and made the drive up to Casa Grande to meet our nieces and their families for Linner at Cracker Barrel. We had a good time getting caught up on the news of their lives. Our nieces have their own famlies and we got to see two of the kids who, of course, grow like weeds.

Before we left for Casa Grande, we took a walk in the desert. Here are Berta, Ann and me.

Monday, JoAnn & I drove across Tucson to pick up Froggi Donna of From the Lily Pad at Tra-Tel RV Park. Donna is a solo fulltimer who I had the honor to meet last fall when we were both in the same general area of Texas. JoAnn had some leftovers from their dinner with Rick and Tinka of R-V There Yet. I had some leftovers as well, so we invited my family and we all got together for a leftovers potluck in our new coach. Nine of us fit pretty comfortably and we had a fine time visiting. After lunch, Doug conned Donna into helping him solve a computer problem, so off they went across the golf course.

Bob, Donna and JoAnn at lunch.

Then, in the evening, Jim and I went next door to play a card game called Jubilinski. For Jenny, here is the general outline of the game. Players start with 3 dimes each. Three cards are dealt to each player. One card is turned up on the discard pile and the remaining cards make up the draw pile. Play moves to the left with each person either picking up the top card from the discard pile, or drawing a card from the draw pile. They must discard one card. The object is to have the highest score, with 31 being the highest, or "Jubilinski". The cards must be in the same suit in order to count in the score. If a player believes they have enough points in their hand to beat at least one other player, they can knock instead of taking their turn. Once a player knocks, the rest of the players get one more turn and all players lay down their hand. The person with the lowest score must put a dime into the kitty. A player can stay in the game until their dimes are gone. After their last dime has been paid to the kitty, the player goes on their "honor" and can continue to play until they lose a hand, then they're out. Of course, the last person with money, or "honor", is the winner and takes the kitty. If a player gets 31 points, they can lay their hand down right then with the declaration of "Jubilinski". All other players must then pay a dime to the kitty. If another player has knocked, they must pay 2 dimes. If a player knocks and then has the lowest hand, they must pay 2 dimes. I know there are lots of variations and rules to this game; this is the way my family has played.

This game has been a long-time family favorite, at times we've had as many as 18 people playing at once! When my grandmother was still living, we typically were at her large house for holiday get-togethers. When the dishes were done, we gathered around the table for a couple of hot games. She had a rule that spouses were not allowed to sit next to each other, for fear of feeding cards to each other! Last night, we played several games, with Jim winning 2, Ann 1 and I actually took one game. Berta and Bob were the losers for the night.

Today, we got up and out early for a day trip to Tubac. Friends of Berta's live in Green Valley, so she arranged for them to meet us for lunch. We got there with plenty of time to browse around in the shops. Here's Ann in one of the shops.

So many pretty things, no place to put them...

Berta, looking for the perfect gift for someone.

A sreet in Tubac

We enjoyed a good lunch and headed back to Diamond J and our little home on wheels to rest.

Doug & JoAnn are leaving tomorrow, so we visited with them for a little while after we got back.

From the account of all the adventures going on, it would seem we're not making much progress getting settled in to the Phaeton. That's true, although I have spent a little time arranging things, at least when I find them. We're still trying to figure out if we have our new HD-DVR satellite receiver connected correctly. I can see the picture is very sharp, but I am not yet convinced we have true HD. I'm also hearing a little buzz coming from one of the speakers, and I don't think I should. But all in good time, we'll work it all out.

It's still a great life!

Getting Settled

Now the real fun begins. I'm seeing things I forgot we had with us, and not finding some of the essentials of getting through a day. Time and patience! We'll slowly get things put where they need to be. Maybe even out the door and down the road to the nearest Goodwill or Salvation Army donation center.

At least we are getting caught up with sleep which is a very good thing, since today was arrival day for sister and brother in law, Ann & Bob, and our cousin, Berta. They pulled in this afternoon and came right over. I had a pot of spaghetti sauce simmering while we got caught up with family news. I got to try out my kitchen's functionality with spaghetti, garlic bread, salad and strawberry shortcake for dessert.

They will be here for a week. We don't have every day planned out but there are a few things we want to do while they are here. They are traveling in a Bounder which is parked right next door to us.

The other big event today was Jim's trip across Tucson to Best Buy to purchase a DirecTV HD DVR Receiver. We got that hooked up, got on the phone with 3 different service reps before we finally got it working. I think we have HD service, but I haven't had a chance to check everything out for sure. I also think we might have a problem with our surround sound system, but it could be operator error. Hmmm....where did we put those instruction books?

Entries for the next week may be a little sketchy and/or scattered, as my family is big on playing cards or dominoes in the evening. I may be late posting the blog, or it may not get published every day for awhile.

You'll know that we're enjoying our precious time with family!

Moving in - Day Two

Can you say "Beat to a Pulp"? Oh, my goodness. I think we might have each slept a couple of hours last night, but I doubt if either one of us slept much more than that. We were both up and anxious to continue moving into the new coach very early this morning. Not to mention that we felt like we were staying at a race track -- we were right next to I-10, under the flight plan for the Tucson airport with a train thrown in for good measure. There were two other couples parked right by us who were also moving into their new coaches. One has a Phaeton almost exactly like ours, the other was moving into an Allegro Bus. I'm sure they all had a few choice words for us, out there banging compartment doors before 5 am! Oh well.

We had the bedroom and bathroom of the Bounder pretty much empty by the time our personal angels, JoAnn and Doug came to help. They brought energy and lunch. We created an assembly line with JoAnn in charge of packing the plastic tubs and whatever boxes might appear, while Doug either helped her pack, or helped Jim carry said tubs to me in the new coach. My job was to empty the tubs and return them for refilling. For awhile I was pretty overwhelmed with full tubs until I requested they all take a little break to let me get caught up.

I was certain that Doug was going around to the other coaches, gathering stuff from them to bring to me. Where else could all that stuff come from??? I thought we were in this lifestyle to simplify! I was shoving cans of food, boxes, packages, flour, sugar, whatever -- into the cupboard as fast as I could haul it out of the tubs. I can tell you it will take awhile to create some kind of organization here.

Finally at around 10:30, which felt like at least 2 or 3 in the afternoon, we were done except for the food in the refrigerator. Since I knew Sandra was heading our way, I suggested that we save that for her to help with. Sure enough, right at that moment she called and said she was at the front of the dealership. I went up and walked her back to our staging area. We were taking an early lunch break, so we had JoAnn's rendition of taco soup, fritos, and fruit. Oh, yes, and some magic cookie bars and pie just to help out with our energy needs.

After lunch, Sandra and I moved the contents of the refrigerator from the old to the new while JoAnn attempted a kitchen clean up in the mess. JoAnn and Doug headed back home while Sandra stayed to help find places to stuff things until we can work on organizing. Finally we had everything in and somewhat put away. All the little things that needed to be tweaked were accomplished and it was time to come home to Doc Justin's in the quiet desert.

We got set up, pushed the button on the automatic satellite dish and started our rest and healing process. Organizing can wait.

Tomorrow my sister, Ann, is coming from Colorado Springs with Bob, her husband, and Berta, our cousin. They'll be here for a week, parked next to us, and the plan is to rest and play.

Now, for the pictures...

Jim is exiting our coach, while the service member, Charlie, is starting our walk-through.

Back "home" at Doc Justin's, I'm standing in front of our coach.

A side view of the coach.

This is the front interior before moving in.

The cockpit has enough dials, buttons and knobs to keep us busy learning about them for some time to come.

A feature I didn't find on any other front entry-diesel -- a computer desk on the passenger side!

And, finally, Jim is speaking with his cousin after we've settled in. Notice the difference in the computer desk between this picture and the one above!

Yes, we're stiff and sore and tired, but we're home.

I have to close today with a huge THANK YOU! to JoAnn, Doug, and Sandra for their support and help with this move! You made it a fun time, and we appreciate you all more than we can say!

Moving in - Day One

We were a little concerned this morning when we called LaMesa and found that our biggest request had not even been started. We'd asked for the driver's side hide-a-bed sofa be removed and a Euro Recliner and computer desk be installed. The first guy Jim spoke with didn't know anything about the request. A few phone calls and about an hour later, we'd determined that yes, they had the right pieces to match our interior color but it would take them awhile to get it in. So we were moved from a 10 a.m. walk-through to a 1 p.m. walk through.

JoAnn and Doug had planned to come over to LaMesa at 1 to bring us lunch and help us move. We begged them to save the taco soup and come tomorrow instead. Luckily, it wouldn't be a problem for them. What great friends!

We got the walk-through done and the papers signed and actually started moving things in around 4 this afternoon. Jim wanted to get the compartments done first, so he started on those with all the slides closed while I carted a few loads of necessities to get us through the night. I have to say it feels a little odd to be parked side by side with our Bounder, in an RV Dealership parking lot.

The staff at LaMesa has been very accommodating and helpful. That is, the service folks, the initial salesman, the woman who helped us through the paperwork maze. The people we had to deal with to actually make the deal haven't been all that great. Of course, now that the papers are signed, I'd like to believe we got a good deal. Let me just say for our current circumstances, the current economic freak show, and our decision to do this now instead of waiting until next year, I do think we did the best we could have to get the exact "dream house" we wanted. Would I recommend LaMesa in Tucson? I'd have to give a neutral, "maybe". We stood our ground and walked on them a few times, after which they made some concessions. In the end, we have our Phaeton, and when we leave here tomorrow, they have a 2004 Bounder, and we're both satisfied.

Now, to get settled. It will take a while to get things put away and get into the flow of things with this rig. I am not posting any pictures today, but I will get some posted soon. I think we're going to be very comfortable here!

I confess to being pretty tired and sore tonight, but it's still been a great day.

Great Desert Day

Today has been one of the days I'll treasure. Not because I got the dogs bathed and the laundry done. Not because it's the last day we'll spend in the Bounder.

The weather has been just right, not too cold, not too hot. We did get things on our list done, laundry, dogs cleaned up, a few last minute business things taken care of. I will treasure this day - just because. We're here, we're healthy and we're loving what we're doing. It just doesn't get much better than this.

We visited with friends, made plans, took a walk in the desert with Sandra and Gordon, got some good pictures. It's just been a good day.

The wildflowers are becoming more prevalent in the desert every day. This is a new one for me, Globemallow.

We also got treated to some birds and critters.

I think this is a Pyrrhuloxia.

A Curve-Billed Thrasher

A Mourning Dove
Here's a Round-tail Ground Squirrel

On our walk with Sandra and Gordon, here's Sandra.

Gordon, at work.

We will be taking the Bounder to La Mesa RV in the morning for the big trade. It's possible we'll spend the night there, if we don't finish moving. Sandra and Gordon will be leaving Friday morning, so I hope we get to see them before they take off. We'll certainly miss them!

Another couple we've met here, Mike and Janna, have a little black Miniature Schnauzer named Jazz. They are leaving tomorrow, so we said our "See Ya's" to them as well.

It's just been a great desert day!

Another Day of Preparation and Waiting

More planning where things will fit. More thinking about how our daily routines will shift with the new space. Taking care of details. That about sums up the day.

I did walk a couple of times with the dogs. But I didn't get out into the desert. I find I miss that when I don't go out there. Soon the day will come that we will head to another place and the desert will be a memory until the next time we make it out here. I used to question how people could just stay in one place all the time. I spent so many years in one place out of necessity, perhaps somewhat out of habit as well. Once we started traveling, I thought we would be on the move all the time. However, this time in the desert has been good for my soul. There is a peaceful energy out amongst the cactus. There is a silence that somehow speaks to me out there. I think tomorrow morning, I need to head out into the desert before it has a chance to turn into just a memory.

We braved the shopping center and went to a nearby Target to pick up some new bedding. We've almost gotten used to the queen size bed, now we will readjust to a king size.

JoAnn baked a cake yesterday and invited us over to share it last night. They have volunteered to help us with our move. They tell me it's only because that way they can see all our stuff. Actually, they are excited and happy for us, and we greatly appreciate their generosity.

I made a "Blueberry Paradise Pizza" for dessert today and we invited them over to share it. They seemed to like it. At least they asked for the recipe.

Just one picture today, a Gambel's Quail that was walking by our home. We saw a roadrunner across the road, but didn't have time to get a good, clear picture.

Two more nights in the Bounder...

Time of Transition

This is the in-between time. I am not a big fan of packing and moving. It took months to shed all the stuff of living in a 4 bedroom house to move into a 36' motor home. Then we moved Jim's mom twice in one year. I would like for this move to be my last. At least this time I'm not packing everything ahead of the move. The two motor homes will be parked side by side and we'll simply fill a crate or two at a time and carry them from the old to the new. While there is work to be done to prepare, it's not like all the previous moves. The major work will be done that day. Oh, and for a long time after that, getting things put away.

We will have adjustments to make, but I think one of the biggest adjustments will be for our two "furkids". They have always slept in their crates right next to my side of the bed. When we move to the new coach, their place will be out in the dining area. There is room for them under the table, so they will have a new place. I expect it will take a few nights for them to get used to that.

Today, and the next two days, most of our attention is on doing the preliminary work that needs to get done to prepare for the move. Today we finished going through about 30 pounds worth of papers that got thrown out.

I also removed a couple of pictures that I'd put up with industrial strength velcro. Removing the velcro from the walls without doing damage takes patience and a warm hairdryer. I've gone through some clothes and have two bags to donate to charity. We also went through a couple of cupboards and let go of some dishes that we never use.

We are waiting until we actually move to take pictures of the coach. However, I've had several questions about it, so here are some of the goodies about it. It is a 40' model QSH, 2008 Tiffin Phaeton. The exterior is Silver Sand and the Interior is Laguna. The wood is Alderwood. Instead of two couches, we opted for the Euro-recliner and computer desk in the driver side slide. The dinette is simply a table with no support leg and free standing chairs. We're getting a king size bed with a Sleep Number mattress. The engine is a Cummins 360 ISC on a Freightliner Chasis.

The waiting continues...

Rain, Wind, and a Potluck

Maybe it has something to do with planning dinners at the Diamond J Recreation Hall. The last time I was involved with having a dinner there, it rained. This evening was the campground potluck there, and of course, it rained today.

But the rain was needed, and the potluck was well attended with many tasty dishes provided by fellow-RV'ers, so it all worked out just fine.

Since it was quite a bit colder today, I didn't do as much walking, just a short walk early this morning before the cold front arrived. We watched the clouds roll in from the west and then roll out again over the Tucson Mountains to the northeast. Another wave of clouds and rain came after the first and that's how the entire day went. Just as we were getting ready to walk over to the clubhouse, the wind got up with fierce gusts for awhile. Now we're cozy and warm back at the rig and I hear the rain starting up again.

I spent the day puttering with plans of organizing our new home. I also cleared out much of our little storage under the bed and went through old papers that we can get rid of now. I got caught up with some of my blog reading and worked a couple of puzzles. And I baked a cherry dump cake for the potluck.

Dump cakes, or pie cakes, are very easy to make and people seem to love them. Here's the "recipe":

Spray a 9" x 13" baking pan. Take two regular size cans of just about any fruit pie filling and dump them into the pan. My favorites are cherry or blueberry. Sprinkle a box of dry cake mix on top of the filling. I used white cake today, but yellow will work as well. I then sprinkled a handful of chopped walnuts on top of the cake mix. Drizzle a stick of melted margarine or butter over the top. I topped it off with a sprinkle of sugar and cinnamon, but that's entirely optional. Bake at 350 degrees for about 45- 50 minutes, or until the top is lightly browned and the filling is bubbling.

We enjoyed the potluck very much. We talked to several folks we hadn't met before, as well as visiting with people we already know.

Sandra is filling her plate, as other folks are going through the line.



JoAnn and Sandra visit with another guest. Doc Justin and his wife, Christine are on the right.


Doc Justin and Christine are the owners of this campground.

Most of the people we visited with this evening came here planning to spend only a few days or a week, and have stayed on because it is so beautiful here. It's interesting to hear other people say that, I guess I thought it was just us. There really is something about this place that draws us in.

Big Decision and Flowers in the Desert

Our coffee was especially good this morning, with a big decision handled. A few weeks ago I mentioned that we were considering trading in our 2004 Bounder for a new motor home. We found one we liked but didn't get it at the time.




Well, we've all but closed the deal. Our decision is based on the desire to continue living the fulltime lifestyle for the foreseeable future and wanting to be comfortable in our home. When we bought our Bounder, we didn't choose it with the idea of living in it full time. Now that we've spent over a year in it, we realize we want a little more room, especially in the galley.



Next Thursday, we expect to take delivery of our new, 2008 Tiffin Phaeton.

This afternoon, we went for a walk in the desert and took more pictures of the wildflowers. Every time we go out, we are seeing more blooms.

Right at the tip of the Ocotillo branch, the orange-red buds are just starting to pop out.


And to close out the day in the best techni-color, we were treated to another beautiful sunset.

It was a fine day.

I Love a Good Discussion

Wow. Yesterday's entry stirred up a discussion. I made a comment that a regular in the RV-Dreams chatroom said that he thinks it's boring when bloggers talk about mundane things in their lives. That brought several comments, including one from Rod, who made the original remark in chat. He wanted to clarify that he finds it hard to find things to write about in his blog when there isn't something exciting going on. Several people commented that they enjoy reading about the laid back activities of our lifestyle and don't really care if we're having adventures.




Thank you all for your comments! I'm glad we don't all think the same way and I'm glad we express ourselves in our own way. I enjoyed reading all the different opinions.

Today's pictures are a compilation from previous days.

Duck reflection on a pond.



Ducks' reflections on a pond. Look closely at the one in the middle.


Interesting sky above a row of palm trees at Gene Reid Park in Tucson.

JoAnn and Jazz share a moment. The pillow in the background has a saying stitched into it: "Life Without Dogs, I Don't Think So!"

It's been another great day!